Masters of the Universe: Origins

NORM said:
That just looks like He-Man cosplaying as Optimus Prime.
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I think that's part of what I like about it, because that's literally what it is. I think trying to cram these universes into each other and make it make SENSE that you're crossing over the two properties is destined to be so much stupider than just making a figure and being like 'It's He-Man as Optimus Prime for some reason, isn't that fun?' I respect that way more than Mattel feeling the need to write a 30 page backstory on why He-Man is dressed like Optimus.

Kind of feel the same way about the Turtles crossover. Too much effort went into making it 'make sense' when all I actually needed was "we put a He-Man wig on Michaelangelo." Fuckin' sold, Mattel. Say NO MORE.
 
Damien said:
I think that's part of what I like about it, because that's literally what it is. I think trying to cram these universes into each other and make it make SENSE that you're crossing over the two properties is destined to be so much stupider than just making a figure and being like 'It's He-Man as Optimus Prime for some reason, isn't that fun?' I respect that way more than Mattel feeling the need to write a 30 page backstory on why He-Man is dressed like Optimus.

Kind of feel the same way about the Turtles crossover. Too much effort went into making it 'make sense' when all I actually needed was "we put a He-Man wig on Michaelangelo." Fuckin' sold, Mattel. Say NO MORE.
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For me, the toys that are more fun are the Transformers. I might have been more likely to bite if they were designed as vehicles that transform into the MotU characters. Knowing the licensors, I'm sure they'd just take existing Transformers figures and squish He-Man and Skeletor elements onto them, cheaply. But in general, this is the crossover that I'm least sold on. MotU x TCats was like chocolate and peanut butter. MotU x Transformers is like chocolate and mozzarella sticks. Great on their own, yucky mixed together.
 
NORM said:
For me, the toys that are more fun are the Transformers. I might have been more likely to bite if they were designed as vehicles that transform into the MotU characters. Knowing the licensors, I'm sure they'd just take existing Transformers figures and squish He-Man and Skeletor elements onto them, cheaply. But in general, this is the crossover that I'm least sold on. MotU x TCats was like chocolate and peanut butter. MotU x Transformers is like chocolate and mozzarella sticks. Great on their own, yucky mixed together.
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The only thing I really like about the MOTU x TCats is the fact that the Cats can just be their regular classic looks. I actually have less than no interest in the 'crossover' aspect. So to me, the crossover part of those figures is just a cool, sneaky way for Mattel to give us some MOTUO-compatible ThunderCats and I'm good with that.

But when you get into crossovers like TMNT and Transformers, you don't end up with the non-MOTU stuff just being MOTUO-compatible versions of those characters, which I would have liked. You end up with the whole cosplay look for characters. In which case, I just want it to be silly and fun because that's all it's ever going to be to me, no matter how well you try to write that story.

I guess, talking it out like that; that's my line. Either make me other lines that can exist as their own thing but be compatible with my Origins figures, or make something ridiculous and maybe I'll like it. I just don't want/need a story for any of it.

As for the Transformers crossover going the other direction; they've done that with Star Wars and Ninja Turtles (?) haven't they? Like an X-Wing that turns into a Luke Skywalker Robot, or something like that? I could see them doing something like that for MOTU. There's just fewer appropriate vehicles to choose from. Battle Ram into Ram-Man? Battle Ram-Man? I don't do Transformers, so I'm out of my depth here.
 
@Damien - yes, there have been crossovers with TMNT and Star Wars (and Marvel). They did a brand new sculpt for a Turtle Van with the option of making it any of the four turtles plus a generic green bandana. They did a full line of Star Wars vehicles a decade ago at least, all of which I wouldn't even be able to name. They did Street Fighter repaints of existing TF molds, maybe four of them. They've done transforming BttF Delorean, JP Jeep and Explorer, Ghostbusters Ecto-1, X-Men Blackbird, all within the last five years or so. I didn't go in on the SW line, but the other random licenses I did get because I like the idea of iconic vehicles becoming big robots. MotU has plenty of vehicles they could make, but I don't know what the demand is, and I'm sure the licensing fees would be ugly.

I tend to be less interested in the stories that bind these characters together. I'm more interested in how their visual designs can become compatible. But even moreso, I think I just want a unified style for similar styled characters. That's what I like about the Thundercats figures. I would get Silverhawks if they made them like this. I like that Boss Fight is making Conan and Red Sonja in this Origins style. (I know your beef with BFS). I would have bought TMNT x MotU if they could have been displayed as regular TMNT characters in the Origins style. But that definitely gets repetitive, especially for TMNT and how wide that license has been made available. It seems like every company has had their turn at the four brothers at the very least.
 
Damien said:
The only thing I really like about the MOTU x TCats is the fact that the Cats can just be their regular classic looks. I actually have less than no interest in the 'crossover' aspect. So to me, the crossover part of those figures is just a cool, sneaky way for Mattel to give us some MOTUO-compatible ThunderCats and I'm good with that.
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That's exactly what drew me in on the Thundercats. Just being able to stick Lion-O and He-Man together on the shelf is fun. I honestly don't particularly like the extra armor but the base figures are a lot of fun. And I know "compatible" does a lot of heavy lifting with the TMNT line since the turtles are supposed to be like five feet tall and everyone in Origins is the same height, but they FEEL fun alongside MOTU characters so I dug those turtle variants (though I think that line beat itself into the ground after the first year).

The Transformers figure is fun but not form me.

Hellfire Man is so tacky that I think I love him. Wish he didn't have a Hordak tax though, I've got enough versions of him.
 
NORM said:
I would have bought TMNT x MotU if they could have been displayed as regular TMNT characters in the Origins style. But that definitely gets repetitive, especially for TMNT and how wide that license has been made available. It seems like every company has had their turn at the four brothers at the very least.
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That's why I was so excited for the Playmates retro.. redo.. whatever Turtles. Those look like they'll fit in better with Origins than the actual Origins Turtles. But I've never seen that multi-pack, and the pockmarked Turtles look like fucking ass, so....
 
Yeah... had to pre-order Hellfire Man, couldn't resist. Optimus armor He-Man is one I will wait on. If it gets discounted in store I might pick it up But $30 for a single Origins figure is steep.
 
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Damien said:
That's why I was so excited for the Playmates retro.. redo.. whatever Turtles. Those look like they'll fit in better with Origins than the actual Origins Turtles. But I've never seen that multi-pack, and the pockmarked Turtles look like fucking ass, so....
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The multipack, while better than the first, individual releases because they have smooth skin, would probably have pissed you off due to the cut swivel ankles instead of hinge or rocker ankle joints. So close to being GOOD, if not for the dumb ankles. Still pisses me off a bit, but I'm kinda over it now.
 
The fact that Optimus and Starscream are "members only" and Bumblebee and Megatron are not is such a blatant money grab. Holding half the collection back behind a subscription fee after the other half had been available without it seems like an actual crime. I was about to come in here to praise Starscream/Scareglow as a clever mash up, that doesn't look too bad. I dig those axe/wing/null rays. But forcing a subscription to get them? Fuck all the way off with that.
 
NORM said:
The multipack, while better than the first, individual releases because they have smooth skin, would probably have pissed you off due to the cut swivel ankles instead of hinge or rocker ankle joints. So close to being GOOD, if not for the dumb ankles. Still pisses me off a bit, but I'm kinda over it now.
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Oh, I already know it pisses me off. But if that was the only problem I really had with them (i.e. getting the ones without the skin texture), I could live with it and be all right just putting them on a shelf with He-Man. But I've never even heard of that set making it to Canada, soo.... irrelevant, I suppose.



That Starscream mash-up is both kind of awesome and hilariously stupid.
 
But Optimus He-Man is at Target too, right?

I an actually tempted by the Starscream Scareglow. But $43 shipped for a single Origins figure gives me pause. It's $33 for the figure plus tax and shipping. I think I'll wait and see if it hits an eventual sale.
 
I've got the smooth Turtles and Splinter hanging out in the reissued Sewer Lair, and Shredder in the Technodrome. I didn't have either of these playsets growing up, so I have no memories dictating which vintage/reissued figures should be in them. Makes for a perfect place for the remastered figures to live.

Back to the crossovers, I think if they're gonna deep dive into character selection with a choice like Scareglow, then they could have done the same with Transformers. I feel like the similarities between Man At Arms and the Autobot Brawn are so obvious, it's as if they are already mashed up.
 
ScareScream is exclusive to Club members for the first day, not sure if he'll go up on Target after that or not. He-Prime is already on Target of course.
 
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