Secrets of the Masters of the Universe Classic Leech figure. Evil Horde member with suction cups toy

Scott ToyGuru Neitlich offers up another action packed Director's Commentary from the MOTUC line. This episode is Leech, the first figure he had after a move from CT to CA as a child, so you know their are special memories with this guy! Suction cups not working aside, the vintage figure was great, but was the Classics figure even better? Find out in this awesome new video!

[@jacobellinger8027]

this is such an underrated channel. the dude puts so much work into these.

[@Canoby]

Can't agree more. Not only are the videos themselves well edited but he knows the subject matter inside and out. Scott got into the right line of work

[@spectorcreative1872]

Thank you so much! I am most grateful for the kind words! Any help sharing videos on social media with friends is most appreciated. It really helps the channel

[@andrewgrant2990]

@@Canoby I 3rd this statement as these are so insightful & I gain so much knowledge. I often find myself wanting to do this with other 80s toy lines. Thanks a bunch Scott!

[@mattleuty5285]

I know right!! I've been saying the same for ages. I tell as many people as I can about this channel.

[@cruizerdave]

I loved Leech as a kid! He felt like he was twice the bulk of a regular MOTU guy, and on mine the back pump worked really well. The classics version was a thing of beauty. Disgusting beauty

[@bryanabbott6169]

That's the thing about mass production, quality assurance can only check so many figures at a time as they go down the production line. The ToyGuru may have had one of the less effective Leeches. A friend of mine had one (he was more into the Horde than I was), but I don't remember if the suction pump worked on it or not.

[@spectorcreative1872]

A face only a mother could love

[@cruizerdave]

@@bryanabbott6169 I know some people said they used it to suck in water and he could spit it out, but I never tried that.

[@bryanabbott6169]

@@cruizerdave I could have sworn there was a water squitter MOTU action figure, so maybe they got the idea from using Leech in that way?

[@cruizerdave]

@@bryanabbott6169 Oh yeah, Cobra Khan from the year or two previous! It’s fun to reflect on those guys!

[@edgexl8327]

When I was a kid I'd attach my vintage Leech figure to the bathroom mirror to freak my mom out. Leech was one of my faves.

[@spectorcreative1872]

Now that is awesome!

[@warri0r-p0et18]

Another suction cup character I loved as a kid in the late 70's to early 80's was suckerman. Just a large rubber devil looking character covered in suction cups.

[@spectorcreative1872]

Oh Scukerman! That was awesome. I should do a video on him

[@Nimisiskrash]

Lol when I talk toys to my geek ilk they look at me ....what?? Him and pulsar they have no clue. I got sucker man instead of the giant alien figure from a now defunct nyc department store called Alexander’s

[@nerdrock8087]

@@Nimisiskrash I had Suckerman and Pulsar, too. Great memories!!

[@jamesscott8995]

My biggest toy regret was passing up on this guy. Leech is awesome! What a great figure. Thank you for making these awesome videos.

[@spectorcreative1872]

And thank you for watching them and posting comments! It is most appreciated.

[@ramonvandebeek]

My favorite figure of all time in the He-man universe!

[@spectorcreative1872]

Nice! Hope you like the Classics version

[@ramonvandebeek]

@@spectorcreative1872 don't have it..yet

[@n_explosion8199]

Last night I was thinking when you would get to Leech, and here you are😁 I had Leech ad a kid, but I held him under water, pressed the pump a few times and then he would spit water when he was full and you pressed the backpanel.

[@spectorcreative1872]

I"m going in toy release order if that sheds any light on who will be coming up.

[@n_explosion8199]

@@spectorcreative1872 I know, I just don't know the release-order and I like to be surprised 😉

[@brandonleewise4380]

How has barely anyone seen these videos. Absolutely fantastic

[@spectorcreative1872]

Hey share it with others, it helps the channel a ton!

[@ZillMob]

Leech was absolutely one of my favorite guys as a kid. Yeah the mouth never ever did work, but his hands did. Especially in the bathtub. Been waiting for this episode, the rest of the mordock crew as well. The snap together guy? Great idea, impossibly hard to actually snap together

[@spectorcreative1872]

Modulok. Yeah he was a thumb killer

[@MoteofLobross]

I never had problems with the action feature on Leech when I was a kid. I got him in 1984. Later when I was 13 in 1990, I randomly stuck his face to the mirrored sliding closet doors in my room and he stuck there till I was in my early 20's when I moved out my dad's place.

[@spectorcreative1872]

Wow that is awesome!!

[@maxhamann8739]

Leech was one of my favorite figures as a kid, still have him, i might try to hunt down the classics version

[@spectorcreative1872]

Worth hunting down!

[@JeffTheFutureJaros]

This was awesome, I've always really liked the look of Leech, I actually have 2 vintage figures of Leech in my collection right now, I always thought the action sucked too, never really worked too great, but nonetheless awesome figure, Great video as always Guru!

[@spectorcreative1872]

Many thanks as always Jeff!

[@JeffTheFutureJaros]

Love that Baby Leech Picture with the Pacifier in his mouth, lol, Classic.

[@spectorcreative1872]

It cracks me up

[@Quantumhawk]

Great video, audio seems right where it should be, other than the outtro being loud. The only real problem I have is that watching this is making me want the figure! I guess that's inevitable when we hear about all the passion you put into creating these. Thanks!

[@spectorcreative1872]

I just got a new mic as well which will kick in with the videos in late Jan. (I work ahead)

[@Dented_Battle_Armor]

I have been waiting for the Leech video and finally its here! Thanks Scott!!

[@spectorcreative1872]

Going in release order! Glad you are sticking around

[@Canoby]

Always loved this guy's character design even if the issues you ran into with his action feature was pretty common (suction cups being really hit or miss for toys); you guys translated him very well in Classics. Hoping they get around to him in Origins, and can do half as well as your guy's end product :D I wonder why we didn't see more of a rivalry between Webstor and Buzz Off

[@spectorcreative1872]

An Origins Leech would be so cool!

[@Beedo_Sookcool]

Great video, as always! Thank you! This was a great figure, and I was thrilled to get him into my collection. Maybe it was a QC thing, but my Vintage Leech always worked very well. I'd stick him to something, and he'd still be there, half an hour later. Can't speak for the new net accessory tearing, though. I put it in my spare accessories box and haven't taken it out since. Might've degraded in the last nine and a half years, might still be fine. Won't know until I get back home to my collection and check. Schrödinger's Net!

[@spectorcreative1872]

Don't take it out of the box! It exists in a state of unknown!!!

[@jamesbarksdale415]

Always loved Leech. Great MOTU classic figure. Loved his look in the vintage toon as well. Definitely disappointed in his look in his mini comic but good story. Hated he didn’t get more 200x screen time but badass staction figure!

[@spectorcreative1872]

Oh man, how cool would it be to have him on more 200X!!!!

[@nwobw]

Leech is one of my two favorite characters (of any thing) of all time - tied with Skeletor for #1. This was the one figure I was most looking forward to since the MOTUC line launched in 2009. As far as I was concerned this figure had to please only one person, and that was me. MOTUC Leech is my favorite figure in the line - tied with the first Skeletor. I bought like 7 of him. I keep one on computer desk, two displayed in my room, one MIB, and some extras just in case of breakage. He's basically everything I wanted in the figure. I would have loved a fully unique sculpt. But the MOTUC was always about making the cheapest figures possible. I would have preferred a much bulkier Leech, but for the classics figure his proportions are fine. The original was squat and fat, but this one can stand. The criticisms of skinny arms and legs didn't really land with me because he's got He-Man's arms and legs. lol But yeah, I'd have preferred a 100% unqiue bulky Leech. The 4H also managed to solve a 30 year puzzle. What does Leech's head actually look like without the suction cup. All the artwork, mini-comics, cardbacks, posters. etc all had a different interpretation. Some artists literally just drew the suction cup toy head exactly. The 4H basically just looked at the vintage head and removed the gimmick. Toy perfection. I love Leech so much and this figure for me was a home run.

[@spectorcreative1872]

That is awesome. I do love have multiples of a figure you really love and having them everywhere. And love that you truly enjoyed the 4HM take on him!

[@gerrysabron]

this is probably the most valuable figure I got from BL, besides Adam, Kranger, Orko and Bow...I only saw this once, glad I got him..

[@spectorcreative1872]

Me too! He is worth it

[@sunnyshine2215]

The skinny legs did bug me but I understood why they were like that. Still a good figure and often overlooked in the collection

[@spectorcreative1872]

I am glad this did not bother fans as much as it bothered me.

[@Chakram17O1]

Leech and Mantenna were my two favorite figures when I was a kid. I feel really stupid now though. It never occurred to me as a child to use his sucker mouth to stick to glass. I always just stuck him underwater, pressed the back button to suck in water, and mine would actually squirt water out of his mouth if you pressed the button again! I remember because I always wondered as a kid why he never did that to She-Ra on the show. Guess I know now LOL!

[@spectorcreative1872]

Yup. It wasn't water, it was "energy sucking"(?) because reasons.

[@KJF-ny]

I remember sticking him to the window in the back seat of the car while driving around. It eventually stopped sucking onto things, but it was pretty reliable for me as far as I can recall.

[@spectorcreative1872]

Next to Garfield perhaps?

[@KJF-ny]

@@spectorcreative1872 pretty close! I think he was in the back window

[@6661313]

I liked horde villains in general more than skeletors, and leech specifically was one of my favs. I never had an issue with the suction, but I only ever tried sticking him to something smooth

[@spectorcreative1872]

I think mine just didn't work right...

[@dannystorm856]

My little brother had this one to. I put him one on my forehead. He was sucked to it. So when I took him off, I walked around for a few days with a red circle on my forehead :)

[@spectorcreative1872]

Oh man, that happened to me with Gandolf's hat once! (from the toybiz toy)

[@RedneckOgre]

When I first saw his original figure I thought he was supposed to be able to squirt water.

[@spectorcreative1872]

It does look like that!

[@curbydinobot8633]

I always thought of Moss Man as the MOTU swamp guy...Leech man however reminds me more of Parasite from Superman

[@spectorcreative1872]

Oh that is a good point and a better comparison

[@rolandkatsuragi]

It's always interesting to see how much influence 200X had on the aesthetic of Classics despite being a "failure"

[@spectorcreative1872]

Well the one group that did not see it as a failure was the fans!

[@SmokeForPants]

The net was a good idea; it just should have been fabric. As I recall, you had a prohibition against soft goods at MattyCollector that even spilled over into the Thundercats line where Mumm-Ra had two sculpted robes. Super7 relaxed this rule and cloth materials are now present in several collector action figure lines.

[@spectorcreative1872]

Well I didn't have a ban on them or anything, if a figure really called for cloth I'm sure we would have found a way. In hindsight I would have gone with a second hand held weapon vs a net.

[@colinmathura-jeffree9829]

Leech Origins out now and he looks amazing. 2 heads 2 pairs of hands. Sucks. Lol. Super happy.

[@allmusicfan88]

Great character and figure for the Horde! Though I was disappointed that he didn't get a Filmation release in Club Grayskull.

[@spectorcreative1872]

Can't speak for that one. I was long off the brand by that point

[@allmusicfan88]

@@spectorcreative1872 I know, I was just letting out my feelings. ha ha Super7 was able to do Mantenna and Grizzlor Filmation style, but they just never got a chance to go any furthur.

[@easygrin1127]

Another moment where to mourn the 2002 sbow. Mantenna Grizlor and Leech looked so cool there. Would have loved to see them interact with the evil Warriors. Hordak's guys always felt a big off a better threat than the evil warriors. Only if Beast man couldn't gain controll off them witt his whip that is.

[@spectorcreative1872]

Oh I know! and we almost had such a great season 3

[@easygrin1127]

@@spectorcreative1872 just that flashback episode alone. But was Skeletor mean to kill He-man or was he merely going to defeat him?

[@benflay6038]

Great memories this was my bath buddy and if you pump him underwater he can be a water pistol stuck great to tiles. Another I'd like to buy

[@spectorcreative1872]

Maybe he will get a shot at the Origins line?

[@benflay6038]

@@spectorcreative1872 hope so I won't get all of them but there's some with lots of memories theres a few nostalgia still looking for a he man classics

[@SirRosser]

I used to stick that thing to the refrigerator all the time, man!

[@spectorcreative1872]

Any toy that can go on a fridge is awesome.

[@Cheesemaster2000]

My vintage fig worked just fine! That was until my dog chewed him up - once he din't work, he held no value to me. Up until that, though - he was my favorite, because it simply just worked! (mine was European)

[@spectorcreative1872]

How is it mine didn't work? I must be cursed

[@barnacleburrito3728]

scott you definitely got a dud. mine still works

[@darkwoods1954]

Roboforce were awesome.

[@spectorcreative1872]

Not arguing that!

[@Jake_E57]

The net tearing was pretty disappointing, but I never even noticed the legs. Leech was one of my favorite figures in the vintage line and I wasn't at all disappointed by MOTUC Leech, he's one of my favs in that line too. In a line with such heavy reuse in body parts his unique body and larger frame really make him stand out in the collection.

[@spectorcreative1872]

He is pretty darn stand out ish

[@hermionestoybox1154]

My Vintage Leech worked well until my Pre-K students destroyed him. (The suction cup was fine, but his legs and arms were...everywhere.) Great video, as usual! Keep 'em coming, Scooter! :)

[@spectorcreative1872]

More to come for sure!

[@kyleolson8977]

I never had much trouble with the mouth suction cup. The hand suction cups were as questionable as any suction cup without mechanical parts attached to something with weight. Leech spent a lot of time with his mouth stuck to car windows, house windows, and bathroom mirrors.

[@spectorcreative1872]

Next to Garfield I hope!

[@jamieshelker2178]

I had the first one..

[@spectorcreative1872]

A toy worth having!

[@JurassicRod]

I wish Classics Leech had been a bit buffer/bulkier. I just always found something off about him in Classics for some reason.

[@spectorcreative1872]

I agree. Its the legs.

[@johnmorey720]

Leech draining Glimmer in the old cartoon and Glimmer's VA's... performance... was the first time when my sister and I noticed, um, the way that cartoons often sneaked adult things under the radar. "Wait a second, that doesn't sound like she's in pain." "Should we be watching this?" (Well, I guess it's time to write fanfiction...)

[@spectorcreative1872]

She-Ra actually had an editor just to watch the skirt lengths!

[@johnmorey720]

@@spectorcreative1872 And yet they missed that!

[@wheatonsspeedshop1412]

This is one I definitely don't remember

[@spectorcreative1872]

It did come out later in the line in general

[@barthakingsley6482]

This is the best Leech ever made and perhaps will ever be made. I just got mine on EBay and payed $250... Ohh well

[@spectorcreative1872]

The legs still bug me a bit but I am my hardest critic

[@barthakingsley6482]

@@spectorcreative1872 im a collector. Ive been binge buying these on EBAY. I wish i would have grabbed these when they came out.

[@barthakingsley6482]

@@spectorcreative1872 these figures recreate the orginal magic I remember as a kid but with the realism and detail my adult mind requires to interpret. I believe a beautiful translation has been achieved and as a fan, cannot have asked for more.

[@front2423]

​@@barthakingsley6482 250? Tomorrow I pick up mine from a seller in a Facebook group I found it at 120 $ in blister

[@goldenrootsnet]

Can you do a vid about the original concept of the Horde? I read somewhere that originally the bat insignia were supposed to be organisms that controlled the wearer?

[@spectorcreative1872]

I do have an origin of Hordak video coming in late Jan!

[@goldenrootsnet]

@@spectorcreative1872 looking forward to it!

[@bri55118]

Isn't merman a swamp guy character? Or is he the sea monster type of guy?

[@bryanabbott6169]

Merman was definitely based on the Creature from the Black Lagoon, but he was more sea monster focused for MOTU.

[@spectorcreative1872]

He is more of the ocean vs a swamp

[@Dented_Battle_Armor]

I was one of the few fans whom was not happy with his skinny legs. He is my favorite Horde and wanted his legs to be much bulkier. :(

[@spectorcreative1872]

Hey I agree with you 100%!

[@grimlock1471]

I remember the vintage fig had a pump in the mouth, and there were cups on the hands. But were the cups on the hands connected to anything or were they just static suction cups?

[@spectorcreative1872]

No, only the mouth was attached to the pump

[@grimlock1471]

I have a couple questions of procedure, but but first some about nomenclature. You setup the injection molding machine, close the tool, inject, open it up, and parts pop you. What is that called? A run? An operation?

[@spectorcreative1872]

A run

[@grimlock1471]

@@spectorcreative1872 So would a run typically include all color matched pieces to a particular figure, or would it typically be a half dozen Trap Jaw left feet? It seems the case with Transformers redecos that if 2 parts were the same color in the original release, they will GENERALLY match in later redecos. Suggesting that a particular figure's feet, thighs, wings and gun all came from the same tool. On the other hand, Vintage and Classics MOTU are built around reusing parts, so it wouldn't make sense to have an entire tool dedicated to Trap Jaw when you know that almost half the parts will show up elsewhere.

[@superjoe7]

I thought I was the only one who had an issue with leeches net... I wonder if the nets in misb are also torn.... on another topic have you watched cobra Kai? Thoughts? You have definitely earned your pop culture status and I’m sure people would like to hear you chew the fat on pop culture tv and movies especially when they had old toy lines and you are the toy guru. Just. A thought for additional content...

[@spectorcreative1872]

My wife is obsessed with Cobra Kai. I am still catching up...

[@berkajr3685]

If there is to any consolation, I never cared or thought about the legs being off compared to the vintage figure

[@spectorcreative1872]

Well glad it was me in a lot of ways!

[@geechie-don7157]

The Horseman are the ish. Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Arn & Ole Anderson can do some real damage in the ring... :-)

[@spectorcreative1872]

Oh boy...

[@robertwishin2868]

So who got to call the Horsemen in the design process and say "Hey, Leech doesn't suck" and somehow try to keep a straight face?

[@spectorcreative1872]

This stuff is actually worked out ahead of time. I'll do a video about it

[@tawdryhepburn4686]

Is that a Gary Baseman illustration at 2:35?

[@spectorcreative1872]

Could be!

[@tawdryhepburn4686]

@@spectorcreative1872 are you familiar with his work? Really great, vibrant cartoon style with a dark undercurrent. His design work was also used for the Disney channel show Teacher’s Pet (as well as the sublime feature film adaptation of the same name). Check him out!

[@AwareWolfOnWheels]

The newer head kinda looks like a wolf!?

[@spectorcreative1872]

I totally do!

[@pedwards10]

You do realize you show the creature from the black lagoon in the beginning which is pretty much exactly what merman is lol

[@spectorcreative1872]

From a certain point of view

[@pedwards10]

@@spectorcreative1872 but id say there's definitely room for a Fishman and a swamp creature in the motu lol. Its what I liked about 200x. They redefined the characters. Merman was changed to look more like his prototype version which didn't look exactly like the creature and moss man went from being a green bigfoot to a green bigfoot with the powers if swamp thing

[@robdrabkowski2708]

I don't mind the skinny legs on the Classics figure. My one complaint is that they left the sucky part of his hands smooth and bereft of details. It would have been cool to see nasty, tooth-lined lamphrey eel-like maws at the center of his palms. As it is, it looks like he's handing two green dinner plates to his opponents. If the suction cup feature wasn't made to actually work, why make them LOOK like real-world suction cups? Otherwise, it's a great figure!

[@spectorcreative1872]

I wold have loved a second head option if the budget had allowed.

[@jasontrautz]

I always thought he was strictly She-ra Princess of power bad guy.

[@spectorcreative1872]

Started as a MOTU bad guy. More here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYCyf4d3prWboLc

[@WhateverHappenedToFun]

The vintage Mantenna and Leech were in the wishlist back in the days only because of their concept but the real toys were so disappointing and ugly like their minicomics. The MOTUC figures, finally, gave justice to these figures. I bought 'em without even thinkin' about it! Have you gonna talk about the Scarlet Witch and Catra similarity when you'll talk about Catra? Thank you!

[@spectorcreative1872]

Here is Catra: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3nXdIivZsSfo7s

[@WhateverHappenedToFun]

@@spectorcreative1872 Uh! So you already did it! My bad. It must be on the rest of list among the last 15 video that I have still to watch. Thank you!

[@AntiDecepticonCampaign]

Always thought it was cooler when the monsters were bigger than the heroes. Like 2bad leech was slightly bigger. Also used a Godzilla knockoff, (80s kids know about these) and mixed stuff up to expand the adventure. The guys at Mattel knew, cross compatibility play is better for the brand. She Ra wouldn't have worked otherwise. So the Barbie department can get off the high horse of claiming they didn't want a waman to be stronger looking... Bs, it just worked with brand and story.

[@spectorcreative1872]

Oh the villain always needs to be stronger than the hero (or bigger). If not the hero is not believable.

[@Gkeese]

So right about the suction feature. Mine never worked unless I licked the lips. Then it just looked like I was making out with my action figure. That was only for Teela.

[@spectorcreative1872]

That was one lucky Teela.

[@TheBoglin]

Weird that your vintage Leech didn't work right. Mine always worked all the time, the hands didn't always stick as tightly but the mouth always worked great. Also could squirt water from his mouth if you submerged him LoL.

[@spectorcreative1872]

Maybe I had a defective Leech! I still have him. He was in my She-Ra Origins review from a few days ago

[@TheBoglin]

@@spectorcreative1872 It's totally possible. There's no guarantee every figure will roll out of the factory intact. I bought a brand new Secret Wars Doom Roller from Mattel and the motor needed to be adjusted, primed and the wiring wiggled around before it would work as intended.

[@omegastarr82]

I wish someone would do this for marvel legends and power rangers lightning collections.

[@spectorcreative1872]

Here that Hasbro, make it happen!

[@Tim85-y2q]

I don't know if a toy company could get away with calling a figure "the master of power suction" today. The 80's were a more naive time.

[@spectorcreative1872]

Ah, simpler times

[@bdrive5663]

I always used the vintage figures air pump to shoot water out his mouth like a squirt gun. I can't be the only kid that did that rite?

[@spectorcreative1872]

No, many have commented on that. although I must confess I never put two and two together as a kid

[@babsbrit6300]

The net was defintely flawed, it broke literally from being in storage.

[@spectorcreative1872]

Yup. Mine too

[@Wellum]

Lol I remember using him to squirt water

[@spectorcreative1872]

I don't think I ever even tried that. No I want to!

[@Wellum]

@@spectorcreative1872 it didn't work so well, but it's how I interpreted the pump action for play I guess. He would spit venom/ dribble water.

[@YouvegotmailAKAEP1C_GHOST]

DO Rio Blast that guy has had zero love over the years

[@spectorcreative1872]

I am going in release order!

[@YouvegotmailAKAEP1C_GHOST]

@@spectorcreative1872 Icarius would be next im guessing . Looking forwards to the bubble power she-ra

[@easygrin1127]

You should really be the one to write a He-man show for adults. A follow up to the 2002 show..

[@spectorcreative1872]

Always available at spectrocreative.com. Thanks for the kind words!

[@wretchedthe638]

Yeah those nets can easily rip off other than that my gripe on this figure is they should have it an alternate hand that would be great Actually i was waiting for super 7 to make a filmation version of this but then again il just have to wait for that

[@spectorcreative1872]

Maybe Origins?

[@fireharbaughfan2720]

The reason it didn't work for u his mouth was that it was like a sqirtgun you put him in water push it down and it would suck it down then hit it again and it would squert out water

[@spectorcreative1872]

I don't know if it was supposed to go in water?

[@barnacleburrito3728]

@scott i suspect you got a dud figure. my childhood leech figure worked great, even still does!

[@spectorcreative1872]

Darn dud figure...

[@RetroActionUK]

Did Leech make into the He-Man and the Masters Of The Universe series or only She-Ra? (Sorry for the negativity recently: you’re more worth continuing supporting than he is and you didn’t attack your moderators after leaving. You settled it with positivity and he didn’t even apologise. What values of his brings 92,000 supporters on his side after his ultimate failure?).

[@spectorcreative1872]

For Animation he appeared in the 80's POP show and the 200X show in Ep 35.

[@rickytoddbotelho9555]

I don't like the updated leech. Looks like a dragon man from Star Trek.😄

[@spectorcreative1872]

The Gorn? I can see that

[@ccggenius]

Having a montage of "swamp guys" and not including Old Gregg... FOR SHAME!.

[@spectorcreative1872]

Well their were plenty others who also got the bump I promise!

[@tonyjackson4078]

Leech was a pretty terrible Motu figure, fat, silly face. The update made Leech more terrifying and as I've said I DO love the Horde.

[@spectorcreative1872]

The Horde as so the best faction!