INTERVIEW: The Four Horseman

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Best known for their work on Mattel’s DC Superheroes and 2002-2004 line of Masters of the Universe figures, Jim Preziosi, Chris Dahlberg, Eric Treadaway, and Eric “Cornboy” Mayse – better known as the Four Horsemen – recently discussed with SuperHeroTimes.com their latest work on what’s quickly becoming the most anticipated line of 2008 - Mattel’s DC Universe.

SuperHeroTimes.com: What are the differences in your toy-making process between working on self-created characters and franchised ones?

Jim Preziosi (JP): The most instantly recognizable difference is that we have a lot more freedom when we’re creating our own characters from our own property…

Eric Treadaway (ET): We’ve been given a lot of freedom by the various companies we’ve done “franchised” work for over the years, but it ultimately comes down to the fact that those characters have to be recognizable as the icons they are. If you deviate from that too much, you’ve lost your main audience…

SuperHeroTimes.com: Why do think Mattel is willing to invest so much in the DC Universe?

ET: They’ve seen the success they’ve had with the sales and critical acclaim of the DC SuperHeroes line, so putting a greater amount of effort into the whole DC Universe is simply a no-brainer.

Eric “Cornboy” Mayse (CB): With all of the variations of characters in DC’s library to choose from - along with the fact that there are going to be even more Batman, Superman and Justice League movies and cartoons in the future to help fuel the fire - there’s no reason that Mattel’s DC Universe Classics line shouldn’t be one of the most successful action figure lines of all time…

SuperHeroTimes.com: So do you enjoy creating action figures of the people more or the creatures and monsters?

Chris Dahlberg (CD): It really all depends on the character – especially in the DC Universe Classics line. We all tend to lean more towards cool villains and monsters. The monsters are my personal favorites. The more monsters, the better…but there are really cool humanoid characters that we’re really into as well; characters like Hawkman, Batman (of course), Orion…

CB: (interrupting): Captain Marvel…

CD:…Green Arrow, Wonder Woman, Deathstroke…

CB: (interrupting again)…Captain Marvel…

CD: Okay, yeah. Captain Marvel too…

SuperHeroTimes.com: Which DC characters would you like to make the “definitive” versions of and why?

CB: Captain Marvel. He’s always been my favorite DC character (and) that probably has a lot to do with the fact he was also my Dad’s favorite when he was a kid. Any of the New Gods is high on our list of priorities…

ET: The New Gods, definitely! My favorites have always been Kalibak, Big Barda and Desaad amongst many others. Although those have been done as figures at one time or another, they’ve never been done to our satisfaction. It’s tough to be a big fan of a certain character, yet it never seems to get made in 3-D the way you’ve always wanted to see it made. Now we’ve got the opportunity to make that happen, and we’re extremely thankful for it.

SuperHeroTimes.com: Are there any specific DC Universe characters fans have never seen in action figure form that you’d like to make and if so, which ones and why?

JP: There are LOTS. Just off the top of my head, characters like the Metal Men, Atomic Skull, Ocean Master, and Imperiex would make awesome figures!

CD: We want to get the chance to do the whole DC Universe if they’ll let us. That should pretty much keep us busy well into our retirement years…

SuperHeroTimes.com: Is there a specific DC character you’ve not yet made that you’re dying to make?

ET: Other than the ones previously mentioned… The Creeper, The big beefy Green Lantern – Kilowog, Dr. Fate… They’re just really striking characters that we think we could have a lot of fun creating…

CD: Charaxes, Swamp Thing, Ultra-Humanite, Silver Banshee, Validus – again, the more monsters, the better…

SuperHeroTimes.com: Which build-a-figure characters would you like to see included in future series?

CB: We’ve already got a huge list of possibilities, but we definitely have our favorites. As mentioned before, I really want to see Kilowog, Ultra-Humanite and Imperiex done as “Collect and Connect (CaC)” figures, just to make sure they have that massive, imposing presence. I’d also really like to see Giganta, Atom Smasher, and Kilowogs’ nemesis – Arkillo as “CaC” figures.

SuperHeroTimes.com: Have you discussed with Mattel the idea of adding vehicles to the DC Universe line?

JP: It’s been discussed, but at this early stage it’s not too likely. The way vehicles and play sets have been selling for action figures lately, the line would have to have some pretty strong legs to stand on before we could think about something like that.

SuperHeroTimes.com: Will your figures of the DC Universe's heavy hitters like Flash, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman receive the 12" treatment?

CD: That’s something that Mattel would have to decide. We haven’t heard any discussion as to whether that’s a possibility or not, (but) if we were able to put our vote in for it, we’d vote “yes.”

SuperHeroTimes.com: The Masters of the Universe line you created for Mattel had huge initial success, but collectors were exhausted by the variants and hard-to-find, short-packed figures. What steps will be - or have been - taken to ensure this doesn’t happen with the DC Universe line?

ET: We think the biggest step is that they’re making the DCU Classics line a “Collect and Connect” line. You really need the line to be pretty evenly packed out if you want fans to continue to collect all of the figures in the wave in order to create that big “CaC” figure.

JP: Mattel really has been listening to what the fans want and they realize now that the way Masters of the Universe was marketed is not going to work in the collectors’ climate of today.

SuperHeroTimes.com: When will fans be able to catch a glimpse of DC Universe Classics Series 3 and when will we find out who’ll be included in Series 4 and 5?

CB: We’ve heard that images of wave 3 are going to be revealed in the Christmas issue of Toyfare magazine, but we’re not absolutely sure of that. We’ve just finished the paint masters for wave 4 and are just getting ready to go in to DC for our first round of sculpting approvals for wave 5, so I’d imagine Mattel won’t be revealing those two waves until at least Toy Fair 2008 in February…

SuperHeroTimes.com: What has been your favorite DC Universe figures to work on so far?

CB: At this point, it’s a toss-up between Clayface and Man-Bat. I’ve always loved Man-Bat and I’ve always liked the big, top-heavy characters in comics. There’s someone we hope to be doing soon that will easily de-throne those two in my book though…

CD: Metamorpho (Rex Mason – the Element man). When you see him in the comics – in 2-D – he looks pretty goofy; kind of like a clown. But when he was finished in 3-D and painted, I was amazed at how cool he turned out!

ET: Clayface, Darkseid and Brainiac; obviously I like the villains the best…

SuperHeroTimes.com: What were your favorite figures and toys as children?

CB: Micronauts, no contest. I love the Microman figures Takara’s putting out now as well, but it looks like the popularity of that line is beginning to dwindle.

CD: There were these Mego style Universal Monsters that I really liked. I don’t remember which company made them, but it wasn’t Mego even though they were in the same scale and similar in style. I also really dug the Mego Planet of the Apes…

JP: The ultimate classic toy - little plastic green army men. It didn’t matter if you melted a platoon or blew up a battalion with an M-80. They were so cheap you could just go buy more.

ET: It’s probably not too surprising, but Masters of the Universe was my all time favorite. Coming in close seconds would have to be Star Wars and Super Powers…

SuperHeroTimes.com: So what’s on the Four Horsemen’s Christmas wish list this year?

CB: Lots of action figures, 90% of which are imports. There’s just not much domestically that’s thrilling me right now. Microman stuff is at the top of my list, and I’m really getting back into Bandai’s S.I.C. stuff as well…

CD: There are a couple of things; big boy toys. I’ve been waiting for the right time to get an Apple computer and Christmas seems to be the right time. I also really want to get a Buell Fireball motorcycle.

JP: A horse farm…

ET: The top of my list is the Muppets Animal replica puppet. All of the Muppets replicas that they’ve done so far have been fantastic, and this one appears to be the best of them all. I’m also really hoping for some Transformers and some of the Soul of Chogokin Super Robots…

SuperHeroTimes.com: Well we’ll hope you get all of these and more! Thanks again for taking the time to talk toys with us…

There you have it fans; the Four Horsemen on Mattel’s new line of DC Universe Classics and more...

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