The Four Horsemen Interview II (Part 2)

Continuing the interview from yesterday’s post, in the second half of my interview with the Four Horsemen they discuss Masters of the Universe Classics, their ongoing FANtastic Exclusive project and the future of the studio.

POE: While details are few on Masters of the Universe Classics so far, we have seen a proto of the King Grayskull SDCC Exclusive. How similar with these figures be to DC Universe Classics in size, style, and articulation?

JIM PREZIOSI: Both lines are very close in the amount and types of articulation they have, but the style is more of a throwback to the original 1980s MOTU line than DCUC. The style will retain a lot of that old school flair, but there will be enough detail and modern applications that the figures won’t feel at all out of place in todays’ market.

ERIC TREADAWAY: As for size, they’ll be close in scale with DC Universe Classics, but the proportions of the characters will be so different that we’re not sure that they’ll fit all that well together in some collectors’ eyes.

A clarification regarding the FANtastic Exclusives. Will Scarabus and/or the Queen be available this year (at the SDCC or otherwise)?

CORNBOY: As it stands right now, neither Scarabus nor Queen Allexundra will be available in time for the 2008 San Diego Comic Con. With all of the set-backs that we had with the production of Ramathorr and the Anitherian Nine last Summer/Fall there just wasn’t enough time to go into production with either of those in time to have them ready for SDCC ’08. We hope to have Scarabus ready to go by late Fall/early Winter. And we want to follow up quickly with the Queen in late Winter/early Spring.

ET: We do hope to have some of Scarabus’s little skeletal minions ­ the Time Keepers ­ ready in time for the 2008 San Diego Comic Con. Theyr’e in production right now, and we’re crossing our fingers that we can have them delivered in time. We’ll send out press releases about those as things get farther along. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

From what was revealed at the New York Comic Con, it looks like 2008 has been (and will be) one heck of a busy year for you guys. Just take a look at this. Looking at that, do you feel like you’ve succeeded at what you set out to do back in 1999?

CB: No way. If we start thinking that way, we might as well just close up shop now. We’re never satisfied by resting upon the last thing we’ve accomplished. We’re always looking for that next step to another challenge within the toy industry. Every day brings a new and exciting aspect of what we do into our studio, and we couldn’t be happier or feel luckier that we have the opportunity to do what we do for a living, and that some folks out there see fit to pay us for it. We never really got into this business to make a name for ourselves. We just wanted to make cool toys.

CHRIS DAHLBERG: Exactly. The Toyfare Hall of Fame award that we just received was completely unexpected, but very much appreciated. We never imagined when we left McFarlane Toys back in 1999 to start Four Horsemen Toy Design that anyone would ever think enough of us that they’d consider giving us an award! We just hope that any progress we’ve made in the industry will help new generations of toy industry workers flourish in an art form that has never gotten the amount of respect it deserves.

As mentioned above, this seems to be the Year of the Horsemen. What NON-Horsemen-designed toys are you each looking forward to this year?

ET: There’s not a whole lot of stuff out there that’s really exciting me as a toy collector right now. I’m still looking forward to some of the G.I Joe and Transformers stuff that’s coming out. I’m sure the NECA Street Fighter [IV] stuff will be fantastic!

CB: Any time Mattel releases any new JLU figures I’m there!

—-

I’d like to thank the Horsemen again for taking the time out of their extremely busy schedules for this interview. Be sure to check out the latest on their FANtastic Exclusive and stop by the Fantastic Forum.

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The Four Horsemen Interview II (Part 1)

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Old school haulage and a rare Poe custom

16 Comments

  1. Poe

    @CZ–I can't tell the articulation from the photos, but I'll see if I can find out.

  2. captainzero

    Poe,

    another question: Do you (or anyone out there) know if… and how many points of articulation the TimeKeepers have???

    Looks like they will be some of our early "acquisitions"!! (before Scarabus and the Queen, at least.) They look so great.!!

  3. captainzero

    I guess I'm hoping that the difference in height … (and I'm hoping there is not too much difference in scale) …will not be enough to make "too much" difference between characters like Scarabus, the Queen– and the MOTUC figures.

  4. captainzero

    Poe,– I'm glad to read your…"They should look pretty good next to…." I'm hoping they will "work". Thanks for the response.

    Scarabus and Alexundra are probably 7" … and King Grayskull 6"!!

    I can "see" Grayskull facing off against Ssajjhhor, …that mutant.!!

    Great fun ahead.!!!

  5. Poe

    CZ–from what I've gleaned from ToyGuru and the Horsemen, it sounds like the MOTUC figures will be about the same height and articulation as DCUC, but with greater musculature (more like DCSH Superman or Batman, I'd guess).

    They should look pretty good next to Seventh Kingdom, but something like, say, LCBH Conan might look a little small next to a MOTUC figure.

  6. captainzero

    Yea,

    King Grayskull, Scarabus, The Queen, Ramathorr, The Mace, He-Man, The Gauntlet, The Shield, …a Mutant or two–Ssajjhhor & Ggruxx, The Club, Skeletor, She-Ra, The Hammer, new MOTU figures,Timekeepers…. I don't know.?!! Could be quite a "Sword and Sorcery-7th Kingdom" kinda world.

  7. captainzero

    ah… I meant…nobody. Correction.

  8. captainzero

    Darn it!! Noboby but the 4H will probably know the answer.

    CB?? Jim?? Eric??

    (maybe they're too busy making us great action figures to check back, here.)

    Some of us may want to bring some of these "Worlds" together.

    MOTUC and the 7th Kingdom would be nice. Even "close" might "work"!!

  9. captainzero

    Thanks, Orionpax,

    How 'bout this question:

    If MOTU will "be close in scale with DCUC, but the proportions of the characters will be so different"…. How well will the MOTU line fit together with the Scarabus/Queen figures???

    Will the articulation, size, and proportions of the characters "fit" well together in the eyes of the collectors??

  10. Rapol

    Nice interview Poe!

    Actually, I find it stupid that they put the 80s version of the Power Sword for King Grayskull, since he is blatantly a 2002 creation and he was using the 2002 version of the Power Sword.

    And yes, upon watching the '02 cartoon, you'll notice that the Grayskull figure's physique looks right since he is more buffed than He-Man.

  11. orionpax636

    captainzero,

    Nope, there has been no new info about the Queen yet, past the revealing of her 2up, but it has been assumed that there will be variants of her. We will all be awaiting news on her of any kind, hopefully there will be some at SDCC.

  12. captainzero

    thanks, Poe, — this is great to read.

    Does anyone know if there are variants of Queen Allexundra??

    Looking forward to so much of the 4Horsemen's work.!!

  13. orionpax636

    I'll be very interested to see how the design of characters from different eras will turn out in MOTUC. Grayskull's proportions look right for the homage he's intended to be, but I wonder if they'll stay that way if they decide to re-visit the 2002 He-Man. I may already have an answer, seeing as how Grayskull's mostly a 2002 creation anyway…

    Was there any word as to whether any other new MOTUC protos would show at SDCC?

  14. I <3 the Horsemen.

  15. dayraven

    poor treadaway… i feel your pain, the only figs i'm really looking forward to this year are ones the horsemen are doing! and is he implying that some collectors might complain because greyskull's arms are as thick as robin's waist? cuz shouldn't it BE that way?

  16. dwaltrip

    Thats fun the Time Keepers might be ready for SDCC. Thanks for the interview Poe.

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