If you’re not a He-Fan, you may not know that this month’s Masters of the Universe Classics selections went on sale yesterday for, oh, approximately 10 minutes, before selling out. That is, in itself, truly amazing. But the drama surrounding Mattel, MOTU and the line’s devoted fans is getting increasingly bizarre, exhausting and more often than not, hostile. But first, let’s go back in time, shall we? To the turbulent summer of 2009 and a little fan gathering called San Diego Comic-Con.
I met up with a friend on Preview Night to push our way through the crowds and see the sights. My arms were already full of MOTU swag, when my friend asked why. Thus began a long, meandering, winding, confusing story of Mattel vs. their customers. I tried to explain how and why Mattel has a general disdain for the fans of the Masters of the Universe. Why the fans keep coming back for more abuse and why I just spent a ridiculous amount of money on something as intangible as a childhood memory. It’s hard to explain. While the company abandoned the property back in the 80s and moved on, the He-Fans stayed with it, studying, devoting time, collecting every bit of information and plastic to build an encyclopedic knowledge of a beloved story and its heroes and villains. Mattel may own the rights, but we own the soul. We kept the odd tale of the planet Eternia alive, and I think it annoys Mattel that they have to keep going back to the property, when they’d much rather bury it forever.
Mattel’s relationship with Digital River, the order processing company who handles their sales, is truly bewildering. That must be one hell of an ironclad contract they have, because any other reasonable business (especially the size and stature of Mattel) would have fired and replaced them by now. But, see, I’m just not surprised. This has become standard behavior. Frankly, I’d be more surprised if Mattel made any sort of effort to make the ordering process easier for the fans. And yet, I do believe that Mattel wants to tell the stories they want to tell and make the figures they want to make. And I believe they want to make a movie and cash in on some of that Transformers and G.I. Joe money out there. In that, the fans and Mattel have a common goal. More success and more endurance for the line.
The 2011 subscription to the MOTUC line seems the way to go. The only way to go, actually. If you want a reasonable chance of getting the figures you want, you’re going to have to sign up for the whole deal. If you’re a completist, it’s a win-win situation for both parties. You get everything you want, and Mattel gets your money without all the hassle of having to actually deal with you. If you’re not a completist, then, well, you’ll either be assimilated or you’ll just go away. Mattel’s MOTU brand rep called us “amazing fans” in one of the most bizarre victory speeches since W’s “Mission Accomplished” declaration. The praise, of course, is hollow and insincere, but I expect that from a major corporation. But the tone, the utter disassociation with reality, is starting to border of sociopathic. It’s like a press release printed on Arkham stationary.
When I updated my friend on the latest developments today, he suggested I write this entry, if just to get a few things off my chest. I refused at first, because I’m genuinely afraid of Mattel. One snarky blog entry and I could wake up with Battle Cat‘s severed head on my pillow. However, after reading the radioactive responses of the fans on Mattel’s website and Facebook page, I figured my own musings were pretty tame, comparatively. I probably should have waited until I got my figures in the mail, but again, no matter what I say or think, there’s actually some small comfort in knowing Mattel couldn’t care less.
I would LOVE to have collected this line. I love MOTU but I know me and me would not be a happy queer over this. I hope you get your battle cat (if you didn’t) and will keep a lookout for one for you. I know Paul (aka gaycomicgeek) posted a nasty youtube airing his feelings about it and sent it to Mattel. Seems they charged him for cat but told him he did not actually get the order and will not be getting but offered him no refund.
Razz-Bel 02/18/2010 03:05 am
I wondered if you were going to post anything about this. A picture is worth 1,000 words.
Havoc 02/17/2010 07:00 am
That’s all that’s needed to be said really.
Sad day for the MOTU community.
Matty FAIL
By Chance
February 17, 2010 at 2:00AM EDT
If you’re not a He-Fan, you may not know that this month’s Masters of the Universe Classics selections went on sale yesterday for, oh, approximately 10 minutes, before selling out. That is, in itself, truly amazing. But the drama surrounding Mattel, MOTU and the line’s devoted fans is getting increasingly bizarre, exhausting and more often than not, hostile. But first, let’s go back in time, shall we? To the turbulent summer of 2009 and a little fan gathering called San Diego Comic-Con.
I met up with a friend on Preview Night to push our way through the crowds and see the sights. My arms were already full of MOTU swag, when my friend asked why. Thus began a long, meandering, winding, confusing story of Mattel vs. their customers. I tried to explain how and why Mattel has a general disdain for the fans of the Masters of the Universe. Why the fans keep coming back for more abuse and why I just spent a ridiculous amount of money on something as intangible as a childhood memory. It’s hard to explain. While the company abandoned the property back in the 80s and moved on, the He-Fans stayed with it, studying, devoting time, collecting every bit of information and plastic to build an encyclopedic knowledge of a beloved story and its heroes and villains. Mattel may own the rights, but we own the soul. We kept the odd tale of the planet Eternia alive, and I think it annoys Mattel that they have to keep going back to the property, when they’d much rather bury it forever.
Mattel’s relationship with Digital River, the order processing company who handles their sales, is truly bewildering. That must be one hell of an ironclad contract they have, because any other reasonable business (especially the size and stature of Mattel) would have fired and replaced them by now. But, see, I’m just not surprised. This has become standard behavior. Frankly, I’d be more surprised if Mattel made any sort of effort to make the ordering process easier for the fans. And yet, I do believe that Mattel wants to tell the stories they want to tell and make the figures they want to make. And I believe they want to make a movie and cash in on some of that Transformers and G.I. Joe money out there. In that, the fans and Mattel have a common goal. More success and more endurance for the line.
The 2011 subscription to the MOTUC line seems the way to go. The only way to go, actually. If you want a reasonable chance of getting the figures you want, you’re going to have to sign up for the whole deal. If you’re a completist, it’s a win-win situation for both parties. You get everything you want, and Mattel gets your money without all the hassle of having to actually deal with you. If you’re not a completist, then, well, you’ll either be assimilated or you’ll just go away. Mattel’s MOTU brand rep called us “amazing fans” in one of the most bizarre victory speeches since W’s “Mission Accomplished” declaration. The praise, of course, is hollow and insincere, but I expect that from a major corporation. But the tone, the utter disassociation with reality, is starting to border of sociopathic. It’s like a press release printed on Arkham stationary.
When I updated my friend on the latest developments today, he suggested I write this entry, if just to get a few things off my chest. I refused at first, because I’m genuinely afraid of Mattel. One snarky blog entry and I could wake up with Battle Cat‘s severed head on my pillow. However, after reading the radioactive responses of the fans on Mattel’s website and Facebook page, I figured my own musings were pretty tame, comparatively. I probably should have waited until I got my figures in the mail, but again, no matter what I say or think, there’s actually some small comfort in knowing Mattel couldn’t care less.
Comments
I would LOVE to have collected this line. I love MOTU but I know me and me would not be a happy queer over this. I hope you get your battle cat (if you didn’t) and will keep a lookout for one for you. I know Paul (aka gaycomicgeek) posted a nasty youtube airing his feelings about it and sent it to Mattel. Seems they charged him for cat but told him he did not actually get the order and will not be getting but offered him no refund.
I wondered if you were going to post anything about this. A picture is worth 1,000 words.
That’s all that’s needed to be said really.
Sad day for the MOTU community.
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