TG Blog #5 Stratos - Sky High

[Tuukka]

This was a good reading.. thank you for posting these.

Oh I want that masters_roadmap.doc to my hands. Is there any hackers here, Kim Dotcom maybe?

[phantom1592]

That's what scares me about Mattel Management. They're total morons either in spite of facts, or from willful ignorance.

Probably both.

Scareglow is a glow in the dark skeleton, one of the most popular characters in the line, and one of the rarest and most expensive to find from the vintage line.

See... I thought the exact OPPOSITE when I read that part... The fact that they knew who Scareglow WAS was amazing.

Let's be honest here... he was always a D-list character. Never showed up in either cartoons. Was in the very last wave of the series before it burnt out and was rebooted into NA...

Yeah, he's a glow in the dark skeleton, and i ALWAYS wanted him... but logically speaking, he wasn't a 'sure bet'. I'm personally amazed that they knew who he was.. .how few original parts he had. All by name alone?!?

That's pretty cool! It means that even the uppity ups of the line must have grown up with these toys as well. Also explains why they seem to have their OWN agenda over who THEY want to get made and who they don't. (obviously they aren't fans of 200x)

[Berserker79]

Though Stratos isn't a favorite of mine, I keep enjoying this blog.

[He-Boy]

A new Stratos with unglued wings would take up a new SKU. Most fans would rather have new characters than revisit old ones with problems.

I understand what you are saying, but I think that is a corporate cop out. If they can change Moss Man ears from being flocked, or the inside of The Faceless One's hood from being purple then they can tell the factory not to glue the wings down. Those other changes were made during production. If it's a manufacturing process thing, then all they have to do is follow the TRU Stratos process and apply the standard colours.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not hanging for another Stratos - I have three (standard, TRU and yellow belt), but if they are going to keep re-releasing him (is he the figure with the most re-releases?), they might as well fix the wings. AND it's likely to 'unexplainedly' sell more.

[kylun flac]

I really enjoyed reading this blog.

[RichieRich]

These blog entries are great. Need to print them out.

Personally, I hope TG/Scott stays until the line is done (in 7 years...lol).

[Boy Wonder]

As soon as I got Stratos first thing I did was unstick his wings, a VERY easy fix and certainly not deserving of taking up a new spot in the line

[MILK-MAN]

Yup, though its annoying to have to do it, the wing fix is pretty easy, Heres a tutorial I made back in 2009 for another forum I post on-
Hopefully its helpful...or was at the time!

I just did this to my Stratos following your instructions here.. Awesome and easy fix! Made a figure I thought was great even better! I hated the wings stuck behind his arms. Thanks for reposting!

As far as this blog entry by TG, Its my favorite to date. I think Scott has done a great job. While , I'm not an avid poster and more of a lurker, I visit often to keep up to date and I look forward to these blog entries now.

[Staff Of Ka]

I just did this to my Stratos following your instructions here.. Awesome and easy fix! Made a figure I thought was great even better! I hated the wings stuck behind his arms. Thanks for reposting!

Wow! thats so cool! Its great that its useful!

[I, Harbinger]

LOVING reading these behind-the-scenes blogs, SO fascinating. Really speaks to the challenges, passion and love of MOTU Scott & co. have for these characters. Thanks for sharing an awesome piece of MOTU history with the fans!

[VZX]

That was the best one yet! Thanks, Scott! I know Mattel can't do the 1987 movie designs, but here's hoping that they will become available as the line starts to run out of characters.

[Mattlor]

Thank you Scott for sticking up for us!

[maltesefalcon]

we've heard about the roadmap before, but this is the first time ive heard they're actually still sticking to it! again loving these behind the scenes looks once agian proving its always best for a fan to be in charge!

[phantom1592]

Honestly, I never really cared if the wings were 'free floating'. I'm FINE with gluing them...


I just wish they had been glued in the RIGHT position.

[Seril]

I like these blogs. Gives us a little more insight on to what all goes on internally at mattel when making some decisions. Helps shed some light on why things the way they are. While some accuse Toyguru or 'not doing enough', I'm glad he's running the show. I shudder to think what the line would be (if it would even exist) without his persistence on some things. Maybe I just don't pay enough attention, but what other toy lines have someone like ToyGuru running things? What other brand managers try to regularly communicate with the fandom? I'm sure there are some, but not many from what I have seen.

[scott metzger]

Very interesting, especially about the road map. The variety of figures offered each year is, I've often said, one of the line's strengths. The mix of classic MOTU, NA, POP, 2002, and prototypes/unmade designs really gives us a really solid line that has something for everybody. Maybe there's an occasional character someone won't like, but that's true of any line. I really hope they keep that strategy going for as long as the line does.

[XelaStratos]

Honestly, I never really cared if the wings were 'free floating'. I'm FINE with gluing them...


I just wish they had been glued in the RIGHT position.

That was my main issue too. They were glued completely wrong.

[Thrawn29]

See... I thought the exact OPPOSITE when I read that part... The fact that they knew who Scareglow WAS was amazing.

In my opinion you missed the point (Don't take that the wrong way. I'm not trying to be mean or snarky). I hear what you're saying, but that doesn't negate my point in the least.

I posted facts about Scareglow that Mattel management, despite knowing who he was, were completely unaware of. Instead of finding out about the characters and the 'value' and market demand of said customer to the paying customers, they were prepared to save him for much later in the line because they thought he wouldn't sell.

That's sheer stupidity on their part.

Also explains why they seem to have their OWN agenda over who THEY want to get made and who they don't. (obviously they aren't fans of 200x)

Which is the problem. They clearly have no idea what the fanbase desires, but are still trying to dictate to us what we should be buying in an adult collectors line. Sometimes over what the 4H and Toyguru tell them.

[Neutro]

That really was great read! Thanks TG for taking the time to fill us in with that!

[Nemisythe]

Ha! Always with the Scare Glow! Even the top guys at Mattel were like: "Really?" He can't win! I friggin' geeked the heck out when I saw him (and even though he didn't make it to October, I still consider him a birthday present 'cause it's the thought that counts) and yet just about anyone that sees him pretty much says the same thing: "Really? He's your favorite?" Well, people that don't know me that well, anyway.

Another interesting back story for the line! Very much looking forward to more.

I always like the concept of Scare Glow, maybe with a slightly revised bio he does make a real creepy character and I thought the power was pretty cool!

[fball13z]

Which is the problem. They clearly have no idea what the fanbase desires, but are still trying to dictate to us what we should be buying in an adult collectors line. Sometimes over what the 4H and Toyguru tell them.

Sadly its the golden rule, the one with the gold makes the rules

[Whiplash7]

Ninjor had three weapons, one of which was nunchaku, a spring loaded arm, cloth clothes and a head. And clearly the Sorceress wasn't 'weapon and a head'. And I don't see how a glow-in-the-dark, caped skeleton deco was a "cheap-out" either.

As they vintage waves went on, they got more and more wacky with a lot of new or unique sculpts. But most of that last wave were just repaints of the original basic body types. Hence, the 'cheap-out'. But if anything, that wave shows how well parts-sharing works. (unlike Stinkor and Moss Man, who really did feel like a 'cheap out' to me back in the day. At least that last wave didn't share heads).

[GigaMach]

Again, an awesome entry! I am a year new to the MOTUC line, but it's stuff like this and this site that keeps me interested and got me to buy a sub this year, as well as go back and pick up nearly all the previous releases. There have been a few issues that have affected me as well, but this line rocks over all, and is exactly the MOTU line I wish it had been back in the 80's...but if it had, I'd have missed out, like I did with the 80's line (Long story short - no money) Anyhow, great post, Scott. It seems you're hinting at leaving the line, and that would be a shame, but we'll see what comes.

[phantom1592]

In my opinion you missed the point (Don't take that the wrong way. I'm not trying to be mean or snarky). I hear what you're saying, but that doesn't negate my point in the least.

I posted facts about Scareglow that Mattel management, despite knowing who he was, were completely unaware of. Instead of finding out about the characters and the 'value' and market demand of said customer to the paying customers, they were prepared to save him for much later in the line because they thought he wouldn't sell.

That's sheer stupidity on their part.

Stupidity is a harsh term.

Quote from Blog.

When we presented the line up to management, I do remember in particular one of the managers looking at Scareglow (the proposed October figure, until the Mer-Man slip moved him to November) and saying “Scareglow? Really? He was one of the cheap-outs back in the day.” Which is interesting because if you look at the vintage Scareglow wave (Randor, Clamp Champ, Ninjor and Scareglow) they were all pretty much "weapon and a head only" figures. It seemed that with the popularity of the line back in 1985/1986, the team back then needed to rush some new figures to market and just as it is today, the cheapest and easiest way to rush figures to market is to use minimal tooling and redeco option.


Nowhere does it say that they raised a fuss or wanted to save him for later. They were just surprised to see him in the first wave since he was a LAST wave figure originally.

There wasn't time to do a detailed market research when TG dropped the list on their desk, and that was a first impression comment.

And it was a completley understandable first reaction. He was a D-list character, and a 'head and cape' only figure... And it was pretty much the same reaction the ORG had when it was announced that we'd get him that soon.

Which is the problem. They clearly have no idea what the fanbase desires, but are still trying to dictate to us what we should be buying in an adult collectors line. Sometimes over what the 4H and Toyguru tell them.

Here's the problem though... The fanbase has NO desires. Nothing consistent anyways. CERTAINLY not as a cohesive group.

A LOT of people wanted Scareglow... .I was one of them (never had the original ) but I saw a LOT of people sho did NOT want him. They didn't like the stiff cape... they didn't like the 'lame' painted on skeleton... There were huge debates over who and WHAT he was... was he a ghost serving skeletor? or was he the Skeletor's ghost?

Same thing with the 200x vs Vintage which was rampant at the time of these blogs. Any executive who did what you suggest and come online to find the 'market demand' would have shook his head, laughed and said 'Ok, they don't know WHAT they want... Screw it, here's the list!"


I'm pretty sure they expected a Ram man or Man-e-faces in the spot of Scareglow... and the fans would have been eccstatic about it

[Skystalker]

Stratos was the very first figure I ever owned. I remember my parents coming home one evening (I think it was after back to school night) and giving Stratos to me and He-Man to my brother. I thought Stratos was so cool, although I initially thought he was a villain. I don't remember why. But I seem to remember him being initially villainous in his first appearance, having been tricked by Skeletor in the minicomic or something. Am I right about that?