Comic Info
Comic Name: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe/Masters of the Universe Digital
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Keith Giffen/Mike Costa
Artist: Pop Mhan/Drew Johnson/Matteo Guerrero/Axel Gimenez
# of Issues: 7
Release Date: 2014
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #1 Variant
Reprints He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #1-6 and Masters of the Universe Digital Comic #8 (June 2013-November 2013). The Sorceress is dead and Hordak and his Horde are attacking Eternia from Etheria. Leading the attack is Hordak’s warrior Despara, but Despara isn’t all she appears to be. When Teela recognizes Despara as her childhood imaginary friend Adora, the truth about Adora and Etheria’s ties to Eternia will be revealed…if He-Man and the Masters of the Universe can survive!
Written by Keith Giffen and Mike Costa, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Volume 3 collects the first six issues of the continuing He-Man and the Masters of the Universe series. Following He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Volume 2: Origins of Eternia which collected a series of one-shots, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe 3 is a direct follow-up to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe 1 which collected the first mini-series.
I grew up watching and collecting He-Man, but I recognize a series based around a guy named “He-Man” is pretty goofy. The original substance material was pretty flimsy (at best) and an obvious ploy to sell toys (which worked on me). That is why I have to say I love the new He-Man comic by DC.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #5
The writers have an almost empty palette to work with on He-Man, but they are challenged by established “events” in Masters of the Universe lore that kind of need to be adhered to. Having already done away with He-Man’s “secret identity” of Adam, the series now is looking at relationship between characters by building up these lightly touched upon ideas. It is fun watching them try to navigate the fanboys while trying desperately to make He-Man and his one-trick “Masters of the Universe” (like Mekanek) into a valid source for a comic book.
The real focus on this volume is Teela and Adora. Teela’s relationship to the now deceased Sorceress is revealed to her and Adora comes to Eternia as an agent of Hordak only to learn that she’s Adam’s kidnapped twin Adora. This opens up a future for She-Ra and a lot of exploration for the character since She-Ra was almost always delegated Etheria for her TV series and comic appearances.
I’m not going to argue that He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is a perfect comic book, but it is a fun comic book. The series has a ton of potential and there is a great lack of “fun” comics nowadays with everything being so heavy handed and “big event” driven storylines. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe 3 is followed by He-Man and the Masters of the Universe 4: What Lies Within.
Related Links:
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe 1
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe 2: Origins of Eternia
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe 4: What Lies Within
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe 5: The Blood of Grayskull
