CriticalMess.Net Mattel Q&A for March 1st, 2010

Gardner Grayle asks-
With engineering challenges like Gentleman Ghost and Chemo behind you, how would you tackle another non traditional figure like the Mist?

Sorry, we can’t comment on unannounced figures. Mist would be a challenge, but we are up for it!

Hyperion asks-
If you were given total freedom by the PtB at both Mattel and DC to delve as deep and obscure into the DCU as you wished to put together a “what-the-hell” wave of the most off-the-wall characters, who would you chose?

Nothing is really too obscure for a collector line. We keep tossing around ways to do Captain Carrot, Talkie Tawny and Jimmy Olsen as a Turtle boy, but can’t seem to find the right channel. 

Rod Keith asks-
Straight-up fanboy question:

What are the chances that when you get around to doing Martian Manhunter, that we can get a less heavy-browed Silver Age variant, with Zook as a pack-in? Long-time comic readers would sing your praises in the streets!

Both good suggestions, but we can’t comment on unannounced figures!

Scot Eric asks-
Once images have been disseminated of an upcoming wave -- at that point -- are the figures merely prototypes, or has actual mass production started?  If they're only "prototypes" -- is there a general window of time between the image being made available -- and the mass production commencing?  And can any changes only be color/paint issues (like Wave 14's Hourman needing to have a black area on his mask) -- or is it possible to alter/refine sculpting/tooling as well (such as the open mouthed expression on Wave 14's Alan Scott/Green Lantern)?

Sometimes it is possible to ad paint ops or unflock an ear or two, but sculpts are usually well into production making any changes difficult. And for the record, we checked with DC, Hourman is correct as is. The black area is a shadow, not a deco.

Multiple members ask-
Matty, will we see a Golden Age Blue Beetle to compliment the other two Blue Beetle versions you have produced?   Moreover, does the move by Shocker Toys to produce a “Dan Garrett: The Blue Beetle” figure under the open licence blanket potentially cause any problems in this regard?

Dan Garrett is in our license, but we can not comment on unannounced figures!

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