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Since 1983.
Fruit Brute
Since 1983.
RETRORATING: 9
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The Rebirth of M.A.S.K. and the Nostalgia Struggle
By: SockofFleagulls
One of my favorite animated shows and toy lines as an '80s kid was M.A.S.K. aka Mobile Armored Strike Kommand. It was a fun mix of elements from Transformers and G.I. Joe developed by Kenner and released in 1985. Beyond the transforming toy vehicles and mask-wearing action figures, M.A.S.K. was a fully licensed property appearing on everything from bed sheets to birthday plates to comic books.
I've been a huge fan of M.A.S.K. since it's debut. I remember having several of the small vehicle toys including the Hurricane '57 Chevy which was a birthday present from my Aunt. Sometime in the late '80s, I specifically remember begging my mother to buy me the Boulder Hill playset I found on clearance at a local department store. M.A.S.K. is my most revered cartoon and toy line to this day and I have the fansite to prove it.
Unfortunately, M.A.S.K. has pretty much lied dormant for 25+ years. Kenner was bought out by Tonka which was bought out by HASBRO which has left it to collect dust save for one crossover Matt Trakker figure in its 25th anniversary G.I. Joe toy line. The fans have been the ones to keep it alive in the internet age until just this year when news developed from Hasbro that it had licensed IDW to print a new M.A.S.K. comic book series. They also announced the team would also be included in a new cinematic universe of HASBRO properties.
On Nov 30, the first issue of new M.A.S.K. comic series was released, born from a crossover event titled Revolution. The new team is young, diverse, and inspired by franchises like Fast and the Furious. Familiar names and modernized vehicles fill the pages of this fast-paced new book, leaving much of the original story in the past. Writer Brandon Easton has made it known from the beginning that his reboot of the franchise would be primed for a modern audience of adults and so far, has done nothing but satisfy.
But for those who have waited for so long to witness the rebirth of M.A.S.K., has it been worth it? Coming from obscurity to the comic book limelight has been difficult for most diehard fans. The M.A.S.K. fan community is small and while the new books obviously give nods to the 1985 version with its covers and familiar names, the 2016 version has a new and very different path from the original. As much as I've enjoyed reading about the new team, I find myself struggling to turn off my nostalgia to enjoy it which I've even heard the writer recommended us doing.
It's hard to close a chapter of a book you've read for 25 years when the author finally does write that next chapter. It's a lot easier to critique new material based on 30 year-old properties when there is a new iteration every couple years like Transformers. But when something is so ingrained into your nostalgia alone, how can you simply turn your brain off from it? It's a struggle that I think most companies and publishers don't realize when trying to create a new story.
If I put on my 1985 glasses when I read the new M.A.S.K. book, I see a vast difference from what I know. But when I wear my 2016 glasses, I see a fresh action-packed story. As with all companies, each new endeavor needs to be profitable. But at what point does profit trump our nostalgia? I'm not sure I know the answer to that question but it seems to be one I struggle with now more that ever.
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