Wednesday 13 February 2013

Opinion: Castle Grayskull 2013 box art vote

Firstly, a quick apology for the lack of updates in 2013. I actually have written a bunch of reviews, but they're all lacking photos since writing can be done anywhere and photo-taking requires having a block of free time at home, which with one thing and another I simply haven't had.

But now onto the entry proper.

Last Novemeber(?) Mattel announced they would be producing a new Castle Grayskull for their Masters of the Universe Classics line. It went up for pre-order, with nothing more in the way of detail available other than a bunch of design sketches. If you ordered at this stage you were entitled to a number of perks, including a lower price, a free poster, and the chance to vote for who you wanted to see on the box art.

Last weekend, at New York Toy Fair, Mattel revealed the prototype Grayskull, put it back on pre-sale for an increased price, and opened up the voting for the box art characters.

There are over 320 characters to choose from and each pre-orderer gets to pick 10 (ideally 5 heroes and 5 villains). I think it's obvious that He-Man and Skeletor are going to romp home with the majority of the votes, and Hordak and She-Ra are very probable too. Also likely are a lot of the '8-back' characters such as Trapjaw and Man-at-Arms.

Looking closely at the list there in addition to the 'obvious' characters there are people that the fans are slightly dubious that Mattel even have the rights for. Julie and Kevin from the movie are on there, for example. Would Mattel be allowed to stick Courteney Cox's face on the box?

So who did I vote for? Well...

1-3. Extendar, Dragstor & Stinkor.
My favourite MOTU characters. I wanted to add Sy-Klone too, but I'd already reached my limit so, sadly, he had to be dropped. I could tell you why these are my favourite characters, but, hey, I can write a whole blog post on its own about that.

4-5. Julie & Kevin.
Yep, I voted to get Tom Paris and Courteney Cox on the box. Why? BECAUSE IT'D BE FUNNY! My assumption is that Mattel don't have the rights to their likeness and their inclusion on the list is because they think they'll never win the vote, but you never know...


6-8. Alcon, Gepple, Meldoc
aka The really annoying scientists from New Adventures who everyone hates...except me. Everyone is really mean about these guys and no one wants to see them made as Classics figures. I never found them that annoying. I didn't love them, but - like Snarf or Srcappy-Doo - I never hated them the way everyone else seems to. Couldn't remember what their names were (other than 'NA Scientists') so I had to resort to Wikipedia. I wanted to vote for Krex as well, but I couldn't find him on the list.


9. Illumina.
As one who frequents He-Man.org on a regular basis, I felt I had to vote for her. She never made any appearance in MOTU-lore beyond the promotional image below.


10.
Um. Yeah, so despite me placing the vote about 10min ago, I can't for the life of me remember who the last one was. I definitely did vote for 10 because the website told me I had to remove one (hence no Sy-Klone) but as to who it was... I know I did consider Smash-Blade He-Man for the Funny (his over-production was partly responsible for killing the 200x He-Man line) and Glimmer because she's pretty (it's the pink hair), but now only Mattel knows for sure.

Overall, yes, I will hold my hands up and say that I just voted for who'd be funniest. In part because being funny is its own reward, and in part to counter what will likely be a landslide victory for the big guns.

The list in full...



Adora
Air Centurion
Alcon
Andros
Angella
Arrow
Artilla (Weaponstronic)
Azdar
Baddrah
Batros
Battle Armor Faker
Battle Armor He-Man
Battle Armor Skeletor
Battle Blade Skeletor
Battle Lion
Battle Punching He-Man
Battle Sound He-Man & Skeletor

Battle Unicorn
Battlecat
Beast Lord
Beast Man
Belzar
Bionotops
Blade
Blast Attack
Bow
Bow
Bubble Power She-Ra
Butthead
Buzz Off
Buzz Saw Hordak
Calix
Captain Miro
Captain Zang
Castaspella
Castle Grayskull Space Suit
Castle Grayskullman
Catra
Caz
Ceratus
Chadzar
Chief Carnivus
Chooblah the Kulatak King
Clamp Champ
Clawdeen
Clawful
Comtech
Consul Ari
Council of Elders
Count Marzo
Critta
Crystal Moonbeam
Crystal Sundancer
Dare (He-Ro II)
Darius
Dekker
Delora
Demo-Man
Disks of Doom Skeletor
Dittstroyer
Dogotor
Double Trouble
Draego Man
Dragon Blaster Skeletor
Dragstor
Dree Elee
Drissi
Dylamug
Eldor
Entrapta
Evil Robot
Evil-Lyn
Evilseed
Extendar
Faceless One
Faker
Fang Man
Fang-or
Fearless Photog
Fighting Foe Men
Fire Armor Skeletor
Fisto
Flipshot (Icarius)
Flogg (Brakk)
Flutterina
Flying Fists He-Man
Frosta
Garn
Geldor
General Nifel
General Sundar
Gepple
Gladiator
Gleep
Glimmer
Glory Bird
Goat Man
Golden Rod
Granita
Granymyr
Great Black Wizard
Green Goddess
Grizzlor
Gross
Gwildor
Harmash
Hawk
He-Man
He-Man (NA look)
He-Ro
Hook'em Flogg
Hoove
Hordak
Horde Mummy
Horde Prime
Horde Trooper
Horde Wizards
Huntara
Hurricane Hordak
Hydron
Ice Armor He-Man
Ice Armor Skeletor
Icer
Illumina
Imp
Jester
Jewellstar
Jitsu
Josh
Julie
Jungle Attack He-Man
Karg
Kayo (Tatarus)
Keldor
Kevin
King Grayskull
King He-Man
King Hiss
King Hssss' Slave Girl
King Randor
Kittrina
Kobra Khan
Kowl
Kronis
Lady Snake
Laser Light Skeletor
Laser Power He-Man
Leech
Leon
Lighthope
Lizard Man
Lizorr
LooKee
Lord Dactus
Lord Masque
Lt Adara
Lubic
Madame Razz
Malik
Man At Arms
Man-E-Faces
Mantenna
Manticor
Mara
Maran
Martial Arts He-Man
Master Sebrian
Mecha He-Man & Skeletor

Mega Punch He-Man
Megator
Mekaneck
Meldoc
Mer Man
Mermista
Meteorbs (all)
Mighty Spector
Missle Armour Flipshot
Modulok
Mo-Larr
Mosquitor
Moss Man
Multi Bot
Netossa
Nightstalker
Ninjor
Nocturna
Octavia
Oediphus
Oo-Lar
Optikk
Oracle
Orko
Panthor
Peekablue
Peekablue
Perfuma
Plundor
Prahvus
President Pell
Prince Adam
Prince Adam (NA look)
Prince Darkon
Princess Rana
Procrustus
Psy-Chop
Quakke (Earthquake)
Queen Andreeno
Queen Marlena
Queen of trhe Kex
Queen Teela
Ram Man
Rattlor
Red Beast
Red Shadow
Rio Blast
Roboto
Rokkon
Rotar
Sagitar
Samuari Skeletor
Samurai He-Man
Saurod
Scare Glow
Scorpia
Scratchin' Sound Catra
Screech
Scrollos
Sea Hawk
Sersei
Sgt. Krone
Shadow Weaver
Shadowbeasts
Shakoti
Shaman
She-Ra
She-Ra (NA look)
Shield Maiden Sherilyn
Shield Strike (Stealth Armor) He-Man
Shower Power Catra
Silverstorm
Sir Laser-Lot
Skeleteen
Skeleton Warriors
Skeletor
Skeletor (NA look)
Skeletor's Robot Knight(s)
Sky High
Slime Monsters
Slime Pit He-Man

Slush Head (Kalamarr)
Smash Blade He-Man

Snake Armor He-Man
Snake Armor Skeletor
Snake Crush Skeletor
Snake Face
Snake Hunter He-Man

Snout Spout
Snow Thief
Songster
Sorceress (NA look)
Sorceress (Toy look)
Sortech
Spikor
Spin Blad Skeletor
Spin Fist Hydron
Spin Wiz
Spinnerella
Spinwit (Tornado)
Spirit of Grayskull
Sssqueeze
Staghorn
Starburst She-Ra
Starla
Stingrad
Stinkor
Stonedar
Stratos
Stridor
Strobo
Strongarm
Sultra
Sweet Bee
Swiftwind
Sy-Klone
Tallstar
Taurius
Teela
Teela (NA look)
Terror Claws Skeletor
The Seer
The Unnamed One
Thunder Punch He-Man
Too-Tall Hoove
Torgul
Train-or
Trap-Jaw
Tri-Klops
Tung Lashor
TurboDactyl
Tuskador (Insyzor)
Tuvar
Twistoid
Two-Bad
Tyrantsaurus
Tytus
Uncle Mordok
Veena
Vikor
Vizar
Vormus
Vultak
Vykron
Webstor
Werban
Whiplash
Willan
Wizardess
Wolf Armor He-Man
Wun-Dar
Zeelahr
Zoar
Zodac
Zodak

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