However, Tommy Lee Edwards (TLE) has taken credit for it, so I can assume he drew it. I'm not going to share it as I have not sought out permission to do so.
We have Vanessa squat down on the roof of what, at first sight, appears to be Manta with Sly Rax, sporting a "Flock of Seagulls-esque" hairstyle, leaning against the door. There is a shape behind in the familiar colours of Piranha,
The art is great and one of the comments on the page likens it to a scene from Miami Vice. It's only when you look closer that you start to see the flaws.
Ok, I can let Rax's hair style slide and I can only question why Vanessa is squat down on the roof...
The first mistake I noticed is the decals on the side of the car. Below is an image of the toy from the 80's -
If you check the image over at the M.A.S.K. PNA Facebook Page you can compare the difference. We're used to there being issues with the decals on the vehicles in the past - one of the memorable ones being Outlaw. In the Cartoon and the DC Comics, Outlaw's decals were simplified. Understandable for the cartoon with the number of frames that had to be drawn, but just downright lazy in the DC Comic.
Yes, ok, it kept some semblance of consistency having both the same but I would've preferred the comic to have had the Snake Oil Livery of the toy.
Even on the toy box, the art for the Cab of the tanker were wrong - with a small image of the toy beside it showing the correct decal placement.
Getting back to my original point re this new cover, why are the decals wrong and why does it matter? Manta is a Nissan 300ZX. The decals on the side of her subtlety read the initials "ZX". Simple; effective!
On the new comic image, we now have "XZ" written on it. Not sure why and it doesn't really work. There could be legal reasons for the change, who knows. The original box for Manta does have the Trademark "TM" symbol beside the wording "Nissan 300ZX".
The new IDW comics are a confusing mixture of the new M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand and the, now, classic M.A.S.K. Thrown into the mix is something which is neither.
TLE's image of "Manta" is so impressive that it has many M.A.S.K. fans fooled into thinking it's the real deal.
However, TLE has drawn "Manta" as a Datsun 280ZX. If you are unsure of the difference please see my Blog Post from 25/04/2015. It's overly confusing to say the least. We now have new, old and, well, whatever!
Now, I'm not dissing TLE's artwork - I think his cover is amazing - but does it fit with the rest of the comic? If you were a new reader, unfamiliar with M.A.S.K. would you really know what's going on? I'm a long term fan, and I can't understand it.
If TLE's vision of Manta was the same one as on the inside of the comic, I'd be cool with that. His version is better than what I've seen of the new Manta. Maybe we should start a campaign to have TLE redesign all of the vehicles.
Please share your thoughts below or over at my M.A.S.K. Comics Facebook Page.
Scott.
#assembleMASK #MASKcomics #DIC
#MASKcrusade
Was quite excited when I first saw that MASK was coming back, though the excitement quickly faded when I saw the look and characters of the new comic. Didn't grow up in the 80s though I wish I had. My uncle introduced me to MASK years ago when he found his old collection. Glad he did because now I have started one of my own. Really is one of the greatest lines ever, but it should be left in the '80s and not remade.
ReplyDeleteHey Tyler,
DeleteI had mixed feelings when I heard there was a new comic coming out - they could've made it great but instead decided to ruin it. I'm guessing you may be a fan of Transformers and G.I. Joe - what are your thoughts on all of the properties being "interbred" with each other?
The 80's were a good time for toys and comics and I'd love to see the originals return. Even if M.A.S.K. was modern, it may work. But having futuristic looking vehicles based on Transformers doesn't really get me.
As I said in the article above, even if Manta was a 70's Datsun rather than the 80's Nissan, it would be preferable.
I hope that you enjoy reading the rest of the blog - especially the posts on the UK comics which were far better.
Also check out the M.A.S.K. Comics Facebook page.
Scott.
I think the idea of merging the properties is a cool idea, if they can get it to work, that is, but to be completely honest I haven't really followed it for awhile. The Transformers movies are really the only modern interpretation I follow
DeleteI guess, for me, as Kenner Made M.A.S.K. and not Hasbro, I'd never given it a thought that any of the properties should be mixed in together.
DeleteThere are a few issues that I can see. The first is the storyline that IDW have created to bring them all together is awful. There is nothing M.A.S.K. about any of it.
The next is, if they ever bring toys out, which scale with they be? GI Joe were 3 3/4" figures and M.A.S.K. were 2" figures. Transformers don't really fit in to any scale at all.
I just don't see how the toy side will work now they are throwing them all into the same ridiculous universe!