The Toys of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe from Dark Horse

[TheVileOne]

Happy Pixel Dan is doing a book like this. Good for him.

[Orko's Magic Hat]

This is great news, I've been wanting a book like this to be released for ages.

I'm guessing the following will be covered:-

MOTU (1982-1988)
NA He-Man (1989-1992)
POP (1985-1987)
200X (2002-2004)
Stactions (2005-2007?)
MOTUC Mattel (2008-2016)
​MOTUC S7 (2017-2019)

I wonder if figures / statues from Sideshow collectibles, Loyal Subjects and Funko and other S7 lines will be included?

[Long Live He-Man]

I've been waiting on a great book to pair with the Star Wars and G.I. Joe toy guides.

I hope this MOTU book will be EPIC! And I can't wait to purchase one. I just hope it is complete with early MOTU figures and vehicles. The latter stuff is swell and all, but the vintage toys need to have all figures/vehicles/playsets represented.

[Creedog]

I've been waiting on a great book to pair with the Star Wars and G.I. Joe toy guides.

I hope this MOTU book will be EPIC! And I can't wait to purchase one. I just hope it is complete with early MOTU figures and vehicles. The latter stuff is swell and all, but the vintage toys need to have all figures/vehicles/playsets represented.

I know for a fact that Dan was shooting pics of NA He-man toys for this book. He said so in a video where he got a guy to open a bunch of sealed vintage NA vehicles! If he’s doing NA, he’s doing the original vintage motu and pop as well.

Plus, he owns pretty much every motuc figure, vehicle and playset, so all that will be in the book too, I would assume.

And if he’s gone that far, then 200x is going to happen too.

This is going to be a sweet guide.

[Jukka]

I know for a fact that Dan was shooting pics of NA He-man toys for this book.

The photo in this very thread shows Dan taking a photo of an NA Action figure.

[yodafreakmaster]

Very excited for this book!!! It is going to be EPIC!!!

[ehenyo]

I know for a fact that Dan was shooting pics of NA He-man toys for this book.

I think we do too. Isn't the first pic in this thread of him photographing a NA toy?

[Ornclown]

I hope the book design matches all of the other Dark Horse MOTU books...

I'm also curious about the format. I really love the work that a fellow .org member has been doing with Classics... I hope it turns out similar to his page designs.

[uaxuctum]

I hope the book design matches all of the other Dark Horse MOTU books...

I'm also curious about the format. I really love the work that a fellow .org member has been doing with Classics... I hope it turns out similar to his page designs.

Maybe in this book they won't be including Classics? (because it is still "ongoing"—even if slated to go "on hold" for an indeterminate amount of time once Super7 finishes releasing what they already had planned/pre-sold—and/or because it is the largest, most comprehensive MotU toyline by a long margin), so that Wakko's superb fan work in documenting this toyline might eventually get an official release (like how BustaToon's unofficial Filmation episode guide was eventually adapted into an official book).

I mean, Classics alone—with its, I think, around 250+ releases so far—if documented at anywhere near the level of detail that Wakko's been doing (2 full pages per release), would take up well over half a thousand pages. That's a whole book unto itself! No way they can fit all of that together into a single guide that additionally encompasses all of the other MotU toylines (vintage MotU, vintage PoP, NA, 200X, Minis, Giants, "ReAction", MCX, ...), unless the amount of information and detail for each release gets drastically reduced.

I, for one, would be totally up for a dedicated "Classics" guide à la Wakko's (and ideally including not only MotU, but also the other releases using MotUC's buck, or at least those from properties like DC and ThunderCats that have been officially cross-overed with MotU in some media). It would be great if it included a foreword or interview with ToyGuru, the 4H, Super7, and other key people closely involved in having made Classics a reality, and some additional look-up/reference info, such as a consolidated chronological narrative of the MotUC canon, and a "parts catalog" for customizers (i.e., a list of the MotUC library of parts, with data on which figures use which parts cast in which plastic colors and such, as a handy reference for mix-n'-matching the perfect custom figure). A selection of some of the high-quality customs made out of MotUC parts (such as those here) would be a very nice, finishing-touch addition, too, but highly unlikely.

[Khev]

Yes I hope that this focuses mostly on the vintage era like the great GI Joe and Star Wars books but since Dan's book doesn't include anything like "1982-1988" in the title it does imply that it will cover all eras.

[suckator]

Will there be in package pictures of vintage motu? I wonder if they need any photos of mib gift sets etc?

[Razzerian]

Just listened to the accompanying RGD episode! Sounds very exciting!

[Creedog]

Will there be in package pictures of vintage motu? I wonder if they need any photos of mib gift sets etc?

Yes, they mentioned that on RGD. They specifically spoke about packaging being aged, and needing to do some touch ups to the photos.

[JVS3]

Yes, they mentioned that on RGD. They specifically spoke about packaging being aged, and needing to do some touch ups to the photos.

We hope to show some before and after online. Some serious feats of digital restoration were performed in certain cases.

[Creedog]

We hope to show some before and after online. Some serious feats of digital restoration were performed in certain cases.

I’m a huge fan of moc / mib vintage stuff. Actually including packaged toy pictures is insane, you don’t get that in very many toy guides. It’s what I’m most interested in for this new guide, and really makes it special, imho. And we don’t really know anything about it yet! So stoked.

Big thanks to you, Val, and of course Dan and all the others that made this must-have guide a reality!

[suckator]

Do they have all of the photos they need? I imagine there are those that could help here. I am able to help if needed.

[uaxuctum]

Do they have all of the photos they need? I imagine there are those that could help here. I am able to help if needed.

Sounds strange that they say they needed to resort to digital restoration because apparently some of the preserved items were too damaged in real life. I would imagine there are many (or a few at least) fans out there who keep mint-in-box vintage items of basically everything in photograph-worthy condition. (Though I'm not one of those, unfortunately. )

[JVS3]

Sounds strange that they say they needed to resort to digital restoration because apparently some of the preserved items were too damaged in real life.

Why does that sound strange?

I would imagine there are many (or a few at least) fans out there who keep mint-in-box vintage items of basically everything in photograph-worthy condition. (Though I'm not one of those, unfortunately. )

A lot of collectors are very secretive about their collections, and don't want people coming to their home, which I understand. And they definitely don't want to risk shipping items in case they are lost or damaged.

It's not always easy to find mint items, especially packaged or rare items. And it's next to impossible to find them all in one place.

[Lich Leech]

Sounds strange that they say they needed to resort to digital restoration because apparently some of the preserved items were too damaged in real life. I would imagine there are many (or a few at least) fans out there who keep mint-in-box vintage items of basically everything in photograph-worthy condition. (Though I'm not one of those, unfortunately. )

There are a few things that are almost impossible to find MIB to begin with, such as Jet Sled & He-Man, Hordak/Grizzlor, Flying Fists He-Man & Terror Claws Skeletor. Then that is further narrowed down by the limited number of people who could be identified as owning these items, and further narrowed down by those willing to have them photographed. So I can believe that they would need to digitally restore some of this stuff

[uaxuctum]

Why does that sound strange?

Because of what I added in the next sentence.

A lot of collectors are very secretive about their collections, and don't want people coming to their home, which I understand. And they definitely don't want to risk shipping items in case they are lost or damaged.

It's not always easy to find mint items, especially packaged or rare items. And it's next to impossible to find them all in one place.

Couldn't they just send photos of their rare collection items and be credited as their owners? I don't know... If I were the kind of collector that treasures rare mint-in-box vintage items, I'd imagine I'd take pride to show them off to other people as part of my collection. And the official toy guide about those collectibles would be the most coveted, #1 spot where to get that publicity and recognition for my collection.

[JVS3]

Couldn't they just send photos of their rare collection items and be credited as their owners?

Not if we want a certain level of quality and consistency with the photos.

[Razzerian]

This really sounds like it's going to be a great book, so the exclusive extra book which Daniëlle has been working on, is that only if you buy it at Powercon 2020 or something? What's the deal with that exactly? And any information re: pricing?

[Creedog]

This really sounds like it's going to be a great book, so the exclusive extra book which Daniëlle has been working on, is that only if you buy it at Powercon 2020 or something? What's the deal with that exactly? And any information re: pricing?

Or just a guesstimate on when the Darkhorse solicitation may arrive would be fantastic.

[VZX]

I was going to ask about the price as well. I'm just hoping it's less than $50.

[Jukka]

This really sounds like it's going to be a great book, so the exclusive extra book which Daniëlle has been working on, is that only if you buy it at Powercon 2020 or something? What's the deal with that exactly? And any information re: pricing?

The info so far that if you buy it through Power-Con website bundled with Toyguide.

No info yet about selling copies during the event next year.