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If you were as a child in the 1980s, I opened a new toy from the Masters of the Universe series, You thought, "I have the power!" It wasn't just that the figures were incredibly articulated, with sculpted muscles and stunning sci-fi technology. Each package included a mini-comic—a short story showing your new character in action within the larger world.
Brief overview
Dark Horse Comics
Mini-comics collection (1981-1982)
$5 on Amazon.com
MOSKILA
Newspaper Collection (1986-1991)
$9 on Amazon.com
DC Comics
Origins of Eternia (2012)
$13 at Amazon.com
Dark Horse Comics
Masters of the Universe: Revelation (2021)
$9 on Amazon.com
Dark Horse Comics
Masters of the Universe: Masterverse (2023)
$20 at mazon.com. See 5 more products.
As these inserts made clear, comics are inextricably linked to the world «Masters of the Universe» . The toy line initially drew inspiration from films, mixing adventure fantasy with action. «"Conan the Barbarian"» with a space opera «Star Wars» . Most children of the time learned about the universe through the popular television series, which often contradicted some of the mini-comics. However, with its clear morals, genre-bending adventures, and quirky heroes and villains, «Masters of the Universe» feel most comfortable on the pages of comics.
It's no wonder comics about He-Man have always existed, even when the series and toys were hard to find. This is both a good and a bad thing, as the franchise has moved from one publisher to another, spanning DC and Marvel as well as independent publishers, and not all comics are easy to find in print today. But still, a lot remains, more than enough for those who just saw the movie.« Masters of the Universe» and is ready to relive the thrilling moments of the battle between He-Man and Skeletor in four colors.
Dark Horse Comics
Mini-comics collection (1981-1982)
As much as kids of the 80s loved looking at the mini-comics that came with each figure, Masters of the Universe , we weren't known for our foresight. So these short introductions to the world of Eternia were usually thrown in the trash, along with the cardboard backings and plastic covers that held the toys together.
Luckily, Dark Horse Comics, the current owner of the He-Man intellectual property, has us covered. Two collection of mini-comics brings together sixty-eight comics that were included in toy sets Masters of the Universe и Princess of Power (aka She-Ra). Eventually published jointly with DC Comics, these stories featured contributions from a variety of writers and artists, including future legends like designer Batman: The Animated Series« Bruce Timm and Usagi Yojimbo creator Stan Sakai. They're not very consistent with each other, and the lore contradicts what's established later. But in terms of pure nostalgia, it's hard to beat «"Collection of Mini-Comics"» .
$5 on Amazon.com
MOSKILA
Newspaper Collection (1986-1991)
For the target audience of these characters, nothing seemed more opposite.« To the Masters of the Universe", than a newspaper. Who wants to read about the stock market and business deals when you can see Fisto fighting Stinkor? And yet, He-Man appeared in newspaper pages for nearly five years, with an ongoing story that was part Spider-Man comic, part adventure comics like «Prince Valiant» .
Written by Jim Schull, illustrated and designed by Gerald Forton, and colored on Sundays by Connie Schurr, the He-Man newspaper comic strip isn't anything special in terms of its characters. It breaks He-Man's battles against Hordak and Skeletor into short, easily digestible segments, aiming for economy rather than the maximalism that the franchise demands. However, for those interested in comics and their art, these comics are a real treat, wonderful examples of how much can be accomplished in just three short blocks.
$9 on Amazon.com
DC Comics
Origins of Eternia (2012)
And this is where the confusion begins. DC originally had the license. on Masters of the Universe , then moved to other companies—including, briefly, Marvel, which published the stories under its children's-oriented Star Comics line—before finally reclaiming the license in the early 2010s. The company devoted considerable attention to the franchise, commissioning stories from prominent creators like Keith Giffen, Geoff Johns, and Frazer Irving. However, due to reprint rights or simply lack of interest, DC has largely ignored these works since then, allowing the collected editions to disappear from print and not even including them in the digital platform DC Universe Infinite, making them very difficult to access.
However, you can easily purchase the paperback edition of the collection, the second one, «Origins of Eternia» , which will be a surprisingly successful starting point. As the title suggests, the collection includes several individual issues and mini-series, chronicling the early adventures of key characters. «Skeletor's Origin» , written by Joshua Hale Fialkov and illustrated by Frazer Irving, reveals the dark history of He-Man's archenemy. «Hordak's Origin» , written by Giffen and Brian Keene (Giffen provided the Jack Kirby-esque art), does the same for Eternia's second most powerful man. Even from this brief synopsis «Origins of Eternia» prove that DC had something special in its lineup «Masters of the Universe» .
$13 at Amazon.com
Dark Horse Comics
Masters of the Universe: Revelation (2021)
Before the release of the new film «Masters of the Universe» The franchise's most notable revival featured Hollywood talent, but it took place not on the big screen, but on Netflix. Released in 2021 the film "Masters of the Universe: Revelation"« was created by writer and director Kevin Smith, who brought his love of all things 80s to a new generation. «"Revelation" - This is not just fan enthusiasm, it synthesizes all the previous stories and develops them, being both a continuation and a reimagining of the original series.
This connection between the past and the present makes the comic series «"Revelation"» Dark Horse Comics' four-issue miniseries is more than just a cheap tie-in to the series. Written by Smith and Tim Sheridan, with art by Mindy Lee, "Revelation" reveals that He-Man's sword of power has a history far deeper than he could have imagined and explores Teela's new responsibility, defining her role in the series. Lee's vibrant, cartoonish art, combined with Smith and Sheridan's exquisite writing, creates a story that fits seamlessly between the classic cartoon and the new series.
$9 on Amazon.com
Dark Horse Comics
Masters of the Universe: Masterverse (2023)
No single phenomenon has dominated pop culture in the 2020s as much as the multiverse, and «Masters of the Universe» are no exception. As befits a franchise that is reimagined with each new toy line, animated series, or comic book series, He-Man has been interpreted in many ways, and "« Masters of the Universe» take the time to explore some of the best of them.
Created by Tim Seeley, the creator of some great but hard to find comics Masters of the Universe for DC, universe Masterverse reimagines Castle Grayskull as a cosmic hub where various versions of He-Man battle Skeletor in all his guises. The miniseries makes some narrative sense for the various incarnations, but the real appeal Masterverse is that different artists interpret mythology in their own ways. Thanks to the works of Sergio Aragonés, Kelly Jones, and David Rubin, Masterverse proves that He-Man is a hero who can wear a thousand faces.
$20 at Amazon.com
Dark Horse Comics
Masters of the Universe: Forge of Destiny (2023)
Even before Frank Miller used the phrase to tell his iconic Batman origin story, Year One stories were a fixture in comics. So it's a bit surprising that He-Man, a character who has been in comics for decades, got his first Year One story in 2023. The miniseries «Masters of the Universe: Forge of Destiny» tells the story of one of Prince Adam's first adventures as He-Man, a story that made him a hero not only in the original 1980s animated series but also in the more modern «Revelations» .
By the time of release «Forges of Destiny »Tim Seeley has mastered the combination of fantasy kitsch and high-quality character development for He-Man, creating a realistic and believable story without losing the charm of the toy line. Artist Eddie Nunez complements the script with illustrations that are faithful to the visual style of classic comics, executed at the highest level. Nunez creates incredible battle scenes, filled with detailed depictions of each character, that are pleasing to the eye, understandable, and awe-inspiring at the same time. «Forge of Destiny» gives He-Man the foundation we always knew existed but never saw.
$20 at Amazon.com
Dark Horse Comics
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles of Grayskull (2024)
Perhaps the biggest disappointment is that DC doesn't publish comics. in the Masters of the Universe universe , is the lack of crossovers. DC teamed He-Man with other heroes from the 80s toy line - Thundercats, as well as with the evil Superman from the series Injustice , based on the popular video game. In both cases, Masters of the Universe fit perfectly into these incredible worlds, creating unique comics.
Luckily, Dark Horse Comics decided to continue the tradition by acquiring the license and releasing an unexpected (but enjoyable!) crossover with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles called «Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles of Grayskull» . As Seeley writes, this time they worked again with artist Freddie E. Williams II, whose exaggeratedly muscular style is a perfect fit for both franchises. «Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles of Grayskull» They're well aware of how funny they are and enjoy exploiting it. The comic never takes itself too seriously, but instead offers a mash-up of the kind of toys we all wanted but never got around to bringing to life.
$16 at Amazon.com
Dark Horse Comics
Masters of the Universe: Revolution (2025)
When Netflix ordered Masters of the Universe: Revolution« , continuation «Revelations» , Dark Horse Comics followed suit with another comic book series. But instead of a series set between the two, «"Revolution"» goes back in time to explore the origins of the new series' main villain, Hordak.
Some fans might complain that we've seen Hordak's origin story before, even in comics, like Keith Giffen's DC comic. But in «Revolution» Writers Tim Sheridan, Rob David, and Teddy Biaselli, working with artist Daniel HDR and inker Keith Champagne, were given the opportunity to reimagine the story for the television series universe. Given that «Revelation» и «Revolution» While simultaneously honoring and reimagining what came before, Hordak's origin story here isn't a repetition—it's a continuation of both his own story and the world's «Masters of the Universe» .
$12 at Amazon.com
Dark Horse Comics
Sword of Imperfections (He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, #1-4, 2026)
After completion series "Revelation"« и «"Revolution"» , as well as in anticipation of the release of the new film «Masters of the Universe» , Dark Horse faced a challenging task. They needed to not only build on the success of the previous series but also create a new series that would serve as a welcome entry point for new fans attracted by the film. Luckily, they had the right people for the job: Tim Seeley, reunited with Freddie E. Williams II.
First story arc, «Sword of Flaws» , manages to please both longtime fans and newcomers. It relies on the very same genre tropes that made He-Man so captivating in the first place. Anyone familiar with fantasy or science fiction will be able to easily immerse themselves in the story, even if they can't tell the Moss Man from the Beast. However, Seeley and Williams skillfully hint at the true nature of their world by introducing "« Sword of Flaws"» , which becomes the starting point for future stories.
$20 at Amazon.com
«"The Battle at Snake Mountain" (He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #5, 2026)
In the fifth issue of the comic book "He-Man and Masters of the Universe »", the first part of the "Battle on Snake Mountain" storyline, Seeley and artist Reilly Brown delve into the mystery Sword of Flaws . This power sword has always been at the center of He-Man's mythology, most often as a simple means by which Prince Adam transforms into the heroic He-Man. But in "The Battle at Snake Mountain," He-Man learns of the corrupting power of his blade's dark counterpart, the Sword of Imperfections.
«"Battle at Snake Mountain" plays with the classic pulp hero concept of the evil doppelganger and brings it to the world of He-Man, including his own evil doppelganger, who (coincidentally) is named Faker. Between Faker and the titular Snake Mountain, Seeley and Brown offer plenty of toy-focused entertainment. But their extensive storytelling experience makes "Battle at Snake Mountain" more than just a simple action figure brawl.
$5 on Amazon.com
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