Mr. Rant says “less double talk, more double swords!”

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I get tired of picking on Mattel so much.  There are a lot of toy companies out there, and I’m sure they are doing a lot of things wrong.  But, I don’t hear about the mistakes they are making every week.  Their spokesperson doesn’t personally post on a message board designed by the company.  This is why I talk so much about Mattel.  I have a weekly deadline to meet, and Toy Guru makes my job easier. So, today I’m pretty much talking to Toy Guru directly here, but the rest of you  get the benefit of getting to read it too.

Last week there was discussion on the Matty forums about the upcoming Keldor figure.  The talk wasn’t about the figure though, but about the “double” sword he comes with.  There’s a contingent of fans out there who don’t just want two half swords, and I’m one of them.  We want to see the Horsemen re-imagine Keldor’s 200X sword into a Classics design. We don’t care who it comes with, we just want it included somewhere in the line.

  

After a few different threads discussing this, Toy Guru posted this:

“Okay, quick insight into Keldor and his now infamous swords.

 

A lot of fans are asking why we will do 2002 style Doomseeker, He-Man electronic sword, Marzo cape, Hordak staff etc… in the Classics but not a “2002 style” Keldor sword. As usual, the answer is simple.

 

The 2002 Keldor/Skeletor sword was based off of the vintage sword (in shape and ability to split into two halves). The Doomseeker, electronic sword, Hordak Staff and other items don’t have a vintage counterpart. If an item existed in the vintage line, we will do the vintage version. If an item only existed in the 2002 line, we will do a “Classic” version of it (like the electronic power sword that came with Man-At-Arms and will come in the Weapon Pak).

 

We won’t be doing any anime styled anything in the Classics line. 2002 items (like Marzo or Hordak’s staff) in the Classics line have been based off of a “vintage look” (as if these items or characters had been made in the vintage line using vintage shared parts as needed). Any hyper style art details these items had in the 2002 line have been toned down. The 2002 anime look is retired. Everything in Classics will have a Classics look, even if it has 2002 influence (like Webstor’s extra arms).

So you are getting the “2002 sword” with Keldor. That sword was based on the vintage sword and this is the look the Classics line is based on. See? It is a fun little circle of life.”

There you have it folks, a “simple answer”. The 200X Skeletor sword was too “anime”, and if it was re-imagined it would look like the split sword that we are already getting. That’s not a circle of life, it’s circular logic.

First.  There is nothing “anime” looking about any of the 200X weapons.  Apparently Toy Guru has never seen an anime before or he would know that “anime” swords are at least double the size of the person wielding them.

  

Second.  Don’t use your poorly written continuity to hide behind.  Saying you can’t make the double sword because it’s actually the split sword is a cop out.  No one is asking you to say they are the same sword.  All we want is it as an accessory.  You don’t have to describe the history behind it. Most of the MOTU accessories and weapons don’t get histories.   Also, you are the one constantly telling us that the fans should decide the continuity for themselves, so why don’t you give us the sword and let us choose what we want.

Third.  The fans want it.  Sure, not everyone cares to have the double sword, but there’s enough of an online consensus, which at this point is the MOTU fanbase, who do want that sword.  So basically you are telling a majority of fans to screw off for no reason.

 

The only thing I can come up with, the only reason that makes any sense as to why Toy Guruwon’t let this sword made is because he doesn’t want it. If only he’d just come right out and say so. 

Now, I don’t expect Toy Guru to reply to this.  He probably doesn’t even know my little column exists.  But what I do expect to see in the future is that this sword will be made eventually. Somewhere in the line, it’s going to show up. And what’s really going to annoy me though is when Toy Guru takes the credit for “listening to the fans” and allowing this bonus item to be made. They’ll be no mention of these ridiculous explanations. It will be like the fun little excuse circle never happened. That’s really going to burn my chaps.

14 thoughts on “Mr. Rant says “less double talk, more double swords!””

  3. So, Keldors two swords are going to be interlocking half swords? You know, I would rather them just include two full swords, and I can always hide one and pretend that he put them together (plus my comic pack Skeletor needs a purple sword). Anyway, this is the first time I’ve heard that they will not be making a new 200x skeletor sword. This really bums me out, because right now my comic Skeletor is borrowing that sword from the 200x figure, and really despite the sword having amazing details, it still has funky proportions, and even being held by the larger figure the sword still looks huge. Please Mattel, make a new 200x skeletor sword, with sleeker proportions.

  4. The worst part is that the blades do not have the “200X-esque” paint job that would help his arguement. I just want the 200X Keldor swords released somewhere down the line. The MOTUC Half Swords don’t work correctly without the additional handguard that the vintage swords had… (Tried using Reissue He-Man and Reissue Skeletor PS halves on Skeletor and they keep falling off just by looking at them. And they don’t fit correctly when joined…)

    I’m tired of the “No Anime” excuse, especially when we are getting characters with “anime influence” on them like Marzo or whiplash… and these guys were shown WITH Keldor…

    Whiplash gets his Vintage head, Vintage Weapon, “Anime” head AND WEAPON… I’m pretty sure that the 200X Weapon fans outnumber the 200X Skeletor twin blades fans…

    I would’ve preferred a “We’re not making them cuase they’re too expensive” or “I don’t like them and whatever I say goes” than this pathetic excuse.

  5. once again rant, you fight the good fight… it’s a crap excuse no matter how you look at it… if they can, in canon, justify the 2002 he-man sword, they can, in canon, justify the 2002 skeletor swords… or as you just say, just give them to us.

    fortunately, i have it on good authority that a version of the 2002 skeleswords are in the works… despite what TG says on the topic.

    the double talk though is gravely annoying, and this is the precise crap i was talking about w/ moss man… the 2002 swords ARE a bigger deal than moss man’s friggin’ ear-flock… where’s that vaunted “fan power” now?

    as for picking on mattel… well, they do a lot to pick on, but if you need a new target for next column, let’s take a quick jab at NECA… they are killing w/ the gears of war line and the bioshock line… yet street fighter got 6 characters made and appears dead in the water… they lost god of war cuz they put out 1 figure that was basically a mcstatue, yet, gave us the termie endosksletons that playmates SHOULD have given us for the movie release… how do they so consistently lack consistency? why do they totally squander some properties then do nigh-PERFECT figs for others?

  6. hi, mr rant, everything you said its true, but until today i doesnt listen anything about the wrong size from hasbro, i always read mattu about this, matty wrong with that, and what abou hasbro who kills the 6 inch siza, and no one says nothing at all, what about collectors who own a big and wide 6 inch collection, who defends us, who stands at our side, who says me. thnaks

  7. Well said!

    Heres a mock-up for the double swords that was posted on The Org and Matty Forums….

  10. Well said Mr. Rant. Seriously, ToyGuru needs to put less of his foot in his mouth. For the record, I’m one of those who is ambivalent on whether we get the 200x sword, but I do think TG’s explaination is way toooooo out there.

  11. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the 200x double swords in a weapons pack down the line. I bet they’re having insane amounts of fun seeing how they can piss fans off next.

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