We are back, back, back AGAIN, with part three of “Masters of the Universe Classics: The Future, Act II!” The future is bright because the second act belongs to Super7 and The Four Horsemen. Fans are receiving their Ultimates, the first waves of Super7’s Club Grayskull, and Collectors’ Choice will be on our shelves in just a couple of months, and pre-orders for the next waves will follow …
We will soon have Lodar and Hawke, with the likes of Karg, Granita, and Wrap Trap soon after! Could these articles be making a positive impression on the powers that be? Perhaps … but the truth is, we are diehard fans who listen to fellow fans’ opinions, study fan-site polls, and have a great appreciation for some of the most obscure characters in the MOTU/POP/NA mythos. Without further ado, let’s get to know this robust roster of heroes and villains!
Howler
If Goat Man can be immortalized in plastic, so can this guy! Howler, a name created for this wolf-man lurking in the shadow of his master Beast Man, appeared in the Golden Super Adventure “Secret of the Dragon’s Egg.” As a kid, I LOVED the MOTU Golden Book adventures. They were edgier than the cartoon, but didn’t stray too far from the bright colors and broad characterizations that made MOTU so much fun. Howler would come packaged with a treasure trove of accessories all featured in the story, and a war club, which has been created as part of the design.
Kol Darr
Featured in the Season 2 episode “Double Trouble,” of the Filmation He-Man and The Masters of the Universe cartoon series, Kol Darr is heroic … and evil … and heroic … The REAL Kol Darr is a good guy. Skeletor creates a Faker Kol Darr, who is evil. Skeletor is also tricked into creating yet another Faker Kol Darr, who is heroic. Super7 might be thrilled with this, as people might want three of these. He would come with reused Vikor accessories, an ancient shield (featured as an artifact in the episode), a freeze field, and positroids.
Scrollos
I’ll admit that this is one of my most-wanted figures at the moment. Scrollos was originally featured in the MOTU UK Comics as a sort of narrator/story-teller, and was used in one of the MOTUC mini-comics in a similar fashion. Scrollos commands a space station, as well as a Battle Crew. He maintains a gigantic database of the history of Eternia, and watches … Because his color scheme varied in the UK
comic series, we have offered a fun chase option so that all of the color schemes could be made available.
Baron Grod
Featured in the Season 1 episode “The Huntsman,” of the Filmation He-Man and The Masters of the Universe cartoon series, Baron Grod is an Eternian nobleman with an obsession for hunting the last Eternian unicorn. The accessories make this figure, as Growler, Grod’s robotic hunting dog, and a episode-specific crossbow would be fun. For Power Con, an easy repaint of Grod could be offered, giving us Danavas, another obsessive hunter of sorts. In Season 1, Episode 38 (“Valley of Power”), Danavas steals the egg of a Mother Roe, and when it hatches, he commands it to help him battle the Heroic Warriors so that he might steal magical waters for himself.
Dinosorb
The infamous Meteorbs are ALL missing from the MOTUC line, and that just isn’t right. One of my favorites as a child was Dinosorb. This version would be larger in scale than the vintage version. This scale would put it more in line with how both the Dinosorbs and Comet Cat were depicted in Season 2, Episode 91 (“Assault on the Hive”) of the She-Ra Princess of Power cartoon series. It would be wonderful to have all of the Meteorbs … but since it is unlikely we will be able to add the entire Meteorb lineup to our collections, Dinosorb would be an excellent choice!
Chef Allen
An obscure fan-favorite who appeared in several episodes of the Filmation cartoon series as well as in “The Secret of the Sword” (albeit as a disguise for Skeletor), Chef Allen would be a humorous, iconic addition to the collection. Many fans have been joking over the years that both Chef Allen and Crackers the Clown would make for great figures, but we say, “WHY NOT?!” He’d come with his signature wooden spoon, as well as some other Eternian Kitchen accessories. Also included could be “Eat Like Royalty, The Premiere Culinarily and Eternian Experience,” our Chef’s very own cook book! Recipes for Roast Gooble or Spoo might be too good to resist!
Sultra
Commonly called “the concept witch” by hardcore fans, Sultra, was originally revealed as an unmade concept. We do have Evil-Lyn, Shadow Weaver, and Shokoti, but there’s something old school about this design of Sultra that would fit in well with the rest of the MOTUC characters. Incidentally, the name Sultra is an homage to the concept names Sultra and Sultress … which were early concept names for Evil-Lyn.
Monteeg
Featured in the Season 1 episode “Castle of Heroes,” of the Filmation He-Man and The Masters of the Universe cartoon series, Monteeg is the closest thing to a buddy that the villainous Skeletor might have. Monteeg imprisons the souls of warriors in order to do his dirty work, and some of these warriors come from the planet Earth, including Blackbeard the Pirate … hence the Blackbeard “accessory!” Parts for Monteeg could be used for Old Man Marzo, and who doesn’t want an Eternian martini glass?
Joya
This design is based on the unproduced concept for a Princess of Power figure that would have had a bubble action feature similar to that of Bubble Power She-Ra. In fact, Joya was scrapped in favor of that variant of She-Ra. She appeared in artwork for the nearly produced Bubble Carriage, and since no concept figures from the POP line have been produced, this one would make for a wonderful MOTUC figure. Her skirt could be somewhat translucent, akin to Jewelstar’s cape, and her paint colors could mimic the sort of iridescence one sees in the suds of bubble solution. Included with Joya would be the standard POP shield, a functional bubble wand, and a recolored Bubble Power She-Ra bubble blaster … as well as a bottle of Bubble Solution, as an homage to the one in the vintage line.
Mallek
The MOTUC line can never have enough mages, and Mallek, the Wizard of Stone Mountain, would be the perfect choice to increase the ranks of heroic warriors of magic. He was featured in two episodes of the Filmation He-Man and The Masters of the Universe cartoon series (“Wizard of Stone Mountain” and “The Witch and the Warrior”). He once was obsessed with Teela, which the villainous Lokus (who could forget HIS voice?!) exploited to coerce Mallek into doing his bidding. Later, he would help the Heroic Warriors battle the evil Kothos in order to defend the Fountain of Life. Included would be Lokus, a new magic blast effect (LONG overdue), and a flying carpet (utilizing the already tooled stands from the Thundercats Classics Wily Kit and Wily Kat two-pack).
Minox
If you are a fan of The Four Horsemen (who isn’t at this point?), you’ll know how adept they are at sculpting Minotaurs. There are two in their Mythic Legions line, and they are awesome! The MOTUC line does not yet feature a Minotaur, and Minox would fill that void well. He appeared in the Italian Mattel Magic Boy Magazine, Issue 1, “Il Labirinto di Minox,” and battled He-Man in a subternian labyrinth. Describing himself as loyal to Skeletor, and wielding blasts of electricity (due to his powerfully charged robotic skeleton — check the horns), Minox would be a formidable foe to any Heroic Warrior … as long as he isn’t anywhere near the water. According to the Masters of the Universe Character Guide and World Compendium, there may have been plans for his inclusion in the Classics line.
Negator
Many fans argued that Negator should have been produced in place of Nepthu in the Filmation Subscription in 2013, as if there HAD to be an obscure character produced, Negator was more deserving of the slot. He appeared in two episodes of the Filmation He-Man and The Masters of the Universe
cartoon series (“Game Plan” and “Trouble’s Middle Name”). Because of his ability to transform himself into “electron matter,” this design gives him to impressive electro-blast effects for both the left and right hands. Included with this mad scientist are two Nerbs, small beings made of energy, who could empower Negator on command.
Shezar
This concept design is one of the most visually stunning that Tom has drawn, and it shows just how amazing a Shezar would be in figure form. Her background story borrows from both Mermista, in that she is the princess of an aquatic race of beings, and also from Sweet Bee, in that she is searching for a new home for her people since her planet was destroyed. Her mission is a dark one, as she kidnaps Eternian women in order to transform them and regenerate her species. Creepy but beautiful, Shezar would come with an alternate head (showing her true form), a sword and dagger, and her Polarizer, a weapon that not only controls beings, but projects magical blasts.
Enchantress
The Enchantress beats Scrollos for my most-wanted at the moment. Some fans refer to her as a sort of Anti-Sorceress, with good reason. She lives in Castle Fear, wears a bird-themed costume (based on an owl), and kept poor King Miro prisoner for YEARS on Lost Mountain, a giant rock formation floating in the sky in the Swamps of Enchantment. There are no kind telepathic messages of guidance coming from this dame any time soon. An original Filmation villain, The Enchantress appeared in the Season 2 episode “Search for the Past” of the Filmation He-Man and The Masters of the Universe cartoon series. There is a lot of clever reuse of parts here. For Example, her cape is BG Evil-Lyn’s, her magic blast is Castaspella’s, and her feet and calves are Frosta’s. This leaves the budget open to include her abused sidekick Drude. Even though the MOTUC canon infers that Marzo was responsible for banishing Miro, there is no reason not to believe that The Enchantress is now the high priestess of the dark order of mages Marzo lead in the Sands of Time.
Gray
The secret identity of He-Ro (the first) is swiftly becoming a glaring omission from the MOTUC line. Yes, the canon no longer explicitly states that He-Ro has a secret identity, or that his name is Gray … but then, we have a Vikor figure, and a Vykron figure, and neither of them ever became He-Man … so … bring on Gray. He’d include the darker version of the Sword of He (the first samples of He-Ro from the MOTUC line had this black sparking sword — I know because I own one of these samples), and his vintage-style scepter-wand would be the perfect homage to the vintage concept drawings of He-Ro from the failed Powers of Grayskull line.
Admiral Scurvy
Featured in the Season 1 episodes “Anchors Aloft, Parts 1 & 2” of the Filmation She-Ra Princess of Power cartoon series, Admiral Scurvy would beef up the ranks of Horde dominance over the Etherian seas, giving Octavia a comrade in arms, and Sea Hawk a formidable foe. Scurvy, a clever tactician with nasty pet cat and a Mick Jagger-like countenance, would include a second head, exposing his cybernetic eye cannon; a Horde crossbow; and an alternate form for Imp. It seems like the perfect time to go ahead and take the plunge by creating a leaner buck for some of the male characters, and Scurvy would benefit from that.
Spinwit
We still have several New Adventures characters left from the vintage line (not to mention characters like Sebrian, Drissi, and Grot from the cartoon), and Spinwit is waiting, or spinning, in the wings. His design is rather straightforward, as he likely would not have his vintage action feature (trust me, I am STILL bitter about Sy-Klone not maintaining his spinning feature in this line). However, as a character featured in both the New Adventures toy line and cartoon, and with a MOTU-friendly color scheme, we believe that Spinwit would be a fun figure (hey, Super7, he’s a great candidate for that New Adventures multi-pack for which people have been asking!).
Ileena
I’m just going to say it … even as a child, I thought Ileena was dressed to kill. Featured in the Season 1 episode “A Friend in Need” of the Filmation He-Man and The Masters of the Universe cartoon series, Ileena falls prey to her addiction to a magic potion given to her by the wicked Jarvan. Like many of the episodes of the Filmation series, there was a great lesson to be learned from Ileena’s experience … Just Say No! Heck, she almost kills herself and Prince Adam while joy-riding high as a kite in an air-chariot. Regardless of her past, Ileena is clean and sober and would make for an excellent valkyric (is that a word?) addition to the Heroic Warriors. Included would be the spear created for the original vintage prototype of Teela, the shield Teela used in the Alcala mini-comics, and the Transmutator (which was featured in Ileena’s episode).
Crimson Fury, Count Sneer, & Gritstone
So if obscure characters from the end of the vintage MOTU line that never made it to pre-production can sell as a Power Con exclusive 3-pack, so can a Princess of Power 3-pack featuring some visually diverse characters from one of the best issues of the UK POP Comics: Crimson Fury, Count Sneer, and Gritstone. An outlaw hunted by the Horde, The Crimson Fury, a de facto member of the Great Rebellion, protected the people of the tribes of the Crimson Waste from the Horde with the help of his ally, Talon. Count Sneer, the Fury’s nemesis, was a boot-licking snob, loyal to the Horde, which gave him the resources to keep the tribes of the Crimson Waste under control. Gritstone, a Sand Demon, native to the Crimson Waste, with the ability to create gigantic sandstorm whirlwinds, served Count Sneer, and helped terrorize those who did not comply with the Horde’s rule of law. He was vulnerable to high pitched shrieks, which would cause him to fall apart … The Crimson Fury’s compatriot, Talon, found good use for his screech in the end. THIS TRIO IS A MUST!!!
Dragoon
WHY do we not have Dragoon already!? One could ask the same question of Dree-Elle or Montork, or any number of Filmation-originals. Featured in the Season 1 episode “Dawn of Dragoon” of the Filmation He-Man and The Masters of the Universe cartoon series, Dragoon could be comprised of
almost entirely reused parts, including Draego-Man’s wings. Giving him a hinged jaw would allow for the inclusion of a snap-on fire breath blast. His other accessories are Filmation specific, like the Trollan pyramid (the device which introduced us to Dree-Elle … AHEM!). Dragoon, a servant of Skeletor, was sent to overtake Trolla, but after being saved by He-Man, he had a change of heart.
Mendor
A new character, featured in the modern DC Comics series He-Man and The Masters of the Universe and Masters of the Universe: Eternity War, Mendor delivered the infant Twins of Power and went on to be the chief healer at Palace Eternos. During the Eternity War, he healed not only Eternians, but also Snake Men, who had joined with the Eternians to defeat the invading Horde. He was killed and his body taken over by King Hiss, who remained undercover long enough to poison most of the Snake Men who had cooperated with the Eternians. Included with Mendor would be a second pair of translucent healing hands, the Eyes of Chronos and Chaos (the original “eyes” of Castle Grayskull), and the Sword of Horokoth (Hordak’s Sword of Power).
Lizorr
Lizorr, one of the Evil Mutants from the New Adventures of He-Man cartoon series and vintage toy line, has been the NA character ranking near the top of most-wanted lists for a while now. He fits in well with all the other lizardy, snakey types in the MOTU mythos, and he’d bolster the ranks of Flogg’s battalion. The gold and green color scheme is striking, and he’d include all his vintage accessories (the backpack has always reminded me of the organ in the Dwarfs’ cottage in the Disney movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs — but I digress). He’d also come with an unhelmeted head.
Josh
Ok, so this character deserves to be made just for hanging on SO long in so many fan discussions over the years. He is THE background character to beat all other background characters. However, a few years ago at Power Con we learned that Josh was intended for further development and would have been a sidekick for bow and a potential suitor for Glimmer. I like his color scheme, and if one doesn’t like his name or characterization, he’d make for an excellent generic rebel. He could be a spy, a melee fighter, and a grounded, humble foil for the arrogant Bow. He’d include a quarterstaff (something egregiously missing from the MOTUC line), a sword and dagger, a belt with supplies, and, of course, a bowl of potato salad … what Whispering Woods picnic is complete without Potato Salad?!!?
Ice Armor He-Man vs. Fire Armor Skeletor
It’s no secret that the 200X toy line was, perhaps, rife with He-variants and Skelly-variants. These two are among the coolest, and Ice Armor He-Man was featured in the 200X cartoon. The two-pack would be an excellent way to give us a 200X Skeletor head, and Fire Armor Skeletor could be reused
completely to make another 200X variant: Ice Armor Skeletor. This might be a fun exclusive for something like NYCC, or perhaps in conjunction with an e-tailer like Big Bad Toy Store.
Fear not, He-Fans & She-Ravers! We are far from calling it quits on this series. Stay tuned for more concepts, standard and unconventional, large and small. If there are any requests for character/beast/item concepts, please post them in the comments below, or contact one of us! Good journey!
Oh, and here are the links to the previous articles:
