MOTUC Castle Grayskull Discussion Thread w/ Feb 26, 2013 Q&A

[Crusader]

Because some fans really like the symetrical and pronounced skull like features of the Filmation Castle Grayskull face. Those angry eyes and massive and imposing teeth were epic and gave many children a sense of wonder, Awe and a sense of the magic and Power that was inside the Castle. It's look is just as iconic as the design elements from the vintage toy and prototype...and arguably more well known that the Asymetrical look of the face on Mart Taylors prototype castle. That to me in all honsety looks like it's got gum disease and is a delapated crumbeling ruin, not something that would house the gratest power in the universe. Nothing like the immensly powerful and stern look we find in the face of Filmation Grayskull and the vintage toy box art!

If there is not enought Filmation influance in the castle design Mattel will turn many fans of the Pre-Order. At the end of the day the savage cannon fans will have a lovely B-Sheet design to fawn over but that will be it! The same rings true for Filmation fans and wanting a pure Filmation design, I imagine many savage cannon fans will more than likely not support the pre-order. Finding a middle ground that brings in lots of the iconic design emements of Castle Grayskull's over the years would surely be the best way to unite both groups of fans and will hopefully mean enough pre-orders are achieved in order for MOTUC Castle Grayskull to go into production?

And many fans remember the vintage playset, the boxart or the decrepit Alcala castle just as epic and awe-inspiring. That worn-out, sinister look is what Masters of the Universe is all about for me. All the early stuff had this mysterious and even a bit creepy vibe to it. Eternia was a desolate and barbaric place, a world in ruins, before Filmation came and turned it into something childish and dull.

I think it makes a lot of sense that Mattel and the 4 Horsemen are taking Mark Taylor's version as a point of departure. They should start off from their own original vision and not from Filmation's watered down derivative. It's not because millions of people watched the cartoon and less than a million ever owned the actual playset that the Filmation version would be the more iconic one. I'm quite certain that most of the people who watched the TV series won't remember exactly what Castle Grayskull's teeth or the shape of its eyes looked like, they will merely remember that it was a green castle with a big skull in front.

Besides, the Pre-Filmation fans and the vintage fans are more or less on the same page when it comes to Castle Grayskull's visuals. Filmation, however, is a total departure.

[hadley]

It's a castle. It has a big frickin' skull on it. The skull's mouth is the castle gate. A sure fire recipe for awesome. It's REALLY hard to screw that up, though they did once. They've "retired" that aesthetic, so I think they learned from their lessons.

It's going to be awesome. We're going to love it. Let's stop fighting over whose childhood memories were more valid.

[JonWes]

I want something closer to the actual vintage play set.

The sinister eyes look like something from a cartoony spook house. I wouldn't be totally turned off, but I really think the more expression-less (or just a hint) eye hollows of the Classic castle are 100X more evocative and interesting.

The point of Grayskull was that it was supposed to look like a ruin to hide it's secrets better, right? At least, I liked that thought. I like something that looks more ancient, personally.

[RyDell]

I'm not sure I agree with the above statement. Filmation CG is way more similar to the mini comics than 200x. I think Filmation looks great, but I love the Alcala one / CG box art the best. If it looks like either version I will be more than happy. My youngest son will be 9 next Christmas... still plenty of time for him to play with this ultimate castle... It will be epic. My kids have both 200x castles and the vintage. My youngest is all about the vintage... it's in our playroom right now surrounded by 50+ vintage figures and vehicles/ beasts. i know he will lose his mind for the new one!!!

[Angel-T]

And many fans remember the vintage playset, the boxart or the decrepit Alcala castle just as epic and awe-inspiring. That worn-out, sinister look is what Masters of the Universe is all about for me. All the early stuff had this mysterious and even a bit creepy vibe to it. Eternia was a desolate and barbaric place, a world in ruins, before Filmation came and turned it into something childish and dull.

I think it makes a lot of sense that Mattel and the 4 Horsemen are taking Mark Taylor's version as a point of departure. They should start off from their own original vision and not from Filmation's watered down derivative. It's not because millions of people watched the cartoon and less than a million ever owned the actual playset that the Filmation version would be the more iconic one. I'm quite certain that most of the people who watched the TV series won't remember exactly what Castle Grayskull's teeth or the shape of its eyes looked like, they will merely remember that it was a green castle with a big skull in front.

Besides, the Pre-Filmation fans and the vintage fans are more or less on the same page when it comes to Castle Grayskull's visuals. Filmation, however, is a total departure.

I guess we are just going to have to agree to disagree. What you see as Iconic I saw as strange and Jaring, not the Eternia I knew and loved as a kid. I'm a Filmation kid who loved the heck out of my vintage Castle Grayskull toy and box art as they were all quite similar in design. The Horsemen will do their thing and I'm sure the design will be amazing. But it's wrong to completely cut out the Filmation design and the classic toy box art from the mix, they are just as iconic as the Mark Taylor prototype. I respect that is what iconic means to you, but not me and many other fans who have commented here and on facebook.

A Hybred style Castle Grayskull FTW!

[oulala]

I'm support Team Filmation. This is the castle that I came to love as a kid watching He-man and She-ra.
I love the way the teeths are designed. It makes it look more massive.
In comparison, the Vintage art of Castle Grayskull makes it look like the toothless cranium of a monkey! Big teeth are a major thing to keep from the Filmation castle.

What I love about the Vintage painting of Castle Greyskull is the ghoulish, tortuous eye sockets. They look like bottomless caves. They look epic and nasty and ominous. The Filmation castle doesn't have that. Neither does the otherwise superb hybrid version that our friend Alessandra put together.

So in my PERFECT scenario, I'd keep the vine growing, big tooth elements of Filmation and its overall design, but I would keep the detailed, ghoulish sockets and detailed bony aspect of the skull as seen as on the Vintage art!

All in all, I love the business card holder Castle Greyskull. And if the castle ended up exactly like that but bigger, I would absolutely love it! It's the best of both worlds. I know we won't get a back to the castle but I absolutely ADORE the spine detail on the Icon Castle. Looks so organic and freaky!

[FakeEyes22]

I'm quite interested in the interior of the prototype castle. Seems quite a bit different and more detailed than the final piece, but I haven't seen a clear enough photo to make everything out. The throne seems like too much of a departure from the familiar toy throne, but I wouldn't mind seeing a few of those extras.

[JonWes]

Well, I decided to join the mock-up parade. This is sort of what I'd like to see, with some 4H magic thrown in.



As far as the interior, although I wonder if we'll see some of the extra pieces, I imagine the specifics will follow the more iconic designs (like the throne) of the vintage toy.

[Replikor]

Well, I decided to join the mock-up parade. This is sort of what I'd like to see, with some 4H magic thrown in.

http://www.he-man.org/forums/boards/...2&d=1348639283

As far as the interior, although I wonder if we'll see some of the extra pieces, I imagine the specifics will follow the more iconic designs (like the throne) of the vintage toy.

As much as I would LOVE to see the MOTUC Grayskull in this size/scale... I just dont see it. I see the scale more closely in line with the vintage to castle scale. With that said I think the top of the opening of the jawbridge will be "just" tall enough to let the heman figure fit thru.

[hlinhk128]

I am all over the proto version being chosen. It's close to what I grew up with and played with. It would be cool to have He-Ros tombstone incorporated into the playmat as well

Does anyone have a good pic of the cross sell art for it? I know someone had it as their avatar.

[Crusader]

I guess we are just going to have to agree to disagree. What you see as Iconic I saw as strange and Jaring, not the Eternia I knew and loved as a kid. I'm a Filmation kid who loved the heck out of my vintage Castle Grayskull toy and box art as they were all quite similar in design. The Horsemen will do their thing and I'm sure the design will be amazing. But it's wrong to completely cut out the Filmation design and the classic toy box art from the mix, they are just as iconic as the Mark Taylor prototype. I respect that is what iconic means to you, but not me and many other fans who have commented here and on facebook.

I wouldn't be opposed to some secondary Filmation influences, like incorporating some of the vine or rootlike structure around the base, or adding the flying buttresses or some of the spinal column in the back (although I'd prefer them to be removable pieces), but I wouldn't buy the castle if there are Filmation elements in the skull, that would totally ruin it for me. I didn't say I wanted to cut out the boxart influence, I love Rudy Obrero's work also (although I do have a small preference for Alcala's rotting gums) and if they don't exagerate the two larger fangs too much I would be happy with that one as well.

I understand that the castle should please every fan, but the Filmation teeth are radically different from all the other designs (just like Alcala's stalactites). Maybe the vintage style guide would be a good middle ground:

I am all over the proto version being chosen. It's close to what I grew up with and played with. It would be cool to have He-Ros tombstone incorporated into the playmat as well

Does anyone have a good pic of the cross sell art for it? I know someone had it as their avatar.

Here you go, got it from Baena's photobucket



I love that drawing

- - - Updated - - -

Well, I decided to join the mock-up parade. This is sort of what I'd like to see, with some 4H magic thrown in.

http://www.he-man.org/forums/boards/...2&d=1348639283

As far as the interior, although I wonder if we'll see some of the extra pieces, I imagine the specifics will follow the more iconic designs (like the throne) of the vintage toy.

I like the way you rounded out the eyes ... not a big fan of those teeth, though

[Angel-T]

Good find on the style guide...like the box art it's a good middle ground. It's face and mouth shape are much nicer that the MT prototype.

[VZX]

Sooo.. What exactly is a "B-sheet?"

[JonWes]

Sooo.. What exactly is a "B-sheet?"

They can vary, but basically it should be sort of like a technical drawing with turnarounds of the Castle (views of the back, front, inside) and maybe some notes on the various pieces that will come with it, maybe even how certain parts will function.

[Eternian Poet]

I love the older version of CG, where the opened Jawbridge looks like a mouth. Filmation is iconic, but lacking this element.

There should be nothing welcoming about CG!

[wayneepoo]

I'm fine with MOTUC Castle Grayskull looking like the prototype, except that I'd prefer the "side teeth" that help frame the sides of the archway into the castle be large like the Filmation version.

[zatoichi]

i really don't want it to be filmation styled, in my opinion it should be an update of the vintage toy just like the figures

[Berserker79]

I want angry eyes...

[hadley]

I want angry eyes...

I want big hollow sockets like JonWes' mockup, but not that close together. But angry eyes like what Angel posted would be cool too. Too angry and you get 200x...

[Eternian Poet]

I want big hollow sockets like JonWes' mockup, but not that close together. But angry eyes like what Angel posted would be cool too. Too angry and you get 200x...

The rounded, realistics eyes of a skull look spookier - something Alcala understood!

[Baena]

A FourHorsemen made Grayskull? What else does anyone need to know that they need to sign up for this? It’s gonna knock all our socks off.

This has EVERY potential to capture the lightning the first one did 30 years ago.
And if it’s half as cool as I can imagine it will be with them doing it? It will replace all previous Grayskull playsets. Even the vintage. (But not Icon Heroes, as well… I’m biased. And the playset likely won’t have the other sides and roof. Plus, the IH Castle has more display options.)

Just stop and think about what the FourHorsemen are going to do with this… Think about the wall treatments, the floors, the computers, the armor, the DUNGEON… Just think that through some, and try and tell me it will suck. It won’t.

They’re passion for this playset means it will be the crown jewel in any MotUC…Nay any Masters of the Universe collection.

[Zombihamma-AI]

Right now every thing is very vague,
What exacty does 2oo bucks get you (wonder what the postage will be like on that )
do we get the throne, the lift, the trapdoor, the weapon training stand, the turret gun, the flag...?

Here's my guess's for what there worth, the third floor will be the upper turret,
the throne is a must as is the trap door, steps instead of lift, yes to the flag,

but the turret gun and training stand (due to the success of the castle) will be sold like the weapons rack, in a blister pack.

That's my two pees worth,
Cant wait for the B-sheet in three weeks

[chrisware]

I have preferences regarding the Castle, but in the end, I think we can be sure the 4H will deliver something awesome--so I'm fine with leaving it in their more than capable hands.

I will say that despite the fact that I don't have a lot of money to spend on hobbies these days, I am in favor of the biggest, best, most elaborate Castle they want to make. If the price went higher, I would figure something out. And I will find a way to display it, no matter how big it is.

Seriously, if it was big enough for my kids to walk around inside of it--and cost a $1000--I would sell my furniture for the dough and my living room would have just the Castle and my stereo system.

- - - Updated - - -

A FourHorsemen made Grayskull? What else does anyone need to know that they need to sign up for this? It’s gonna knock all our socks off.

This has EVERY potential to capture the lightning the first one did 30 years ago.
And if it’s half as cool as I can imagine it will be with them doing it? It will replace all previous Grayskull playsets. Even the vintage. (But not Icon Heroes, as well… I’m biased. And the playset likely won’t have the other sides and roof. Plus, the IH Castle has more display options.)

Just stop and think about what the FourHorsemen are going to do with this… Think about the wall treatments, the floors, the computers, the armor, the DUNGEON… Just think that through some, and try and tell me it will suck. It won’t.

They’re passion for this playset means it will be the crown jewel in any MotUC…Nay any Masters of the Universe collection.

What he said!

Except I would add that it is likely to be not only the best MOTU toy ever--not only the greatest toy ever made--but it is quite possible that it will be the zenith of human civilization!!

[JonWes]

A FourHorsemen made Grayskull? What else does anyone need to know that they need to sign up for this?

When all is said and done, this is pretty much all that needs to be said. Sockets. Angry Eyes. Minaret. No Minaret. Big teeth, little teeth. It's going to be Grayskull. Sculpted by the 4H. So I'm there. Can't wait to see the B-sheet...

[Eternian Poet]

Seriously, if it was big enough for my kids to walk around inside of it--and cost a $1000--I would sell my furniture for the dough and my living room would have just the Castle and my stereo system.

Agreed. My only problem with this playset is that it isn't bigger.