By the POWER of GRAYSKULL...
- Thread starter Norrin Radd
- Start date
Adam is a soldier and Skeletor is trying to eradicate magic? That's not right.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvfjkYXak7M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvfjkYXak7M
I was under the impression that Mattel created the basic premise and character designs(which would be where the minicomics with their different origins came in) and then went to Filmation to get them to create the show as a means of promotion. Filmation, in turn, had different ideas than the minicomic writers, and Mattel made some changes to reflect them.
I could be wrong.
As far as updates and making changes, I really feel the 2001/2/3 remake nailed it in terms of style and story.
I could be wrong.
As far as updates and making changes, I really feel the 2001/2/3 remake nailed it in terms of style and story.
No, that's not right. The toys were based on a failed Conan toy line, but the MOTU toys first went on sale in 1981, two years before the TV show premiered. There were mini-comics packaged with the toys, followed by a short-lived DC comics series, before the Filmation version. The mini-comics had a very different set of backstories for the toy characters, with He-Man being just a barbarian warrior, and with He-Man and Skeletor possessing two halves of a power sword which, when joined, would unlock the secrets of Castle Greyskull (a concept very similar to one used in Filmation's pre-MOTU series Blackstar). The characters of Adam, Randor, and Marlena debuted in the DC comic, but may have been originated by the folks developing the Filmation show; it's unclear who came up with them first.
I first became aware of the MOTU characters in a series of comic strip/advertisements appearing in the newspaper's Sunday comics page. I remember the characters and milieu being distinctly different from what I saw in the Filmation show once it came along some time later. (In particular, Teela was really different. The toy/minicomic version had this hideous cobra-themed helmet and breastplate. Filmation ditched that altogether in favor of a character design that was basically Princess Aura from their Flash Gordon series, but with an up do and a more modest costume.)
My thanks too for the correction. I read that (what I'd posted) somewhere, and assumed since Filmation (and whoever owned them) got a cut of the profits from the toy line that they originated most of what became the MOTU background.
^^Well, yeah, Filmation did create a lot of what's now accepted as the MOTU background. I'm simply saying that they didn't create the toy line. The toys existed with a different, more Conan-like background for a couple of years before Filmation (and maybe DC Comics) codified the mythos we know today. Much like how Superman was initially a hard-edged vigilante who could jump far but not fly and worked as Clark Kent for the Daily Star.
I, for one, always liked the idea that He-Man and Skeletor had two halves of the same sword that together could unlock Grayskull. Had they actually shown this, it would have made (more) sense if they'd retaken the second sword and given it to Adora when she became She-Ra
Of course on the Mike Young remake series, they actually did show this (minus the Adora part) but the toy designers operated under the assumption that it was a sequel when redesigning the characters and gave Skeletor both halves and gave He-Man a new techie anime-inspired sword that was to have been made by Man-at-Arms to replace the older sword. Then, when it was decided this wasn't a sequel, it was a remake, they ended up having to keep the redesigns from the toys.
If you look at the two swords that Skeletor regularly uses on that show, you will notice they lock together and that one of them looks a lot like the old Power Sword.
Of course on the Mike Young remake series, they actually did show this (minus the Adora part) but the toy designers operated under the assumption that it was a sequel when redesigning the characters and gave Skeletor both halves and gave He-Man a new techie anime-inspired sword that was to have been made by Man-at-Arms to replace the older sword. Then, when it was decided this wasn't a sequel, it was a remake, they ended up having to keep the redesigns from the toys.
If you look at the two swords that Skeletor regularly uses on that show, you will notice they lock together and that one of them looks a lot like the old Power Sword.
In regards to the mini-comics and the toyline continuity and storyline I was glad to see this old site was still running, you might find this of interest.
http://www.he-man.org/primary_sects/comics/html/mini_comics/motu/index.shtml
http://www.he-man.org/primary_sects/comics/html/mini_comics/motu/index.shtml
But Filmation had just done that same gimmick on Blackstar, so it's just as well that they didn't repeat themselves. There were enough similarities between Blackstar and He-Man as it was.
If they bring back Frank Langella as Skeletor, then I'm already sold. 