Tuska Gun

I just noticed this Dune Rabban action figure has a gun the same as Tuska Warrior except it is black with silver.
http://www.toyarchive.com/STAForSale/NEW2001+/Misc/DuneRabbanCompLoose1a.jpg

Nice catch! I am assuming this figure is also made by LJN?

"adssse, post: 97278" said:

Nice catch! I am assuming this figure is also made by LJN?

Yes the Dune toyline was also made by LJN. According to my research the figures are still quite cheap as the movie did not do well at the box office and on its release there wasn't a big demand for the toys.

The dune line is interesting much like their Dungeons and Dragons line as they both sported better articulation than the Thundercats line.
I can't help but think if the Thundercats had been more like the D&D toys (smaller with more articulation and not as many gimmicks) they would have done even better.

"Mark M, post: 97274" said:

I just noticed this Dune Rabban action figure has a gun the same as Tuska Warrior except it is black with silver.
http://www.toyarchive.com/STAForSale/NEW2001+/Misc/DuneRabbanCompLoose1a.jpg

You are right on the "Mark"! ;) LJN did indeed produce the "Dune" toyline as well. From what I understand the Dune figures were produced before the ThunderCats line. For this reason, the Black gun appears in the TCats catalog held by the Tuska Warrior.

Now the exact reason for this is unknown. There are a number of theories though, e.g:

1. The TCats weapon prototypes were not yet ready when the catalog pics were being taken hence the figures were supplied with alternate weapons (you'll notice a number of figures have different weapons on the various LJN catalogs).

2. The Black gun was the planned weapon for the Tuska Warrior but was later changed just before production (same thing happened with Captain Shiner who is pictured in some catalogs as holding a blue colored version of his gun).

"Wilycub, post: 97285" said:

You are right on the "Mark"! ;) LJN did indeed produce the "Dune" toyline as well. From what I understand the Dune figures were produced before the ThunderCats line. For this reason, the Black gun appears in the TCats catalog held by the Tuska Warrior.

Now the exact reason for this is unknown. There are a number of theories though, e.g:

1. The TCats weapon prototypes were not yet ready when the catalog pics were being taken hence the figures were supplied with alternate weapons (you'll notice a number of figures have different weapons on the various LJN catalogs).

2. The Black gun was the planned weapon for the Tuska Warrior but was later changed just before production (same thing happened with Captain Shiner who is pictured in some catalogs as holding a blue colored version of his gun).

Wow that's a great explanation for the Tuska proto gun. I never made the connection!

It would be interesting to see what other weapons a pieces were re-used. I recall reading that some lizard toy that never got released in D&D was going to be released in Thundercats but it never happened.

"adssse, post: 97297" said:

Wow that's a great explanation for the Tuska proto gun. I never made the connection!

Thanks adssse! :) Always happy to share whatever little I know about the TCats.

"Mark M, post: 97313" said:

It would be interesting to see what other weapons a pieces were re-used. I recall reading that some lizard toy that never got released in D&D was going to be released in Thundercats but it never happened.

You are right about that. The unproduced lizard toy was called "Lizzor". Lizzor was actually a modified version of another figure known as "Bullete" which was supposed to be part of LJN's other toyline, Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. However, the figure never went into production and that is why LJN decided to modify it and include it in the ThunderCats line.

It is quite possible that some of the produced and unproduced toys could have been conceptualized for something else but were then later turned into TCats figures. Characters like Tongue-a-saurus, Mad Bubbler, Astral Moat Monster were clearly "shoved" into the show to sell the toys. ;)

I really wish that they would have continued with a Season 3 of the show. I would have loved to see things like "Thunderwings" and "Stilt Runner" featuring the in cartoon in action!

"Wilycub, post: 97335" said:

Thanks adssse! :) Always happy to share whatever little I know about the TCats.


You are right about that. The unproduced lizard toy was called "Lizzor". Lizzor was actually a modified version of another figure known as "Bullete" which was supposed to be part of LJN's other toyline, Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. However, the figure never went into production and that is why LJN decided to modify it and include it in the ThunderCats line.

It is quite possible that some of the produced and unproduced toys could have been conceptualized for something else but were then later turned into TCats figures. Characters like Tongue-a-saurus, Mad Bubbler, Astral Moat Monster were clearly "shoved" into the show to sell the toys. ;)

I really wish that they would have continued with a Season 3 of the show. I would have loved to see things like "Thunderwings" and "Stilt Runner" featuring the in cartoon in action!

Ahh more nuggets of knowledge!

I totally agree that I would have really enjoyed seeing the Thunderwings and Stilt Runner in the cartoon!

"Wilycub, post: 97335" said:

I really wish that they would have continued with a Season 3 of the show. I would have loved to see things like "Thunderwings" and "Stilt Runner" featuring the in cartoon in action!

If they had done a season 3 of Thundercats I would have loved a some stories set on Plundarr to learn more about it. :D

It is interesting how some toys never get made or end up being something else. For instance, a black jungle cat toy from Mattel's Tarzan line was re-coloured and ended up becoming one of the most iconic 80's toys as He-Man's Battlecat. Even Col. Borobot from Bravestarr started out as a vehicle for the Big Jim toy line.
There was a lot of great prototypes for Thundercats that never ended up being made that would have been great toys like the Lunattack, the light brown Berbil, the Feliner and Red-Eye.

"Mark M, post: 97381" said:

There was a lot of great prototypes for Thundercats that never ended up being made that would have been great toys like the Lunattack, the light brown Berbil, the Feliner and Red-Eye.

I would have really liked to see Red-eye (all the Lunataks for that matter) and the Feliner come to market. It makes you wonder what other concepts they had floating around that were never prototyped.

"adssse, post: 97397" said:

I would have really liked to see Red-eye (all the Lunataks for that matter) and the Feliner come to market. It makes you wonder what other concepts they had floating around that were never prototyped.

The Lunataks would have been very cool, especially for the US fans who grew up watching them on TV. For us UK fans we didn't discover them until much later. I personally didn't see them until 2008 when the DVD's were released here.
It was a shame when they stopped making Thundercats as they were really improving and coming up with better stuff each series.

I would have loved the second series of Bravestarr toys to have been released for my collection, Judge JB, Longarm John and Dingo Dan. I would also have loved a Shaman and Stampede to have been made. :rolleyes:

"Mark M, post: 97403" said:

The Lunataks would have been very cool, especially for the US fans who grew up watching them on TV. For us UK fans we didn't discover them until much later. I personally didn't see them until 2008 when the DVD's were released here.
It was a shame when they stopped making Thundercats as they were really improving and coming up with better stuff each series.

I would have loved the second series of Bravestarr toys to have been released for my collection, Judge JB, Longarm John and Dingo Dan. I would also have loved a Shaman and Stampede to have been made. :rolleyes:

Ya Red-Eye seemed like he would have been pretty cool as it sounds like he would have been able to shoot discs from his chest. Here are a couple of pictures for anyone who may not have seen them before.



Looking at Lizzor I am not terribly disappointed that he was never produced :) He isnt a very inspiring design


Does it seem weird that they would have gotten so far on a Red-Eye figure, but we have never seen anything regarding any other Lunatak prototypes?

"adssse, post: 97405" said:

Looking at Lizzor I am not terribly disappointed that he was never produced :) He isnt a very inspiring design

Does it seem weird that they would have gotten so far on a Red-Eye figure, but we have never seen anything regarding any other Lunatak prototypes?

I couldn't agree with you more about Lizzor not being produced! LOL! :D He hardly looks part of the ThunderCats line-up. They probably would have concocted an episode to feature him. It's surprising that they didn't somehow squeeze the Stinger into an episode.

I too find it very peculiar that they choose only Red Eye to turn into a figure. All the Mutants had their toys, all the Berserkers had their toys, but only one Lunatak? Which reminds me, the two unproduced Berserkers were also really cool! Quickjaws and Cannon Blaster.

I would have loved Cannon Blaster and Quickjaws.
Lizzor just wouldn't have fitted in. He looks a lot more like a He-Man toy.
Personally I don't have much interest in the Lunataks. Probably because I never seen them until 2008, but design and character wise they didn't really appeal to me. Redeye seems like he would have made a cool toy, Tug Mug would have had an interesting gimmick but the only one I think I would have really liked would have been Chilla.

While I do think Quickjaws is pretty cool I am not so certain about Cannon Blaster for some reason.

I agree that Chilla would have made a great addition to the LJN lineup! I wonder what type of gimmick she would have. Perhaps some type of billow based system where squeezing would blow air or a mist out her mouth?

"adssse, post: 97412" said:

While I do think Quickjaws is pretty cool I am not so certain about Cannon Blaster for some reason.

I agree that Chilla would have made a great addition to the LJN lineup! I wonder what type of gimmick she would have. Perhaps some type of billow based system where squeezing would blow air or a mist out her mouth?

More than likely. Like the toys of Kobra Kahn from MOTU and Sandstorm from Bravestarr.
Maybe she would have had a colour changing gimmick like her blue skin going lighter or darker when put in the cold like the early 90's Toybiz Ice-Man figure.

"Mark M, post: 97416" said:

More than likely. Like the toys of Kobra Kahn from MOTU and Sandstorm from Bravestarr.
Maybe she would have had a colour changing gimmick like her blue skin going lighter or darker when put in the cold like the early 90's Toybiz Ice-Man figure.

I do like the color changing gimmick. I remember having a couple toys back in the day that did that.

"adssse, post: 97419" said:

I do like the color changing gimmick. I remember having a couple toys back in the day that did that.

I had Ice-Man (X-Men), Zartan (G.I. Joe) and Captain Planet (Captain Planet).