Mattell loses some DC licensing rights

[Hypo Lil' Leaguer Find all posts View Profile Close Hypo]

Mattel's stock falls after it loses licensing rights for some DC Comics toys

Mattel Inc. shares’ losing streak continued Monday after the toymaker lost the licensing rights for certain DC Comics products, including boys’ action toys, and Goldman Sachs analysts cut their estimates for the company.

Toronto-based Spin Master Corp. will be the new licensee for DC in the boys’ action category, remote control and robotic vehicles, water toys, and games and puzzles, displacing El Segundo-based Mattel. The three-year global agreement with Warner Bros. begins in spring 2020. Mattel will keep some of its licensing rights, including for preschool and girls’ toys, Goldman analyst Michael Ng said in a note to clients.

Spin Master Announces Three-Year Toy Licensing Agreement for DC

"Partnering with an iconic brand like DC is a major milestone for Spin Master and is part of our strategy to invest in successful licenses to further grow and diversify our business," said Ben Gadbois, Spin Master's Global President and COO. "Children everywhere have been entertained and inspired by DC Super Heroes™ and Super-Villains™ for more than 80 years and we're honoured to be a part of that storytelling and imagined play. We are looking forward to bringing Spin Master's renowned innovation to the toy line and to sharing more details about this exciting partnership in the new year."

[Trey Strain Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Trey Strain]

That means Mattel got outbidded. Maybe Spin Master got a good deal, and maybe not.

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

I hope it doesn't mean a big decrease in product, but the actual news doesn't bother me. I much prefer DC Direct's stuff. The Mattel toys I have, I boxed.

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

Thus ends one of the greatest lines of super hero action figures of all time.

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

Thus ends one of the greatest lines of super hero action figures of all time.

Really? I always felt like they sacrificed aesthetics for too many joints. DC Direct's stuff looked better and Kenner's (back in the day) was more fun. Mattel's DC stuff wouldn't even appear in my top 20 franchise/toy maker associations.

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

I think the style Mattel used from DCUC onward just might be the best sculpt and scale for superhero figures ever. I could live without the ab crunch, but the consistency in the line and deep catalogue of heroes and villains will never be outdone ever again. With the help of a few customs I now have complete displays of the golden age Justice Society and Doom Patrol. Not to mention a ton of alien and human Green Lanterns.

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

Pixel Dan (a Youtube toy reviewer) discussed the loss. Some good thoughts on what to expect and he notes that Mattel does retain the youth stuff.

+ YouTube Video

I think the style Mattel used from DCUC onward just might be the best sculpt and scale for superhero figures ever. I could live without the ab crunch, but the consistency in the line and deep catalogue of heroes and villains will never be outdone ever again. With the help of a few customs I now have complete displays of the golden age Justice Society and Doom Patrol. Not to mention a ton of alien and human Green Lanterns.

We definitely have different tastes there. The only DC Mattel figures I even got (that I recall) were their Manhunter, Sinestro Corps Batman, and the Medphyll that can swap his head to be Nautkeiloi. Of those, I boxed the first two because I found the GL Rebirth figures of the Manhunter and GL Batman to so surpass the Mattel that they were pointless to display (although, ironically yesterday I boxed most of that line for space's sake). The other I've kept up for the simple reason that there is no other Medphyll, but I really don't like the sculpt. The whole line felt more like legit children's toys than actual collector's pieces.

But, just to be clear, that's nothing against the company as a toy maker. Mattel actually did make my favorite action figure line of all time with Masters of the Universe.

[Michael Heide Heide Finition Find all posts View Profile Close Michael Heide]

http://www.comicsbeat.com/mattel-sto...o-spin-master/