Do you feel the line has lost it's original "solid direction" in the last 12 months?

[Spacedust]

When the line first came about in 2008, we were often told that "there is a big overall direction for the line", a story to unfold, including an unfolding 'definitive' version of the canon, and I for one really felt this.

Do you feel that, whilst still there to an extent, over the last 12 months or so, the line has fallen a bit more into the "we'll release anything that remotely fits in and isn't too hard too produce" kinda rut. Certainly the bios (generally) give some good character and timeline info, but I personally feel we've seen a few very "meh" characters this year, and more set to continue next (mentioning no names... ahem), instead of building on this initial structure.

I do believe there is still an overall story unfolding, and I really love that the line offers up both the a- and b-list names down to the quite obscure, from all incarnations of the franchise, but I personally feel that things have maybe got too scattershot in the last year or so - which is a real shame considering what solid direction the line began with (Also, without straying into a different debate - try here if you want that - the ever increasing amounts of variants might not have helped this original solid direction of the line).

I still love the line, but do feel it's lost this definite guidance it had in its first couple of years a bit (and am hoping that the next 12 months sees this start to re-emerge). Thoughts?

[-= SupernovA =-]

Yes I felt that too the last couple of months, but with the strong line-up (with the exception of Snake MAA) for the first half of 2012 I'm feeling more connected again. I have a feeling i will like the complete list of figures for 2012 much more than the 2011 one.

[tmc1984]

very good post spacedust ...

i agree with a lot of what you have said there, pretty much most of it ...

i feel that, in terms of the overall arching story-line (i.e. through the bios) i have become totally lost with and i think in a way mattel have too ... if the story-line via the bio's was so important then i think they have lost their way a bit ... that said, i don't really ''read the bios'' so to speak anyway, i'm in this for the awesome figures and i don't really take the story-line too seriously - i don't get drawn into it ...

as far as mediocre/pointless characters - we all know who the main 2 are as far as next year is concerned ...

[MldMnrdReporter]

I almost think the line is too big with multiple releases almost every month. The occasional extra release of a large sized beast or multi-pack is acceptable but they shouldn't be on top of each other.

As for the bios, they don't do a darn thing for the line. They're poorly written and filled with goofy mistakes. I'm a professional writer and if I turned one of those in to my editor they'd laugh and then fire me for incompetence.

[gbagok]

Am I right in sensing that this charge comes from the most recent reveals (Snake MAA, Mighty Spector, and Horde Prime) which all have a bit of a fan custom-figure feel because of all the reused parts?

Because if it's that then yes, I think it's an unfortunate batch to have at one time like that (arguably the price for getting Sorceress, Shadow Weaver, Fisto, and Kobra Kahn all close together).

But I think we're getting a lot of new parts from Flip Shot, BP She-Ra, Demo-Man, Swift Wind, Slush Head, and Star Sisters. Yes I'm impatient to get the likes of Frosta, Lizard Man, Castaspella, Ninjor, Eldor, Shokoti, Scorpia, Horde Troopers, Rattlor, and Modulok. And I'm bitter that I'm not getting the likes of Geldor, Lodar, Illumina, Dakkon, or Prahvus in the meantime. But I like what we're getting too...apart from Snake MAA.

[VaultsofGrayskull]

As for the bios, they don't do a darn thing for the line. They're poorly written and filled with goofy mistakes. I'm a professional writer and if I turned one of those in to my editor they'd laugh and then fire me for incompetence.

I totally agree with this. The only time I read the bios is when copying them for display on Vaults. I choose not to edit the mistakes because they are too numerous. Correcting them would actually change them.

As far as the line losing its way, I think this is always going to be subjective. For me, the Star Sisters were an indication of this, but at the same time we saw some great prototypes of major Vintage characters.

2013 will have to hold some great promise if I'm going to consider subs though. Lots of Filmation, POP and NA won't swing it for me. Whereas news of Ram-Man might convince me...

[DO4M]

I still don't see how we will understand the whole story by 2012 as we were told by the Guru... Unless they're planning to use the Anniversary figures to tell the story instead of telling us about the NEW CHARACTERS being added...
Now on glorified repaints turned into "useless variants" I blame Logistics...

[krosfyah]

The bios are poorly written overall as well they never had a proper narrative to give us a arching story, sure some bios try to mesh storylines together, but it's hodgepodged and confusing. instead of trying to give a real story, the writer(s) of the bios are trying to justify the existence of contradicting canons and characters. instead of flowing it's forced, so from the early days I didn't feel like there was a solid direction in terms of telling the story.

Now I feel it's like the show Lost, they had success and got the budget to do more, so their original plan gets changed, it gets more expansive, because of that the overall story that they were trying to tell suddenly has to fit in things they never planned for. So in terms of that too, yes they lost their direction because they had much more to be able to do.

So I believe that for collectors and fans of the toys, it's AWESOME that so much great stuff has been released or announced, if you're looking for a great story though, the bios aren't going to tell it. they shouldn't have either. the bio should only be a summary of the character not an attempt at making a cohesive canon.

He-Man - Most powerful man in the universe

Destined to weild the sword of power and imbued with the mystical powers of Grayskull, He-man leads the heroic warriors in a never-ending battle against the forces of evil.
Legendary Defender of Eternia, his courage strength and compassion are secondary to none. etc.

simple and it lets you know what needs to be known (it needs some editing but thats the gist of what the bios should be in my opinion)

[Mamblo]

I feel the same, and I feel there is also a quality issue (hordak vac metal flaking armor and swiftwind reversed legs)

I'm ok with the star sisters and spector, snake man at arms and wahtever but first I want a bunch of snakemen or horde troopers. Then I can start to collect even dolls or xmen but mattel shall give us first what we expect from a motuc line.

[MegaGearMax]

When the line first came about in 2008, we were often told that "there is a big overall direction for the line", a story to unfold, including an unfolding 'definitive' version of the canon, and I for one really felt this.

Do you feel that, whilst still there to an extent, over the last 12 months or so, the line has fallen a bit more into the "we'll release anything that remotely fits in and isn't too hard too produce" kinda rut. Certainly the bios (generally) give some good character and timeline info, but I personally feel we've seen a few very "meh" characters this year, and more set to continue next (mentioning no names... ahem), instead of building on this initial structure.

I do believe there is still an overall story unfolding, and I really love that the line offers up both the a- and b-list names down to the quite obscure, from all incarnations of the franchise, but I personally feel that things have maybe got too scattershot in the last year or so - which is a real shame considering what solid direction the line began with (Also, without straying into a different debate - try here if you want that - the ever increasing amounts of variants might not have helped this original solid direction of the line).

I still love the line, but do feel it's lost this definite guidance it had in its first couple of years a bit (and am hoping that the next 12 months sees this start to re-emerge). Thoughts?

It's the same. The only thing lost is the top characters.

Fans are no longer "blinded" by the easily produced A-listers who share parts to see this. He-Man, Skeletor, Mer-Man, Man-At-Arms, Teela, Evil-Lyn...all beloved characters, so the parts re-use was all forgivable. Now that the A-listers are finished, it's ALOT more noticeable now.

[Ealo]

Instead of trying to give a real story, the writer(s) of the bios are trying to justify the existence of contradicting canons and characters. instead of flowing it's forced, so from the early days I didn't feel like there was a solid direction in terms of telling the story.

we knew this from the start though; the purpose of the bios was to fit as many characters and versions of characters from as many of the media as possible. that was the whole point of it.

i feel 200x variants are what have caused the line to loose that definitive feel. BA evil-lyn. the 200x fans don't see her as the 200x figure so then what on earth is it? just a repaint with a new head? what's the point of that. the same has happened with snake maa.

[mk476]

i feel 200x variants are what have caused the line to loose that definitive feel. BA evil-lyn. the 200x fans don't see her as the 200x figure so then what on earth is it? just a repaint with a new head? what's the point of that. the same has happened with snake maa.

I completely agree with you!

[The Horrorist]

For me it's all about the actual figures, not so the storyline. With that in mind I'm absolutely not disappointed with what we have and what is coming. I still have this exciting feeling when new characters are revealed and when I get them in hand. The inclusion of POP, NA, prototype etc. just makes it better for me. That said I have to admit that I don't like endless variant repaints like BG Evil Lyn & SMAA. If more of those will come I think it will hurt the line.

[MegaGearMax]

we knew this from the start though; the purpose of the bios was to fit as many characters and versions of characters from as many of the media as possible. that was the whole point of it.

i feel 200x variants are what have caused the line to loose that definitive feel. BA evil-lyn. the 200x fans don't see her as the 200x figure so then what on earth is it? just a repaint with a new head? what's the point of that. the same has happened with snake maa.

I completely agree with you!

For me it's all about the actual figures, not so the storyline. With that in mind I'm absolutely not disappointed with what we have and what is coming. I still have this exciting feeling when new characters are revealed and when I get them in hand. The inclusion of POP, NA, prototype etc. just makes it better for me. That said I have to admit that I don't like endless variant repaints like BG Evil Lyn & SMAA. If more of those will come I think it will hurt the line.

I agree, but I am clarifying this point: Battleground Evil-Lyn and Snake Man-At-Arms are halfhearted attempts at the figures the fans "really wanted", just like the Cringer PVC that came with Marlena was a halfhearted attempt at giving fans Cringe, when most fans would have wanted a real articulated Cringer.

I'm not saying that 200X variants are a bad idea, but making half-assed versions definitely weaken the line by causing fans to have another reason not to subscribe. Mattel should use the same strategy with 200X variants like they did Castle Grayskull; if you can't do it right, then don't do it yet. Making such variants when the tooling budget wasn't available wasn't very wise. I think Mattel overestimates how much the fans are willing to put up with.

If Battleground Evil-Lyn had her 200X outfit and skirt or if Snake Man-At-Arms came with an unhelmeted head and arm cannon, there wouldn't have been any problems.

[bcrduke]

very good post spacedust ...

i agree with a lot of what you have said there, pretty much most of it ...

i feel that, in terms of the overall arching story-line (i.e. through the bios) i have become totally lost with and i think in a way mattel have too ... if the story-line via the bio's was so important then i think they have lost their way a bit ... that said, i don't really ''read the bios'' so to speak anyway, i'm in this for the awesome figures and i don't really take the story-line too seriously - i don't get drawn into it ...

as far as mediocre/pointless characters - we all know who the main 2 are as far as next year is concerned ...

Post from another thread:

As oh so many of my posts reflect, I'm a real "pre-Filmation" fan. She-Ra for me just kinda watered the line down too much (though in fairness some of that had kinda happened by her release anyway). It made the MOTU "Universe" far too crowded and unfocused, and I’m afraid some of those rainbow-coloured, cutesy She-Ra characters sum up for me as to why the franchise became seen as rather babyish by the end of it’s original run.

While I may not love where Scott will be taking the story (Spector... Just wait for it), I don't think he's lost or that it's not planned out at this point. Do I think his writing is great? Not always. Do I think he has missed out on cool story-telling opportunities? Yes.

But as for expanding the story of the mythos, POP and NA aren't going anywhere, and I love that. It just makes MOTU bigger and I love all of those characters.

I wonder if you guys had your way, Ram Man & a few other vintage MOTU characters would be released, and the line would end.

I will NEVER EVER understand people who protest the expansion of this line. I do understand protesting the way the story is being told.. It's not constructed in such a way that fleshes out any new concepts. It takes for granted that the reader already has a huge appreciation for what the writer loves about the line/characters. That's a mistake. A writer shouldn't assume that.

This line would bore the heck out of me and countless others if there were no Horde, Snakemen, POP, NA, Preternia, prototypes, MYP, Filmation, etc. A different way of telling the expanded story might change the perspective of others who don't feel as I do.

[Ealo]

If Battleground Evil-Lyn had her 200X outfit and skirt or if Snake Man-At-Arms came with an unhelmeted head and arm cannon, there wouldn't have been any problems.

i agree totally. it isn't 200x as such; it is just that the two bad examples happen to be 200x. i don't want new versions/blended versions of characters; i want classics versions of specific things that have come before.

[Dark Sorceress]

I agree, but I am clarifying this point: Battleground Evil-Lyn and Snake Man-At-Arms are halfhearted attempts at the figures the fans "really wanted", just like the Cringer PVC that came with Marlena was a halfhearted attempt at giving fans Cringe, when most fans would have wanted a real articulated Cringer.

I'm not saying that 200X variants are a bad idea, but making half-assed versions definitely weaken the line by causing fans to have another reason not to subscribe. Mattel should use the same strategy with 200X variants like they did Castle Grayskull; if you can't do it right, then don't do it yet. Making such variants when the tooling budget wasn't available wasn't very wise. I think Mattel overestimates how much the fans are willing to put up with.

If Battleground Evil-Lyn had her 200X outfit and skirt or if Snake Man-At-Arms came with an unhelmeted head and arm cannon, there wouldn't have been any problems.

100% this! if they would hear the fan's then they would never need to do a 2.0 of a fig that would save them $ for all new figs just look at the Star Sisters no one was asking for that poster look but we got it

[zodak74]

I think the line is still going strong... it's just that the two most recent reveals that happen to come out at (or around the same time, can't remember) in 2012 were sort of "ehhh..." for a lot of folks. Snake Man-At-Arms, Horde Prime, and the most recent 30th anniversary sub figure- Spector- for me personally are kind of dud reveals after being shown an amazing start for 2012. Everything we've gotten for 2011, so far, I've loved. The only thing I haven't been excited for is the upcoming Battleground Evil-Lyn next month.
Bio/story-wise, I think it's beating the same drum lately- everything feels like it's mentioning the "renegade Masters Of The Universe" era and I feel like I'm not learning enough little factoids about the stuff that happened in the early days of He-Man fighting Skeletor, or She-Ra fighting Hordak on Etheria.

[DisneyBoy]

Why can't people just ignore the bios rather than let them take away from their enjoyment of the line?

I'm glad to see MOTUC embracing characters from every corner of the world, and rereleasing them so new collectors can get on-board.

[Berserker79]

I wonder if you guys had your way, Ram Man & a few other vintage MOTU characters would be released, and the line would end.

I will NEVER EVER understand people who protest the expansion of this line.

This line would bore the heck out of me and countless others if there were no Horde, Snakemen, POP, NA, Preternia, prototypes, MYP, Filmation, etc.

This has something to do with everyone`s personal preferences.
I also don`t want only vintage, because there`re also some characters I won`t buy, because I don`t liked them as a child and I still don`t want them .

It`s not "Hey you don`t like PoP, but I bet you will buy EVERY vintage figure they release."

I think, the Star Sisters, Griffin, Fearless Photog and Horde Prime are great sculpted figures. But I won`t buy them, because I`m not getting warm to them. But I like the Faceless One, Vikor, Demo-Man, Draego-Man, He-Ro.


There`re many different ways to collect this line. It`s not black and white. There`re many grey shades.

[Eternian Poet]

I ignore the bios.

I cherry pick.

So the "direction" is unimportant to me.

My biggest concern is the awful, terrible QC.

[bcrduke]

There`re many different ways to collect this line. It`s not black and white. There`re many grey shades.

I wholeheartedly agree

I just meant that some collectors, who are really casual collectors, would rather all their personal wants be issued now and the rest either later or never.

That won't happen. A mix is great.

Then again, sure, some vintage-only collectors might leave the line once all their preferences were made, but I think MOTUC would still exist if the line continued with solely:

Filmation/Jetlag
MYP
POP
NA
Concepts
A/B-List Variants
Beasts

It's actually be rather exciting because in many ways it would be even more like a new line.


However, I do think this has something to do with personal preference. If you only like Pre-Filmation MOTU, then you might dislike the bios even more than someone who dislikes them solely because they are disjointed.

[Whiplash7]

Do you feel the line has lost it's original "solid direction" in the last 12 months?

No, I do not.
People take the bios way too seriously. They are not that important. And typos aside, most of them are all right.
The lineup we've seen is great. The variants have been really cool, for the most part.
What is 'meh' to one person may be 'awesome' to another.

[Mistico]

I like just about everything about the line. Here and there is a figure I'm not "thrilled" about, but I still like them. I Love MOTU and the fact that it's here again after 30-some years in almost pure dormancy (yes 200x brought some back, but not enough...there's NEVER enough MOTU!) just pleases me to no end! They expand the line by giving us figures most of us couldn't have before (Tytus, Megator, Keldor, Wun-Dar...), figures we've never had before (Carnivus, Adora, Marlena, Palace Guards...), and figures we never knew before (Vikor, Demo-Man, BG Teela...) on top of all our favorites from whatever realm we collected when we were kids. I'm a Masters of the Universe fan, the key word being "Universe", as in everything to do with it: MOTU, POP, NA, 200x, pre-FILMation, FILMation, movie, mineternia, concepts, prototypes, books, and anything else related.

[Stratos*Major]

I mean if they said..."there is a big overal direction for the line"...

Is that not what they are doing?

When you look at it...they HAVE released the major character after all.

He-Man, Skelator, Man-At-Arms, Beast Man, Teela, Merman, King Randor, Queen Marleena, Battle Cat, Orko, Panthor, Hordak, She-Ra, Catra, Bow & Swiftwind.

I mean everyone we get, even I'm like who is that!?!?, is a good thing.