MattyCollector has opened up their 2014 Club Masters Of The Universe Giants Subscription. It will be available through September 25th 2014 at 11:59PM PT. The figures are faithful recreations of the vintage MOTU figures in 12-inch scale. Each one has a twist waist power punch, “rubber band” legs, and vintage-style accessories. And they come on an oversized vintage-style blister card featuring watercolor cross-sell art from 1982.

There will be four figures included in the subscription: Giant He-Man (September), Giant Skeletor (October), Giant Stratos (November), and Giant Beast Man (December). Each figure will run $70.00, not including any applicable shipping, taxes, and fees. Oh...and there's no canceling the sub.

Matty Collector is releasing the Baby Skeletor figure. This is the second Masters of the Universe figure released based on a Robot Chicken skit. The 12" tall articulated baby comes with his own royal potty. You'll be able to purchase one on June 16th 2014 at Noon ET for $35.00 each.

After supporting MattyCollector.com's Masters of the Universe Classics line for the last five years, I've decided not to renew my Club Eternia subscription. I couldn't pinpoint one specific thing that has led me to this decision, but I can give you a pretty convincing list.

1. Prices have jumped. In 2010, it ran $30.92 (shipping and tax inclusive) to purchase one figure. In 2013, that amount has skyrocketed to $37.26. That a 20.5% increase in price over three years.

2. Their shipping is atrocious. With the $9.90 you pay towards shipping and handling, Matty has chosen USPS Parcel Select. This means that East Coast collectors will likely have to wait in excess of 10 days from they are charged until the package arrives on their doorstep.

3. They're scraping the bottom of the barrel, character-wise. Out of a 12-month cycle,  you're likely to get 5 or 6 figures that you might actually want. Mattel is notorious for including She-Ra characters you've never heard of or slight variants of MOTUC figures you already probably have in their Club Eternia subs.

4. Club Eternia scare tactics. It seems that every year, MattyCollector is threatening to shut down their Masters of the Universe Classics line. Either they get a set number of subs or no one will get their toys and the line will cease to exist. [...]

Continue Reading

Apparently, Matty Collector will be making that infamous Back To The Future Hoverboard Prop Replica available to order (if you didn't order one back in the spring of 2012). I call it infamous, because it has garnered a lot of attention over on the Matt Collector forums. A number of folks feel duped by changes that Mattel made to the final product...making the board look more like a toy than a true prop replica. Either way, it will run you $130.00 plus shipping once it's released.

Mattel has opened the pre-order window for the Masters of the Universe Classics Castle Grayskull playset. The pre-order runs through January 3rd 2013 at 11:59PM PT...only if they reach the minimum production goal by November 10th 2012 at 11:59PM PT.

There are plans to release this as a 25" tall piece, based off of the original prototype. It will run you $250.00...and Mattel is saying that the shipping charges might be significant (it will weigh around 20 pounds).

So...apparently, Mattel hasn't been getting the subscription response that they want for their 2013 Masters of the Universe Classics Club Eternia. It appears that not only the sub, but the entire line is currently in jeopardy (if you believe what MattyCollector is selling). The Four Horsemen, who do all of the killer sculpting work on the MOTUC line, has even taken to Facebook to implore fans to purchase a Club Eternia sub.

I've attached their post below, but here are my thoughts on this. I've had a Club Eternia sub for the past 3 years. It's fairly expensive - this year, the sub will run you $505 over the course of 12 months. But that doesn't include shipping costs, which are outrageous...and outrageously slow (it takes over a week to get to the East Coast). With tax and shipping charges, you're paying $30.64 for a $20.00 toy. Ridiculous? That's over 50% of the toy price. And they're upping the price of each figure to $25.00 for 2013.

Then, you have no idea what characters they're going to release (The Star Sisters? Really?). It wouldn't be an issue if they actually released "Classic" MOTU characters, but there are so many new or ancillary figures that you'll probably get only 3 or 4 figures that you really want. So I am guessing that a lot of people are going to simply cherry pick the characters they want and not be locked into a subscription (oh yeah...there's no way to unsubscribe). Makes sense. [...]

Continue Reading

MattyCollector.com has unveiled the three subscriptions that will be offered for 2013. Gone are the Masters of the Universe 30th Anniversary Series and Voltron: Club Lion Force. Joining the Masters of the Universe Classics Club Eternia and DC Universe Club Infinite Earths, for 2013, will be the all-new Watchmen Club Black Freighter - based on the Watchmen comic series.

While they are only $25.00 or $30.00 to join, the subscriptions break down like this:

Club Eternia: 1 club exclusive figure, 12 monthly figures, 4 beasts/variants/multi-packs - $505.00 plus shipping/taxes/fees
Club Infinite Earths: 1 club exclusive figure and 12 monthly figures - $246.00 plus shipping/taxes/fees
Club Black Freighter: 6 figures - $150.00 plus shipping/taxes/fees

Subscriptions are available to purchase until Monday August 6th 2012 at 11:59PM PT. And new for 2013...all Club subscribers will receive early access to all non-subscription products.

Photo credit to Toyark.com

Well...this is really real. Mattel will be taking pre-orders for the Back to the Future Hoverboard Prop Replica from March 1st through March 20th 2012. I guess production all depends on the number of pre-orders received (how couldn't they fulfill whatever quota Mattel has set?). No pricing details revealed yet, except that it will be a "high-cost item". Check out the Mattel press release below.

Finally! This totally awesome 1:1 replica of the hover board from the BTTF 2 and BTTF 3 films includes multiple whooshing sounds and will glide over most surfaces (does not actually "hover" – check back in 2015 for that feature). We'll be taking orders for it March 1 – March 20, 2012, and the final product will be shipped around November/December 2012. Because this is such a high-cost item, there will be a minimum number of orders required to go into production. If we don't receive the minimum orders, won't go into production and customers will not be charged. The price will be announced later this month. (Note: Hover board does not work on water.)

The second of MattyCollector.com's September 2011 Masters of the Universe Classics figures is Hurricane Hordak: Ruthless Leader with Wicked Whirling Weapons. These are included with your 2011 Club Eternia subscription, or you can order one on Thursday September 15th 2011 at Noon ET for $20.00.

He-Man and Skeletor both had better watch their backs… there's big trouble brewing on the horizon when Hordak returns armed with a vicious hurricane blaster attachment that includes his bat blades, thunderball mace and fork pincher! Sculpted by the Four Horsemen and fully articulated, his armor is removable for those quieter moments when Hurricane Hordak plots his reinvasion of Eternia.