Mattel: Cherry Pickers Need Not Apply (& Could Ruin It for Everyone)

Scott Neitlich posted a lengthy update on the various Mattycollector subscriptions on the Mattycollector Facebook page.

The whole thing is pretty long, but the main takeaways are:

  • They had to raise the price because it was simply untenable to maintain the 2008 pricing in 2013.
  • There will be very little to almost no day-of-sale stock for many figures.
  • The early-access ordering for subscribers does not apply to other subscriptions you have not subscribed to (i.e., Watchmen subscribers can’t nab a Ram Man before the regular sale).
  • They’re working on improving the customer service.

But probably the most important part is this: (more…)

MOTUC Bio Discussion > Cy-Chop

Cy-Chop
Evil Horde Bounty Hunter
Real Name: Scychor

Originally a partner with Kronis, Scychor roamed the galaxy as a mercenary and professional thief. Eventually Kronis betrayed his friend, throwing Scychor from a Boa Jet while escaping from Horde Patrol Units. Falling hundreds of feet to the surface of a small moon, Scychor was healed by rogue scientists by preserving his organs in a robotic chest and his brain in a cyborg skull. After serving the scientists for twenty years, he became a freelance bounty hunter, willing to steal, kill or betray anyone for the right price. During the Second Ultimate Battleground, Cy-Chop was hired by Hordak to bolster his forces against the Snake Men and Masters of the Universe. Using his robotic scissor blades, Cy-Chop strikes out, but only for the right price!

Wait – I thought the Horde and the Snake Men were a single “grand army” during the Second Ultimate Battleground?

While there have been varying degrees of a “fan fiction” vibe in almost all of these bios, this one strikes me as particularly fanfic-esque. The association with Kronis and making this guy a bounty hunter (a profession I’m fairly certain wouldn’t have nearly the cultural cachet in geek circles fiction if not for Boba Fett) are what makes it feel most like a fanfic to me.

Other than that, this guy basically has the same bio as Steve Austin: his life is saved by adding cyborg parts, but then he’s forced to pay it back via indentured servitude for the next two decades. I suppose the whole ethics issue goes out the window when you’re dealing with “rogue” scientists, though.

Oh, and in regard to the “real name,” I have to say “Scythor” is the name I would have given him. It looks more like the word “scythe” and rolls off the tongue better than “Sychor,” which, by the way, is really annoying to type over and over.  I suppose the “ch” was chosen to represent the “chopping” nature of the character’s gimmick.

MOTUC Bio Discussion > Procrustus

Pic courtesy Pixel-Dan.com

Procrustus
Real Name: Procrustus

After the Gods created the Five Dimensions, they hid their secret magic in the form of a star inside the core of a small planet in the center of the dimension of Eternia. Naming the planet after the dimension it resided in, they assigned the immortal four-armed giant Procrustus to remain there and guard their magical secrets. Over the millennia, the magic began to seep out, and many wise magicians learned to tap into these powers for both good and evil. In time, the ruthless warlock Hordak attempted to break apart Eternia using a spell of separation in order to access the magic’s source. Although his spell was thwarted, Procrustus was now forced to literally hold the planet together remaining forever at the planet’s core!

Procrustus originates from a two-page appearance in the early minicomic “The Magic Stealer.” The story begins when Skeletor comes across a pyramind in Eternia’s North Pole that allows him to absorb all the energy of Eternia. (The fact that such a thing not only exists but was sitting around unguarded shows why I sometimes think everyone on Eternia is too stupid to live.)

Things go haywire in Eternia, so He-Man heads off to the North Pole to investigate. In the course of his journey, this happens:

(images from James Eatock’s The He-Man and She-Ra Blog)

Questions abound: how did He-Man recognize Procrustus on sight? Has the guy come to the surface before? Does He-Man head down to Eternia’s core for the occasional Gods and Demigods’ Night?

More importantly, where the hell was Procrustus going? “Eh–? Oh, it’s He-Man. Why do you restrain me? I’ve been holding Eternia together for 4,000,000,000 years, so I thought I’d earned a spare minute to run to the Circle-K for a soda and a Caramello.” Then He-Man shoots him back down into the core of Eternia, and Procrustus just takes it like a wuss. I’ve really got to start doing reviews of the minicomics, some of them are truly hilarious. UPDATE: As Poester Robzy pointed out in the comments, Procrustus, like everything else “magic” in Eternia, was responding to the lure of the “magic-siphon” Skeletor was operating. So that’s where he was going, I guess. It’s nice that Eternia can hang together for a few minutes while Procrustus goes topside for a few, but this still seems like a really tenuous way to run a planet.

Anyway, we get a bit more of Procrustus’s history here in the bio. Now we’re told there are Gods who created the Five Dimensions, and Procrustus becomes an “immortal four-armed giant” they assign to guard their magical secrets, which consist of…what? Castle Grayskull?

Procrustus’s job is now explained as a result of Hordak’s attempt to split Eternia in half, which is a rather nice way to tie his minicomic appearance to this story angle, which is derived from the Millennium cartoon.

MOTUC Bio Discussion > Mosquitor

Pic courtesy Pixel-Dan.com

Mosquitor
Evil Energy-Draining Insectoid
Real Name: Bliddeon Black

A Kribleen insectoid vampire from the Gluubux Galaxy, Mosquitor joined the Evil Horde on his own accord, preferring the Empire to life in a mud hole on his home world. Looking like a normal insectoid, Mosquitor moves in on his prey then stings them hard and sucks them dry. He is extremely vicious though not particularly brainy. You can’t get blood from a rock, but Mosquitor has tried in his day. Mosquitor drains his enemies of their energy while his bionic stinger and chest oozes red with power. Even Hordak keeps his distance from the Evil Horde vampire!

Okay, first the names. “Bliddeon Black” sounds like a rejected Harry Potter character, while I’m fairly certain George Lucas tossed the names “Kribleen” and “Gluubux” into the circular file in favor of “Naboo” and “Dooku.” After so many of the other animal-type characters have had unprounceable names, Mosquitor gets one that seems vaguely Anglo-Saxon? Just seems odd. (Side note: I would still believe a real person was named “Bliddeon Black” before “Benedict Cumberbatch.”)

Actually the whole bio seems a little weird to me. “Looking like a normal insectoid?” First off, what counts as a “normal” insectoid – I mean, we know of two other insectoids who look nothing like Mosquitor. And do normal insectoids have giant robotic stingers for noses? Finally, when you’re six feet tall, can you really approach another person nonchalantly as a “normal” insectoid and then sting them? Seems like it would be easier to just jump ’em in a dark alley.

Poe’s Point > Thoughts on the MOTUC Reveals

As I consider whether to subscribe to the 2013 Club Eternia, I thought I’d run through all the reveals and pass on my thoughts.

All photos are courtesy ActionFigurePics. Visit the site for many more photos!

Me…why did it have to be me?

Rattlor

Not too much of a surprise, as most of his body was revealed with the Snake Men two-pack. Still, it’s a good-looking figure and a classic character, so I’m happy with this reveal. (more…)

MOTUC Bio Discussion > Castle Grayskullman

Castle Grayskullman
Heroic Embodiment of Castle Grayskull
Real Name: Not Applicable

During the Second Ultimate Battleground, Hordak and King Hssss’s grand army pressed in against the allied heroes of Eternia. In the darkest  moment of battle, all hope seemed lost as many heroes fell, including Snake Man-At-Arms and Stratos. Reaching out through the Orb of Power, hidden deep inside Castle Grayskull, He-Man and the new Sorceress used an unrepeatable spell to call upon the Power of Grayskull and infuse life into the very spirit of the castle itself. Rising from the castle’s hidden Chamber of Defense, Castle Grayskullman marched into battle, swinging his dual swords of power, helping to turn the tide.

Let’s set aside the deeply weird notion of an anthropomorphic Castle Grayskull and accept that it’s probably not any more strange than anything else that’s happened in the MOTU universe.

If you can get past that, then I think this bio is more or less how I would have done it – bringing the castle to life through a last-ditch spell in their darkest hour, and having the character help turn the tide but not be so powerful as to immediately save the day.

I will say, though, that the creepy blonde hair everyone’s commented on made me think Castle Grayskullman was going to be some sort of temporary merging of He-Man and Castle Grayskull, That would certainly have explained the hair and made it a bit easier to swallow as part of the design.

The bios are getting a bit morbid, aren’t they? First He-Ro, then the Sorceress and Duncan, and now Clamp Champ (who I’m guessing they’re referring to as Man-At-Arms, though I suppose it could still be referring to the Snake Man-ized Duncan) and Stratos buy it. UPDATE: Poester The Flash III pointed out that I missed the word “Snake” before Man-At-Arms – possibly because they didn’t italicize the “Snake” for whatever reason. Anyway, evidently he’s the one who dies, which we already knew.

Oh, and evidently King Hssss and Hordak team up for the Second Ultimate Battleground. So was Skeletor his own faction at the S.U.B.?

More SDCC Highlights

As we wait for the Mattycollector panel to start, I thought I’d post a few more thoughts on the various SDCC reveals.

Pic courtesy Pixel-Dan.com

Keldor looks much better with the twin swords. I never realized how integral they are to his character design – they’re what make him distinct from just being “Skeletor with a face.” (more…)

Mattycollector Panel News & Discussion Post (Updated w/ MOTUC)

Watch the Mattycollector panel live.

Yeah, I know I always use this pic, but I just love it so goddamned much. Sudden thought: would people be interested in a T-shirt with this image? Or maybe this one?

Anyway, the Mattycollector Fan Panel is due to start at 12pm Pt (3pm ET). I’m not sure I’ll quite be able to live-blog the event, but I’m sure Twitter will have live updates, so just keep an eye on my Toy Geeks Twitter List and you’ll get all the info as it happens. (more…)

Winning MOTUC Fan Figure Leaked?

The Masters of the Universe Classics Facebook page has posted pics of what appears to be a link on Mattycollector (now removed) of the winning fan’s Create-A-Character figure.

This could be a hoax by a fan or Mattycollector itself, like the fake lists – I don’t know. We’ll find out. Check it out after the jump (spoilers, obviously). I’m going to turn off comments until after the official reveal, so there are no spoilers on the sidebar. (more…)

SDCC Preview Night Post

It’s preview night at SDCC and the news is already starting to roll in!

UPDATE 11:49pm: Even more awesome Predator from NECA, including an unmuddied Dutch!

And – the game is officially over!

10pm: Our man inside, Rustin Parr, took a few great photos:

Here’s MOTUC Granamyr, due out later this year. Still forming my opinion on this – the sculpt is great, but I’m concerned he might be a bit too pre-posed in the sitting posture. Oh, and he’ll be $80.

There will also be a Great Unrest Weapons Pack which will include Keldor’s swords, Man-At-Arms big gun, and Draego-Man’s second sword, shield and whip (pic at ToyArk).

Rustin also sent in this pic from NECA:

Dutch from Predator! Fully articulated! Evidently we’ll have to wait for the non-muddy version, but whatever, I’m in for every figure from the original movie.

No, this is not a MOTUC Castle Grayskull – it’s a statue from Icon Heroes. I haven’t heard how large it is, but I don’t think it’s MOTUC-scaled.

In weirder but still awesome news, the toy company Super 7 somehow got the original molds to Kenner’s unproduced 1979 Alien 3 ¾” line and will be producing them. Amazing.