Masters of the Universe Mini-Series DC Comics Discussion

[Mr. Shokoti]

While not exactly Liefeld bad, I think Tan needs some anatomy lessons as well.

[King Kahn]

This thread isn't about cartoons or toys, but it still found a way to get into a vintage/Filmation VS 2002 era war.

At least I'm not a part of it for once.



I agree. Except for Jim Lee's new costumes for most characters, the worst part of DC's New 52 is their latest logo. It's the worst one in the 70+ years that DC has been publishing comics...

http://www.geekrest.com/wp-content/u..._History21.jpg

Imho that is.



Based on Disney's John Carter comics compared with Dynamite's John Carter comics, I am extremely happy that Marvel didn't get the license. Besides, I think Six Flags(which features Warner Bros characters) & Universal Studios(which features Warner Bros' version of Harry Potter) are better parks when it comes to rides. Disney is all about people in giant animal costumes.

Looking at the picture if all the logos, the one from 1976 is still the bedt with thr ine they just had the next best. I say give it a couple years and they will change back to a more classic logo.

[Mr. Shokoti]

Looking at the picture if all the logos, the one from 1976 is still the bedt with thr ine they just had the next best. I say give it a couple years and they will change back to a more classic logo.

I agree. I might be biased since the "bullet" is the one I grew up with, but I liked the one they had until March of this year as well. Honestly, while I am still enjoying a lot of what DC has been doing lately, they really seem to have been struck with a Hollywood mentality. "It may be working with the fans, but we can make it better." Just because something is new doesn't automatically make it better.

-And yes, if you live in Chicago, there's gonna be a big release party. Details to come as soon as I get dates. It's gonna be great to sell He-Man comics again!!!!!

I wouldn't be caught dead in your bike shop.

[JonWes]

I can honestly say, as someone who designs logos and branding for a living... I don't get the DC logo at all. I mean, I totally understand WHY it happened. And when you view it "in action" it's a bit more impressive. You can see more of it here. The logo follows some of the more recent trends in logo designs going around these days, and I appreciate the effort to try to give a comics company a more sophisticated logo. But the typography is terribly boring, and the mark itself commits the sin of just not being strong enough on its own. In context or in one of it's variations it's pretty cool. Otherwise, it's pretty flat to me.

Anyway, as for Tan's artwork, though the above pic is certainly a bit wonky, there is some good stuff on his Tumblr account. I think he has a pretty good grip of anatomy overall, he just stylizes it quite a bit, which isn't for everyone. I prefer a bit more classical treatment myself without the elongated and twisted proportions myself. But it does seem to vary from picture to picture:

Philp Tan's Tumblr

[JimmyPSHayes]

I think he's gonna do a great job. For some reason, I think the promo piece was maybe done in a hurry, but I have a feeling he'll really pull this book off. A couple weeks before the book is released, I'm sure we'll get some preview pages. Or maybe sooner on DC's Blog, The Source.

I wouldn't be caught dead in your bike shop.

I have ice cream and we can play Tarzan.

[krosfyah]

I think he's gonna do a great job. For some reason, I think the promo piece was maybe done in a hurry, but I have a feeling he'll really pull this book off. A couple weeks before the book is released, I'm sure we'll get some preview pages. Or maybe sooner on DC's Blog, The Source.



I have ice cream and we can play Tarzan.

A diff'rent strokes/Dudley joke! I salute you sir!

[CptSpandex]

- The tone of the comic sounds like it will be DARK. I can't emphasize enough how important this is for MOTU overall to become viewed as a "cool" property. The interviewer is completely right when he says that it's mainly remembered as a cheesy cartoon in the 80's that was geared to little kids - Filmation is seen as a joke and did a lot of damage to the property in the long run, and a quality new comic series with a dark edge to it is the perfect way to undo that and finally realize the potential MOTU has had since the beginning.

I agree with JVS on this one. Why does everything have to be "dark" to be legitimate these days? And, of course, I don't agree with the notion that the 1980's cartoon was "cheesy"... some of the stories were really well written.

I'll give this new comic a chance, as I have every other incantation of the He-Man and MOTU brand, but I'm not ready to annoint it as some grand fix to the original canon. Personally, I'm not a fan of parallel universes either -- I believe someone in an earlier thread hinted towards that. Nor am I fan of the artwork I see here: He-Man looks like he has some loose skin in his cheeks. It looks silly, in my humble opinion.

Having said that, I am excited to see MOTU stories on the shelves again and I can't wait to see a new interpretation of my favorite action hero. And, as a Skeletor fan, I like that he'll be a force!

[JimmyPSHayes]

A diff'rent strokes/Dudley joke! I salute you sir!

Thank you, sir! And I salute you for getting it!

I agree with JVS on this one. Why does everything have to be "dark" to be legitimate these days? And, of course, I don't agree with the notion that the 1980's cartoon was "cheesy"... some of the stories were really well written.

I'll give this new comic a chance, as I have every other incantation of the He-Man and MOTU brand, but I'm not ready to annoint it as some grand fix to the original canon. Personally, I'm not a fan of parallel universes either -- I believe someone in an earlier thread hinted towards that. Nor am I fan of the artwork I see here: He-Man looks like he has some loose skin in his cheeks. It looks silly, in my humble opinion.

Having said that, I am excited to see MOTU stories on the shelves again and I can't wait to see a new interpretation of my favorite action hero. And, as a Skeletor fan, I like that he'll be a force!

I really don't understand where this parallel universe/Elseworlds thing came from.NOWHERE in the interview does Robinson say that. It's a new take on MOTU. Plain and simple.

[MegaGearMax]

lol @ people trying to convince MGM (and others) of Filmation's impact and importance. Good luck guys! Been doing that for years now...

Filmation DID have impact and importance, but people seem to forget that MOTU was a good idea and actual toyline before the cartoon existed. Filmation isn't the be-all and end-all of MOTU, especially to those fans who were collecting the line before the cartoon aired. Lou Schiemer didn't create the idea of He-Man keeping Skeletor from getting inside of Castle Grayskull to learn all of it's secrets.

This thread isn't about cartoons or toys, but it still found a way to get into a vintage/Filmation VS 2002 era war.

At least I'm not a part of it for once.

Wrong Era War, Shokoti. It's the Pre-Filmation Era vs Filmation Era: The Vintage Era Consumes Itself Era War. Cartoon fans versus Toyline fans--whichever thing got you into MOTU or which aspect you like better.

[krosfyah]

Got it!

Thanks Again, krosfyah!!


Long Live MOTU!!!!
Now & Forever!!!!

Anytime! it's a great listen imo

Thank you, sir! And I salute you for getting it!


I really don't understand where this parallel universe/Elseworlds thing came from.NOWHERE in the interview does Robinson say that. It's a new take on MOTU. Plain and simple.

I could never look at Mr Carlson the same way again!

yeah for some reason people started up the elseworlds thing, but why would it be an elseworlds story when there hasn't been any major MOTU canon in DC since the early 80s and even then it wasn;t major. Elseworlds stories are deviations from DCs established continuity, this is a new limited miniseries.

[Firefly]

Wrong Era War, Shokoti. It's the Pre-Filmation Era vs Filmation Era: The Vintage Era Consumes Itself Era War. Cartoon fans versus Toyline fans--whichever thing got you into MOTU or which aspect you like better.

Typically, it is the 200X diehards that take up the Pre-Filmation agrument, though.

I started with the line at the very beginning before the cartoon, but don't think the Filmation cartoon's impact should be minimized. Whether its movies like Star Wars or cartoons like He-Man, you typically need some sort of major tv/film presense in order for a toyline to suceed long term.

I'll try to at least get these first 6 issues. If it ends up going longer, I'll see how well I like it first before continuing to get them.

[Mr. Shokoti]

I have ice cream and we can play Tarzan.

No more pantsless animated mice for me. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

[JimmyPSHayes]

No more pantsless animated mice for me. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

They'll be NO pantless mice in this comic! And you can't drink wine and play in my bathtub anymore, pervert!

-Seriously, I'm excited for this comic book.

[urbanmyth]

Lou Schiemer didn't create the idea of He-Man keeping Skeletor from getting inside of Castle Grayskull to learn all of it's secrets.

Didn't we just learn that Castle Grayskull started out as Skeletor's skull-themed castle that He-Man was trying to take from Skeletor (at least via the awesome box art many people include with the pre-Filmation era) .

I know for me and most people I know, Filmation is what made He-Man a star but there is something to love about every piece of He-Man's history. I'm not too pumped about the actual comic we are getting but I am pumped we are getting an actual comic.

[WDWFreak53]

No more pantsless animated mice for me. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Let's take a picture to remember the day we spilled the paint.

[Irian]

Nope. Movies and TV shows raise awareness more than anything else, and that's just a fact. Yeah the toy line did well on its own and could have gone on by itself longer, but not as much would have happened with MOTU as it did if it never had a cartoon, period. And like I said, MOTU didn't thrive and endure because it had any old cartoon, but specifically because it had the Filmation cartoon.

What about Germany? Almost no one had access to the Filmation cartoon and yet Masters of the Universe may have been even more succesful than in the US (relatively spoken).

It simply astonishes me how people can keep arguing that the Filmation cartoon HAS TO BE essential to the line's success when we have ACTUAL PROOF that it wasn't really a matter in one of the regions where MOTU has been the most successful.

[Invicta]

I can honestly say, as someone who designs logos and branding for a living... I don't get the DC logo at all. I mean, I totally understand WHY it happened. And when you view it "in action" it's a bit more impressive. You can see more of it here. The logo follows some of the more recent trends in logo designs going around these days, and I appreciate the effort to try to give a comics company a more sophisticated logo. But the typography is terribly boring, and the mark itself commits the sin of just not being strong enough on its own. In context or in one of it's variations it's pretty cool. Otherwise, it's pretty flat to me.

Anyway, as for Tan's artwork, though the above pic is certainly a bit wonky, there is some good stuff on his Tumblr account. I think he has a pretty good grip of anatomy overall, he just stylizes it quite a bit, which isn't for everyone. I prefer a bit more classical treatment myself without the elongated and twisted proportions myself. But it does seem to vary from picture to picture:

Philp Tan's Tumblr

I would go so far as saying that rules (anatomy, perspective) are secondary, and purely judging a piece by them is not right, main thing is how it the art speaks to you.

[Mr. Shokoti]

It simply astonishes me how people can keep arguing that the Filmation cartoon HAS TO BE essential to the line's success when we have ACTUAL PROOF that it wasn't really a matter in one of the regions where MOTU has been the most successful.

MOTU, Mattel, & Filmation are all from America. Most of us on this board are from America as well. We're going by what we know.

[urbanmyth]

The popularity in Germany did cross my mind earlier but I'd imagine the European sales wouldn't have been enough to carry the line if it was lagging in the USA and I think the US market needed the cartoon to help it explode here.

[JonWes]

Just in case people don't check the TG Q&A thread, Scott confirmed:

- The DC comic is a brand new canon, unrelated to the MOTUC bios
- They are free to use any MOTUC characters, including people like Draego Man
- Any new characters introduced in the comic are eligible to show up in the MOTUC line
- The first issue hasn't been drawn yet

[MegaGearMax]

Just in case people don't check the TG Q&A thread, Scott confirmed:

- The DC comic is a brand new canon, unrelated to the MOTUC bios
- They are free to use any MOTUC characters, including people like Draego Man
- Any new characters introduced in the comic are eligible to show up in the MOTUC line
- The first issue hasn't been drawn yet

LOL, James Robinson's CANON vs Toyguru's CANON!
Place yer bets, people!

[CptSpandex]

I really don't understand where this parallel universe/Elseworlds thing came from.NOWHERE in the interview does Robinson say that. It's a new take on MOTU. Plain and simple.

As you'll see from my last paragraph, I have acknowledged it as such. I don't have the time to sift through 13 pages of posts to find the poster that originally suggested the parallel universe concept, but I am simply responding to that. Having a different "take" on a brand can open the door for the parallel universe continuity. I'm simply saying that I sincerely hope that isn't the case. I think it's weak and I'd rather a brand not attempt to explain continuity issues than use the parallel universe garbage. That, in my opinion, is what causes some of the negative feelings towards the MOTUC bios -- a need to explain continuity issues.

[Mr. Shokoti]

LOL, James Robinson's CANON vs Toyguru's CANON!
Place yer bets, people!

I can't really decide. I'm not a fan of the bios, but Robinson wrote Cry For Justice. It will be really easy to pick out the comic readers in that fight though.

[MegaGearMax]

I can't really decide. I'm not a fan of the bios, but Robinson wrote Cry For Justice. It will be really easy to pick out the comic readers in that fight though.

I know!!!! The man who wrote Starman is long gone. He killed Red Arrow's daughter and cut off his arm. It's like bringing back Chris Claremont to write MOTU.

[dorrmann]

Just in case people don't check the TG Q&A thread, Scott confirmed:

- The DC comic is a brand new canon, unrelated to the MOTUC bios
- They are free to use any MOTUC characters, including people like Draego Man
- Any new characters introduced in the comic are eligible to show up in the MOTUC line
- The first issue hasn't been drawn yet

Good summary. Thanks!