Warlords of Wor and Realm of the Underground figures

[scott metzger]

It seems there's a resurgence of MOTU knock-offs lately, as I've seen two different lines advertised that look a lot like the old Remco Warlord and Warrior Beast stuff:

http://warlordsofwor.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html

No information or other images I can find on the Realm toys outside the listing on Big Bad. The Warlords are much in the same vein, and I think the magnet gimmick is fun, but the price tag, though understandable, really puts me off.

Anyone seen any other stuff like this popping up lately?

[Eterniandreams]

I feel exactly the same. Bog-Nar is the coolest, but that price is a real downer.

[iron_pride]

I feel exactly the same. Bog-Nar is the coolest, but that price is a real downer.

Yeah wow way to expensive for my tastes.....

[docfairday]

Realm of the Underworld has a facebook with lots of pictures. I just got into motu ko this year. Rotu would be awesome if they weren't so heavy on skeeton minions. Rotu is great for customizers as they made their parts very interchangabe and are working on arms and legs similar to the classic scale so rotu can either be to scale with motu or motuc.

[ManOrMonster?]

Hey, guys! Glad to see there's some interest in the "neo-bootleg" scene here! I'm Brandon, the creator of Warlords of Wor... I saw my site was getting some traffic from the .org so I thought I'd dust off the old login and come see what was happening! I've got TONS of info on Warlords of Wor (obviously!), as well as RoTU, War on Prehis, Wrestlers of the Universe, Galaxxor, and a bunch of other 5.5" goodness from past and present. I'll share more with you all later... I have to scoot off to work for the evening. Thanks for the interest... I really look forward to talking to you all about this!

[TrimmTrabb]

There are quite a few of us doing neo 5.5"-style figures.
Forgive me if I've missed anyone:
Warlords of Wor
BigMan Toys
RO3CO
Galaxxor
Lucha Sharks
War on Prehis
5.5 Customs
Giant Japanese Monster, Bad!
Realm of the Underworld
The Bootlegs of the Universe Facebook page also does a really good job of promoting all of the new stuff as well as the old.
Aside from the ROTU stuff, everything is hand produced. So, most of these are more like art pieces and more of a financial commitment for both the individual creators and the purchasers than a $10 Wal-Mart "gotta have them all" sort of thing.

[ManOrMonster?]

Ha! Beat me to it! Thanks, man!

[JafariStew]

WOW! Amazing!

[scott metzger]

Really digging the Realm figures, especially; they really have an unmistakable Remco vibe to them (those cardbacks are definitely intended to evoke the Warlord packaging), and would look right at home facing off against the Warlord or Arak. I am surprised to see so many different lines popping up like this right now; I guess MOTUC has gotten folks thinking about the original line and the plethora of same-scaled figures that popped up back then.

[ManOrMonster?]

I can't speak for others regarding their influences, but for me as an artist, MOTU has always played a big part in what I do, and where my tastes lie. There's never been a time in my life that I haven't loved the property and its characters... but what really inspired me to create Warlords of Wor was not so much MOTUC, but it was discovering how rich and varied the world of MOTU bootlegs and knock offs was! I remember seeing them in stores when I was a kid, and I owned a handful of them (Galaxy Fighters, mostly), but in the last few years I've really gotten into collecting and discovering these incredible, and often incredibly bizarre, toys from all over the world.

Warlords of Wor is my homage to that legacy. I wanted to create a designer toy that would pay tribute to the real power of the MOTU property... the power to inspire imagination and creativity. The stories of heroes and villains that we grew up with as children of the 80s and 90s were an enormous part of my development, and a vastly important part of who I am today. I think a lot of people lose sight of that or take it for granted. And so I try to use nostalgia in my art to help people recall that imagination and wonder, those great stories of good vs. evil and the amazing characters who populated them.

I believe that nostalgia is a very powerful emotion that can be centering, calming, and can inspire happiness and confidence. I'm not saying that mass-produced toys can't offer those same feelings, but I think something that is crafted by hand carries with it its own sense of history that amplifies that nostalgia. I believe it creates a bridge to the artist and his/her memories and experiences... there's a more personal connection made and hopefully one that opens up an even happier, more fulfilling place for the collector, knowing they are holding something that's made for the love of toys and all the things that inspired it, and not just for the money.

[DreamTripper]

I have the first Warlords of Wor figure, Bog-Nar, thanks to Brandon, and as I've told him, and others on Facebook, it is possibly the greatest action figure experience ever. The only way it could be better is if they were a little bit lower priced. But, for hard core fans and collectors who aren't averse to spending this money on a collectible, it is highly worth it.

[TrimmTrabb]

Hope I'm not hijacking the thread too much, but here's the first test pulls of my Remco-style 5.5" Lucha Shark figures:



And yeah, everything Brandon said, count that for me, too.

[Warrior Knight]

Hey guys just caught this thread and thanks for posting.

My name is Michael Zolotorow; I am the president of ZOLOWORLD and creator of the REALM OF THE UNDERWORLD. The "RETRO REVOLUTION" has started! and is cool to see so many with the same vision I had.

As many of you know, I am a 30 year collector of vintage to new action figures. My favorite toys growing up were MOTU and the toys that "played with" them. I never forget those times where hours of my day were dedicated to playing with my figures. I would really get into my adventures! Those were the days where video games did not mean as to much to us as our toys. It is awesome to see many of my friends on here who feel the same.

In 2009, I sought out to re-create these figures. I wanted to make them more versatile, while increasing playability. This would be done through an interchangeable limb system, thus enabling the adventurer to swap limbs and accessories with ease. To add to the style, the figures encompass retroesque accessories such as fur pelts and vinyl capes. The main goal here is to have a retro figure that will evolve with its story line, while keeping the playability consistent. Another major goal that I wanted to achieve was to be able display the figures next to their vintage ancestors (MOC or loose) and have them fit right in! What you have seen is only the beginning! There is much more to come!

The link to purchasing the figures are in my sig. There is the FB page, blogspot and official website for ROTU. We also have affiliates listed on the site who will be retailing the figures as well.

The future of the series will have battle packs allowing you to swap out parts and accessories. In addition, we will have adaption packs that will allow you to swap out limbs to allow for play with the "neo" format 7" action figures. We also have GIANT retro style interchangeable figures planned as well as possible playsets and apparel! Remember, these figures are a limited factory produced series! The pricing for wave 1 is around the $23.00 mark (once they are here next week) The special price for the next few days will be $19.99. Each sold separately, COLLECT ALL OF THEM.

Take care my friends and have a great Holiday!!

[Lazer Force Zodac]

here are some pics of the ones i bought

ACROMANCER (UNDERWORLD EDITION) by ThePowerSword, on Flickr

ARCHFIEND SKELETON MINIONS by ThePowerSword, on Flickr

HERCULES (THE SON OF ZEUS) by ThePowerSword, on Flickr

ARCHFIEND (ULTIMATE EVIL EDITION) by ThePowerSword, on Flickr

[Torak]

Those are "Art toys" aka ultra high priced.

[TrimmTrabb]

Those are "Art toys" aka ultra high priced.

You should see how much it costs to produce them!

[BadVermin]

These are interesting in concept, but very over-priced especially considering that they are re-casting and stealing sculpts from other toys. They really should have done all of the sculpting in house.

[Midwinter]

Any new Warlords of War figures coming soon?

All of these different inspired figures from everyone look great!

[Lazer Force Zodac]

these are not over-priced. they are only 20$ each. try to get your hands on the originals! you will pay at least 100$ each! here are mine with my originals.

Acromancer & Jewel Thief by ThePowerSword, on Flickr

Crossbones vs Ultimate Archfiend by ThePowerSword, on Flickr

Archfiend vs. Ribs by ThePowerSword, on Flickr

[BadVermin]

these are not over-priced. they are only 20$ each. try to get your hands on the originals! you will pay at least 100$ each! here are mine with my originals.

Originals? Are the bodies copied as well? Are any of the parts not stolen from other people? Are they licensed?

Theses figures appear to be overpriced bootlegs, stealing sculpts from multiple toy companies. Better hope McFarlane doesn't get wind of these or they will have a lawsuit on thier hands.



Nice shield you got there....

[Ornclown]

I'm diggin that Hercules figure! (Huge Greek Mythology fan...)

It's a new take on an old idea:



The original REMCO version has the club weapon which was accurate to most stories from Greek Myth, and the newer ROTU version has the (Nemian) Lion's Pelt, also an important part of the Hercules (12-labors) myth!! Super cool!