The action hero with the most butch binary name possible has returned. He-Man will be joining the Netflix family with the upcoming animated series Masters of the Universe: Revelation. The show is (supposedly) adult-orientated, so perhaps the revelation is a previously unseen abundance of violence, or maybe there’ll be a glimpse of the part of his anatomy which conclusively proves that He-Man is indeed a He-Man.
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The children who enjoyed the original 1980s Masters of the Universe are now well into adulthood, and so it makes sense to give the characters yet another run, allowing for a nostalgia trip that can recruit new fans, building an audience for the unavoidable further expansion of the franchise.
Those original fans now have a disposable income beyond their pocket money, so in preparation for the upcoming new series (featuring voice talents such as Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alicia Silverstone, Lena Heady, Henry Rollins, and Chris Wood as Prince Adam/He-Man) what are some must-have items that any Masters of the Universe fan should have?
The (Problematic) Live-Action Film
Masters of the Universe (1987) remains Gary Goddard’s sole feature film credit as director. It’s legitimate to suggest that he’s far better known these days for numerous accusations of sexual assault committed against young men. Actor Anthony Edwards (Dr. Mark Greene in ER) in fact wrote a long essay in which he said that Goddard sexually assaulted him on multiple occasions, beginning when he was 12-years-old.
The horror of these allegations might taint your potential enjoyment of the only live-action movie adaptation of Masters of the Universe, especially when you consider that young men were the film’s target audience. Maybe it depends if you can sit through a Roman Polanski film without feeling uncomfortable.
The inevitable reboot of the property has been dragging its feet for decades, with the late Paul Walker once lined up to play He-Man, so Goddard’s effort might be the only option for a while. More recently, Noah Centineo was cast in the latest version of the project (to be directed by Aaron and Adam Nee) only to drop out, and the film remains firmly stuck in the development stage. Just stick a Hemsworth in there and shoot the damn thing already!
The 1987 film is a flawed version of the story, but it’s rarely boring, and is worth checking out if only for Frank Langella’s brilliantly excessive Skeletor. One imagines he needed extensive dental work once filming had concluded, to repair his teeth after all that scenery-chewing. Dolph Lundgren makes a capable He-Man, although it seems his preparation involved a tremendous amount of time at the gym instead of acting lessons.
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The Original Animated Series
Just like other popular characters of the same era (looking at you, Transformers), Masters of the Universe started as a toy line, instead of a TV show. The original prototypes were heavily modified Big Jim toys (which was a series of military/spy action figures, and weren’t sex toys aimed at gay men). The Lords of Power (later renamed Masters of the Universe) were loosely inspired by/ripped-off from Conan the Barbarian, and were intended to fit a sword and sorcery theme.
The mythology was established in the mini-comic books that came with each action figure (more about that shortly) and was later fleshed out in the beloved animated series. It’s probably been a while since you’ve seen the 1983 – 1985 show (He-Man and the Masters of the Universe), and the box set is worth investigating for its nostalgia value. It’s amusingly clunky, and Prince Adam/He-Man has a habit of seductively shaking his animated blond locks like he’s in a shampoo commercial. The voice performance of the title character (courtesy of actor John Erwin) perhaps sounds a little bit off, making He-Man sound like a confident Christian newscaster instead of a buff guy who rides a green tiger while not wearing very much.
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The Mini Comic Collection
Before the TV show came, those mini-comic books included with each toy, containing an original adventure generally focussed on the character it came with. You might think that these disposable additions to a toy that was sold some four decades ago would have been lost to history. But nothing with the potential to generate money is ever truly lost (yay capitalism).
Adults might hesitate to buy an actual toy to relive the cheaply-printed adventure that came with it, but of course, you don’t have to. The entire mini comic collection (and then some) has been reprinted into a handsome hardback omnibus. You can still buy the toys in order to collect the comic books, but you’d need to open the packaging to get to the book, meaning you’d be left with no other choice than to play with the action figure, which might feel strange if you’re now in your 40s or 50s. No judgement though.
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He-Man Cosplay
It’s weird how some adults might refuse to play with toys because it’s too childish. Cosplay is another matter entirely. Unsurprisingly, there are a range of Masters of the Universe costumes available, and you can’t go wrong with He-Man himself. You could probably assemble a decent He-Man outfit by visiting your nearest fetish shop, but to wear something that’s undeniably He-Man, you’re better off going with a specially-made costume.
Not to worry if your body is more of a heavy man than a He-Man, since these costumes are more like a jumpsuit, allowing you to slip right into a body that only exists in cartoons, with pectorals so big that a sports bra would be wise. Look, aside from a Halloween party or actual cosplay, you might have difficulty thinking of where you’d wear something like this, but it will be fun to have around. In any event, you could start wearing the foam muscles beneath your regular clothes.
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