Eamon O'Donoghue is designing the new M.A.S.K. DVDs!!

[Firefly]

Is it a Shout! Select or normal release....don't think I'll be dropping $90 for it.....but at Amazon I'd be glad to pay a lot less.

If it is like past big cartoon sets from Shout!, it will be available on their website exclusively for the first few months before going to general retail.

[Vanquest]

a slightly bigger picture of the packaging is available on the shoutfactory site now:
http://www.shoutfactorystore.com/pro...#axzz1LRbKX3P0

I know the arguments Shout is trying to make for it, but I'm still not fond of them calling it the complete series considering most everyone views it as a 75 episode series.

The Racing Series is a spin-off (produced and licensed by another company) set in an alternate Earth where MASK and its world are different. So it makes sense in my view.

Eamon, forgive me, I can see your artwork better and it looks ultra-smooth and very Marvel-like !!!

[Dagar]

The second season wasn't produced and licensed by another company and there is no explicit declaration that it is set in an alternative universe. Where did you get this idea from, Vanquest?

[Vanquest]

The second season wasn't produced and licensed by another company and there is no explicit declaration that it is set in an alternative universe. Where did you get this idea from, Vanquest?

1- It belongs to COOKIE JAR. Brian Ward confirmed so.
2- The origin/backstory is different: Mayhem was a co-partner of Matt Trakker and they created M.A.S.K. together. Then, Mayhem created V.E.N.O.M. to compete with M.A.S.K. An origin slightly similar to the comic book which accompained the early toys, not the original cartoon series where MASK and VENOM are totally unrelated.
3- MASK is a race team, not a secret, anti-terrorism organization supported by PNA (Duane Kennedy).
4- VENOM is a race team, not a terrorist squad with OBVIOUS criminal past and "social status".
5- MASK agents have no secret identities nor civilian jobs.
6- No mention of the "past" Season 1 adventures, no continuity-related cohesion with them anyway (read the points above).
7- New masks with silly powers, not designed to fight terrorist actions. Shroud, Eclipse, Totem.
8- Mayhem's... twin brother.
9- Brad Turner, Dusty Hayes, Clutch --- their lives and MASK functions are different.
10- 10 episodes, not even a full 65-episodes season. Screams alternate spin-off.
11- More importantly: in the Racing Series the VENOM helmets are as much powerful as the MASK ones, if not more (see Powerhouse/Samson and what it does). In the original series, the MASK helmets were much more powerful because charged via Trakker's ancient crystal, which generates an incredible and unlimited amount of (mysterious) energy.

No way. Alternate universe. Don't get me wrong, I love the Racing Series anyway.

[Eamon]

Hey at least you can see my amazing clean up job on the M.A.S.K. logo!

Why that is enlarged and the artwork isn't, I have no idea.

[Vanquest]

Hey at least you can see my amazing clean up job on the M.A.S.K. logo!

Why that is enlarged and the artwork isn't, I have no idea.

Eamon,

I've heard you've been given by Trakker a helmet called "PENCILLER" which fires drawing blasts, and that you used that to do the artwork. Is it true?

[Captain Marvel]

Hey at least you can see my amazing clean up job on the M.A.S.K. logo!

Why that is enlarged and the artwork isn't, I have no idea.

The logo looks fantastic, can't wait to see it front and center on store shelves,

It looks like Shout may be including a bonus or two (like they did with Transformers and GI Joe). While Shout's description for the set doesn't mention anything, the enlarged logo says "M.A.S.K. Iron-On" in the bottom left corner.

[byinfernoslight]

The logo looks fantastic, can't wait to see it front and center on store shelves,

It looks like Shout may be including a bonus or two (like they did with Transformers and GI Joe). While Shout's description for the set doesn't mention anything, the enlarged logo says "M.A.S.K. Iron-On" in the bottom left corner.

Actually it does mention something:

As our gift to you, we're offering an iron-on exclusively from ShoutFactory.com when you purchase this collector's set.
Only available here while supplies last!

[markatisu]

1- It belongs to COOKIE JAR. Brian Ward confirmed so.

Which means we should probably look for the 2nd MASK series at Big Lots or other discount stores for $5-10

[HordakQuack]

[Eamon]

Essh!! That's not exactly high res!

[Firefly]

I like the cover a lot, although Miles is covering up the M.A.S.K. logo a little more than I'd like.

1- It belongs to COOKIE JAR. Brian Ward confirmed so.

I don't recall him saying specifically that was the specific company with season 2 rights. I still consider it all one show regardless. It really doesn't matter to me who has the rights to what season now when both seasons were done by DiC originally. The second season immediately followed the first season the following year and no changes to the name of the show were made. It wouldn't be the first time things have been changed around from one season to the next for a cartoon. For example, Pound Puppies and Ewoks are ones that had major changes from one season to the next with characters, but they aren't considered different series.

[markatisu]

I still consider it all one show regardless. It really doesn't matter to me who has the rights to what season now when both seasons were done by DiC originally. The second season immediately followed the first season the following year and no changes to the name of the show were made. It wouldn't be the first time things have been changed around from one season to the next for a cartoon. For example, Pound Puppies and Ewoks are ones that had major changes from one season to the next with characters, but they aren't considered different series.

They were also always aired together, when you bought one show you got the other.

Similar thing with Sunbow GI Joe and DIC GI Joe, in syndication you had the show run as one along with the Operation Dragonfire mini-series that connected the two. Only now with home video were the two split apart.

The issue of rights holder is completely a 2000's issue.

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

1- It belongs to COOKIE JAR. Brian Ward confirmed so.
2- The origin/backstory is different: Mayhem was a co-partner of Matt Trakker and they created M.A.S.K. together. Then, Mayhem created V.E.N.O.M. to compete with M.A.S.K. An origin slightly similar to the comic book which accompained the early toys, not the original cartoon series where MASK and VENOM are totally unrelated.
3- MASK is a race team, not a secret, anti-terrorism organization supported by PNA (Duane Kennedy).
4- VENOM is a race team, not a terrorist squad with OBVIOUS criminal past and "social status".
5- MASK agents have no secret identities nor civilian jobs.
6- No mention of the "past" Season 1 adventures, no continuity-related cohesion with them anyway (read the points above).
7- New masks with silly powers, not designed to fight terrorist actions. Shroud, Eclipse, Totem.
8- Mayhem's... twin brother.
9- Brad Turner, Dusty Hayes, Clutch --- their lives and MASK functions are different.
10- 10 episodes, not even a full 65-episodes season. Screams alternate spin-off.
11- More importantly: in the Racing Series the VENOM helmets are as much powerful as the MASK ones, if not more (see Powerhouse/Samson and what it does). In the original series, the MASK helmets were much more powerful because charged via Trakker's ancient crystal, which generates an incredible and unlimited amount of (mysterious) energy.

No way. Alternate universe. Don't get me wrong, I love the Racing Series anyway.

I'm wondering if you're talking about the final M.A.S.K. season, when I was Senior Story Editor at DIC. Ray Dryden and I wrote thirteen episodes in two weeks and I also served as story editor for the ones Ray wrote.

The story is that I was sitting in my office at DIC one day and the president, Andy Heyward, comes in and says, "I need an 'Olesker Job'." (Which was Andy's parlance for 'fast and great.' I alwyas kind of liked that. ) He told me "Pick a writer, then you and him go home for two weeks and come back with thirteen half-hour scripts for M.A.S.K." That's exactly what I did. Ray and I set up a hotline, working around the clock and calling each other at three and four in the morning. I confess some of the weaponry was a bit bizarre, but we had a lot of fun creatinng it and we were intentionally trying to push the envelope and be a little tongue-in-cheek.

I had M.A.S.K. and V.E.N.O.M going all over the world on races -- Baja, Palm Springs, etc.

Your Cookie Jar reference may be because I wrote and story edited that season of the series when I was at DIC, and DIC was later acquired by Cookie Jar so their library was folded into Cookie Jar.

[Dagar]

1- It belongs to COOKIE JAR. Brian Ward confirmed so.
2- The origin/backstory is different: Mayhem was a co-partner of Matt Trakker and they created M.A.S.K. together. Then, Mayhem created V.E.N.O.M. to compete with M.A.S.K. An origin slightly similar to the comic book which accompained the early toys, not the original cartoon series where MASK and VENOM are totally unrelated.
3- MASK is a race team, not a secret, anti-terrorism organization supported by PNA (Duane Kennedy).
4- VENOM is a race team, not a terrorist squad with OBVIOUS criminal past and "social status".
5- MASK agents have no secret identities nor civilian jobs.
6- No mention of the "past" Season 1 adventures, no continuity-related cohesion with them anyway (read the points above).
7- New masks with silly powers, not designed to fight terrorist actions. Shroud, Eclipse, Totem.
8- Mayhem's... twin brother.
9- Brad Turner, Dusty Hayes, Clutch --- their lives and MASK functions are different.
10- 10 episodes, not even a full 65-episodes season. Screams alternate spin-off.
11- More importantly: in the Racing Series the VENOM helmets are as much powerful as the MASK ones, if not more (see Powerhouse/Samson and what it does). In the original series, the MASK helmets were much more powerful because charged via Trakker's ancient crystal, which generates an incredible and unlimited amount of (mysterious) energy.

No way. Alternate universe. Don't get me wrong, I love the Racing Series anyway.

Totally disagree with you, but no surprise there. Not convinced with the case you've built. If we applied some of the principles you've cited, She-Ra is in an alternative universe to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.

It's a follow-up series, just one written with some changes.

[Vanquest]

I'm wondering if you're talking about the final M.A.S.K. season, when I was Senior Story Editor at DIC. Ray Dryden and I wrote thirteen episodes in two weeks and I also served as story editor for the ones Ray wrote.

The story is that I was sitting in my office at DIC one day and the president, Andy Heyward, comes in and says, "I need an 'Olesker Job'." (Which was Andy's parlance for 'fast and great.' I alwyas kind of liked that. ) He told me "Pick a writer, then you and him go home for two weeks and come back with thirteen half-hour scripts for M.A.S.K." That's exactly what I did. Ray and I set up a hotline, working around the clock and calling each other at three and four in the morning. I confess some of the weaponry was a bit bizarre, but we had a lot of fun creatinng it and we were intentionally trying to push the envelope and be a little tongue-in-cheek.

I had M.A.S.K. and V.E.N.O.M going all over the world on races -- Baja, Palm Springs, etc.

Your Cookie Jar reference may be because I wrote and story edited that season of the series when I was at DIC, and DIC was later acquired by Cookie Jar so their library was folded into Cookie Jar.

I'm not criticizing your job at all. Congrats. The Racing series was fun, fascinating and entertaining. But it's a separate continuity to me and hundreds of fans out there. There are too many plotpoints and suggestions radically different from the original series. Mayhem never co-created MASK. He didn't ever know anything about the MASK team's real/civilian identities. For instance, he never attacked the Trakker mansion, just because he never associated Matt with MASK.
More importantly, VENOM couldn't compete on international races, because it's a terrorist faction "WANTED" by all the governments in the world. And why MASK - instead of saving the world with its weaponry and powers - should be running in trivial competitions anyway?

It's a different universe. Nothing wrong with it. Wouldn't be cool if the two VENOMs and the two MASKs would band together in two factions on an interdimensional crossover story? I can see the SPECTRUM Trakker working along with the SHROUD Trakker. What a blast!

Brian Ward confirmed the rights of the Racing Series belong to COOKIE JAR. It's official.

Among the other things, that's what Brian says about the distinction between the two "seasons":

"The "second season," as it's so often thought of, is an entirely different show, from concept to execution to licensor. It's a racing series, as opposed to the G.I. Joe-esque crime/terrorist-fighting unit of the preceding "season." While not a comedy, I don't think it's PAINFULLY inaccurate to say that the second season of M.A.S.K. is to its first season as Laff-A-Lympics is to any of the Hanna-Barbera cartoons. Same characters. Entirely different premise and set of stakes."

It's a follow-up series, just one written with some changes.

Changes that aren't supported by the original series' internal continuity. So it's a different universe. NOTHING in She-Ra heavily contradicts what has been originally established in He-Man (goofs apart). It's not like in the She-Ra series everyone on Eternia knows Adam is He-Man, or Skeletor is NO MORE a criminal but an "evil" person not persecuted by the Law.

Essh!! That's not exactly high res!

I love it. I'm just not 100% convinced about the way Trakker/Hunter looks.

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

Totally disagree with you, but no surprise there. Not convinced with the case you've built. If we applied some of the principles you've cited, She-Ra is in an alternative universe to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.

It's a follow-up series, just one written with some changes.

It strikes me as odd how I frequently got involved in series that are debated as being alternative universes or follow-up series, M.A.S.K. and N/A being two examples. Even during my early work on the series bible for MMPR, Saban Entertainment told me they didn't me to know anything about the original Japanese series -- Zyuranger -- upon which we were going to be basing MMPR and to just create something entirely new...which I did in my original series bible for the show.

(I'd spend more time discusing Van's excellent points and what my thinking was in that regard, but we're already off thread here and I don't want to roam further.)

Maybe my working on those kinds of revisionist series had something to do with my past marital history often ending with my embracing new experiences and boldly (and costly) going where no man has gone before.

Happily, on May 25 I'll be celebrating my fifteenth anniversary with Kim -- and, amazingly, she's neither in a wheelchair nor walking with a cane...yet.

Anyway, maybe now I'll be able to hook up with a stable little series devoid of any controversy. Yeah. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

Sorry to have gotten off this thread, which was dedicated to well-deserved praise for Eamon's towering talent in general and specifically regarding his M.A.S.K. cover, but the reference to the final M.A.S.K. season being an alternative world got my juices going...in a positive way.

[Vanquest]

I'd spend more time discusing Van's excellent points and what my thinking was in that regard

but the reference to the final M.A.S.K. season being an alternative world got my juices going...in a positive way.

1- Thank you so much, but please, please discuss the points. After all, you're the mind behind the Racing Series. I've always been a big fan of the Racing Series anyway, it kinda fascinated me. But even when I was 10 years old, no doubts ever crossed my mind that the Racing World did not belong to the "ordinary" MASK world depicted by the original/classic series. It had always been an alternative world to me, even when I was 10 years and couldn't get sophisticated concepts like quantum physics.

2- LOL. That sounds like a confirmation.

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

1- Thank you so much, but please, please discuss the points. After all, you're the mind behind the Racing Series. I've always been a big fan of the Racing Series anyway, it kinda fascinated me. But even when I was 10 years old, no doubts ever crossed my mind that the Racing World did not belong to the "ordinary" MASK world depicted by the original/classic series. It had always been an alternative world to me, even when I was 10 years and couldn't get sophisticated concepts like quantum physics.

2- LOL. That sounds like a confirmation.

With all due respect, this thread is dedicated to our Irish genius, Eamon.

That said, I'd be happy to explore M.A.S.K. in a separate thread.

[Vanquest]

With all due respect, this thread is dedicated to our Irish genius, Eamon.

That said, I'd be happy to explore M.A.S.K. in a separate thread.

Okay. Will open that.

[Eamon]

With all due respect, this thread is dedicated to our Irish genius, Eamon.

That said, I'd be happy to explore M.A.S.K. in a separate thread.

I wouldn't worry about it sir! The image posted isn't good quality anyways.

Besides, Vanquest has a certain way about him, don't ya Vanquest?!

[Vanquest]

Besides, Vanquest has a certain way about him, don't ya Vanquest?!

Man, you did a fantastic job! From the screenshot, it looks like Mayhem is more cool-looking that Trakker, but I could be wrong. Trakker should look more... "imperative", if you know what I mean.

[Eamon]

I'll post a proper image as soon as I can and you can see Trakker more properly!

[Vanquest]

i'll post a proper image as soon as i can and you can see trakker more properly!

spectrum on!

[Hobby One Kenobi]

http://tvshowsondvd.com/graphics/new...complete_f.jpg

I have a question on this set, does anyone else feel that Shout Factory is commiting fraud by putting "complete series" on the package? I was about to order this until I saw the tvshowsondvd.com article stating that the entire second season will not be included, & I get that as usual here in the US rights issues are a problem, but shouldn't the package say the "Complete First Season" & not "The Complete Series"? I've also seen Brian Ward try make some absurd claim about the racing season, but yet in both the UK & Australia releases they were included in 2 volume Complete Series releases. I own the 2 Australian releases form a few years ago & was going to get rid of them in favor of this release but now I think I'll wait for the REAL complete series release of M.A.S.K. to come along!