I love the Ted Kord Charlton Comics version of Blue Beetle. This figure even has a holster on his hip which holds his "B.B." gun and snaps closed to keep it securely in place! Keen!
Unfortunately, I have a love/hate relationship with DC Universe Classics which is quickly souring into a hate/hate relationship. The toyline is extremely well designed and the characters are true to their comic book appearances, and so many fan-favorite characters are filling out the line. Add to that awesome "Collect and Connect" bonus figures, and it should be a no-brainer hit.
Sadly Mattel is poorly managing the line with record level QC issues, piss poor distribution and Walmart exclusive waves getting into the hands of more scalpers than fans, it's near impossible for an average joe or even a hardcore toy fan to complete a wave and get a whole Collect and Connect figure built, let alone get their hands on all the figures they want in any given wave.
Blue Beetle came out in wave 7. Wave 10 is reportedly hitting stores now (Walmart stores only however - Wave 10 being an elusive-exclusive wave.) That's three waves ago, and I never saw him at retail. I had to get him from a fellow collector living somewhere in the mid-west. By the way, I've only seen Wave 8 figures once (not all of them mind you) and reports have Wave 9 suffering some sort of "we didn't make enough" issue and tons of online pre-orders have been canceled. I won't even get into my experiences with the handful of figures I have from waves 1-6. Way to go Mattel - no toyline should be this hard to get. Seriously.
Anyways, Blue Beetle is awesome and although I am seriously considering backing away from active pursuit of DCUC, I couldn't pass up the chance to add the character to my collection. Mattel, you're dang lucky to have the DC license, because it's the characters and their decades-long mythology that gets people buying your toys, not your business model.
It is an awesome toy.
ReplyDeleteRarely does a face look that good on an action figure. That's really awesome!
ReplyDeleteSo jealous! I want this action figure and i don't even collect toys any more lol.
ReplyDeleteAm a fan of the Charlton Action Heroes like BB,The Question and Captain Atom.
Ted Kord is the Blue Beetle no one else is period much has Vic Savage is the Question i hate the new versions of these heroes.
Congrats on the find! Where did you end up picking it up at?
Agreed, Timmy and D20 - very awesome!
ReplyDeletejboypacman - I ended up having to get this one from a fellow collector on a toy collector forum (www.thefwoosh.com) - I never saw him in stores, although he SHOULD have been mass distributed.
Strange you had such a hard time finding him i guess they really drop the getting these guys out to the market.
ReplyDeleteI have been making more trips down the toy sections at stores as of late and in my area after reading your blog and its slim pickings for these for sure.
This line is KILLLIIINNGG me. I HATE them. Hate them!
ReplyDelete(I didn't mean it DCU. I love you, baby. Please don't go!
(......bitch)
p.s. let me know what you are hunting - I came across some Chemo parts today that i passed on. I have an amputee Grodd and a parapalegic Giganta. I hate them.
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