This
post started as the intro to my review of the Masters of the Universe
Classics Evil Seed figure. It turned into a reflection on the 2002
toy line and then some thoughts about modern toy collecting in
general. Since I’m planning on going forward with the Toy
Stories concept
as live events, I figured I could start a series of posts with the
name, as well. Here’s the first one, though I am going back through
the archives and assigning the title to a few other posts that fit
the bill.
I
think what happened is that it hit at the height of my excitement for
toy collecting. The cartoon played a role, as it presented characters
I already knew and liked in a more mature storytelling format, but I
seem to remember it jumping around a lot and I didn’t see a lot of
episodes back then. But the toys came out at the perfect time.
This
was prior to the days when Walmart and the internet had started
choking the toy industry at brick and mortar locations. Hunting toys
was still very much what you had to do. I would find a day after each
payday to drive all over Atlanta and hit all of the Walmarts (of
which there were mercifully fewer), Targets (of which there were many
more), Toys R Us stores (of which there were also more), and the few
specialty stores. It would be a day-long adventure that typically
culminated in my hauling bags of new and used toys into my abode and
sorting through the loot. I couldn’t just hop online and order what
I wanted and preordering full cases of things like Marvel Legends was
unheard of for the individual collector.
I
was collecting GI Joe and Marvel Legends at the time and probably
some horror stuff here and there, but there wasn’t a constant
onslaught of new stuff at the time like there is now. Also, action
figures were significantly cheaper. Finance-wise I was making a lot
less money but I also wasn’t supporting a family, so that balances
out.
 |
| He-Man by... Hasbro!?! |
I
knew about the forthcoming Masters of the Universe revival thanks to
ToyFare
magazine, the bible of the late 90s/early aughts toy collector and a
sorely missed hole in the hobby. And my personal collection,
incidentally. Up until September of 2009 I had every single issue of
that magazine. We got flooded and I lost them all, as well as all of
my records, a ton of comics, and who knows how much else that just
ended up in a dumpster. I’d love to be able to go back and pinpoint
when Mattel announced the new line (apparently it was around October of 2008).
Anyway,
I was thrilled with the look and design of the new figures. They were
being done by the superstar darlings of the toy industry – The Four
Horsemen. Those guys had cut their teeth working on some of the best
figures from McFarlane Toys, Toy Biz’ Marvel lines, and other
cutting edge merchandise of the day. I would say that it is partly
due to the notoriety they received because of ToyFare
that they were able to branch off and start their own company. The
public would have never known who they – and many other important
toy designers – were if not for Wizard’s publication. Now those
guys are responsible for some of the largest and most
aesthetically-pleasing toy lines in the history of the industry.
That
all started with their contracted work on the 2002 (or 200X as it is
more popularly known) He-Man
and the Masters of the Universe
revival.
I
had never been satisfied with the style of the original He-Man toys.
I thought their squat, bulky frames were a little silly. I was also
turned off by how they all seemed to share the same body, just in
different colors. Even as a kid I was a pretty picky collector. But
this new line looked amazing. The figures were more realistically
proportioned, the articulation was improved, and the sculpted detail
was astounding. They looked like McFarlane Toys products that were
actually meant to be played with. I couldn’t wait to get my hands
on them. Well, on the villains, anyway. I wasn’t too interested in
the humans, but characters like Skeletor, Mer-Man, and Beast Man had
me chomping at the bit to hit the toy stores and buy this new line.
I
was able to find those three, as well as Tri-Klops, Trap-Jaw (my
personal favorite), and many other of the more monstrous designs from
the line. I didn’t bother with any humans. I didn’t even buy an
actual He-Man, despite the fact that Mattel released no less than
fourteen
different versions of the guy domestically and many of those ended up
being deeply discounted. I didn’t buy any of the playsets or
vehicles simply because I didn’t have the room for them. I regret
that now because those are some awesome designs, as well. I’m still
kicking myself for not buying a 2002 Castle Grayskull for a song when
I had the chance a couple of years ago. I knew the Classics version
was coming out and didn’t see why I would need it, but I still want
it. There’s something about the design of the 2002 line that makes
it my favorite, even over Classics.
Although
that is one of the great things about the 2002 line – you can still
find boxed figures and toys and if you’re patient they’re pretty
affordable. Even if you come across loose ones they might still be in
great shape. I got a Battle Cat at a comic show a few years ago that
was complete and had no signs of wear. I’ve picked up some carded
figures to fill out my shelf over the last few years and haven’t
spent more than fifteen bucks for any of them; usually less than ten
– a bargain for such excellent figures compared to today’s
prices.
As
modern toy prices soar and quality continues to go down the toilet in
an attempt to mitigate production costs, I find myself more and more
looking to the past to satisfy my desire to collect. Whether it’s
picking up things that I didn’t have as a kid like Inhumanoids,
replacing long-lost toys like Battle Beasts, or filling in
collections I’ve managed to hang on to like the 2002 Masters, I’m
finding that patience and perseverance are bringing me a fulfilling
new way to replace that old thrill of the chase that I used to get on
the toy hunting days of the past.
No comments:
Post a Comment