Masters of the Universe: Masterverse

[Justice]

I'll freely admit that I was a HUGE MOTUC fanboy. I bought and still own about 99% of the figures. I was pissed when I found out Mattel had done Super 7 wrong by pulling their license so they could do Masterverse and Origins. I still kind of am because Super 7 was going to get to the missing New Adventures figures. I swore I would never buy anything from Mattel again but like an addict I went back to them and anxiously await every new figure they announce.

Masterverse IS better. It wasn't at first but they have found their footing and are doing some real innovations with their figures.

 

[docsilence]

Masterverse is the only reason I have hope about Mattel getting DC back. I don't need perfect figures, but Masterverse is excellent for the price, super consistent, and just really fun to pose and mess with.

 

[Damien]

are doing some real innovations with their figures.

...I'm very skeptical here but I'm open to having my mind changed. I can't think of a single thing that Mattel has done on Masterverse that was innovative. It feels a lot more like they're still pretty much always behind the times and making figures that feel a tiny bit dated, while not necessarily being -bad-. Just not trying to do anything even particularly -current-, let alone new.

 

[NORM]

Masterverse still hasn't made a He-Man head sculpt that comes close to the ones Classics put out.

Articulation is definitely better though. I'm going through a major Classics revival, filling many holes in my collection. Probably grabbed about 30 figures in the past six months. And the Classics figures can achieve maybe about five good, different poses. Masterverse articulation isn't Marvel Legends articulation, or import level, but it's definitely better range than Classics.

I do love Classics' faithfulness to the original toys. Their sculpt really idealized what came before. They were like what DVDs did for home entertainment compared to VHS. Masterverse isn't really the same analogy though. They're not the BluRay upgrade. Sculpt-wise, they embellish what came before. I wouldn't say modernize, because the designs are still timeless/of a different time or universe. They're suped up just enough that they don't stray from the original designs, but enhance.

I look at New Eternia Trap Jaw or Man At Arms. Both are among my favorite redesigns, and are both excellent figures. Both allow for some versatile options for display with alternate body parts. I think even proportion-wise, they're more heroic looking than the puffy beefed up bodies of Classics.

I'm glad Masterverse is doing something different. But I'm not going to claim that they're some kind of state of the art, bleeding edge kind of figure line. I don't think Justice is saying that either, when he says "innovations". I think he's referring to stuff like Webstor and Merman's glass eyes, or swappable faces of someone like Man-E-Faces while retaining the original gimmick, or Snout Spout's fully articulated trunk. These are steps up from Classics, even if baby steps. But honestly, how much more is there to innovate with mass market figures? At least they're mass market! Available everywhere, not locked behind some online exclusivity or all or nothing club subscription.

 

[Justice]

I don't think Justice is saying that either, when he says "innovations". I think he's referring to stuff like Webstor and Merman's glass eyes, or swappable faces of someone like Man-E-Faces while retaining the original gimmick, or Snout Spout's fully articulated trunk. These are steps up from Classics, even if baby steps. But honestly, how much more is there to innovate with mass market figures? At least they're mass market! Available everywhere, not locked behind some online exclusivity or all or nothing club subscription

That's exactly what I meant. Thank you. Just little touches here and there that make me say "hey that's cool". Or Randor's swappable hair and crown. Things we haven't seen used with MOTU figures before.

 

[Swoop716]

...I'm very skeptical here but I'm open to having my mind changed. I can't think of a single thing that Mattel has done on Masterverse that was innovative. It feels a lot more like they're still pretty much always behind the times and making figures that feel a tiny bit dated, while not necessarily being -bad-. Just not trying to do anything even particularly -current-, let alone new.

Another thing to consider is…the awful photos that are taken of these figures…

If they got GIJOE:classified level support, I contend more people might be excited about it.


We might be talking about Masterverse Castle Grayskull by now

You really do have to hold them in person to appreciate them. Can I ask which was the last masterverse figure you purchased or even held in hand?

 

[docsilence]

The little touches really are great, as are some of the clever redesigns for New Eternia. Though what I love most about this line is they're solid, fun figures with pretty good ROM who are toyetic enough that if one falls off the shelf I don't feel like I've lost a financial investment. They hit that sweet spot of "I can love this thing without it stressing me out," which is my ideal level of quality in an action figure. Look cool, don't break if I sneeze on it.

 

[vicious]

Some of these figures are absolutely swinging above their weight class. And while they aren't perfect, they're still really fun. Take Skelcon for example: $21.99 MSRP figure, comes with a dagger, a spear, and an axe, all painted, and a shield. And he can store them all on him at once (if he's holding either the axe or the spear). Plus he has a hinged jaw with great sculpt. Nobody else is making $20-25 Fantasy Medieval action figures like this right now.

 

[docsilence]

Absolutely. I love my Mythic Legions but for twice the price I run into exponentially more QC issues. Yeah, the paint and details are less but for 25 bucks you really can't beat this line.

Speaking of which, I still have havoc throne in my BBTS cart. Was waiting to see if Ninjor would hit my POL to make the final call.

 

[PantherCult]

I think also there are people that were very vocal about how MOTUC was THE best MOTU line and that Masterverse couldn’t live up to it.

Still true. Will absolutely die on that hill.

Imo Masterverse is better.
Better articulation and better availability, and cheaper (at least for now)

Better articulation is honestly debatable. I don't know that Masterverse is actually much more functional, It does have double elbows and knees but they aren't the most functional double joints.

Better availability is probably accurate - though Classics was super easy to get if you signed up for the subscription... then you were guaranteed to get the figure. Some of them were harder to get on the day of sale for non subscribers. But honestly, ask people how easy Masterverse Battle Armor Skeletor was to get. Frankly alot of Masterverse is tough to track down if you don't preorder, so not that much different than the subscription, really.

I wont argue about price though. Classics started out at $25 more than a decade ago.and then went up. Masterverse just reached the price recently. They are definitely a good value, especially when ompared with the current prices for some of the Classics.

 

[Damien]

I'm glad Masterverse is doing something different. But I'm not going to claim that they're some kind of state of the art, bleeding edge kind of figure line. I don't think Justice is saying that either, when he says "innovations". I think he's referring to stuff like Webstor and Merman's glass eyes, or swappable faces of someone like Man-E-Faces while retaining the original gimmick, or Snout Spout's fully articulated trunk. These are steps up from Classics, even if baby steps. But honestly, how much more is there to innovate with mass market figures? At least they're mass market! Available everywhere, not locked behind some online exclusivity or all or nothing club subscription.

I'm fine with saying they're doing cool things and making good figures. I've said as much myself. I do think words have to mean things, though. So my hackles maybe raise a little when I see the praise going too far. Masterverse figures are 99% bog-standard action figures circa 2016-2020. They're not even doing all the things current figures are doing, so I just don't understand the argument that they're innovative.

It's good that they're doing these things. They should be encouraged to continue. But they're not -innovating-. We can praise them without being dishonest in our praise. But I am more than happy to give them their laurels when it comes to doing a lot better than maybe they've done in the past.

Another thing to consider is…the awful photos that are taken of these figures…

If they got GIJOE:classified level support, I contend more people might be excited about it.


We might be talking about Masterverse Castle Grayskull by now

You really do have to hold them in person to appreciate them. Can I ask which was the last masterverse figure you purchased or even held in hand?

I'm not sure what photos have to do with anything? Although I totally agree that Mattel desperately needs to represent their products better if they want people excited to buy them. Also I have lots of Masterverse figures, including all the movie figures, I've had a good chunk of the Revelation/Revolution figures (including the newer BA He-Man) and a bunch others. I couldn't tell you which one is the newest because I don't keep track. And it's not particularly relevant.
Again, I'm concerned here that we're equating me saying they're not innovative with me saying they're not GOOD. These are different statements.

 

[Justice]

I'm fine with saying they're doing cool things and making good figures. I've said as much myself. I do think words have to mean things, though. So my hackles maybe raise a little when I see the praise going too far. Masterverse figures are 99% bog-standard action figures circa 2016-2020. They're not even doing all the things current figures are doing, so I just don't understand the argument that they're innovative.

It's good that they're doing these things. They should be encouraged to continue. But they're not -innovating-. We can praise them without being dishonest in our praise. But I am more than happy to give them their laurels when it comes to doing a lot better than maybe they've done in the past.

And you know what? You don't have to agree. I think they are innovative and that is the word I will use if I want to. This is why I didn't address you directly when you posed the question to me, because I knew it would lead to a back and forth argument about it and I'm just here to enjoy talking about toys I love.

 

[Damien]

And you know what? You don't have to agree. I think they are innovative and that is the word I will use if I want to. This is why I didn't address you directly when you posed the question to me, because I knew it would lead to a back and forth argument about it and I'm just here to enjoy talking about toys I love.

Okay? I'm not sure why you've decided to be defensive about this. Your use of the word innovative is inaccurate. You can use it and be wrong, in my estimation, if you want to. No one can stop you. I've gone out of my way to point out I think they're making good figures and I like them, I just don't feel that word has any relevance here unless they're doing something that's actually innovative. If I'd missed something or it leads to a conversation about what maybe they are doing that's innovative -- that's interesting and could be fun to talk about. You don't want to have that conversation? Don't.

But also, my response was at Norm, not you. It was clear you chose not to respond to me and that's fine. You didn't have to then and you don't have to now.

 

[Justice]

Okay? I'm not sure why you've decided to be defensive about this. Your use of the word innovative is inaccurate. You can use it and be wrong, in my estimation, if you want to. No one can stop you. I've gone out of my way to point out I think they're making good figures and I like them, I just don't feel that word has any relevance here unless they're doing something that's actually innovative. If I'd missed something or it leads to a conversation about what maybe they are doing that's innovative -- that's interesting and could be fun to talk about. You don't want to have that conversation? Don't.

But also, my response was at Norm, not you. It was clear you chose not to respond to me and that's fine. You didn't have to then and you don't have to now.

I'm referring to the post up top where you actually quoted part of my post where I said there were innovations. Now you are making me out to be dishonest because of a casual word choice I made and I don't appreciate it, at all. Should I not be defensive when you say I'm dishonest in my praise? I like the things they are doing and they are innovative to me. I don't think that's being dishonest.

 

[Damien]

I'm referring to the post up top where you actually quoted part of my post where I said there were innovations. Now you are making me out to be dishonest because of a casual word choice I made and I don't appreciate it, at all. Should I not be defensive when you say I'm dishonest in my praise? I like the things they are doing and they are innovative to me. I don't think that's being dishonest.

I see. It was the word 'dishonest' that got to you. Fair enough. That's not really how I intended it. I meant more in the sense of how hyperbole is dishonest. It's not malicious. It's just using a word that isn't accurate and therefore is implying something that isn't actually true, but with the intention of saying something that is less easy to quantify? Because, again, I do think it's important that words mean things and innovation has a meaning. Again, I just don't understand how that meaning applies here and I was more than happy to hear the counterpoint to that. (And until I hear a good point for why it does fit, I'm going to continue to say I think that's not accurate.)

Because, again, you're saying 'I like what they are doing' as if that has any relevance at all. So do I. So what? Liking what they're doing doesn't make them innovative. It's great that you like them. I do too.

If you don't want to have a conversation about what you think is innovative about them - you don't have to. But it doesn't make sense to get upset that I think that's nonsense but also refuse to expound on your position. You're not interested in that conversation. Why are we having it (but not really) then?

I'm fully aware my original post quoted you. You ignored me.
Norm responded and I responded to him. You could have continued to ignore me and stayed completely out of it. That's fine with me. Let me be very clear that this isn't me being passive-aggressive or anything like that. I am sincerely totally fine with you not wanting to have this conversation and just not having it. But if Norm wants to carry on and have it - I'm happy to do so because I think it's worthwhile. You don't have to agree that it's worthwhile. Or you can think it's worthwhile but not of interest to you. That's absolutely fine.