ThunderFurries, Yay!

God, just saw newer pics of the 6" Lion-O. No thanks, no thanks, no thanks. Besides the damn ugly face, those birthing hips have got to go.

More serious than thou

Just saw the new 6" Classics at the Wal-Mart This morning. The Mum-Ra is pretty cool. The Lion-O not so much...To me he looked like a scaled down version of the 8" version with a new head. It is very possible that I am wrong about that.

Also saw the Armour of Omens and overall thought it looked pretty nifty. The vac-metalized gold chest was cool the bent in the package rubbery sword not so much...If (or should I say when) it hits clearance I'll probably grab one...

Most of the Big Box stores near us are either: A) not carrying the Thundercats line; or B) bogged down with the first run of figures.

Regarding the last point, I finally - FINALLY - saw an 8" Lion-O in a store this past weekend. Naturally, it was totally out of place in the wrong part of the toy isles. As if it were somehow running from the dozens of Tigra figures malingering on the shelf. But today I was on the other side of the city and popped into a Big Box. Low-and-behold, they had one lonesome Classic Mumm-Ra misplaced with some assorted action figures. I purchased it without hesitation.

I frequently overuse the word "glorious". In this case though, it would not be hyperbole. The figure is, hands down, a solid gold $14 toy. The precise lines of the sculpt and lush articulation are complemented by a needlessly rich paint job. Areas as small as the bridge of the nose and neck flap on Mumm-Ra's helmet have their own paint applications. Speaking of the helmet, the Caduceus-like snakes on the top have sculpted tongues and painted eyes. For accessories, the two sets of bandages seemed awkward at first and the instructions were not particularly useful in explaining if there was a "right" way to attach them. Upon further inspection, there is no wrong way to use them. No matter how you get them plugged into the figure's back they will make it appear as if Mumm-Ra is exploding out of them. It's a neat effect.

Are there downers? Hmmm... The skirt hinders the hip movement and the insole tassels (which should be yellow) hobble the forward movement on the ankle joint a little. There is no cape. And the alternate dildo-gripping hands are useless without some kind of accessory in them.

Curiously, Mumm-Ra works it commando. Sadly, there are no sculpted mummified genitals.

I would easily pony up an extra $5 for a deluxe version with a cape, some airbrushed shading on the body, and a few accessories. Because that would put it in the same ballpark as a Masters of the Universe Classics figure and, frankly, this toy already has those beat by a mile. It's amazing.

Doofy face or not, I'll buy a 6" Lion-O if I ever see one in stores.

Forgot to mention the size. It's perfect. The 8" figures were just too big for my tastes. The 6" size is sized similar to Marvel Legends, DC Universe, and WWRp stuff. It's a good fit.

If anyone wants comparison pics of 6" Mumm-Ra, some obscure toy guy did a review with a nice spread.

He talks about Mumm-Ra being the same size as He-Man, but I don't see it since Mumm-Ra's head is smaller. And, really, He-Man is an odd duck for size at around 7" or so (though Mattel insists MOTUC is a 6" scale line and that He-Man is just heroically large in the loincloth).

The completist in me forced a buy of the new Lion-O, but both Mumm-Ras I saw in the store had QC issues--badly painted chest emblem on one and sculpt snafus on the other. Will have to keep searching.

I kind of liked the oversized quality of the 8" figs, as they reminded me of the oversized vintage figs. That said, the Mumm-Ra definitely looks good.

So I snagged the Mum-Ra and on a whim picked up the Lion-O. Yeah the head bugs me...but I'd be lying if I said that he isn't a fun toy. Not really sure why, but he seems to be easier to balance in extreme poses that the larger one...hmmm....

Mum-Ra is, in fact, the bomb. Now let's see if we get any more...My guess is no...

My only niggle is Lion-O's stupid rubber sword...But to be honest I don't remember any of the vintage figures having straight weapons either...

Oh and just so that we are all clear I was planning on skipping these guys until Gcrush talked me into it...

fel9 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So I snagged the Mum-Ra and on a whim picked up
> the Lion-O. Yeah the head bugs me...but I'd be
> lying if I said that he isn't a fun toy.

Yeah, the screamy face wouldn't be my first choice, but it provides some nice symmetry to Mumm-Ra.


> Mum-Ra is, in fact, the bomb. Now let's see if we
> get any more...My guess is no...

I wouldn't mind seeing refreshes of Lion-O and Mumm-Ra with calmer expressions later on. Perhaps such a Mumm-Ra could include the vintage swords instead of the 'sploding bandages.


> My only niggle is Lion-O's stupid rubber
> sword...But to be honest I don't remember any of
> the vintage figures having straight weapons
> either...

Do these warp under their own weight, too? That's what kept me from picking up the 8" Lion-O...


> Oh and just so that we are all clear I was
> planning on skipping these guys until Gcrush
> talked me into it...

I'm just the ambassador. It's really Mumm-Ra you should be thanking.

Gcrush:
1.) Re-releases with new heads would be fine, but let's see some other characters first. Different accessories are always fun, but I will admit that the bendy rubber stuff they are using for them actually works great for Mum-Ra's bandages.

2.)Yeah the weapons on the 8" figs do indeed warp under their own weight. Not a problem for Tygra's whip, but not so hot for the Sword of Omens.

3.)Mum-Ra is indeed a great figure...It has been a long time that I have been this happy with a toy purchase from the Wal-Mart...

Y'all should get B00 to CAD up a Sword of Omens at different scales...then you could print and paint 'em for cheap...and they'd be tough as nails.

Seriously. Make it happen.

Sanjeev: I agree, but bitching about it is so much fun....and it proves the point....Bandai hates me...Even in english...

Sanjeev Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Y'all should get B00 to CAD up a Sword of Omens at
> different scales...then you could print and paint
> 'em for cheap...and they'd be tough as nails.
>
> Seriously. Make it happen.

[www.shapeways.com]

Some enterprising soul got the memo early. Damn, (s)he's charging a lot.

Huh...It was my understanding that you *cannot* control the prices on Shapeways. You just model something, create a storefront, sell the shit for whatever the volume/material-based cost is...and they give you a cut.

Anyway, that sword is more than a foot long! The price makes sense...I just don't know what it's for. Is there a jumbo-sized Lion-O figure???

Well, someone should just contact that seller, ask her to scale down the model to action figure-scale, then offer that for sale...

Sanjeev Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Huh...It was my understanding that you *cannot*
> control the prices on Shapeways. You just model
> something, create a storefront, sell the shit for
> whatever the volume/material-based cost is...and
> they give you a cut.
>
I recently bought a few things from a dude who'd waived his cut for me, so I assumed that he had control over pricing, too. But I guess the amount of the cut isn't up to the designer (?).

> Anyway, that sword is more than a foot long! The
> price makes sense...I just don't know what it's
> for. Is there a jumbo-sized Lion-O figure???
>

Yeah, I misread the dimensions. No jumbo Lion-O except for that 14" Mezco figure, but that one came with its own sword.

Gcrush Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Doofy face or not, I'll buy a 6" Lion-O if I ever
> see one in stores.


That day arrived. Wow again. For $14, these crisply molded toys cannot be beat. Not by a long shot. I am awed by how much fun this stupid thing is. The candied gloss finish has been tastefully remmoved. The screaming face is no problem and looks good when posed next to Mumm-Ra. The claw shield and sword variations (and hands) are generous beyond expectation. And the painfully detailed instruction sheet is the cherry on top of an excellent job of budget packaging. It's all too much. While my Thunder-Soul is now complete and can die happily because I have the perfect Lion-O and Mumm-Ra figures on my shelf, I'd by lying if I said I wouldn't buy every classic character they make if they all hit spots as sweet as these two.

I'm stretching for complaints... The paint on the face is only 90% perfect. The hips don't allow the knees to come all the way up to the chest. The ankle pins are yeller instead of blue. And the big sword is limp (though the flexability on the little one is beneficial for stowage). None of these dimish the thrill of this toy. Not in the least.

BOO, if you're reading this - make us the perfect Sword of Omens. Please!

Gcrush Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Curiously, Mumm-Ra works it commando. Sadly,
> there are no sculpted mummified genitals.
>
Quick! Someone design a Shapeways replacement part!

Gcrush: I agree 100% on Lion-o. His goofy face bugs me a whole lot less than I thought it would, and after getting these I feel like the larger ones were a screw up down at the factory. Even the floppy accessories don't bother me. The pure toy joy of it all overwhelms me.

If the Thunderfluffies had used some good old-fashioned BJJ, then they would have had no problems choking or tapping out Mumm-Ra and the Evil Mutants within the first couple of episodes. CARTOON MAKES NO SENSE!

Triangle:



Arm Triangle:



Guillotine:



Heel Hook





Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/05/2012 06:12PM by gingaio.

Arm bar:



Rear naked choke:



And yeah, the screaming face on the 6" fig really, really sucks.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/05/2012 06:17PM by gingaio.

Took a spin into TRU yesterday, and saw this cool golden Armour of Omens! At first I thought no biggies, just another character, but THEN, I see Bandai took a page straight from Gordian! It's actually a toy of a giant 16ft armor/mechsuit thingy, with a little Lion0 fig to go inside. I haven't kept up with the cartoon, so didn't even realize this existed.

Cool design, and a heavy toy. Not much articulation sadly, but sure looks pretty, with the Brave-style gold chrome chest piece and all.

[www.toysrus.com]

Ah, but for only $5 more, one can get Mezco's classic Panbro!

JoshB comes through as usual with the comprehensive Bandai coverage at Toyfair!
[www.collectiondx.com]

Thunder Lynx magnet gimmicks? Yup, that sounds like a toy line that is headed somewhere.























CLEARANCE RACK!!! Been nice knowing you again Lyon-O! Say hi to the Petlars for us!

[www.thundercats.ws]

Good grief, I want to buy this, but I know I'll just regret it and eBay it.

I'll be accepting your arguments against, please. Convince me not to buy this silly thing.

It, uh, kinda doesn't do much. Or rather...anything. I mean, it looks cool, certainly, but do you need a 6lb lump of poly-something-or-other that doesn't really interact in any way with anything else you have? If it had a little scale Thundertank or tiny static miniatures of the characters, it might be kinda groovy. But as it is, it's just a glorified book end. Meh.

I'm not a fan of statues, so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I'm a HUGE Grendizer fan...and while this similar product actually featured a miniature AND a spring-loaded gimmick, it still ended up pretty lackluster.

Yeah, that pretty much explains my hesitation. If it came with a rocket launcher...I still would be hesitant. If only it were five times bigger and plastic and full of features. It looks amazing, though. One of the great base designs from that period.

Absolutely. Now, I never collected the old toys...did they ever make a base for the original series?

When asked to recommend a fine vintage, I always say 1986 t'was a good year.(with properly arched eyebrow)

Cat's Lair. I remember digging this design as a kid, but at 13, putting big money into a playset wasn't happening, when there were BMX BIKES!! & ATC's!!, to blow your money on.
[www.thundercatslair.org]


MummRa's Tomb. I don't even remember this thing in stores. Maybe it was just so overshadowed by the lazerrrbeam-y Cat's Lair?
[www.thundercatslair.org]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/2012 11:16PM by repairtechjon.

Wow! I have absolutely no recollection of those sets. Very fucking cool.

Thanks, Jon! I know I could have looked that up on my own, but I'm on my phone...and on vacation...theoretically! :P

Good call, Jon. When I was still collecting the vintage stuff, I noticed that the Mumm-Ra Tomb was still readily available for good prices (still should be). The Lair will still go for premium prices if complete and mint--it's a fun toy...just wish it looked as good as the statue.

Well, this is hardly an official confirmation...but I think it's pretty clear that the new Thundercats is dead...

[www.toplessrobot.com]

Dude, it was near the bottom of the list. I remember reading on the official website that they were renaming the show "Scaredy Squirrel" for the second season.

And you were worried.

Sanjeev Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, this is hardly an official
> confirmation...but I think it's pretty clear that
> the new Thundercats is dead...
>
> [www.toplessrobot.com]
> _thundercats_have_been_sent_back_to.php

It is sad, but not surprising.

I mean, even when it was running on Friday there wasn't that much publicity after the launch. If not for comments here I wouldn't have even known when new episodes started. And the Saturday time slot? I didn't even know it was moved to Sat.

Of course I expect such impossible things as promotion and ads running during Cartoon Network that actually list times, and that's my mistake.

It's really too bad. I like the show. It was 'destination programming' for me.

Bah.

Back when the Simpson's first came out, the nerd herd would gather beers around the warm humm of the VCR to re-watch episodes the night they aired, mercilessly rewinding over and over through the funnier gags (Pitt the Elder vs. Lord Palmerstone almost killed the poor thing).

In my limited "free time" (actually, while dosing the girl with formula) I found myself watching the new episode from the weekend for the third time today, same as I did the "finale" with Grune. It's ridiculous how good this show is, and if that's not enough to save its bacon, why bother making shows this good in the first place if not just to FRUSTRATE ME!?!?!

Should we be surprised? This is the same exact thing that they did with the new He-Man show...which I also thought was solid.

Granted it may seem grim but wasn't the show already confirmed for 52 episodes? I'm willing to bet it's not coming back for a minute in order to shore up the production schedule and avoid another mid-season break.

If I'm not mistaken, Avatar got this same kinda treatment from season to season.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/31/2012 05:10AM by Kwesi K..

Maybe...but wasn't Avatar truncated by a whole season??

The creators originally wanted four season but they were approved on a season by season basis for three and wrote the show to accommodate that as they progressed.

Supposedly there were talks of a new season but it seems Korra is the result of that ultimately.

:(

Well, I hope you're right about TC...and that it doesn't go the way of MotU.

The only reason why I come to these conclusions is that both shows were produced using pretty good quality Korean and Japanese studios. It takes a good amount of time to get everyone's ducks lined up in a row for original shows made this way. Not to mention the possible production delays because of re-shoots due to errors, other projects that Studio 4C may be up to or maybe even the need for Bandai to get it's toy strategy shored up.

In other words, somewhat educated wishful thinking...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/31/2012 04:28PM by Kwesi K..