Thanks for that link, “adssse”! Unfortunately I am unable to open any of the attached images. I’m guessing that they have probably been deleted and only the thumbnails remain. I don’t think I’d be able to read the COA from the thumbnail even with a microscope!
Good observation! You are right, they are different.
I was wondering the same thing. It looks like some kind of defect. Either the plastic has been damaged or something like glue or rubber band has melted. Can’t be sure.
From the forum, I found this much information from “LiarDice”, who started the thread. Here are some extracts of what he posted about the Mumm-Ra prototype:
[COLOR=“Blue”]"One of a kind Mumm Ra alternative sculpt resin hardcopy prototype. Cased and authenticated by UKG and with COA signed by the head of toy design at LJN Jose Longoria. He was featured on the pilot of Toy Hunter a few years ago.
This was the design they were playing around with for a more cartoon accurate mumm ra, cape would have been attached too.
I love this sculpt. LJN didn’t carry on with it into production because he wouldn’t have been able to hold weapons "
“The arms and legs are the only differences I could see from the produced piece. Crazy how those small changes can effect the look.
A small note about that piece. This is the only one known! Painted hard copies are very common because many were made for trade shows and salesman. The unproduced hard copies are rarer because they never reached further than the concept stage.
I know of 5 different Mad Bubbler’s but only one of these”
“This mumm ra was created in the series three period of the toy line. Maybe even gearing up to be introduced in the series 4 which never came to light. I know this because of which LJN employee it came from. Also the fact it’s the only piece that’s never shown on any catalog or card back indicates to me it was a very late concept that never happened”
And he also mentioned a “Talking Panthro” Prototype, which I never heard of before:
[COLOR=“Blue”]“LJN were so ahead of their time. With larger scale figure that had various battle actions and of course the light up eyes. I wish they could have carried on. A while back I had a concept piece which was the ‘talking Panthro’ figure. So ahead of its time but never moved further than concepts. Electronics not small enough and still too pricey in mid 80’s”
“There is a button in his back and would have been a small speaker hole in his TC logo belt buckle. There was this very basic conceptual mock up and then one that actually had electronics inside, but that one has since been hidden away by the secretive world of proto collectors”
“Battery was the problem because in the working mock up wires came out of his back and you had to connect to a larger 9v battery to make it work. Electronics just weren’t small enough or cheaply made in that era. That concept, pictured, which I had, you could pop Panthro open in two halves. And there is actually quite a bit of room in the figures chest. I think they wanted you to be able to push a button in his back (shown on pic) and voice heard from a tiny pin hole in the logo in his belt.”
“I remember now seeing an alternate sculpt for the Cats Lair head too. More detailed. It looked cool”
(I would love to see pics of that!)
I’m not gonna start a debate about the authenticity of the piece, but what I’m curious about is this: when, why and by whom was this thing made?
