Here’s an interesting tidbit. DeviantArt artist Noxious1 has posted this Masters of the Universe Classics art, evidently commissioned by Mattel for use in an internal presentation. Later in the comments, he writes:
It was for internal presentation uses. I was basically commissioned to take the characters and their designs from the newly released “Classics” line and make them (and I quote) “BADASS” so I tried and I think it turned out pretty swell. If it were up to me I would redesign most everyone but for these costumes I got to do what I wanted with them. Very pleased with the outcome 🙂
So here’s my question…why did Mattel want to make MOTUC “badass”…? Please begin speculating wildly…NOW.
Edit: Lemonjuice McGee makes a good point–this may have been part of a pitch to a potential licensing partner. Perhaps they’re trying to interest THQ (or the brand managers and THQ are trying to interest Mattel higher-ups) in a MOTUC videogame?
Lemonjuice_McGee
Wild guess? To pick up more licensing partners by giving their reps more ideas when shilling the brand for games, movies, and whatnot.
Mountain-man
For the kids, of course!
Mecha-Shiva
Didn't they do badass in MYP already?Awesome pic BTW.Not really digging Skelly's underbite,tho.
Nik
Considering a new toon or comic could be the only reason I would think of. But its possible they just wanted a nice new presentation piece with a bit of "wow" factor.
Poe
@Lemonjuice_McGee: Y'know, you may be right–this may have been part of a pitch to Mattel execs to sell them on a THQ-produced MOTUC videogame.
Dead Man Walking
Kinda cool art, but if they wanted "BADASS," HELLO, the 4H could do that. Tell me staction Hordak, Clawful, and Snout Spout aren't badass.
Damien
I don't like to be down on anyone's art but that pic just looks mostly like an even more stylized version of the 200x characters.
Oh, and He-Man is WAY too huge, as is his comically-oversized sword.
As a presentation piece.. meh. But I certainly hope that isn't the art direction a potential video game or cartoon goes in.
Either way, I'd love to find out what the presentation material was for.
Nicholai
I'd wager Mattel is weighing how much of the success of MOTUC is due to fans online and if there are more people out there interested in MOTU if they broadened out to a new cartoon, comic, or video game. Comic seems like an easy sell considering the crossover appeal to comic fans, plus Mattel already has an existing relationship with DC Comics. They've got to be weighing the success of MOTUC and the seeming renewed interest in the property against the relative failure of MOTU 200x.
Fengschwing
That's the coolest that Buzz Off has ever looked.
Leonardo T Dragon
@Mecha-Shiva:
My thoughts exactly on the MYP version. It was the first time I was ever able to look at the MoTU characters and take them seriously.
FakeEyes22
Definitely nice art. I thought that style had beeb retired, badabing!
dayraven
@FakeEyes22: channeling your michael steele puppet?
i have to say, even if you're using this as a pitch to someone else, can't they easily see that the toys being offered are of a completely different style than this picture? like, if i'm THQ, i'd have to ask, "would you want the game to look like this, or the toys in 3D? cuz i'm not sure kids would recognize that these are the same characters if they aren't being told that directly." at least, that's what i'd ask, before i started thousands of hours of 3D modeling and rendering.
RocketPunch
If Mattel are trying to pitch MOTUC to new people, they should just use the vintage poster and box art by the likes of Rudy Obrero and Earl Norem.
The vintage art is far more "badass", and does a much better job of representing how the characters look in the Classics line. That's the style they should be going for.
FakeEyes22
RocketPunch has got a point there.
Try all you want, a bee guy is going to be at least kinda silly, but the vintage paintings had a certain quality absent from most MOTU artwork: Atmosphere.
Mark
@FakeEyes22: I agree, the vintge paintings were amazing. Wverytime I think of Eternia I think of all old box art.
Heli
Add me to the list that's baffled by the 200X-ness of this art. I'm surprised He-Man isn't sporting the techno Power Sword.
Mark
Regardless of my nostalgic love for the old show and toys, the 200X designs were better.
Reverend Ender
They must have gone into anaphylactic shock when they saw all this anime hyper-detail.
Thomas B
i love my org fellows but the whole thread where this was shown, and one of the last podcasts, feels like sours grapes at times.
"wha?!?!?! Mattel did not hire us and we are fans and they hired this guy off the street. His work sucks and ours would be better"
It sucks that I wrote that but it 'feels' like it to me.
FakeEyes22
@Thomas B
It doesn't suck that you wrote that at all. I cab definitely see how folks at the .org seem to feel some kind of ridiculous entitlement to do work like this for Mattel.
I know it's not really the case for the most part, it just feels that way when you've got so many like-minded passionate fans sounding off in a single thread who love and support some really great talent over there. Your impression is valid to me, and I think some people feel the way that you stated. To be fair, the .org is an incredibly valuable resource of artists who know their stuff. Maybe Mattel intentionally wanted a perspective outside of fandom for this? The idea of getting a "badass" interpretation seems odd to me given the way they've been trying to form a unified consistency to the brand's look.
MegaGearX
@Thomas B:
The .org not only has professionals, but industry professionals who not only are die-hard fans who would happily work on this stuff for free. It's a constant question as it would seem that utilizing FREE professional talent would be a no-brainer. CAPCOM uses it's professional fans. So does Hasbro. Why not Mattel?
Oh, and only 3 of those 12 characters are 200X designs. He-Man is the classic He-Man. People see artwork, but aren't really looking.
Mark
@MegaGearX: There is 4. Skeletor, Buzz Of, Trapjaw and Webstor.
thomas
@MegaGearX:
don't get me wrong when i call people fans instead of professionals. they can be both. I know we have MANY talented and gifted professionals at the org. i DO think it is very dumb of Mattel NOT to use such a wealth of talented people especially since they keep telling us how 'limited and small' the budget of MOTUC is.
Creature E
@MegaGearX:
I like Roast Gooble Dinner and listen to it whenever it comes out, but I don't know how anyone could spend the better part of a year passive-aggressively shitting all over Scott Neitlich via podcast and then be surprised when he doesn't want to hire them for work like this, for free or not (assuming Neitlich's the one who commissioned it).
The he-man.org guys all seem nice, and I know they're talented, but in Scott Neitlich's shoes I'd cheerfully tell them to go f*** themselves at this point.
dlia
If we do get a MOTU video game then its good for the longevity of the license and of course Classics itself.
As far as "bad ass" goes, wasn't 200X supposed to be the more modern "bad ass" version of 80's MOTU? I won't go into any other particulars, but it certainly is a lot more serious in tone and the fights are much more epic. Actually I prefer 200X "hyper anime" compared to Bandai's new animated Thundercats. You don't see any "cute" and "cuddly" looking 200X characters. Much more serious and refined without looking like Pokemon.
Mark
@dlia: Okay Snarf 2011 looks a bit Pokemon-ish but what about Odiphus. 😉
Dr. Colonel
@Creature E – I admit that I've never listened to the podcasts but I've read a lot of ToyGuru's posts over at the org. You want passive aggressive, check out what he has to say. Frankly some of his posts seem like libel against Val and Emiliano. Considering what Mattel legal has put them through and the outright lies being told about them, if they seem passive agressive in the podcast then they are models of restraint.
dlia
Just wanted to add as far possible systems for the game go. If they do portable then definitely Nintendo 3DS but the Sony NGP (PSP2) is also an excellent platform. Playstation 3 graphics in the palm of you're hand and many times more powerful than 3DS.
And if the window for development is still several years away from release, Microsoft has a rumored Xbox portable in the making. The next gen Xbox 360/720 might be hitting around the same time as well. Much earlier than the PS4.
globaldominationmach
REALLY not trying to be a dick, here. the art is solid but i don't see the "bad ass" of it at all.
i remember seeing some re-imagined motuc a while back from marko djurdjevic where evil-lyn had a huge scar running up her torso. skeletor was ultra effeminate while still looking evil as hell. bald fisto was in there. he-man was kinda emo-looking(he was the only one that wasn't "bad-ass").
look it up. some cool looking shit.