Unlike many other '80s properties that have maintained a steady presence on retail store shelves, it's been either feast or famine for MOTU collectors over the years, and we've endured many long dry spells with little to no product. We've bellied up to the table and strapped on our extra large bibs lately, however, with the Origins line rolling mercilessly along, and a brand new line hitting stores right now! (And yet another one on the way!) The Masterverse line presents us with figures in the style of the new high-profile Netflix series, and in honor of its debut today, we're taking a look at my inaugural figure in the line, the deluxe Skelegod! Will he convert you into a devoted follower, or make you wish you were agnostic of this line? Read on...
The figure appears to have a 100% unique sculpt. There are a few parts that may be shared with some of the standard Masterverse figures, but as I don't have any of those yet, I can't verify that. In any case, the sculpting is very well done, capturing the animated style very well, while adding some additional detail in a few areas. The horns, in particular, have some nice texture work, though the level of detail almost makes them look as if they belong to another figure. The segmented armor and large pauldrons help make this tall figure appear even larger, giving him an imposing appearance on the shelf. It's not always apparent in photos, but the stylized "H" on the figure's chest is actually sculpted as well, not just painted on. The green flames surrounding the figure's neck are molded in a nice translucent plastic, which adds to the cool factor. The neon green neck sticking out of this piece is nested within the flames enough that it doesn't look too odd. The "face" is, well, Skeletor, in keeping with the skull design we've seen in the trailers for the show. This line's figures have been criticized for having pinheads, but the large horns help make this figure's head appear more proportional. There's a fairly large three layered cape, in two shades of purple, and a pair of plastic diamonds on the ends of the second layer. The overall design of the cape is very cool, but it's made of fabric that looks and feels as cheap as it undoubtedly is.
The paint apps are more complex than what we get on the Origins figures, yet remain very neat. Lines are sharp and clean across the board, even in areas with tricky color combinations such as the purple and neon green on the chest. The one bit of slop is with the neon green paint in the nostril section of the right leg, and it's so tiny that I only noticed it because I was really looking for it. There's also a nice paint wash on the figure's "skin," lending it a nice battle-worn look. The only issue with it is that the wash was apparently applied after the figure was assembled, so when you bend the elbows or knees, interior areas lacking the wash are exposed, which is a little jarring. This can be easily fixed, of course, but it shouldn't have to be.
Skelegod has a nice quartet of accessories: A pair of swappable hands, a cool energy effect, and the Sword of Power. The hands swap out easily, and fit into place snugly without a tendency to fall off. The energy effect can fit over any of the hands, and looks like Skelegod is about to launch one nasty hadouken. I'm not crazy about the sword's design, but it matches its onscreen counterpart very well. The plastic use isn't overly rubbery either, so there shouldn't be any issues with it drooping over time. It fits well into the grasping hands, and thankfully, it stays in place far better than its counterparts in the Origins line.
Mattel has been touting a higher level of articulation for the Masterverse line, and this figure delivers with swivel & hinge shoulders, wrists, hips, and ankles, swivels at the biceps, thighs, calves, and waist, what appears to be a ball-jointed torso with a limited range of motion, a ball-jointed head, and, thank Grodd, double knees and elbows! Those have been standard points of articulation for well over decade now across many lines, yet Mattel has dragged their feet about implementing them in most of their collector lines. I've seen a few collectors complaining about it, but aesthetically, they don't look any worse than single joints, and they work far better. This is a win as far as I'm concerned, and it's been a long time coming!
The Masterverse line has proven divisive among MOTU collectors, and only time will tell what kind of legs it has. For me, the jury is still out on the basic Masterverse figures, as I haven't yet found any of them, but this one has me hopeful. Skelegod is very cool indeed! That's all for today, but swing back by in four days for more. Until then, stay safe out there, and happy hunting!
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