SUPER-ARTICULATE: MATTEL AT TOY FAIR 2008

**MattBrady** · 02-20-2008, 10:39 PM

Photos by Michael C. Lorah except where noted; text by Troy Brownfield.

We kick off our Mattel coverage with an overview of the metric ton of product that ties into the Speed Racer film. This is not to be explained. Just absorbed.

DC Super Friends got rolling last year, and here you can see one of the newest additions, the Batwing. This is already in stores; in fact, my 3-year-old has one and loves it. It fits one figure and makes three flying sounds.

As part of the DC Super Friends push, Mattel has also released "Be Brave Buddies", plush pals for the younger set. Batman, Superman and Flash are in stores now, with Hawkman following soon.

Joining the parade of Superman, Batman and Flash variants in the line will be new characters, like Cyborg, Hawkman, The Joker, and Robin. Cyborg and Super/Bat variants are pictured.

Obviously, a focus area this year will be The Dark Knight. Here you can see . . .holy s#!t is that Deathstroke?!?!

Like, right there? Deathstroke?

Now, we also have some photos provided to use by our friends and content partners at ActionFigureInsider.com. Julius Marx brought us these images; here's a group shot of The Dark Knight figures.

A new DC Universe expression from Mattel this year is Infinite Heroes. These 3.75" figures will come in singles and three-packs. One highlight is that you see Gotham cops and the like mixed in with characters running the gamut from The Question to Black Hand.

And finally, here are the second and third assortments of the 6" DC Universe Classics line. Also shown were two wave four figures: Wonder Woman and Cyborg.

Thanks again to our own ace photographer, Michael C. Lorah, and to the esteemed Julius Marx (follow AFI's own detailed Toy Fair coverage here.

BEC · 02-21-2008, 11:45 AM

I really need to start picking up those DC Universe figures.

Aaargh, more things to collect! The wife ain't gonna be happy.

DreamKing · 02-21-2008, 11:46 AM

Deathstroke, eh?

Maybe that's the super-secret role that Anthony Michael Hall was rumored to be playing...

kiddae · 02-21-2008, 11:46 AM

Um, wow. Really wish you hadn't put the Deathstroke spoiler as the headline.

Beezer210 · 02-21-2008, 11:47 AM

The Deathstroke is probably like the Robin figure in the Batman Returns line.

Marius665 · 02-21-2008, 11:48 AM

that Hush figure is mine!!!!!

RoscoeDillon · 02-21-2008, 11:52 AM

Very happy to see the Weather Wizard figure in the Infinite Heroes line, but I was hoping it was regular-sized! Darn...

swinney72 · 02-21-2008, 11:53 AM

Deathstroke spoiler = not cool.

samnoir · 02-21-2008, 11:53 AM

I didn't realize Speed Racer was being made into a movie!

Those Plush Buddies are really hilarious!

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alleywaykrew · 02-21-2008, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beezer210

The Deathstroke is probably like the Robin figure in the Batman Returns line.

Robin was actually supposed to be in Batman Returns. They wrote him out at the last minute, but the toy was already in production.

TheFinn1225 · 02-21-2008, 12:02 PM

Man, I hate when they put Batman in retarded scuba gear and give him stupid looking dumb bells. the worst part is little kids will buy it because they are idiots.

StoryOfABoy · 02-21-2008, 12:06 PM

those dc universe figures are way fierce! (the infinite heroes as well)

might have to pick up some of the super friends stuff for my nephew; how pimp is that hawkman plush?

Marc_Spector · 02-21-2008, 12:08 PM

Yes, little kids are idiots for buying toys marketed towards them.

hunterjax · 02-21-2008, 12:13 PM

Mattel has said that Deathstroke is not in the movie, they are just fleshing out the Dark Knight line with more Batman villians, similar to what Hasbro did with Spiderman 3 figures which included Black Cat, Rhino, and the Lizard.

There is also a Firefly included in the Dark Knight line, but it hasn't been established if that is Batman in a firefighting suit called Firefly Batman, or the villian Firefly.

Also, Troy, the DCU Infinities line does not (to date) include Parademons - those figures flanking Hawkman are Thanagarian Policemen.

PukeStain · 02-21-2008, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiddae

Um, wow. Really wish you hadn't put the Deathstroke spoiler as the headline.

And just sprung it on you? It's not like this makes it a fact that deathstroke is in the movie. These sort of slip-ups happen all of the time, putting the wrong figure in with the wrong set.

SMARTASS8 · 02-21-2008, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swinney72

Deathstroke spoiler = not cool.

If I'm wrong, I'm sorry, but I'd bet money Deathstroke isn't in The Dark Knight. Toy companies used to do that a lot when I was a kid(much to my dismay). They'd run out of characters to make for a movie line, so they'd make toys of characters who weren't even featured in the film. Hasbro did this last summer with both their Transformers and Spider-Man 3 lines. I already saw a figure for the new Batman movie that might be considered a spoiler and they didn't feature it in most of the Toy Fair online coverage.

hamgravy · 02-21-2008, 12:17 PM

While Deathstroke is still a possibility, the mask could be a red herring nod to comic fans but really be an iteration of Two-Face in the movie.

hunterjax · 02-21-2008, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMARTASS8

If I'm wrong, I'm sorry, but I'd bet money Deathstroke isn't in The Dark Knight. Toy companies used to do that a lot when I was a kid(much to my dismay). They'd run out of characters to make for a movie line, so they'd make toys of characters who weren't even featured in the film. Hasbro did this last summer with both their Transformers and Spider-Man 3 lines. I already saw a figure for the new Batman movie that might be considered a spoiler and they didn't feature it in most of the Toy Fair online coverage.

If you are talking about the Two-Face figure, that's true - Mattel showed their Two Face figure but no pictures were allowed - someone from Dark Horizons snuck in a camera phone and snapped a few blurry shots. From what you can make out in those shots, the figure looks great.

hunterjax · 02-21-2008, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hamgravy

While Deathstroke is still a possibility, the mask could be a red herring nod to comic fans but really be an iteration of Two-Face in the movie.

That was my original thought, but if you see a better pic of the figure, the right eye (on the blue half of the mask) is completely covered and in the press release Mattel did name it Deathstroke. Could still be a red herring, but I think it is just to fill out the villians in the toy line.

chimpscomix · 02-21-2008, 12:20 PM

Maybe that is not Deathstroke. Maybe it is the character Gamble that is supposed to be in the movie. Granted, it does look like a Deathstroke, but since they have shown

SPOILER!!!!!

(Highlight to read, it is still light to read, hope this works OK)

a Two-Face figure on other websites that was not supposed to be revealed

One would think that a Deathstroke figure would be under tight security like the above mentioned figure.

CMAAB · 02-21-2008, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted byMarius665

that Hush figure is mine!!!!!

Ummm What Hush figure? I didn't see one in any of those pics.

hunterjax · 02-21-2008, 12:22 PM

The Hush figure is part of the DCU Infinities line - to be in a three pack with two Gotham SWAT members.

Marc Patten · 02-21-2008, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamKing

Deathstroke, eh?

Maybe that's the super-secret role that Anthony Michael Hall was rumored to be playing...

It's not Deathstroke. The Mattel rep explained to me that there were two or three figures they created to be in the assortments that are not actually in the movie. This was done to enhance the diversity of the line and give kids more guys to play with or fight Batman.

The Deathstroke looking guy is just some type of generic ninja.

I repeat, no Deathstroke in DK the movie.

Marc
Destination Entertainment

DreamKing · 02-21-2008, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marc Patten

It's not Deathstroke. The Mattel rep explained to me that there were two or three figures they created to be in the assortments that are not actually in the movie. This was done to enhance the diversity of the line and give kids more guys to play with or fight Batman.

The Deathstroke looking guy is just some type of generic ninja.

I repeat, no Deathstroke in DK the movie.

Marc
Destination Entertainment

Cool, thanks for the info.

Scavenger · 02-21-2008, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hunterjax

The Hush figure is part of the DCU Infinities line - to be in a three pack with two Gotham SWAT members.

That's Commissioner Gordon in the 3 pack with the SWAT...the Hush figure is one of the stand alones.

Gordon/SWAT: http://toyfair08.asmzine.com/gallery.../IMG_1111.html

Hush (I assume..I didn't read it, but the guy is wearing a Jim Lee Trench coat) http://toyfair08.asmzine.com/gallery.../IMG_1135.html