"He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" (Netflix CGI Animated Series) News & Discussion (Spoilers)

[The Overlord]

Oh yeah? Name one, and no, Sonic the Hedgehog doesn't count, since they're both family shows, plus TMNT 2012 and the two Michael Bay (?) productions is a subjective example. Oh yeah, and Transformers doesn't count either because it's not that simple.

Oh, and one other thing, "Masters of the Universe" and "Princess of Power" are collectively Mattel's Intellectual Property, so they own the rights to the franchise period. On the other hand, they do own the rights to the 2002 series since they were directly involved in its production (and before anyone says it, Mike Young Productions* was only responsible for the animation production).

*They're now part of what is now known as Splash Entertainment, which has a distribution division, but does not own the rights to the 2002 series.

Batman and heck most DC comics characters. There are DC comics shows and movies aimed at kids and DC comics shows and movies, both live action and animated aimed adults (3rd season of Young Justice, the DTV movies, the Harley Quinn show, Doom Patrol, the Joker movie, etc). Heck the TMNT showed up in a PG-13 DC comics DTV.

Not mention the comics these series are based on are often darker than their animated adaptions, look at Mirage Comics for TMNT and the TNMT animated series. The He-Man comics that came before the Flimation series were darker than that series.

These franchises can tell different stories for different people.

 

[AdrenalineRush1996]

Oh yeah? Name one, and no, Sonic the Hedgehog doesn't count, since they're both family shows, plus TMNT 2012 and the two Michael Bay (?) productions is a subjective example. Oh yeah, and Transformers doesn't count either because it's not that simple.

They all count, regardless of which target audience they're aimed at.

Oh, and one other thing, "Masters of the Universe" and "Princess of Power" are collectively Mattel's Intellectual Property, so they own the rights to the franchise period.

Still disagree with you on that since I do think that NBC Universal has partial ownership on both IPs, given that their subsidiary Dreamworks Animation bought then IP co-owner Classic Media in 2012 and that it was them that prompted a fanmade MOTU episode to be made unavailable, not Mattel.

On the other hand, they do own the rights to the 2002 series since they were directly involved in its production (and before anyone says it, Mike Young Productions* was only responsible for the animation production).

Except you're completely wrong on that. It was definitely produced by Mike Young Productions as Mattel didn't launch their own studio until this decade and the only part they were directly involved with the 2002 series was doing the toyline, plus NBC Universal actually handles the distribution rights of that.

*They're now part of what is now known as Splash Entertainment, which has a distribution division, but does not own the rights to the 2002 series.

Enough with the stinking asterisks, man. No one really cares about that part of yours as it's not really needed to expand your parts plus all you've done is actually being arrogant and smug along with trying to act as if you're right. Just let it go.

 

[StellaMagic]

I hope to see some of my favorite characters: Kobra Khan, Clawful, Evil-Lyn, Orko, and Webstor.

 

[Fone Bone]

Oh yeah? Name one, and no, Sonic the Hedgehog doesn't count, since they're both family shows, plus TMNT 2012 and the two Michael Bay (?) productions is a subjective example. Oh yeah, and Transformers doesn't count either because it's not that simple.

Oh, and one other thing, "Masters of the Universe" and "Princess of Power" are collectively Mattel's Intellectual Property, so they own the rights to the franchise period. On the other hand, they do own the rights to the 2002 series since they were directly involved in its production (and before anyone says it, Mike Young Productions* was only responsible for the animation production).

*They're now part of what is now known as Splash Entertainment, which has a distribution division, but does not own the rights to the 2002 series.

I did an interesting thought experiment. I reread this entire post using Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons' voice in my head. It's freaking eerie.

 

[The Overlord]

Interesting question how should Skeletor be handled in this cartoon? Let's face it, Skeletor is usually the most entertaining thing in a He-Man adaption, He-Man is usually the typical noble hero, while Skeletor gets the freedom to be more fun in terms of being snarky and willing to use cruel humor compared to He-Man.

in most serious adaptions of the Masters of the Universe, Skeletor is just pure evil, either being an invading demon or Skeletor's uncle Keldor, as shown here:

Masters of the Universe / Monster - TV Tropes

Masters of the Universe is a franchise that has been around since the 1980s, and He-Man and She-Ra have fought numerous foes. These are the worst villains to menace Eternia and Etheria. Unless noted, works in each folder are by publication date/ …

tvtropes.org

Skeletor usually has no redeeming qualities, motivated by conquest or destruction.

In the recent DC comics, they gave Skeletor a motive for being evil, being denied to the throne of Eternia due to racism, but his actions go way beyond that motivation, with him selling his soul to Hordak for power, betraying him and trying to destroy the multiverse so he can recreate it and rule it as a god of evil and death.

Hordak in the new She-Ra cartoon is far more sympathetic than he usually is, but that is because he has a boss that is far more evil than him that he is trying to please, a lot of Hordak's negative aspects were given to Horde Prime in this series. Skeletor being the one in charge and having no master (if he does have master, Skeletor will almost always betray him), it makes it pretty hard for him to be sympathetic.

 

[Fone Bone]

If he doesn't repent at Christmas it's not a Skeletor I ever want to know.

 

[The Overlord]

If he doesn't repent at Christmas it's not a Skeletor I ever want to know.

That post puts a smile on my face, but yeah, in comics that exist before the Filmation series, Skeletor far less bumbling and meant to be scarier. In the Mattel mini-comics, Skeletor (in 2 different continuities) is a murderous would-be tyrant (he even tries to sacrifice Teela to a demon) and in the DC Comics mini-series from 1982, he is a would-be mass murderer who wants He-Man's sword to go on a cosmic killing spree.

 

[TheVileOne]

Is Kevin Smith OK with this? That they are doing another series maybe not concurrently but not long after his own animated series?

I wonder if this is happening because the synopsis indicates Teela is the protagonist of the new Kevin Smith series.

 

[AdrenalineRush1996]

Is Kevin Smith OK with this? That they are doing another series maybe not concurrently but not long after his own animated series?

I think he'd be okay with it.

 

[TheVileOne]

I think he'd be okay with it.

Well I'd like to hear his thoughts on it.

 

[Frontier]

Is Kevin Smith OK with this? That they are doing another series maybe not concurrently but not long after his own animated series?

I wonder if this is happening because the synopsis indicates Teela is the protagonist of the new Kevin Smith series.

I'd be surprised if he had a problem with it because this is obviously aimed at a younger audience then his show is, just like the original cartoon was for his generation.

It's not as if one show detracts from the other since they are two very different takes on the same franchise aimed at different audiences. All the more He-Man, right ?

 

[AdrenalineRush1996]

Well I'd like to hear his thoughts on it.

I think Frontier's response summed it best.

 

[Freddy]

Kevin has worked with both big two comic companies. I think he understand that sometimes he doesn't have the final word on a character.

 

[TheVileOne]

I'd be surprised if he had a problem with it because this is obviously aimed at a younger audience then his show is, just like the original cartoon was for his generation.

It's not as if one show detracts from the other since they are two very different takes on the same franchise aimed at different audiences. All the more He-Man, right ?

Except if his show is meant to work as a continuation from the classic Filmation series, one would imagine his show arguably skews toward a younger demographic as well. Unless this is meant to be the adult version of Filmation, which then why would it be marketed as a continuation of that series? It's a bit of a conflict there.

Kevin has worked with both big two comic companies. I think he understand that sometimes he doesn't have the final word on a character.

Kind of tough to do when he can't finish a miniseries (Spider-Man/Black Cat; Daredevil/Bullseye: The Target).

 

[Frontier]

Except if his show is meant to work as a continuation from the classic Filmation series, one would imagine his show arguably skews toward a younger demographic as well. Unless this is meant to be the adult version of Filmation, which then why would it be marketed as a continuation of that series? It's a bit of a conflict there.

It's been advertised as an adult oriented continuation, so it's like G.I. Joe Resolute to the original G.I. Joe cartoon.

 

[TheVileOne]

It's been advertised as an adult oriented continuation, so it's like G.I. Joe Resolute to the original G.I. Joe cartoon.

Except Resolute was not a continuation picking up where the previous series left off. It was its own standalone story.

 

[The Overlord]

Except if his show is meant to work as a continuation from the classic Filmation series, one would imagine his show arguably skews toward a younger demographic as well. Unless this is meant to be the adult version of Filmation, which then why would it be marketed as a continuation of that series? It's a bit of a conflict there.



Kind of tough to do when he can't finish a miniseries (Spider-Man/Black Cat; Daredevil/Bullseye: The Target).

Unless you want to ask Kevin Smith on twitter, we have no way of knowing his thoughts on this and even if he did answer he would give will likely be diplomatic.

I think Kevin Smith knows that with a big franchise like Masters of the Universe, you get to rent these characters and can try to put a stamp on them, but you do not own them.

 

[Frontier]

Except Resolute was not a continuation picking up where the previous series left off. It was its own standalone story.

I know, but in terms of approach I think it's similar.

 

[Fone Bone]

Here's you guys' problem: Actually caring what Kevin Smith thinks about any given subject.

 

[AdrenalineRush1996]

Here's you guys' problem: Actually caring what Kevin Smith thinks about any given subject.

Couldn't agree with you more on that.