MOTU Revelations Netflix series first look.

[huedell]

I don't doubt there are early and or partial drafts floating around the net but there is only one story bible. The one dated December 1 1982.

Apologies for my persistence here, but one discrepancy keeps popping up and I was wondering what your take on it was:

Both Halperin on his linked interview and He-man.org in their intro their draft of the Bible both said the same thing in different ways:

Michael Halperin wrote the Masters of the Universe series bible back in December of 1982. Michael was approached by someone at Mattel who had read a sword and sorcery screenplay he had written. They called Michael in, and this was his first introduction to the toys. Up until this point, Mattel's vision was limited to its two introductory figures, He-Man and Skeletor. Mattel, upon releasing the action figures, received a number of calls and letters from kids who wanted to know who these characters were, where they came from, and who were the bad guys and who were the good guys. Mattel requested that Michael Halperin write the origins of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe as a bible for the television show and for merchandising purposes. Up to that point, all that existed were the toys.

Mr. Halperin basically took two toys, a couple of storylines introduced in mini-comic books, and produced an entire universe out of them.

This bible was given to the freelance and staff writers for the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe series at Filmation Animation Studios in 1983.

You have dated the final draft of Halperin's MOTU Bible the same date as the previous draft I linked, which is December 1st of 1982, when it seems to be publicly recognized a draft was first given to Filmation in 1983 (as was Halperin himself as a consultant "given" by Mattel to Filmation).

I was just curious what explains the same date for both Bible drafts, along with the reported beginning of Filmation's involvement not happening until 1983 (and only with Halperin's guidance)...

...if not the explanation that: Halperin's (purely mini-comic/toy based) initial draft presented to Filmation was a 1982 draft, while the final draft you linked clearly marked with the "1982" date is only marked that way because it's the date of the initial draft's completion, a draft that Halperin then revised with Filmation during pre-production in 1983? This resulting in a 1983 revised draft ultimately displaying the initial draft's 1982 completion date?

If there's another explanation for this nagging discrepancy , I'm all for knowing it!

[huedell]

I don't doubt there are early and or partial drafts floating around the net but there is only one story bible. The one dated December 1 1982. The one I linked to earlier is the finished official story bible.

https://he-man.fandom.com/wiki/Masters_of_the_Universe_Bible_(1982)

Orko aside, it was light hearted by design. Biff Beastman and DR. T.E. Scope are not exactly super serious (The Marlena space crew backstory did make it to an official story book even though Filmation dropped the idea). The show and toys were aimed at little kids after all. It had to be able to entertain very young children under really restrictive regulations.

One hundred percent agreement on all that. I think Filmation/Lou Schiemer and Mattel/Mike Halperin were on the exact same symbiotic page once they actually started working in lock-step, and were delighted business-wise and morally to be producing toys and related media that could be potentially consumed by the youngest age groups with as much positive feedback from parents as possible (it was a challenge too--- it was the 80's and Skull-faced characters were not easily received by morally authoritarian conservative 80's parents).

I have no idea what Revelations will result reflecting as far as tone... but this is a different era where morally authoritarian political pressures on content aren't coming from conservative 80's parents. That much is for sure.

Mattel is still the same... their attitude on being marketable to the most delicate in sensibilities in order to be successful with selling toys to the youngest (and widest) demographic possible has not changed. This means Revelations is more likely to reflect today's current morally authoritarian climate than your average show.

I'm going into this very optimistic... but I understand and respect your concerns. Good Journey!

[Werewolf]

I don't doubt there are early and or partial drafts floating around the net but there is only one story bible. The one dated December 1 1982. The one I linked to earlier is the finished official story bible.

https://he-man.fandom.com/wiki/Masters_of_the_Universe_Bible_(1982)

Orko aside, it was light hearted by design. Biff Beastman and DR. T.E. Scope are not exactly super serious (The Marlena space crew backstory did make it to an official story book even though Filmation dropped the idea). The show and toys were aimed at little kids after all. It had to be able to entertain very young children under really restrictive regulations.

[huedell]

Well-done blog, glad to discover it--thanks.

In my opinion, it's the most engaging MOTU resource I've seen on the Net... I've known about it for years and I still haven't gotten to all of it (I'm a slow learner).

It's interesting to see Cringer mentioned so early, too. And surprising that Filmatiom had a copyright on Orko--was that due to the name?

Could have been. They did change it after all.

Yep, Orko/Gorpo's first appearance is in the story bible. He was kind of hardwired into the story DNA of MOTU. His personality and place in story is exactly the same is what ended up in the Filmation cartoon. I personally love the character. Always have.

I was the goofiest kid as far as what I liked back then... and I haven't changed much over the years... I enjoy Adam West Batman almost equally to Christian Bale... that said, because I tapped out of the mini-comics so early, Filmation's tone seemed to be highly divergent from the mini-comics, and that feeling of shock of seeing the villains as comedic buffoons never left me, affecting my impression of the Filmation series without Orko... or Cringer... really being taken into consideration.

I mean, seeing Beast Man get his head stuick in a barrel is different than seeing Orko mess up a magic trick and Duncan ending up with literal egg on his face.

And it looks like my suspicions were correct regarding Halperin being involved with Filmation from the very beginning of his Bible creation... albeit being in a "reverse engineered way".

This is taken from https://old.he-man.org/cartoon/cmotu...halperin.shtml

Halperin said:

Mattel asked me to come in and create the back story (bible) for "Masters" that could act as a device for merchandising the figures as well as the premise for the TV series (Filmation had begun the process of designing the cartoon characters -- but they had no stories). I was Creative Consultant to the series during its first year (65 episodes) with the job of approving all story lines.

This means they collaborated on the show before it began as opposed to Haleperin just handing them off the Bible.... so this also means that the possibility of Gorpo (later Orko) being a Filmation creation more than a Halperin creation is entirely possible... and it may also explain why Orko has different copyrights than Adam.

WHOOPS... I didn't read the whole interview! Lookie here:

Yes, Orko was originally called Gorpo. Filmation created him because they had a deal with Mattel that they would have royalties on any characters they created which made it into the toy line. He wasn't part of the original bible. However, he worked because they needed a "court jester" type although in the original, Adam was the practical joker and prankster. Why the name change? There's a saying in comedy: "words with a K are funny -- Alka Seltzer, chicken, pickle." That's as good a reason as any.

This is so typical me. I was rushing so much to get this post written and posted that I almost missed the truth was sitting right on that same page.

Two different Halperin bibles... one pre-Filmation and one post Filmation's involvement? Check.

Orko being Filmation created? Check.

Filmation deliberately amping up the comedy? Check.

I'd never get rid of Orko for the world... he's as big a part of MOTU iconography as any major character... but it's no doubt his origins are unique to the rest of MOTU.

[Werewolf]

Well-done blog, glad to discover it--thanks.

It's interesting to see Cringer mentioned so early, too. And surprising that Filmatiom had a copyright on Orko--was that due to the name?

Yeah, I don't think a lot of people realize just how early in development Adam and Cringer were added to the story. I do think Filmation made the right choice of dropping Evil-Lyn, Triklops and Beastman's backstory of being mutated humans from Queen Marlena's crew that crashed on Eternia. And people say Filmation made the story silly. Biff Beastman?

Maybe Filmation's rights claim to Orko had more to do with with them finalizing his look than the name change? Not sure of how much rights if any Classic Media retains of the character. They are not mentioned on Orko's Origins packaging or figure.

[PNGwynne]

Well-done blog, glad to discover it--thanks.

It's interesting to see Cringer mentioned so early, too. And surprising that Filmatiom had a copyright on Orko--was that due to the name?

[Werewolf]

Reading Gorpo's character breakdown, I now see what you mean by the character being a deliberately light-hearted "goofy" style from the start...

Yep, Orko/Gorpo's first appearance is in the story bible. He was kind of hardwired into the story DNA of MOTU. His personality and place in story is exactly the same is what ended up in the Filmation cartoon. I personally love the character. Always have.

This link has some more info on the development of Orko.

https://battleramblog.com/orko-heroic-court-magician-1984/

[huedell]

Adam, Cringer and Gorpo are in the Halperin story bible.

https://mysteriesofgreyskull.tripod..../MOTUbible.htm

We both have two different Halpiern bible links.

They may be the same exact text but I don't have the patience to go back and forth and compare word for word. You appear to have studied this stuff a lot so you may know the answer without having to compare the two.

One thing that is definitely different about them is that the one I linked has notes all over it... it's not a clean version like the one you linked. And it is missing pages from the end of the bible... the very area that I saw mentioning GORPO (I forgot they changed his name to Orko for the animation "O symmetry" issue). I didn't see him mentioned earlier in the treatment so that may explain why I missed his existence at all.

Reading Gorpo's character breakdown, I now see what you mean by the character being a deliberately light-hearted "goofy" style from the start...

It's kind of a weird coincidence Filmation used that trope earlier with Bat-Mite having similar magic powers that would go awry in a comedic way.

Maybe Halpiern had worked with Filmation prior to working with Mattel in 1982 on the treatment? I don't know but that similarity seems like a curious significance... if you didn't grow up with TNAO Batman cartoon (and their Bat-Mite), i can see why it would seem less significant.

Alrighty, then. Thanks for the link! And whatever version of the Halpiern bible linked there, it's nice to have it in a clean "copy and paste" format. I've already added it to my "files".

[monitor_ep]

I had those original books and at that time it made since that they used one body to make to figures. My brother and I bought two Teelas for this reason. One for the Snake Goddess (we painted her green) and one for Teela.

[Werewolf]

I'm also curious if Adam, Cringer, Orko, and the Sorceress revision were instigated by Mattel or by Filmation. If by Mattel, why the shift in mythology from the early comics?

The early mini comics had a very loose continuity. Nothing was set in stone and they were kind of making it up as they went along. Still, that wandering Barbarian and Teela/Goddess stuff was phased out pretty quickly and by the second wave comics "The Ordeal of Man E Faces" the Goddess was already starting to be referred to as the Sorceress. I'm guessing all the "By the Goddess!" "For the Goddess!" stuff maybe sounded a bit too pagany and they changed her name to Sorceress. Originally Teela and the Goddess were two different characters that used the same action figure. Snake Armor on the figure is the Goddess. Snake Armor off the figure is Teela. The Falcon Sorceress look did come from Filmation when they merged her with Zoar.

[monitor_ep]

I thought this was to be the extension to the original version not the remake.

I do not mean that in a bad way either. I like teenage Prince Adam turning into buff He-Man. I mean in the original how could you NOT know they were the same character they look exact ally the same and both have green tigers. The 2001 remake made it easier to believe that nobody thought skinny Adam was really He-Man. I also like the style of the reboot better than the original.

[PNGwynne]

I'm also curious if Adam, Cringer, Orko, and the Sorceress revision were instigated by Mattel or by Filmation. If by Mattel, why the shift in mythology from the early comics?

[Werewolf]

Did Mattel initially create those characters as MOTU was retooled and expanded from the Conan line?

Nothing from MOTU was carried over from the cancelled proposed Conan line. Which didn't get further than a few sketches. Development of MOTU also predates their Conan proposal.

[Werewolf]

Adam, Cringer and Gorpo are in the Halperin story bible.

https://mysteriesofgreyskull.tripod.com/Articles/MOTUbible.htm

[huedell]

Adam and Cringer were in the Filmation story bible from the start. Same with Gorpo/Orko.

I don't remember them being in it... but I don't doubt that you could be right... I'm not trying be a jerk or anything, but are we referring to the same Halpiern document?

If so, if it isn't too much trouble, can you show me where they are mentioned... it would be helpful, because them being in this specific series bible would change my MOTU perspective a bit... and that would be cool considering how into it I am.

Here's the link: https://old.he-man.org/cartoon/exclu...le-intro.shtml

EDITING TO ADD: It's Gorpo/Orko that I'm particularly interested about, as it seems that some form of Adam/Cringer were in there already.