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Well, I’m still a little out of breath from all that Super Powers typing, but I’ve at least got to put up a quick article about MOTU Classics before I head for bed (some moron scheduled himself to work eight days straight, right through Toy Fair weekend, and then travel to KC for a meeting on the ninth day – today is Day 5, if you’re counting at home).
As I mentioned in the Super Powers article, Mattel has gotten really good about making sure we all see their reveals as quickly as possible. They do this by taking out ace toy reporters into a room and distract them with all the reveals in person. Meanwhile, they upload their own pics and the rest of that can’t attend get to see them first (even this guy whose every plan to attend one somehow always falls through; my reason this time is great, I’ll tell you later). I tease Mattel, but this is honestly great for Armchair Coverage! So let’s get to it.
First off, let’s talk about the one thing Mattel didn’t reveal online – this BIG HONKIN’ SKELETOR (with He-Man arms, oops!). It looks like Mattel is eyeballing that sweet jumbo money being made by Star Wars & Gentle Giant. The little place cards indicate that this is still up in the air (remember Attitubes?), but I think this has a good chance of coming out. If the price is right *cough*, vintage MOTU fans would prolly love to pick these up (then maybe they’ll be distracted and we get some updates to the Classics figures… whee…). But, yeah, Mattel wants to know – would you buy those? And would you at least need them to have the right arms if you do?
Moving on to the good stuff, Mattel officially announced the worst kept secret (at least since Funko’s Game of Thrones): Club… Etheria. 2014 will indeed again have a mini-sub that ships from July to August, this one focusing on and celebrating the 30th Anniversary of She-Ra: Princess of Power. Four reveals were shown, one teased, which is actually awesome. You can sign up knowing what five of the seven figures are! Here’s the line-up:
- July: Double Mischief (Double Trouble)
- August: Madam Razz & Broom
- September: Entrapta
- October: Light Hope (Club Exclusive)
- October: A Helmet was teased. It’s Sweet Bee’s.
The line-up is solid so far. Double Trouble & Entrapta look great (I just hope Entrapta gets strong ankles for that hair, Octavia couldn’t pull it off). If you’re a Madam Razz fan, I bet you’re happy. Light Hope is the one that blows me away though. In the show, Light Hope is a wall of light that guards Crystal Castle and basically acts as that shows Sorceress. He never had physical form… until now! The figure is awesome – the clear body is neat, but there is tons of detail on the armor (see those Jumbo Vintage figures are distracting those guys already) and it’s all reminiscent of the Crystal Castle itself. (I hate to say it, but we really need Snake Mountain Man…). It’s a great figure and with the POP Ladies factored in, Club Etheria might just be the best mini-sub yet across all the brands. We just have to guess the last two: Mermista? Perfuma? Angella? Col. Blast? Dylamug? How mad would collectors get if this is where Dragstor ended up in Club Etheria next December?
On the Club Eternia side of things, we already have the line-up through August, so I wasn’t expecting too many reveals and Mattel kept to that, revealing only one, but it did just happen to be my Most Wanted (damn, why did we never make a Wanted poster for him, internet? Fail!): Rio Blast!
Like Light Hope, I was super happy to see how well done he was. The 4H proto is already really bulky, so I shudder to think what Mattel design will do to him, but he looks sharp. I love the ruffled hair replacing the classic “shell” cut. And the design seems to be handled smartly so far – the necessary panels flip open and it looks you add the weapons to them afterwards. I’m okay with that, but I want us all to take a moment and send our good thoughts into Mattel’s in-house engineers and give them the power to not mess up the aesthetics. They can do it, but we have to believe!! Did I mention Rio looks awesome? Who needs 2015! (I keed, I keed).
With Rio Blast headlining September, we’re left with just a few unknowns. The Oct, Nov, & Dec figures (one of which will likely be Eldor based on the Club Eternia Sneak Peak – Mattel just up a picture of a book, but the photo is labeled Eldor – maybe they’re trying to throw us off?). Anyway, the last three monthly figures, the last quarterly item (priced at $38), and the year-end item (priced at $35). With what we already have in the pipeline, 2014 is shaping up to be a pretty great sub year.
Also officially revealed was the Kowl & Loo-Kee “2pk”. This set features Kowl in cartoon colors while Loo-Kee is bringing his usual annoyance to the table – see, this is 2014’s “CHASE” figure. Why Toy Guru thinks missing this figure every month as it randomly sells out in 5 minute bursts is “FUN” and then pay extra shipping for a single item, I don’t know. Maybe he should only be able to get one if he to try and log in and catch it like we do? Things are a little better this year for Subscribers as, unlike Hordak, Loo-Kee & Kowl along with Goat-Man will be available for a very narrow time in April’s Early Access. I hope to get them then, but if I don’t, hopefully you brilliant readers will keep ol’ Noisy in mind if you’re ordering one.
Finally, Mattel revealed the next two Mini 2pks, set #3 and #4. I’m in trouble. I said that the only two I’d really want were Faker & Scareglow and Matty is out to take me down! I want, I need, to order these two sets. I even get a swanky Man-At-Arms & (yay, I guess) Stratos (who comes with more accessories than his Clsasics figure did). But that means I will have two of the six Castle Grayksull parts. UGH! The urge to try and order the He-Man & Mer-Man pack tomorrow is strong? The He-Man & Skelly are Battle-Armored at least. And Moss Man is in the mix. And I don’t have the first two that are infuriatingly not in scale with these new ones… Does Mattel know I’m working on “No Toy February”? Jerks.
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Overall, it was a solid Mattel outing I think. Better than some years past. I haven’t looked to gauge reaction, I’m still on my Super Powers high and am too fragile for toy forums, but I think Rio Blast should soothe the souls of the vintage fans and a POP sub should ease those minds as well. Oh wait, there’s still the little matter of chase Loo-Kee. Yep, no forums for me tonight!
The good new for me is that I don’t have to worry about getting stuck with all those female PoP characters which fans seem to adore but which I can’t then get rid of on eBay. The bad news is that this Light Hope person looks more awesome to me than Rio Blast with all that gold chrome and clear plastic.
As for Loo-Kee, let the Neitlich-bashing “fun” begin! I’ll gladly cast the first stone…
The good news for me is that I don’t have to worry about getting stuck with all those female PoP characters which fans seem to adore but which I can’t then get rid of on eBay. The bad news is that this Light Hope person looks more awesome to me than Rio Blast with all that gold chrome and clear plastic.
As for Loo-Kee, let the Neitlich-bashing “fun” begin! I’ll gladly cast the first stone…
so…Entrapta is the Godiva/Medusa gal with the hair in purple?
who’s the green chick, Double? it seems she has a Man-E-Faces thing going on?
I do find it annoying that some of these collections are digging deep now, and I have no cue who these pics are of. It’s not just the MOTU, but I couldn’t make heads or tails of several other displays across several sites. (glares at ultra-bright displays of shiny Bay-ruining childhood friends.)
anyway, I’m glad Rio isn’t some sub-only deal like Sea Hawk. He does look a bit like Ron Swanson (coloring) meets Bill Macy (hair) meets The Stranger, Sam Elliot.
so, I’m probably down for Rio and Godiva up there, come September.
Light Hope looks cool, too, but club exclusive = pass.
meanwhile, I have no clue who/what is on sale in less than ten hours?
Looks like I will finally be getting a matty subscription. But Bamm Matty gives you POP with one hand and takes it away with the other I never di get poxy hordak so don’t like my chances at Lookie.
Boo, chase figure status! Yay, everything else!
I am SO getting two Etheria subscriptions. Soft goods and toy-accurate repaints ahoy!
Club Etheria:
Double Trouble: Looks amazing, except for her double Chin. Two Heads would have been the better solution. The Best solution would have been Interchangeable Faceplates.
Madame Razz: Shame that she isn’t on the main sub. Her cape seems a bit off, almost like Ray Fillet’s fins/wings. That bulge in front of her pants kinda looks like she’s a man, baby yeah!
Entrapta: Her hair worries me. Hopefully she has a different neck peg than normal Females.
Sweet Bee: Nice Teaser. Can’t wait for the final Figure.
Mysterious $30 Club Etheria December Item (As mentioned by toyguru on the TF panel): Ze correct answer eez unknown, but it eez rumored that zis item eez Mermista. If so, yes! I mean, it HAS TO BE. There is no other POP Character that would require to cost more than a normal figure.
Light Hope: I hate it. I hate it with a passion brighter than 100 suns. Before I get poked with pitchforks and burnt with torches, hear me out (or read in this case.)
The design is cool. Looks like a combo of Anthropomorphic Light Hope art that has been around on the web. Heck! The front part of his loincloth screams 200X She-Ra. It’s just that he looks Far more Evil than The Unnamed One. (aka Mitch: the emo Trollan) Also, a bit too busy on the design. Hopefully I’ll warm up to him once I have him in my hands. If all Else fails, I can make a King Bow out of his armor.
Club Eternia:
I hate the $20 Chase Figure… The Pack-in Accessory that raised the cost of a weapons pack $2 is now a $10 Item? Packed in with Loo-Kee, another $10 Item? That’s BS!! Sadly, I’ll pay it because I need Loo-Kee and a Real Kowl…
Eldor Teaser: I’m not a fan of Eldor, but he’s a Mentor character for the Preternia crew, so I accept him. I need to see the actual figure to make a more concrete statement.
Rio Blast: @#$%^ YEAH!!
you know entrapta will be done right… and by that, i mean, her hair will hew so tightly to her neck as to effectively strangle all possibilities of movement. 🙂 you know, for logistics.
but uh, if you don’t like light hope, but are still considering the club etheria sub, by all means, send me a pm and we’ll arrange a mutually beneficial deal. i’d much rather deal with someone i’m familiar with than resort to ebay for the one intriguing figure of that sub (for me, anyways.)
like you, i think rio looks perfect, and i’m beyond excited that he got a djordje head, rather than a treadaway. i’m beyond stoked for eldor as he remains to date my most desired unreleased fig… once i have him, i can quit this line with no regrets.
I was really hoping to not have a mini-sub this year. So much money. 😛
I’ll get it, though. Really like all the reveals. Way more than The Unnamed One.
Was surprised to see Rio made for 2014. Figured for sure he’d be used as a 2015 lure. I’m getting ancy that Tung Lasher hasn’t been done yet. I never had him as a kid, I hate the 200X version… just really need him for my Snake Men to be complete. But I just feel the cosmos will annoy me and they’ll do Sssqueeze first, who has an awesomely adequate stand-in with the 200X staction. Mind you, Rio does as well… I’m glad he’s coming but where’s my Tung Lasher already!!!
The December figure could be Mermista, I like Noisy’s speculation on Dylamug as that one would be a 100% new sculpt or damn close to it.
Dylamug for the win! He’s definitely one of the figures I really want in this line, unfortunately his chances seem a little slim.
YES!!!! Club Etheria is an answer to my “PoP figures are lame” prayers!
Rio looks rad in my eyes, very Staction-y aside from the hairdo, so I predict a lot of vintage purists bitching that he’s too cool looking, and has too much detail.
Light Hope is a cool-looking figure on its own merits, but not very MotU-ish so I can live without him.
Everything else I literally couldn’t care less about. My collection rests easy absent all the pastel vomit.
I forgot about Eldor!!!!
Definitely stoked about him!!!!
you know that joe amaro or some other 3P customizer will have a charles broson head sooner than you can say “Miggle Maggle Muggle Mies”
General Sunder will be this year’s Nephtu.
Too easy to pass up, but this is Mattel, so anything’s possible.
When I started collecting MOTUC I was dead set against collecting any Princess of Power figures – I just didn’t want them. But this past year has really changed my perception of the POP characters (honestly, where was the ball dropped between Netossa, Castaspella, Octavia or Shokoti?) . Mattel and the four horsemen are creating beautiful figures that can stand proudly alongside my male dominated collection. If these were simply repaints done in different colors I could easily pass but man, these are gorgeous. Kudos to Mattel and the 4H!
Hey, Noisy? Go ahead, pull the trigger on the mini MOTU. You know you want to, and you’re going to anguish over it because the next wave will probably be even more “but I WANT that!!” stuff. Plus, mini Castle Grayskull.
Now, me, I *STILL* feel they once again blew an obvious moneymaker by not having Imaginext MOTU.
Rio Blast rocks! I would buy that in a store in a HEARTBEAT! Oh, wait…
Man, the Eternian version of Samuel Clemens is sure jacked and tanned.
I’m guessing the $30 figure is Dylamug, King Ahgo of the trolls, or Mermista. Maybe Vultak with Kowla?
Thanks for the coverage, Noisy! I’m so stoked about EVERYTHING lol.
It’s still hard for me to believe that we have a cohesive, comprehensive line of toys that includes all these different areas and aspects of the He-Man universe. Crazy.
Well I will say it I am happy about Club Etheria and as I wait on my shipping notice for Glimmer I am thinking on how to get this as used a gift card with Christmas money to get her.
Why I like it. When METV had as I like to call “The Power Hour!” on (He-man and She-ra on TV yeah flashback morning indeed) and did get to liking She-ra more and as so wanting to see new figs and own the great rebellion. Has to be a break in the suasage fest right? I.can buy the guys at a toy show but if Teela is any indicator the ladies are always hard to find and with my cannon of a purple peeping tom the more the merrier. Ofcourse a dimension hoping hero that is crushing on Razz and all.
When I saw sweet bee’s helmet I instantly thought of her first ep and with having Frosta already some funny pic ideas came to mind.
Rio Blast, well I never owned the original so no attachment and I think of Bravestarr when look.at him.
Chase figures only work at retail if ask me. All I gotta say on that.
I am happy with all the reveals and 4H have done a great job of making these POP figures really stand out in a collection that is aimed at boys. Rio Blast looks pretty awesome too. Also, for anyone who Googles “She-Ra Light Hope” to see the art of Light Hope in the comics or cartoon, be prepared for disturbing image of SHe-Ra and Swiftwind. Yikes…
Madame Razz, Eldor, Rio Blast & Light Hope are the main ones I was impressed by. I order 2 Etheria subs. Hope Light finally in figure design and Rio Blast…..OMG. Now I can’t wait for SDCC 2014 to see who we get for the 4th quarter & the 1st 3 months of 2015. At this I don’t care how much the prices are going up for the next 2-3 years. As long as MOTUC keep coming….I will continue to keep spending!