Big Jim and Pulsar return in 2022... sort of

[thatblockoguy]

Mattel probably sees this as a necessary move. Right now Universal owns the rights to MOTU and Mattel has the right of first refusal to make action figures until 2023 when that agreement ends. After that Universal can shop around. Smart move to try and revive interest in these lines. Hope they succeed

[Werewolf]

Right now Universal owns the rights to MOTU and Mattel has the right of first refusal to make action figures until 2023 when that agreement ends. After that Universal can shop around.

I would take that with a grain of salt. As I understand it Mattel sold the entertainment rights. Not the IP. Universal owns the entertainment rights and the Filmation rights through Dreamworks. Mattel still owns the IP and has very recently renewed the trademarks. Including the trademarks to Princess of Power.

[toyhunter1970]

IMO, if Big Jim is released without his classic body he'll be a total flop

agreed

[Earth 2 Chris]

I would take that with a grain of salt. As I understand it Mattel sold the entertainment rights. Not the IP. Universal owns the entertainment rights and the Filmation rights through Dreamworks. Mattel still owns the IP and has very recently renewed the trademarks. Including the trademarks to Princess of Power.

I was wondering about that. Toy Guru put up a video about this, but despite the fact he was once the brand manager of MOTU, his cut and paste videos often leave me wondering if he REALLY knows what he's talking about, 100%. I enjoy some of them, but it seems like his "industry insider" angle only goes so far. For instance, in this video he shows a Biff! Bang! Pow! SMDM Fembot in among the classic Kenner line.

[palitoy]

I was wondering about that. Toy Guru put up a video about this, but despite the fact he was once the brand manager of MOTU, his cut and paste videos often leave me wondering if he REALLY knows what he's talking about, 100%. I enjoy some of them, but it seems like his "industry insider" angle only goes so far. For instance, in this video he shows a Biff! Bang! Pow! SMDM Fembot in among the classic Kenner line.

He knows his stuff in many respects but he recently did a Big Jim video (where he wholesale used my stuff) and it was SO WRONG, I wish he had read the words I had written when he was nicking the pictures.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I think he goofed on the video above, stating the mold used for Battle Cat originally came from Mattel's Tarzan line first, and then it was used in Big Jim. But I think it's the other way around.

Not cool that he doesn't give you credit, but his videos seemed to be made from Google searches. Many of his images are too low-res for video presentation.

[Werewolf]

but despite the fact he was once the brand manager of MOTU,

Which he never lets anyone forget. Seriously, though, he hasn't worked for Mattel in a long time.

I don't have the intense dislike of Guru some seem to have but he does come off as bit of an odd duck at times. I also noticed the errors on the Big Jim vid too. Even I know the Jim tiger predates the Tarzan one. I don't claim to be an expert on MOTU or have any kind of inside info. Everything I mention, like recent trademark filings, are widely known and reported public knowledge.

[palitoy]

Not cool that he doesn't give you credit, but his videos seemed to be made from Google searches. Many of his images are too low-res for video presentation.

Yeah I'm not that miffed about that part, just wished he had done more research.

[thatblockoguy]

In a world of well thought out and informative toy videos from Brick Mantooth, Toy Galaxy, Analogue Toys and Ed’s Retro Geek Out, Scott’s just don’t come close in production value or content. They’re like an assignment that a high school student might put together on the fly. Not sure what the deal is with daily videos anyway.
Ok rant ended.
Re: this line, is it actually a line or just a one off offering. I have to agree with those who say that these new versions don’t capture what made each figure so endearing when they were first released. I’m old enough to have had all three back in the seventies. Like many of you they, along with Mego and GI Joe defined my childhood. Unfortunately looking at the pic, these don’t generate an emotional connection like the one I had when I first opened the Walmart GI Joe Adventure Team figures from around 15 years ago. If the idea is to reintroduce these properties to a new generation, I think it’s missing the mark completely. The first version of Max Steel did a far better job of capturing the fun of Big Jim. Just my two cents.

[PNGwynne]

Second that on early Max Steel. Matty should have done more with that relationship and reused those molds elsewhere IMO.