DC Universe Classics

[jourdo]

I imagine this will be a fairly empty thread... seeing as these seem to be non-existant in Canada, but where are you guys at with collecting these?

I'm pretty much up to date with Wave 1 through 3, including SDCC Lobo. I skipped a couple of the variants as I just didn't really need them. Although I did miss the original Firestorm, who I hope to catch in the later wave release.

Now that these are becoming increasingly hard to find north of the border, I'm becoming less of a completionist and only focusing on the characters I really want (Shazam, Flash, etc.).

What are your thoughts on the line?

[pud333]

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the scale. I don't really like my humanoid figures to be over 4" scale, but I do like a lot of the sculpts. The quality certainly is there. But I find some of the seams where the joints are connected sort of stick out and kind of distract from the mold.

Originally Posted by jourdo

Now that these are becoming increasingly hard to find north of the border, I'm becoming less of a completionist and only focusing on the characters I really want (Shazam, Flash, etc.).

Due to space and money, I find in general I have had to focus in and only buy toys I really want. Gone are the days when I'd buy something just because.

[4lott]

pud33, I know what you mean. I no longer have the space or extra income for impulse buys. While these figs are available at some LCS and Canadian on line retailers I'll only pick them up if I can get them at mass market stores simply for no other reason than I want to know I can return it hassle free if it breaks in my hand. The torso on the last fig I bought, Batman Beyond, split in two right out of the pack. The manager at my LCS refunded me the $$ and we joked about it being a mini build a figure. He said he's not touching this line again until the QC improves.

[jourdo]

Originally Posted by 4lott

The torso on the last fig I bought, Batman Beyond, split in two right out of the pack.

I read about all of the issues of Batman Beyond snapping at the waist, and I have barely touched mine as a result. The waist is super tight and I figure one good twist and it is done.

Does anyone know for sure about the status of these at mass retail? Walmart was the only place I ever saw them and that was WAY back in the Wave 1 days.

Has this officially become an online only line for Canadians?

[lars573]

Originally Posted by 4lott

pud33, I know what you mean. I no longer have the space or extra income for impulse buys. While these figs are available at some LCS and Canadian on line retailers I'll only pick them up if I can get them at mass market stores simply for no other reason than I want to know I can return it hassle free if it breaks in my hand. The torso on the last fig I bought, Batman Beyond, split in two right out of the pack. The manager at my LCS refunded me the $$ and we joked about it being a mini build a figure. He said he's not touching this line again until the QC improves.

I just wish I knew if any of the comic shops here carried the line.

[pud333]

Originally Posted by 4lott

While these figs are available at some LCS and Canadian on line retailers I'll only pick them up if I can get them at mass market stores simply for no other reason than I want to know I can return it hassle free if it breaks in my hand.

That is one of the really good things about mass retailers. So long as you have a receipt, you can pretty much return anything. However, I still try to support the local shops as much as I can, but it's getting harder and harder to do so as money gets tight and prices keep rising. For example, one comic shop was charging $16.99 for 25th Joes and $14.99 for DCIH. I know they have to mark up, and I don't mind paying more to support local shops, but that kind of markup is way too high for me to afford (and personally, I kinda find it a bit offensive, to tell you the truth. However, it's not my business, so whatever).

Originally Posted by jourdo

Has this officially become an online only line for Canadians?

I believe so. Unless Mattel has some major distribution plans to announce, I think we're stuck with online or comic shops. I find that Canada tends to get the shaft with some lines. DC for instance (I see Marvel products everywhere). Unless there is a big movie behind the products (eg: Dark Knight), DC toys are pretty much non existent or relegated to a tiny section of the store. But even with toy lines like 25th Joes, we don't get every wave that the US does. I don't know if it's a problem of availability, or of retailers just not ordering every wave, but it can get frustrating.

[lars573]

I think you'll find it's the retailers. Hasbro and Mattel can only sell what stores are willing to sell. Wal-Mart dropped DCUC. Which was the one Canadian retailer that carried the line. So it's either comic shops or online.

[jourdo]

Does anyone have any contact information for Mattel to ask them about this? I checked their customer service site and could not find any email info. God forbid I actually have to take pen to paper.

[Cyber-Kun]

I only have one figure, wave 1's Etrigan, that I found in Wal-Mart when wave one hit retail. Back then there were quite a few figs and I thought "Hey, maybe there will be a lot of stock for this line"
Oh, how naive I was...
I've never seen any further waves since.

[-KG-]

I have 3: Batman, Penguin, and Harley Quinn. I would love to grab a bunch more, but I'm not going out of my way for them. If it was a mass retail Canadian release I would grab a bunch more. Also if they're staring me in the face in a comic book shop at a reasonable price I'll buy 'em too. That's if the paint is good...