Kevin Kosse (aka TIN) is at it again with his amazing add-on accessory kits for your favorite “Techo-Barbarian” fantasy line. We have brought you spotlights on his work before, but personally, I think that this group features some of his best work to date. Like all great artists, Kevin is constantly honing his craft, and you can see his sculpting and painting skills getting better and better with every offering. Plus, this assortment features some of the most popular and fan-demanded representations of characters that have yet to see any official kind of release. Yes, I know I am very biased toward one of them, but I am enjoying my embarrassment of riches as of late. So let’s take a look at what’s new.
While we might be calling them “The General,” the “Dark Wizard,” and the “Robot Troops,” you will probably know them by a more official name. However, Kevin is always offering us his own great ideas for new characters, so I am very pleased that the “Sea King” will only help to expand my MOTU mythos beyond anything that has come before.
THE GENERAL
Yes, I am a huge fan of General Sunder, and, yes, I am sad that he has not gotten a chance to be released in the MOTU Classics line. I think he is a dynamite character with a very cool design that can help get some reuse out of wildly popular Horde Trooper base body. I am not, however, crying over the fact that the good General has not been officially released because, frankly, some amazing sculptors and customizers have been giving Sunder his chance to shine in the in the bright plastic sun. Kevin’s “General” is the third representation of the character that has made it onto my shelves, and I am not at all growing tired of seeing new versions.
You see, for a character whose overall look (aside from a wardrobe change) never really varied, the different incarnations of Sunder that we have gotten have all been very different. In fact, I have very specific, yet very important, uses for all three that I have acquired. Ibentmyman-thing’s General looks like the heroic member of the Great Rebellion. Zombihamma’s take (both helmeted and non-helmeted) is a pitch-perfect representation of the General’s Filmation origin. Now Kevin’s General, to me at least, is the steadfast, cool and calculated leader of men and women (and robots) in battle. He is serious, focused and can fit into both a heroic and Horde position of leadership.
THE SEA KING
The all-new Sea King is such a fun concept that has been executed beautifully. Mer-Man is my A-#1, all-time favorite Masters of the Universe character, so getting a new character that can help flesh him out is a lot of fun for me. See, Mer-Man is a Rakashian king, but I like to imagine that they took his title via a rebellion against the establishment in the Sea of Rakash. I don’t see that race as evil necessarily, so Mer-Man is an awesome bad dude that probably overthrew a peaceful kingdom.
Since he had to lead his coup against someone, I think Kevin just gave me the perfect undersea king that has been boosted from his throne of coral. He has been designed to fit perfectly on the Toys R Us-exclusive blue Mer-Man body, so the head comes ready to go. He has features that recall those of Mer-Man, like the yellow around the eyes, head fins and flattened nose area, but he seems stately and calm with his beard and dark eyes. No, he is not a straight-up lift of Mer-Man, but I like the idea that this challenges us to think that the people inhabiting the floor of the Sea of Rakash can be as varied and unique as those that walk on land.
DARK WIZARD
Okay, so a lot the continuity, story lines, and characters that have been incorporated into the MOTU mythos via the Classic bios have not always been a win with fans. We know this. We are reminded of this every day online. However, there have been some very solid hits with the new entrants and several have found quick footing with a lot of fans. Draego-Man was (almost) universally applauded upon his reveal a few years ago, and Lady Slither’s debut in the recent mini-comic (this one that came with the Unnamed One) has been welcomed by the MOTU fandom. The Great Black Wizard is another one of those characters, and since he showed up briefly in previous comics, a lot of fans have been asking for a figure.
Well, Mattel has not gotten around to it yet, even though artist extraordinaire Axel Gimenez has essentially done the control art. However, this new “Dark Wizard” from Kevin most certainly scratches the itch, at least from a head standpoint. Personally, I think this head is Kevin’s most accomplished work thus far. The sculpt is absolutely FANTASTIC and the paint is subtle, but very effective. Aside from standing in for the Great Black Wizard, it is also a great take on the warlock from the classic Hero Quest game. This is the only head that doesn’t really have a base body ready to go, but he looks pretty nice on Castle Grayskullman. Needless to say, I will be starting a custom body soon.
ROBOT TROOPS
Haha, the opportunities that the Horde Troopers bring. Since the Horde army’s ranks are made up mostly by robots, you have to imagine that there are several varied and specialized types of grunts. Sure, General Sunder is a born leader, but thing of all of the other specializations that can be accomplished with a single concept and base body. Kevin has already ventured into this forum with his “Classic” and “Naval” Robot Trooper heads, but your army of nuts and bolts can now expand even further.
Now we can take the battles of Etheria and Eternia to the air and the front lines. In the new heads we get a “Mech Pilot” and a “Battle Damaged” variation of the classic Troopers. The Mech Pilot should look familiar to MOTU fans and I love the threatening look that they have. The Battle Damaged head is a perfect segue into the carnage that would eventually come to pass in the rebellion against the Horde. Sure these are just robots, but I will happily see them laid to waste by the women and men of the Rebellion. As you can see, it is very apparent that the best details in the Troopers are under their grey metal shells, and the “eyes” and “ears” give you a vision into the functionality of these emissaries of oppression.
Kevin’s reputation for quality and creativity goes without saying, and since MOTUC is a line that we essentially get one figure at a time, boosting the overall ranks of the toy shelf is always a plus. If you own any of Kevin’s works, you know what I am talking about. If you have never picked up one of his kits, any one of these would be a great jumping off point. Beware though, you will be hooked. You can check them out on the MOTUC Heads Facebook Page, where you can also place your order. Go. Now. You will not be disappointed.
*Thanks so much to Kevin for sending these along for our feature!
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