The Masters of the Universe franchise has been entertaining followers of all ages for many years now, thanks partially to its forged of visually-distinct and epic characters. As was introduced final month, a brand new character will quickly be becoming a member of that roster, with Mondo and Mattel debuting Scare Mare, the steed of beloved villain Scare Glow. Designed by Mondo’s Hector Arce and Bob Fulkerson and designed by Arce and Masters of the Universe historian Florian Bertmer, Scare Mare might be a part of a deluxe determine launch from Mondo, with extra particulars set to be revealed throughout Mondo’s Toy Speak livestream. Scare Mare can be getting a brand new Funko Pop!, to coincide with becoming a member of the roster of the upcoming Funko Fusion online game. To coincide with the Mondo determine’s launch, Scare Mare is even getting his personal mini-comic from Darkish Horse Leisure, which is penned by Masters of the Universe veteran Tim Seeley.
In anticipation of the launch of the Scare Glow and Scare Mare deluxe determine and mini-comic, ComicBook spoke with Seeley and Mattel’s Rob David in regards to the strategy of increasing the Masters of the Universe lore, crafting Scare Mare’s origin story, and extra.
ComicBook: Tim, I do know you’re a enormous fan of the Masters of the Universe franchise, and you’ve got contributed to so many several types of tales inside it. How does it really feel to have the ability to introduce a wholly new character?
Tim Seeley: Nicely, this one is further cool, as a result of it is tied to a personality I am already accustomed to, and it has a giant deluxe motion determine. So it is like multi-levels of cool. However for me, simply as a fan and a nerd, the determine of Scare Glow was — it was a tough one to get once I was a child. Whenever you acquired it, you had been the one child on the block who had it. After which for years after, he was this legendary toy. I would be like, “Keep in mind the glow-in-the-dark skeleton man with the enormous scythe?” and other people would really like, “What are you speaking about?” And now he is coming again along with his deluxe Mondo determine, and also you get his huge scary horse with wings.
Darkish Horse was like, “Hey, we have now this factor. What you wish to do?” I used to be like, “I’ve already acquired it found out. I did not even want a pitch. I do know precisely what that is.” And so anytime I do a mini-comic Masters of the Universe factor, it ties again to the truth that the rationale I learn comics is due to Masters of the Universe mini-comic.
The earlier announcement of the determine revealed a bit little bit of the backstory of Scare Glow. How a lot of that did you contribute, and the way a lot of that was dropped at you by Mattel and Mondo?
Seeley: They gave us a design — and we all know his actual identify. It was one thing that they talked about — after which they simply form of mentioned, “Give us some concepts for a way this occurs.” So I simply gave them a bunch of various kind of situations, little brief pitches, of how our man may have changed into that glowing skeleton with an enormous scythe. And so they picked one, and we went with it. This one, it is tied to some historical past, nevertheless it’s brief and candy. And I believe that is form of a solution to do this type of character. Plus, it would not tie him on to different variations, so he would not must be kind of the Underworld God of the Revelations cartoon. This provides him one thing form of new, rooted in a bunch of various concepts.
What was it prefer to collaborate with Mattel and Mondo?
Seeley: It was very easy. Each time I labored with Mattel, I can let you know this, Rob is correct right here. It is at all times straightforward. It is at all times similar to, “Hey, here is an thought.” And everyone goes, “Nicely, that is cool.” After which they go, “Go nuts.” After which we make one thing, after which it is finished. That is what’s occurred each time I’ve ever made something with Mattel, which might be the one firm I’ve ever labored with that works.
Rob David: I really like working with Tim. Anytime we have now a MOTU — we name it MOTU, as I do know the followers know what that’s — story to inform in comics or whatnot, I at all times go to Tim as a result of I really like working with him and he is aware of the supplies so effectively. So when Mondo needed to do that determine with the toy crew, they requested if there have been any those who we thought can be good for it. So they arrive to me. I work in tv. I am not on Mattel, I do not work on the toy crew, however I am such an enormous MOTU fan and I am such an enormous comedian fan that I can not assist myself however be concerned anytime there are comedian books. So once they got here to me and requested me who can be good for it, I am like, “Tim Seeley.” He pitched a complete bunch of various tales, and he is aware of the lore backwards and forwards, and he is aware of find out how to make it tie issues collectively in knew and recent methods. I believe he had three completely different concepts, and this was the one which simply rose from the highest. I really like the bitter irony of the ending to the story, which I do not suppose I will give away, however I believed it was only a nice thought. That is the great thing about a property like Masters of the Universe. It is forty years outdated, however there’s nonetheless such a requirement for brand spanking new characters. It is nonetheless recent. It is at all times shocking you, and other people like Tim are so nice at bringing that to life.
Had been there any challenges in introducing the origin story of a protagonist who cannot discuss and might’t supply his personal standpoint on the historical past? Was that limiting in any manner?
Seeley: Oh no, our pitch was he is Evil Mr. Ed. That was the entire pitch. And no, he would not discuss, however I suppose I believed what can be form of cool about it’s to play that he’s an animal. After which clearly the unhealthy man on this state of affairs is Scare Glow, after which taking part in up the concept that more often than not whenever you’re a kind of a skeletal phantom horse that you just made. So we form of tie that into the story a bit bit, and I believe it ties into the best way that Scare Glow, he a cursed character basically, however he likes to show round and use that curse for his benefit. So we play that along with his relationship along with his mount as effectively.
What would you say stunned you probably the most about taking over the problem of introducing a brand new character into this decades-old franchise?
Seeley: As a result of there’s not that a lot of present Scare Glow stuff, however what there may be is all stuff that may go in one million completely different instructions. Even simply his first look within the mini-comics, Skeletor summons him and he is “the ghost of Skeletor”, and that is form of all you get within the first look of that character. However then that is kind of, effectively, how did he develop into a ghost? Is he the ghost actually of Skeletor?
David: That was the massive thriller with followers, when Scare Glow was known as “the ghost of Skeletor.” Individuals mentioned, “is he truly a ghost who’s beneath the worker of Skeletor, or is Skeletor useless and now that is his ghost?’ It is simply humorous, it could possibly be each or neither. It could possibly be all issues. That is the great thing about the multiverse of MOTU.
Seeley: And in addition simply permitting all these youngsters to have one million completely different variations of this story for themselves. Anytime we do one thing in Masters of the Universe, you wish to go away sufficient stuff that somebody can play with it. It would not matter in case you’re 5 otherwise you’re 47, folks can add in a part of their creativeness to it.
David: It is form of like jazz. MOTU has been jazz through the years. It is like this one form of thread, however then completely different musicians are available in. And like Tim, I embody youngsters at residence, taking part in with the figures or grownup followers taking part in with their figures as a part of the musicians who’re becoming a member of the jam. It is simply everybody’s giving a riff. There is not any one single strong canon to MOTU. It truly is a multiverse of tales and everybody will get to contribute. However it additionally must be grounded. It is acquired to be shocking, nevertheless it has to come back out organically from what got here earlier than. That is what I believe is so nice about this determine from Mondo. After which, Tim’s story for it, it is so natural that Scare Glow would have a steed. It is so, so very MOTU. And the kind of steed he has is simply what the deepest corners your unconscious would need his trip to be. It is sick. And the story I believe actually form of does justice. I actually love their relationship.
We all know Scare Mare is not simply confined to the comics or confined to the determine, he is already going to seem elsewhere. Rob, I used to be questioning in case you may communicate to that.
David: Oh yeah, particularly if it connects. I might wish to use them in the whole lot we’re doing, extra comics, extra animated exhibits, something, films, you identify it. Whenever you’ve acquired one thing that wealthy, you must go along with it. And that is the way it begins to really feel nostalgic, however by no means retro. It is at all times recent, as a result of if you cannot shock the viewers with new characters, then it would as effectively be a recreation over. Simply go re-watch the outdated present, and it is a museum piece. However when you might have one thing that’s important, it simply opens up extra avenues for storytelling.
Tim, is it secure to imagine we are able to most likely anticipate Scare Mare to point out up in any future comics you would possibly do?
Seeley: I put all of the toys in issues. I attempt to deal with like all characters are somebody’s favourite, and someone’s going to come back into this and that is going to be their first Grasp of the Universe determine. They will purchase this Mondo factor as a result of they’re Mondo collector, or somebody’s going to see it and it is superior and tremendous heavy-metal-looking, and they’ll get it. And so I deal with this as I deal with Mantenna and Evil-Lyn and the Twistoid. Any kind of figures that come out are somebody’s favourite. You need to deal with them with curiosity and curiosity and respect each time. And yeah, I attempt to put all of the toys within the comics each time I can.
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Tune in to Mondo’s Toy Speak livestream on Thursday, July 18th at 8/7c for extra particulars about Scare Mare.
