Although the toy line was created in 1981, it didn’t hit stores until 1982. Glut and others to build a brand with a brand-new world to go along with it.

To understand why collectors are willing to pay such a mighty price for a plastic diorama, we have to go back to the ‘80s, and a world that forged the sword and sorcery of Conan the Barbarian with the pew! pew! pew! sci-fi of Star Wars to make He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.Īfter Mattel turned down the option to make Star Wars figures and watched Kenner print oodles of money, the company created its own concept, hiring Roger Sweet, Star Wars novelist Donald F. My local Walmart has a toy Battle Cat and a Masters of the Universe Origins Castle Grayskull Playset that can be purchased from Mattel Creations for $80. Hope is not lost for this champion of Eternia. He’s yet to get a middle-aged spread and his blonde locks show no sign of pattern baldness but he’s not prevalent on toy shelves the way he used to be. The muscle-bound hero turns 40 this year. To celebrate He-Man's 40th birthday, Nick Smith, our US-based pop culture philosopher, examines the enduring appeal of Masters of the Universe.Įven He-Man can’t fight the ravages of time. Moaty, the moat monster tier 2 unlock, has become a social media sensation with fans (myself included) calling for Mattel to release the figure separately in the future. Early bird backers got King Grayskull as an exclusive bonus action figure. Mattel Creations' Masters of the Universe Origins Eternia Playset is already successfully crowdfunded ahead of November's deadline. 40 years ago, He-Man and Skeletor were unleashed on toy aisles! I was off school sick when my late mum surprised me with these amazing action figures that had seemingly stepped off the pages of Fighting Fantasy…įast forward to 2022.

Batman brave and the bold batmobile