Mattel - New for 2021 (Image Heavy op)

[stargatedalek]

Extra thick wing fingers has me nervous, not a fan of bendy wires.

[Faelrin]

@RaptorRex Thanks for sharing that. I guess that wasn't long of a wait at all for an official image to drop. I guess I'll add it to the op. Since I'm only seeing a single pair of wings, and the base in the package it's probably safe to say the wings are bendy after all. After all this time wondering how articulated pterosaurs for the BotM would work, perhaps the solution has been there all along, even if not the most ideal for some folks, I'm excited to mess with it. This is definitely a step up from the Hasbro JPIII Pteranodon for sure (though I still have nostalgia for that one).

So it also looks to have beak, neck, shoulder, digits, torso, and leg and feet articulation, never mind the bendy wings.

Edit: I also just realized that JPIII is turning 20 years old this year. How appropriate to get this figure, and the new Spinosaurus for this year (and another Ceratosaurus, which is finally getting its due in CC Season 2 it seems). I just hope they'll do the quilled male raptor at some point as well, if not a redo of the female, as it was only a part of a poorly distributed set. Only been patiently waiting since the 2018 Legacy one was canceled.

[GojiraGuy1954]

Yall wanting a ray arnold amber collection figure while the UK is still waiting for the Blue Raptor from that series

[Flaffy]

Out of box pics:

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Saw a pic of the listing for the Pteranodon calling it a "mid-size" pteranodon?  So they are ditching the scale to get some slightly larger animals in the line. "sigh". 

[Carnoking]

I can't say I'm surprised that they're going out of scale for some of these figures.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I can't say I'm surprised that they're going out of scale for some of these figures.

There just isn't a point to setting a scale then pulling back on it. You can't have this guy recreate the same scenes with the figures out of scale.  I guess you could use it with the smaller line though we already have figures for that one.   I was thinking like the LotR Fell Beast figure the wings could be added or the tails in a couple pieces for any larger figures.

[Carnoking]

I agree it does undermine the point of the line, but then again I never saw a need for a 6 inch scaled line to begin with with everything they've been doing for the 3 and 3 quarter inch line.
I see a lot of people clamoring for larger dinos in the 6 inch scale, but if Mattel were ever to do that then I'd think something would have to give to accommodate the costs or production for the larger items; either less money going towards the 3 and 3 quarter inch line which is the undeniable breadwinner since it appeals to children and adult collectors, or play fast and loose with scale and age of the dinosaur in question.

[ItsTwentyBelow]

I wish they would stop trying to make the Amber line a thing...it's never going to be a thing. Especially once they start throwing scale out the window.

The Amber raptors instantly became notorious shelf-cloggers when they showed up at Target. Is that not evidence enough Mattel? I'm sure this Pteranodon will sell 1/3 as well as those raptors.

Focus on the main 1/18th action figure line, please Mattel.

[stargatedalek]

I vastly prefer the 1:12th scale line and I would e very disappointed to see it disappear. Lower quality would be fine, I like the scale, I don't need bendy features or other nonsense. Plus some of the mainline animals actually scale well with it anyway, like the Dimorphodon and super colossal rex.

[Faelrin]

I'm not too fussed about this Pteranodon being out of scale for the Amber Collection line, if only because it is a vast upgrade over the 2018 Legacy one in terms of remaining faithful to the film design. Granted I think the raptors are also a bit on the small side to begin with.

I would not want to see this line die, if only for the other potential things they can do with it (even though it is hard for me to keep up on both), like an articulated Compsognathus for an example. Right now I think this new Pteranodon and the Dilophosaurus are some of the best they've done yet since having the license.
Edit: This line is also a good way to get highly articulated JP/JW creatures, and no action gimmicks, that don't fit with the lower priced smaller scale offerings (exception being the Indoraptor mostly).

[MLMjp]

The thing is, the bigger scale of the amber collection is both it´s major strength and its major weakness.

You get more detail and articulation...but because everything is bigger you know you are limiting yourself to smaller stuff... You are never gonna get a Brachiosaurus in the amber collection.  And look what happened now, the Pteranodon is smaller than it should be... And for how things are going, I doubt you will ever see something like a Triceratops or a Carnotaurus unless they screw up the scale even more. The fact that the super colossal T.rex and I.rex scale well with this line is more than a lucky coincidence than a guarantee that you will get bigger stuff.

That is why I was never interested in this line. I was tempted by the JP Raptor and the Dilophosaurus, so I could use them as Utahraptor and adult Dilophosaurus for the regular line. But I feel like the raptor is a bit too big for that and I am not too supportive on the JP Dilophosaurus being juveniles anyway...

I personally think Mattel should just put all of it´s efforts in the main line.

[Giganotosaurus]

Well, my excitement for the Pteranodon is gone. I still have yet to buy a single Amber Collection figure.
Also, I hope we receive an adult Dilophosaurus figure one day.

[Syndicate Bias]

@Giganotosaurus Well hello there

I'd like to add you to my Giga collection 

[Carnoking]

@MLMjp

Not to mention if something of a larger size were to be produced, specifically 6 inch scale indominus rexes or T.rexes, it would cost a ton of money, making it only accessible to a insanely narrow market when compared to the affordable 3 and 3 quarter inch line. This would result in brick and mortar stores simply not stocking the larger offerings of the amber collection line, or phasing out the shelf space revered for the 3 and 3 quarter inch line in favor of the larger and more expensive amber collection offerings which in turn wouldn't sell as well given the inflated price tag and more specific target audience. Either way, it's a fool's errand on Mattel's part.

[Stegotyranno420]

@Giganotosaurus Well hello there

I'd like to add you to my Giga collection 

Not if i do first

just joking

[Gothmog the Baryonyx]

I wonder if they started doing a 6" line after seeing how Hasbro are doing with their newer 6" lines

[CityRaptor]

Probably. Aren't the 6" lines of other manufacturers, like Bandai's Figuarts also rather succesful?

[Appalachiosaurus]

Well I don't really mind the Pteranodon being smaller since it'll probably end up scaling well with the 1/20 line, the Dilophosaurus is a pretty perfect adult given that it's slightly smaller than the roarivores and honestly if they start playing loose with scale and giving me articulated and detailed toys to eat my main-line humans I see no reason to complain.

[ItsTwentyBelow]

But here's the problem, which I've stated before. Jurassic Park is not Star Wars. By Jurassic Park's very nature, the Amber line will never get close to the popularity of the Star Wars Black Series figures (which I collect here and there).

Jurassic, unlike Star Wars, is not a franchise that is collectively carried by hundreds of different well-loved humanoid characters and droids in unique science fantasy costumes and armor, with blasters and lightsabers. The humans in the Jurassic movies are usually just running or staying out of the way of the dinosaurs. The Amber line is scaled to focus on the human characters, but there are maybe only up to a dozen Jurassic human figures that I think anyone would ever be interested in collecting at the 6" size. Star Wars by contrast can more than thrive on humanoid characters alone.

Do we really think the Kirbys will ever see the 6-inch treatment? Or Eddie Carr, Ken Wheatley, or Dr. Wu? Even Roland Tembo? I certainly don't expect these to ever be produced. They simply wouldn't sell. I don't really know where they think they are going to go with this Amber stuff.