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

[Berserker79]

After the sub fiasco after SDCC this year, I'm convinced that the castle will be made, no matter what the thermometer says. I don't believe it any more. Mattel's own minimum could be already reached and we wouldn't even know it. After all those issues, I personally want to see the final product first, before I give that amount of money to them.

[Baena]

I think the Thermometer bumped up again either late last night or early this morning...

If you count the tash marks, it's thriteen up from the bottom, and there are 13-14 to get to the minimum goal mark. So I believe we're actually at 50% now. (Not including the bulb as no one knows if the bulb counts or not.)

Really hoping this weekend picks up another chunk o' sales... Another pay period is coming up for a lot of people.

[iron_pride]

I think the Thermometer bumped up again either late last night or early this morning...

If you count the tash marks, it's thriteen up from the bottom, and there are 13-14 to get to the minimum goal mark. So I believe we're actually at 50% now. (Not including the bulb as no one knows if the bulb counts or not.)

Really hoping this weekend picks up another chunk o' sales... Another pay period is coming up for a lot of people.

Oh no doubt. This weekend will be key for us I feel....

[MegaGearMax]

Oh no doubt. This weekend will be key for us I feel....

Yeah. The first of the month next week.

[chuc98]

I think the Thermometer bumped up again either late last night or early this morning...

If you count the tash marks, it's thriteen up from the bottom, and there are 13-14 to get to the minimum goal mark. So I believe we're actually at 50% now. (Not including the bulb as no one knows if the bulb counts or not.)

Really hoping this weekend picks up another chunk o' sales... Another pay period is coming up for a lot of people.

Yeah the thermometer has gone up again. I'm thinking there'll be another jump this weekend like last week.

[MaxGoof]

I think the Thermometer bumped up again either late last night or early this morning...

If you count the tash marks, it's thriteen up from the bottom, and there are 13-14 to get to the minimum goal mark. So I believe we're actually at 50% now. (Not including the bulb as no one knows if the bulb counts or not.)

Really hoping this weekend picks up another chunk o' sales... Another pay period is coming up for a lot of people.

What difference does a payday make, though, for an item we won't be charged for for over a year?

[Baena]

What difference does a payday make, though, for an item we won't be charged for for over a year?

I agree with you, it shouldn't make a difference, but for some people, they just budget that way perhaps? I dunno.
I've questioned why people would wait till the end to pre-order it, when it doesn't make any difference to your credit card or your budget... But it just does matter to some people. I think there's still some fear that their card will be charged? And so they want to be prepared anyway?
All I know is the biggest jump on the thermometer was over the weekend. Hoping for the same, but we'll see.

Perhaps some people have other bills on their credit card? Or it's maxed out? And they're taking care of that just in case before they order? Who knows?!

To be fair to those who are clearing their cards as it were, even ordering one is a chunk of change to commit to, let alone those who are maybe looking to order two or more! (See, that's me still being hopeful!)

[Fug-Lee-Faces]

Some people might still be pleading with their wife, or finishing up a week's worth of doing the dishes and laundry every night before they're allowed to order.

[He-bro]

I agree with you, it shouldn't make a difference, but for some people, they just budget that way perhaps? I dunno.
I've questioned why people would wait till the end to pre-order it, when it doesn't make any difference to your credit card or your budget... But it just does matter to some people. I think there's still some fear that their card will be charged? And so they want to be prepared anyway?
All I know is the biggest jump on the thermometer was over the weekend. Hoping for the same, but we'll see.

Perhaps some people have other bills on their credit card? Or it's maxed out? And they're taking care of that just in case before they order? Who knows?!

To be fair to those who are clearing their cards as it were, even ordering one is a chunk of change to commit to, let alone those who are maybe looking to order two or more! (See, that's me still being hopeful!)

My first thought was to pre-order right away, but you know I want to be part of they guys who drives it home, at the end when everyone is freaking out then I order my sets. Also I keep changing my mind on how many I'm going to order.

[Replikor]

50%!!

Well we are officially now halfway to the goal guys!!!

[Bear-at-Arms]

From Matty's Facebook page:
GREAT news... we confirmed the ginormous 2013 Castle Grayskull would be packed in a closed box with all new art by Rudy Obrero, the designer for the original packaging! (Rudy also did the box art for Wind Raider and Granymyr.)

[lizardman]

great news, love rudy obrero art.

[NorthCoast]

From Matty's Facebook page:
GREAT news... we confirmed the ginormous 2013 Castle Grayskull would be packed in a closed box with all new art by Rudy Obrero, the designer for the original packaging! (Rudy also did the box art for Wind Raider and Granymyr.)

Great! I talked to Mr. Obrero at Power-Con about whether he would be doing the new box art. He said he'd love to do it if they ask him, so I'm glad it's official now! Can't wait to see it!

[EtherianChronicles]

If the teeth looked like that and the eyes were unstructured I would be in. Maybe the the 4H can include snap on filmation/larger tusk teeth. If something like this was on the table I would defo pre-order.

and I would cancel my pre order, no thanks. the 4H know better. ;-)

Of course, the above two posts demonstrate the utter impossibility of pleasing everyone 100%.

With due respect to the person who made the pics, I can barely see the difference between the "long tooth" and "non-long-tooth" versions. In fact, as I type this, I can't even remember which is supposed to be which.

Why? Because it's Castle Grayskull. They all look essentially the same. Aside from that prototype they originally said it was based on, that is - with the cleft palate looking extended jaw and the little do-hickey on the top. Thankfully they didn't go with that version (though they included the little dunce cap ball thing for those that do want it, which is great).

This is a perfect representation of the toy box art and is what the majority of fans requested. Even as someone who personally thinks of Filmation as the "heart" of MOTU, when I see fan representations of the big fangs it doesn't translate as well to a real life 3-D object, IMO. Regardless, even if it had been the choice - I would have gotten it anyway.

Why? Because again, it's Castle Grayskull. Great big green brick castle. Skull face. Drawbridge. Turrets.

They didn't paint it pink, blue, or even brown. They didn't suddenly add Cinderella Castle style pretty pointed turrets. They didn't turn the skull into a tailbone. They didn't add a big stupid cross to the middle of the forehead (sorry 200x fans, I joke, I joke).

While I obviously respect anyone and their choice to buy or not to buy, I have a hard time getting my head around people purchasing or not purchasing based on the length of the tooth or the shape of the eyes (they aren't now octogons, for example, LOL). Not at all directing this just to Angel, but in general at some of the similar sentiment I have seen. I just am trying to understand how something that seemingly small would keep someone from wanting this. While I was a huge opponent of the largely extended jaw in the original vintage prototype we were first shown, it was because it changed the entire profile of the Castle. But, to be honest, I still probably would have bought it (and I can't tell you how dumb I think it would have looked) and found a way to get around it.

I just don't want people to regret it if it doesn't make it to 100% and think "gee, maybe I should have given it a chance", or having it made and spending $100+ more on it after the fact. To be honest, I'm surprised that more people aren't taking the plunge knowing that if you really wanted to you could cancel it later (move your credit card, block it, etc.) and that you will at least be able to recoup the funds reselling it.

Just some food for thought. Please don't anyone take offense, these are just my thoughts based on what I am reading.

- - - Updated - - -

Great! I talked to Mr. Obrero at Power-Con about whether he would be doing the new box art. He said he'd love to do it if they ask him, so I'm glad it's official now! Can't wait to see it!

Yes, that's AMAZING news.

Now we need a poster...

[Baena]

Congrats to Rudy! This is fantastic news!!!

[Scorpia]

It'd be AWESOME if the box reflected BOTH Twins of Power - just imagining He-Man and She-Ra defending Grayskull from Hordak and Skeletor gives me shivers!

Failing that, I'd like to see some Filmation characters on the box: Fang Man and Lizard Man would do it.

[Krueger]

I'd like to see some Filmation characters on the box

I'm hoping for that, too. It would be a nice touch. Not many, just literally one or two.

[Daniel Lynch]

I came here to post this pic, but I have to say awesome news about the box art! But gah! Now I have to keep that too...

Great day for the Castle, when I get home tonight, I can post the news about Rudy Obrero AND another thermometer update!!


I've put together a front mock-up for CastleGrayskull.Info, so I can add scale pics to the site over the next few weeks! First up, our resident MOTU "giants":

[Haradrel]

Old Castle Grayskull was mentioned by Jon M. Chu who is set to direct the new Masters movie.
"We all grew up with Masters, played with the toys… I had a Castle Grayskull, played with the toys, I had a Battle Cat."

Would be neat if they somehow managed to play off that to boost sales.

Interview here for those interested: http://geek-news.mtv.com/2012/10/26/...-the-universe/

[JVS3]

Scott answers your questions! Thanks to Pixel Dan for managing the thread and to all of you who submitted.

First up, a message from Scott:
"I'm so excited to see we have passed the 50% mark on the preorder! Don't stop now. It will only HELP get the most amount of resources for the Castle if we can hit our min well before the deadline. If you are waiting for the last day (Nov 12) or anything like that, I would highly recommend placing your order as soon as possible. Holding off won't help us, but if we can hit our minimum as soon as possible it always helps make the case for how demanded this item is! To all of our fans, please help spread the word. We all want this Castle to happen but we can't do it without the minimum order. So if you are on the fence in anyway, now is the time to head on over to Mattycollector.com and preorder your very own Castle Grayskull!"

With that in mind, on to the Q&A!

1. When you announced Castle Grayskull you said it would be based on Mark Taylor's prototype and mentioned the elongated mouth. The visuals on the B-sheet however are heavily inspired by the vintage boxart and the license guide. Is that the definitive look now or can we still expect to see the protruding snout and stalactite teeth from the prototype incorporated in the final design?

It is still a work in progress. Ideally we do want to lean more towards the prototype in the actual sculpt.

2. Since the castle is still in development and nothing has been set in stone yet, would you consider throwing in a few Filmation elements to convince some of the undecided Filmation fans to pre order such as snap on teeth to give it a more Filmation look?

That would be an awesome idea and I'm happy to pass it on. Right now we can't commit to anything beyond what is shown on the blueprints but we are hoping the blueprints represent the minimum that will be in the castle, with as many surprises as possible that can be added in!

3. Will the Power Sword unlock the Jawbridge and what is the exact dimension of the main doorway?

The doorway is about 8.4 inches tall and 5.3 inches wide. At this point we don't know if the sword will physically will unlock the door but we hope at least it will fit into a slot next to the door to have fantasy play of using it as a "key".

4. Will the color scheme be in line with the classic toy and Point Dread, or will it be more like the 2002 playset/current MOTUC Grayskull stands?

Our plan is to use the vintage toy and prototype as the basis for the deco.

5. Could we get a better idea/description of the Wind Raider stand/attachment? And could you make it so the Wind Raider attaches to the top of the castle as well?

We can't guarantee a landing pad on top of the castle right now as that is not in the approved blueprint. The way it currently works is there is a triangle wedge piece (seen on the blueprints) that fints between the two sides when opened. There is a notch in this piece that the Windraider stand will plug into. So the WR is parked "inside" the Castle right now. We will certainly explore the possibility of a Point Dread landing zone, but that is not guaranteed to be part of the set (at this time).

6. Will this be sculpted to allow for a possible Point Dread attachment at a later date?

Yes, we are thinking ahead on this, but there is no guarantee we will get to a Point Dread.

7. Could you talk more about the secret passageway out tot he second floor ledge. Will it be accesses by both the little staircase and the secret passage?

The idea is to have a rotating brick wall (like a spooky haunted house bookcase if you will) that leads out onto the ledge that can be opened to enter the second floor. Hope that clarifies!

8. Will you be tooling the throne in a way that it can easily be repurposed later with minor modifications as Zodac's chair? How about it being able to seat the Sorceress due to her wings?

We haven't worked out these exact details but both are being taken into consideration!

9. How is the flag on top going to be produced? Cloth, plastic, or simply a sticker like the original?

Likely plastic but this is not 100% set yet.

10. Was the height of the levels in the cardboard version final?

They were approximate. The foam model is just for scale and does not represent final product.

11. Will the orb chamber be big enough for a figure or two to stand in? And will it have an orb stand included or will we need to use the one that came with TOD Sorceress?

No. The chamber is for the orb to be "hidden in" it is not large enough to be a "war room" if you will. Although I'm hoping you can maybe fit a figure meditating or something in a sitting position!

12. Could you add a chamber to house the Sword of Power and the Sword of Protection?

We are looking into some way to display these. Perhaps wall mounted but nothing locked in yet. Still too early.

13. What happened to the abyss diorama that was surrounding the castle in the vintage prototype? This was one of the arrows during the Power-Con presentation.

It is something we want to try and include but we'd first like to make sure we can get everything else. I suppose you can say this is last priority over things like the throne, the dungeon and the computer etc... We can't guarantee the playmat right now.

14. One of the best things about the original MOTU playsets was that they also functioned as a storage unit for the MOTU action figures. Approximately how many MOTUC action figures will be able to be stored in the new MOTUC Castle Grayskull?

Honestly, I haven't measured and it is hard to do so on the foam model. We'll know more when and if we can move forward with sculpting.

15. Will the box art feature a new painting by Rudy Obrero or another artist? And could that painting also be a cool poster?

Yes, we are hoping Rudy will do the box art!

16. How about including a Check List poster like the vintage? It would be a great way to have a master visual list of everything released thus far and to hang on your wall!

Also a cool idea. Nothing set yet but this would be easier than including Point Dread if you will!

17. Will there be a bio for the castle?

Yes, and it was written at the time of all the other bios! (Snake Mountain too!)

18. Because some fans are afraid of billing and shipping issues that has plagued the line, will the My Sub page go up soon? And will you offer a DHL shipping option for Grayskull?

DHL will not be available but the my sub page should be up in a matter of weeks at this point!

19. In relation to the My Sub page, if our credit cards expire next year, will there be a preorder page or something similar so we can change our credit card information for the Grayskull charge?

Yes, you should have no problem changing your order details if needed. (like your address if you move)

20. Will multiple Grayskull orders by one customer be combined to save on shipping?

Yes we can combine, but we don't know how that will affect cost to ship.

21. The statement on Matty reads "One last thing... because this is a work-in-progress, features may be added or removed from the proposed design, but we can't confirm anything now." However, at NYCC you said that nothing would be cut only added. Is the statement on Matty a legal issue just to cover your bases? Or was your comment made prior to the Matty statement being drafted and we may actually face features being cut?

We want to put as much as we can into the Castle but legally we need to note details like this.

22. When you order a Grayskull and it says NO REFUNDS OR EXCHANGES, does this also mean there is no way to return a defective or shipping damaged item if you had used a trackable method? If there is a way, what will it entail in terms of cost to the customer?

If you have a defective product you can get it replaced, but you can't exchange it for money or another different toy.

[KUZEH]

Interesting tidbits of info...
I really hope we hit the mark, then all these questions can be discussed in detail!

[Replikor]

EXCELLENT!!! He cleared up the issue with ppl being afraid to order out of fear for not being able to get a replacement if the item arrives damaged!!

THANKS SCOTT!!

[chuc98]

All good stuff there! Thanks Val for posting the answers!!

And HOLY COW! The size comparison with the castle and the giants is insane!!! Lets keep things going and have this castle become a reality!

[Mern-Ra]

Those answers seemed pretty straight-forward and that's all good to know! Nice turn-around time on them, too!

[Hoffrod]

Okay, not to be a downer, but too many people are saying that it will be made no matter what so they arent pre-ordering. You guys need a wake-up call. It wasnt even two months ago they had the EXACT same set-up for the Superboy and Ms Martian pack. It did not meet the meter and was flat out cancelled. We have NO guarantees this will be made...UNLESS THE METER IS MET. Do you honestly think they will go ahead with something that wont prove cost effective for a minimum demand? REALLY?!?