Summary
- Dark Horse Comics' new line of Masters of the Universe comics follows the adventures of He-Man as he battles Skeletor and explores different variations of the character.
- The most recent title, Forge of Destiny, delves into the early years of the heroes, presenting an opportunity for a ground-level rebuilding of the mythos.
- Dark Horse should revisit 15 lesser-known characters from the franchise, including Fearless Photog, Rio Blast and Sun Man.
obtaining the powers of Grayskull for himself. These comics have continued the story of the Netflix-produced Revelations as well as explore the He-Man variants throughout the multiverse. The most recent title, Forge of Destiny, explores the heroes' earliest years.
While it remains to be seen if Forge of Destiny will be the start of a new continuity, its “year one” nature allows for a ground-level rebuilding of the mythos. There are many characters in the Masters of the Universe line, and here are 15 that Dark Horse should revisit.
15 Fearless Photog
In 1986, Mattel held a contest asking children to submit their own designs for a Masters of the Universe toy. After picking the top five, fans voted on the best, and Fearless Photog was the winner. Sporting a camera for a head, Photog could drain his opponent's life energies; his victims were displayed on his chest. Intended to be an ally for He-Man, Photog never made it to production in the 80s and was finally made into a figure in 2010. His inclusion in Dark Horse’s Masters comic would be left-field for certain, but great for shock value.
14 Rio Blast
A cowboy-themed character, Rio Blast came later in the Masters of the Universe run, and never made any on-screen appearances, making him one of the franchise’s more obscure characters. With this in mind, Rio Blast is a blank slate, and Dark Horse’s new line of Masters comics would be the perfect place to flesh him out further.
13 Gwildor
Created for 1987’s live-action Masters of the Universe movie, Gwildor, much like Fearless Photog, would make a great, out of left field choice for the new comics. In the movie Gwildor was the guardian of the Cosmic Key, which could traverse dimensions. The Cosmic Key is immensely powerful, making it irresistible for Skeletor. This would give the creative team a perfect way to reintroduce Gwildor to continuity.
12 Stonedar
Later in the original Masters of the Universe’s run, Mattel introduced the Rock Men to the lore. Hailing from the planet Geolon, which was destroyed by the Evil Horde, the Rock Men came to Eternia to help He-Man. Stonedar was the Rock Men’s leader. While he never appeared in the cartoon, his toy’s unique nature, transforming from action figure to a rock, made him a cult favorite, and perfect to be reintroduced in Dark Horse’s new line of comics.
11 Rokkon
Another of the Rock Men, Rokkon accompanied Stonedar and the others to Eternia. Often depicted as young and brash, Rokkon would make the perfect foil for the equally brash Prince Adam. The new Masters of the Universe comics have explored Prince Adam’s life outside his He-Man persona, and Rokkon’s inclusion would give him a much-needed friend.
10 Snout Spout
One of the more unique looking of the Masters of the Universe, Snout Spout had a human body and an elephant’s head. A firefighter, Snout Spout’s action figure could squirt water out of the elephant’s nose. This, coupled with his unique appearance and lack of exposure in every incarnation of the franchise, makes Snout Spout not only a cult favorite, but also perfect for inclusion in Dark Horse’s new Masters of the Universe comics.
9 Fisto
The bearded and burly Fisto has been a huge part of nearly every incarnation of the Masters of the Universe, making him a shoo-in for Dark Horse’s new continuity. Fisto’s action figure was notable for having a metallic right hand, hence the name. According to some sources, Fisto is second in strength only to He-Man himself. Other versions have Fisto as Man-At-Arm’s brother. Whichever way Dark Horse goes, Fisto would be a welcome addition.
Masters of the Universe Just Introduced Its Most Powerful Weapon Yet
In Dark Horse's Masters of the Universe: Forge of Destiny #2, Skeletor obtains the Phlogista, the most powerful weapon on Eternia.
8 Ram Man
One of the icons of the original Masters of the Universe line, Ram Man screams for inclusion into Dark Horse’s new comics line. Short on intelligence but big on loyalty, Ram Man used his head as a battering ram, and his original action figure reflected this. Ram Man is a popular character, and it is only a matter of time before he shows up again in the comics.
7 Roboto
A heroic robot warrior. Roboto is one of the coolest of the Masters of the Universe. His original action figure featured a translucent chest, allowing fans to see his inner workings. Like many characters in the franchise, his origin varies from version to version: in some he is an explorer from space and in others he was a chess-playing robot created by Man-At-Arms. Regardless of the version, he is one of He-Man’s biggest allies.
6 Clamp Champ
As the first Black member of the Masters of the Universe, Clamp Champ occupies a unique niche in the franchise’s history. Unfortunately, Clamp Champ arrived as the original toy line was winding down, meaning he never made it to the cartoon. Dark Horse’s new line of Masters of the Universe comics have a chance to right this wrong and give Clamp Champ the treatment he deserves.
