What do you think?
Rate this book
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Minicomic Collection
The toy juggernaut Masters of the Universe and its subsequent action figure lines featured memorable pack-in minicomics that aided in playtime for children across the world. This oversized hardcover collection features sixty-eight U.S. releases, including all minicomics from the '80s Masters of the Universe line, the '80s Princess of Power line, and the '80s and '90s He-Man line, plus an introduction to the minicomics in the current Masters of the Universe Classics toy line. Relive the illustrated adventures that fueled your imagination!
Over 1000 pages of minicomics collected for the first time featuring interviews with the original comics creators!
Over 1000 pages of minicomics collected for the first time featuring interviews with the original comics creators!
1232 pages, Hardcover
First published November 3, 2015
56 people are currently reading
226 people want to read
About the author
Various
455k books1,332 followersVarious is the correct author for any book with multiple unknown authors, and is acceptable for books with multiple known authors, especially if not all are known or the list is very long (over 50).
If an editor is known, however, Various is not necessary. List the name of the editor as the primary author (with role "editor"). Contributing authors' names follow it.
Note: WorldCat is an excellent resource for finding author information and contents of anthologies.
If an editor is known, however, Various is not necessary. List the name of the editor as the primary author (with role "editor"). Contributing authors' names follow it.
Note: WorldCat is an excellent resource for finding author information and contents of anthologies.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
January 14, 2016
I realize that a book this specialized is not one every nerd needs in their collection. But if you're the kind of nerd who thinks you might be REMOTELY interested in a compendium of comic book pack-ins sold with He-Man figures back in the 80's, then by God you need this book. All snark aside, this is one of the most complete, exhaustive, gorgeous, well-restored anthologies of vintage comic books I have EVER seen, PERIOD. On purely a production scale, this collection sets a new gold standard for how to archive and anthologize sequential art, complete with creator interviews, footnotes, and every other thing you might think of. I'm serious. It's just that damned beautiful.
For the He-Fans and She-ravers, this collection features some devastating sword and sorcery art from the early 80's, as well as an entire run of interconnected fantasy sci fi stories illustrated by Bruce Timm in the late 80's. She-Ra and He-Man's many reinventions are included here too, as well as some previously-unpublished bonus material. Even a geek like me that still has all the original minicomics was bowled over by some of the stuff that's been resurrected for this collection. It's really a mind-boggling body of work.
Okay, if I go on about it anymore I'll lose you. But rest assured, if you like adventure comics of any kind, you kind of don't know how bad you need this behemoth in your collection.
For the He-Fans and She-ravers, this collection features some devastating sword and sorcery art from the early 80's, as well as an entire run of interconnected fantasy sci fi stories illustrated by Bruce Timm in the late 80's. She-Ra and He-Man's many reinventions are included here too, as well as some previously-unpublished bonus material. Even a geek like me that still has all the original minicomics was bowled over by some of the stuff that's been resurrected for this collection. It's really a mind-boggling body of work.
Okay, if I go on about it anymore I'll lose you. But rest assured, if you like adventure comics of any kind, you kind of don't know how bad you need this behemoth in your collection.
October 30, 2017
A great collection of the vintage 80s He-Man comics also added in with some from the reboot series. The artwork is the real highlight of this, with some stories being illustrated by Bruce Timm of Batman the Animated Series. The plot is pretty much the same in every story, Skeletor does something bad and He-Man has to stop him. Nonetheless, it was a really enjoyable collection to read.
October 20, 2015
Nostalgia Party, Table of 1 please.
July 26, 2017
As others have noted, though accessible to everyone, this is really a specialized nichec and target audience.
But I fall squarely into that area.
But I fall squarely into that area.
July 21, 2016
This obviously doesn't qualify as classic literature or anything of the sort, but if you, like me, grew up with Masters of the Universe and had just about all of the toys, this is pretty much a must-have. A hard-bound book with a built in bookmark ribbon, it is a collection of pretty much all of the mini-comics (artwork size increased) from the toys, including all of the Princess of Power minicomics, the 4-edition space-themed He-man comic and an epic 3-part finale to the main story published very recently.
My old favorites (esp. The Terror of Tri-Klops!) are in there, along with interviews with several of the writers, pencillers, inkers, letterers, editors, and just about every interview they were able to grab to talk about what experiences they remember.
This is a pretty droll jaunt down memory lane, even if a lot of the later comics (and all of the She-Ra ones) were really, really bad. Yes, they were done for kids, but some of the older ones still hold up pretty well with coherent storylines whereas the latter ones were clearly rushed.
My old favorites (esp. The Terror of Tri-Klops!) are in there, along with interviews with several of the writers, pencillers, inkers, letterers, editors, and just about every interview they were able to grab to talk about what experiences they remember.
This is a pretty droll jaunt down memory lane, even if a lot of the later comics (and all of the She-Ra ones) were really, really bad. Yes, they were done for kids, but some of the older ones still hold up pretty well with coherent storylines whereas the latter ones were clearly rushed.
November 1, 2021
With the new cartoon series making waves of TV, I had to read this tome of a book. Not to forget the strong female leads in this one. Consisting of mini-comics that would accompany the toys, it’s a lovely nostalgic trip for people who watched the first round of cartoons. Except for the fact that it’s a heavy book and not the easiest to read because of its thickness, I loved every bit of it.
October 6, 2024
These early mini-comics especially cast He-Man into a lurid, savage world of sweaty muscular freaks where it felt like anything could happen. Even as a kid I was able to recognise that these comics were straight-up original sugary Coca-Cola (with the cocaine still in) whereas the subsequent cartoon series had all the caffeine stripped out of it. You also have to admire the fortitude of writers and artist that had to sell you the backstory, thoughts and feelings of characters that only existed as action figure gimmicks. Like, what's the motivation of a guy whose only defining feature is a mechanical neck? Or what about Clamp Champ who is only of interest when he is carrying a clamp? Is he still a champ if he puts down the clamp? (Willing to write this story on spec).
July 16, 2017
Essential reading for any hardcore MOTU person.
November 5, 2018
I've wanted this collection for quite some time!
Back in the 1980s, when you got either a Masters of the Universe action figure or vehicle/playset, you got a free mini-comic. Generally what happened was on you way home from the store, you would read the minicomic in order to learn more about the item you have just bought. (Yes, I realize now that these books were basically 8-12 page ads. But they were so much fun to read!) Once you got home, you'd take your new toy and act out the adventures in the book. Or you'd nag your parents to buy the missing characters from the book.
Over the years, finding those minicomics would become a mission for many fans such as myself. I don't have room to display dozens of action figures and playsets. But I have a couple of inches of space in one of my long boxes to house a complete run of minicomics.
Turns out that the minicomics are even harder to find than the figures. That's because the minicomics would get lost or thrown away or damaged. In the over 10 years plus I've been collecting as an adult, I've only found one He-Man mini comic. It was only a couple of bucks but not in the best of shape with some apparent water damage.
Thankfully, someone at Dark Horse decided to hunt down those lost treasures. And they went above and beyond including not just the complete run of MOTU, but the inserts from She-Ra, Princess of Power, the 1989 space reboot of He-Man, the original storybook set of 4, and some never before published minis as well!
This collection is massively small. It has well over 1100 pages. Yet, it's just slightly bigger than the size of the mini-comics. So the transferring of original works to copies prevents the artwork from looking stretched-out!
This massive volume includes early work from some of the industries legends such as Bruce Timm, Lee Nordling, Stan Sakai, Mark Texeira, and Robert Kirkman!
It's really hard to complain about this book. Yes, some of the stories are quite silly, if not ludicrous. (They were written for kids aged 5-10!) The volume, it's got just about everything a MOTU minicomics collector would want- except for the final 8 minicomics produced for the He-Man classics line. I'm not sure why those weren't included unless Dark Horse was afraid that the book and it's costs were getting too out of hand.
This book, from 2015, originally retails for $29.99. If you are patient, like I was, you can find it for a very good deal on Amazon. If you are wanting to revisit the wonder of being a He-Man fan back in the 80s, this is the perfect MOTU collection for you! And it will save you money and time for something else instead of trying to complete this set individually.
Now if only DC Comics would release a collection of the Super Powers minicomics, my mirco-sized comic book searches would be complete!
Back in the 1980s, when you got either a Masters of the Universe action figure or vehicle/playset, you got a free mini-comic. Generally what happened was on you way home from the store, you would read the minicomic in order to learn more about the item you have just bought. (Yes, I realize now that these books were basically 8-12 page ads. But they were so much fun to read!) Once you got home, you'd take your new toy and act out the adventures in the book. Or you'd nag your parents to buy the missing characters from the book.
Over the years, finding those minicomics would become a mission for many fans such as myself. I don't have room to display dozens of action figures and playsets. But I have a couple of inches of space in one of my long boxes to house a complete run of minicomics.
Turns out that the minicomics are even harder to find than the figures. That's because the minicomics would get lost or thrown away or damaged. In the over 10 years plus I've been collecting as an adult, I've only found one He-Man mini comic. It was only a couple of bucks but not in the best of shape with some apparent water damage.
Thankfully, someone at Dark Horse decided to hunt down those lost treasures. And they went above and beyond including not just the complete run of MOTU, but the inserts from She-Ra, Princess of Power, the 1989 space reboot of He-Man, the original storybook set of 4, and some never before published minis as well!
This collection is massively small. It has well over 1100 pages. Yet, it's just slightly bigger than the size of the mini-comics. So the transferring of original works to copies prevents the artwork from looking stretched-out!
This massive volume includes early work from some of the industries legends such as Bruce Timm, Lee Nordling, Stan Sakai, Mark Texeira, and Robert Kirkman!
It's really hard to complain about this book. Yes, some of the stories are quite silly, if not ludicrous. (They were written for kids aged 5-10!) The volume, it's got just about everything a MOTU minicomics collector would want- except for the final 8 minicomics produced for the He-Man classics line. I'm not sure why those weren't included unless Dark Horse was afraid that the book and it's costs were getting too out of hand.
This book, from 2015, originally retails for $29.99. If you are patient, like I was, you can find it for a very good deal on Amazon. If you are wanting to revisit the wonder of being a He-Man fan back in the 80s, this is the perfect MOTU collection for you! And it will save you money and time for something else instead of trying to complete this set individually.
Now if only DC Comics would release a collection of the Super Powers minicomics, my mirco-sized comic book searches would be complete!
March 2, 2018
This book has nearly zero artistic value (some parts "zeroer" than others), but the historic and fond value for someone born in early eighties and raised with the actual figures, mini-comics and the Filmation series is incalculable.
May 28, 2020
He-Man came out before the toy industry had standardized how to sell a toy line as they did in the 80s. Usually, the toy line, cartoon, and comic book were all coordinated together with a corresponding story bible. He-Man had the mini-comics and the toys. All the rest came later, including the story bible. So eventually there is a certain amount of retconning as the world developed.
First thing you’ll notice is that He-Man’s name is just He-Man and he leaves his barbaric tribe looking for adventure before coming across the Sorceress and Man-at-Arms (which is his real name then, not a title). It isn’t until the Filmantation cartoon do we see a whiff of Prince Adam and Orko. The most amount of retcons deal with Skeletor’s past. First he comes from an alternate dimension where his features are normal for his race. Then he is an acolyte of Hordak - this is when Hordak was meant to be a foe of He-Man, rather than She-Ra. Then he is possibly the brother of King Randor of Eternia and thus He-Man’s uncle. And so on, and so on. Personally I believe they should’ve just kept things ambiguous like DC did with the Joker.
The mini-comics cover a thirty year span of publication and so the art and writing varies. The first ones are the best art wise, in my opinion, then slag off a lot, before roaring up to greatness again by the end. What you have to keep in mind, those readers not touched by nostalgia, is that most of these were written for 8-year-olds, while the last few were written for people in their thirties.
First thing you’ll notice is that He-Man’s name is just He-Man and he leaves his barbaric tribe looking for adventure before coming across the Sorceress and Man-at-Arms (which is his real name then, not a title). It isn’t until the Filmantation cartoon do we see a whiff of Prince Adam and Orko. The most amount of retcons deal with Skeletor’s past. First he comes from an alternate dimension where his features are normal for his race. Then he is an acolyte of Hordak - this is when Hordak was meant to be a foe of He-Man, rather than She-Ra. Then he is possibly the brother of King Randor of Eternia and thus He-Man’s uncle. And so on, and so on. Personally I believe they should’ve just kept things ambiguous like DC did with the Joker.
The mini-comics cover a thirty year span of publication and so the art and writing varies. The first ones are the best art wise, in my opinion, then slag off a lot, before roaring up to greatness again by the end. What you have to keep in mind, those readers not touched by nostalgia, is that most of these were written for 8-year-olds, while the last few were written for people in their thirties.
September 1, 2019
Ahh, nostalgia. He-Man was my favorite as a kid. It established my love for sci-fi and fantasy, and it established my love for comics. Packed in with the action figures were mini-comics depicting the adventures of He-Man and his friends against the forces of the evil Skeletor, King Hssss, and Hordak. And someone actually collected all of those comics into one heafty volume!
The quality of the comics themselves is middling to poor. The opening few books are more like illustrated stories, with one picture per page. They're not bad. Not amazing, but I've read actual fantasy novels about the same quality. Then we start with the sequential art. The quality gets slowly but steadily worse until it's almost unreadable. Then, about halfway through the collection, Bruce Timm shows up. Then the art gets a lot better, the writing seems better, and, perhaps coincidentally, that's when Hordak shows up as the new villain. The quality stays good for a while, then dips again as the initial run of mini-comics ends. After that, we get the She-Ra minicomics, which strike me as comics written for girls by old men; simple, pastel-colored, light in tone. Then a few comics from The New Adventures of He-Man era, followed by comics from the current millenium. Those are all just okay.
I enjoyed this trip down memory lane. But if you aren't already a He-Man fan or a suggestive five year old, I wouldn't recommend this as a place to start.
The quality of the comics themselves is middling to poor. The opening few books are more like illustrated stories, with one picture per page. They're not bad. Not amazing, but I've read actual fantasy novels about the same quality. Then we start with the sequential art. The quality gets slowly but steadily worse until it's almost unreadable. Then, about halfway through the collection, Bruce Timm shows up. Then the art gets a lot better, the writing seems better, and, perhaps coincidentally, that's when Hordak shows up as the new villain. The quality stays good for a while, then dips again as the initial run of mini-comics ends. After that, we get the She-Ra minicomics, which strike me as comics written for girls by old men; simple, pastel-colored, light in tone. Then a few comics from The New Adventures of He-Man era, followed by comics from the current millenium. Those are all just okay.
I enjoyed this trip down memory lane. But if you aren't already a He-Man fan or a suggestive five year old, I wouldn't recommend this as a place to start.
February 13, 2022
I haven’t read volume 2 yet, but after 500+ pages of volume 1, and finding they don’t appear to have a listing on GR for the first volume, I’m marking it read.
I read about 5% of this book at a time between other reads from last year until now. It was a blast from the past.
It is amazing how much I rely on commercial bs to remember my own past. I used to think I couldn’t remember my childhood that well, but I remember when toys came out when I was 4 years old. I remember having Hordak. I remember my mom melting his face under our electric frying pan, and my parents getting me another one later.
By the time I was 7 or 8, He-Man was a done deal, so it blows my mind how much I remember from these very early years of my life, and how many of those memories revolve around He-Man.
Of course, I didn’t give a shit about these comics back then. They probably sat in my toy box and got ripped to shit at best, were immediately tossed out at worst.
Anyway, this first volume gets you up to the rock men who joined He-Man fairly late in the game. I had one. It was one of my favorites. Other favorites included the elephant, the snake men, and of course Hordak’s crew.
One thing I appreciated about this volume was all of the trivia in the footnotes. Why was Teela green for a bit? Was she even Teela back then? They answer those questions and more in this volume.
If you’re a fan or lived through the toy craze of the 80s, this book is worth checking out.
I read about 5% of this book at a time between other reads from last year until now. It was a blast from the past.
It is amazing how much I rely on commercial bs to remember my own past. I used to think I couldn’t remember my childhood that well, but I remember when toys came out when I was 4 years old. I remember having Hordak. I remember my mom melting his face under our electric frying pan, and my parents getting me another one later.
By the time I was 7 or 8, He-Man was a done deal, so it blows my mind how much I remember from these very early years of my life, and how many of those memories revolve around He-Man.
Of course, I didn’t give a shit about these comics back then. They probably sat in my toy box and got ripped to shit at best, were immediately tossed out at worst.
Anyway, this first volume gets you up to the rock men who joined He-Man fairly late in the game. I had one. It was one of my favorites. Other favorites included the elephant, the snake men, and of course Hordak’s crew.
One thing I appreciated about this volume was all of the trivia in the footnotes. Why was Teela green for a bit? Was she even Teela back then? They answer those questions and more in this volume.
If you’re a fan or lived through the toy craze of the 80s, this book is worth checking out.
January 27, 2018
This book was a ton of fun. Sure, the pack-in mini-comics that came included with vintage Masters of the Universe action figures aren't necessarily the high point of the medium, but they are an intriguing animal in their own right.
Nearly 70 of these short mini-comics were created, and many by creators who would go on to have stellar careers in comics and animation, including Bruce Timm (of Batman: The Animated Series), Mark Texeira and others. It's really intriguing to see them at these early career stages, in the middle of world-building and toy-selling that was neither beholden to the animated TV show or some completely to a toyline bible. These feel almost improvisational, and there's an energy and fun in them. They also have a unique look to them, colored in a blue line style that set them apart from the flat coloring of that era's comics.
The standout is a gorgeous single issue by Bruce Timm, done in illustrated book form. The art is simply magical, along with his painterly marker coloring style.
All of that was enough to sustain me through the hefty 1200 pages of the book with smile on my face. Recommended for die-hard He-Man fans or comics nerds.
Nearly 70 of these short mini-comics were created, and many by creators who would go on to have stellar careers in comics and animation, including Bruce Timm (of Batman: The Animated Series), Mark Texeira and others. It's really intriguing to see them at these early career stages, in the middle of world-building and toy-selling that was neither beholden to the animated TV show or some completely to a toyline bible. These feel almost improvisational, and there's an energy and fun in them. They also have a unique look to them, colored in a blue line style that set them apart from the flat coloring of that era's comics.
The standout is a gorgeous single issue by Bruce Timm, done in illustrated book form. The art is simply magical, along with his painterly marker coloring style.
All of that was enough to sustain me through the hefty 1200 pages of the book with smile on my face. Recommended for die-hard He-Man fans or comics nerds.
February 6, 2020
Well, there is a huge burst of nostalgia reading.
And it is enjoyable for that (especially for those of us who always preferred the early minicomics to what came later from Filmation…) but there isn't a ton past that nostalgia - so if you weren't a childhood fan of the motu mythos I'm not sure there is a lot here.
The creator interviews were often cool (there was one where the author kept dodging questions which I thought was odd. I'll have to look that one up to see which one it was...) but many of the creators didn't have a lot to say about their "toy work" so that becomes a little disappointing.
Something that I found interesting to me, personally: While I like She'ra's Filmation series much better than her brother's, I found her minicomics to be far worse. Not sure how much that has to do with not having a nostalgic attachment to them in the same way?
I was quite disappointed that only 3 of the 8 minicomics from the Classics line were included. That definitely seems odd.
In the end, it is a fun read for nostalgia sake but nothing revolutionary.
And it is enjoyable for that (especially for those of us who always preferred the early minicomics to what came later from Filmation…) but there isn't a ton past that nostalgia - so if you weren't a childhood fan of the motu mythos I'm not sure there is a lot here.
The creator interviews were often cool (there was one where the author kept dodging questions which I thought was odd. I'll have to look that one up to see which one it was...) but many of the creators didn't have a lot to say about their "toy work" so that becomes a little disappointing.
Something that I found interesting to me, personally: While I like She'ra's Filmation series much better than her brother's, I found her minicomics to be far worse. Not sure how much that has to do with not having a nostalgic attachment to them in the same way?
I was quite disappointed that only 3 of the 8 minicomics from the Classics line were included. That definitely seems odd.
In the end, it is a fun read for nostalgia sake but nothing revolutionary.
May 23, 2017
This was quite a nostalgic trip. This huge volume reprints every issue of the minicomics that were included with the Masters of the Universe toys. I had slight memories of just a few of the issues but most of them I had never read and/or didn't remember.
I give this one five stars for a few reasons. One is the book itself, as in the presentation. The stories are all great transfers with vibrant colors. There are also several interviews with the creators and a lot of backstory included. There are even footnotes with several of the comics. Also included are some previously unreleased comics, which was a nice touch.
In addition, I gave this one five stars based on how it would appeal to kid and/or tweens, as that was the target audience. As an adult the stories are of course a little silly, but for kids I think they'd be very enjoyable.
Overall a great book for any MOTU fan, and a tremendous archive edition.
I give this one five stars for a few reasons. One is the book itself, as in the presentation. The stories are all great transfers with vibrant colors. There are also several interviews with the creators and a lot of backstory included. There are even footnotes with several of the comics. Also included are some previously unreleased comics, which was a nice touch.
In addition, I gave this one five stars based on how it would appeal to kid and/or tweens, as that was the target audience. As an adult the stories are of course a little silly, but for kids I think they'd be very enjoyable.
Overall a great book for any MOTU fan, and a tremendous archive edition.
June 20, 2021
This is a fantastic collection for fans of the MOTU minicomics. I have huge nostalgia tied to the minicomics that accompanied the action figures and playsets, so this collection was basically made for me. Not every story is a winner but I have happily read and reread many of them.
The minicomics were originally printed smaller (to fit into the packaging I presume): I appreciate that the comics have been enlarged for this collection. Conversely, I note that some of the comics that were published and sold separately from the toys as books, have in fact been shrunk a little. In my view this does not affect their readability. The addition of interviews is a nice touch, and gives the reader insight into the history and production process of the minicomics.
I cheerfully recommend this to old-school MOTU fans.
The minicomics were originally printed smaller (to fit into the packaging I presume): I appreciate that the comics have been enlarged for this collection. Conversely, I note that some of the comics that were published and sold separately from the toys as books, have in fact been shrunk a little. In my view this does not affect their readability. The addition of interviews is a nice touch, and gives the reader insight into the history and production process of the minicomics.
I cheerfully recommend this to old-school MOTU fans.
February 9, 2018
I can't believe I just read 1200 pages of He-Man comics. It was entertaining but I'm pretty sure that's the nostalgia kicking in.
The comics are mostly meant to introduce the toys and have simplistic conflicts and trite moral lessons about friendship, however, you occasionally get a glimpse of the underlying mythology that was written for the world. The many creator interviews give a deeper view into the influences from Conan the Barbarian, AD&D, and Kirby's Fourth World. Michael Halperin, who wrote the bible for the series sketches out alot of this background in his interview.
The stories from the 2010s follow the SF/comics tradition of being taken up by people who were fans as kids. These comics get deeper into the background mythos but the full series is not published here.
The comics are mostly meant to introduce the toys and have simplistic conflicts and trite moral lessons about friendship, however, you occasionally get a glimpse of the underlying mythology that was written for the world. The many creator interviews give a deeper view into the influences from Conan the Barbarian, AD&D, and Kirby's Fourth World. Michael Halperin, who wrote the bible for the series sketches out alot of this background in his interview.
The stories from the 2010s follow the SF/comics tradition of being taken up by people who were fans as kids. These comics get deeper into the background mythos but the full series is not published here.
March 22, 2021
I'm part of the generation who grew up on He-Man cartoons and figurines. So it was interesting matching my memories as a kid with the material in this collection of the mini-comics that were packaged with the He-Man toys.
As a general fan of comics, it's a fun collection with a bit of artistic variety. The stories are flimsy, as you'd expect from a toy add-on. But the talent showcase and history of the comics is interesting, both in the comics and interviews with the comic creators. As an interesting aside, if you consider how many He-Man toys sold in the Eighties, these mini comics could claim the biggest circulation of a comic series in history.
Worth getting if you like interesting comic compilations. If you are a MOTU collector, you probably already own this.
As a general fan of comics, it's a fun collection with a bit of artistic variety. The stories are flimsy, as you'd expect from a toy add-on. But the talent showcase and history of the comics is interesting, both in the comics and interviews with the comic creators. As an interesting aside, if you consider how many He-Man toys sold in the Eighties, these mini comics could claim the biggest circulation of a comic series in history.
Worth getting if you like interesting comic compilations. If you are a MOTU collector, you probably already own this.
September 29, 2022
The firs four mini comics of this collection show us the first draft of the world of Eternia that He-Man was supposed to live in. Then they changed it.
Once you start reading you may find it a bit odd, and I think this is because the nature of the minicomics themselves. They were just companion stories that were in the package with the toys. Most stories are one and done just showing the new toy or accessories for the toys. However some stories do take themselves a bit more seriously because and with a bit more action.
Don't misunderstand, there are no deep characters in these minicomics. But it is fun and really interesting how the stories themselves where afected by outside factors like the animation series.
Once you start reading you may find it a bit odd, and I think this is because the nature of the minicomics themselves. They were just companion stories that were in the package with the toys. Most stories are one and done just showing the new toy or accessories for the toys. However some stories do take themselves a bit more seriously because and with a bit more action.
Don't misunderstand, there are no deep characters in these minicomics. But it is fun and really interesting how the stories themselves where afected by outside factors like the animation series.
July 11, 2019
I suppose "exquisite garbage" sums up the first half of this massive and comprehensive tome, a fusion of Michael Moorcock, sword and sorcery at its trashiest, and Sixties Batman and Superman. I grew up playing with hand-me-down Masters of the Universe from my cousin a decade older than me, so it was interesting to put names and backstories to faces. Unfortunately, when the quality falls off, it falls off HARD. These little comics were nothing but commercials, after all, and when the initial giddiness of creative process runs out, all that's left is craven pandering.
October 21, 2021
This is a really nice anthology of the He-Man toy pack-in minicomics. Because of their wide distribution, these were almost certainly the first exposure that thousands of kids had to comics, which makes them an important piece of the medium's history. The stories themselves are very thin and often silly, written for an audience of 7- to 12-year olds, and the quality ranges from quite good (Bruce Timm! Alfredo Alcala! Mark Texiera!) to mediocre fan art. But the collation and reproduction are excellent, with nice wide gutters to accommodate the 1,200+ page count.
August 22, 2020
Saw this on Amazon which immediately brought back fond childhood memories & the book does not disappoint - It is more of a complete omnibus which contains all old and new MOTU comics combined plus author's interview & commentary. It is heavy, the page quality is really good and is well bound with its own bookmark.
June 10, 2017
Obviously, this is a book aimed solely at the He-Man fan. If you fall into that catagory, then you should own this. I wish all books were made with the attention and love that was so apparently lavished upon this tome.
September 21, 2017
Although I read this only cause I was being nostalgic, and completed it for the sake of completion, for those of who grew up watching the cartoon, it is worthy enough to be part of your comic book collection.
November 23, 2019
This rating isn't so much for the stories contained in the minicomics, which are simplistic and contradict their own continuity.
However, the background material and interviews are amazing! Also, the art is really quite good.
Fun read!
However, the background material and interviews are amazing! Also, the art is really quite good.
Fun read!
September 22, 2020
Lots of fun. I really enjoyed seeing the mythology and designs of the characters/toys evolve into what we know from the show, and the notes and interviews provide an interesting look into the design and development process.
January 28, 2018
Such great memories from my childhood.
March 2, 2019
Wow these brought back so many great memories. Stories were darker than the cartoon. I wish they had adapted some of these for it. If you are a fan do yourself a favor and get this book.
August 4, 2019
For what it is, this book is near perfect.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews