Interview with Cliff Dagger

It always amazes the talented individuals within the fast growing online M.A.S.K. Community.  From those who, like myself, have written a script – such as Jason and Wyatt of Agents of M.A.S.K., to Kero Wack who gave us two complete comic strips over 7 issues and other great imagery.

One of the sections of the community that I love are those with 3D Printers who design great additions to the M.A.S.K. collective.  Whether it is based on vehicles or locations in the cartoons and/or comics or 100% new, creative not seen before ideas – it all helps bring M.A.S.K. to a wider audience.

Back on the 23^rd of 2020, I set out the following challenge and included the cover of issue 52 –

 

“Ok, let's see you guys warm up your 3D Printers and get working on Cliff Dagger's Gun from the cover of Issue No 52 of M.A.S.K. UK!”

I didn’t really know what to expect – the results, I was blown away by!  I’ve recently acquired one such gun in the mail and have uploaded a copy of the video on Youtube for you view – or not – it’s your decision.  I also managed to catch up with the man responsible – Cliff Dagger.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  Hey Cliff, thank you for taking the time to join me today.

Cliff Dagger (CD):  Thank you for this invitation and I’m glad you received my new toy :)

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  The toy is a great addition to my collection, thank you.  

I’m sure that the readers would like to know a little more about you (who are you, where are you from, how old are you, etc.)

Cliff Dagger (CD):  I am 38 years old, French and I’m an industrial electrician, robotics, video surveillance ... and I have been collecting MASK toys for more than 10 years.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  Now, we all know you as the infamous Cliff Dagger and I appreciate your anonymity – what is it about Cliff Dagger that you like so much that you chose to take his name for your projects??

Cliff Dagger (CD):  When I was little at my nanny's, I was only allowed to play with super boring wooden toys!  In his son's room there were lots of great toys and I was forbidden to go!

One day I managed to go in there and I took Cliff Dagger and Jackhammer that I had mixed up with the wooden toys! The games have become much cooler and it has been in the accessible toy box for a very long time!!  Cliff is just a great memory from my childhood.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  You clearly are a massive fan of M.A.S.K. (ok, maybe V.E.N.O.M. more so), how did you first get into M.A.S.K.?

Cliff Dagger (CD):  I watched the cartoons with my kids and I found them so bad!!  I started to watch MASQUE with them and the madness took me to collect my toys, to buy others and to start collecting them.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  So, when growing up, what toys did you have in your collection?

Cliff Dagger (CD):  I have them all in European boxes, I also have some blister pack but not all of them, it was difficult to find them.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  Like many of us, you would’ve watched the fabulous M.A.S.K. TV Series – was this in English or in your first language (if first language, how do the voice actors to compare to the likes of Doug Stone?)

Cliff Dagger (CD):  I only watch them in French, I am very bad at English! I don't know the names of the people who gave their MASK voice in French.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  We here at M.A.S.K. Comics obviously love the comics – what about yourself?  Did you have the comics as a child and if so, which variant of the comic?

Cliff Dagger (CD):  I remember the French magazines that were small with MASK, there were only a few issues with drawings much less beautiful than the UK comics, but I would like to find them anyway.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  What about your collection these days, has it expanded?  Do you have any items now that you wish you’d had when you were a kid?

Cliff Dagger (CD):  I love the whole universe of MASK and I find the blisters (MOC) are super beautiful, I would like to have all the variants that exist including the Argentines.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  When I was a kid, I also loved Action Man and Star Wars, what other toys/comics/films were you into and how have they inspired you today?

Cliff Dagger (CD):  I also collect the ghostbuster, the TMNT, the GI Joe (but only the main ones because it very quickly takes up a lot of space).

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  As someone who doesn’t own a 3D, I’m really fascinated by the whole process and I was wondering if you can help me break it down as to how the process works.  Firstly, in terms of the designs, do you have an art background? 

Cliff Dagger (CD):  In France there are compulsory contributions for the right to training!   My meter was full and my employer asked me if I wanted to use them!  When I saw that there was training on 3D software it fascinated me immediately and I jumped at the opportunity!!  It allowed me to have the basics, learned by practicing it's like everything...

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  How do you draw the designs is it freehand on a tablet, or more CAD?  Which type of devices (MAC or PC) and Software do you use?

Cliff Dagger (CD):  I do everything on a PC, I use several drawing software which are quite well-known - Fusion 360, SketchUp and SolidWorks.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  In terms of Printing, what kind of device do you use and are 3D printers expensive to run?

Cliff Dagger (CD):  I have several machines of different sizes and technologies; my favourite brand is PRUSA but they don't make a big machine.  FDM prints (like the Dagger gun) are not very expensive ... I rather count the time!  The assembly is long, it is necessary to clean the parts, the assemblies, install the springs for the barrel, tested... to make the box, the manual...  it is especially the manual work which is long finally.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  You were very quick at coming up with Dagger’s Cannon once I threw down the gauntlet, how long can it take to come up with your creations?

Cliff Dagger (CD):  For the canon, I spent ten hours on the 3D software (the ejection mechanisms are not easy), I spent so much time printing, testing and resuming what was wrong!  I found that insufficient in the box, that's why I added the small trailer.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  Do you also take existing toys from other toy lines and use those as a base for your fabulous custom creations to save some time?

Cliff Dagger (CD):  Lots of people ask me all kinds of things, Transformers, GI Joe, Dragon Ball ... I always answer NO, I'm having fun inventing MASK toys and as long as I'm not fed up with them I won't do anything else.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  There are many others in the Community who create their own M.A.S.K. creations, do you guys bounce ideas off of each other?

Cliff Dagger (CD):  Have all used the cartoon to take ideas so yes sometimes have done things that look like...  but everyone has their own style despite everything.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  Do you have any tips or pointers for those setting on a 3D printing journey?

Cliff Dagger (CD):  Many people buy 3D printers, the 1st prices have become very attractive!  That's good but it takes people to create, invent the files!  There are too few customizers in vintage toys and there is so much to do!!!  All those who want and who are ready devoted time, launched you, there are plenty of tutorials on youtube, lots of discussion groups, you are welcome!!

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  Where can our readers buy either the files or the actual toys you create?

Cliff Dagger (CD):  I don't sell the files because a lot of people behind do business and the creator is quickly forgotten... if anyone is interested, just talk to me on Facebook!  I answer everyone.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  Thank you very much for taking the time to answer some questions and thank you very much for Dagger’s Cannon and the Trailer for Jackhammer.

#assembleMASK #MASKcomics #MASKcrusade

Interview with Robert Grignani - MASKforce.com

Through my M.A.S.K. pages I’ve become friends with many other M.A.S.K. fans around the world.  I became friends with Robert Grignani back in 2014. 

After a hiatus from the M.A.S.K. scene, Robert has come back with one fantastic site.  I had a little chat with Robert to find out more…

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  Hey Robert, it’s good to have you back on the scene!

Robert Grignani (RG):  Thanks, so much Scott. Great to be back and more involved again!

MC:  Firstly, can you please let my readers know a little bit about yourself?

RG: I’m a father of two boys and one girl and my eldest Rayner was instrumental in getting the website made. By day I work in the medical industry and I was 8 when M.A.S.K first came out so my age can be calculated. I’m a collector of predominantly 80’s toys with M.A.S.K as my first focus. As a collector of nostalgia, I do like the toys opened so that they can be held and admired. But I was and am a huge fan of the packaging art from the 80s and the history of the production and animation process. They really took the time to make something special. So, in addition to the toys, I collect the boxes and packaging of the toys, comics, animation cels/comic art and Any prototype/preproduction items as I can get my hands on them.

MC:  When we first chatted all of those years ago, you were running the Epic Toy Box page, can you tell us more about that?

RG: Would be delighted. With the collection I had, I thought it would be a great idea to share it online and be another portal to reintroduce our generation to relive their childhood. I decided to predominantly share via a Facebook page as it was more interactive and had plans for a Website. A couple years later I transitioned primarily to Instagram. It was great connecting with other like-minded collectors and new fans of the toys and cartoons. The demographic and interactions on the pages, especially on Instagram, was and is quite different to being on Facebook groups. 

MC:  M.A.S.K. is what brought us together – how do you get into M.A.S.K.?

RG: So like many, I’ve been a fan since I was 8 years old when M.A.S.K first came out as a toy and cartoon. I didn’t collect then, instead enjoyed the toys as they should be for playing. I fondly remember recreating the scenes from the cartoons. I would even bring Gator and Piranha in to the bath! It wasn’t until I was in university when the toy collecting bug hit. 

MC:  Like me, you have the full collection of the UK M.A.S.K. comics – how did you get into these?

RG: To be perfectly honest where I grew up for some reason, we didn’t get the UK comics, at least I didn’t see them. It is weird as I used to read the Beano and Dandy. I vaguely remember having 1 or 2 issues as a kid. What I did have were the DC comics and the mini comics that came with the first series. As an adult collector my love of all things toy and animation art brought me further into the comics realm and I proceeded to collect comics based on 80’s toy lines. Over the years I had collected the UK M.A.S.K comics as the opportunity presented itself and had about 50% of them. This year I had the opportunity to get the whole set and jumped at that chance. 

MC:  So, you have the comics from other countries, which country do you think did the M.A.S.K. comic best?

RG: Man that is a loaded question. I think each has their pros with no cons. I think it often boils down to nostalgia. The DC comics were more tailored to be in line with the cartoon and did an amazing Job. As I grew up with these, the nostalgia index kinda tips it. It also helps that Joe Del Beato, the amazing inker of the first run is a friend of mine for many years now. I also had the opportunity to get to know the lovely family of the late Bob LeRose who was the Colourist on the DC run. 

The UK comics are amazing. What is unique is that each artist brings their own style and feel. Artists such as David Pugh were able to bring hyper-realism of the toys themselves. I was fortunate to be able to get my hands on a couple of pages from David and this Switchblade in Jet mode is better than the box art, I think. I’m just in awe of the art. It is truly art, not just comic art. 

MC:  Indeed, David Pugh's artwork really brought M.A.S.K to life for me!

From a collector’s point of view, it isn’t just the comics you have, how big is your M.A.S.K. collection?

RG: I’ve been lucky to start my collecting journey in the early 2000s before the collecting waves and recent surge. As for the collection itself, currently everything on MASKFORCE.com is all from our personal collection. I wanted to have control and time to do the spins. It was a matter of finding the best item for the spins so I ransacked my toy shelves. To see more of the collection, it might be easier to redirect your readers to our Instagram or Facebook page (links below). We do occasionally do live feeds and have interactive sessions. 

MC:  Are there any items you don’t have in your collection that you are looking for?

RG: My main focus is now on prototypes and original art. I’m always on the lookout for any preproduction items be it concept art, slides, internal Kenner documents, proofs, unproduced toys, prototype toys, as well as original comic art and animation cels. Novelty items such as various M.A.S.K stickers and naturally any comics from countries that I haven’t posted about are things I’m also hunting down. 

MC:  Apart from M.A.S.K., what other properties do you collect?

RG: When I first started collecting, I focused on toys that I had as a kid such as M.A.S.K, G.I Joe, Silverhawks, Centurions, Starcom, Transformers and MOTU. I then expanded to toy lines that I remember watching the cartoons from and went in from there. That being said M.A.S.K was and still is the top. Since then I have decided to focus the number of toy lines and so my focus apart from M.A.S.K are Centurions, Sky Commanders, Silverhawks and BraveStarr.

MC:  You recently contacted myself about your new page, M.A.S.K. Force, tell us all about it?

RG: Yeah, I’m so excited to present MASKFORCE.com. I’ve always appreciated seeing toys in motion and wanted to replicate that and present the whole Kenner M.A.S.K toy line with 360 spins. There are a lot of amazing M.A.S.K sites out there and our aim was compliment them and come up with a different “spin” on the presentation of the toys. We hope we can be a resource for both new and old collectors alike and be a handy reference guide. 

MC:  That sounds awesome, how long did it take to complete?

RG: For about 5 years I’ve been contemplating this project, flirting with ideas. Finally, this year we started it in earnest and have been working hard on it for the last half of the year. I say “we” as this was a combined effort with my eldest son Rayner. Without him MASKFORCE.com would not be up and running as it is today. It’s still a work in process but we wanted to get the spins out first and make them the star. But we do have lots more planned!

MC:  Ok, so, what I’m really interested in – you have rotating 3D, I guess are they GIF’s?, on your site.  How did you manage to create these?

RG: Great question. When designing the site, we experimented with different products on the market and settled with using spins of many images compared to a GIF. This allowed for smoother spins with better control. These are not videos or GIFs but each spin is made up of individual pics of the toys from all angles. 

MC:  They are bloody awesome and the colours as so vibrant!

RG: Thank you so much. Credit goes to my boy who did a fabulous job!

MC:  Now, you messaged me recently with some great news about an update to your site, can you please let everyone know what that is?

RG: Yes! I’m happy to present a new section that has been requested. It was always planned, but the sheer number of issues made it a daunting task. I’m naturally talking about the UK comics. We have added the covers of the full run of the Original 80 issues and specials as well as most of the Eagle and M.A.S.K issues. All covers can be zoomed into and enjoyed in high definition.

This is just the start and as we will be expanding on this section in the future and I’m hoping this can be a collaborative effort between MASKFORCE and M.A.S.K Comics. So, stay tuned for more!

MC:  That’s brilliant – thank you very much for coming to us first with this.

RG: Appreciate the invite. I couldn’t think of a more fitting place to present the UK comics. 

MC:  I’ve set up a hyperlink here to M.A.S.K. Force – can you let us know any of your other sites that the readers should look up? 

RG: Sure thing, our 80s toy collection can be found on our Epic Toy Box Instagram page @epic_toy_box and on our EpicToyBoxFacebook page. 

I do want to make one final shout out to your readers. If anyone wants to share pictures of their collections, customs or childhood photos of them with their toys I’d be delighted to show them on our MASKFORCE community collections page. 

Thank you again for having us. Was a blast!

MC: It was a pleasure having this chat and good luck with the new site!!

#assembleMASK #MASKcomics #MASKcrusade 

M.A.S.K. Comics interview with Kero Wack

Back in 1986, the best comic (my opinion) was released in the UK – M.A.S.K.  Initially it ran as a fortnightly comic then, after a year, went weekly and lasted a total of 80 regular issues.  There was also a preview comic, several Holiday Specials and the merger with The Eagle that eventually signed the death knell for M.A.S.K. in the UK.

However, M.A.S.K. comics in the UK outlasted the American DC Comics (4 part mini-series then 9 regular issues) and even the 75 episodes of the DIC comic.

Fast-forward several decades and IDW brought out their “M.A.S.K. – Mobile Armored Strike Kommand” comic that, again, didn’t last very long.  The covers promised so much, but the comic failed to deliver on the inside – and that’s what really counts.

Then, out of the blue, we were treated to M.A.S.K. ’85 and it’s follow-up M.A.S.K. ’86 created by Kero Wack.  These free online comics took me back to my childhood and I’ve been lucky enough to catch up with Kero to ask some questions….

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  Hey Kero, thank you for taking the time to have a chat…

Kero Wack (KW):  No problem!  Summer just started and as a teacher, that leaves me with time on my hands.  Well, except for the two crazy kids running around this house.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  I’d firstly like to ask you to tell us a little bit about yourself?

Kero Wack (KW):  I’m an art teacher who originally thought he was going to be a comic book artist.  I attended the school of visual arts and majored in Illustration and Cartooning.  I worked on the MTV show “Daria” for two seasons and two full length films, but once that ended, decided to go back to school to become an art teacher.  Best decision I ever made!

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC): An MTV Show - how did you manage to get that gig?

Kero Wack (KW): I interned on the show during my last semester in college and out of all of us, I got the job. I didn’t work harder than anybody else and I didn’t campaign for it, so I asked why me? I was told because they want to hire somebody who they liked working with. it’s probably the one thing I really took from my time there! 

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC): How did the process work on that show?  

Kero Wack (KW): working in an animated series isn’t as fun as it sounds. The deadlines can be nuts and there’s a lot of back and forth before anything gets done. The best days were where I sat in on the voice recording for the show. As a fan, it was cool to see the actors work. 

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC): Did you learn any new skills as a result?

Kero Wack (KW):  I learned to love sushi.  I had never really tried it before and it was a staple with the people I was friends with. 

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  It was the comics that got me into M.A.S.K. at the age of 13 – how did you get into M.A.S.K.?

Kero Wack (KW):  The cartoon!  I didn’t even know the comics existed.  Comics to me were superheroes.  The Christmas of 1985, I got everything in the first wave of Mask (except Firecracker for some reason) and that is still THE Christmas to me.  I was hooked.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  M.A.S.K. had a profound effect on me – so much so, that I wanted to be a Toy Designer.  This potential career path led me to taking both Art & Design and Technical Drawing at High School.  Although I’m not actually much of an artist – how did you get into Art?

Kero Wack (KW):  Art was one of those things I was always good at.  When you are good at something, people just nudge you in that direction.  Like if you are tall, you have to play basketball and things like that.  Luckily for me, I love drawing and I spent hours everyday making my own comics or drawing all of my toys.  I’ve recently gotten back into doing that and it's like it's 1985 all over again.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  The UK Comic had a feature called MASKart that encouraged it’s readers to send in their M.A.S.K. drawings.  I started creating my own ideas.  Instead of sending them to the comic (I wish that I had now as it would’ve been great to have seen them in print) I sent them to Kenner instead.  I received back a fairly standard “no” response from Tonka (who had taken over Kenner at this point).  When did you start drawing M.A.S.K.

Kero Wack (KW):  I started drawing Mask when I was a kid, but I’m sure it was just Brad Turner and Condor fighting Sly Rax.  Aside from that, I drew a picture of Matt Trakker hovering over Thunderhawk last year and that got the wheels turning.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  Do you have a favourite character, mask and/or vehicle that you REALLY love to draw?

Kero Wack (KW):  My favorite character is Brad Turner and Buddie Hawks is a close second.  Buddie Hawks wasn’t a close second until I started drawing Mask ‘85, but as I figured out how I wanted him to look, I loved the design of him and his mask.  Cliff Dagger is easily the one I don't like the Mask and I’m so tired of drawing him lol.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  Have you ever designed your own M.A.S.K. creations?

Kero Wack (KW):  Of course!  Right now I’m actually designing MASK creations daily as I’ve begun taking on commissions to turn people into MASK Agents.  The process is fun, as you have to keep it in the MASK aesthetic, but you get to play around with information and ideas that the people bring to you.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  You gave us M.A.S.K. ’85 and M.A.S.K. ’86 that you both wrote and drew; Is this your first foray into writing?

Kero Wack (KW):  I’ve written like three novels during my life and countless comics that are somewhere in a portfolio case.  The novels I am reworking into graphic novels and they are coming along nicely.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  Can you talk us through the process of drawing the comic – did you storyboard, what software packages do you use?  Do you draw freehand then scan in or do you use a pen and tablet?

Kero Wack (KW):  I basically plot out all of the pages on paper so I can pace the story and make sure I hit the key points.  I draw it on the tablet and then refine everything on the tablet using the MEDIBANG app.  It's the best dollar I ever spent.  I add ALL the dialogue after the fact.  Sometimes I know a joke I want to add, so I take that into account.  

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC): So, is all of that work done on a tablet, Mac or PC?

Kero Wack (KW): everything is done on a tablet except for my plotting/layouts. Those are done on blank paper so I can refer to them and scribble all over. They’d look like nonsense to most other people, but I can decipher what my brain intended. 

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  Who inspires you with your style?

Kero Wack (KW):  Chester Gould, Charles Schultz, and Mike Allred are probably the biggest influences.  I am a HUGE fan of all three of those guys.  Their lines are just amazing.  I also try to blend a mix of comic book aesthetic and add in a bit of an 80s cartoon feel.  It's a process.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  Have you read the M.A.S.K. Comics and if so, which ones and what are your thoughts?  (UK, DC, IDW)

Kero Wack (KW):  I own the DC series, but they are either framed or in storage.  I love that Curt Swann worked on them.  The IDW stuff i bought when it originally came out and the trade when it was on sale.  I feel like enough has been said about the IDW series, but the art was nice!

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  What’s next for M.A.S.K. ’87?

Kero Wack (KW):  I am going to finish up my two personal projects before I even think about Mask ‘87.  Mask ‘87 is probably not happening because I’m happy with the way I wrapped up ‘86.  I do have an idea for ‘87, but it’s not fleshed out and I don't want to commit to that project right now.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  M.A.S.K. or V.E.N.O.M.?

Kero Wack (KW):  Can’t have one without the other.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  Ultra Flash or Spectrum? 

Kero Wack (KW):  To draw? Ultra Flash.  Spectrum has funky angles.  But that's the iconic mask.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  Thunder Hawk or Switchblade?

Kero Wack (KW):  I hate Switchblade lol.  It was my brothers and I never got to play with it.  I guess it traces back to those scarring memories

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC):  I follow a GI Joe page and I’ve been following your visions for the Joes, how many 80’s properties are you influenced by and which one is your favourite?

Kero Wack (KW):  Most of them!  I think the people who grew up around that time period inhaled it all, but everybody had their favorites.  Mask and GI Joe are clear front runners, but I was really into Masters of the Universe and superheroes too.

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC): It’s been great chatting with you...

Kero Wack (KW):  Thank you for taking the time to have this back and forth!  It was fun to stroll down memory lane!

M.A.S.K. Comics (MC): I’m sure that we’ll catch up again soon.

#assembleMASK #MASKcomics #MASKcruasade

https://www.facebook.com/MaskComics

Kitty Bungalow's Voices for the Voiceless - featuring Doug Stone, Michael Bell and others

I was contacted tonight by the legend that is Doug Stone.

 

Doug is best known to M.A.S.K. fans as being the voice of Matt Trakker, Bruce Sato, Hondo MacLean, Dusty Hayes, Bruno Sheppard, Nash Gorey, Boris Bushkin and Maximus Mayhem.  As well as voicing on M.A.S.K., Doug has numerous other roles under his belt and in the Gaming World is known as Psycho Mantis from Metal Gear Solid.

When not working working tirelessly as a voice actor, Doug, who has a love for cats, helps out at the Kitty Bungalow.  The Kitty Bungalow Voices for the Voiceless, is an Auction to raise funds for this worthy "Charm School for Wayward Cats".

Up for auction are signed items and your chance to have your favourite voice actor leave you a message for your voicemail inbox.  There are far too many to list so you will have to visit the details on the Kitty Bungalow Voices for the Voiceless site.

The auction is up and running now at www.biddingowl.com/voicesforthevoiceless auction site.  

If you are looking for something, you'd best be quick as there are already bids on Doug's items.

Good Luck!!

Is Hondo MacLean the key to a M.A.S.K. Movie?

If you have read my previous blogposts, you'll know that I'm not a fan of the IDW reboot of M.A.S.K. - now under the "M.A.S.K. - Mobile Armored Strike Kommand" title trademarked by Hasbro.  The only thing that was good about the comics was some of the cover artwork.

Overall, the story telling, the premise, the changes and mostly the merging of all Hasbro owned properties into one universe, just didn't work.

One of the most divisive issues surrounded the M.A.S.K. team leader, Matt Trakker.  In the "real" M.A.S.K. from our youths, it didn't matter whether the cartoon, UK or US comics, Matt was a late 20's/early 30's, rich, white billionaire philanthropist.  In the IDW carnage, he became a young, troublesome, black youth.  Whether you loved or hated them, we also no longer and Scott and T-Bob who are central to M.A.S.K.

I've heard two differing reasons for the change.  The first was that the writer of the comic, Brandon Easton, wanted the change.  The other is that Hasbro want properties that don't have a white leading figure to appeal to the more Politically Correct world that we find ourselves in.

So, in order to have a key African American character, they favoured to change the central character of Matt from White to Black to fit some agenda.  Perhaps it was Brandon Easton who decided to make the change - if it was, this would reflect a very poor writing decision on his part.  Why change the leader's ethnicity when you have a perfect character in Hondo MacLean that you've not even included in your comic?

I'm no stranger to a M.A.S.K. script having written one of my own - unfortunately, I didn't get very far with Hasbro on it.  I do think that most of the IDW changes were due to DIC developing the characters in the cartoons - giving them their familiar backstories that we know and love - and Hasbro may have to change it so that they are not in an infringement with the new owners of DIC.  This could be part of the reason my script didn't get very far with them as my script kept similarities to the original M.A.S.K.

So, why do I think Hondo is key to a M.A.S.K. Movie?

When I wrote my script, it was left on a cliffhanger - one of the character's fates is in limbo and we are unsure if she is dead or alive or even where she is.  This was then going to be the catalyst for the sequel.

As well as that concept, I was also working on a concept of a standalone movie that would centre around Hondo MacLean.  As any fan of M.A.S.K. will know, all of the vehicles have a dual function - there is the "illusion" of a normal everyday vehicle and the "reality" of an armoured assault vehicle or similar.

One of Hondo's vehicles, Hurricane, is a strange one to try and shoehorn into a story.

In my opinion, there's only one of two ways that a M.A.S.K. movie can go - either it's set in it's original time of the mid-80's - this has worked extremely well for Stranger Things and Bumblebee - or it needs to be of now.  The style and vehicles of IDW's comic was neither - relying on basing the vehicles on technology stolen from Transformers - and they look shit.

Hurricane doesn't really fit into either the 1980's or the 2020's - it's a '57 Chevy and may look out of place.  In my idea for a standalone movie, it would be set in Cuba with Hondo being the main character.

Cuba is a nation of Prestige Classic 1950's American Automobiles.  Placing Hondo in this setting with Hurricane's illusion of a '57 Chevy would work extremely well. 

Many M.A.S.K. fans have always thought of M.A.S.K. as being a combination of G. I. Joe and Transformers....  I've always felt it was more akin to James Bond.  Hondo being undercover in Cuba would be a very James Bond-esque premise.

I don't think IDW were clever enough to give validity to M.A.S.K. - they don't know the characters, they don't know the vehicles and they don't know the Masks (they don't give the masks their names - these now seem to be code-names for the characters????).

If I were to write a M.A.S.K. script now, I would certainly change it.  If the narrative requires an African American Leader then Hondo would need to be key.  So, what would I do?

The original series of the cartoon differed slightly from the 10 Racing Series, the free mini comics with the toys, the UK Comics and the US Comics.  In the first series, Miles and his V.E.N.O.M. cohorts don't know the M.A.S.K. team.  There is one episode when they steal a crystal skull that gives them this insight but, by the end of the episode, all is forgotten.

In all the other material, including the Racing Series, Matt and Miles worked together on the M.A.S.K. project until Miles double-crossed Matt and stole half of the weapons.  What if this happened and Hondo then began to question the validity of the M.A.S.K. team?

What if Hondo questions whether Matt is part of Miles' plan and turns against him?  What if Hondo set up his own team not trusting Matt and Miles - fighting against both?

We would still have the M.A.S.K. we know and love - but, with a third rogue element of Hondo.  Many stories feature the struggle between good and evil.  But, more and more stories, films, comics, books look into the grey area between good and evil.

Who didn't love Captain America Civil War when it was a story of two teams who both thought they were right be being manipulated by a third party?

M.A.S.K. vs V.E.N.O.M. vs Hondo's team.....  A classic trilogy that I think would add more to the story telling.  Obviously, at some point, Hondo's team would eventually merge back into M.A.S.K.

Instead of changing the ethnicity or gender of our heroes, this would allow for new diverse characters to enter the fold.  I'm the first to admit that there aren't enough female characters in M.A.S.K. and as diverse as it was, perhaps some of the character names (Ali Bombay and Nevada Rushmore) aren't that diverse?

If, has been reported, the F. Gary Gray is going to be the custodian in charge of bringing M.A.S.K. to life, I think that he needs to give the fans what they are expecting.  Otherwise, it will fall flat on it's face.

What are your thoughts?  Please leave them below or over on my M.A.S.K. Comics Page.

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