The wait for SDCC Exclusive reveals from mattycollector.com is finally over.  You can check them all out here: http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/ContentTheme/pbPage.2012_SDCC_products

So far the descriptions on these items don’t mention the REAL exclusive parts.  You know what I mean.  So far there’s no Gleek, no Un-Men, no Starro Spores.  In other words none of those little “gifts with purchase” that have been the bane of every collector that couldn’t make it to SDCC (or worse, made it there, paid for flight and hotels, waited hours in line and STILL didn’t get them).  Are they a thing of the past? Doubtful, love them, hate them, scalp them or bid on them…expect more news on that as SDCC draws closer.

In an effort to avoid panic and despair I’d like to point out that every major item offered at SDCC  by mattycollector.com has ALSO been made available on their website a few weeks after SDCC (it’s those little things mentioned above that are truly exclusive).

Now I wouldn’t be Review-Or if I didn’t highlight the MOTUC offering and though it may not be for everyone it is extraordinarily appropriate for Masters of the Universe 30th Anniversary.

Vykron The Military Master

Vykron The Future Warrior

Vykron The Barbarian

So who is Vykron? What’s with all the outfits? Why is wearing stuff from the past AND the future?  Well, the legend (and interviews with the Mattel staff, Roger Sweet, Mark Taylor and other designers who through it) tells of a dark time for Mattel in the late 70’s when then Head Honcho Ray Wagner made a Boys Action Figure line his top priority.  This was partially in an attempt to remove the egg from his face for passing on the toy license for a science fiction film a few years earlier.  The film of course being Star Wars which has been a license to print money for Kenner (Now part of Hasbro) practically ever since. By 1980 a number of pitch presentations were developed but Roger Sweet’s pitch which already had the stunning artwork of Mark Taylor and Ted Mayer had another ace in the hole.  Sweet, being no stranger to pitching knew that giving wagner something tangible, something in three dimensions would give his presentation an edge the others lacked.  So with the help of a number of designers using some Big Jim leftovers and a few new pieces (some even coming from the brand new 12 inch Boba Figure from their competitor, the helmet is hard to miss) Sweet and the Mattel staff constructed three Prototypes for the new line which was at the time nicknamed “Fighting Foe Men”.  To drive the idea that the line would be  a type of one-stop-shop for any young boys action needs the three prototypes were of a general sort of warrior that could be plugged into any situation and start kicking butt.  One a barbarian from the past, then a modern military man and last but not least a warrior of the future.   To be sure, the three prototypes put Sweet’s presentation on the next level.  After looking over all the pitches, Wagner pointed at the prototypes and said something surprisingly prophetic “Those have the power.”  Upon looking at the Classicized versions of these legendary prototypes (I believe pics of the originals can be found on he-man.org)  I notice that the face sculpt is much closer to that of the vintage He-Man figure from the original MOTU line which is a nice tribute within a tribute to the recently departed Tony Guererro who sculpted that figure.  So no, it’s not Ram Man or Mantenna as many of us had pondered and or hoped but you’d be hard pressed to find a figure more appropriate to celebrate this three decade long battle between good and evil.

 

About the Author: Review-Or Review-Or has been collecting Masters of the Universe action figures since they first became available in the early 80's. He's stuck with He-Man through his lowest points (MeteOrbs, New Adventures, Disco Skeletor, Smash Blade He-Man etc.) and he's happily reaping the rewards of the new golden age in MOTU collecting: Masters of the Universe Classics! When he's not in his dungeon writing about the latest MOTUC news, he's more than likely taking a figure out of the package and finding some cool way to display it! In his off time this mysterious contributor to AFHUB.COM enjoys counting calories and revising his ever-expanding Enemies List!

 

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