Mattel Archives | Otaku No Culture

From History, The Sword of Flaws Aims To Tear At The Masters of the Universe!

A new instalment in the classic continuity of Masters of the Universe is coming, and what’s offered sounds like a doozy!

Release Date: Sept 24, 2025

He-man’s Power Sword will soon not only be the the only iconic weapon used in the ongoing battle between good and evil in the Masters of the Universe. It seems there are other relics, and when used (or found), they can upset the delicate balance, and today, Mattel, Inc and Dark Horse Comics announced a new chapter to this world. They unveiled the new chapter to the saga titled Masters of the Universe: The Sword of Flaws, a new four-issue miniseries firmly rooted in the classic lore continuity.

From the Press Release:

The new series is written by New York Times bestselling writerTim Seeley, illustrated by Eisner Award-winning artistFreddie E. Williams II (Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle), colored byAndrew Dalhouse (Masters of the Universe/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles of Grayskull, SpaceGhost), and lettered byAndWorld Design (Masters of the Universe/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles of Grayskull, Canto: A Place Like Home). Issue #1 will feature cover art by Williams and a variant by Tim Seeley with Brad Simpson.

Continue reading “From History, The Sword of Flaws Aims To Tear At The Masters of the Universe!”

In Masters of the Universe Revolution #1, Whose Power Staff is it, Anyways?

The trend this year for fans of (animation) and toy franchises may well be to give villains a chance to shine, and in Masters of the Universe Revolution, we get just tha

Release Date: May 15, 2024
Spoiler Alert

Dark Horse Comics and Mattel have teamed up to bring fans another story to Netflix’s Masters of the Universe Revolution (and Revelation, which was released in 2021), and this latest concerns how two great evils have met! Here, Hordak is making his mark upon the realm that has yet to fully become Eternia, and I like how this story has started by showing creation as “a glowing ember in the night’s cold.”

Some mythical beginnings are recounted in the animated series, but I had to rewatch the animated series run to find them. It’s not as easy as flipping through a comic book, and what’s revealed in the first few pages concerns the formation of three forces to rule the universe, and who would emerge a mortal vessel to represent them. One episode to pay note of is “Hope, for a Destruction” and the other is “Ascention.”

Continue reading “In Masters of the Universe Revolution #1, Whose Power Staff is it, Anyways?”

The Art of Netflix’s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is Huge and Coming Soon!

This exciting tome brings an in-depth look at the newest incarnation of Masters of the Universe.

Release Date:
October 18, 2022

Dark Horse Books and Mattel have partnered up to present: The Art of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe! This hefty volume clocks in at 208 pages of production notes, sketches and many more for fans of Netflix’s series to eat up. When it weighs in at 1.25 pounds, the power of Eternia better be behind those folks who are either delivering volumes to book stores. Individually, the weight is nothing.

This exciting tome brings an in-depth look at the newest incarnation of Masters of the Universe (review can be read here). It’s a dazzling, future-forward update to the classic world of magic and tech. Featuring a behind the scenes look at all of He-Man’s allies, the evil minions of Skeletor, and the strange, alien landscapes, creatures, and technology of Eternia! This volume also showcases the creation process behind all aspects of the show with never-before-seen material.

The Art of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe hardcover will be available for pre-order on Amazon USA, at your local comic or bookstore. This book has a MSRP of $39.99 USD.

Who Has the Power in Mattel and Netflix’s He-Man and The Masters of the Universe?

The teens we find in He-Man and The Masters of the Universe are Eternia’s answer to Power Rangers…

Spoiler Alert

Hasbro & Netflix’s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe may not appeal to all longtime fans. It’s been redesigned, and the new power of Grayskull is a trans-dimensional force of nature to perhaps contain and explain why these retellings over the years exist. Thankfully, this latest version stays true to the first series where it tries to teach young viewers the value of friendship, trust and teamwork.

Rob David, the showrunner, is drawing from a cleaned up series bible. Hasbro and Funimation never made one during their development of the 1983 show. After so many retellings on different fronts, namely three televised series and the comic books–this latest takes the best of and explains the complex relationships that exists in this world. The motives are much clearer. It’s also completely different from what Kevin Smith is doing in his continuation, MotU: Revelation.

Continue reading “Who Has the Power in Mattel and Netflix’s He-Man and The Masters of the Universe?”

Mattel & Dark Horse has the Power with Masters of the Universe Series!

The first instalment of four for the “Masters of the Universe: Revelation” comic is ready for pre-order and will be released July 7, 2021. Additional comic books will be released on August 11, September 9, and October 13, 2021.

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

If this teaser cover by Mike Mignola doesn’t get fans attention, then I’m not sure which other artist can in Mattel, Inc. and Dark Horse Comics upcoming release of the Masters of the Universe: Revelation.

This four-issue mini-series is very likely to be the set-up for even more story-arcs to come–depending on how sales go–and the first issue is set to release July 2021.

When looking at this company’s latest franchised opportunities that are headed to comic stores soon, namely Cyberpunk 2021 You Have My Word to arrive in stores April 28th, it’s nice to see this publisher branch out to new licenses. While I’m still crying for the loss of Star Wars, I’m glad these releases are filling in a void.

From the Press Release:

The series will serve as a prequel to the upcoming “Masters of the Universe: Revelation” series from Netflix and Mattel Television premiering this year.

The story arc for the new comics was conceived by the show’s executive producers Kevin Smith (“Clerks,” “Dogma”) and Rob David (“He-Man and the Masters of the Universe”),who also served as the creative director and a writer of DC Comics’ Masters of the Universe releases from 2012 – 2020, as well as show writer Tim Sheridan (“Reign of the Supermen,” “Superman: Man of Tomorrow”). Mindy Lee (“Crimson Lotus,” “Bounty”) provided art and color while, Stjepan Sejic (“He-Man: The Eternity War”) provided cover art for issue #1 with Dave Wilkins providing cover art for issues #2-#4. Mattel and Dark Horse will also release an issue #1 variant by Mike Mignola and Dave Stewart. Additional variant artists for subsequent issues include Bill Sienkiewicz, Walt Simonson with Laura Martin, and more.

“When the Masters of the Universe franchise first launched nearly 40 years ago, each action figure came with a comic book to enable children to further explore the world of Eternia,” said David. “Now, in partnership with Dark Horse, we will go back to our roots to set-up the upcoming “Masters of the Universe: Revelation,” television series with a world-shattering comic book tale.”

In the comic book, following a vicious Orlax attack on his father King Randor, He-Man learns the creature is linked to the origin of the sword of power. To save Randor and put an end to the chaos, He-Man embarks on an epic journey that pits him against his longtime foes Skeletor and Evil-Lyn, and sees Teela take the reins of a powerful legacy.

The first instalment of four for the “Masters of the Universe: Revelation” comic is ready for pre-order and will be released July 7, 2021. Additional comic books will be released on August 11, September 9, and October 13, 2021.

Remembering TRON Part 2 — What’s Still on the Game Grid

From coin-op glory to modern reboots, TRON’s gaming legacy spans arcades, consoles, and fan-made projects that keep the Grid alive. Here’s a look at every key title still worth playing.

TRON logo for arcade and console games Most TRON games made after the original film—or its sequel, Legacy—have tried to stay faithful to the source material. But let’s be honest: the 1982 arcade classic still reigns supreme. With four different challenges packed into one cabinet, skilled players could blaze through the entire thing in a single credit. While it didn’t recreate every beat of the movie, it was an impressive achievement for its time and pure coin-op bliss. Later, parts of it made their way to home computers, inspiring new spins on the formula.

For this list, I went back to replay every TRON title I could still get my hands on. Some were easy to find, others required more digging (and stretching the “hobby allowance”). And yes, I still believe TRON isn’t dead—it’s just lying dormant, waiting for the next big power surge. If you want to know which arcade classics inspired these games, check out The Classic Games That Inspired TRON.

Continue reading “Remembering TRON Part 2 — What’s Still on the Game Grid”