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A few years ago, I started a thread at He-Man.Org titled KARG + 80s MOTU Magazine = MOTUC???
The thread discussed the fact that the 1980s Masters of the Universe Magazine had an original comic in one issue that featured Karg. He appears with Blade, Saurod, and Gwildor in the issue, and is drawn in a style similar to the Filmation cartoon. The main question put forward in the thread was "could this comic possibly count towards Karg being made as a MOTUC figure?"
The comic is clearly set up to sell toys, and all of the characters, creatures, and playset (except Karg) is from the original toyline. Karg also has a nice streamlined look in the comic that would have work well for an action figure. When I interviewed actor Robert Towers in 2013, he said that Mattel went to the set and took photos of him in the Karg costume for a toy that was never produced.
The Magazine's comic made me wonder if Mattel had planned on releasing Karg in the 80's toyline using this design. The Magazine is also well know for the first appearance of Strobo, and was used as a way of introducing potential new character and vehicle designs to kids.
When the question was brought to Scott "Toyguru" Neitlich in 2010, his answer did not give many fans hope of seeing Karg made as an action figure.
Years later, things are looking up for Karg fans! In the recent Q&A with Mattel, Penny Dreadful asked:
This time, the reply from Mattel this time was much more hopeful:
Now this is no guarantee that a Karg figure will get made, but it is great that Mattel is willing to re-examine their current rights to see if figures like Karg could be made. It is worth noting that Karg, Air Centurions, and Skeletor's Robot Shock Troopers from the 1987 movie all appeared in Mattel's official movie video game. The Masters of the Universe video game is copyright Mattel Inc (1986) and Gremlin Graphics (1987). As much as I would prefer to see them get the rights to the 1987 movie, I would be cool with the same characters based on their designs from other media.
If Mattel could make Karg based on his design from the MOTU Magazine, would you want him as part of MOTUC? Or would you prefer a movie-accurate version of Karg as an action figure?
The thread discussed the fact that the 1980s Masters of the Universe Magazine had an original comic in one issue that featured Karg. He appears with Blade, Saurod, and Gwildor in the issue, and is drawn in a style similar to the Filmation cartoon. The main question put forward in the thread was "could this comic possibly count towards Karg being made as a MOTUC figure?"
The comic is clearly set up to sell toys, and all of the characters, creatures, and playset (except Karg) is from the original toyline. Karg also has a nice streamlined look in the comic that would have work well for an action figure. When I interviewed actor Robert Towers in 2013, he said that Mattel went to the set and took photos of him in the Karg costume for a toy that was never produced.
Robert Towers:
I posed on the set, while they photographed me for hours and hours, to make a Karg toy. That never happened. I own a Gwildor toy in honor of my friend who is no longer with us. I was disappointed, but Mattel kept saying that one would come out eventually. I'm still waiting.
I posed on the set, while they photographed me for hours and hours, to make a Karg toy. That never happened. I own a Gwildor toy in honor of my friend who is no longer with us. I was disappointed, but Mattel kept saying that one would come out eventually. I'm still waiting.
When the question was brought to Scott "Toyguru" Neitlich in 2010, his answer did not give many fans hope of seeing Karg made as an action figure.
Toyguru:
No, we do not have access to the 1987 movie at this time, even if that style characters appeared in art. We only have access to the three characters who appeared in the vintage toy line.
No, we do not have access to the 1987 movie at this time, even if that style characters appeared in art. We only have access to the three characters who appeared in the vintage toy line.
It is known that Mattel does not have the rights to character designs from the '87 movie for characters that were not made into figures during the 1980s. However, one of the major film characters, Karg, appeared prominently as a comic character in the US He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Magazine which Mattel/DreamWorks owns the rights to. Would it be possible for Mattel to release a Karg figure based on his design from the magazine as opposed to his design from the film?
That is something we would have to re-evaluate. Before we could do the figure we’d have to re-examine our current rights and what can be done in the future. There are a lot of great figures that we could do, especially if there is a demand for them.
If Mattel could make Karg based on his design from the MOTU Magazine, would you want him as part of MOTUC? Or would you prefer a movie-accurate version of Karg as an action figure?
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