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Fashion Spotlight: A Link to the Craft, Black Knight is My Champion, and Born in the Eighties

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Graphic Policy Team

Ript Apparel has three new designs! 1UP, A Not Snow White Widow, and Dead Fiction, by AtomicRocket, Legendary Phoenix, and Skullpy, are on sale today only! Get them before they’re gone!

A Link to the Craft

Black Knight is My Champion

Born in the Eighties

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Fashion

“By the Power of Grayskull” Sideshow’s He-Man Statue

Posted on September 26, 2015 by Graphic Policy Team

“By The Power of Grayskull!”

Sideshow Collectibles is proud to present the He‐Man with an intricately sculpted costume and armor details. The statue dons a removable fabric handcrafted cape and iconic Power Sword and is displayed on a Grayskull themed base.

There are two versions including an exclusive which features a switch-out Power Axe and Sheathed Power Sword.

The price is $399.99 and can be purchased with payment plans for as little as $51.43. The edition size is TBA.

You can get the regular version or the exclusive version now.

Review: He-Man Eternity War #9

Posted on August 27, 2015 by

There was a telling moment earlier on in this series when Skeletor described his futility to She-Ra. In every incarnation of his existence he had tried to vanquish his foes, gain control of Eternia and gain power of the mystical forces that permeate the planet. He realized that the problem of his approach was that it was too ordinary, that everything always proceeded as expected because he never tried an alternate approach to his schemes or tried to do something out of character. While he used this to enlist the help of She-Ra, it is a telling moment not only for Skeletor but also for the franchise itself. Based on simpler concepts from the animated series which required fairly basic plots that followed a similar pattern from episode to episode, He-Man has never really escaped the same pattern of story telling. There have been some better attempts in recent years in comics, but never has anyone ever really tried to break through the pattern to get to something different.

Such has evidently been the case here, with a style of storytelling which is far more epic than He-Man ever imagined to be before. With Hordak already having seized the control of the two crystals, he is now in absolute control of the Universe, and it would seem as though none could stop him. It would even seem that his nearly infinite power is to the point of making his rule unending and unquestionable except for a small hitch in his plan. Both Skeletor and He–Man, although working separately, are still trying to rid the world of his presence. What unfolds here is a bit surprising, but once again, not at all in the way that one would assume.

If this series is attempting to push the boundaries of what it means to be the heroes and villains inside this particular world, then it is succeeding. The creative team is playing out an epic story that would really be epic under any circumstances, only that this one is acted out by He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. What will be perhaps most interesting is the buildup to the conclusion of this series, because of all the big characters that have been re-examined, it is the titular hero who has been mostly ignored thus far in the incorporation into this epic story. Of course the resolution of that will likely mean the end of this series, but the creative team has not yet failed to impress or to surprise, and the setting for the finale is being well established with issues such as this one.

Story: Rob David and Dan Abnett Art: Pop Mhan
Story: 8.8 Art: 8.8 Overall: 8.8 Recommendation: Buy

Review: He-Man Eternity War #8

Posted on July 29, 2015 by

Eternity War, the latest He-Man story arc, has had some ups and downs during its series. This is to be somewhat expected, as for every big moment, there is some time required to set it up and to build the characters into pertinent actors for the script. The previous issue of Eternity War could be said to be one which had some big moments, although these were more like big character developments which focused around She-Ra’s and Skeletor’s past. With these big developments right behind it, it probably left many wondering what was immediately ahead for the series.

The story is related in parts to the previous issue, but also throws in a bit of extra unexpected developments. Adam has chosen to become depowered, and is keen on returning Eternos to his control. Such is done by a costly victory over the forces of Hordak, the villain who clearly has bigger plans to follow as opposed to immediately stopping Adam. This leads to the strongest dramatic point for the issue, although it is mirrored in the travels of Skeletor and She-Ra. Skeletor has led her to the dark dimension, but he has plans of his own, not exactly in line with what he had told her in the previous issue.

While the series is still running at its best, it still feels like this issue is a bit of an intermission. With so many new developments it is necessary to reposition the players so that they can be put into places where their true heroism can shine through. That is what is happening here, and it feels a bit more sedate than other issues in this series, mostly because it cannot rely on any of these big moments, but instead has to get by on some other plot developments which while fun, are also a bit ordinary. The same format has been used before in this series to set up its big moments, as for instance the mostly action second issue showed that there was still a lot of other great moments to follow. Such would most likely be the moment here, as there are no big moments, but there promises to be in issues to come.

Story: Rob David and Dan Abnett Art: Pop Mhan
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Review: He-Man Eternity War #7

Posted on July 1, 2015 by

The story line for He-Man comes at an interesting time in DC Comics. Although it is a DC Comic by publishing, and not by shared universe, it nonetheless is part of a similar structure of a lot of superheroics, a superhero with a secret identity and an archetypical arch-nemesis. While DC is trying to deconstruct two of its other main heroes, Superman and Batman, it is also doing the same with He-Man, except that with He-Man it is doing so in a way which is less of a stunt and more of an epic restructuring of the character.

Eternity War started off as much less than what it has become, in fact the first few issues, while fun, looked like a Lords of the Rings redux set on Eternia. As the series has progressed though, it has looked at numerous different aspects of the characters and helped to define what exactly made them the way that they are. This issue takes that to the next level, as it not only examines what exactly She-Ra was doing missing all those years, but also casts a better light on just why it is that Skeletor has always been evil. As opposed to the stunt-like storytelling elsewhere at DC, this builds the character’s backgrounds in meaningful ways, which while restructuring them, also pays homage to what made the characters so popular to begin with. The story here is simple enough, as Skeletor and his allies plus She-Ra decide to journey to Despondos in order to find a way to stop Hordak. Before stepping foot into the dimension, Skeletor reveals what happened to him before he left, and it drastically alters the situation.

This series has thus far had its successes and its relative lows, but this issue contains the best example of story telling thus far. At a time when it seems to be popular to re-invent superheroes, this series proves that it is the one to do it right. There are bound to be those who will still think that this is “just a He-Man story” but those that do so are missing one of the best comic series on the market in the past half year. DC has proved with a few other series that it is not afraid to take chances, and while outside of its main universe, this series belongs with those few others. After all, He-Man maybe be sci-fi/fantasy, but both genres are defined by their epic stories, and this is shaping up to be one.

Story: Rob David and Dan Abnett Art: Edgar Salazar
Story: 9.5 Art: 9.5 Overall: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

Review: He-Man Eternity War #6

Posted on May 27, 2015 by

For those that might look at Eternity War as a He-Man related comic event, they would only be partially correct. The powers that be at Mattel have been working hand in hand with the comic creators to tell a story that is above and beyond what has come before, and in so doing has looked some of the archetypes of hero and villain. So far it has been examined why exactly Skeletor feels the need to switch sides to being aligned with the heroes, but this issue takes on a different theme, that of the superhero and the secret identity. The Prince Adam secret identity of He-Man has been one which has been with the hero since the onset, and helped to appeal the story to some from a storytelling standpoint. The idea of nobility having a double life as a hero is nothing new, it comes from sources such as Zorro and the Scarlet Pimpernel, and even from Batman, but the need for the secret identity has never been examined as it has here.

The majority of this issue acts as a flash forward for the characters. An older He-Man rules absolutely over Eternia, but as they say absolute power corrupts absolutely, and a short vignette of the actions of this are explained here. In so doing it looks not only at the character but also at the superhero medium as a whole. In a world where so many superheroes are super powered operatives whose identities are known, this issue helps to make the case why secret identities are still a valuable part of hero’s lives.

This may not be the most hard hitting of the issues thus far in the series, but there is much to be said for the approach of the creative team. While earlier issues focused almost wholly on epic battles, the focus has changed drastically to being something much different. Now the characters are examining not only who they are, but also almost breaking the fourth wall to examine some issues beyond. Thus while this issue lacks a true hook in terms of plot development it fits neatly in the sequence of this series.

Story: Rob David and Dan Abnett Art: Pop Mhan
Story: 8.8 Art: 8.8 Overall: 8.8 Recommendation: Buy

We Talk He-Man The Eternity War with Dan Abnett

Posted on May 15, 2015 by

Dan Abnett’s most prolific works comes from the the series 2000AD in his native UK, but he has made his mark on American comics after working on the likes of Heroes for Hire, Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy. He was recently given the helm for the Eternity War series for He-Man. We got a chance to talk with about the new series.

Graphic Policy: The Masters of the Universe carries with it so much pre-existing stories but also cliches of the characters as being for kids. How do you approach this series to break through that?

Dan Abnett: I was basically briefed by Mattel and DC to write the series ‘seriously’ and play up the epic sword and sorcery angle. I think they came to me because of my experience working on major fantasy properties like Warhammer. The idea was to make it heroic and dramatic, but without losing the sense of fun and escape. That meant taking even the ‘silliest’ and most unlikely characters and saying ‘no, this isn’t a joke. It’s a part of this world and we treat it with respect’… but still have fun when appropriate.

GP: Were you a fan of the characters as a child?

DA: it was a little late for me, actually, though I was aware of it, of course. Early in my career as a writer and editor, I worked on many licences (at Marvel UK etc), and over that time wrote for Transformers, Thundercats, Galaxy Rangers, GI Joe… just about every classic property of the era. Except He-Man, so it was very nice to ‘complete the set’ and get a chance to write Masters of the Universe too. And it’s nice to do it in such a high profile way, with a great, glossy monthly DC book, with fantastic art (Pop Mhan is amazing), wonderful color and the support of Mattel and DC. And, of course, being allowed to do massive things, like bringing back She-Ra, is a real treat…

GP: All-out war has never really taken place for He-Man, rather he is usually depicted foiling some plan from one of his enemies and then moving on. Has it been hard to change the focus?

DA: I think the scope is absolutely there, given the size of the potential cast and the scale of things. It suits an epic handling. If you tipped out your toybox, you’d have so many warriors ready to assemble into armies and factions…

GP: In terms of writing a battle focused story, how do you balance the story so that the battles do not overwhelm the plot?

DA: I’m not sure that there’s a specific technique. I just try to maintain an over all sense of the scale and confusion… lost of things going on, then zoom in onto specific characters to personalize the mayhem.

GP: Eternity War has featured new takes on some classic characters such as Teela, Skeletor and She-Ra. Are you worried at all that fans might not accept them?

DA: I hope they do, and they seem to have. Mattel has been brilliantly ‘hands on’ with this, guiding me every step of the way, and suggesting characters to use… and how to use them in cool ways that fit into their lore. They’ve been really great, and I’ve been reassured that I’m not damaging things by doing anything too radical. If the Masters’ ‘masters’ are happy with it, I’m pretty sure the fans will like it too…

GP: The series has been a balance of of sci-fi and fantasy, true to the characters roots. How do you approach this as a writer to balance these two genres which are similar but also somewhat different?

DA: I think the mix is really entertaining. The blend of blades and tech reminds me (in a really good way) of classic “Planet Stories” like Robert E Howard’s Almuric and Edgar Rice Burroughs’s “Mars” and “Venus” sagas, so it’s a very honorable tradition. This is a world of warriors and magic, but it’s also a world of ancient and power civilisations, with sophisticated technology and crafts, so the blend is very comfortable.

GP: This series focuses less on the difference between Prince Adam and He-Man. Is that less important for the character than it has been in the past?

DA: I’d say not, actually, as the difference or ‘split’ between those two sides is becoming increasingly important as the Eternity War unfolds.

GP: Can you give us an idea of what is ahead for He-Man?

DA: Things are really going to get epic. This is the biggest He-Man story ever, a saga on a “Lord of the Rings’ type scale, with the fate of worlds in the balance. If you’ve enjoyed it so far, you’re going to love how massive it becomes as all the opposing parties begin to clash.

Dark Horse to Publish the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Minicomic Collection

Posted on May 11, 2015 by Brett

Following the critically acclaimed release of The Art of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Dark Horse and Mattel have teamed up once again to deliver another must-have book in 2015: 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. Clocking in at 1,232 pages, this impressive oversized hardcover collection features sixty-eight US 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—all in production order. Relive the illustrated adventures that fueled your imagination!

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Minicomics Collection is on sale October 21 in comic shops and November 3 in bookstores.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Minicomic Collection HC
Tim Seeley (W), Steven Grant (W), Phil White (W), Gary Cohn (W), Michael Halperin (W), Scott Neitlich (W), Bruce Timm (A), Mark Texeira (A), Larry Houston (A), Jim Mitchell (A), and Charles Simpson (C)
FC, 1232 pages
HC, 6” x 9”
$29.99, 978-1616558772

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Review: He-Man Eternity War #5

Posted on April 29, 2015 by

The latest run of He-Man in his own title has perhaps been the best representation of the character thus far in his experience in popular culture. This run focused a more mature approach to the character which aims to highlight both the strengths of the sci-fi/fantasy mix while also presenting characters that are far more approachable for those who are not fans of the character. That is to say that He-Man has achieved a degree of quality which does not depend on the character himself for the stories, but rather the characters and his allies and enemies simply populate the stories which would be equally strong in other cases. This story first approach is one which benefits most series and characters, and it has been especially highlighted with the Eternity War miniseries.

The most recent issue of Eternity War was one of contrasts. While it was overall pretty well put together, it nonetheless had a few of the common problems often associated with comics as a medium. In this case it was specifically the near death of She-Ra, a little bit of a reduction of a powerful female character to a damsel-in-distress like sidekick. Although the series seemed to be veering down a well trodden road, it takes this same development and turns it around in this issue in an unforeseen and entirely inventive turn. It reintroduces the old DC comics concept known as hypertime (even mentioning it by name) and in the process features what must be the first in continuity appearance of an action figure in the medium. The rest of the issue pushes the plot forward, as well as given the He-Man fans something to be excited about, in a “will they or won’t they?” context, in the last few pages.

The creative teram continues to reimagine the characters of the Masters of the Universe in this interesting issue. While the plot itself is maybe a bit more commonplace, the tricks that they pull out of their bag are not, even breaking what fans might consider the regular boundaries of the fourth wall. The end result is an issue which once again proves that this new take on the character is for real and deserves attention.

Story: Rob David and Dan Abnett Art: Pop Mhan
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Fashion Spotlight: Crossbow, Use the (tri)Force, and The Sound Of MYAAAAH!

Posted on April 23, 2015 by Brett

Ript Apparel has three new designs today. Crossbow, Use the (tri)Force, and The Sound Of MYAAAAH! from RicoMambo, AtomicRocket, and wytrab8 will be for sale on April 23, 2015 only!

Crossbow by RicoMambo

Use the (tri)Force by AtomicRocket

The Sound Of MYAAAAH! by wytrab8

Fashion

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