He-Man, Animated and Busted

Though I was never particularly fond of the animated incarnation of He-Man, for many it was the definitive version. “Masters of the Universe” is a secondary brand-name for the denizens of Eternia in the minds of Filmation fans, who refer to all elements of the mythology as simply “He-Man.”

And yet their particular version of Eternia’s mightiest mortal has never really been rendered in three dimensions and that classically cheesy pageboy haircut. The original toy was designed before there was a cartoon, and the newer toys are designed as if they were the originals made with better technology. Fans wanting Filmation-styled lead characters are told some spiel about how if you put those characters through a “classicizer” machine, they’d look like the toys we have now. Bottom line: Mattel isn’t making cartoon He-Man any time soon.

But Icon Heroes is. He may not be articulated, but he is in the key pose you’d most want him to be in – one that, ironically enough, none of the current articulated figures can duplicate (though one out later this year will come close).

Like the figures, this is sculpted by the Four Horsemen (with Joe Amaro) and joins Icon’s other licensed products like the power sword letter opener and Grayskull business-card holder. It’s 12 inches tall and a non-cringeworthy $60, coming in September.

It may not be my preferred cup of He, but to those for whom it is, you have some power…finally.