MOTUC Bios & Canon Discussion (updated as bios become available)

[Emiliano]

They are fans just like the rest of us. And while they did get a license for the comic in my understanding mattel didn't allow them to make up characters. Correct me if I am wrong though. Even if they were allowed to do so, the story they laid out didn't get approved so imo it's not part of motu.
So it isn't an indication for how the gar should look imo.

I think there is some confusion going on here.
Let me try to clarify.

We were comic industry professional that got the license to produce MOTU comics, exactly like IDW publish Transformers comics right now (unless you want to say IDW people are just fans).
We werre official licensee for the MOTU brand. Our books and merchandising were and remain official MOTU products.

Starting with Vol.3, we weren't allowed to create any new character that had a name. According to Mattel legal department, everything that had a name in the story needed to be treadmarked. Which is of course not true at all in publishing, but that's how Mattel saw things at that time.
The story that was not approved was the first story arc we presented for Vol.3, only because it had characters they hadn't trademarked at the time (and probably wouldn't have since the 200x line was on its last legs).

So we had to write a new story and that one got approved (you woulnd't have the books if it wasn't)
So, our books ARE part of MOTU. If for personal tastes you don't want to consider them part of MOTU, that's surely your choice, but they still remain official MOTU products fully licensed and approved by Mattel.
Definitely not a bunch of self produced fan comics.

As far as our bible goes, we know of no problems with the story. Legals only concern was trademarking character names.

[Neo]

I never said that the comics are fan produced and I am very well aware that you were in the comic business prior to the motu license. I just said you guys are fans of the property that's all. I acknowledge the comics as part of the motu lore just not the pitched stuff that wasn't approved. To me it doesn't really matter if it was disapproved just because if the names used that weren't trademarked. Fact is it wasn't officially brought out, but that's just my opinion isn't it?

And for the record, I love the comic and I was very sad when it had to go.

[Emiliano]

I never said that the comics are fan produced and I am very well aware that you were in the comic business prior to the motu license. I just said you guys are fans of the property that's all. I acknowledge the comics as part of the motu lore just not the pitched stuff that wasn't approved. To me it doesn't really matter if it was disapproved just because if the names used that weren't trademarked. Fact is it wasn't officially brought out, but that's just my opinion isn't it?

No problem Neo, I made the clarification also at benefit of new usuers that may not know the full story

Then the argument about Gygor is still valid: he wasn't officially brought up either.
It doens't change anything if Gygor was by Mattel and Illumina was by MVC.
Illumina is still Mattel's property and even TG said they could do her IF they wanted.

[JVS3]

Emil's got a very valid point.
The stuff we did in the comic is Mattel's
Sure we created it and can boast about it, but we don't own the rights to it. Mattel does.

And Illumina, just like Gygor, never actually came out.
But you saw Gygor come to life.
Illumina could as well if they want to. But that's totally up to Scott and Mattel.

[Uki]

Been moving into our new house-I will update the Narrative with Vikor's Bio as soon as I can!

[davidlogan]

IMO Illumina was slightly more public than Gygor. She had an ad in an official licensed MOTU comic book. Even if it was just an image, it's more than our simian friend had.

[PaTrIcKfOgArTy]

Updated first post with Bow, BA Skeletor & Pre-Eternia Disguise He-Man bios

[Uki]

Looks like it's about time for a big Narrative update! I love the new stuff!

Update: Loading the edited Bio-Narrative now!

[PaTrIcKfOgArTy]

I just updated the Goddess bio to reflect "for 5 thousand years..." versus the previous "for 5 centuries" as ToyGuru just stated in the 12/15/10 Q&A that this was a print error. Personally I love that we just went from 500 years to 5 thousand! EXCELLENT!

[guitargod694]

Personally I love that we just went from 500 years to 5 thousand! EXCELLENT!

Me too.
I'd prefer if they didn't bother quantifying it at all,
but 5000 years is WAY better than 500.

[Lay Ze-Man]

I find it hard to believe it was a typo, but whatever.

I'm glad that they're making improvements, whether it's from fan backlash or not.

Better is better, no matter the source.

[bskcase]

It does make more sense. A lot could have happened between 5k years.

[King Kahn]

I find it hard to believe it was a typo, but whatever.

I'm glad that they're making improvements, whether it's from fan backlash or not.

Better is better, no matter the source.

ditto...as long as the changes they make are for the better.

[Lay Ze-Man]

ditto...as long as the changes they make are for the better.

Too bad it didn't work for Demo-Man!

[PaTrIcKfOgArTy]

Updated first post with Panthor's bio!

[Uki]

Better snap to with King Hssss' as well, Patrick! I will get Panthor and Hssss into the Narrative later on tonight!

[PaTrIcKfOgArTy]

Excellent - updated first post with King Hssss bio

[Pravus Prime]

I'm thinking typo.

Hssss was chosen to lead an army of Snale Men to the planet of Eternia to plunder its magical secrets.

Or Hsss has a slug army.

[baileyrecords]

I found humor in that typo.

So, Panthor's bio shows us that Keldor was not all bad and that even after becoming Skeletor, he has a soft side for his kitten-turned-steed. I'm cool with that but I'd almost prefer him to be all Evil.

Hsss's bio seems to be nothing more than a seque. Why did the battle halt just to build the towers?

[Mr. Shokoti]

So, Panthor's bio shows us that Keldor was not all bad and that even after becoming Skeletor, he has a soft side for his kitten-turned-steed. I'm cool with that but I'd almost prefer him to be all Evil.

Unless the person is an irrational serial killer, even evil people must like some things. Hitler, who I think most will agree was one of the most evil people who ever lived, loved dogs. I don't think Skeletor saving a cat makes him any less evil or dangerous. It may just be the only thing he doesn't hate.

[SAMURAI36]

I'm finding a bit of the direction that they are taking MOTUC in with regards to the bios to be more and more to my disliking.

So now, King Hiss and the Snake Men came from another planet too? I'm good on that. I don't use any of that stuff in my own personal canon.

In my canon, with the exception of Despondos and Trolla, all of MOTU (inlcuding Snake Men, Horde, and even POP) takes place on Eternia. Even the NA stuff takes place on Eternia, just in the future.

Eternia is big enough for all aspects of MOTU to house it. Adding all these extraneous interplanetary elements just takes the charm away from the franchise for me.

[Hoffrod]

Actually, king Hsss and his armada invaded Eternia in the original mini-comic canon as well. I prefer that they stay closer to the original canon myself....less of it contradicts than the newer stuff.

[MLBfan]

I know it was back in the 80's and it's been my understanding from the bios of the MOTUC:

He-Ro: He-Ro swore to help free Eternia from the Snake Men and Horde invaders.
Webstor:In ancient times, the Arachna were an advanced dominant race until driven underground by the Snake Men.
Moss Man: During the rise of Skeletor and the subsequent battles with the Snake Men and Horde invaders...

For those very reasons I had always figured the Snake Men were also invaders. I still read "Snake Men invaders and Horde invaders." Aside form that, what's the best way to explain the defeat of an advanced dominant race if not by an invasion? It just always worked in my reasoning based on the bios.
So Hssss' bio was no surprise to me when I read that they were sent to Eternia.

[zodak74]

I like the '80s idea of the Snake Men being alien to Eternia combined with the MOTUC version of the Horde which sees them as also not native to Eternia. It kinda makes Skeletor a more worthwhile opponent to He-Man and the Heroic Warriors... as someone who was not only born on Eternia but- in his mind- the rightful heir to its throne! Ultimately in MOTUC, storywise we're going to see both Hordak and King Hssss defeated with Skeletor and He-Man on top battling it out in further "new adventures"... I like where MOTUC is taking all of this It's putting Hordak and Hssss into the mix as viable threats, but at the end of the day MOTU is going to be all about the big two battling it out, just the way the toyline began in the first place.

[MegaGearMax]

Unless the person is an irrational serial killer, even evil people must like some things. Hitler, who I think most will agree was one of the most evil people who ever lived, loved dogs. I don't think Skeletor saving a cat makes him any less evil or dangerous. It may just be the only thing he doesn't hate.

Some people like Skeletor to be some pure evil being with no goodness within him. Something like Darkness from Legend.

In my canon, with the exception of Despondos and Trolla, all of MOTU (inlcuding Snake Men, Horde, and even POP) takes place on Eternia. Even the NA stuff takes place on Eternia, just in the future.

It's the same with me too. I don't have an Etheria in my canon either--all that POP stuff takes place on Eternia. Although NA is more of an intergalactic thing, I'd think that Eternia is Primus, which is why Flogg wants it so badly. Only thing is Grayskull, the 3 towers, Snake Mountain...all of those mystical places are all forgotten and hidden since the populace is all Phantasy Stared up.

Eternia is big enough for all aspects of MOTU to house it. Adding all these extraneous interplanetary elements just takes the charm away from the franchise for me.

Agreed. I think the interplanetary aspects work so much better under the New Adventures banner, while the barbarian/fantasy/sword and Sorcery aspects work best with regular MOTU and POP.