Mattel - New for 2023

[Faelrin]

@Cretaceous Crab There were those Dominion sets that had some mini humans. Might still be available online.

-Chaotic Cargo Pack (w/ Owen)
-Carnotaurus Clash Pack (w/ Claire)
-Fight or Flight Pack (w/ Kayla and plane)
-Total Battle Pack (w/ Grant)
-Advent Calender (w/ JP worker)

There's also another JP 30th advent calender on the way. No idea what it has yet though.

I can also agree they are fun to collect and great for fidgeting (as yet another autistic adult). I have most of the film species (that they made) in my collection now, and have been collecting them since 2018. Just need to pick up the Mosasaurus and maybe a few others.

[Cretaceous Crab]

Thanks, @Flaffy !

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I started to collect the mini packs several weeks ago, mainly as mechanism to deter me from buying sweets. I'm on a diet (Dr's orders)....the packs cost about as much as a bag of Nerds Gummy Clusters (my most coveted vice).

But I have to say, I've really enjoyed collecting them. I think I like them better than the FK series. Maybe it's the rubbery material and the varying scales. They also make great little "fidgets" (I'm an adult with autism, and have a terrible habit of picking my cuticles almost to the point of bleeding), so I usually have one or two in my pocket.

Having trouble finding the sets though. I really want to a human figure for scale!

I have an advent calendar set and the one mini set with carno and i think owen for sale.

[Prehistory Resurrection]

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

looks a bit nicer than the original and I don't mean Hasbro's... lol

[Stuckasaurus (Dino Dad Reviews)]

So excited for the Tupandactylus! I'll definitely be getting this one. It should fit right in with my 1:40 collection.

[CityRaptor]

Anyone see these yet?

So the Atrociraptor from the Search 'n Smash Truck is a female named Pax...oh and the guy is named Murphy.

[Prehistory Resurrection]

[Prehistory Resurrection]

[Eocarcharia]

For a second I thought the Atrociraptor in the thumbnail was holding a sword lol.

[Eatmycar]

Anyone see these yet?
So the Atrociraptor from the Search 'n Smash Truck is a female named Pax...oh and the guy is named Murphy.

Two things. 1: The guy's name is Greg Murphy, iirc that's one of their toy designers they had in the Behind the Gates footage, so funny easter egg on their part.

2:More lore than the old Dino Trackers figures from '94 which amuses me - as an older person, I can't say I care about Mattel's YouTube channel, but they're reaching the kids who actually, you know, play with the toys. So good on them.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

pretty cool videos, it's like the scenarios I'd think up as a kid. The only thing I'd change is they should actually go outside and do this in the dirt and weeds.

[Prehistory Resurrection]

[Prehistory Resurrection]

[Flaffy]

The shoddy paint really brings the sculpt down on this one... And the slit pupils again... why?

[Faelrin]

@Flaffy I noticed that from the in box pic. Same issue as the Dilophosaurus. It's weird that the electronic mainline Epic Attack one does a better job at being film accurate then the collector's version, at least as far as the paint apps goes anyways. It even gets the pupil shape right (edit: after watching the Japanese review of it I shared earlier). A shame because the HC sculpt is otherwise more or less film accurate, and a step up from the older Legacy sculpt that the Epic Attack figure is based upon. It's just so strange why they can't get something as simple as pupil shape right, etc, nevermind more prominent features (like the missing pycnofibers on the Geosternbergia, or the coloration and pattern shape on the Pachycephalosaurus, and many more examples), particularly in a collector's line that seems to be marketed towards an older audience? Like as a longtime fan of the franchise and the creature designs within, I'm going to keep noticing these issues that keep on slipping by, and will continue to call them out on it.

Some pics for comparison:

Spoiler

Animatronic:











Maquette:

[close]

[Flaffy]

@Flaffy I noticed that from the in box pic. Same issue as the Dilophosaurus. It's weird that the electronic mainline Epic Attack one does a better job at being film accurate then the collector's version, at least as far as the paint apps goes anyways. It even gets the pupil shape right (edit: after watching the Japanese review of it I shared earlier). A shame because the HC sculpt is otherwise more or less film accurate, and a step up from the older Legacy sculpt that the Epic Attack figure is based upon. It's just so strange why they can't get something as simple as pupil shape right, etc, nevermind more prominent features (like the missing pycnofibers on the Geosternbergia, or the coloration and pattern shape on the Pachycephalosaurus, and many more examples), particularly in a collector's line that seems to be marketed towards an older audience? Like as a longtime fan of the franchise and the creature designs within, I'm going to keep noticing these issues that keep on slipping by, and will continue to call them out on it.

Some pics for comparison:

Spoiler

Animatronic:











Maquette:

[close]

Yeah I really don't understand why a vocal portion of the Jurassic community seems to be hostile and/or complacent against some very valid criticisms on screen-accuracy regarding the Hammond Collection line. Like, isn't the HC supposed to be a "premium collector oriented line"? Still can't get over the Pachycephalosaurus's ugly jaw seam and creepy oversized human hands lol.

I know some folks aren't too fond of MarcoMakes, but there's a good reason why his products are selling. The demand for proper high-quality screen accurate Jurassic products remains unfufilled at the time of writing. And it's not like price is a limiting factor too, when McFarlane manages to produce these beautiful works of art for only $10-$12! So what's the excuse for the HC raptors looking like squished clay for $15?

I eagerly await Nanmu's upcoming articulated line. Maybe THEN the Hammond Collection will have some proper competition. Would love a screen accurate JP Velociraptor in my collection, something I still don't have after so many years.

[Faelrin]

@Flaffy That Avatar comparison is on point. All the more reason they need to do better, or hopefully Nanmu getting in the game adds some competiton (I do prefer the 1/18 scale though, and it seems they are starting with 1/12). A shame Neca can't so long as Mattel are at the reigns. They aren't perfect QC wise, but at least their sculpts and paintwork are much more reflective of the source material of what it is they are doing.

I also find it strange how so many are hostile to any and all criticism towards products sold by a major corporation. I've encountered my fair share here and on instagram at times, more so the latter though. Like why is wanting stuff to be reflective of the source material, and/or better products overall such an issue for these folks?

As far as the JP raptor goes, I think last year's Legacy one in the set with Lex is passable for the meantime. Coloration's okay for being simplified, and at least it has the accurate head sculpt (and smaller feet compared to the HC one). Even had paint on the tail and claws which feels more and more like a rarity these days with the constant cost cutting measures, mainline and otherwise. The added neck articulation makes all the difference from the previous 2020 Legacy ones too (in the set with Hammond). Aside from the BD sculpt, I think it is one of their better JP raptor sculpts too, pose wise.



That said I would absolutely prefer one with the level of detail with either the aninatronic or the maquette (even if the coloration is duller in the final film). They sort of attempted that with the SDCC one that came in the Ray Arnold set, but it used that terrible crouching sculpt, and was still pretty simplified for what it could have been.

[Gwangi]

That Junior T. rex is disappointing, and since I have Kenner's I may skip this one. The promotional images had me loving it.

There's nothing wrong with wanting a better product but just complaining about it on social media and still buying the thing won't do it. I see A LOT of people still buying these products that they're so disappointed in, which I really don't understand. I don't like the JP3 raptors so I'm not buying them. I don't like the baby Stegosaurus so I'm not buying it. Etcetera, etcetera.

[Eatmycar]

For all of the effort McFarlane put into Avatar, they half ass other IPs. Doom has has an abysmal action figure range under them - a bunch of unnecessary Doom Slayer redecos/poses, no monsters, and only one fully new mold - the '93 Doom Marine.

No accessories other than the Doom Eternal shotgun, no monsters, no nothing. Just because one company does one IP well doesn't mean they'd do another justice. Again, see Hasbro's treatment of Jurassic versus GI Joe.