MOTU Origins Castle Grayskull (2026 Vintage Edition)

 My initial disregard of this repaint of Castle Grayskull was soon reversed to must-have status for what reason I've yet to grasp, other than to relive the thrill of buying this wonderful playset. The steep 42% price hike from the original seemed like a cash grab, but it had dropped from its initial $124.00. Complaints aside, I loved this playset so much that I wanted another. The Mattel Origins Castle Grayskull is a direct line from the present to my childhood and all my adventures with my Masters of the Universe figures, playsets, and vehicles. I've said before, MOTU Origins has been my favorite toy line since 2020. 

The Stygian Moat mat included completely dominates my modest photo booth, but I like it well enough. Initial feedback from the community likened it to a cheap tablecloth, but it displays nicely one it all flattened out and in position. The printing isn't that crisp, but the fabric is actually okay.

In person, the playset exterior seems much lighter than my photos turned out. There are a few small, circular indents on the mold that I didn't remember on the first Origins Castle Grayskull, but they were indeed there when I checked. Overall, I am loving this color treatment- it will be fun having a different background to showcase MOTU Origins figures in future posts.

This playset included a figure like the first Origins Castle Grayskull, this time the mysterious Space Suit figure. His colors go well with the castle interior, where this uncanny figure has stood guard since the first Castle Grayskull in '82.

It appears the forearms and legs differ on this newer Space Suit figure, shown below,

 side by side with the one included with the Mysteries of Castle Grayskull Accessory Pack...

2026 Vintage Castle Grayskull next to the 2021 MOTU Origins Castle Grayskull...

Below, Mattel 80th Anniversary Power Punch He-Man, the Eternian Goddess, Sketchbook Series Sy-Klone, and the mysterious Space Suit figure defend Castle Grayskull from Mattel 80th Anniversary Power Punch Skeletor and his Lords of Power Beast Man and Mer-Man ...!

And just for fun, my recent acquisition, the 1982 Battle Ram, loaded by Wave 7 Mini Comic Stratos for the enigmatic astronaut! Can you imagine the battles they'd fight to defend that legendary Fortress of Mystery and Power?? I'm going to have fun using this new Vintage Castle Grayskull!

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MOTU Temple of Darkness Mini Comic (1984)

I found this MOTU mini comic from 1984 in a local shop recently- it's of particular interest to me because of the all-white Temple of Darkness Sorceress figure included with the 2021 MOTU Origins Castle Grayskull. I never had this mini comic in the '80s, so the story/inspiration behind that figure was mystery to me until now. This was, of course, an easy repaint for Mattel to fund their legendary MOTU Classics line from 2008 -2016. Unlike the earlier Alfredo Alcala mini comics I was more familiar with, artist Larry Houston is credited. The drawings are a little cleaner, as though a more established style guide was followed, but they don't have the same mysterious thrill the earlier mini comics did. Strangely, Teela is shown in an all-pink outfit in the story, but to my knowledge there has been no official release of a figure like this. I had the Battle Armor He-Man, Man-E-Faces, and Ram Man figures featured on the back page cross-sell. Ram Man was not produced in an orange tunic in the original Mattel Masters of the Universe line, contrary to that illustration, but was colored after the toy's prototype. Read more about that at Battle Ram Blog!

Below, my MOTU Origins Castle Grayskull with the Temple of Darkness Sorceress that was included, and Mattel's standard issue Sorceress from Wave 7- a wave of Origins that hogged the pegs in stores for months. The Spirit of Grayskull from the Mysteries of Castle Grayskull accessories pack can be seen to the left...

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MOTU x Stranger Things Hordak & Hellfire-Man

I initially held off picking up this MOTU x Stranger Things Hordak & Hellfire-Man 2-pk from Target, but it became increasingly apparent that it may be the best yet of three sets released in this odd franchise mashup. While I wasn't necessarily in the market for a new Hordark, this variant was a draw for me because of its GITD head and translucent, dark blue body/limbs, and the flaming sword is a fantastic accessory. Hellfire-Man is, hands-down, the best Stranger Things figure to come out of this series- the "devil horns" right hand and guitar accessory are over the top, but I also like the morning star with the head shaped like a role-playing die. His vibrant red-orange color and devilish horned portrait make this figure a stand-out. 

Below, Stranger Things Hordak with my standard issue

  Wave 4 Hordak and Wave 8 Horde Troopers...

Below, Stranger Things Hordak with my Stranger Things Skeletor and He-Man...

... and Hellfire-Man with my Demogorgon and Vecna ...

I think Hellfire-Man and Beastman would make a great team-up!

And finally, Hellfire-Man clashes with He-Man on Snake Mountain!

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MEGO Spider-Man & Arch Enemies 4-pk (Disney Store Exclusive 2025)

I was bummed out missing the first round of this Mego Spider-Man and Arch Enemies 4-pk on the first drop but lucked out in the second round. While I think these figures will eventually show up individually at some point, and there are surely business advantages to Mego, I still resent having to chase down exclusives from various retailers. Similarly, I missed out on the recent Fantastic Four set, also a Disney Store Exclusive. Complaints aside, I love the inclusion of the gold coin, the box illustrations are authentic, and the figures- classic Mego!

Check out my YouTube Short:

I didn't have Green Goblin or Lizard back in the '70s, and Electro is new for Mego, but I had Spider-Man- quite possible my favorite Mego figure of all time. Spider-Man was on The Electric Company TV show and had a live action TV show of his own starring Nicholas Hammond in the '70s and was featured in three different ongoing monthly titles during the years Mego sold a Spider-man very much like this one. Peter Parker: Spectacular Spider-Man was probably one of the first comics I pulled off the spinner rack back then. Spider-Man was everything when I was a kid, and he's still hot property. I'm mad for this set!

Below, Mego Spider-Man next to my 9" Hasbro Origins Spider-Man, one of my favorite action figures in the Super-DuperToyBox, and Electro next to my Mego World's Greatest Superheroes 50th Anniversary Flash...

This set may very well be the coolest thing I got my hand on all year, and I hope we see more Mego Marvel in 2026! I loved my 12" Mego Spider-Man and Hulk as a kid and would love to see at least a few larger-sized Marvel Mego! 

Visit the Mego Museum's World's Greatest Superheroes Gallery

 to see the figures that started it all back in 1972!

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MOTU Battle Ram (1982)

I'd looked for a clean 1982 Battle Ram with all its missiles for some time now, never fully committing to purchase until quite recently, picking this super-clean sample for thirty bucks shipped. An excellent value I hadn't quite come close to until now. It came with all three missiles, which fire with great velocity from the launcher, as though it came out of the box yesterday. Sure, there aren't any stickers, but that doesn't bother me personally- you can find reproduction sheets on eBay, but I think I'll leave this one be.

The MOTU Origins Sky Sled is a little beefier than the one that pegs into the vintage Battle Ram. I loved the updated version but realized we probably would not get the back end with the rocket launcher when Mattel released it on a flight stand. Since then, I'd casually looked for a vintage Battle Ram.

Circle back and see my post on the Mattel 80th Anniversary Power Punch He-Man and Skeletor 2pk! It was great timing picking up this vintage Battle Ram just a month after finding this vintage figure set on sale at Target! So much fun!

Of course, this 1982 Battle Ram fits right in with newer MOTU Origins vehicles, like the Wind Raider! Below, Man-At-Arms, Roboto, and Stratos work in the garage while He-Man and King Randor look on...

I'm happy to have one of my favorite childhood action figure vehicles again, especially such a clean sample, but if Mattel wants to release a new Battle Ram in the Origins line, I'm into it. My advice would be to not stray far from the original design- it's perfect! Read more about the Battle Ram at the Battle Ram Blog online- a favorite resource of mine!

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Mattel 80th Anniversary Power Punch He-Man & Skeletor (Target, 2025)

 

Originally solicited at a $49.95 retail price, my desire for this retro Power Punch He-Man/Skeletor 2-pk shot up significantly when discovering it on sale for ten bucks less around Thanksgiving, an additional two dollars off at the register for using my Target debit card. If the beautiful collector-friendly packaging, action feature, and retro squishy rubber heads weren't enough, the 28% discount sealed the deal. I've really enjoyed the artwork for the MOTU Origins line, and the art for this release perhaps leans even heavier into the original '80s line. particularly the work of Errol McCarthy.

Included with these figures were really nice reprints of The Vengeance of Skeletor and Battle in the Clouds mini comics from 1982, with genuine linen thread saddle stitching. The artwork by Alfredo Alcala was permanently burned into my mind the Christmas of that year, experiencing the debut of Masters of the Universe for the first time. Realize that this was well before the Filmation animated TV show, when the imagination of children filled in the spots between these mini comics and the toys. Also not to be forgotten was the popular animated fantasy/sci-fi mashup of Thundarr the Barbarian in 1980 that had us primed for something like Masters of the Universe, mixing sword and sorcery fantasy with futuristic science fiction. 

These aren't a 1:1 replica of the original figures, but man are they cool- the capture the spirit of 1982 close enough for this kid. They fit well with my Mattel Origins Castle Grayskull, and mount my Origins Battle Cat and Panthor figures naturally...

I lost track of my 1982 He-Man long ago, but the 80th Anniversary is quite a bit beefier than my 2020 Origins He-Man, the latter first issued with a newer sculpt that rankled fans and prompted Mattel to issue later figures with this more retro styled portrait. While I didn't hate the reimagined portrait, I display my Origins He-Man with this retro head. From memory, the 80th Anniversary has a portrait closer to the 1982 He-Man than the Origins head, but there were subtle changes to the armor and accessories. Hardcore MOTU fans may take issue with certain aspects of this special edition reissue, but I'm pleased with him- it scratches that itch for the original figure. 

Below, this new retro Power-Punch Skeletor haunts Snake Mountain with my Origins Skeletor- a figure that really got me back into MOTU five years ago. I have a different head released with a later Origins Skeletor that was supposed to have more closely resembled the original sculpt, but the closed mouth appears to be the only common trait. I actually prefer the initial release sculpt with the open mouth.

This was a nice set well worth the retail price but getting it on sale really made it a fantastic value. I wouldn't mind seeing a few more sets of these- maybe Stratos and Zodac, Beastman and Mer-Man, Teela and Man-At-Arms? Who would you pick for your favorite two-pack? Be sure to visit the Battle Ram Blog to read their post on this set!

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