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He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
Art of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
In 1983, the world was introduced to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. What followed was a cultural sensation that changed the landscape of children's entertainment forever! Join Mattel and Dark Horse in this comprehensive retrospective chronicling He-Man's decades-long epic journey from toy, to television, to film, to a true pop culture phenomenon!
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 14, 2015
21 people are currently reading
221 people want to read
About the author
Tim Seeley
1,638 books603 followersTim Seeley is a comic book artist and writer known for his work on books such as G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, The Dark Elf Trilogy, Batman Eternal and Grayson. He is also the co-creator of the Image Comics titles Hack/Slash[1] and Revival, as well as the Dark Horse titles, ExSanguine and Sundowners. He lives in Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
February 5, 2016
In 1982 the world was introduced to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, a cultural phenomenon that changed pop culture forever (and my kid life too: the day my parents purchased my Skeletor figure was the start of my love for fantasy and the day of my super-nerd-secret-origin!).
More than an artbook, a great tribute to the work of many talented, passionate people, and the legions of fans who kept the brand alive for so long time.
Earl Norem's posters chapter is pure awesomess!!!
A must-have for all fantasy lovers and old/young fans of the MOTU universe.
By the power of Greyskull! I have the Power!
More than an artbook, a great tribute to the work of many talented, passionate people, and the legions of fans who kept the brand alive for so long time.
Earl Norem's posters chapter is pure awesomess!!!
A must-have for all fantasy lovers and old/young fans of the MOTU universe.
By the power of Greyskull! I have the Power!
September 6, 2016
Quick review for a quick read. This was a fascinating look into the evolution of a series/franchise that I remember growing up with to some extent. I honestly had no idea just how many incarnations that the Masters of the Universe series had spawned, and this compilation is a nice delving into the series' history. This book is an eye-opening look at sketches, toys, comics, the animated series, the movie, the games, and other mediums of art in which He-Man, She-Ra and the collective cast from both franchises are chronicled. The interviews, character sketches, promotional materials (I'm pretty sure I still own one or two of the coloring books that this compilation had) are all great insights into the history and evolution of the series even to more recent incarnations. I liked it quite a bit, and definitely appreciated the read.
Overall score: 4.5/5 stars.
Overall score: 4.5/5 stars.
July 15, 2017
This is a great, high-production value volume from Dark Horse.
There's just enough prose (in the forms of interviews, restrospectives and memorandums) to put the background of the franchise into context, whilst the bulk of the book is rife with production info, pre-production ideas, and concept drawing for all aspects of the MotU oeuvre.
5-Stars: Highly recommended for all those with a fondness for fantasy or cartoons (especially 80's cartoons!), or an interest in He-Man memorabilia.
There's just enough prose (in the forms of interviews, restrospectives and memorandums) to put the background of the franchise into context, whilst the bulk of the book is rife with production info, pre-production ideas, and concept drawing for all aspects of the MotU oeuvre.
5-Stars: Highly recommended for all those with a fondness for fantasy or cartoons (especially 80's cartoons!), or an interest in He-Man memorabilia.
March 9, 2021
When I was growing up, the boys in my elementary school were either Team He-Man or Team Transformers, and I was absolutely the former. I'm not as much for robots and tech as much as I am fantasy and monsters, so it was never a tough choice.
I've flipped through this book a number of times since I purchased it half a decade ago, but in a jag of nostalgia last week I finally sat down and spent a few nights examining it cover to cover. These images still loom over me with mythic proportion, made all the more rich and strange with the knowledge that they were marketing, plain and simple, yet somehow imbued with real artistry. The Earl Norem poster stuff alone makes this a gorgeous addition to any pop enthusiast's shelf, and there are a number of other pleasant surprises on the way. The book gives you JUST enough text (mostly in the form of interviews) to ground the the work in a view of the corporate and creative processes behind it, and the context gives a greater appreciation of work without ruining it.
Obviously I'm invested in this due to a longtime association with the subject, but it will no doubt be enjoyed by lovers of fantasy and commercial art in general.
I've flipped through this book a number of times since I purchased it half a decade ago, but in a jag of nostalgia last week I finally sat down and spent a few nights examining it cover to cover. These images still loom over me with mythic proportion, made all the more rich and strange with the knowledge that they were marketing, plain and simple, yet somehow imbued with real artistry. The Earl Norem poster stuff alone makes this a gorgeous addition to any pop enthusiast's shelf, and there are a number of other pleasant surprises on the way. The book gives you JUST enough text (mostly in the form of interviews) to ground the the work in a view of the corporate and creative processes behind it, and the context gives a greater appreciation of work without ruining it.
Obviously I'm invested in this due to a longtime association with the subject, but it will no doubt be enjoyed by lovers of fantasy and commercial art in general.
April 17, 2018
Amazing work. Worth the read!
January 9, 2020
Bought a digital copy on sale on impulse and quite enjoyed it. The art is beautiful and detailed, but it’s the contextual material that makes it worth it.
First part has a bunch of memos about the creation of the toy line. Interesting window into how these were developed before email and 3D printing and computer art. It took a lot of work to develop even a handful of figures and a lot of back-and-forth exchanges. Interesting also to see how clearly the whole thing owes a debt to sword & sorcery — one memo mentions Frazetta and another writer mentions Moorcock. The whole thing was designed to be incredibly gonzo. One early memo literally talks about how the concept would allow them to sell figures in every conceivable size—from giants to minis—because the world supports creatures of all those sizes and shapes.
Fascinating the shift in culture around it. The early writers and artists have fond memories but sometimes barely remember the stories they wrote or the characters names. Later artists and writers and designers have a deep knowledge of the lore and obsessions with different characters.
This parallels the weird journey of the product itself. What started as basically a written/drawn and then animated advertisement for toys became so much more. Bruce Timm and Paul Dini got their start on the cartoon (and then went on to basically invent DC animation, including Batman: The Animated Series). The later toy designers where huge fans who built a whole line of “classic” figures around reissuing the original figures with modern design so that they basically looked like what those artists remembered imagining their figures looked like. And the fans by the end don’t need the show to be an advertisement. They are literally asking for new toys to be made to sell them more toys, so that the whole idea of the cartoon selling toys gets overturned and it becomes unclear who is using who.
Which is probably what happens to the best franchises, right? You build something, make people want it so badly that they no longer need you to make them want it, they want you to make them want it. Which sounds like the pinnacle of consumerism, but there’s such love here from the fans, the designers, the collectors, and the writers of this book, that it’s hard to cast it as a bad thing. More like a virtuous cycle.
First part has a bunch of memos about the creation of the toy line. Interesting window into how these were developed before email and 3D printing and computer art. It took a lot of work to develop even a handful of figures and a lot of back-and-forth exchanges. Interesting also to see how clearly the whole thing owes a debt to sword & sorcery — one memo mentions Frazetta and another writer mentions Moorcock. The whole thing was designed to be incredibly gonzo. One early memo literally talks about how the concept would allow them to sell figures in every conceivable size—from giants to minis—because the world supports creatures of all those sizes and shapes.
Fascinating the shift in culture around it. The early writers and artists have fond memories but sometimes barely remember the stories they wrote or the characters names. Later artists and writers and designers have a deep knowledge of the lore and obsessions with different characters.
This parallels the weird journey of the product itself. What started as basically a written/drawn and then animated advertisement for toys became so much more. Bruce Timm and Paul Dini got their start on the cartoon (and then went on to basically invent DC animation, including Batman: The Animated Series). The later toy designers where huge fans who built a whole line of “classic” figures around reissuing the original figures with modern design so that they basically looked like what those artists remembered imagining their figures looked like. And the fans by the end don’t need the show to be an advertisement. They are literally asking for new toys to be made to sell them more toys, so that the whole idea of the cartoon selling toys gets overturned and it becomes unclear who is using who.
Which is probably what happens to the best franchises, right? You build something, make people want it so badly that they no longer need you to make them want it, they want you to make them want it. Which sounds like the pinnacle of consumerism, but there’s such love here from the fans, the designers, the collectors, and the writers of this book, that it’s hard to cast it as a bad thing. More like a virtuous cycle.
February 6, 2020
I loved this book.
So as a kid what got me into Masters of the Universe was not the cartoon or even the minicomics. It was that packaging art. I look at Rudy Obrero's box art from those first couple of years (or even the later Earl Norem paintings) and even as an adult I am transported. It's a darker vision than ended up being realized in Filmation, very much a different world - but as a kid that was my Eternia, this brutal and strangely beautiful place.
And so this collection of the art is so far up my alley that I can't believe that I only recently found out about its existence.
Here's what bothers me. I need more, so much more. This volume is probably about as large as it needs to be and it serves as a great overview of art from across the years and incarnations of MOTU. But I hope that it leads to more volumes. I would pay ridiculous amounts of money for a volume with high quality scans of all of the vintage line art (cardbacks and painted box art - I want it all) and the vintage inspired paintings from the MOTU Classics line. Oh man, I hope that they do that one of these days.
So this is wonderful as an introduction and an overview. I just want more, more, more...
So as a kid what got me into Masters of the Universe was not the cartoon or even the minicomics. It was that packaging art. I look at Rudy Obrero's box art from those first couple of years (or even the later Earl Norem paintings) and even as an adult I am transported. It's a darker vision than ended up being realized in Filmation, very much a different world - but as a kid that was my Eternia, this brutal and strangely beautiful place.
And so this collection of the art is so far up my alley that I can't believe that I only recently found out about its existence.
Here's what bothers me. I need more, so much more. This volume is probably about as large as it needs to be and it serves as a great overview of art from across the years and incarnations of MOTU. But I hope that it leads to more volumes. I would pay ridiculous amounts of money for a volume with high quality scans of all of the vintage line art (cardbacks and painted box art - I want it all) and the vintage inspired paintings from the MOTU Classics line. Oh man, I hope that they do that one of these days.
So this is wonderful as an introduction and an overview. I just want more, more, more...
January 10, 2018
He-Man was THE show and toy line for me in the mid-80s, so naturally I had to have this one. There’s a pretty good story amongst the art about how the toy line was conceived and then the show. Unfortunately it tapers off after awhile, but it’s still informative and fun to read all the old documents from when the whole universe was in its infancy. There’s also a smattering of interviews with artists and executives who were involved along the way.
Eventually you start getting into the later years where they were still selling toys but interest was waning, and the comic art as well. The book stalls out somewhat for me near the finish line, but overall this is a really fun compilation that I never thought I’d actually see published.
Eventually you start getting into the later years where they were still selling toys but interest was waning, and the comic art as well. The book stalls out somewhat for me near the finish line, but overall this is a really fun compilation that I never thought I’d actually see published.
September 28, 2022
This art book is awesome. It's a compilation of Masters of the Universe art history, from the first idea drafts, the mini comics, TV shows and toy relaunches.
It is a book full with so many beautiful drawings and concept art that leaves you thinking on why is the series not more popular.
It shows things like the filmation series from the eighties and some of the most headscratching lows from the franchise, like that Stan Lee figure.
I can certainly recommend it if you want to study conceptual art, as all of the pieces is just so well crafted. And obviously if you are a fan of MOTU I would not recommend you to buy it as you most surely already have.
It is a book full with so many beautiful drawings and concept art that leaves you thinking on why is the series not more popular.
It shows things like the filmation series from the eighties and some of the most headscratching lows from the franchise, like that Stan Lee figure.
I can certainly recommend it if you want to study conceptual art, as all of the pieces is just so well crafted. And obviously if you are a fan of MOTU I would not recommend you to buy it as you most surely already have.
January 17, 2018
Great read with some terrific art, as expected. Some nice nostalgia to be had and some new pieces, concepts and figures I was not familiar with.
My complaint is this book covered too much ground; I would have preferred it was more in depth. I understand why the decision was made, but given what we do see here there is CLEARLY a slew of material not included. Also, the interviews weren’t nearly as in depth as someone like me would have enjoyed.
Still, with that said I am glad to have taken the time with this one, and will continue to pursue more new MotU books/comics.
My complaint is this book covered too much ground; I would have preferred it was more in depth. I understand why the decision was made, but given what we do see here there is CLEARLY a slew of material not included. Also, the interviews weren’t nearly as in depth as someone like me would have enjoyed.
Still, with that said I am glad to have taken the time with this one, and will continue to pursue more new MotU books/comics.
August 2, 2017
I've seen a lot of reviews complain about the interviews. I thought many of them were interesting. The book does a nice job of representing all of the various "eras" of He-Man, but the original toyline and cartoon sections really could have been expanded to include so much more! I was hoping for more She-Ra, too! I was less interested in the 4 Horsemen redesigns from 2002, but I really liked seeing a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff from the live action movie.
December 31, 2018
Possibly the best "Art of" book I've ever seen. This thing is packed to bursting with the entire gonzo design history of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. It's a gorgeous book that makes me remember just how powerful a cultural force He-Man was for little kid me in the 80s. Seriously amazing. I love every page of it.
January 25, 2019
As with most art books of this type, it barely scratches the surface. The reader gets an excellent overview of MOTU art from original toy designs, comic books, animation art, through video game art, package designs, and more. The completist in me would love a whole series of these books going much more in depth but I’m glad we have this and pleased to have it in my library.
September 11, 2020
Not much to read. It was a fun trip down memory lane. I was a huge fan as a child. I remember the infinite adventures and battles fought/won with each figure.
Remembering some of fun made this quick read worth it. The artwork was especially fun.
Remembering some of fun made this quick read worth it. The artwork was especially fun.
June 10, 2017
The maps in the back alone are worth the price of admission [but the rest is pretty good too].
July 5, 2017
A wonderful blast from the past. I could not have felt more nostalgic. Lots of fun to read and see it all again.
July 6, 2017
The evolution of the Masters of the Universe! This tome is just as bulky as He-Man, with many photos of the toy line and associated art. Made me wistful for my Castle Grayskull set...
April 27, 2019
Enjoyed every page of nostalgia, and actually would love to read about all the mythos that has grown over the years
August 17, 2019
Made me quite nostalgic. Some good examples of the art from the show.
February 18, 2021
Capolavoro. Acquisto obbligato per i fan dei MOTU
Read
March 21, 2017"I have the POWER!" Short review: The illustrations in this Art of book are amazing and will appeal to any He-man fan. The interviews were TERRIBLE. Skip the text and enjoy the detailed art and captions.
December 4, 2019
Los libros sobre cultura pop requieren de esfuerzo por varias partes, y lo digo desde mi propia experiencia profesional. Por eso mismo cuando se nota cuidado desde el autor al editor, pasando por el diseñador o el traductor, se logran productos tan redondos y recomendables como este tomo.
Si queréis ver un vídeo extenso sobre el tema, lo tenéis en https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grqfT...
Si queréis ver un vídeo extenso sobre el tema, lo tenéis en https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grqfT...
January 18, 2021
For people who grow up with MOTU, it is a masterpiece.
For all other it's just "a" big comic / fantasy art book.
For all other it's just "a" big comic / fantasy art book.
November 8, 2021
Desde los comienzos de los años ochenta, Masters del Universo pasó a convertirse de una idea para vender juguetes en toda un icono que se hace eco hasta nuestros días. Resultó un producto que buscaba distanciarse en un mercado, invadido por Star Wars, a base de reciclar ideas absurdas, serendipias, golpes de suerte, improvisaciones e incluso sueños locos que, contra todo pronóstico, funcionaron en conjunto dando lugar a uno de esos extraños fenómenos que también terminaron en la muerte de la gallina de los huevos de oro.
Dentro del concepto casaban las ideas más dispares y surgió, sobre la marcha, con muchísimas mentes aportando, un mundo con inspiración en la más pura "espada y brujería" de Conan y dibujos de Frazetta que casaba con la ciencia ficción de armas láser y alta tecnología tanto "camionera" (de esas grasientas, llenas de cables y tubos corrugados, como reliquias de un tiempo vetusto) como limpia de aire Flash Gordon a la que se suma algo del concepto del cómic referente al super héroe y su alter ego.
Magia, ciencia, demonios, hombres musculados, mujeres fuertes, aeronaves, castillos embrujados, monstruos, dragones, cañones de energía, hechiceras, príncipes y secretos del universo se fundían en una dosis irrepetible que simbolizaba aquella frase de: Yo tengo el Poder.
Ser uno quien adquiría el conocimiento y la capacidad para decidir frente a las imposiciones de los poderes fácticos. Para los niños podrían ser las normas de los padres pero, a ojos de un adulto, suponía un estado represivo, un trabajo gris, una situación sentimental descompensada... Las normas que nos constriñen y ahogan contra las que podemos levantarnos y reafirmarnos en nuestras creencias y nuestra personalidad.
Yo tengo el poder.
Conjuntamente a todas estas ideas, se vieron reflejadas tanto en una línea heterogénea en constante expansión y reinterpretación desde aquellos tiempos como en el arte de maestros indiscutibles que aportaron su propia perspectiva.
Aquí encontramos una recopilación de las obras de esos artistas que han marcado (y ayudado a crear) el universo de los Masters: bocetos, óleos, acuarelas, plumilla, e imágenes de animación que fueron mucho más allá del concepto de "vender juguetes".
Un libro bellísimo lleno de magia en una edición excelente y cuidada, de enorme peso. un verdadero libro de Arte.
Dentro del concepto casaban las ideas más dispares y surgió, sobre la marcha, con muchísimas mentes aportando, un mundo con inspiración en la más pura "espada y brujería" de Conan y dibujos de Frazetta que casaba con la ciencia ficción de armas láser y alta tecnología tanto "camionera" (de esas grasientas, llenas de cables y tubos corrugados, como reliquias de un tiempo vetusto) como limpia de aire Flash Gordon a la que se suma algo del concepto del cómic referente al super héroe y su alter ego.
Magia, ciencia, demonios, hombres musculados, mujeres fuertes, aeronaves, castillos embrujados, monstruos, dragones, cañones de energía, hechiceras, príncipes y secretos del universo se fundían en una dosis irrepetible que simbolizaba aquella frase de: Yo tengo el Poder.
Ser uno quien adquiría el conocimiento y la capacidad para decidir frente a las imposiciones de los poderes fácticos. Para los niños podrían ser las normas de los padres pero, a ojos de un adulto, suponía un estado represivo, un trabajo gris, una situación sentimental descompensada... Las normas que nos constriñen y ahogan contra las que podemos levantarnos y reafirmarnos en nuestras creencias y nuestra personalidad.
Yo tengo el poder.
Conjuntamente a todas estas ideas, se vieron reflejadas tanto en una línea heterogénea en constante expansión y reinterpretación desde aquellos tiempos como en el arte de maestros indiscutibles que aportaron su propia perspectiva.
Aquí encontramos una recopilación de las obras de esos artistas que han marcado (y ayudado a crear) el universo de los Masters: bocetos, óleos, acuarelas, plumilla, e imágenes de animación que fueron mucho más allá del concepto de "vender juguetes".
Un libro bellísimo lleno de magia en una edición excelente y cuidada, de enorme peso. un verdadero libro de Arte.
February 20, 2017
Very interesting and a really good read.
February 13, 2017
A vital part of my child hood and every other
kid from the 80s He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe
filled my youth with endless hours of adventure.
This books takes an incredible look at the development
of the iconic characters of the wonderful TV show
and the TOYS.
Filled with joy and nostalgia I loved this book
Now I just wish I had my old toys to play with..
kid from the 80s He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe
filled my youth with endless hours of adventure.
This books takes an incredible look at the development
of the iconic characters of the wonderful TV show
and the TOYS.
Filled with joy and nostalgia I loved this book
Now I just wish I had my old toys to play with..
February 11, 2016
A big, beefy art book hardback chronicling all things He-Man from the initial toy concepts of a manufacturer looking to create a new line of boy's toys after infamously turning down Star Wars, right through to 2014 and exploratory art ideas for new film, TV and gaming products, this is a fantastic, nostalgic book.
True, the text is disjointed at times, assumes too much knowledge on the part of the reader and is just a bit too brief but there are some revealing interviews with people - comic writers, artists, designers, animators, marketing men and even the director of the largely failed 1987 movie adaptation - who have shaped the franchise.
The passion, the contacts and the knowledge of the authors, the geeky little details they note and their access to masses of artwork, from character concept sketches to posters and background paintings that qualify as high end fantasy art all combine to make reading or flipping through this book a joyous experience.
True, the text is disjointed at times, assumes too much knowledge on the part of the reader and is just a bit too brief but there are some revealing interviews with people - comic writers, artists, designers, animators, marketing men and even the director of the largely failed 1987 movie adaptation - who have shaped the franchise.
The passion, the contacts and the knowledge of the authors, the geeky little details they note and their access to masses of artwork, from character concept sketches to posters and background paintings that qualify as high end fantasy art all combine to make reading or flipping through this book a joyous experience.
December 27, 2015
This book gathers an excellent presentation of early Mattel company memos and production pitches, prototype art, animation doogas, comic covers, toy packaging... you name it and it's in there. High points include double page spreads of the Earl Norem and William George paintings. Points deducted repeatedly mentioning William Stout's artwork for the MOTU movie, but failing to show any of it. Additional points off for high-school level writing (a few poorly constructed sentences) and lazy journalism (the interviewer asked the same 5 questions to everyone), but this is an art book so I won't expect much. I would gladly buy a similar book for Thundercats, GI Joe and\or Transformers.
February 5, 2017
Really well put together book that covers pretty much every aspect of the He-Man universe, from concept art and comics to the toys, cartoons, and movie. There are some quick interviews that act as lead-ins to each section, but overall there isn't much prose. It let's the art speak for itself, and a lot of it is really well done.
January 20, 2021
This book is an ideal companion to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: A Character Guide and World Compendium: the compendium is text detail heavy, whereas this art book is page after page of beautiful full colour photographs and scans. This book can be enjoyed by itself: it includes explanation text and a few interviews, but the art on display is definitely the focus.
Of note: the book includes a Filmation animation cell.
Of note: the book includes a Filmation animation cell.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews