It’s no secret that we’re in the midst of a toy collecting renaissance right now. Companies like NECA and Funko see their wares sold in big box stores like Target and Meijer, something that would have been unimaginable twenty years ago. Mattel’s been doing their part with the Masters of the Universe brand in the last decade, reviving it and producing toys that appeal to kids and collectors alike. Here are some of the coolest things they’ve done with MOTU in recent years!
A number of these toys are coming to auction this weekend – check them out here! And follow us on social media @b2pcollect to make sure you never miss an auction!
Made The Powers of Grayskull a Reality
By 1987, the He-Man & The Masters of the Universe toyline was on its last legs. Mattel planned, and then cancelled, a subline entitled “The Powers of Grayskull” in the hopes of breathing life into it. The line would have seen one of He-Man’s ancestors, He-Ro, battling the evil Snake Men in the distant past. Three dinosaurs planned for the line made it out to American store shelves, accompanied by a pilot mini comic, before it was fully cancelled. In Italy, two giant figures planned for the line made it to production. But the main two heroes, He-Ro and Eldor, only made it to the prototype stage.
Until 2018! That’s when Mattel and Super7 partnered up to make them available in the classic style for the first time. They’re perfectly scaled to be used with the vintage figures, letting them ride Bionotops and battle the Snake Men like Mattel had intended.
Brought Back Sun Man
Back in 1985, a little boy told his mother that he couldn’t be a superhero. See, all the superheroes he saw on TV were white and he was black. Rightfully horrified by what her child was feeling, Yla Eason set out to correct that. Working with the black-owned toy company Olmec Toys, she created Sun Man and The Rulers of the Sun. Sun Man and his slate of diverse warriors (including Black, Asian, Native American, Hispanic, and White heroes) battled the evil Pig Head for the good of humanity.
Obviously, Sun Man and the Rulers of the Suns didn’t achieve the same level of success of Masters of the Universe. However, for millions of young people of color, it provided a hero that looked like them at a time when those were hard to come by. It remained a cult favorite in the MOTU fan community, and Mattel partnered with Sun Man to bring the toys to a wider audience in 2023. All the Rulers of the Sun were given an updated release as part of the Masters of the Universe Origins toyline, with Sun Man additionally receiving a collector’s edition Masterverse figure. The packaging even explained the origins of the toys from back in the 80s, paying tribute to Eason & company’s efforts to diverse the toybox.
Cartoon and Mini-Comic Accuracy
The early days of He-Man & Masters of the Universe were a bit loose in terms of character model. The same character might look different in every medium they appeared in – Skeletor’s top henchman Beast Man and He-Man’s mentor The Sorceress being among the biggest offenders. Each different look had its fans, even if the cartoon ultimately became the standard. The 2003 cartoon, with its own distinct style, introduced a number of new looks as well. Mattel and Super7 knew that fans would love to see their favorite design in plastic. The Masters of the Universe Vintage and Origins lines did just that. A cartoon accurate version of Beast Man, a mini-comic accurate Sorceress, Evil-Lynn with her 2003 color scheme, and more made their debut in the “vintage” MOTU style for the first time. This let fans display their favorite versions of their favorite characters alongside their childhood collections.
And So Much More!
That’s not even getting into the crossovers, the Marvel Legends-style figures, etc, etc. The last few years have been a good time to be a He-Fan or a She-Raver. And if you’ve got a toy collection that you’re ready to sell, it’s always a good time to reach out to Back to the Past! We’re fans ourselves and we treat your stuff exactly how you’d want it to be, with no extra work from you.