If YOU had the power to choose the 6 figures for the 30th Anniversary Line...

[O'hartley]

I'm just curious...

If YOU were in command for choosing the 6 figures for the 30th Anniversary Collection, which figures would you launch and why? Would you choose the same path that's been chosen or would you choose a different one?

Any thoughts?

[Ealo]

i would have gone for the people originally associated with the figures and filmation cartoons; but TG already said that's what he wanted to do and 'upper management' killed the idea bcs they'd rather promote/support employees of mattel.

Christina Aguilera is supposed to be a fan haha.

[Dragonblaster]

I myself really like Draego and Photog. Spector is nice but certainly not great. I love the design of Marvel's character Deadpool, so why should I hate Spector's design?
So I'm fine with what has been shown so far.

But if I had to decide what kind of 30 anniversary characters were gonna be made, I'd definately include a new Snakeman.

[Beastmaster]

I would go for 'pseudo' -new characters. Characters never made into a figure, but not entirely new.

Fearless Photog is a good example

others:

Songster, Illumina, obscure mini-comic or concept characters...

They kind of defeated this purpose by already making Vikor, Gygor, Preternia He-Man etc. in the regular line. (love those figs though...)

[DO4M]

Here's what I would have done:
Figure #1: A Vintage Concept Character or obscure Mini Comic Variant (as a New Character) that did not make it into the line. Something like Vikor or Demo-Man (Obviously not Vikor or Demo-Man since they're coming out in the normal line) Songster is a huge contender for this spot (due to being a part of the He-Man She-Ra Power Tour)

Figure #2: Fearless Photog for being the Winner of the 80s Contest

Figure #3: A 200X Concept Character or Obscure Mini Comics Character that did not make it into the line. I'd probably pick Josh (adding some weapons and more interesting story for him)

Figure #4: A New Adventures Concept Character that did not make it into the line. Probably Darius

Figure #5: A PoP Concept Character or Obscure MVCreations Character that did not make it into the line. (Illumina is the most likely choice that I'd pick)

Figure #6: The winner of the New Contest.

[VaultsofGrayskull]

Assuming the characters had to be original creations as the official six will be, I would pick characters from my fan fiction on my site.

I have a few favourites, such as Sharm, Morceg and Bahkrullus from the minicomics (although Bahkrullus would have to be a giant so he probably wouldn't count), and Levyek, the Oracle of Eldor and Taranis from the Grayskull Saga (although Taranis is a centaur so he probably wouldn't count either).

Had the contest been open to people outside the US, I might have submitted some of these.

[The Hultquist]

If I were picking, I would have made Photog, four more figure based on the original 80s create-a-character contest submissions (with Horsemen improvements/modifications as necessary on some of the non-Photog ones), and a final figure for the winner of this year's contest.

Filmation characters, concept characters, and even more obscure characters from other media would make great figures, but I don't see why we shouldn't be getting a healthy dose of those in the base line already. I think they were spot on with the Anniversary line's focus on brand new characters that would have zero chance of getting made otherwise (although their specific choices to date, outside of Photog, differ a wee bit from mine).

[Berserker79]

I would let the 4 HM do the design for all 6 figures.

They proved with Draego Man, that they understand the concept and the image of MOTU with creating some more barbaric, half human/half beast character with armor & weapons.

And i wanted them to make Might- Bite, I think a Horde shark-creature would kick rear ends

[Uki]

I love the three shown so far and adore most of my submissions (others, I just like), but if we were to go another way, pulling only from what's available without the contest or new entries from Mattel, Geoff, etc...

1) Fearless Photog (I think that one was too perfect anyhow, and due!)
2) Songster (From the heyday of vintage: a freakin' concert tour?! Awesome! That just doesn't quite happen anymore outside of early childhood entertainment.)
3) Strobo (Obscure enough, but celebrating the magazine.)
4) Oo-Lar/The original He-Man (as seen in the first minicomic, with lots of customizing ability to recreate the tribal look, his He-Man look, and Jungle Attack He-Man )
5) Gorpo (the .Org's version!)
6) Skeletor's Son (whoever he is, representing the new chapters unfolding for the next 30 years!)
3)

[RocketPunch]

i would have gone for the people originally associated with the figures and filmation cartoons; but TG already said that's what he wanted to do and 'upper management' killed the idea bcs they'd rather promote/support employees of mattel.

I too would rather have seen the creators from the 80s line brought in to design some new figures, rather than Geoff Johns etc.

I also have a hard time believing Toyguru's claim that upper management vetoed the idea, since they already commissioned some new Rudy Obrero art for the Wind Raider box. Why didn't they simply use current Mattel artists for that job if they're so keen on promoting their own employees?

[bamf1980]

1) Photog
2) New MOTU Character
3) New PoP Character
4) New NA Character
5) New 200x Character
6) 2011/2012 Contest Winner

[JimPansen]

1.First He-Man scetch figure with Viking helmet and Tony Guero sculpt
2.First Proto Skeletor scetch figure
3.Filmation He-Man figure
4.Filmation Skeletor figure
5.Alcala He-Man figure
6.Alcala Skeletor figure

Easy as that

[bcrduke]

i would have gone for the people originally associated with the figures and filmation cartoons; but TG already said that's what he wanted to do and 'upper management' killed the idea bcs they'd rather promote/support employees of mattel.

And Toyguru is FULL of... SASSINESS lol...

Just being FUNNY.



I think I posted what I would have planned a while back, but here goes:


1) Photog... totally appropriate and a great idea

2) 4H figure... which turned out to be Draego-Man, which is also super-appropriate

3) Winner of Fan-Created-Character contest... doing this contest again was also a great idea... though, of course it's going to be SCOTT and BILL's choice... I mean, let's be realistic, we know how they work.

4) Illumina... not just because she was created by the MVC MOTU Comic team, but also because making her represents the reclaiming of lost opportunity, which is what MOTUC is about in many ways.

5) Shadow Weaver... because she represents Filmation and she was the most requested figure... and because she'd be AVAILABLE to EVERYONE, not just subscribers

6) Pre-Filmation Mini-Comics He-Man with new head, interchangeable furry loincloth (like Fisto has, but the removable part would look like the loincloth from the first page of the first mini-comic). He'd have bare feet and rubber pull-on boots. He'd have the rest of the weapons shown in the panel where the Goddess gives him his armory... and he'd come with Gorpo (he'd be $25).

[Matthew K]

I'm really interested in getting new characters in MOTUC, so I'm glad they went that way with this line. Photog and Draego look fantastic and Spector is growing on me. I have high hopes for Johns' and Terry's and the new fan choice figure. So far the only thing I'd wish different is Spector was a little more appealing to me and more on par with Draego (for my taste, he's not there). That could change if I don't care for the other three characters.

I could see it making a lot more sense to celebrate the origins of the line with some concept figures or mini-comics or filmation versions, but that would be a lot less interesting to me personally.

though, of course it's going to be SCOTT and BILL's choice... I mean, let's be realistic, we know how they work.

I actually don't know them. I've met both at cons, but wouldn't say I know the men or 'how they work' when it comes to something such as this. Are the events that tell you 'how they work' a matter of public record or are you drawing on some personal experience with the men? Because I honestly have no idea as to what you are refering to here.

[MOTU_Maniac]

I would NOT have gone with new characters. I would have used some of our most-beloved existing characters to celebrate the 30th anniversary of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe!!!


1) He-Man/ Skeletor 2-pack
2) MEN of MOTU: He-Man/ Man-At-Arms/ Skeletor/ Hordak/ King Hiss 5-pack
3) WOMEN of MOTU: Sorceress/ Teela/ Evil-Lyn/ She-Ra 4-pack
4) Ram-Man
5) Mekaneck
6) Stinkor

[Night Stalker]

For the 30th anniversary I would have done something that celebrates the roots of the line, like making exact copies of the four-figure series as shown on the original cardback:



The fifth figure would have been Fearless Photog and the sixth would have been the piece de resistance that everyone has been asking for since the line began, Castle Grayskull. Barring that, a Battle Ram like the one shown at the con would have been appropriate.

[zodak74]

Next year being the 30th anniversary of the original MOTU line, I would have chosen a different path for the bi-monthly celebratory figures. Prototypes/concepts that were never released or used in the original line would have been the theme for all six releases.
We'd start off the same as what we're actually getting in 2012, with The Fearless Photog, then we'd get Eldor, the Horde Mummy concept, the Green Witch concept, the Evil Robot prototype figure, and- rewriting history a little bit- the final release would have been the three-pack of The Star Sisters- sending the 30th Anniversary figure line off at the end of 2012 with a pretty big bang. And every single one of these releases would come with a mini-comic specific to that character, just like the old line. (In the Star Sisters' place I probably would do a Horde Trooper 2-pack for that quarter's release instead.)
I dunno. I'm excited to be getting some all-new stuff for the 30th line, but personally I would have preferred them doing something a bit different that actually has more ties to the original line instead of the randomness of Mighty Spector, or whatever else they are gonna spring on us later in the year. I think a Create-A-Character contest is something I would have done seperately, in addition to, but not a part of, a 30th sub-line.

[Darth Latveria]

I like hlinhk128's idea of representing the 6 eras.

Photog (MOTU) -- not a fan of the design, but I feel it's nice to finally make it.

Red Knight (POP) -- I think that's his name.

N/A (NA) -- I'm stumped. Don't know NA well enough to say.

Eldor (POG)

Prahvus (200x)

Draego Man (MOTUC)

[Mern-Ra]

I would have chosen figures/characters from MOTU's past; to me that just makes more sense if you're celebrating it's ANNIVERSARY*, you know? But maybe that's already being done by the Classics line as a whole, but I dunno, it seems odd to say "We're ready to celebrate the wonderful and storied history of this brand---with a bunch of characters that have NOTHING to do with said storied history!" Photog KIND OF counts, but he was never part of the mythos, so I don't really think he does.


*I put 'anniversary' in all caps for emphasis, not to be condescending or snarky.

[shadowfall1976]

Filmation Prince Adam..with sword holder
Filmation Cringer, better than the Marlena version..more articulated.
Filmation Mer-Man....Filmation head, hands feet & colors
I don't like 200X, but I like the Evil Lynn, all new with her own tunic, cape & weapons
Filmation Teela, with more accurate face, hair & tunic..and accurate on screen weapons
Filmation Skeletor, with screen accurate boots & face

They may be mostly variants, but for a 30th Anniversary, who cares, it's not like they would have been included in the main sub, and you could buy them if you want or not...

[DJ Force]

1) Fearless Photog - He´s long overdue.

2) Draego Man - The 4 Horsemen deserve to create a figure for the brand they´ve been working on for 10 years now.

3) Spector - I have to admit I would have enjoyed the figure a little more if he was tweaked into the MOTU visuals more, but it´s Scotts right as a brand manager who brought and brings us awesome toys every month to create a figure on his own. And if anything, he´s excellent custom fodder. He´s basically the blank custom body fans have been asking about since the beginning of the line :-) And his weapons are cool.

4) Now with GJ´s figure - while not having seen it yet - I cannot see why he was chosen to create a figure. There´s obviously a relationship between Mattel and DC, but this relationship rules out MOTU, thus the Minicomics being produced by Dark Horse, and not by DC. I´ve heard Leonardo DiCaprio is a long time MOTU fan. Seriously, I would have given him the chance to create a character for the anniversary line. That would have had a MUCH higher impact in media, thus creating much more buzz about MOTUC, than some guy working in the comicbook industry nobody has ever heard of outside the comicbook industry.

5) Either Bill Benecke or Terry Higuchi can have their chance of creating a figure, or team up, or whatever. They are essential to MOTUC just like Scott and the 4HM are.

6) The contest-winner. Perfect opportunity to get the fandom involved directly.


Slot Number 5 could have been given to Emiliano, though, who isn´t only a professional toy designer, but somehow represents the whole international MOTU fandom. It would have been a very nice nod, but I can see why Mattel would never do this, since Emiliano is working for Hasbro and Mattel wants to have the slot given to their own employees.
Plus, with Illumina hopefully winning the Fans choice slot, he somehow gets his chance

[Emiliano]

5) Either Bill Benecke or Terry Higuchi can have their chance of creating a figure, or team up, or whatever. They are essential to MOTUC just like Scott and the 4HM are.

Terry is designing a figure

Slot Number 5 could have been given to Emiliano, though, who isn´t only a professional toy designer, but somehow represents the whole international MOTU fandom. It would have been a very nice nod, but I can see why Mattel would never do this, since Emiliano is working for Hasbro and Mattel wants to have the slot given to their own employees.

Thanks a lot!
But me being a freelance that works for Hasbro very often has nothing to do with that , trust me

[DJ Force]

Terry is designing a figure

I know Just wanted to say that I would have been fine if Bill was involved, too.

Thanks a lot!
But me being a freelance that works for Hasbro very often has nothing to do with that , trust me

That was only half of my point. Mattel wants to support their own employees, which I totally understand. So both Freelancers and employees of other companies, especially competitors, are off-limits.

[King Tamusk]

I would have definitely approached the previous gang that worked on the vintage toyline, for sure. Then I would have asked the dynamic duo of Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, both of which had worked on the Filmation cartoon serries, to create a character together.

[Emiliano]

That was only half of my point. Mattel wants to support their own employees, which I totally understand. So both Freelancers and employees of other companies, especially competitors, are off-limits.

Still, I'm just pointing out for the records that the fact that a freelance works ALSO for a competitor, doesn't make him/her off limits in general (not for the 30th anniversary line)
Freelances are allowed to work for everybody as long as they don't have an exclusive contract.

It could be debatable how supporting Mattel's employee would do any good to an anniversary event for a online line sold only to adult collectors very limited in their numbers and with zero media exposure.
But, to be clear, that has nothing to do with me, I'm talking about my old idea of reaching out to old MOTU creators. And I don't see why it couldn't have been booth (old AND new).