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To each their own. I think there are some cool designs and some potential here, but I don't intend to pay $30 for a figure with the old school 5 points of articulation.
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I'm breaking my silence just to share this interview (conducted by Joe Amato from the Fans of Power YT channel) with Emiliano Santalucia about Formo Toys and the Lords of Power action figure line:
I think this action figure line is an awesome start for a such new small company like Formo Toys that was founded by Emiliano and his friends. And let's just hope the QC of the factory they're working with will meet the expectations of the fans.
I'll try my best to support this line from its inception to the day it blossoms to something bigger; hopefully.
Formo Toy's YT channel link:
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I guess I kind of stepped away from the dot org for a bit. Now I'm playing catch up and thus finally getting to what the dot org thinks. They seem to love it.Comment
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With cheesy 80's intro & everything. I really like some of the art stills that fly through the video.“Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd.” ~Bertrand RussellComment
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Got to admit, nicely done.
Doesn't make me want to collect the line. Makes me want to listen to heavy metal music.
Originally posted by Andy View Post
With cheesy 80's intro & everything. I really like some of the art stills that fly through the video.Comment
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Pre-order announcement..
“Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd.” ~Bertrand RussellComment
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If heavy metal was an action figure it would be this line. Still doesn't make me want to buy it. I don't think I'm a fan of this.
Originally posted by Andy View PostPre-order announcement..
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I thought alot about that too but someone else said that unless the cowboys from hell have an action figure trademark, there shouldn't be any issues. (I'm not IP expert BTW, I just don't think it will even show up on their radar...but if it did they'd probably like it or at least crack up with shitty grins on their faces.)
Emil did a podcast talking about Mark Taylor and it almost sounded like a collaboration or something along the lines of passing on his work with permission.
I'm actually most surprised they can get away with Barbaros since he has been documented as an early He-man concept.
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Ok. Andy, what you are saying about Emilio, Mark and a podcast helps me understand the approach this line is taking. And thus softening a bit my opinion on things.
Which is I'm not high on the line itself and where (the angle) they are coming from. But IF there was some kind of permission or some kind of conversation to produce his work or just to preserve it then that I can understand and respect.Comment
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Welcome to our sixth newsletter.
We are only 8 days away from opening up the pre-orders for Lords of Power - The Beginning!
Since creating toys takes so much time, we thought about offering sweet extras for this first wave: our Early Bird Kit, containing a foldable cardboard Castle Dragonstone that you can use as a backdrop once the figures arrive at your door!
But while you wait, you can populate your display with 5.5” scale cardboard punch-out figures.- Pre-orders open January 18th, 2022 at 12:00pm (noon) EST on formotoys.com and will close on March 6th, 2022.
- You can pre-order the full set of 6 carded Lords of Power figures. Each figure also includes a part of the Divine Armor! Complete the Divine Armor figure with the full set of 6 figures. Individual figures will go on pre-order March 7th from our network of retailers and distributors around the world.
- The Full Power Set of 6 Wave 1 Lords of Power Figures includes the Limited Edition Early Bird Kit- $200 plus shipping & handling - The Early Bird Kit includes a 26.5" by 18" fold-out cardboard Castle Dragonstone, a sheet of 5.5" punch-out cardboard characters, and a poster by Mat O’Toole. The Early Bird Kits will be individually numbered and shipped out around May 2022. The figures are estimated to ship in last quarter of 2022.
- You can also pre-order the Regular Set of 6 Wave 1 Lords of Power Figures- $179.94 plus shipping & handling - without the early bird kit.
- There are no limits on how many Full Power Sets and Regular Sets each customer can pre-order.
- Formo Toys will ship worldwide. Partnering with USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL & more.
I don't know if there's a comic in the works but the art here is sweet!
“Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd.” ~Bertrand RussellComment
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Just in case if you haven't heard of this development in the past few days:
Formotoys' announcement #1:
Announcement #2:There's no easy way to say this: due to unforeseen circumstances, we regretfully have decided to put the pre-orders on hold and delay them by one week.
Your support has been amazing from the beginning of this adventure, and WE NEED YOU NOW more than ever. We understand this could be a major inconvenience for some of you that were ready to put money on us. We won't disappoint you, but we need more time.
Emiliano, our creative director, was back to the drawing board as soon as the issue arose.
There are moments in life in which things try to push you in the corner: we take this challenge as an opportunity to rethink, improve and come back with new, stunning products.
We will continue to update you in the following days on any changes as they occur.
People on Instagram are speculating that Mattel might have something to do with it?!We are currently in discussion with another party regarding some character design and brand elements. We don’t agree with the other party’s positions and we strongly feel that our products are respectful of their copyrights. In the interest of being accommodating and maintaining a good relationship, along with ensuring a smooth production without further delays, we have submitted some variations and are currently awaiting a response.
We remain hopeful for an amicable and expeditious resolution and we will keep you informed of any further development at the best of our ability. We are terribly sorry for this situation that is significantly impacting all of us. We decided to delay the reopening of pre-orders until the inconvenience is resolved.
We will keep you informed of any further developments to the best of our ability
Thank you for all your support,
The Formo TeamComment
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Wow! Sounds like Mattel doesn't like something in the design. I'm thinking it pertains to Barbaros or maybe the Webstor head.
Do they have the rights to all knock-off conan related characters from hear on in?
Does Barbaros or the Adversary pass if they suddenly develope cyborg eye patches or start sporting a new cowboy hat? Does lowering cheek bones and adding puffier lips make it likeness different enough? I think it's funny that it even got any attention and I hope Emil is able to work it out so he can bring the fans something fresh and exciting!
“Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd.” ~Bertrand RussellComment
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Well, if the 4 Horsemen themeless were very cautious of their own MOTU tribute/homage Mythic Legion characters they're released only as Con exclusives so they don't have to deal with Mattel's legal department, just imagine what big a juggernaut like Mattel could do about some of the LOP's characters that were admittedly inspired by Mark Taylor's early concepts!... Especially when these action figures are in the same scale and form of the vintage MOTU toys!Originally posted by Andy View Post
I'd imagine probably most of the old Knockoffs were made outside Mattel's jurisdiction back in the day, now things are a bit different and complicated with the IP/TM laws globally.
Still, some companies think in their own minds that they have right to every color and form in existence just because they are powerful, which is a shame really!
Having said that, I don't know if Mattel is actually the one who put a stop on LOP!?Comment
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I've seen two posts from Emiliano at the Org's forums that could give an idea of what's going on:
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Just now seeing.
Well, get your before and afters ready. Get your side by sides ready.Comment
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Seemed pretty obvious to everyone else that there were going to be issues. I don't know how the people involved didn't see it. From the names to the figure designs. Even that webstor look-alike seems heavily stolen from that Fuerza line or whatever it was called.
He seems to think this will be a minor hiccup with the comment about pre-orders being delayed a week, but he's been over-optimistic from the get-go it sounds like. If anything legal was actually issued here in the US, the courts tend to move at their own pace and if Mattel is the plaintiff, they're pretty much going to be redesigning things or getting into a lengthy legal battle.
I did notice they have wrist and ankle articulation I didn't notice before when I previously posted, but I'm still not paying $30 for them. That will be their downfall I think. That's a collector price for something that doesn't really have a collector market except for a handful of old he-man fans. As much as I think Revelations was a travesty and I don't care for the CGI re-design, those things seem to be popular with the newer generations. Where is the market for this line?Comment
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Here is what Emiliano from Formo Toys has said in regards to "The Adversary" figure:Originally posted by Mathius View Post
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I must say I’m more than a little disappointed that Emiliano has seemingly abandoned us here at HemanWorld….
Back when this place started, a lot of it had to do with ‘picking a side’. We joined here because we backed Captain Atkins because of his mistreatment by Val regarding Power-Con and his work on that other website, we also clearly backed Eamon because of his mistreatment by Val regarding that podcast, and we also very heavily backed Emiliano because of his mistreatment by Neitlich and Val for a vast number of things that can be easily looked up in the Despondos section of this forum.
Yet here we are months into this Formo Toys project and not once has he bothered to come to this board to mention this line, maybe even answer a query or two from people who are most likely fans of his work. Instead only posting at the org like a beaten dog with his tail between his legs.
He’s acting like Val was acting all those years ago when this place started. Val shunning Emiliano to cozy up to Neitlich for the access Neitlich could provide is no different than Emiliano shunning this website because it doesn’t have the followers that the .org has. Really, what’s the difference? I don’t care if anyone calls me thin skinned over this take, but principles matter to me….
As much as I was originally looking forward to some of these figures, I couldn’t help but agree with Mathius’s take that they’re really not worth the asking price.
I could look past the price for reasons like: it’s a small company starting out, it’s going to be a relatively small run of figures meaning the smaller the run the higher the cost, I’m continuing to back someone I’ve been a fan of for years now, etc.
I was willing to get them any way, despite the costs of getting them here, but after this much time has past without Formo Toys even acknowledging our existence, when they damn well know of this place and how we backed them all those years ago……
Well, I’m not prepared to look past the price any more, I guess I’m too focused on this knife shaped pain I’m feeling in my back at the moment.
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It's a bit frustrating I know Croc... But I'm happy that things are less bitter now between the parties involved after that toxic TG guy is out of the main picture...
Nonetheless, Emiliano should've at least paid back some respect by announcing his products around here as well if not directly, at least via HMW's staff members... But then again, the majority of our members here (including our admins) being not that active around here are also asking for getting shunned off! -
Thanks for saying that croc. I totally respect your honesty and totally relate. I've been feeling the same way for a while now. I even reached out to remind him that this place still exists.
I was campaigning for his project and still hope him the best but I'm walking away. It's been fun in the he-man world but I think I'm just ready to move on to other things.
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Thanks for your comment Mech.
Yes, you are absolutely right. Things are much better now with Neitlich now but a smear on the windshield of MOTU fandom (except for that God awful YouTube channel that too many simpletons are actually dumb enough to follow on a regular basis), and things being less bitter between those parties involved.
I still have to wonder just how much has actually improved, because why not come here to promote Lords of Power and engage with the fans he has here unless it’s to not offend a particular thin-skinned ‘friend’? Is that Val’s mandate to be welcomed back to the fold of the org?
I understand this place is relatively small, and not anywhere near the size of the org, but to act like this place doesn’t exist, or the conversations that took place here never happened, and only engage with .orgers (many of which who took Val’s side by the way) in promoting Lords of Power, is doing the exact same thing Val did when Val felt the need to shun him to cozy up to Neitlich.
Anyways, I’ve said my piece. I do genuinely hope for Formo Toys’ success, but based on the past couple of months of how Emiliano has ghosted this place, Formo Toys won’t be getting a single penny out of me
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You only do what is right for you Croc... Don't feel too pressured to support an exciting toy line just because you love toys; regardless of the politics involved... But yeah, I hear you completely and understand where you're coming from.
In the begging, I was very excited for LOP, but now with the funky financial situation that I'm in and how unpredictable this line's circumstances might be, probably I have to put a break on it and reconsider my current toy obsession and be a bit more responsible until things resolve themselves. -
Sorry to hear about your current financial situation.
I hope everything works out for the best for you.
It really bums me out when I hear about crappy things happening to good people. Hopefully it resolves quickly for you.
…Trust me, I don’t feel pressured at all to support this line. I’ve wanted a version of the Guerrero prototype for a while (preferably on a Classics buck, but something that could have fit in with Origins would have worked too), and a figure based off of a Mark Taylor sketch would have been nice, and I had considered the whole wave only because the BAF figure looked like it jumped right off the page of Jack Kirby’s artwork. But the price is high for what you’re getting, and as far as I’m concerned, Emiliano pulling a page out of Val’s playbook after all the complaints he made and receipts he posted of it happening to him is the perfect excuse for me to simply walk away and put my wallet back in my pocket.
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Thanks again Croc for your nice words, but yeah when you have high bills and a loss of income with savings being wiped out, it's really tough and then you have to switch to survival mode until things pick up again. I'm positive with my attitude though, just need a stronger will, some hard work/smart decisions and keep on believing as I always have. :-)
As for the Emiliano/Val scenario, IMHO people switch attitude when there is a common interest/goals. Also, it's always good to forgive and move forward. But it's also good to be respectful and appreciative to those who've supported you during the hard times, but then again, not everyone pays attention to his/her surroundings in the manner we expect them to!... So yeah, if you feel you're doing the right thing with your money and hobbies, all powers to you my friend. :-)
In the past, I used to love and support certain artists and athletes because of their massive talents and hard work, but when I discovered they're also despicable human beings, I've stopped following them and moved on without any regrets.
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Another post from Emiliano:
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I mean yeah. You don't ask 'permission.' But that doesn't mean you don't do your own due diligence and make sure whatever you're designing/producing is legal.Originally posted by Mechanizor View PostHere is what Emiliano from Formo Toys has said in regards to "The Adversary" figure:
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Who knows what happened behind the scenes, and whether or not those particular character designs were legally owned/obtained by Mark/Rebecca Taylor or Mattel, and for how long?!
Regardless, I think the Formo guys should've been a little more creative/cautious and redesigned the questioned characters from the beginning and avoided all that headache!
I think interested people/fans would've supported the project anyways if the designs were attractive enough for them to buy.
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More updates from Emiliano in this link:
So it seems that the reveals of the updated designs will be uploaded this week!Comment
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Interesting that someone else (in that thread) pointed out that Formo seemed to be the only one not seeing the complications with their designs and he gave a complete vague response of "Not so fast" with a wink.Originally posted by Mechanizor View Post
I'm not sure what the heck that's supposed to mean. Apart from avoiding the obvious.Comment
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Probably their attorney told them not to say much, or Formo happens to know a lot more than what people are speculating in terms of ownership and such!... IP laws and rules can be complicated sometimes.
Regardless, I hope the new designs and tweaks are attractive enough to keep people still interested in this new brand. -
Redesign or not, I still am not interested. It's extremely sad that nobody can come up with an original idea anywhere and push that. Instead they have to reboot, rehash, or redesign the same things over and over again.
This is probably the most exciting time in history for people with ideas to get things done. Youtube is full of tutorials, supplies can be shipped to your door sometimes same day on Amazon, and things like 3D printers are the cheapest they've ever been. And yet here we are. -
I TOTALLY understand where you're coming from, I've had plenty of fresh ideas myself for toy lines and I'm very sure a lot of people out there (who probably are way talented or skilled than I am) have them too, and there are already plenty of ideas online done by professionals, hobbyists and students and part of their portfolios to hunt for a job or a new gig, but sometimes coming up with the money, finding the time and taking the risk deter people away for putting the effort and committing to it, especially when most consumers (kids and adults) these days are still "brainwashed" with the same rehashed old properties by the big corporations because it's the safest route!... Also the stealing of IPs has been on the rise by entities that reside in counties that have wishy washy laws or allow it to happen constantly.
I come mainly from the LEGO world, and a ton of people who shared or sold their customs/MOCs have had their designs and instructions stolen by shady companies and got produced into toys and sold online without their permission or knowledge!
This is just a tiny example of what could happen to any creator out there, unless he/she is backed up by reputable lawyers who can follow through if something goes wrong, and even then, no one knows if the new IP is gonna make them any profit!
So at the end of the day it's about taking the risk and finding the time and the putting the hard work as well.
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I think the line would have been cool, but it was doomed from the start. Imagine someone making a line based on unproduced Barbie figures from the 1950s, and what Mattel would have done. Of course Mattel was going to sue, which I'm sure is what happened, as these were mostly designs made at Mattel in the 80s.“We change people through conversation, not through censorship." ― Jay ZComment
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