MOTUC Octavia Discussion Thread

[CarKrash]

But none of us know the ins and outs of whatever the rights and ownership situation is with Filmation.
Only Mattel and Classic Media know for certain.

haha.. I'm sure even they don't know for certain.. figuring out who owned/created what 20+ years ago is probably a tough job for them. Espeically considering there is almost certainly nobody from Filmation working at classic media, and Mattel probably has a completely different staff 2 times over.

[csc0709]

I would very much like for these issues to be resolved because Octavia would be a good figure to add to the line. I am forever still hopeful the rights issues can be resolved so that Filmation characters can be included to have this line be the most comprehensive and complete line. One of the things that keeps me interested in this line is the possibility of getting characters that were left out of the vintage line such as, Adora, Queen Marlena, Cringer, Granamyr, and hopefully, Shadow Weaver and Scorpia and the other plethera of Filmation characters.

[Count Marzo]

Well, like it's been mentioned before (see one of Emiliano's earlier posts), we're all just speculating about origin/creation stuff for the fun of it.
But none of us know the ins and outs of whatever the rights and ownership situation is with Filmation.
Only Mattel and Classic Media know for certain.

Yeah, I can't even begin to think about the rights and all that legal stuff.

I can tell you this though, from an ignorant fan's point of view rights issues suck and only exist to keep things that we want out of our reach!

[JVS3]

I can tell you this though, from an ignorant fan's point of view rights issues suck and only exist to keep things that we want out of our reach!

They do. They really really do.

[Aramis]

Aww.. hopes... and other hopes to see her (i toy form, if possible )... I really hate the fact of all that Filmation rights. Mattel could simply turn the game around, "i we can't use the all characters from Motu, PoP NA from the cartoonm than you can't use the characters we have as figures, toys, so you have to pay for using all those charaacters on DVD etc.... business is cruel... I know it can't work that way, because of legal stuff, but I guess there are some little gates, how to turn the game around... HOPE is the last thing, that keeps it that way.

[Ntumbuluku]

This seems like the kind of thing that Mattel and Classic Media many not actually know the answer to. The Filmation library has already traded hands numerous times and documents have to have been lost and misplaced along the way. The answer is probably sitting in a storage unit in California somewhere.

But I can just see Mattel's lawyers talking to Classic Media's lawyers about this.

Mattel Lawyer: "We're pretty sure that Octopus Woman was an original Mattel design and that we have the right to make an action figure out of her."

CM Lawyer: "You might be right. But you might not. We won't know for sure until we get around to looking at all the old Filmation documents that we got from ER and BCI and, frankly, we have better things to do."

Mattel Lawyer: "Well, we're certain enough about this that we're going to go ahead with production."

CM Lawyer: "Fine. Do that. But know that if and when we uncover the documents proving our ownership, we're going to come after you for copyright and trademark infringment and for misappropriation of proprietary information. Even if you're right, defending that suit could cost you a couple of hundred thousand dollars."

Mattel Lawyer: "Have you seen how well the MOTUC line is doing? A couple of years from now, we might be able to take a hit like that. The fans are *demanding* this figure."

CM Lawyer: "One again, the ball is in your court. If you can afford to do it, then do it. But know this: if you foul up our rights to this property, which we spent several hundreds of thousands (millions?) of dollars acquiring, then the door will be closed for good in terms of acquiring toy rights to the rest of the property."

Mattel Lawyer: "Wait. So you're saying if we go forward with this then there will be no Lizard Man and Strong Arm and Shadow Weaver?"

CM Lawyer: "That's not what I'm saying at all. I'm just saying that you have to take into consideration that something like that could happen."

Mattel Lawyer: "What if we just pay you twenty grand for a release of any claims you have on the Octopus Woman design?"

CM Lawyer: "Come off it. We know that that design will be worth at least twice that if it turns out that we own it. No way."

Mattel Lawyer: "Okay. Well, figure out if you own it or not and then make us an offer. Because if you don't own it, we're free and clear and you get nothing."

CM Lawyer: "That's the risk we'll take. We know that we stand to make a lot on the rest of the Filmation library that we know we own. We have time to wait out this Octopus Woman/Octavia question."

Mattel Lawyer: "So that means you're not going to have an answer for us and for the fans anytime soon?"

CM Lawyer: "Like I said, we have better things to do right now."

Mattel Lawyer: "Hmmph."

[PaoloKr]

Very interesting Emiliano!

I'm so curious to see this art...

[KingRandor82]

This seems like the kind of thing that Mattel and Classic Media many not actually know the answer to. The Filmation library has already traded hands numerous times and documents have to have been lost and misplaced along the way. The answer is probably sitting in a storage unit in California somewhere.

But I can just see Mattel's lawyers talking to Classic Media's lawyers about this.

Mattel Lawyer: "We're pretty sure that Octopus Woman was an original Mattel design and that we have the right to make an action figure out of her."

CM Lawyer: "You might be right. But you might not. We won't know for sure until we get around to looking at all the old Filmation documents that we got from ER and BCI and, frankly, we have better things to do."

Mattel Lawyer: "Well, we're certain enough about this that we're going to go ahead with production."

CM Lawyer: "Fine. Do that. But know that if and when we uncover the documents proving our ownership, we're going to come after you for copyright and trademark infringment and for misappropriation of proprietary information. Even if you're right, defending that suit could cost you a couple of hundred thousand dollars."

Mattel Lawyer: "Have you seen how well the MOTUC line is doing? A couple of years from now, we might be able to take a hit like that. The fans are *demanding* this figure."

CM Lawyer: "One again, the ball is in your court. If you can afford to do it, then do it. But know this: if you foul up our rights to this property, which we spent several hundreds of thousands (millions?) of dollars acquiring, then the door will be closed for good in terms of acquiring toy rights to the rest of the property."

Mattel Lawyer: "Wait. So you're saying if we go forward with this then there will be no Lizard Man and Strong Arm and Shadow Weaver?"

CM Lawyer: "That's not what I'm saying at all. I'm just saying that you have to take into consideration that something like that could happen."

Mattel Lawyer: "What if we just pay you twenty grand for a release of any claims you have on the Octopus Woman design?"

CM Lawyer: "Come off it. We know that that design will be worth at least twice that if it turns out that we own it. No way."

Mattel Lawyer: "Okay. Well, figure out if you own it or not and then make us an offer. Because if you don't own it, we're free and clear and you get nothing."

CM Lawyer: "That's the risk we'll take. We know that we stand to make a lot on the rest of the Filmation library that we know we own. We have time to wait out this Octopus Woman/Octavia question."

Mattel Lawyer: "So that means you're not going to have an answer for us and for the fans anytime soon?"

CM Lawyer: "Like I said, we have better things to do right now."

Mattel Lawyer: "Hmmph."

Wow, that's really good!

[Ntumbuluku]

Wow, that's really good!

Thanks!

[scott metzger]

The thing to keep in mind is that, from what I understand, the rights issues were pretty complicated back when MOTU was in it's first incarnation. If I recall, both the Orko and Sorceress figures have some notations on the package that they were copyrighted by Filmation. I would imagine that, even with all the documents right at their fingertips, it would take a good long time to figure out what the heck was going on.

I still feel the movie is going to be the thing that solves this problem, if it ever comes to be. Mattel is going to need to wrap up all the outstanding rights for He-Man if they want that project going forward.

[PrinceAdam101]

If this sketch allowed an "Octopus Woman" character to be created by Mattel, I would be okay with the idea of it being a different character, and not Filmation's "Octavia".

Mattel could give her her own bio, and possibly even make her character deceased in the present (allowing room for Octavia in the horde later on, pending rights). The proposed "new" character could be presumed to be a relative of Octavia's, or a past descendant.

[shawnspookcity]

I wonder what filmation wants from mattel for rights to make figures of their MOTU/POP characters.

[Lookie]

I wonder what filmation wants from mattel for rights to make figures of their MOTU/POP characters.

It's not really filmation as they don't own the stuff anymore. Classic Media holds the rights to the characters. Some people presume Mattel is working out a "deal" with them as they seem to be doing something together with Voltron. So, there is that possibility.

[Reboot]

Now she's indisputably available (time for a thread rename?), how many want the character who came a surprise third, beaten only by Shadow Weaver and Scorpia, in Offlimits 90-to-1?

[PrinceAdam101]

No, time for this thread to close and a *new one started.

[Darkspecter]

I'm just glad we don't have to have the debate/fights over Filmation Rights, is this colour being the same colour copyright infringement, etc.

[Orko's Magic Hat]

I totally forgot that Octavia was a possiblity!! Hopefully she comes out sooner rather than later.

[gbagok]

It'd be cool if they do both Octavia AND the Octopus Woman. For that matter, all those unused She-Ra concepts would make some nifty Preternian women characters too!

Now she's indisputably available (time for a thread rename?), how many want the character who came a surprise third, beaten only by Shadow Weaver and Scorpia, in Offlimits 90-to-1?

Agh. That list makes me cry that any majority wants Vultak and Granita more/sooner than Shokoti and Lord Masque. Sad face!

[Reboot]

Agh. That list makes me cry that any majority wants Vultak and Granita more/sooner than Shokoti and Lord Masque. Sad face!

Hey, I wanted Snowflake and she's down in joint 62nd!

[And Masque barely scraped into the top ten - he was on the verge of elimination more than once near the end of R2, as I recall]

[Niki]

I want Octavia, the other Octopus Lady which must be possible too anyway and i was one of those who really wants a Granita but i wish she would be the female Rock warrior from the Mini comics and the She-Ra concepts as pre-etrnan women, another great idea!!!!

Any way i´m all for Octavia!!!!!!

[facet]

Now that we do have the filmation let talk about how the horsemen will design her. For her accessories, ( I was thinking two lasers rapiers(reused from Seahawk), 2 freeze sticks(from cartoon), and maybe small horde crossbow(they could reuse them for all the horde women). I think the biggest question is what to do with the tentacles. I want her to be able to use them with as much flexibility as possible, therefore i think the should make them out of bendums. Now I know that there was a huge issue with King hiss, and the thing that I got out of it is that they think its cheap, 80's like dollar store, and the possibility of the wire breaking. Well they do have legitimate points there, but I think hope the technology has improved enough in the last 30 years so that bendums are more durable and be able to handle a little more rough housing. The only other alternative to not having bendum tentacles is to have static ones, and that I certainly not interested in having. Any other suggestions are certainly welcome

[bribri4u]

I totally forgot that Octavia was a possiblity!! Hopefully she comes out sooner rather than later.

What about having two or three ball joints in each tentacle!

[facet]

What about having two or three ball joints in each tentacle!

that's a possibility but the tentacle it themselves would have to be scuplt it so that you can get maximum possibility of poses. The bendums would allow for the most versatility. but good suggestion!

[bribri4u]

MODS can we get the name of this thread changed now that Octavia is a possibility.

[baronterror]

Now that we do have the filmation let talk about how the horsemen will design her. For her accessories, ( I was thinking two lasers rapiers(reused from Seahawk), 2 freeze sticks(from cartoon), and maybe small horde crossbow(they could reuse them for all the horde women). I think the biggest question is what to do with the tentacles. I want her to be able to use them with as much flexibility as possible, therefore i think the should make them out of bendums. Now I know that there was a huge issue with King hiss, and the thing that I got out of it is that they think its cheap, 80's like dollar store, and the possibility of the wire breaking. Well they do have legitimate points there, but I think hope the technology has improved enough in the last 30 years so that bendums are more durable and be able to handle a little more rough housing. The only other alternative to not having bendum tentacles is to have static ones, and that I certainly not interested in having. Any other suggestions are certainly welcome

Sounds like too many accessories.

But that aside, I would say skip the bendums. If it goes that route, if and when she happens, that's fine by me.

But Id prefer sculpted solid plastic (think Webstor's backpack legs, and yes I know how big they'd be, but that's what I'd prefer) or the suggested 'couple of ball joints in each tentacle.

Bring her on. But give me Sea Hawk first.