I have recently been reading through some of the Marvel comics and it just dawned on me how the color scheme of the 2011 Snarf is much more similar to the Marvel version than it is the RB version. The style is obviously very different, but the darker maroon and more muted yellow are in common. I wonder how intentional this was and wonder if Dan Norton ever made mention of drawing inspiration from the old comics?
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Interesting comparison, adssse. It certainly looks possible that Dan Norton and his team may have been inspired by the comic version of Snarf. Even the RB cartoon Snarf had slightly darker red fur, but not as dark as the comic or the 2011 Snarf. Snarfer on the other hand had bright red fur. I believe Snarf Eggbert had dark maroon fur, just like the 2011 Snarf. 
My only gripe with the comic Snarf was the red around his eyes! 
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I think this was more of an influence on the 2011 Snarf.
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https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQapTwrKE_zyAI-5p7FqwjAWvZxa2hsqRN9-n8NkwceSvY-p3kbYw
This concept certainly would have been interesting as well
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I like this look a lot more than the look they went forâŚthe facial hair anyway. Overall this look gives Snarf more character. However this look screams him having a voice and personality hence why they probably went with the other look.
My biggest complaint of the new version is the didnât speak. I am probably in the minority but I think he could have provided much more.
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I completely age with you. There are some episodes like âThe Duellist and the Drifterâ that would have given Snarf some excellent dialogue with Lion-O. I rally liked Snarf as a character and his personality.
Oddly enough in MOTU 200X I wasnât too bothered about Battlecat not being able to talk although it would have been better if he had still been able to talk like the Filmation cartoon.
Interesting that you make the comparison of Snarf with Battlecat. In both their original cartoons, the heroesâ companions (Snarf/Battlecat) could talk while the villainsâ companions (Ma-Mutt/Panthor) could not.
Now that I think about, I donât think there really was any particular benefit/need for Battlecat to actually talk. Iâve only seen some episodes and he rarely has anything useful to say. As Cringer he is always scared a la Scooby Doo and as Battlecat he just canât wait to kick some butt a la Scrappy Doo. :biggrin
One could compare Battlecat to Snowmeow, as mainly a steed who didnât need to talk. But I guess in the original MOTU cartoons, he helped to add some humor and give Prince Adam/He-Man someone to talk to since he knew his double identity secret. Otherwise Orko might have ended up being in a lot more scenes to give Prince Adam someone to talk to, and Iâm not particularly a fan of that idea! LOL! :laugh
I guess in the 2011 TCats and the 200X MOTU, the makers were going for the more ârealisticâ approach of not having the âanimalsâ speak. Technically they were all animals, but some were more humanoid than others, and Iâm guessing the general rule was that those who did not wear clothes shouldnât talk.
Itâs not that different in the original TCats with many creatures not being able to talk. The exceptions that I can remember are the Snarfs, Kudi, Spidera and Crownan.
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There is some comparison between Snarf and Cringer but in my mind they are very different situations. Cringer was essentially an animal who could speak. I donât view the original Snarf as an animal at all but more of a different species ala Mermaids, Bolkins, etc. He had a number of responsibilities around the Lair and was a vital member of the team. I like the comparison with Snowmeow much better.
The design for the 2011 Snarf took a little getting used to but I am ok with it. The thing that still bothers me simply beyond not talking is that they made him more like a pet than a team member. If they felt the original was too corny they could have made him slightly more serious. By Dan Nortons description that Snarf was in fact impervious to damage, the result of ancient experimentation by Mumm-Ra to create a genetically-superior race that could have fit well.
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I actually really like the left and right concepts in this
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/c8/55/4e/c8554e71df87fce526781691400e4c12.jpg
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I agree. While Cringer was a real pet, Snarf was a member of the ThunderCats. No one thought of him as a pet⌠except for some of the mocking villains.
I like this unused design. :thumbsup Snarf looks older and more mature, which he actually is. In fact, according me, Snarf is just as wise, if not wiser than Jaga (who rarely was around when needed!). But a lot of people donât realize that and clump Snarf together with someone like Orko. Snarf was never as childish or mischievous or a troublemaker like Orko. If anything the ThunderKittens are more similar to Orko.
It would have been nice if the new series had made Snarf into a Yoda/Jimminy Cricket type mentor for Lion-O and the other ThunderCats.
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Yes. I 100% agree. :snarf
I agree with Wilycub as well. This would have been a nice change of pace if they wanted to go in a different direction. If I remember correctly Snarf was going to have a similar role in the abandoned âRock Band Thundercatsâ concept.
I am so glad the rock band concept was scrapped.
I agree! I actually wouldnât mind if they targeted a slightly younger audience if they were going in a different direction but that seemed way off base. Interestingly enough Leseans Snarf design was probably the one that stayed the most true to the original in his concept art.
http://www.leseanthomas.com/content/THUNDERCATS__HOLY_MOLY_by_LeSean.jpg
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I think this was definitely going in the wrong direction. This seems like a concept originally for something else that then had Thundercats shoe horned into it.
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