Comic Conversation with Eric Treadaway Parts 1 and 2

[MrRoboto]

Great to read about Jitsu being on the way.

[Paul Justice]

I'm so excited and glad I got a sub, my Horde may be one step closer to completion in 2012. The way Eric is so so so excited about Scorpia tells me we may be seeing her soon. So we will have Leech and Shadow Weaver, just bring on the Horde Troopers already.

After watching Secret of the Sword the other day, I could easily see Eric designing the Horde Troopers where their helmet pops off like Optikk's eye, and fit He-man or Hordak's head in it's place to get those Filmation looks all within the Army Builder two packs.

[He-Boy]

To me, the outfit shared with Teela is THE outfit when it comes to Evil Lyn. It’s all I knew until 2002-ish. BG Lyn is a great combination of MYP/200X colouring on that iconic outfit. It’s a darker version than Filmation and is worthy of existing in its own right.

Everyone seems to love and accept MOTUC Thunder Punch He-Man (including me) yet there is nothing new about him – and He-Man will end up with MORE variants than Lyn. Shouldn’t we grab our pitchforks and chase him out of town too?

um that's not true at all he's got new armor he is a retool not a repaint so he's got more new thing then BG Evil-Lyn

And Malibou Stacey got a new hat. Just Joking. But Lyn gets a new cape and a new helmet-less head sculpt (just like everyone has been asking for). I see a lot of similarities between Thunder Punch and BG Evil Lyn. The difference is that everyone expects He-Man variants and not Evil Lyn ones.

[Darkspecter]

And Malibou Stacey got a new hat. Just Joking. But Lyn gets a new cape and a new helmet-less head sculpt (just like everyone has been asking for). I see a lot of similarities between Thunder Punch and BG Evil Lyn. The difference is that everyone expects He-Man variants and not Evil Lyn ones.

I don't know...Evil-Lyn is wearing the Enchantress' cape (it's the same as Filmation, so I'd wager she's coming) and a new head (which is an AWESOME head!).

TP He-Man has a new: shield, fist, chest harness, back piece which will probably be awesome (4H aren't done sculpting it), blasting cap (which can go in the shield or back thing when it's done) and a mini-comic!

I'd say TP is very much less of a "repaint" than Evil-Lyn. He has five new pieces. She has two. Quarterly variants are all supposed to have the "same new tooling as regular figures." No figure (besides the DCUC vs MOTUC two-pack figures, the Goddess and Zodak - who Mattel said were failures and they would never do figures like that again) has had as limited new tooling as the BG Evil-Lyn figure. She is far left field from everything we were told to expect. Not just what to expect for this version of Evil-Lyn ("quite a bit new tooling"), but she goes against everything we were told about quarterly variants!

[He-Boy]

Evil Lyn has three - she also has the charged up staff. So it's 3 vs 5 (or 4, you kinda counted his harness as two pieces). But I suppose her charged up staff may not be a new sculpt. So it’s back to 2 vs 4.

Also, she is pretty much a total repaint. There's not much different for TP paint-wise (granted, either did the vintage). And then you weigh up the fact that one of her new accessories is a new head (which is as big as it gets in terms of new items) and the fact that their total items is around the same - it’s kinda like splitting hairs overall. I'm not pooh-poohing TP at all - he is awesome. I just don't think Evil Lyn is the disaster everyone is making her out to be.

What about Battle Armor He-Man? Surely he’s comparable to BG Evil Lyn in terms of what’s new?

These are the issues I’m hearing:

She’s not 200X – who’s to say that version isn’t coming too?
I don’t want too many Evil Lyn variants – but it’s ok for He-Man, Skeletor, Hordak, She-Ra, Teela...?
It uses the old buck – The old buck is awesome. (Ok, that’s subjective, but I personally love it)
There’s not enough new stuff – do we really want new stuff just for the sake of it – see Clawful’s shield. We are getting a helmetless head and cape – two long awaited and highly demanded pieces. That should count for something.

[Dark Sorceress]

Evil Lyn has three - she also has the charged up staff. So it's 3 vs 5 (or 4, you kinda counted his harness as two pieces). But I suppose her charged up staff may not be a new sculpt. So it’s back to 2 vs 4.

Also, she is pretty much a total repaint. There's not much different for TP paint-wise (granted, either did the vintage). And then you weigh up the fact that one of her new accessories is a new head (which is as big as it gets in terms of new items) and the fact that their total items is around the same - it’s kinda like splitting hairs overall. I'm not pooh-poohing TP at all - he is awesome. I just don't think Evil Lyn is the disaster everyone is making her out to be.

What about Battle Armor He-Man? Surely he’s comparable to BG Evil Lyn in terms of what’s new?

These are the issues I’m hearing:

She’s not 200X – who’s to say that version isn’t coming too?
I don’t want too many Evil Lyn variants – but it’s ok for He-Man, Skeletor, Hordak, She-Ra, Teela...?
It uses the old buck – The old buck is awesome. (Ok, that’s subjective, but I personally love it)
There’s not enough new stuff – do we really want new stuff just for the sake of it – see Clawful’s shield. We are getting a helmetless head and cape – two long awaited and highly demanded pieces. That should count for something.

nop BA he-man is in a new outfit so he's still better then BG Evil-Lyn lol

[Darkspecter]

Evil Lyn has three - she also has the charged up staff. So it's 3 vs 5 (or 4, you kinda counted his harness as two pieces). But I suppose her charged up staff may not be a new sculpt. So it’s back to 2 vs 4.

Her charged up staff is a repaint. TG said it is today (now yesterday), I think. It's just like FacelessOne's. That doesn't disappoint me though, I think his staff is super cool!

I counted TP He-Man's back piece because it sounds like it's going to be spectacular. Flipshot's is an accessory on its own, as would have been Starla's (if she came with it ). I know it's subjective...but...since it will have a "feature" to it by being able to store the blasting cap, I count it.

Also, she is pretty much a total repaint.

I know...but...I'm getting drained from now having FOUR Teela repaints (5 for those of us who bought TWO Teelas to have the other version of the Goddess ).

What about Battle Armor He-Man? Surely he’s comparable to BG Evil Lyn in terms of what’s new?

3 chest plates + new armour = 4. Evil-Lyn is still at 2 new pieces.

These are the issues I’m hearing:

She’s not 200X
It uses the old buck

Those are the only things I care about, honestly. If she had her 200X/MYP outfit with one staff and both heads from SDCC with a proper twist-waist (and two-piece outfit), I would be 100% content. The charged staff will be really awesome, but it wasn't a necessity for me. The other things were.

Now, if we DO end up with a 200X Evil-Lyn, I will love this Evil-Lyn as my "loses her powers and goes to the future" Evil-Lyn and the 200X one will be her younger days.

My Evil-Lyn Timeline:

Baby Evil-Lyn (MVC Comics and can be repainted for baby Adam, Adora and Teela...all pack-ins with figures), young 200X (when she meets Keldor) they can make on teen Teela/Adora buck (if/when it comes), 200X, yellow, BG Evil-Lyn.

[Neal1972]

We are getting a helmetless head and cape – two long awaited and highly demanded pieces. That should count for something.

It counts for a lot, imo. I really like BG Evil-Lyn. She's far, far superior to the first one we got, imo. I love the cape and new head.

Anyway, it's interesting to hear how excitied Eric is about (possibly) getting the chance to sculpt Grayskull.

[He-Boy]

LOL to the last few posts - I think we've sent ourselves mad (or I sent you all mad ).

My Evil-Lyn Timeline:

Baby Evil-Lyn (MVC Comics and can be repainted for baby Adam, Adora and Teela...all pack-ins with figures), young 200X (when she meets Keldor) they can make on teen Teela/Adora buck (if/when it comes), 200X, yellow, BG Evil-Lyn.

So Yellow Lyn is towards the end? Hmmm... I had planned on making 200X the evolution of Yellow Lyn, but I didn't think about the fact that Young Lyn wears the same/similar outfit as 200X. Your timeline makes the most sense. Let the theories as to why her skin turns yellow begin!

I counted TP He-Man's back piece because it sounds like it's going to be spectacular. Flipshot's is an accessory on its own, as would have been Starla's (if she came with it ). I know it's subjective...but...since it will have a "feature" to it by being able to store the blasting cap, I count it.

Just re-read this. Y'know, I didn't consider the back part to be anything (I just thought that it merely wasn't sculpted), but now I'm starting to imagine the possibilities. I also thought the "caps" would fit into the shield, not the back part. I'm looking forward to TP even more now.

[13977]

Wow this was a lot bigger then the first part. Thanks for posting these

Glad to hear Scorpia, Octavia, and Spikor mentioned but I've never cared for Fang Man myself.

Oh man I so wish we had gotten that Spikor staction! I think it was our best chance of getting a Spikor with proper spikes and not child safe rounded rubber spikes

Angella's pink wings & lack of collar (nicked by Glimmer, who has one & shouldn't), Frosta's washed-out colours and so forth are actual things wrong with those designs sirrah...

I agree I'm not keen on Frosta's pale colours in that pic and she's got the big collar which I hate. There are two pictures of her in the style guide, one with the big collar, and one with out it like she is in Filmation. I hope they go with the latter, more Filmation one.

I also don't get all this hate for BG Evil-Lyn, I think she fine and a lot people might change their minds when they see her in hand.

[MegaGearMax]

Well, if they ultimately do a proper MYP-Lyn (not just "200X", specifically the Mike Young 'toon), what would have been the point of BG-Lyn? It'd be a stool between two (three, if Filmation-Lyn gets her unique dress) chairs.

As we've seen with Cringer, Mattel isn't above throwing out a "crappy version" in order to get the character out there.

If had been a time or tooling issue, they should have spiked BG-Lyn, found something easier to do in the time and left MYP-Lyn.

I know, right? Clamp Champ is literally new head and weapon. HE could have replaced Battleground Lyn if time was a concern.

But this is worse, since he actually seems happy about it (backing up what Toyguru said about it being the 4H's call after he saw the hostile reaction), leaving questions about their judgement...

I still think Battleground Evil-Lyn was a budgeting concern. The 4H aren't going to cast an upcoming figure in a negative light.

[krosfyah]

If had been a time or tooling issue, they should have spiked BG-Lyn, found something easier to do in the time and left MYP-Lyn. But this is worse, since he actually seems happy about it (backing up what Toyguru said about it being the 4H's call after he saw the hostile reaction), leaving questions about their judgement...

Really? so human beings aren't allowed to have a taste contrary to what you think without their judgement being questioned? I LOVE 200X designs, in theory it's my favourite MOTU look. combine it with the thickness of the MOTUC line and I'm in Masters paradise. But I'm 100% FINE with the fact that this line is it's own thing. it's not completely a mash-up of styles to try to please everyone, it's a revision of whats come before to make it's own look, with the vintage line as it's main inspiration. (shared pieces, buck system, repaints etc)

I would love a proper 200X evil lyn, don't know when or if she's coming but I'm not going to throw a fit and look negatively at all the stuff that has coome and is coming because I'm not 100% in love with a figure I don't have yet. Also I'm not going to complain that a figure that has been shown shares parts with a phantom figure that hasn't been announced yet!

If the horsemen started making all their figures He-Man in drag and called them bravestarr and were beaming with pride over it (or if they started turning out stuff that looked like the fan made wind raider custom with NO detailing) THEN I'd worry about their judgement and call the local old age home for toy sculptors. But if they every now and again make a decision that isn't how I'd do it I chalk that up to them being humans that have tastes that vary from mine at times.

I'm sure they probably don't listen to them music I enjoy while they work, I don't hold that against them, I am not a fan of McFarlane at all, but that they worked there and designed toys there doesn't make me question their talents or visions. I accept that people vary in their visions and opinions, I accept that you LOATHE BG evil Lyn, it's fine. but I'm posting this to plea for some rationale and sense. no one is EVER going to bat 1000, unless they get one hit and stop attempting after that.

Do I like BGEL, I do, you can't spell bagel without BGEL would I have preferred 200X evil lyn, hell yeah, I'd prefer a 200X snout spout too, I'd love a MOTUC he-man with the 200X detailing, but this isn't 200X redux, I accept that, and yeah I am oneof the guys who loves seing the 200X elements when we can get em, I also hate the 200X style is retired spiel from Mattel, but the line has FAR surpassed what I hoped and more is coming thats surpassing that as well. I was speaking to a board member the other day about how I never thought so much great stuff would have come from that one little 'scultped out of love' He-Man figure shown a few years ago. it's things like that and last years battle ram that keeps my faith in the horsemen's abilities love and passion for MOTU and the fans, even if they don't hit the ball 100% of the time, they still love the team and the game and I for one wouldn't want anyone else coming up to bat.

[MegaGearMax]

Really? so human beings aren't allowed to have a taste contrary to what you think without their judgement being questioned? I LOVE 200X designs, in theory it's my favourite MOTU look. combine it with the thickness of the MOTUC line and I'm in Masters paradise. But I'm 100% FINE with the fact that this line is it's own thing. it's not completely a mash-up of styles to try to please everyone, it's a revision of whats come before to make it's own look, with the vintage line as it's main inspiration. (shared pieces, buck system, repaints etc)

The fans who asked for 200X Evil-Lyn in the first place because she wasn't the repaint that the original Evil-Lyn was. That's the whole point of 200X Evil-Lyn. When they turned 200X Evil-Lyn into a repaint that she isn't supposed to be, I'd say that was someone's poor judgement. It's poor judgement because instead of getting 200X Evil-Lyn out of the way because they gave her the correct leotard and skirt, they have to take another shot at making her, when they could have closed the book on her.

It's like getting a hamburger when I asked for a cheeseburger.

[Orko's Magic Hat]

I agree with Krosfyah, I'M BORED of all the BG Evil-Lyn/200X Evil-Lyn talk hyjacking any new thread we get - a thread which has WAY more exciting things to talk about!

We get it, that Mattel are looking into other Evil-Lyn variants down the line - let's just leave it at that - I for one am totally happy with BG Evil-Lyn (and I am pro 200X Evil-Lyn BTW) Let's just enjoy this one eh?

-----------------------

It's really nice to see that Eric is so exited about the possibilties which Filmation characters will bring to MOTUC - I cannot wait to see his versions of Scorpia, Octavia and Fang-Man - also to hear him talk about one of my most wanted POP characters - Mermista - a few times is really exciting!!!

[He-Boy]

...I'd prefer a 200X snout spout too...

I completely agree (as I did with most of your post). IMO Snout Spout is a MUCH bigger disappointment than BGEL.

[MegaGearMax]

I completely agree (as I did with most of your post). IMO Snout Spout is a MUCH bigger disappointment than BGEL.

At least we knew Snout Spout wouldn't have his 200X head, so some fans' expectations for him were already low.

[krosfyah]

The fans who asked for 200X Evil-Lyn in the first place because she wasn't the repaint that the original Evil-Lyn was. That's the whole point of 200X Evil-Lyn. When they turned 200X Evil-Lyn into a repaint that she isn't supposed to be, I'd say that was someone's poor judgement. It's poor judgement because instead of getting 200X Evil-Lyn out of the way because they gave her the correct leotard and skirt, they have to take another shot at making her, when they could have closed the book on her.

It's like getting a hamburger when I asked for a cheeseburger.

I get it, but this isn't mcdonalds, we aren't placing an order for a figure, we are requesting and hoping for something and the fan base isn't singing in unison for the same thing. and as I said human error is something that's acceptable. you order a cheeseburger and get a hamburger it's a mistake, if it happens CONSTANTLY, then it's a place to question judgement, but in this case where some people don't like the figure while others do, its just a matter of personal preference.

[Thrawn29]

Really? so human beings aren't allowed to have a taste contrary to what you think without their judgment being questioned?

Not when many fans have been vocal about what we wanted with the first Evil Lyn variant and when we are paying for these figures.

we are requesting and hoping for something and the fan base isn't singing in unison for the same thing. and as I said human error is something that's acceptable.

Yes, but this one was so hard to screw up. All you had to do was get her out of Teela's outfit.

Question: How do you screw that up?

Answer: Apparently turn the decision making over the the 4H and ignore nearly two years of requests for a 200X Evil Lyn.

let's just leave it at that - I for one am totally happy with BG Evil-Lyn (and I am pro 200X Evil-Lyn BTW)

I hate it with a passion, but it's still superior far superior to the yellow Teela we got the first time.

Let's just enjoy this one eh?

No. The only real requirement for this figure was for me to not to have to buy Teela's outfit for the fourth time and the second time on Evil Lyn.

How about let the 4H know they screwed up royally and forced me to buy another repaint that I have no choice over? Hm?

Yeah, it was kind of sad to see how happy he was over BGEL- they definitely didn't realise how much they screwed the granny with that one. As I keep saying, it's not even just the reused sculpt or the Enchantress' cape that's off, but the COLOURS are wrong as well...

It's alarming and sad to see how happy he is over that cheap repaint.

Filmation Evil Lyn fans know what they're getting. Teela's dress repainted as well.

This part really gets me:

And if we can do that, it may take five years from the first version to the last version, but there will be something there for every Evil Lyn fan that’s out there. She is important enough to have a lot of looks.

For Evil Lyn I am only a fan of her 200x look. It is definitive for me. To date, there is nothing for me as an Evil Lyn fan in this line. Nothing.

If/when they do a Filmation version, there still won't be anything for me because I don't care about Filmation Evil Lyn.

I love the yellow version. I like the 2002 color scheme too, eventually we will probably do something closer to the Filmation down the line.

The color scheme isn't the problem. I completely prefer the purple and black version so she matches her father and Skeletor. But the yellow and blue color scheme looked amazing on the staction.

However, I hate yellow repainted Teela/Evil Lyn so very much. More than any other motu figure. She's just wearing Teela's oufit. She's not even her own character.

He really doesn't get it, does he?

I still would like to know what the background on her is. If it was just a cost issue or the Horesemen didn't have time to sculpt the dress, I'd be ok with that and move on. The reason given just sort of left me thinking "huh? that doesnt make any sense."

It's not a cost issue. Eric Treadway is happy with 200x Evil Lyn being a repaint. That's the background of the figure. That's the reason we are paying for a repainted Teela for the fourth time.

And for anyone bringing up TP He-Man, he has new armor. The head and armor changes are the only thing that make these figures unique.

Webstor, Zodac, and Scareglow are the exact same figure minus the armor and head.

Teela and Evil Lyn are the exact same figure minus the head. Evil Lyn was even cheaper than Webstor, Scareglow, and Zodac because she reuses the same armor/tunic.

It's disgusting and pathetic that one of the single most important characters in the franchise keeps getting the injustice of being a repaint. And the people involved are happy about it?

[Reboot]

There's nothing "wrong" with those designs. If you don't like them, that's fine...but they are certainly not wrong:... I could say the reverse about the Filmation designs, booty.

Problem is when you're in the minority, yet pretend your opinions are majoritarian. Which they aren't

After watching Secret of the Sword the other day, I could easily see Eric designing the Horde Troopers where their helmet pops off like Optikk's eye, and fit He-man or Hordak's head in it's place to get those Filmation looks all within the Army Builder two packs.

The flashback Horde Troopers, inc. Hordak, were different from the present-day ones in just about every detail:

As we've seen with Cringer, Mattel isn't above throwing out a "crappy version" in order to get the character out there.

I'd managed to block that out

Really? so human beings aren't allowed to have a taste contrary to what you think without their judgement being questioned?... *snips the LONG post!*

Human beings aren't allowed to have a taste IN LINE with what I think without their judgement being questioned either. Not the way the world works

More seriously, BGEL appears to have satisfied only those who weren't bothered about MYP-Lyn to start with. And ultimately either (1) they'll never do something recognisable as MYP-Lyn [which is entirely possible to do "in the classics style"] or (2) there'll have been a repaint people were jumped into buying and which results in people having (if they hold a 2011 subscription) to pay for a do-over of the character to get what they wanted to start with.

[urbanmyth]

It's not a cost issue. Eric Treadway is happy with 200x Evil Lyn being a repaint. That's the background of the figure. That's reason we are paying for a repainted Teela for the fourth time.




For Evil Lyn I am only a fan of her 200x look. It is definitive for me. To date, there is nothing for me as an Evil Lyn fan in this line.

If/when they do a Filmation version, there still won't be anything for me.



The color scheme isn't the problem. I completely prefer the purple and black version so she matches her father and Skeletor. But the yellow and blue color scheme looked amazing on the staction.

However, I hate yellow repainted Teela/Evil Lyn so very much. More than any other motu figure. She's just wearing Teela's oufit. She's not even her own character.

Well, Eric has been great in the past (Roast Gooble and this Fwoosh article for instabce) at articulating why he does things a certain way so I'd just love to hear his reasoning for not doing the MYP/Faceless One-type outfit for this Evil-Lyn.

I'm not angry about this figure, just confused by its repaint feeling when there was seemingly (in my opinion/until I hear Eric's reasoning) no reason not to make the appropriate historical Lynn

[Darkspecter]

Problem is when you're in the minority, yet pretend your opinions are majoritarian. Which they aren't

I'm not saying my opinion of wanting pure toy designs is the majority. To be honest, you're doing exactly what you just posted. 100% Filmation design for PoP is NOT what the majority wants at all. It was discussed and polled, etc. and hybrid designs: toy + Filmation is what won (so, basically the Emiliano picture I posted, actually...as the ARE hybrid designs ).

However, this isn't even what we're talking about! You said the designs/colours were "wrong" and I said they weren't...because they aren't. You acted like Emiliano drew the sun square and coloured it purple. The only way any of those designs/colours would be "wrong" is if they were entirely a different colour or design never seen before...like...if he turned Queen Angella into a yellow robot covered in missile launchers.

[Zodach]

I really dig BG Evil-Lyn and I think the Four Horsemen went with a repaint because it truly fits the style of Classics with the heavy parts reuse. The Faceless One, Chief Carnivus, and Count Marzo weren't exactly direct interpretations of their MYP/200X counterparts so I'm not surprised they produced Evil-Lyn in this manner.

[Reboot]

I'm not saying my opinion of wanting pure toy designs is the majority. To be honest, you're doing exactly what you just posted. 100% Filmation design for PoP is NOT what the majority wants at all. It was discussed and polled, etc. and hybrid designs: toy + Filmation is what won (so, basically the Emiliano picture I posted, actually...as the ARE hybrid designs ).

While I'd certain prefer to see Filmation-only designs, I accept they're not quite going to be, but that's a different matter from changing the colour of Angella's wings or swapping the collars of her and Glimmer! Everything that's been said suggests they're going to keep to the Filmation designs with toy-based *details* (meaning some embossing, not reengineering or recolouring the whole design to be more toylike ala plenty of examples in that that picture. ET even said they went too far with the detailing on Bow.)

And I definitely think you're wrong when making pronouncements like he "perfectly captured the essence of these characters" in the picture. "Essence", i.e. essential, meaning the stripped-down, simplest aspect of the character that still holds true to what people expect of them. Those designs ain't stripped down, and things are changed from their iconic images.

[Whiplash7]

No figure (besides the DCUC vs MOTUC two-pack figures, the Goddess and Zodak - who Mattel said were failures and they would never do figures like that again) has had as limited new tooling as the BG Evil-Lyn figure. She is far left field from everything we were told to expect. Not just what to expect for this version of Evil-Lyn ("quite a bit new tooling"), but she goes against everything we were told about quarterly variants!

How is she any different than Keldor?

[Zodach]

How is she any different than Keldor?

Good call. Not every figure is going to have the same amount of new tooling or guaranteed a minimum amount. Mattel probably has a budget for each figure, but more specifically they have a budget for the entire year's worth of figures that they have to balance in order to add newly tooled parts and entirely new figures each year.