MOTU x Stranger Things

I'd been holding onto the Skeletor/Demogorgon MOTU x Stranger Things 2pk forever, only a week ago bumping into the He-Man/Vecna set at a local Target. I'm not sure why the rollout for these was spaced so far apart, but I feel like it didn't help generate much excitement about them- the initial Skeletor/Demogorgon set was still crowding the pegs at most the local Targets when I found the He-Man/Vecna set. The packaging is great on these, especially the inner tray that doubles as a diorama/background for these figures...

I liked the Netflix Stranger Things series, and have enjoyed the various MOTU crossovers, including TMNT and WWE. Mattel did a great job turning the Demogorgon and Vecna in MOTU figures- there are reused parts of course, but enough new that it doesn't feel like a cash grab at all. And they look like they were made to reside in my Snake Mountain playset!

Demogorgon and Vecna fit right in with my other MOTU Origins baddies: Lords of Power Beastman, Scare Glow, Webstor, and Whiplash...

Below, Stranger Things Skeletor with the other MOTU Origins Skeletors in my collection: Terror Claws Skeletor, Battle Armor Skeletor, Rise of Evil Skeletor, Wave 1 Origins Skeletor, and Screeech 2pk Skeletor... 

And below, Stranger Things He-Man with the other MOTU Origins He-Men in my collection: Snake Armor He-Man, Flying Fists He-Man, MOTU Origins Wave 1 He-Man, and Battlefield Warriors Battle Armor He-Man...

There was a second release of the Wave 1 Origins He-Man and Skeletor with the classic heads and new, solid power swords. We did get more classic heads with the Battle Armor versions of these characters ahead of these re-releases, but I thought so much of these figures that I bought them as well....

And finally, Stranger Things He-Man and Skeletor on my Battlefield Warriors Battle Cat and that deluxe flocked Panthor I mentioned in my last post. I had the latter on ice for the last five years, but had to break the seal for this post- the box was very collector friendly, so he'll probably stay in there for most of his life to keep him clean. I love the He-Man and Skeletor variants in these sets probably even more that the Demogorgon and Vecna!

Be sure to double back for my posts on the MOTU Origins Castle Grayskull and Snake Mountain!

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MOTU Masterverse Revolution Battle Armor He-Man, Sorceress Teela, Gwildor/Orko 2pk, New Eternia Tri-Klops

 

I'm going to keep things rolling here with more MOTU Masterverse, these all preordered off BBTS in January of this year, arriving here back in April. I may have been most excited about this Revolution Battle Armor He-Man that also came with the standard He-Man chest harness- Fantastic!

I already had a New Eternia Battle Armor He-Man that I loved- he came with more accessories, including a Sword of Power, but I favor the Revolution version side-by-side. Both came with interchangeable armor plates to show battle damage, and I prefer the darker tone of the Revolution He-Man and his flashier battle axe...

Below, Revolution He-Man with my Masterverse 40th Anniversary He-Man

 and MOTU Origins He-Man, and atop his trusty steed, Battle Cat ...

I enjoyed this year's Masters of the Universe: Revolution on Netflix well enough, though I came to the party with less skin in the game- I was less attached to the original Filmation cartoon. My childhood experience of that mythology came from the mini comics included with the initial 1982 product launch, portraying the characters in a more mysterious and grittier world. By the time the Filmation show arrived in September of 1983, its squeaky-clean presentation didn't interest me. Regardless, I was more interested in this Revolution Sorceress Teela as a compliment to my Revelation Teela and Sorceress figures.

Revolution Sorceress Teela with version 1 and version 2 Revelation Teela ...

Revolution Sorceress Teela with my Revelation Sorceress...

Gwildor is the dwarf-like Thenurian who invented the Cosmic Key in the 1987 Masters of the Universe live action film, starring Dolph Lundgren as He-Man. The fan favorite was carried over into the animated series, and while I've collected none of the Masterverse movie figures, I'm plenty happy with Gwildor. Along with the Cosmic Key, he carries his jeweled magic staff and a Sword of Power. He won't strike any Spider-Man poses, but he does have a fair amount of articulation, including a swivel on those ears.

This deluxe Masterverse Revolution Series Orko includes a serious base with moving parts and a snap-on cape extension, all of which makes for a somewhat large footprint for such a diminutive character. You can unclip the magic orbital rings though if you want to consolidate his shelf space.

Below, Masterverse Revolution Orko with my MOTU Origins Orko and Power Attack Orko...

This Masterverse New Eternia Tri-Klops figure feels deluxe with accessories a little more exciting than Battle Armor He-Man's, including an optional bejeweled sash with sword and alternate rotating eye band. I never had Tri-Klops as a kid in the '80s, but this figure rocks- his paint deco and accessories are fantastic!

Below, Tri-Klops with New Eternia Webstor and Trap Jaw...

Another pretty nice batch of Masterverse figures, Gwildor possibly being my favorite, followed closely by Battle Armor He-Man or Tri-Klops. So great! More Masterverse to come here on the Super-DuperToyBox, stay tuned!

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MOTU Origins Teela & Zoar, Flying Fists He-Man

 I found the MOTU Origins Flying Fists He-Man for $10.00 at a local Big Lots recently, and the Teela/Zoar 2pk for under $30.00 shipped from an eBay seller around the same time. I didn't have the Flying Fists He-Man back in '86, being a young teen, my interest in girls was increasing while my interest in toys dissipated. The head/neck transition is less jarring on the new Origins figure, but by and large, Mattel remained faithful to their original design. I'm less interested in this action feature than I was the great price and additional He-Man with vac-metal armor and full power sword.

Flying Fists Demo:

I like the additional head with wind-swept hair, which we've seen before. Of note, you can only interchange the head, hands, & boots on this Origins figure due to the internal workings of the action feature housed in the torso and how it connects to the limbs and pelvis. 

Flying Fists He-Man has the same action feature that my Origins Terror Claws Skeletor, which interested me more than the former, due largely to his impressive Terror Claw accessories. While the claws are more fun and less clunky than He-Man's mace and shield, the latter has some vac-metal treatment, and I like the figure overall. They have that unsightly Battle Grip, but I display my figures mostly face-forward. Interestingly, they don't have the dial that drove the action feature of the original figures, but that wheel was put in the sculpt, just above the waist on the back of the Origins figures. Flying Fists He-Man came with the same mini comic as Terror Claws Skeletor, "Under Seige". I had neither of these in the '80s, but they are fun.

It's also noteworthy how similar in design the Battle Armor and Flying Fists He-Man are. The Battle Ram Blog entry on Flying Fists He-Man revealed an early concept drawing that predates both figures and appears to be of direct influence on their aesthetic. Below, Flying Fists He-Man with my Origins Battlefield Warriors Battle Armor He-Man...

I had Zoar as a child, and the plastic on this Origins feels slightly cheaper than the 1983 version. I don't have my original Zoar for comparison, but this one seems nearly identical in appearance! And I already have more than one Teela, but this one has her own thing going on.

The first Origns Teela had darker tones overall, which reminded me more of my Teela from '82...

I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite among all my Teelas, but this update did come with a sword, updated knee sculpt, and the ponytail. Below, the Zoar 2pk Teela with Snake Teela, Eternian Goddess, and the first Origins Teela...

Snake Teela has the same sword as Zoar 2pk Teela and her ponytail headsculpt, but horned shoulder pads and different boots...

Zoar goes well with my Sorceress figure and Talon Fighter, all pictured below atop my Origins Castle Grayskull which I love as much today as when I got it in 2021! The MOTU Origins line has consistently been my favorite since it hit shelves in September of 2020- I haven't bought everything, but I did buy most of it, and the line is still going. It has been like traveling back to 1982, but even better with updated articulation. So much fun!

Zoar's action feature:

I was initially more interested in the Skeletor/Screeech 2pk due largely to the variant Skeletor, but I'm glad I got both sets. Teela may have had more updates than Skeletor, but I loved his repaint!

Below, Zoar 2pk Teela with Flying Fists He-Man with my Origins Battlecat...

I have a tone more MOTU stuff to show you here on the Super-DuperToyBox, both Masterverse and Origins, so stay tuned for plenty more of all that! Until then, Happy New Year! Play with Toys and Have Fun with Your Life!

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MOTU Masterverse Battle Cat, 40th Anniv. & Battle Armor He-Man, Teela, Prince Adam

Plowing through some more Masterverse I've been collecting this past year! When Mattel dropped solicitations for both the Masterverse and Origins line, I decided then and there to stick to the Origins line- firmly rooted in my nostalgia for the original '80s toys. I stuck to that for a few years, but after picking a couple Masterverse figures up I was hooked! I've done three posts on Masterverse villains, so I figured it was time to bust open some of the Heroic Warriors!

Prince Adam and Teela are Revelations figures based on the Netflix series, but Teela transforms into a pretty traditional look with the tiara crowned alternate head. Price Adam has a secondary laughing head, as well as two swords- one translucent/sparkly, the other metallic/standard. 

The Masterverse 40th Anniversary He-Man pairs well with my New Eternia Skeletor...

I believe another, beardless Battle Armor He-Man is coming out in the Masterverse line, but I love this one- his shield w/the family crest is fantastic, I love the way it pegs onto the left arm bracer and his back. He even has a sheathed knife in his boot!

Below Battle Armor He-Man Vs. Mer-Man and Beastman...

The Masterverse Battle Cat with my Origins Battle Cat...

The saddle on the Origins Battle Cat is made of firmer plastic, and the Origins He-Man sits atop his mount better than the Masterverse, which has more articulation than the Origins. In spite of this, the Origins Battle Cat has a wider range of side-to-side motion.

Below, Origins Battle Armor He-Man with Masterverse Battle Armor He-Man, 

and Masterverse Teela with Origins Teela...

I have a lot more MOTU to post here on the Super-DuperToyBox, both Masterverse and Origins. Be sure to visit the Battle Ram Blog online to read all about the history of the Masters of the Universe line that began in 1982- a favorite memory of my childhood!

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