What were the highlights that we remember about the first mini-series about amnesiac heroes and villain already in charge of the planet?
Check out the list for the Top 5 Things That Were Awesome In The Masters Of the Universe 2012 Mini-Series!
Check out the list for the Top 5 Things That Were Awesome In The Masters Of the Universe 2012 Mini-Series!
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE COMICS ARE BACK!
YES! When the news broke at MTV Geek, I was ecstatic! For the year before this we learned that in Masters of the Universe Classics-toyline, they were releasing three new mini-comics in 2012. First mini-comics and now regular comics too!
So an actual comicbook series coming on the 30th Anniversary-year of Masters of the Universe was fantastic news! Since not all fans may have even heard of the adult collector toyline sold exclusively online. But maybe new comic-issues on shelves might raise awareness!
Best part was also hearing it was going to be DC Comics that Mattel had partnered up with to create it. For when I think of DC Comics and He-Man, I think of the mini-series from 1982 and couple of the vintage mini-comics. It brings up better memories than what I personally associate with Marvel and He-Man.
YES! When the news broke at MTV Geek, I was ecstatic! For the year before this we learned that in Masters of the Universe Classics-toyline, they were releasing three new mini-comics in 2012. First mini-comics and now regular comics too!
So an actual comicbook series coming on the 30th Anniversary-year of Masters of the Universe was fantastic news! Since not all fans may have even heard of the adult collector toyline sold exclusively online. But maybe new comic-issues on shelves might raise awareness!
Best part was also hearing it was going to be DC Comics that Mattel had partnered up with to create it. For when I think of DC Comics and He-Man, I think of the mini-series from 1982 and couple of the vintage mini-comics. It brings up better memories than what I personally associate with Marvel and He-Man.
This may sound odd to some. But I'm glad they went back to the vintage design on He-Man's Powersword. Before this we had the MVCreations' comics from the 2002-reboot and there the sword had been updated with mechanical parts to it. Fans never seemed to like, while otherwise the new designs at the time came to be accepted and applauded.
Seeing the familiar classic Powersword was good to see, what with all the new redesigns that were made with character-looks. He-Man, Skeletor for example all had recognizable elements to them, but new armors and detailing.
Of course later on the Powersword would be re-forged in the next story arc to accommodate a new design to it, but we didn't know that at the time.
SKELETOR HAD ALREADY WON
The concept of "bad guy already in charge" is always a fascinating one. Especially with a brand like He-Man where you may remember the set-up as "villain tries a new scheme to conquer, good guys thwart it and back to status quo".
Seeing Skeletor already as the Main Villain is fantastic. Given the roster of other villains in the world of He-Man, not rushing to include characters like Hordak or King Hiss was a good choise.
To have Skeletor "already won" is of course nothing new. The live-action film from 1987 started with that idea (not to draw parallels between the two though). But it provides a lot of opportunities for the story to dive into, explore what the world is like when the villains are in charge, what do they do with all the Power now that they have it, while embarking heroes on "a quest" to set things right again. Testing the good guys at the same time, what stuff they are made of. In the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe 2012 mini-series it was handled a bit unevenly, but the part about Skeletor already as victorious is something to remember from all this.
The concept of "bad guy already in charge" is always a fascinating one. Especially with a brand like He-Man where you may remember the set-up as "villain tries a new scheme to conquer, good guys thwart it and back to status quo".
Seeing Skeletor already as the Main Villain is fantastic. Given the roster of other villains in the world of He-Man, not rushing to include characters like Hordak or King Hiss was a good choise.
To have Skeletor "already won" is of course nothing new. The live-action film from 1987 started with that idea (not to draw parallels between the two though). But it provides a lot of opportunities for the story to dive into, explore what the world is like when the villains are in charge, what do they do with all the Power now that they have it, while embarking heroes on "a quest" to set things right again. Testing the good guys at the same time, what stuff they are made of. In the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe 2012 mini-series it was handled a bit unevenly, but the part about Skeletor already as victorious is something to remember from all this.
CONSEQUENCES IN THE NEW STORY
The mini-series had a lot of accomplish. To explore this new version of Eternia, its characters and their motivations. There are elements in it that could be called many things. "Edgy", "Mature", "Dark" all come to mind.
Now, having an important character be killed is something comics do all the time. But it rarely has happened in a He-Man comic or story alltogether. Last major death I would consider happened in 2002 animated series episode "The Power of Grayskull". With the character King Grayskull going on a quest for Power to stop the Evil in Eternia. Ultimately dying in the end, that sets forth many things on Eternia that were still felt in present day in the stories.
What the mini-series does, has affects spanning following storylines. And those consequences should be faced head on, instead of being wiped to the side or never mentioned again. Whether the consequences are good or bad, we will find out in future stories.
And if all others fail, lets retcon it!
The mini-series had a lot of accomplish. To explore this new version of Eternia, its characters and their motivations. There are elements in it that could be called many things. "Edgy", "Mature", "Dark" all come to mind.
Now, having an important character be killed is something comics do all the time. But it rarely has happened in a He-Man comic or story alltogether. Last major death I would consider happened in 2002 animated series episode "The Power of Grayskull". With the character King Grayskull going on a quest for Power to stop the Evil in Eternia. Ultimately dying in the end, that sets forth many things on Eternia that were still felt in present day in the stories.
What the mini-series does, has affects spanning following storylines. And those consequences should be faced head on, instead of being wiped to the side or never mentioned again. Whether the consequences are good or bad, we will find out in future stories.
And if all others fail, lets retcon it!
COVERS BY DAVE WILKINS
You saw this coming? ;)
Hands down, I loved the painted covers by Dave Wilkins. From the Issue #1 variant of Skeletor holding the Havoc Staff that "mirrors" the regular cover... to the wrap-around cover in last issue of the mini-series.
The covers already told a story on their own and are gorgeous to look at. With raw energy depicting the inhabitants of Eternia... -Seriously, I need me some of these as posters.
Only shame is that DC Comics never got Mr. Wilkins to do a variant-cover for issue #2 and that as of right now (May 2014), there isn't anymore art from Mr. Wilkins gracing the Masters of the Universe -issues.
The covers already told a story on their own and are gorgeous to look at. With raw energy depicting the inhabitants of Eternia... -Seriously, I need me some of these as posters.
Only shame is that DC Comics never got Mr. Wilkins to do a variant-cover for issue #2 and that as of right now (May 2014), there isn't anymore art from Mr. Wilkins gracing the Masters of the Universe -issues.
Dave Wilkins did the cover-art for (variant) #1, #3-6.
The last cover-art unfortunately got cropped so you couldn't see all the characters. Below is the larger version that Mr. Wilkins did.
So there you have some bulletin-points that stuck to me from the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe 2012 mini-series.
During this time also were coming out Digital First -issues that were short tales focusing on individual characters in Eternia. I left them off the list to solely focus on the printed 6-issue series.
What followed couple months after this mini-series ended, was the New #1 of He-Man that became the Ongoing Series.
What sticks out to you from this mini-series? Or did you even know it existed before the 2013 Ongoing Comic series for He-Man began?
Do you want more art from Dave Wilkins for the DC Comics' He-Man comic?
Leave comments, questions and your own opinion below!
And now the pleading part...
;)
To support the writer of this TOP5-list, click on image-link if you want to get a copy of the Trade #1 from Amazon.com. It collects the 2012 mini-series and the prelude digital comic-issue from Geoff Johns.
Do you want more art from Dave Wilkins for the DC Comics' He-Man comic?
Leave comments, questions and your own opinion below!
And now the pleading part...
;)
To support the writer of this TOP5-list, click on image-link if you want to get a copy of the Trade #1 from Amazon.com. It collects the 2012 mini-series and the prelude digital comic-issue from Geoff Johns.
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