DC Comics has launched a new monthly book to mark the 30th anniversary of the debut of He-Man and Masters University. If issue #1 is any indication of what’s to come, fans of Mattel’s action figure franchise can rest assured that their favorite characters are in good hands. It’s a great story full of creative and intriguing characters that will keep readers engaged.
Issue #1 is titled “Quertor” and kicks off with a dreamy Adam from a world where he leads a small army in an epic battle with the evil skull-faced archanemia. He wakes up to realize that he must embark on a journey to find his purpose and what dreams. But the sinister figure in his visions is very real, and nothing prevents Adam from knowing who he is. Skeletor is a more wicked creature, and the man sends the beast to his army to prevent Adam from targeting him. He does not want to recognize his place in the world of Eternity as man himself.
Writer James Robinson takes on some very serious and thought-provoking source material in the first chapter. He describes the beginnings of man and traces the journey of the hero. You can tell Robinson is excited to be working with such an iconic character and strives to bring the world of Mattel to life on the printed page. He doesn’t treat it like a comic book from a child’s toy. It reverently digs into the origins of Adam and Ho-min in a way that both adults and kids can enjoy. Robinson intends to put He-Man on an equal footing with sword and sorcery characters such as Conan and Kull. are put on
Artist James Tan delivers a landscape as amazing and rich as Eternia and its heroes and villains. His muscular accent in the characters is reminiscent of Frank Frazetta in Conan’s work. It’s definitely something more animated and designed for comic books, but it’s still similar. Each table is beautifully detailed and the illustrations will help bring Robinson’s words to life. Richard Horie, Tanya Horie, and Carrie Strachan add vivid colors to Tan’s paintings which are beautifully accented.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Part #1 is perfect for old fans and people who want to jump on board and try something new. It is not known which characters understand what is going on in this. It starts from the beginning and doesn’t take for granted that every reader grew up through the 1980s and 1990s collecting action figures. and stories while watching TV series. young readers and old will appreciate what writer Robinson and artist Tan bring to the table in this first chapter. It will leave you wanting more and excited to see He-Man butt heads with The Skeleton in the near future.
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