{"id":15629,"date":"2011-11-30T02:30:28","date_gmt":"2011-11-30T08:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=15629"},"modified":"2014-09-28T23:35:53","modified_gmt":"2014-09-29T04:35:53","slug":"motu-classics-com-snout-spout-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=15629","title":{"rendered":"MOTUClassics.Com:
Snout Spout Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>
\n
This review was originally published on November 30th, 2011.<\/strong>
I\u2019ve been really busy this season that I had forgotten about Snout Spout when he arrived yesterday (it didn\u2019t help that Mattycollector took a week to ship him). This figure is one of my favorite childhood toys, but I can’t say that the Classics version is one of my favorites today.<\/p>\n

The original Snout Spout was a later figure in the line, debuting in 1986 a couple years after the cartoon had ended. He did appear in Princess of Power<\/em> a handful of times, so he has some<\/em> Filmation cred and ends up being a character that could conceivably occupy a spot in both the Vintage Toy & POP rosters. I have no memories of POP as a kid, but I did have the figure and I absolutely loved it. Snout Spout is among my favorite MOTU figures keeping company with guys like Faker, Scareglow, & Sy-Klone. <\/p>\n

<\/center><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know what it was about the vintage toy that I enjoyed so much. The colors? Orange is a favorite. The elephant head? It was so crazy it worked. The fireman aspect? Surely. I still lament the lack of a GI Joe Firefighter sub-line (so obvious, Hasbro), Hot Spot & Inferno were fave Transformers, and I got a lot of play out of Inferno from C.O.P.S. too. <\/p>\n

Anyway, it’s probably all of those and I\u2019m sure the water-squirting feature was part of too (Kobra Khan is another vintage favorite). And everything that I loved before is duplicated here… almost exactly… so what\u2019s not to love? <\/p>\n

<\/center><\/p>\n

I’m aware that I just spent a good chunk of my Man-E-Faces review talking about how I wasn\u2019t as happy as I could be with the figure because he wasn\u2019t vintage enough (he was pre-vintage, really) and now I\u2019m going to point out, roughly a week later, that I\u2019m not as happy with Snout Spout because he\u2019s seemingly just too vintage. Life’s full of contradictions like that. <\/p>\n

<\/center><\/p>\n

Sculptwise, Snout Spout got what the vintage figure called for \u2013 new boots and gloves, new undies, the harness & backpack, and that giant elephant noggin. The boots and gloves are new to the figure, but I could see them getting some re-use in the 30th Anniversary line or maybe for another character that could use a little more detailing. The new boots feature the \u201chidden\u201d ankle peg that debuted with Vikor.<\/p>\n

<\/center><\/p>\n

My favorite thing about the harness, I\u2019m not going to lie, is that it covers up the nipples. I\u2019m not against nipples, but I have to wonder, when nearly all of the figures are wearing clothes, why Mattel hasn\u2019t found some development money to make a non-naked torso. The harness itself is pretty much a fully-realized update of the original with some minor details changed. Similarly, the loincloth is a straight update of the original. <\/p>\n

The backpack got a little more love than the rest of the ensemble,. It’s a nice update of the original but the dimensions have been refined a bit, the “thrusters” are fully formed instead of being implied like the original toy, and ol’ Snouty picked up a MO2K pressurized tank on the side somewhere along the way. Pretty cool. The pack is removable, but the pegs are small, so take caution when popping it on or off. <\/p>\n

<\/center><\/p>\n

Ultimately, though the head is generally what is going to make or break the figure. While I think it could\u2019ve used a little more MO2K love (I loved the updates to the staction’s head), I\u2019m at least happy that this Snout Spout doesn’t look sad. I\u2019m fondest of him looking out from under his brow so far, because he looks pretty pissed (and based off that bio, shouldn\u2019t he be?). The head does feature a lot of little details, but the irony is that almost all of them were present on the original (the exception being the rivets down the trunk). <\/p>\n

<\/center><\/p>\n

Articulation is standard for the line since it\u2019s mostly He-Man under there. I love the new enclosed ankles because they\u2019re tighter. The design of Snout Spout\u2019s head allowed for some excellent range on his neck articulation and that has been one of the happier aspects of the figure so far. The trunk itself is made of a bendable rubber, but it\u2019s also painted. Whenever I move it, the paint bunches up a bit and gives me pause. The material feels durable and I’m not too worried about it so far, but I don\u2019t expect to get too much play out of this particular feature lest I start putting cracks in the paint. More worrisome are the ankles, however. They’re internal like Vikor’s, but they’re not sturdy like Vikor’s. It’s not as bad as the He-Man boots, but it’s not good either. Continue to Page 2<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/center><\/p>\n

Paint was a little too sloppy for me this time around. There was a random red smear on the left ear, but it brushed off when I pulled the figure out of the package; the silver paint on the right ear isn’t going anywhere however. There’s some tiny spots of paint missing from the belt, wobbly lines on the eyes and gloves, and the backpack is painted in a high gloss to look more metallic (which is cool), but the end result was more than a few spots of chipped paint… which kinda kills the cool factor. Ironically, all the rivets are painted pretty cleanly throughout. Go figure. <\/p>\n

<\/center><\/p>\n

Snout Spout has two accessories: his classic ax and a hydraulic spreader. The axe is pretty much standard (& kinda boring), but the non-business end replicates the notch on the vintage ax that could be used to hold up Snout Spout’s trunk. It had to be there, but I’m a little bummed that it didn’t separate into two pieces like the staction. I mean, I know the staction had to do that so he could hold it, but I’ve gotten used to the idea of it as a little wrench and I miss it. Especially since the Classics figure could\u2019ve benefitted from it more than the staction did, but alas…<\/p>\n

<\/center><\/p>\n

The hydraulic spreader is a neat piece because it\u2019s the one thing that the Classics version can call its own. It\u2019s a great accessory – it\u2019s applicable to the figure\u2019s heroic function, it\u2019s well detailed with moving parts, and it kinda looks like an elephant*. It\u2019s a real bright spot for me on this figure. <\/p>\n

* – In the picture above, it’s upside down from the elephant face. If you can’t see it, I’ll snap a pic for the comments section.<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh, and before I forget. Snout Spout was suppposed to ship with a subscribers-only sticker sheet. As you know, my sub was cancelled, but oops! Guess what was in the box? <\/p>\n

<\/center><\/p>\n

To sum up, this is a perfectly satisfactory Snout Spout, but I just want more out of him. Not necessarily a MO2K flare (though, really, at this point, a slightly more tech-suit-looking, nipple-less buck would only help the line expand). I think what’s missing isn’t necessarily detail, but consistency. Remember back when Mattel reps would stammer on about the “Classicizor Machine” or that Classics was its own unique style? Well, when Man-E-Faces is pre-vintage, when Roboto is a vintage figure with better legs, when Buzz-Off & Snout Spout have a couple scarce non-vintage elements, and when Stinkor & Fisto have are awesome (and exactly what I wish could’ve happen to all the figures), that’s not really true of the line. It’s getting to be a bit hodge podge at this point. <\/p>\n

So, why didn’t Snout Spout end up more like Fisto or Stinkor? Was it timing? Post-Whiplash, but Pre-Fisto? Is it that he wasn’t anyone in the design team’s favorite? I want to love this figure, and it will grow on me the longer I have it, but he’s just always going to be missing something in my eyes. New sculpts of the old pieces, a few minor details added, and a new accessory added to the He-Man buck. Come to think of it, that new accessory shows what I’m talking about perfectly. It’s clever, applicable, and looks like there was joy in crafting it. It’s probably my favorite part of the figure, but I\u2019d gladly sacrifice it if a little of that ingenuity could have gone into the figure itself. <\/p>\n

<\/center><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

For more MOTU reviews, check out our
MOTU Classics Collector’s Guide<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/center><\/p>\n

<\/center><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":15630,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_options":[]},"categories":[7,1026,34,10],"tags":[2562,20,16,2558,469,1283],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/spoTN.jpg?fit=50%2C50&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pObc6-445","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":15893,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=15893","url_meta":{"origin":15629,"position":0},"title":"Ask Matty December 15th Edition","date":"December 15, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Ask Matty - December 15th Edition DCClassics.Com Asks: In a previous Q&A, Mattel stated that Atrocitus would be the size of a standard figure. Is there no possibility of utilizing previously tooled pieces such as taller feet, longer calves, longer pelvic piece, or even the Public Enemies buck instead of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ask Matty"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":18224,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=18224","url_meta":{"origin":15629,"position":1},"title":"Ask Mattel April 16th + Link Roundup","date":"April 16, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Ask Matty - April 2nd Edition DCClassics.Com Asks: What more can you reveal about DC figures for 2012 considering the recent changes and cancellations? Note: This question was asked before 'Matty Justice League' gave us the skinny. We almost didn't post this question as a result, but the answer is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ask Matty"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19001,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=19001","url_meta":{"origin":15629,"position":2},"title":"Mattycollector Announces Dragon Blaster Skeletor","date":"June 6, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Mattycollector announced another upcoming MOTU Classic via a \u201csneak peek\u201d e-mail to Club Eternia members. I was again left off the mailing list, but it didn\u2019t take long for news of Dragon Blaster Skeletor to make his way to me. I gotta tell you though, I'm not in love with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "MOTUClassics"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":20959,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=20959","url_meta":{"origin":15629,"position":3},"title":"Four Horsemen Epcon Images Fantastic Exclusive & MO2K 2-Ups","date":"September 18, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"We interrupt our regularly scheduled Guest Review Week with some images from the Four Horsemen booth at El Paso's Epcon! Joe Amaro sent along some pics from the show featuring 2ups of the Raven, the Vampire Lady, and more from the Seventh Kingdom & Masters of the Universe MO2k! This\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Four Horsemen"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":28572,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=28572","url_meta":{"origin":15629,"position":4},"title":"Interview with Mattel Brand Manager, Scott “Toyguru” Neitlich!","date":"July 2, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"","rel":"","context":"In "Event Coverage"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":30625,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=30625","url_meta":{"origin":15629,"position":5},"title":"Toy Fair Armchair Coverage: Masters of the Universe Classics!","date":"February 15, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"","rel":"","context":"In "Event Coverage"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15629"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15629"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15629\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29303,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15629\/revisions\/29303"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15630"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15629"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15629"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15629"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}