Now what? As Masters of the Universe Classics celebrates the entire history of He-Man and his world of Eternia, Mattel eventually would reach a sort of a block in that there are only so many original figures to make. Sure, there's She-Ra and the newer cartoons, but let's face it: for most fans, it's all about 1982-1987. There are only so many versions of He-Man you can make, and while we haven't got to them all yet, clearly they're hanging on to a few of them for later.
In short: MOTUC is focusing on characters which have never had toys previously, which means those of us who grew up on the cartoons almost exclusively are going to be confused. The lineup is for Masters fans with a masters degree in all things Eternia.
The biggest, bestest reveals were arguably the ones we all knew were coming. Granamyr the giant dragon is huge and has a pot belly, a viking helmet, and a lot of articulation. It's possible he won't be able to stand with all that weight, but dang if it isn't gorgeous. The great Unrest Weapons Pak includes numerous never-before-used weapon molds and some repaints, so you'll want it for Keldor's Swords, Draego-Man's Sword, Whip, and Shield, Horde Prime's Staff, and Snake Man-At-Arms' Blaster. The set also includes repainted gear for Teela, Clawful, and Cheif Carnivus, and will set you back about $18. King He-Man, an adult, older version of the hero, is next year's subscription figure and is a nifty mix of Randor, He-Man, and carries a hint of other He-Man variants in his outfit. The biggest surprise was that Ram-Man was not only coming, but would be out in January and include a variant head. This is why figures are going up to $25 next year, no doubt, you're getting more plastic for your money.
The final 30th Anniversary figures include Terry Higuchi's Japanese-figure inspired Cy-Chop, which immediately reminded me of Micronauts mashed up with a few other 1980s toy lines, and Castle Grayskullman, the contest winner. I like them both lots, both for being delightfully weird and right at home in this line. Other releases of characters you should know and recognize include Mosquitor, Rattlor, Jitsu, and a Filmation-inspired King Randor.
What I found baffling as a fan of He-Man but not a superfan of the franchise was that so many characters were, frankly, off my radar. We're really digging in to some deep places with Fang Man, a one-episode Filmation character, will be joined by Strobo (touring convention exclusive), Dekker (2002 cartoon character), Procrustus (comics), Netossa (She-Ra), and the first-ever reveal of Fighting Foe Men which serve dual duty as vehicle drivers and, with optional parts, Horde members. It's really neat, really weird stuff and a great way to expand the line above and beyond the original toy lines.
No doubt, these selections help give the line a shot to continue past 2013 as numerous arguably modestly heavy-hitters remain from the cartoons and roughly 24 figures from the original line can still be made, plus Meteorbs and creatures. The 2013 Club Eternia subscription is slated to have 17 products, meaning 12 basic monthly figures, 4 beasts OR variants, 1 multi-pack (Fighting Foe Men), and of course the subscription-only King He-Man. There may be other surprise items (and of course the 2013 SDCC exclusive) but it's looking like a much more affordable line than 2012.
--Adam Pawlus
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