Whenever we have the opportunity to talk to one of the toy community’s most respected reviewers, we roll out the red (and black!) carpet for our special guest known worldwide as ToyBro! In celebration of BBTS’s 25th anniversary a special version of Mumm-Ra the Ever-Living was released through their website, and we caught up with Jared Elswick to talk about this new Super7 ULTIMATES! action figure.
WWMTC: Hey Jared, it’s been a while since we touched base! How’ve you been and what’s new in the toy world on your end?
TB: I’ve been good. Just got home from LegionsCon and that’s kind of recharged my batteries a bit and reinvigorated things for me with toys.
WWMTC: We’ll jump right in – Super7 has been very busy ThunderCats wise in the past few months, from their newly introduced Deluxe line to an upcoming fourth ThunderCats line, and of course – this new Mumm-Ra exclusive to celebrate BBTS’s 25th birthday. What is your take on this grand world building of the franchise?
TB: I’m always down for more ThunderCats. I’m really curious where things are going though, it’s been pretty quiet around actual Ultimates lately. And that is really where my interest lies. But whatever this mystery 4th line/format is, I’m very curious to see what it might be.
WWMTC: BBTS teased this new Mumm-Ra’s silhouette a few weeks before it went on preorder. What were you expecting when you saw it? And what was your reaction to seeing the actual figure?
TB: I definitely didn’t think it was going to be this. I thought it was going to be an Ultimates, but my mind immediately went to glow in the dark. I was much happier with this variant though, when it was fully revealed.
WWMTC: Now this Mumm-Ra doesn’t fit in anywhere in terms of his color scheme. But he does mirror that very special MOTUC character that is a surprisingly good match. What are your thoughts on this?
TB: I love it. And pairing him with Anti-Eternia He-Man was immediately on my mind when I saw him, they look terrific together. Black and red just makes for a cool color scheme, especially for a bad guy.
WWMTC: This is the fifth incarnation of Mumm-Ra, not counting the mummified versions. There’s been many opinions about it. What are yours?
TB: I like it quite a bit. Generally speaking, I’m a fan of weird color variants just for the sake of variants. I don’t like it getting out of hand, but this is one of those things that you either like it or you don’t, and if you don’t, you’re not really missing anything. Mumm-Ra looks better in black and red than I’d have thought.
WWMTC: Now back to the figure. How is he in hand? Is it what we’re used to? What do you like or dislike about it?
TB: It’s pretty much what you’d expect. Very similar to the other Mumm-Ras we already have. He is, however, missing some of the things that make the cape attach to the figure. The spikes on his gauntlets don’t really work and this one doesn’t have the tab on his back (like the toy variant figure) so you have to put the cape around his neck peg. Otherwise it’s very much what you expect, so I’m still pretty happy with him. Lots of shelf presence with this one.
WWMTC: Is there any room for improvement?
TB: There’s always gripes about articulation improvements. Head range is still really limited, and that would really be the one thing I’d love to see improved on this figure if I could have something changed.
WWMTC: We both agree that a black Ma-Mutt would have been a good inclusion here. Are there any other missed opportunities you found with this figure?
TB: I think he’s got pretty much everything I think I “need” for this release. I don’t need all the one off stuff with a variant like this, so getting the toy weapons and the Sword of Plundarr pretty much hit the mark. Though it would have been cool if they could have gotten the energy effect hands that are coming with the Dream Master figure into this release as a little bonus.
WWMTC: Which head is your preferred one for display?
TB: Definitely the screaming head, which is pretty much my go-to head anyway. Both are solid, but it goes really well with this menacing color scheme.
WWMTC: He has lots of weapon choices here. What’s new here that we’ve not seen before and which is your favorite?
TB: The big difference with this one and his weapons, aside from getting multiple weapons all at once, is that the Sword of Plundarr splits in half now. The original had a seam on the handle, but it was apparently glued shut, I like the ability to have him dual wield them now though.
WWMTC: The wired capes have been a hit ever since they debuted in Wave 1. Has there been any changes in the fabric or wiring or anything that you can pick up or is it still the same as before?
TB: It’s definitely not the same, it’s close though. It has the wires that run down the middle but it has no wires along the actual edges of the cape. It still poses really well, and if anything I think it hangs nicely this way, but it is a change, for whatever reason. It also is not the same type of fabric, which is kind of a non issue to me, but again another change.
WWMTC: Collectors pointed out that the black and red mirrors the BBTS logo, but that is also the colors of the ThunderCats logo. Do you think this was intentional or a happy accident that these were the same?
TB: I think we’re seeing this specifically due to it being BBTS’s colors with their 25th anniversary. It does mirror the cats logo, of course, but I think it’s all about BBTS. Especially after seeing the Mythic Legions exclusive which was also done up in their colors, it seems too coincidental otherwise.
WWMTC: If you could make a variant of any ThunderCats figure, what would it be?
TB: Maybe not the most exciting but I’d love a “Spitting Image” Panthro when he looks darker or slightly brown I suppose. That episode was the only ThunderCats VHS tape I had for a long time so it was, for a while, the only way I could even try to watch the show, so that episode has a lot of pull on me.
WWMTC: We’ve got the surprise line of ThunderCats figures incoming very soon. Are you ready for these?
TB: Ready? Sure. But I also have no idea where they might be going. I hope its something a little goofier, honestly, but even then I don’t know what might be next.
WWMTC: Cats Lair has also begun shipping from the factory, so there’s a big package that will start hitting collectors as the year ends. Have you made space for it yet?
TB: Ha. No. I do have a plan for it, but I need to actually go through with the plan. I’ve got plenty of time to scramble at the last minute, I think. I fully expect it to arrive and me not be prepared, though. So I’m prepared to be unprepared for it.
WWMTC: Wave 12 ULTIMATES! is scheduled for January 2025. Do you have any specific characters you’d like to see?
TB: I’m still holding out for an Enflamer, both of his forms, of course. But more Lunataks and Berbils would be welcome additions for me.
WWMTC: Thanks for stopping by to talk ThunderCats again. Shall we do this again soon?
TB: Absolutely, especially once we see whatever this mystery line might be.
