Masters of the Universe Classics is back after what felt like years on hiatus, and boy, I am really glad it is back. I am not afraid to admit that MOTUC is one of my favorite lines of all time, so seeing it continued and under a new and energized company makes me very hopeful for the future.
Super7 is the new company in charge of the MOTU Classics line (with the Four Horsemen retaining the design duties), and their first offerings are rebooted renditions of some of the most core and popular characters via an “Ultimate” execution. He-Man, Skeletor, Teela, Faker, and Ram Man have just been released with new packaging, and depending on the figure, updated paint applications and a large collection of accessories. Personally, I think this is a great way for Super7 to get their feet wet, while allowing longtime fans looking for a version of their favorite figures to have something new, and giving new collectors their first crack at these characters in Classics. Not everything is perfect coming right out of the gates, but overall, I find these first five to be well done, and I am giving Ram Man the first nod.
While He-Man, Skeletor, Teela, and Faker all come with lots of different accessories from their various past releases, since Ram Man never got a variant of the sort in Mattel’s run on Classics, you can expect to get the same axe and non-helmeted head from before. However, that does not keep Ram Man from being one of the most dynamic releases in terms of variation in this Ultimate run, and this is a perfect example of something I always thought would be neat to have but never realized how cool it actually is until I have it. As you can see, gone are Rammy’s vintage toy-influenced red armor and green pants – this version is modeled after the old card back art for Ram Man and includes his orange armor and red pants.
You know, when MOTUC started all those years ago, I was pretty rigid in my mantra that (aside from getting the superior card back Mer-Man head), I wanted the figures to take their influence directly from the vintage figures. While a lot of that remains important to me to this day, and figures in this assortment like He-Man and Skeletor get us much closer to vintage toy adaptations than previous Classics releases, Ram Man went in the opposite direction, and he is probably my favorite of the group. While red and green will always be the look for iconic Rammy, there is no denying he looks great in this ketchup and mustard ensemble.
I must admit that the variations of the core characters in the mini-comic and card back looks have become my favorite looks in this line after the iconic toy looks. Having the Alfredo Acala Skeletor lead the red Beast Man and blue Mer-Man against the long-haired He-Man, this Ram Man is just great sight to behold. I hope that Super7 will consider continuing the “Ultimate” execution alongside the new Classics characters and Filmation line, because I would to see more characters like Tri-Klops and Man-at-Arms (Trap Jaw, Prince Adam, and Stratos are coming to this year’s Power-Con).
Now, if you have the Mattel Classics Ram Man, or if you have read the review, I can tell you that, from a construction standpoint, this figure is pretty much identical. It is pretty crazy that, after almost five years, Super7 has been able to replicate the high quality of the Mattel Ram Man almost identically. He is a heavy figure with solid construction and the articulation is well-engineered. Ram Man is not the most posable figure in the line, and that is fine from a characterization standpoint, but I can tell you that anything you could do in terms of play and pose with the previous Ram Man, you can do it here, too.
Now, Ram Man was probably the most discussed figure in this first group prior to release, and a lot of that had to do with the paint job. While some of that chatter is warranted, I do have to say the paint applications that are there are very nice and clean with dynamic colors and little to no slop or bleed. Like I said, I am really enjoying the red and orange/yellow look, and the brown leather boots (as opposed to the iconic black) fits the scheme nicely. Where this figure does fall short, though, is in the lack of metallic silver/pewter paint on the helmet, armor, belt, and gauntlets. I seem to remember that the paint was present in the early factory samples, but the final product is lacking, and to be honest, it makes all of these pieces look very “flat.” I am not sure if it was done on purpose from a cost perspective of simply overlooked, but it makes and otherwise great figure feel a bit incomplete. For the first time ever, I am likely going to alter a factory MOTUC figure and give this figure some metallic dry brushing, because I think that will make all the difference in the world.
Finally, one thing that Super7 wins all day over the previous incarnation of MOTUC is in the presentation, and I absolutely LOVE what they have done here. The vintage line influences in the packaging are just pitch-perfect, so much more effective than the old green bricks, and frankly, this is the way it should have been from the very start. I love the updates on the iconic exploding rocks on the front, and the back of the card art as well, and all of the artwork is just fantastic. I know, these were originally supposed to be resealable packages, but that does not bug me because I am not a MOC guy, and everything else works so remarkably well, I cannot complain. Kudos to Super7 for this, because the presentation of these amazing toys puts everything over the top and shows a great appreciation and understanding for the property.
MOTUC is back, and both thrilled and relieved. It has been a strange void over the past several months, and since this is one of my favorite lines ever, it is great to have it back and going. These Ultimates are a great way to get started and all of the new figures coming this year, as well as the AMAZING figures shown off at SDCC will be welcome additions. The traditional Classics and Filmation figures are great to continue, but doing more of these Ultimates is a great way to get the iconic characters refresh. A little armor paint quibble aside, this is a great first offering from Super7, and I cannot wait to see what they will bring us in the future. LONG LIVE MOTUC!
*Apologies for the lack of comparison pictures, the majority of my collection is current packed away due to relocation.
