[Excelion Prime]

Phicen has released Red Sonja and there is a Vampirella in the future. Jungle Girl would require some modification (probably using Sheena as the base), but how to build Dejah Thoris?

 

[DeltaForceChung]

Back around 2010 to 2012, Triad Toys had the official license from the ERB estate to produce 1:6 figures from the John Carter of Mars license. They produced John Carter as a 1:6 figure and Tars Tarkas as a statue.

A Dejah Thoris prototype was shown, but it was never released.

If PHICEN actually managed to procure the license through proper and/or underhanded tactics by ER and actually manages to produce her, then I know many collectors who'll be shocked and surprised that PHICEN succeeded where Triad Toys utterly failed.

 

[Excelion Prime]

Would it be too much to hope they could get the license from Dynamite comics? They did get Red Sonja and Vampirella after all. Also, I only got into 1/6 collecting as a hobby recently. Is Triad Toys out of business? What happened to them and the John Carter license?

 

[DeltaForceChung]

Also, I only got into 1/6 collecting as a hobby recently. Is Triad Toys out of business? What happened to them and the John Carter license?

--

1. Triad Toys is out of business. Whatever they have left is sold on eBay.

2. They went under due to a number of bad decisions and problematic design and quality issues they could recover let alone improve or learn from.

Their final year of business/operations was in 2013, but the absolute beginning of the end for them started in 2011/2012.

The John Carter license was pretty much fulfilled with the 1:6 John Carter figure and the Tars Tarkas statue.

Any/all licensing deals Triad Toys had were either completed, incomplete, and/or lapsed.

 

[Moonbase Alpha Male]

.
I wanted that Triad Dejah Thoris so badly... Odd thing is that as far as I recall, she was shown in prototype well before there was a John Carter figure (and the Tars statue) yet she never came out. In the logic of those days she was the secondary, almost accessory character, and Triad went with the male hero first. Arguably Phicen has subsequently showed us that when it comes to fantasy figures that aren't movie-specific, sexy females do best. Probably if Triad had released Dejah she would have done better than the John Carter figure.

 

[knights1952]

So This was never made?

Dejah Thoris Princess of Mars 12" Figure - Edgar Rice Burroughs Warlord of Mars

 

[Stryker2011]

So This was never made?

Dejah Thoris Princess of Mars 12" Figure - Edgar Rice Burroughs Warlord of Mars

View attachment 373364

Nope. And to be honest, as sexy as the Dynamite comics look was, it still isn't accurate to the character. Nor was the John Carter. If you read the first book closely, everyone is NAKED except for bits of jewelry. JC himself wakes up on Mars completely naked, and acquires bits of stuff along the way. Burroughs never once mentions cod-pieces or the like for the Red Martians or John Carter. But... I guess that would be a hard sell in comic book form... or 1/6th.

 

[Moonbase Alpha Male]

Nope. And to be honest, as sexy as the Dynamite comics look was, it still isn't accurate to the character. Nor was the John Carter. If you read the first book closely, everyone is NAKED except for bits of jewelry. JC himself wakes up on Mars completely naked, and acquires bits of stuff along the way. Burroughs never once mentions cod-pieces or the like for the Red Martians or John Carter. But... I guess that would be a hard sell in comic book form... or 1/6th.

Well in fairness Burroughs generally doesn't mention what anyone is or is not wearing, unless it's a specifically relevant fact (like the waking up naked on Mars). You could as well say that he doesn't mention JC's hair so JC is bald. All we know is that Burroughs doesn't actively negate the possibility of nudity. Textually you could say the same thing about Tarzan except that in his case he meets people and they don't react to nudity. John Carter's original publication pulp magazine covers, the interior bw illustrations, and book wrapper jackets from 1912 through to Frazetta in the 1970s as well as 75 years of comics obviously wouldn't support the nudity either.

I think someone could release the Triad Dejah prototype in today's market and she'd still be competitive alongside the Phicens as to costume and headsculpt. She'd need a Phicen body obviously but it would be nice to have one red-tinged, hopefully more so than Triad's was. Obviously Phicen wouldn't use Triad's design but I'm saying it would still look viable if they did.

 

[callous]

I think that Dejah has been drawn so many different ways that there is no right or wrong way to depict the character. More covered up, less covered up, articulated body or seamless body etc. does not really matter. I like seeing the different designs. I know this is blasphemy but I would like to see Dejah and Carter in 1/12 scale so you could have a couple of those creatures and the big green guys that would be closer to a 1/6 scale to that smaller 1/12 scale.

 

[Moonbase Alpha Male]

I think that Dejah has been drawn so many different ways that there is no right or wrong way to depict the character. More covered up, less covered up, articulated body or seamless body etc. does not really matter. I like seeing the different designs. I know this is blasphemy but I would like to see Dejah and Carter in 1/12 scale so you could have a couple of those creatures and the big green guys that would be closer to a 1/6 scale to that smaller 1/12 scale.

:agree They would be fantastic in the Mezco "One:12" series that basically replicates everything we love in 1/6 as to posability, fabric clothing, detailed accessories etc but in the smaller scale.

 

[Stryker2011]

Well in fairness Burroughs generally doesn't mention what anyone is or is not wearing, unless it's a specifically relevant fact (like the waking up naked on Mars). You could as well say that he doesn't mention JC's hair so JC is bald. All we know is that Burroughs doesn't actively negate the possibility of nudity. Textually you could say the same thing about Tarzan except that in his case he meets people and they don't react to nudity. John Carter's original publication pulp magazine covers, the interior bw illustrations, and book wrapper jackets from 1912 through to Frazetta in the 1970s as well as 75 years of comics obviously wouldn't support the nudity either.

While I agree Burroughs didn't linger on dress often, he did describe Tarzan as wearing a loin-cloth. And his descriptions of the Green and Red Martians do specifically mention nudity.

Green Martians: "With the exception of their ornaments all were naked."

JC's description of Dejah Thoris: "She was as destitute of clothes as the green Martians who accompanied her; indeed, save for her highly wrought ornaments she was entirely naked, nor could any apparel have enhanced the beauty of her perfect and symmetrical figure."

Burroughs mentions JC describing the heat of the sun bearing down on his naked skin was fiercely hot, like the Arizona desert. As far as illustrations from the early books through to Frazetta, it would only stand to reason that they would add "clothing" of some sort so they could actually publish the things without running afoul of the prudes that predominated American society for so many decades.

But, that's all moot. However she (or JC) would be made, as long as it was "close" to the original source material (and not that horse-s87t movie) would be fine by me.

 

[Moonbase Alpha Male]

While I agree Burroughs didn't linger on dress often, he did describe Tarzan as wearing a loin-cloth. And his descriptions of the Green and Red Martians do specifically mention nudity.

Green Martians: "With the exception of their ornaments all were naked."

JC's description of Dejah Thoris: "She was as destitute of clothes as the green Martians who accompanied her; indeed, save for her highly wrought ornaments she was entirely naked, nor could any apparel have enhanced the beauty of her perfect and symmetrical figure."

Burroughs mentions JC describing the heat of the sun bearing down on his naked skin was fiercely hot, like the Arizona desert. As far as illustrations from the early books through to Frazetta, it would only stand to reason that they would add "clothing" of some sort so they could actually publish the things without running afoul of the prudes that predominated American society for so many decades.

But, that's all moot. However she (or JC) would be made, as long as it was "close" to the original source material (and not that horse-s87t movie) would be fine by me.

I suppose that it may turn on what the word "ornaments" means. And all the illustrations clearly have some clothing, but we can question whether they portray clothing or "add" it. It may become a question like whether Sherlock Holmes ever wore a Deerstalker cap and an Inverness cape. BTW not only were the clothes in the John Carter illustrations a matter of "avoiding the prudes," but did you know that Dejah Thoris in the illustrations was actually ERB's daughter in law? An extra reason not to have her naked I suppose.

On the general point I totally agree with you that there's a strong covert sexiness and even luridness running through the Carter novels that give them powerful energy above similar tales. Do you know Richard Corben's "Den"? It started practically as an adaptation of John Carter, and for once the comics smartly retain all the nudity and erotic implications without being trashy.

 

[edwick]

The ultimate arbiter of the license would be the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate, not Dynamite. Dynamite is licensing Dejah Thoris and the whole Mars franchise from the folks at ERB.

Not to say that it won't happen, but one wonders whether the impact of Triad Toys' floundering effort made the folks at ERB gunshy about 1/6 custom collectibles. Still, I have been told that Vampirella's owners were the major obstacle to getting her in 1/6 form, and she's coming now too so never say never.

 

[Moonbase Alpha Male]

The ultimate arbiter of the license would be the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate, not Dynamite. Dynamite is licensing Dejah Thoris and the whole Mars franchise from the folks at ERB.

Not to be picky, but this isn't necessarily or even probably true. Dynamite's license could govern everything else by sub-licensing -- that's how you get consistency, and then ERB-Co doesn't have to make separate format deals with Phicen and Funko and Mezco and Diamond Collectibles and etc etc. When HT makes the DC movie figures it's the studio that tells them what to do and not the original licensor DC Comics.

Not to say that it won't happen, but one wonders whether the impact of Triad Toys' floundering effort made the folks at ERB gunshy about 1/6 custom collectibles. Still, I have been told that Vampirella's owners were the major obstacle to getting her in 1/6 form, and she's coming now too so never say never.

This part on the other hand, I totally agree with.

 

[Excelion Prime]

The safe bet is that we won't see an officially licensed 1/6 scale Dejah Thoris in the future. The House of Mouse has similarly torpedoed any official future releases of our other favorite half-naked desert world princess. And yet we have unofficial or unlicensed versions of her from ACPlay and Mr. Toys.

Since an official Dejah is out, I'm considering getting one of the Leias as a base to work from.

 

[Raiden]

Excelion Prime, I can send you a link to where my custom Dejah is shown......I am unable to show here, for "obvious" reasons, but I can point you in the direction to that you can make one on your own. Whichever version you choose......ERB's literal version or the Dynamite comics version.

 

[Moonbase Alpha Male]

The safe bet is that we won't see an officially licensed 1/6 scale Dejah Thoris in the future. The House of Mouse has similarly torpedoed any official future releases of our other favorite half-naked desert world princess. And yet we have unofficial or unlicensed versions of her from ACPlay and Mr. Toys.

Since an official Dejah is out, I'm considering getting one of the Leias as a base to work from.

Likely true, except to clarify that in Dejah Thoris' case the House of Mouse no longer has a say -- 'John Carter' Movie Rights Regained by Edgar Rice Burroughs Estate | Hollywood Reporter. Incidentally the absence of any toys from the movie in 2012 was especially significant. The studio claimed that after spending a huge budget they lost confidence in the movie virtually at the last minute based on test screenings. But those of us who know the normal timing curve for toys on a kid-friendly movie considered this suspicious. Ordinarily toys would be planned a year in advance and probably already be in stores a month before the movie opening. The lack of any toys suggests the studio never gave JC a fair chance from the start - which reinforces the conspiracy theory that JC was "set up to fail."

 

[Stryker2011]

Likely true, except to clarify that in Dejah Thoris' case the House of Mouse no longer has a say -- 'John Carter' Movie Rights Regained by Edgar Rice Burroughs Estate | Hollywood Reporter. Incidentally the absence of any toys from the movie in 2012 was especially significant. The studio claimed that after spending a huge budget they lost confidence in the movie virtually at the last minute based on test screenings. But those of us who know the normal timing curve for toys on a kid-friendly movie considered this suspicious. Ordinarily toys would be planned a year in advance and probably already be in stores a month before the movie opening. The lack of any toys suggests the studio never gave JC a fair chance from the start - which reinforces the conspiracy theory that JC was "set up to fail."

Frankly, of all of burroughs' creations (with maybe "Cavegirl" being another exception), I never could understand why the Burroughs Estate ever thought Disney was the studio to go with for such a blatantly sexual/sensual (for the time), and extremely violent source material. That movie should have looked more like Arnold's 1st outing as Conan, rather than that convoluted, watered down piece of .... that they churned out. It needed to be less Disney and more Zack Snyderesque.

 

[Excelion Prime]

Excelion Prime, I can send you a link to where my custom Dejah is shown......I am unable to show here, for "obvious" reasons, but I can point you in the direction to that you can make one on your own. Whichever version you choose......ERB's literal version or the Dynamite comics version.

Would it not be possible to post reference pics in the Mature Content area? But, yes I would like to see what you did with the concept via a PM.

 

[Moonbase Alpha Male]

Would it not be possible to post reference pics in the Mature Content area? But, yes I would like to see what you did with the concept via a PM.

Raiden, I'd like to see your Dejah Thoris too and I'm sure others would also, so I'd second Excelion Prime's suggestion to post it in NSFW. Of itself something in the NSFW area tends to get missed by many of us who only check that area sporadically, but I think that a text reference or a couple of initial "safe" pics in the regular section, with a link to go further in NSFW, is a good way to go.