Toy Guru is at it again, claiming MOTU is canceled.

[Werewolf]

I personally don't advocate Filmation variants for Origins, but I'd like another She-Ra with tiara instead of mask. Perhaps the Bubble version?

I'd love a tiara She-Ra Swift Wind two pack. I'm also hoping we will get at least a few more classic toy versions of POP characters in Origins.

I think the Masterverse POP figures are a good examples of style guide versions of the characters.

[PNGwynne]

Yes, I'd forgotten--with Swift-Wind would be perfect. For a wave I'd suggest Adora , Bow, Catra, and Shadow Weaver, with an accessory Kowl in there somewhere. Fans seem to want more female characters in the line.

I wonder if blue cyber-Hordak from Powercon will have a recolored re-release? They could change the arm-cannon and blue shade.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I watched a bit of Rodimus Primals vid and I like to clear up the rights issue a bit more.

Mattel owns the MOTU and She-Ra IP. The toys, characters, designs, etc. Universal owns the Filmation library including the He-man and She-Ra cartoons. But they do NOT own the characters or IP. Only the Filmation looks of the characters. Mattel can still get VERY close to the Filmation designs because of their original style and licensing guides which had hybrid toy and cartoon designs.

The MOTU live action movie rights are also kind of a mess. But that's another story.

I think Rodimus Primal admitted up front he's not a He-Man expert, but he was trying to get the message out that Netlich has no idea what he's talking about. He probably should have researched a bit to back up what he was saying, though.

[Werewolf]

. He probably should have researched a bit to back up what he was saying, though.

To be totally fair to him and to Geek Dad, who also got some things wrong, it is really complicated.

What Geek Dad got wrong was Universal does not own She-Ra, Mattel does.

They apparently do have some limited entertainment rights to She-Ra but only in animation. I remember this was brought up when Kevin Smith was asked about using She-Ra in Revelation. Going from memory and paraphrasing him Universal has some level of grandfathered in animation entertainment rights from Filmation. Filmation had it set up in their contracts only they, Filmation, could make She-Ra cartoons. Again, they don't own the IP just the rights to make She-Ra cartoons. I don't know if this is still the case because in the new art book for the Netflix CGI kid's MOTU cartoon had concept art from the upcoming season which not only showed the Horde but also Despara which is the name for Adora/She-Ra when she was under Horde control in the DC comics. So that certainly does open up the possibility of She-Ra being in the CGI Netflix cartoon.

[palitoy]

I have no dog in this hunt, and I like Tony at Analog, a whole bunch (good dude), but I always feel like people like this want the attention.

A couple of people enjoy comparing me to a German chancellor (it's not Olaf Scholz) every other day on YouTube, and I always feel like my responding to them would result in them getting 100 new followers.

[Earth 2 Chris]

^That's a fair point. He may be getting exactly what he wants with all of this. I don't know what else he would hope to gain except relevance...even if it's negative relevance.

[PNGwynne]

I agree with you, and I'm not commenting on anything anywhere but here. But sometimes I just really want to expose trolls to sunlight.

[Megotastrophe]

I have no dog in this hunt, and I like Tony at Analog, a whole bunch (good dude), but I always feel like people like this want the attention.

A couple of people enjoy comparing me to a German chancellor (it's not Olaf Scholz) every other day on YouTube, and I always feel like my responding to them would result in them getting 100 new followers.

That's absurd. You dont look anything like Angela Merkel.

[Boris71]

I thought the only thing from MOTU and SHPOP were some of the original characters that Filmation created for the cartoon. Or did I misunderstand what I was reading.

[Mr.Marion]

I'll admit there are more popular lines out there than He-man and origins might have run its course. To claim the line is dead when every other voice says it will continue is a fast way to upset your fanbase and ruin your reputation.

Also usually lines die when Dinosaurs are introduced, MOTU is only up to Snake-men. Battle Dino-armor Faker is when I would be worried.

[ODBJBG]

what does this guy have to gain from this? Is he so hell-bent on making waves he's willing to completely erode what little credibility he has left in the industry and fandom? Does he have that huge of an axe to grind against Mattel for no longer being their brand manager he's willing to destroy his own personal cred to take them down with him? I find it utterly baffling, and strangely fascinating.

What does he have to gain? Attention.

He has no credibility. None. The people who believe him are either gullible fools, completely unaware of who he is and just see the "credentials" or finally just conspiracy theorists.

Yes, he has a huge axe to grind because he was convinced that ONLY he could save MOTU and that only HIS vision of MOTU made sense and would be successful. Origins has been 500x more successful than any MOTU project he ever spearheaded. It makes him froth with rage because MOTU was his baby and the only thing he was ever connected to that was even remotely successful (IN SPITE OF HIM NOT BECAUSE OF HIM) and everything he's done since then has been an abject failure. Before he hitched his wagon to MOTU at Mattel, he was largely a failure there, poorly writing bios for HotWheels cars.

He is the Qanon of MOTU. He never has to be right. Because he spins everything as deep mysterious conspiracies. So when he's wrong, it's just onto the next thing, no time to talk about why that didn't happen. Or he was actually right, but the Mattel deep state changed things to make him be wrong because it's all a vast conspiracy, yadda yadda.

He's a liar, an idiot, a thief and a goof. He was propped up for years by guys like Pixel Dan who sucked up to him to get free toys and connections and unfortunately as a result it led to him having more standing in the community than he ever should have. But those of us who weren't in it for free toys, pointed out even when he was working at Mattel that everything he said was nonsense and lies, even then. No doubt part of the reason he was eventually fired... Along with incompetence. And then subsequently fired from every other toy company that mistakingly hired him.

Remember, this guy calls himself ToyGuru... An identity he literally stole from someone else, from a forum he was associated with and then went to great lengths to basically steal the branding and use the power of Mattel to say he was the "Real" ToyGuru.

He's not misguided, he's intentionally rotten to the core.

[Earth 2 Chris]

^Well, okay then.

I knew the guy was disliked once he started his YouTube channel, but I guess I had forgotten he was pretty much persona non grata even before that, thanks to his online precense when he actually managed MOTU.

[ODBJBG]

Haha yeah, he did not win a lot of hearts and minds back then, and his subsequent huckster routine also didn't do him any favors. Before he was relegated to pandering for views on YouTube he stuck around the MOTU community for a bit, to blame fans for the cancellation of the line and to post weird manifestos about what he was going to do and shifting blame for the various failures during his tenure. Again, not a good way to redeem your tarnished reputation, but eventually he just went all-in on the conspiracy nonsense.

[palitoy]

Can't say much about the Guru as a person as I've never dealt with him; his actions made my kid happy by keeping JLU alive, and if I ever were in close quarters, I'd mention it to him. His early videos were entertaining but later stuff feels like conjecture as he's speculating on decisions he's not involved with. Sure he's earned his take but as every year passes, it's just educated guessing.

I do oppose the "sucking up for free toys" projection notion about Pixel Dan. I know Dan a little, and he pays for most of the stuff on his channel. He also doesn't engage in slamming of the guy post-Mattel, which is honourable because it sure seems like it's everywhere. Scott could be generous with stuff but trust me; you didn't have to do much. (I am not speaking about me here but surprised friends). Having a good relationship with the brand manager of the thing you love is sometimes because you love the thing and are willing to mitigate the personality involved. I've certainly had my share of moments in the past with folks that I hope I never have to deal with again, but I probably would because I love this hobby. I prefer it to the endless "Toy Company is the heartless enemy" mush that seems endlessly popular.

[Earth 2 Chris]

^ I haven't met the guy either. I guess I should remember he extended the JLU line well past any retail expectations. Getting the figures through Matty Collector was always choppy waters though, and I seem to recall he liked to deflect a lot about that.

I do hate the "evil corporation" vitriol that's thrown at toy companies ad nauseum. Come of the complaints are valid, but it often goes overboard to threats and/or slurs against people who work there, or demeaning comments about those who still support the proudcts or companies they are railing against. That kind of talk just makes me unsubscribe.