Olesker's Thread: "You've Got Questions, I've Got Answers"

[²He-Ro]

@ Jyrki
i have your Answer!

The sword in the Mini-Comic is Promotional and was all time to see why it gives to by as toy-sword!
The Mini-comics are painted like the toys.

In Bastai Adam have Classic Sword before he Transform into He-Man!
By Ehapa Adam have self as NA He-Man the Classic Sword and transform it by touch the Cosmic Crystall Nadle

Ignor the Sword in the Mini-comic is just the Toy image, just imagine the right swords!

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

Why are you awake and posting on he-man.org at 4:58 in the morning?

@ Jyrki
i have your Answer!

The sword in the Mini-Comic is Promotional and was all time to see why it gives to by as toy-sword!
The Mini-comics are painted like the toys.

In Bastai Adam have Classic Sword before he Transform into He-Man!
By Ehapa Adam have self as NA He-Man the Classic Sword and transform it by touch the Cosmic Crystall Nadle

Ignor the Sword in the Mini-comic is just the Toy image, just imagine the right swords!

[Sanguijuela]

There seemed to be quite a strong emphasis on comedy in the New Adventures cartoons (the scientists whose names I thankfully can't recall being the obvious example). Was this intentional in the writing and planning of the episodes, or was it an element of the narrative which came about more by accident than by design?

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

Good question.

I consciously set out to interject some bits of humor into NA -- although my scientists were, imo, a disaster. I've always felt that small doses of humor in a serious film or television series can add a bit of pacing and give viewers a moment to breathe.

With regard to Skeletor -- and some fans liked the new elements of humor I put into him while others didn't --I felt he was already incredibly evil so I realized I really couldn't make him much more evil. So, for better or worse, I decided to take him in a bit of a humorous direction. Morever, Skelly was in a different time and place now on Primus. He was not so much an uncontested leader as he was a newly arrived part of the Mutant forces. I thought Skeletor's occasionally playing things for laughs might result in the Mutants -- Flogg in particular -- underestimating him, thus allowing him to get a better lay of the land prior to his making his move.

Humor is always tough to pull off since what's funny to one person isn't to another. I felt it was worth a shot to bring an added layer to the series and I felt it worked with the storyline regarding Skeletor's role in the series.

There seemed to be quite a strong emphasis on comedy in the New Adventures cartoons (the scientists whose names I thankfully can't recall being the obvious example). Was this intentional in the writing and planning of the episodes, or was it an element of the narrative which came about more by accident than by design?

[Sanguijuela]

I have to agree with you that the scientists were a disaster (sorry). I think that perhaps there were a few too many additional characters added to the cartoon which didn't relate to the toy range, and the scientists also fell into this category, which didn't help their cause.

I don't recall if I've seen all the episodes from the series, as they were last shown on British television back in the 1990s, but I remember that very few mutants were regularly featured. Brakk, Kalamar, Staghorn, and Earthquake (forgive me for using the European names, they're the ones I'm most familiar with), for example, featured regularly alongside Skeletor; whereas other mutants featured in very few episodes, and were generally confined to the ship (Optikk springs to mind).

Was this planned? Was there a particular reason for it? I felt that some of the best mutant characters who appeared as toys (Optikk, Lizor, Hoove, and Karati) were very underused in the cartoon.

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

You don't ever have to apologize for criticizing my work. I learn much more from what the mistakes I've made in my more than 1,200 episodes of television than from what I've done right.

Regarding the running time given to specific characters, this was one element that was gently dictated by Mattel. They were doing two waves of characters and -- understandably -- wanted to have a larger focus on the characters/action figures that were going to be on the shelf when the series premiered. Thus the characters that had minor roles in the series were generally characters that would appear in the second wave.

I have to agree with you that the scientists were a disaster (sorry). I think that perhaps there were a few too many additional characters added to the cartoon which didn't relate to the toy range, and the scientists also fell into this category, which didn't help their cause.

I don't recall if I've seen all the episodes from the series, as they were last shown on British television back in the 1990s, but I remember that very few mutants were regularly featured. Brakk, Kalamar, Staghorn, and Earthquake (forgive me for using the European names, they're the ones I'm most familiar with), for example, featured regularly alongside Skeletor; whereas other mutants featured in very few episodes, and were generally confined to the ship (Optikk springs to mind).

Was this planned? Was there a particular reason for it? I felt that some of the best mutant characters who appeared as toys (Optikk, Lizor, Hoove, and Karati) were very underused in the cartoon.

[²He-Ro]

Why are you awake and posting on he-man.org at 4:58 in the morning?

lol i was not gone sleep ;D
Most time i work into late night and next morning at home!

[ThunDerian]

Hey Jack,

first; I'm a huge New Adventures fan, it's the He-Man I grew up with and I love it!

My question (I've searches the thread to see if anything similar has been asked, couldnt find it so...):

In the intro's narrative it's said that He-Man was

...summoned to the future by the last of mankind...

In the episodes it seems that mankind is doing quite alright. Was that part of the narrative ever taken into consideration when writting an episode, past episode 1?

Thanks!

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

Well mankind was "doing quite alright" when it came to technology. However, because they had become so technologically advanced over the expanse of time, they also became, to an extent, pacifists and a certain degree of malaise set in. As a result when they were confronted by the aggressive invading Mutants they were largely incapable of mounting a defense, except for their technological defenses, which were failing. Thus they called upon a warrior to assist them.

Hey Jack,

first; I'm a huge New Adventures fan, it's the He-Man I grew up with and I love it!

My question (I've searches the thread to see if anything similar has been asked, couldnt find it so...):

In the intro's narrative it's said that He-Man was

...summoned to the future by the last of mankind...

In the episodes it seems that mankind is doing quite alright. Was that part of the narrative ever taken into consideration when writting an episode, past episode 1?

Thanks!

[Sanguijuela]

Regarding the running time given to specific characters, this was one element that was gently dictated by Mattel. They were doing two waves of characters and -- understandably -- wanted to have a larger focus on the characters/action figures that were going to be on the shelf when the series premiered. Thus the characters that had minor roles in the series were generally characters that would appear in the second wave.

I'm a bit confused by that, because, certainly in the UK at least, Staghorn, Earthquake, and Butthead went on sale long after Optikk, Lizzor, and Karati, yet the first three received substantially more air time than the latter three, as far as I recall.

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

I can't speak to the UK. It's possible that there was an early release because of their popularity in the mini-comics, but I really don't know. All I can tell you is the sequence in which they were presented to me and Mattel's request regarding which characters they wanted the most emphasis on.

I'm a bit confused by that, because, certainly in the UK at least, Staghorn, Earthquake, and Butthead went on sale long after Optikk, Lizzor, and Karati, yet the first three received substantially more air time than the latter three, as far as I recall.

[²He-Ro]

Jack can you say me why the 1st 3 Episodes are not like the Mini-Comic story (or the Bastai comic Story) ???

Why Hydron and Flipshot use a Time Mashine not the Starship Eternia ????

[pH6]

Sorry if this is brought up earlier and I just didn't use the correct search term...and also sorry if this should've gone to the Tar Swamp!

Slushie and Felca obviously went to have a honeymoon at the end of 'Bride of Slush Head'. Was she to appear again if the series had continued, and would they've had offspring? Speaking of which...how do their species procreate? By eggs like most water-based Earth creatures?

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

After their wedding and honeymoon, Slushy returned to military service with the Mutants. Like many who serve, he would spend long periods apart from his loving wife. Felka however, was always proud of his service and remained a dutiful wife, tending to their cottage on the Quagmi Swamp where Slushy occasionally returns for R&R.

As for Felka appearing in future episodes, I certainly would have used her as a recurrring character in a few episodes as she is, after all, Slushy's wife and plays a large part in his life.

You are correct that procreating would occur through the laying of eggs. I would have loved to give them children as Slushy would have made a great father.

Obviously I had and continue to have a deep affection for Slushy. He was also a personal favorite of NA Producer Mark Taylor.

Sorry if this is brought up earlier and I just didn't use the correct search term...and also sorry if this should've gone to the Tar Swamp!

Slushie and Felca obviously went to have a honeymoon at the end of 'Bride of Slush Head'. Was she to appear again if the series had continued, and would they've had offspring? Speaking of which...how do their species procreate? By eggs like most water-based Earth creatures?

[Clawful94]

Through all of my extensive research on anything MOTU, I discovered a character named Gross. I cannot for the life of me find anything about him/her. I've watched most of the NA He-Man DVD's and haven't found him. I hope you can shed some light on this character.

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

I'm wondering if you may be referring to Grot, the Gardener. At this point in time I cannot recall which episode he was in, but no doubt one of our orgers will.

Through all of my extensive research on anything MOTU, I discovered a character named Gross. I cannot for the life of me find anything about him/her. I've watched most of the NA He-Man DVD's and haven't found him. I hope you can shed some light on this character.

[Machinitess]

Okay, I have newfound love for Kalamarr/Slush-Head because of that little sidestory you spun there, Olesker. I would love to have seen those little tentacled kiddos. I can also imagine "Take your spawn to work" day... Skeletor would have a blast or a cow (or both). lol

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

As I've said before, there was no continuity between the mini-comics and the animated series. In fact, I was never even made aware of the existence of the mini-comics until I came onto he-man.org.

Jack can you say me why the 1st 3 Episodes are not like the Mini-Comic story (or the Bastai comic Story) ???

Why Hydron and Flipshot use a Time Mashine not the Starship Eternia ????

[Clawful Ofit]

Hello Jack,

I just finished the thread and wanted to say you are so polite, well spoken & respectful, it made the read even more enjoyable.

I'm fairly new to NA, I had 5 figures & 2 vehicles as a kid, but never even knew a cartoon existed until years later. I really like it. After reading the thread, seeing that you were responsible for Skeletor's personality (best part of NA), Crita (I absolutely love her), Drissi & Sebrian. Plus your work on MASK, Super Mario, Heathcliff (Catillac Cats, baby!) and a slew of other childhood favorites it's truly a privilege to be able to talk to you.

Now fanboy gushing aside,

You said you created the characters who weren't slated for toys, does this include Grr & Clobber? I hope this wasn't asked, but I'm still kinda new & it's a big site, so apologies if this is a repeat question, or if the answer is common knowledge.

Thanks for your time,
Dave

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

Thanks for your kind words and thanks sincerely for being an NA fan. As I've often said, writers, directors, producers and actors are nothing without fans. So it's a pleasure for me to be able to interact with orgers on the board.

As for your query, I definitely created Grr. Not sure about Clobber. All you need do is Google the title of the episode or look at an NA episode list -- also Googleable (is that a word?). If I'm shown as the writer of the episode, then any new characters in that episode was my creation. As I've previously mentioned, Mattel gave me a lot of latitude to create new characters and that was tremendous fun for me.

By the way, in case you haven't listened to it, check out the Masters Cast podcast interview with me. It's must-listening for NA fans and will answer a lot of questions as well as give you some behind-the-scenes 411. Here's a link: http://masterscast.com/?p=46

New fans... Boy, if ya live long enough you get to see everything!

Best,

Jack

Hello Jack,

I just finished the thread and wanted to say you are so polite, well spoken & respectful, it made the read even more enjoyable.

I'm fairly new to NA, I had 5 figures & 2 vehicles as a kid, but never even knew a cartoon existed until years later. I really like it. After reading the thread, seeing that you were responsible for Skeletor's personality (best part of NA), Crita (I absolutely love her), Drissi & Sebrian. Plus your work on MASK, Super Mario, Heathcliff (Catillac Cats, baby!) and a slew of other childhood favorites it's truly a privilege to be able to talk to you.

Now fanboy gushing aside,

You said you created the characters who weren't slated for toys, does this include Grr & Clobber? I hope this wasn't asked, but I'm still kinda new & it's a big site, so apologies if this is a repeat question, or if the answer is common knowledge.

Thanks for your time,
Dave

[heavy-eternium]

jack not forget our questions, remember?

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

jack not forget our questions, remember?

Yes, I remember I need to answer questions for your fan site. I've got the list and will get to it the moment I can. My production company has been heavily involved in production for the last three months -- not an excuse; just an explanation.

I'll try to block out some time this weekend.

Best,

Jack

[heavy-eternium]

thanks for the update jack

[Clawful Ofit]

Thanks Jack, you're even more awesome now that I know you created Grr I'm so hoping for him to show up in Classics.

I'm gonna move that MastersCast up in my playlist. (boy there are a ton of podcasts around here, hard to catch up) Looking forward to it.

Thanks again.

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

Trust me, listening to that masterscast interview will be time well-spent. I'm not being immodest here. Rather, I'm pointing to the skills of the three engaging interviewers. I've given a lot of interviews during my career, but this was certainly the most enjoyble. Their questions were fun, incisive, illuminating and -- as is the case with the best interviewers -- made me think and reflect.

Enjoy.

Thanks Jack, you're even more awesome now that I know you created Grr I'm so hoping for him to show up in Classics.

I'm gonna move that MastersCast up in my playlist. (boy there are a ton of podcasts around here, hard to catch up) Looking forward to it.

Thanks again.