Last week I followed up on my Marvel Universe toyline top 10 wants from last year (which, you may recall, I was 0 – 11 in my predictions). This time around I’ll be looking at my top 10 Most Wanted DC Universe: Infinite Heroes predictions from a year ago.
I did a little better this time, coming in at a still weak 2 – 8. Here’s the list:
1. Darkseid
2. Doomsday
3. Red Robin
4. Aquaman
5. Bane
6. AzBats
7. Eclipso
8. Metamorpho
9. Steel
10. Ambush Bug
So, a year later we’ve got Doomday from the last of the Walmart 6 packs, and we’re getting Aquaman in this years SDCC Exclusive (in the Starro boxed set).
Now, honestly, I don’t know how much life my beloved Infinite Heroes has left in it. I’m hoping it can hang on as long as JLU has. There’s so many key characters that still need to be done in this line. Darkseid and the New Gods. Legion of Super Heroes. Green Lantern Corp members (c’mon, Mattel, this is a no brainer!) that it really would be a shame if Infinite Heroes came to an end without these significant DC Comics characters represented in it.
Where’s more Batman and Superman related characters? They generally do better with the mass market than the obscure characters that fans clamor for. That could lend a much needed shot in the arm.
Ditch the 6 packs (already done, I think) and the 3 packs. Stick with steady releases of single carded figures. Focus on the heavy hitters and sneak in an obscure character or two each wave. Heck, use the DCUC wave model, for crying out loud!
I just want to see Mattel give the line some attention. We don’t get previews of upcoming product in ToyFare. We saw a few new figures at Toy Fair back in February, and then nothing until the SDCC exclusive reveal. We don’t see any print ads in any of the toy magazines. Hasbro’s been running Marvel Universe ads on the back cover of Marvel comics for a year.
Whew. Sorry. Got a little carried away there. But we all know how frustrating it is when we see a line we love teetering on the brink. But, I’m gonna carry the flag until Mattel says it’s done. Here’s hoping we DCIH fans get some good news and reason to hope at Comic Con this July.
I’m standing right there beside you (figuratively at least) in hoping for a long and thriving life in the DCIH brand.
Bring on a steady stream of releases (maybe 6 waves a year at 5-7 figures a wave) and we could be seeing a DCU the likes of which has never been seen in plastic before.
I kind of felt like you were talking about JLU for a second there. Even though I truly don’t like these I hope you guys can get another year or so out of it so Mattel can get to the good figures.
I had high hopes for Aquaman, Mera, Aqualad, Tempest, Dolphin, Manta, Ocean Master and the rest of the Aqua-crew. Heck, this would probably be the only line to produced the Storm and Imp seahorses! Alas, Aquaman gets no love. Too bad.
Man, first off, i respect your enthusiasm for this line. I think we all make up these “wish-lists” in our heads, and it’s exciting when we see our favorites made into actual toys.
That said, this line is a nightmare. There’s no way it’s making it as long as JLU, and that’s because Mattel has put so little effort and quality into these figures. I started collecting them from the beginning, but the lack of accessories, funky molds, weird plastic, and crap articulation drove me away. And at most places (at least in my area) they are on pegs right next to the Marvel Universe 3 3/4 figs, which makes them look even more ridiculous.
Looking at your list, Doomsday is #2. But are you really happy with THAT version of the character? It’s a horrible figure! It just looks God-awful. They couldn’t just use a smaller mold of the dcuc Doomsday? yeah, they’re making guys from your list, but if the figure is shite, who cares? Some of them look good. Captain Marvel and Bizarro are a couple i’ll hang onto, but for the most part these figures are not worth the $7-$9.
@bnjmnrlyr-you say you want 6 WAVES at 5-7 figures per wave…A YEAR?! Let’s just say it’s 6 per wave, 8 bucks a figure. That’s about $300, and we’re not even considering the aggravation of finding them all. You’re either mentally deranged or you just $hit money. Either way, God bless you brother, ’cause these things are not worth all that!
Lord knows it would be cool to get Ambush Bug made. But not in this line. they’ll botch the paint-apps and the mold and everything else. It will look like hell. So I think I’d rather have no toy rather than a poorly made toy. Not trying to be a hater, but i wanted this line to be the second coming of the Kenner Super Powers, and my hopes fell WELL short. Comparing Super Powers to Infinite Heroes is like comparing ice cream to horse manure. This line can’t die soon enough.
Actually, I like the Doomsday DCIH figure quite a bit.
I hated the way the “bone extrusions” -or whatever they’re called- on his back turned out. I think Mattel did a good job on the dcuc version, and kenner did a great version 10-15 years ago for the Superman line. Now, the Starro boxed set looks like a step in the right direction. What do you think?
To each his own, i guess. Heck, i thought “Sectaurs” were cool.
hate to say it but infinite heroes is getting close to Mattel deciding to not even put in on life support for mostly due to not giving it the love the other dc products get and second the molds seem to be the cheapest they can use not to mention no accessories including a magic lasso for wonder woman . ambush bug he has more of a chance for the dc classics treatment then infinite heroes. sad to say the line is not going to last much longer
I plan to keep buying DCIH until Mattel stops making them.
I agree that Mattel can do a better job with these figures and give us accessories.
Mattel is not trying hard enough.
I agree with getting rid of the 3-packs and 6-packs, and selling single figures only.
I would have waves of 10 single figures every 3 months so we get 40 figures per year.
LONG LIVE DC INFINITE HEROES! The sad part is even when new figures get released, it’s a crap shoot whether they ever reach the pegs around here. While I saw the Martian Manhunter wave — the one I ordered from BBTS — I have yet to see the latest Deathstroke wave — the one I *didn’t* order on-line. It is hard to support a line with no new items to purchase. And around here, since most of the Martian Manhunter wave is gone, someone is looking for & buying the new waves besides myself.