The Rise and Fall (and fall and fall) of Masters of the Universe at retail and how it was reinvented
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ย. 2024
- Scott ToyGuru Neitlich talks about the history of the Masters of the Universe brand and how it went from the best selling brand in Mattel's portfolio to the clearness bins almost overnight. How it reinvented itself after multiple failures ("did not meet sales expectations") and found a new home with adult collectors.
I still remember Christmas 1984 when apparently none of the adults in my life communicated beforehand resulting in me getting three Cobra Khan's that year.
Three! That is an army of water squirting action figure fun
😂😂😂
I would have been so happy.
@@spectorcreative1872 I put Kool aide in mine. It was red and it tastes good. Jeez he still sprays.
As a 40-year-old, I'm considerably out of touch with kids, toys and tends, but I have this impression that toys/figures just aren't as popular now as they once were. I know when the Nintendo came out, it almost completely redefined how me and my friend's played. Granted, we still played outside a lot and didn't neglect toys completely, but aside from Legos (which I would argue have a much broader age appeal than 7-13), most physical toys took a backseat. And that was back in the early 90s. We were hybrids; grew up on toys for first 5-7 years, then began transitioning to sports and video games.
Now there are several generations of consoles and decades of cartoons that haven't exactly been production-friendly. I've definitely lost my childhood imagination, but I look at the popular cartoons (excluding anime) that have been produced, and none of them really lend themselves to the immersive interaction between mediums. And even those that are, like the new She-Ra, are rife with divisive content. I know there were some parents out there like my mom who frowned on the sorcery and witchcraft presented in shows like He-Man, but there was nothing really controversial or agenda-driven in the content. They were, as you said, elaborate commercials with a primary goal of appealing to as many kids as possible. Heck, they even had little blurbs at the end that tried to tie the episode's plot to a moral lesson of some kind (with varying degrees of success).
For the most part, kids are drawn to certain things instinctually. A character inspires or fascinates them, and they aspire to imitate through make-believe. I don't think the cartoons of today are very inspirational. He-Man and She-Ra were adults. Grown-ups who championed simple traits like honesty and courage. Many shows today feature kids and teens that act like kids and teens. Well and good, but hardly inspirational. And instead of trying to nurture concepts like truth and compassion, the shows try to paint everything in a drab shade of gray. Nothing is really right, no one is really wrong--villains are actually good people who are misunderstood and good guys are defined by whatever social agenda is trending at the time. It's a murky puddle of goo that's too simplistic for adults and too abstract for kids.
Concepts like good and evil may indeed be infused with a great deal of nuance, but that's for kids to discover as they grow and mature. Simple tales of good fighting evil, heroes holding true to core values--and doing so as figures of authority and distinction--provides a very strong foundation to build a toy line on. Those are elements kids can relate to, even if the real world ultimately complicates, twists, and mangles them later on.
But I digress.
While I think your success with the collector's line shows that there is indeed a strong market for adults who want to add to and revive their childhood memories (there is a whole generation of 80s/90s kids with a lotta love for the classics), I don't know that there is any marketable show with the draw and appeal of the cartoons that helped to drive sales. And while I would love to have figures from my childhood faithfully reproduced, I don't know that they would capture the imagination of today's youths.
I agree that there's nothing like owning and holding a toy, but video games are kind of a combination of the shows and playtime. The controller is a poor substitute for a figure, but it does provide a connection (and, obviously, control) to and with a protagonist. That control is combined with amazing images and scenarios that have a more obvious draw than a static figure in a package. Not to mention that many parents are going to buy things that keep their kids occupied, and video games are more of a sure thing than a kid's imagination.
All that to say, this was a fascinating video that really blows my mind. Until recently, I always thought of MOTU as the gold standard of toys--the dynasty that only went away because....everything goes away at some point. Right? Very interesting to find out what the adults were doing while I was seeing He-Man slowly disappear from shelves.
I just wonder if He-Man and shows/toys of the same ilk were just the right product and marketing at the right time. Even if a toy company created a cadre of engaging characters that kids could really look up to, and produced a solid show with anime-level visuals, and managed to create a really good toy line to go along with it...would it get the same results? Or has too much of the market been engaged/ensnared by games that can be easily accessed on a multitude of platforms at an early age?
Great comments and thank you so much for articulating your argument so well. And I do think you are correct. Th original MOTU was just the right toy line in the right place at the right time, A big reason it is hard to get it going again to kids.
Scott you have to be beyond proud to be part of the classics line. It's still held in such high regards in the Motu community to this very day also you're so lucky to have Your face on the head sculps for one of the palace guards what an honor. Great work as always Scott.
I really am! And having "finished" the vintage line in Classics is one of the proudest accomplishments I have been given the opportunity to have. And here I thought King Grayskull was the only MOTU items I would ever do!
I just started collecting the Origins line... I'd MUCH rather collect the Classics line but I'd have to take out a second mortgage to afford those ebay prices. Haha !
And don't get me wrong... I LOVE the fact that so many other people want these figures, that it's caused a high demand / high price. I still may start collecting them one day.
But yes Scott, I agree... you did a fantastic job.
I appreciate the care you put into producing these vids. The Johnny Matthis reference was hilarious and the MOTU hieroglyphics were awesome.
For more hieroglyphics, check out "doodling with purpose" on this very channel! Highly recommended.
New fave channel looping regularly on my tv when I’m playing with my toys, cleaning room, napping, and when I’m working. Having near-complete collections of MOTU Classics and DC Universe Classics, the insights shared here make my collections even more special. Thank you, Spector!
Welcome to the channel Happi. ;-)
First, I just wanted to say thank you for starting this channel Scott. I've very much enjoyed watching your videos. I've only recently discovered the channel and have been working my way through all of the videos chronologically. That said, I just finished watching this video and wanted to chime in.
Honestly, the failure of Masters of the Universe can be placed squarely on the shoulders of Mattel over the years. There is no reason why Masters of the Universe shouldn't and can't be relevant still today. The problem is that Mattel has consistently failed to keep reinventing MOTU throughout the years. I don't mean completely reinventing the wheel either. I mean reinventing itself in terms of style and form factor. That is the MAJOR thing that brands like Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Power Rangers have absolutely gotten right. They continuously reinvent themselves to reintroduce them to newer generations. Not just in the way of new toys but new media as well. MOTU has never truly been given those chances.
At the first sign that the line was struggling in the 80's they pulled the plug. Rather than try to ride out the storm and try to correct the ship, Mattel tucked tail and ran. Then returned some 3 years later with an absolutely inferior product in the New Adventures toyline and cartoon. It did introduce some interesting concepts and characters from a fan's perspective BUT it failed with kids. At that point, Mattel basically gave up on He-Man for the next 11 years. Therein, lies the problem. Rather than try again, Mattel tucked tail and rain again. Rather than try to reinvent using the original concept, they let it die. It didn't stay relevant to kids. No media. No toys. Nothing.
Then Mattel finally tries again with media and a new toyline. The media was PHENOMENAL! The toys were amazingly sculpted and detailed. The HUGE problem was once again on Mattel's shoulders. Mattel failed to put out the product that people actually wanted. They wanted the secondary characters but they were never out on the pegs. The pegs were clogged to the brim with He-Man and Skeletor variants that weren't moving. In addition, Mattel should have stepped in when Cartoon Network started screwing around with the time slot. They should have done SOMETHING to get Cartoon Network to put the show on at a regular day and time. Instead, they allowed Cartoon Network to move it all over the place and thus became lost. Once again, Mattel tucked tail and ran.
Classics was a dream come true as a lifelong fan and collector of MOTU. Mattel did a pretty good job with allowing you to run Classics. It had it's share of mistakes BUT it produced, IMO, the definitive MOTU toyline. Where Mattel failed on this, they killed the line. They brought in folks to replace you that didn't give a damn about the brand then they handed it off to Super 7.
Now, here we are with Origins. For all intents and purposes, I love Origins. It brings in a wave of nostalgia for me. However, I have this gut feeling that at the first sign of trouble Mattel is going to cut and run again.
You mentioned in the "Who Owns MOTU" video that there is a possibility that Hasbro could produce MOTU toys in the next 3 years or so. I wonder if they wouldn't try harder to keep MOTU alive? I wonder if they wouldn't try harder to keep reinventing MOTU and keep it in the public eye with refreshes on media and toys?
Bottom line, Mattel is to blame for MOTU not being more relevant than it is. They should have kept reinventing it. They shouldn't have kept letting it just die. TMNT, Transformers, and Power Rangers have never been allowed to leave the public eye. Constantly reinventing while sticking to the core concepts. MOTU could be that way too. With the right management. With the right commitment. With the right people in charge that understand and love the brand. People that understand the core, underlying concepts. The concepts are timeless. There's no reason MOTU can't be successful today or in any other future generation.
I would love to hear your thoughts in a future video on why Mattel has consistently failed to reinvent MOTU and keep it relevant the way these other brands have.
Oh I am not disagreeing at all. The vintage line could have been "saved" had Mattel kept the original He-Man, Man At Arms, Skeletor, and Teela/Beastman on shelf. New Adventures should have kept the same scale and 200X needed clear time slot and better case packs.
For Origins I am concerned because their is very little kid promotions and they are counting on "dad" seeing the toys and wanting to share with their kids. But that overall is limiting as you are only counting on the pool of dads that A: like MOTU and B are willing to buy the toy for their kids.
Imo, the MAIN reason kids couldn't get into MOTU in 2002? Anime had taken over. He Man was old news in 2002. Sure, it looks kickass to us now, but the leaner design didn't make him look like any kind of 'He-Man and nobody I knew back in school liked the change.
At the time, kids would have rather bought a toy of Goku, Voltron or Spike Spiegel, than He Man.
Clearly the show did not hit for kids and many factors contributed.
I dunno. In the early 00s anime was still not on top of the market. Sure you'd had some big breakout hits like Dragonball Z, Pokemon and Naruto, but domestic shows still had a massive audience. Saturday morning cartoons were on the way out but look at all of the hit shows nickelodeon put out during that time frame. The winds of change had begun to blow but the storm was just beginning, and imo new He-Man could still have been a hit if things had come together correctly, regardless of anime's existence.
Plus Marvel Legends had just launched with its 20 point of articulation figures.
Also the new adventures of he-man were disappointing.
At least for a fan off the original series.
I were thinking: "Look how they massacred my boy, he can not even overwhelm a bull anymore."
I'm learning more than I knew when this stuff was still on the shelves. Great vids
Glad you like the content! Share with others, it helps a ton
I know as a kid, I was totally turned off with wave 5 in 1986. I remember seeing them in the stores and thinking these look nothing like MOTU action figures. I almost bought Snout Spout though.
Well he is a robotic elephant.
@@spectorcreative1872 Hahaha, indeed!
Very professional of Scott to skip over how quickly mattel dumped classics once the employees saw how much work it was going to be... not to mention some public break downs of one of the managers of the line on the mattycollector forums. Thanks for putting up with the fans for as long as you did! Also I'd love to hear a video about the death threats and how mattel handled them one day it kind of seems wild but I remember when it was happening.
Anyway... classics is my definitive motu line. I may buy in to the multiverse line depending on its compatibility but to me I don't need origins. With that said, I have a son who is 15 months and I've been buying the origins figures to keep on card for him until he is a little bit older. Since he will be growing up around all of my collectibles and watching the cartoons I want to make sure he has access to the toys if he wants them.
Well I certainly do hope your son falls in love with MOTU in any form.
All worth it in the name of toys!
There’s a reason why the ninja turtles line, despite having tons of random mutants who never appeared on the show, kept putting out alternate versions of the turtles.
Keeping the main characters out there is so important. SW does this well in some years.
Not only that, but the original versions of the main characters (including Splinter and Shredder, who never really saw any variant versions except for the movie tie-ins) could still be found well into the 90s.
The thing that bugged me about the He-Man and The Masters Of The Universe line, after 1982 it was near impossible to find the original He-Man figure in stores. You could find Tee-la and just about any other figure and I think you could find Skeletor,but the only He-Man I saw in stores was the Thunder-Punch He-Man,which I ended up getting one used at a yard sale. In fact I got a bunch of MOTU figures used at yard sales. I remember getting Tee-la,The Sorceress, Orco and King Hiss brand new at retail. Then my parents gave me Rio-Blast as an Easter basket gift. Never had Battlecat or Panthor,but did have Snake Mountain and later got a used Castle Greyskull,but it had none of the accessories or floors.
Exactly. No one wants to start their collection with anyone but He-Man. (more or less)
I think collectors have become more and more important at mass retail. Kids don’t buy Marvel Legends, Black Series Star Wars or CHUG Transformers, but those lines sell very well.
Anyway, appreciate the insight. Classics was a beautiful line and did well because the people doing seemed to have a love for the brand. I always thought it could have sold more at a wider release and lower price point, but the subscription thing and the cost of the figures always made me and a lot of others hesitant to jump in
Collectors are important, but still, 80% of sales are to kids/giftgivers even on lines like Marvel Legends or Black Series which on the surface feel like they are collector only. I was surprised too, but I've seen the data at multiple toy companies.
Kids now only want phones and games.
@@spectorcreative1872 MOTU is still immensely popular in many countries. As much as I want a great, new He-Man show, it HAS to be for kids and the toys have to be cheap. They can't be selling new He-Man toys at the same cost as Marvel Legends if they want it to be a hit for a new generation again.
I'm 45 y.o. and I still love these toys, it's a brilliant brand and always will be. I have to agree, though, that some of the latter designs were not brilliant.
Very much so
I wish you had a million subscribers man. I can listen to you talk for hours. There were classic He-man toys at my baby sitter's house. Great learning about the backstory.
Well share this video with others it helps the channel a ton!!!
Brilliant video, Scott! Nice and lengthy too! :) Enjoyed it a lot!
Glad you liked it! Tell your friends.
Masters was for me the best way to Play and i was always going to friends the was have more Figures ,it was the BEST Time in my Live !!!!
For many of us it was and still is!
MOTU is a great range and it’s a shame Mattel really screwed up with it. I love that Hasbro have nurtured and stood by Transformers. Mattel, as soon as things get a bit rough they just bail.
I cry every night
It will be interesting to see how Origins does. Once adult fans have gobbled up what they want I wonder if kids will be very interested?
I think some kids would love the concept and ideas , but the big question is if the marketing for them will be successful or not. I mean It capture some kids during the early 90's and the 2000's with new adventures and 200x but It didn't become as Big as It was during the 80's . Although not everything is lost , lots of people who remember he man come back as collectors once them grow up , or just love the concept ar first sigth
There wont be nothing left for them to get not till 2021 at least
Time will tell!
I’m ecstatic I came across your channel! I was always very happy that the person in charge during your time was not just somebody who was just experienced but Fan as well!
Welcome. Tell you friends!
Spector Creative understandably I was disappointed when you moved on, but of course I berry much understood why.
You should never have left. We still have a bunch of NA that needs being done.
In some alternate reality maybe I didn't! Thanks for the kind words.
@Spectre Creative - I wish I would have realized your identity earlier in the video! It gave me a whole new perspective on your views!
Well thanks! I should put myself in more of these videos probably. Or at least in the thumb nails.
Honestly Had DC figured out what to do with The Masters of The Universe, they could've lasted longer and probably played a bigger role in said continuity
Likely. But hey. Time travel and all.
@@spectorcreative1872 if i was doing something with The Masters of The Universe, I would've tied them closely to The New Gods
Thanks for these videos Scott. I have been listening to these while rearranging my MOTUC collection. All things considered it was a great run and I hope it can see the light of day again.
I hope so too!
Great video, I really appreciated the insight. I'm praying for the success of origins because I think its a really cool toy line that has both kids and us adult collectors in mind, though its still trying to find its footing in that middle ground. But I do sincerely hope it does. Hopefully the new media coming to netflix will help it out a lot with the kids market.
Another great way to keep it going is to really double down on its "customization" gimmick. If Mattel releases weapons, armor, and even body part packs in various colors or themes (much like the WWE create a super star line Mattel did a while ago, but with even more color variety) then it would appeal to creative kids, customizers, and collectors looking to make their own unique or generic MOTU characters. Then they wouldn't have to just focus on the story and characters of MOTU (which not many kids even know or care about right now), and have a "create your own action figure" gimmick to fall back on. Maybe even throw some parts in as a nod to create some of the old KO remco style figures to appeal to adults as well lol.
I"m hoping origins does well too! I want an Origins Spector. (fat chance I know)
I love your ideo about customization packs and such. Unfortunately, I think a lot of fans treat these toys lines and characters too preciously.
Fans turn stories into "official canon" and become the Pharisees of their new religion. They don't want anything that isn't explained and fit into "official" storyline.
If fans watched Spector Creative's videos, they'd learn how characters are created, adapted, and changed over time. They aren't Sacred Cows to the creators, but to many fans, the stories and characters are sacred cows now. (Remember the reactions to "The Last Jedi"!)
It's silly, but I suppose humans do have some predisposition for religious tendencies, and we're seeing them acted out in many new ways now that old religions are losing their grip.
Thanks for great videos you've made and thanks again for bringing back Masters of the universe as collectors toys and masses of the universe classics they brought back a special part of my childhood
You are most welcome and I am so grateful for you for taking the time to comment. Any reposts of videos is also always appreciated.
Very informative. I love being able to peer into the behind the scenes of my favorite toy line. I can't believe you don't have a million subs, but here's to the future.
Well any help sharing these videos with others does help a lot and is most appreciated.
@@spectorcreative1872 I hear you on sharing. My wife, Both Veterans, her 20 years, still in. Me retired. and I run a small 300+ channel on writing for my upcoming book. I would figuratively kill to have numbers like you.
you said the problem without realizing it. that 2000s cartoon aired on Cartoon NETWORK. when the original cartoon aired there was no such thing and cartoons were either on Saturday morning or in HEMan on afternoons after school. There was no such thing as a whole network devoted to cartoons. when cable channels started airing cartoons non stop it was like a glut and shows couldn't stand out as there was so much content on air.
Very valid points!
I was always disappointing that Mattel didn't put more money and resources into Matty Collector. I know you did it on top of everything else (and I am thankful as I love MOTUC). But looking at where our economy in general is moving more online and adult collector markets being a recognized group to focus on, I am surprised that no one thought "If we can dominate this market now, where will it grow in ten years time". I realize it was never a big sales point compared to Barbie or Hot Wheels, and I am guessing that wherever the profit is today is where money goes tomorrow. It just feels like no one realized the full potential for a future online market.
I think in a lot of ways MC was ahead of its time (i.e. Hasbro Haslab). Mattel is set up to do mass toys at retail. Anything that is outside this mold tends to be more difficult to get through.
So, this video has been allowed to have the dust settle by this point and I'd like to hear your thoughts:
You mentioned that Origins needs the child consumer audience to keep the line going. At this point, it seems the main focus of Origins is collectors. Would you say the line is able to continue because of two other MOTU lines at retail also focused at kids? The Netflix show seems to have mixed success at best. Would you think the show's success/failure determines whether or not Origins continues? We've just seen Eternia crowdfunded with a runaway success (aimed at collectors, not children). Would be safe to say that collectors have been and are able to support a line like Origins, generally speaking?
Thanks for all you do, Scott! Look forward to hearing from ya!
I've been watching these videos you've been doing about MOTU and have been happily entertained with new info and nostalgia alike. I owned a lot of the figures/vehicles/playsets as a kid in the 80s including castle grayskull, frightzone, and snake mountain (the mic always sounded like a creepy metallic echo and not a real mic, lol).
I just have to ask if you could ever do a video about certain characters of the classics line like He-Ro II (He Mans son) He seems to be a hodgepodge from the toyline of the NA He-Man from '89 (The blue pants, armor and head sculpt are very similar)
Thanks again and keep bringing us MOTU fans these great videos
Oh I will get to Dare, not to worry. And looking at getting a better mic!
I adored He-Man and the Masters of the Universe but it dropped so hard in the late Eighties that when I eventually saw a couple of New Adventures toys in the corner of a shop, I actually thought they were rip-offs. It was shocking when I heard they were genuine.
Yeah the NA stuff certainly did not look like a motu toy compared to the originals. That did not help things
@@spectorcreative1872 True. The funny thing is, after hearing what you said about modern vs eighties heroes, I have to wonder if the New Adventures would have worked better in place of the 200X reboot.
Speaking as someone who grew up with He-Man, I can say that I loved when New Adventures came out. He-Man was back, but different, but that's okay because its still He-Man. So I wanted anything and everything. I loved the electronic power sword so much. I loved the one that just lit up as well because it looked more like the version that came with the toy and in the cartoon. I was honestly a little confused when the sword in the mini-comic looked like the electronic power sword toy instead of how it actually looked with the figure, but I guess that was some miscommunication somewhere. I will say that you are right in that part of the reason it didn't do well is because all those favorite characters were replaced. The story gives a reason for it, but still, you want to see Man-At-Arms, Teela, Beast Man, and others. I guess you could chalk it up as a learning experience. Times change and so do the interests of kids which is why 200X didn't fair as well at all of us original MOTU fans had hoped it would. I remember seeing all the variants of He-Man and Skeletor and I did buy a few, but I mainly wanted those classic characters. I remember finding the Castle Grayskull playset at a Tuesday Morning shortly after the series was cancelled, and I got it for way less than it was originally sold for, and I still have it to this day. Its the display piece behind all of my MOTU Classics figures, even though they don't quite fit. Matty Collector was huge for me, but it came at a time when I wasn't doing so hot financially so I couldn't take full advantage of it, but still, I loved that they were available. I always said I wished I could go back in time and give myself MOTUC He-Man as a kid because even back then I was more in favor of articulation than gimmicks. I do hope the Origins line does well and continues to do well so that we see more of our favorite figures, vehicles, and playsets from the past done with modern technology.
Well their is a lot more New Adventures video to come. I just recorded Icarius for mid January. Stay tuned.
I never got into New Adventures because it switched networks... but the 'Scale' of the NA Figures is what really turned me off the corresponding toy line... had they remained in scale I think I and Many would have kept up with the toys even if the 'Narrative' was interrupted...
@@TJ52359 They sort of fixed that later on with the release of different styles of He-Man figure. I remember I lost the accessories to one of them and ended up using an old MOTU harness I had and it fit perfectly. The main issue I had with the toy line at first was that the handle broke off He-Man's sword really easily. Looking at the show now, its not so bad on its own, but Skeletor often steals the show.
Glad you put blame on Cartoon Network which used to pre-empt and bounce the show all over. It seemed like Cartoon Network wanted to kill the show because it wasn't Powder Puff or one of their other subpar shows. Kids need a consistent time slot otherwise they lose interest. They aren't going to seek out scheduling.
Yeah it was hard to know when the show was on!
@@spectorcreative1872 yes it certainly was. Very frustrating. Keep up the great work on these videos. Quickly becoming my go to for TH-cam entertainment.
PPG kicked ass, but I see what you mean. CN didn't quite like any show that wasn't made in-house. This also lead to the fall of CN.
@@SylentEcho That's a pretty unfair assessment. Going by their treatment of Genndy Tartakovsky, Rebecca Sugar, Ian Jones-Quartey, etc. they don't like shows made in-house either.
Question for you Scott, where the numbers not good enough to do re issues for a lot of figures made just once? The harder to get figures or exclusives. I understand you needed to have the subscription to be able to purchase some...Did you guys ever have a plan to re issue some of the highly sought after figures years down the road and just adding the yellow “original” burst?
You guys did an amazing job on the classics line. your channel is awesome too.
Correct. When we did a second run, they production units sat and cost money to store.
come 2022 and now almost 2023, and so much Masters in retail!!
I like Origins so far. I don't know if kids are buying but even if they aren't, it's been nice to get some new product on the shelves. And even in a short time, we are getting a good amount of characters. I can't complain too much. We are getting new products, and new netflix shows. Better than nothing.
Well lets hope kids get into it, I want this line to continue
During the original run in the 80's a big problem was that the new characters introduced in the show weren't being offered as figures and some of the new figures that were coming out had no representation in the cartoon. Whereas with G.I.JOE they had timed the release of new toys and their cartoon appearances to coincide with one another so that kids could find the new product on shelves that they were just watching.
For 200x a main problem not discussed was the extremely poor distribution of the product. The cartoon was fantastic but as you mentioned, couldn't be found because of cartoon network's erratic scheduling. The toy line died primarily because the case packs were awful and caused an abundance of peg warmers to clog the shelves.
Classics were fantastic and it was a shame to see the line end just because Mattel wanted to force fans to buy this new Origins crap. Super7 was doing a great job carrying the torch for Classics and there is no logical reason for them to not be allowed to continue doing so.
I guess the new Masterverse figures will be what Classics collectors will be going after next in hopes of somehow continuing the line but I don't expect it to be any better than Mattel's previous poor distribution choices at mass retail. I highly doubt they will but I hope that they sell full set packs to online retailers that allow collectors to just preorder the full lineup without having to stalk retail locations in hopes of finding the one or two characters that scalpers will certainly always go after.
I remember always wanting to see guys like Extendar, Dragstor and even Scareglow on the cartoon, but they never put new toys on after a certain point.
I am very curious to see what Masterverse is. My guess is the figures will be styled to look like the new Netflix series, but who knows! Well Mattel I guess....
@@spectorcreative1872 My understanding is that is the case. They will look like the Revelations characters but will also throw us (Classics collectors) a bone here and there to fill holes in the line.
Awesome video, man. You give a lot great info on the toy world.
Glad you enjoyed! Share with your friends.
Great video!! Thanks for the info
Glad you enjoyed. Tell your friends!
great video, I know it's way too early as nothing but some shadowing figure out lines have been showed but Mattel announced the Masterverse line of MOTU at Powercon and that it is coming next summer. They say it is going to be aimed at the adult collector and on the shelf at retail next to the origins line, sort of the MOTU version of Marvel Legends I'd guess. When they release more info on this I'll love to hear your thoughts on it.
They likely can't release more info because those details aren't done yet. The last thing you want to do is announce XX figure or feature is coming and then for that to change. This is why toy companies usually wait until a figure is close to production to announce it so that what they are announcing is what is actually going to come to market.
I loved the first line especially with the first four comic books . I loved the art and story in those first four comic books.
I subsribed to Masters of the Universe Magazine . we had the Castle and Point Dread and Snake Mountain . Our local Toy Store burnt down sometime in the mid 1980s so trips to toy stores became less frequent after that sadly. I loved the Land Shark vehicle and we did get the Triceratops rider. i never got Roton . I wondered why they never made the flying robot henchmen of Skeletor as a figure. when the Live action movie came out I was perturbed that the Sorceress had crystals on her outfit instead of feathers. I didn't like the 2002? cartoon . they made adam wimpy and turned him buff when he changed which doesn't make sense and is ripoff of Shazam and Space Ace video game. In the 1983? cartoon Adam was buff but pale and the electricity toned his skin cells and imbued him with energy that could be transferred into strength. so that show made sense whereas the newer cartoon didn't electricity can't build muscle mass. getting back to the original line I liked Moss Man and Buzzoff and Clawful and Whiplash and Stinkor I liked the Evil Horde I don't think we got the Fright zone but we did get Battlebones.
Nothing will outdo the original line!
I hated the wacky Skeletor variety but years later when they called that variant Disco Skeletor now he's one of my favorite
Check this out: th-cam.com/video/m9mV_VyPBm0/w-d-xo.html
I`m fan of Masters of the Universe by heart. I don`t care if its popular or not. I love MotU.
And that is how it should be about everything we love! Heck, my favorite comic book is one of the lowest selling comics of all time.
The reason the classics was successful is because they looked great had a lots of articulation great head sculpts great color it was overall or very well done action figures
Plus they came with free candy
this is why Super 7's He Ro and Eldor figures are so amazing. Their rich history made the final release even greater
Amen to that! Some of the best toys in years!
@@spectorcreative1872 Super 7 may make a lot of overly painted crap but they did well with those too
Can understand in the 80s the retailers wanting more He Man and Skeletor. Not only for younger kids starting with the line, there would have also been a few kids who had worn out their He Man and Skeletor from overuse.
I've got two young boys and its a different market now. Kids get exposed to less ads for toys. You would need to connect with them from cartoons.
Exactly. You need content and toons for kids to sell toys
I'm sure you hear this all the time but classics is still king
I feel the same! Its the only MOTU toy line I personally need! ;0-)
I've cooled off since my temper tantrum about wave 2 - 5 availability early this week. But I've heard you tell this story twice now, and I just ordered Scareglow, so I hope Mattel isn't making this mistake again! I wonder if they just underestimated demand and so didn't make enough initially, and now it has taken time for the toy factories to get around to tooling up for them again. I hope so and that we'll soon see those figures in stores. I don't need them all, but every collection at least needs Trapjaw and Merman!
I would not bet on Origins making it another 6 months
@@spectorcreative1872 Yikes! Thanks for the warning. Maybe I'd better pay those scalper prices for Trapjaw now before his price goes even higher! I hope you're mistaken!
@@spectorcreative1872 On the hopeful side, I saw that pre-orders for The Eternian Guard figure are expected to arrive in December 2021 - perhaps the line has life in it, just badly delayed by Covid, Mandalorian toys jumping to the front of production queues, Suez canal blockage, etc. If I remember right, Wind Raiders and Castle Grayskulls are also either available for pre-order or sold out, for delivery in August or September 2021.
On the other hand, Target has Sky Sleds on clearance sale right now, and that sounds ominous!
Some problems I'm seeing with the new Masters of the Universe: there's not (yet) a show to get the kids interested in the toys, there's very few of the toys to pick from at Walmart and Target. I get there's more coming down the pipeline, but for now it's a handful of toys in stores that are out of context without a cartoon. When the shows come out, are they going to have their own toy lines? Is He-Man going to be competing against himself for sales?
Yes. Yes he will
we got the Snake Men and I liked how they told the history of the planet and why it was called Snake Mountain
Me too!
Back when creators were still allowed to create new backstories and storylines in general! Those were the good ol' days! 😉
I don't mind reviving a brand on TV or Streaming; given the fact that there isnt an original bone left in Hollywood, revivals are going to be the bulk of the programming. However, the propensity now is for those brands to be "Reimagined" through the lens of a particular political view which in my opinion has destroyed many of the efforts and alienated much of the original fan base that should have been treated as standard bearers instead of the enemy. (ie: Star Trek, Star Wars, Dr. Who, Ghostbusters, etc etc etc)
Addendum: White males are not only the 2nd largest demographic in the country, but the OVERWHELMING majority of fans to this property. To make a new series (New She-Ra or otherwise) that make a point to minimize or even eliminate the heroic white male, will NOT make any MOTU property profitable.
When you go Woke you go Broke as they say.
@@spectorcreative1872 Great minds think alike! At the risk of making this awkward, I really miss when you and Matty Collector were at Mattel.
Hi Scott. You mentioned you have picked up a few tidbits to add to mr. Sweet's book. Any chance you will write your own? That book by sweet is practically unobtainable
But I liked the shorts. It was like a meeting between the babarian of a fantasy world and the world of science fiction.
The shorts and the movement made he-man wild for me.
And some did, but alas many kids in 2001 did not
Kids need a fun show with masculine heroes ... all kids shows today are so full of PC crap, most kids don't even know what good TV is anymore. I showed my nephew an old MOTU show and he loved it.
That show never goes out of style!
I think the general quality of children's animation has gone way up in the past few years, look at the writing and animation styles of shows like Gravity Falls, Adventure Time, or Over the Garden Wall. I don't think we've ever seen a time when more care and artistry has been put into crafting high quality entertainment for children. I can't speak to what your idea of masculinity is but even if you're looking for stereotypical american masculinity, Finn, the main character for an adventure time exemplifies many of the positive qualities typically associated with masculinity.
@@somni6756 Yes, animation has gotten better but, the main point of kids shows use to be fun / enjoyable entertainment for kids... now most kids shows are trying to push too much political propaganda. Most of what ABC/Disney does now, is just political messaging. Sadly, most people are just too stupid to recognize it.
I'm really glad MOTU Origins seems be doing well!
Is it?
I know it sounds weird , but the cartoon was more like a 26 minute commercial for the toys. The cartoon lost it's direction when it tried to become complicated. What really was the power of Masters of the Universe is it had a simple story , simple heroes , simple villains. Good was obvious good, evil was obvious evil. That changed about the time She Ra came about . Hordak is a step father to Amara , Skeletor is the brother from another mother to King Randor . The story became too complicated for younger simple minded kids . Anyone who grew up on He Man loved the new content , but ... all this complicated things too much for NEW young audiences.
And that was also a big reason why Filmation down aged the show from the original Mattel Barbarian concept. All to get kids into the brand. Great points.
I’m not sure Netflix will market it’s MOTU to kids, if they are savvy of their market for the show. My guess is that, in concept, it’s a streaming version of MOTU Classics. Made for adults who remember the classic property.
Well if kids don't get into the MOTu property it will be quite hard to sell them toys!
Question: Who owns all of that MOTUC tooling? Are they just sitting in a warehouse somewhere collecting dust, were they scrapped, or are there plans to shoot more figures with them?
Mattel does but at this point it has prob been chucked as storing tooling long term is expensive. See here:th-cam.com/video/bInK-LQot4o/w-d-xo.html
i’m not saying you are wrong on everything but i think your take on the problem was they was making too many secondary characters toys being made was the cause of their downfall. i remember being a kid and all my friends loved all the new characters. i remember the dinosaur skeleton toy they made that held like 20 action figures. look at teenage mutant ninja turtles they ran their line just like heman coming out with tons of side characters. i remember playing with my friends and they would bring out backpacks full of all the bad guys and we would have are favorite good guy and we would always beat up all the bad guys. power rangers also did the same thing. in contrast look at original thunder cats seemed like they made 20 toys in total. seems like not having a good variety cost them.
i think it was just kids out grew heman and the show didn’t really try and keep the audience. at that age you mainly played/told your parents you wanted whatever was popular at the time. so in a way toy brands go the way of fads. look at transformers it was THE THING and over night no one had them or played with them. i remember when every kid was playing with power rangers toys and over night it stopped.
i had the original heman action figures and over time either lost, traded or gave them away. i did see the new retro line at wal mart and got heman skeletor and battle cat i want trapjaw but haven’t seen him yet just to have as a fun reminder of the fun i use to have with them.
Oh their were many factors, and you bring up great points. The dinosaur was called Battle Bones BTW.
Retailer exclusivity and low shipping numbers have them DESPERATELY trying to kill Origins off before it even has a chance to gain a new following. In a cruel twist so ironic it almost seems intentional, the overabundance of He-Man, Skeletor and Battle Cat INSTEAD of other characters is what's going to kill it this time around...
Well kids really need to get into it too
Man I only managed to find Battlecat for the new He-Man Origins. They sold so fast.
Give it time. They will be everywhere
@@spectorcreative1872 What happened to change your mind? Or did they already come and go in that seven month window?
I have learned so much about the whole MOTU brand, by watching your videos. I hope Mattel has learned their lesson, but i'm not so sure. So far they have already released two different versions of He-Man and Skeletor in their Origins line, and that is even before the products are viable in most stores around the world.
I am thrilled you have enjoyed the videos so much! Please feel free to share on social with friends. It helps the channel a ton
I go to my local Walmart and they only had two Skeletors left on the display and none on the pegs. But then I go to another one with no display but they had a lot of figures on the pegs. Almost the whole wave (didn’t see beast man)
I have still only seen He-Man, Skleletor and Battlecat at my WMT.
Perfect timing for orgins bc all the 80s kids are now parents and can relate the new orgins to a new era of kids
Yup. I hope Origins does well!
I’ve been buying the Retro Play MOTU figures for my grandson. He loves them
It seems like Motu never falls. It just gets tired of climbing this mountain of success and then falls asleep for a few years. and soon as it wakes up it starts climbing that mountain again.
Yeah it has been a tough nut to crack and keep cracked
3:30: Toys ‘R’ Us went from being a powerhouse to bankruptcy nearly overnight as well in two years.
Thanks Bain Capitol
@@spectorcreative1872 damn right, the ultimate blow.
Fantastic history and I absolutely loved He Man. Epic forever.
Much on this channel to check out if you enjoyed!
I’m surprised the lack of new He-Man cartoon content (season 3) wasn’t mentioned. It’s very clear this cartoon was made fast n easy reusing the same ol characters and cells.
I remember the cartoon became a running joke in school after it became all repeats.
Yes I know they used that time to pump out She-Ra but had they perhaps split the resources all that new figure product could’ve been shown.
Well I made this video a year ago so...
@@spectorcreative1872 referring to the 80s Filmation series
All this points to the fact a new film needs to be made...to really bring MOTU into the 21st century.
See more here:th-cam.com/video/78Mi0_A6hhM/w-d-xo.html
You usually find that a toyline has a 3 or 4 year shelf life with most brands. A lot of reasons for this being, the core audience outgrows it and the younger generation is attached the the new hot thing, like Transformers, Thundercats Ghostbusters or Ninja Turtles, leading to dwindling returns. Of course retailers and toy companies don't ever see this till its too late, and by the time they realize it, they've over ordered expecting next years sales to be bigger and now you have 1984-1985 toys clogging shelves with lil to no interest in ordering 1986 and 1987. Ninja Turtles kind of had a similar situation, only they flooded the market with variants of the four brothers as spacemen, universal monsters, vacation beachgoers, military and other wacky insane ideas that ultimately killed interest for a lot of kids that just wanted the original 4 brothers, and characters that were shown on their weekday cartoons.
Yes, rare for a toy line to go more than 2-3 years. Anything beyond that is amazing
I don't think went into obscurity was known I have the power by the power of greyskull was in the vocabulary but was out of flavour like star wars but is cult we who watched old enough to buy and now gone from a time of abundance in creativity and lines to nothing so there coming back for a new generation
Good luck Origins!
When He Man first come out,some kids kept calling him Be Man,I thought this might have been the inspiration for Buzz Off,a later character..
Ha! Too funny. Not sure if that was the inspiration but it sure works.
@@spectorcreative1872 In late 82 I think,my cousin asked me if he could play with my be man,then later I saw buzz off and wondered where the creators got the idea..
Very much enjoy all this content, having collected the classics line. What would you say is the likelihood Origins lives out its road map? In the northeast these things are flying off the pegs, if you can even find any.
I have a feeling they will be much easier to find soon.
So, thats why the loin cloth on the Origins figures is so small. Its true that kids don't play with toys anymore. I have two nephews and they don't even bother really. One told me he doesn't like toys, they always play on their tablets and don't understand commercials because they watch Netflix or other streaming services.
Yeah, kids are getting into screens more and more. And no always a good thing.
Scott, how did the two-packs at Toys R Us with Superman/He-man and Skeletor/Luthor do? Were those limited because you had to be a fan of BOTH franchises, or did kids eat those up?
Yes, anytime you combine two properties it limits the fan base. See more here: th-cam.com/video/FcpXV2RZtwo/w-d-xo.html
Hey Scott...I think it was in the "Toys That Made Us" MOTU episode on Netflix where someone in Mattel suggested that the reason for the downfall of MOTU was the She-Ra / Princess of Power line. It was stated that the line became uncool with boys because their little sisters were now running around with She-Ra dolls and shouting "I Have the Power" and now you had a girl's doll line that gets to mingle with a boy's action figure line. Any thoughts on POP being blamed on some of the downfall of He-Man?
I hardly remember She-Ra at all. I think I saw the movie that introduced her, but I don't think I ever saw the series. As a small kid (I would have been like 5), I didn't have the awareness of She-Ra replacing or supplanting He-Man. There were still He-Man toys released throughout the time She-Ra was on TV too, which my parents continued to get for me.
I think kids will get hooked once the CGI He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Netflix series drops
I was just mad because I loved the Evil Horde and they were relegated to She Ra in animated form!
She-Ra was both good and bad for the brand.
I was into MASK also i don't know when that was and Madballs . I would have liked for there to have been Back to the Future figures and vehicles in 1985
You and me both
MASK and MOTU vintage were the 2 best toy lines in the 80ies
Scott I appreciate what you did for the Classics line. I prefer Mattycollector than Super7. Not all Super7 classic figs have removable etc etc.
Yeah and the plastic on the S7 figures was "not quite right".
@@spectorcreative1872 yes, that's why I only purchased the 1987 Movie versions of the Masters of the Universe. I didn't continue to collect the filmation line
Kids hating the fuzzy shorts; kinda makes it sound like "new adventures" would've been more inline with that era. primarily his armoured" covered chest" designs
Very much so
The new adventures animation looked gawd awful
@@HessTruckBOOKSyeah, it did. I was saying the over all design of that heman; sounds like what kids liked then. He had a very sci-fi look in that series as opposed to the barbarian look. I'm not debating which one was best (it's old school for me period.); just an idea.
I don't think the Origins line is targeted to kids. If so then I think Mattel is really out of touch. I could be wrong and the sales will tell.
It's like the DC Multiverse line. Don't think it appealed to kids. Neither was it well received with collectors. Well some people liked it.
I don't know if the upcoming Netflix Heman series will help the Origins line because the correct mind set should be a completely new toy lines that's based on the show.
Mattel also has the rights to the Netflix She-ra series and yet they totally missed the opportunity it making toys. It's a shame. I think they end up release a comic con figure. And why would they think kids will go to comic con to spend money on an expensive comic con exclusive toy? Instead of making it a mass retail toy line.I think at the end there was some sort of retail toys but it was a year too late
Well if anything the line is aimed at nostalgia dads (vs collectors) in hopes that dad/parents will buy the figure for their kids. But it is still meant to wind up in the hands of kids. Collectors are gravy.
@@spectorcreative1872 That may be the case or what companies hope for. the saturated I have a cousin I watch him grow up and he never really asks for any toys other than Minecraft and then just video games, Ipad, phone, etc.
The truth is I don't think kids are interested in toys in general anymore unless it's like a well known property thats in theaters or cartoons. Heman currently doesn't have that support. Shera does. The Netflix show doing very well. I recently sold my MOTUC SheRa collection to a dad hoping that his daughter will enjoy them because she liked the Netflix show
I think with the Mini's and Masters Little People, Mega Construx and Imaginext, MATTEL is really targeting young kids to educate them on He-Man. The addition of the shows will greatly create awareness and if a movie ever gets done (and done well) then I see Masters flourishing as a Brand.
I for one certainly hope kids get into the brand!
I took my $5 allowance for doing chores and bought as many he man as I could. Transformers was much more expensive so that was Christina's and birthdays or special incentives like reading books all summer so I could earn Devestator . But yes.. I bought a he man figure every single week for a year.
A toy worth the allowance
Excellent video! Thank you!
Well thanks so much as always.
I'm looking forward to this breakdown.
And now that it has been broken down?
@@spectorcreative1872 I feel empowered with MOTU information, Scott. I think Netflix should make a biopic about MOTU creation & hire you as a consultant. Thanks for taking the time to do this. You should do a script review of Justin Marks Grayskull script from years ago.
hi spectre creative nice youtube channel. i like new adventure of he-man 1990 tv series and he-man 1983 tv series bout are good. i defense new adventure of he-man have many good ideas and good storys.
Thanks and welcome to the channel! Please do repost to your friends. It is most appreciated
I really enjoyed the classics line I just wish it was more access to get your hand on one besides going Thur secondary sales like ebay. I could never be able to get my hands on one of these figures directly from Matty collector. The only figure that I really like from this new line is the Orko figure. I really appreciate what they are trying to do but I'm spoiled with the classics line.
Yeah me too. And Classics has been my "complete" personal MOTU line so I don't know if I need to start collecting another.
@@spectorcreative1872 you really don't you have the difinative collection of the Masters of the universe. You don't need this line but that's my opinion.
Hearing the comment at 8:12 is very interesting because in one of the MOTU groups I'm in, people are ALREADY predicting the death of the line because of too many He-Mans and Skeletors.
Think about that. The line isn't even fully out in all Walmarts yet, and will spread out to Target and online retailers next year, but people are saying it's practically dead.
Time will tell!
don't know... Motu figures are currently hard to find in Walmarts, in-store or online.
Was the too many of the main character overcompensating for the mistake of the first series, or just a case of there was no way of making this series work at retail for more than one season?
We would like a video on how in an alternate reality things could have possibly done better?
And did the She-Ra line hurt, or help, the He-Man line?
Are you referring to the 200X series or the original? For the vintage line not enough main characters shipped in 86 and kids could not find toys of the characters from the show.
As for She-Ra, that is a whole other story and I have a video about the ups and downs of that property coming ASAP!
@@spectorcreative1872
Yes.
One failed because there was not enough main characters. The other failed because they were focusing on multiple main characters. It seems like there's no win outside of a collectors limited line.
And I look forward to an Original She-Ra line.
Also, will you be making a video about how much it would cost to get into collecting vintage She-Ra and He-Man figures?
There has been long time speculation that having a girl in the main cast is a no go for making a toy line. Such as why symbion titan didn't get any figures made. Do you know if there is any validity to this?
See here: th-cam.com/video/2yo3ZSXXdBc/w-d-xo.html
How well are the megaconstrux doing? That's the only line where I have thr castle. I was hoping they'd do more play sets like snake mountain.
Okay.not great
The 1986 line was cool. The 1987 line was "hit or miss." I LOVED Scareglow and Sorceress though.
And that is kinda why it ended
"hit or miss" is very subjective.
There was actually a movie in 1985 before the Dolph Lundren one it was animated and told of how HeMan met Shera
Yes, Secret of the Sword. It was broken up as the first 5 episodes of POP.
Just me, or at 4:27 are He-Man’s thumbs on the wrong side of his hands?
It's you.
Amazing Videos!
As for the Topic, I think it just happened what always happen when too much Money comes in. Company's become Greedy and try to recreate something that came from a special kind of inspiration.Greed and Creating aren't a good Combination on long Time, you see this also in Game development and Movies.
I mean, they had a Figure called Evil Robot. That just happens when you just don't give a Sh** anymore and think it sells anyway.
Sometimes Things just have to End.
It is true, its always a fine line
2k2 didn't fail. Mattel had no idea how to ship toys, and Cartoon Network was dying to replace their shows with poorly made cartoons
The motu cartoon was a double edged sword in the sense that, although initially helpful in juicing sales, the tone of the show aged poorly with kids entering puberty.
It is true. An odd irony
The New Adventures Of He-Man I remember watching the cartoon. It sucked since He-Man and Skeletor were pulled out of Eternia into another planet in the future! Never had any of the figures from that line and was glad I didn't. Got too old by then to collect toys,but wanted to collect action figures as a teenager,which I did,but didn't have much fun doing it.
I think you hit on exactly why it was a hard line to get into.
So in the 80s, too many secondary characters killed it. For 200X, too many of the main characters killed it. Can Mattel not figure out where the happy medium is?
Well they got it right in Classics!
Interesting video, I wasn't really into the all he-man stuff but transformers Fan mostly lol sorry, but I did manage to pick up the new skelotor figure from Walmart here in Hamilton Ontario Canada and looks pretty Good. Great video by the way way Sir, be safe
Thanks. Be safe yourself!
@@spectorcreative1872 thanks I'm a stroke and cardiac arrest survivor so no worries but thanks anyway