He-Man and She-Ra Return in Classic Style
By: Jase Peeples
9.2.2011
When Mattel’s Masters of the Universe hit store shelves in 1982 the toy company had no idea their creation would go on to become a worldwide pop culture legend. Characters like He-Man, Skeletor, and Teela seemingly became household names overnight and dominated the action figure market of the 1980’s. The toy line would go on to spawn the animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. The syndicated program was wildly successful and before long a spin-off series and toy line featuring He-Man’s long-lost twin sister, She-Ra: Princess of Power, was born. Together, the defenders of Castle Grayskull forever changed the way toy lines are marketed and created.
After several attempts to refresh the property, Mattel decided to return to the roots of their popular franchise and once again capture the attention of fans who had grown up with the larger-than-life characters of Eternia.
In 2008 the toy company launched Masters of the Universe Classics, a new action figure line sold exclusively through their collector website Matttycollector.com.
Rather than hit the market with a wave of product, Mattel began rolling out the new line slowly by offering one character a month in order to test the market. Their new venture was a hit with fans and soon the company began expanding the toy line.
Created in the likeness of their original counterparts, the new toys are a collector’s dream come true.
Featuring detailed sculpting and a multiple points of articulation, each piece is clearly created by people who are passionate about the product.
Now entering its forth year, Masters of the Universe Classics (MOTUC) is still going strong. In addition to the new figure offered each month, the line has grown to include other large-scale characters such as He-man’s companion Battle Cat and in November Mattel will offer She-Ra’s flying unicorn Swiftwind as well.
Reaching beyond the scope of the original action figure line, MOTUC encompasses characters from every era and incarnation of the Masters franchise.
Fan-favorite characters never produced in the ‘80s—such as She-Ra’s alter ego Adora and He-Man’s mother Queen Marlena—have now been immortalized in plastic for the first time.
Also, characters from the lesser-known 1989 toy line known as The New Adventures of He-Man and the anime styled series that debuted in 2002 have been integrated into this new collector line.
Mattel has even gone as far as creating characters that only appeared in comic books and concept art, enriching and expanding the well-loved fictional universe.
Monthly figures are typically offered on the 15th of each month on mattycollector.com and are usually priced at $20 (plus S&H). Additional products are also offered on the same day and have ranged from accessory-filled Weapons Paks to oversize figures.
Whether you’re a diehard collector or your just looking for that fun nostalgic item to decorate your desk at work, Masters of the Universe Classics is definitely worth checking out.
For more information on MOTUC visit Mattycollector.com.
