He-Man and the Masters of the Universe return

[sherkahn]

IGN has the news that Prince Adam and his out-of-the-closest alter ego ( I keed!) and friends return for more adventures in Eternia.

Everything old is new again.






From the article....

... the new series begins with "Skeletor having won a major victory and rewriting the world of Eternia where he now rules from Castle Grayskull and the Masters have no memory of their former glory" and chronicles Adam's ascent to becoming the world's champion He-Man. The series will debut in July, celebrating the franchise's 30th anniversary.

I really do like the characters, but I hope to see something new and creative and brave with the story. Otherwise it feels like the cartoon reboot did from 2002. (Has it been 10 years already?!)

Comments

[icon_uk]

Personally, I thought the 2002 He-Man reboot was excellent, and a lot less painful to watch than the originals are (Preachy storylines, the worst secret identity in human history, Skeletor being a lot of fun to watch, but never really remotely menacing, Adam being a complete bastard every single time he transformed by making Cringer, a self-aware talking SENTIENT cat, who didn't want to fight, fight regardless by giving him no choice about changing to Battle-Cat) and so on...

The reboot had a better secret ID (More like Shazam than Superman), Cringer being an animal, not a person, Skeletor and the shifting politics of the evil side being fun and so on...

[sherkahn]

Oh, I LIKED the 2002 reboot as well, and the sword play and fighting animation was better than 1983. But anything that didn't have 2002 Skeletor in it made it feel like the show was dragging a bit.

[abriel]

IAWTC. I actually liked the 2002 reboot better than the original one too. For one thing Teela was a lot more badass. In the original cartoon she was just the obligatory token female.

Although I did have an issue with the Sorceress in the reboot being beaten at one point by Evil Lyn. It seems like she was somewhat depowered from her original version.

[icon_uk]

I didn't mind that as the Goddess had to be low on power otherwise A) Why have He-Man rather than just a bit of smiting and B) Why is she calling herself a goddess when she's having so much trouble with a couple of evil sorcerors? (Answer, she's a seriously depowered goddess)

And whilst I liked the hawklike design of the original Sorceress, I LOVED the psuedo-Egyptian look they gave her in the revamp

[abriel]

I loved the Egyptian motiff too. It really worked for her.

[riddler13]

Oh, poor CMC under the cloud of your avatar...

[auggie18]

Word! Granted, I saw like, one episode of the 2002 one, but it seemed a lot better. Smoother story, better animation, THE SECRET IDENTITY THING...


It's too bad it didn't last long enough to do She-Ra.

[abriel]

She-Ra had been planned for the 3rd season. But it was canceled after season 2.

Oh what might have been...

[sir_mikael]

And Hordak too. I would have loved to see them do Hordak.

[abriel]

I think they were planning on bringing in the entire Etheria crew....the Horde, Hordak, Cat-Ra, Shadow Weaver, Glimmer, Bow, Castaspella, Angella, and all that lot at some point. Might have had the potentional to spin off into a new She-Ra series alongside the He-Man one.

Like I said when I think of what might have been...

[crinos]

Yeah, as it was, the show had the most WTH ending ever.

Zodak shows up and hypnotizes King Hiss into EATING HIS OWN HEAD.

Not only does it turn the whole blood knight/ineffectual loner trope on its head (Where the revenge obsessed loner normally fails or makes things worse, Zodak actually managed to kill the big bad all by himself, or at least crippled him.) But.... MADE HIM EAT HIS OWN HEAD.

[freezer]

Never really bought the explanation for the secret ID (in either continuity): Adam has to keep his ID a secret to protect his loved ones... but aren't Randor and Marlena already at the top of Skeletor's "Must Destroy" list?

Of course, that went double for She-Ra. Adora was already on top of the Horde's Most Wanted list as a traitor. Would she really be in that much more danger if they knew Adora = She-Ra?

[icon_uk]

Oh, the REASON for the secret ID was just a crap, but the actual change in appearance made it a lot more plausible. Nothing like gaining ten years in age, two feet in height and about three hundred pounds in solid muscle to convince people you're NOT the same person. (Whereas no one appeared to notice that Prince Adam was just as heavily built as He-Man, with the same hair cut and voice.... Even Clark kent uses slightl baggy suits to cover his build, whereas Adam wore skin tight tunics)

[liara_shadowsong]

I also greatly enjoyed the 2002 series, and was sad to see it cancelled. Hopefully, the best elements of that version will be retained in this new one.

[nightauditguy]

It wasn't until the reboot that I learned that the Sorceress was Teela's mom.

[freezer]

I still think the reboot wussed out by not making Man-at-Arms Teela's bio-dad.

[icon_uk]

I think they left hints that he WAS her bio-dad, but because of the amnesia he had at the time, doesn't remember it, and the Sorceress might not want to put the onus on him for something he did when he couldn't remember it.

[md84]

Although the creators apparently planned to reveal that Fist-O, Man-At-Arm's brother, was Teela's bio dad.

[auggie18]

...Fist-o? FIST-O?

[md84]

Is that shock that he is Teela's dad, or shock that they named him that?

[auggie18]

That there's a dude out there named Fist-o. I mean, damn. Was he from the original, at least? 'cause otherwise, I think fisting was enough of a thing in 2002 for them to realize what a bad idea naming him that was.

[freezer]

Fist-o was one of the lesser-known characters from the original run. His gimmick: Cyborg arm with giant fist. (Hence "Fist-O")

[icon_uk]

The 2002 reboot made him Man-At-Arm's older brother

[icon_uk]

Oh you are so not the first to have that reaction.... (As Fisto said to his date...)

THIS is Fisto

[icon_uk]

Yes, sorry, should have mentioned there was another likely candidate.

By the Power of Greyskull!

[bewareofgeek]

I HAVE THE JUSTICE!!!!

[v_various]

I am so happy

I also liked the 2002 reboot (except for the Sorceress re-design, blech), I was so excited for Hordak and so sad that didn't happen. But yay Snake men.

I really hope they do Merman justice, there is so much more room for him to be just a boring lacky.
I AM EXCITE.

[leoboiko]

I think the concept would sound better if Skeletor was winning without retconning (i.e. everyone with full memories).

[jlbarnett]

I think the concept would be better if they just started from the traditional angle

[sir_mikael]

I agree, although I suppose the plan is for them to regain their memories eventually. But bitter underdog/guerilla fights against Skeletor would be awesome and similar to one of my favorite stories from the old He-Man comics that I had growing up which was a Days Of Future Past thing where Adam travels to a future where Skeletor won (I think the Power Sword had been lost). Most had given up after years of battle and defeat until He-Man reminded them who they used to be and then they go after Skeletor, who had a similar outfit to his movie costume. I actually think it ended with two He-Men briefly.
Speaking of memory loss another fun story was when He-Man and Hordak lost their memories, got tossed into a backworlds planet, fought together and became friends until their memories returned.

[silverzeo]

30 years? Man, 80s kids are OLD now....

[beoweasel]

shutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutup. :P

[eyz]

ditto :/

[lbd_nytetrayn]

If it's like the 2002 reboot, I'm perfectly fine with that. It ended far too quickly, anyway.

I just wonder if this will have any bearing of influence from the MOTU Classics toyline story, which has been amalgamating everything else into one big mega-timeline (and fairly well, considering).

[jelly_ace]

I read that as "his out-of-the-closet alter ego". THAT would've been more interesting, I think.

[pyrotwilight]

Wow it was in 2002, damn I loved that He-Man. Never really watched the original alas but I loved the 2002 version.

The only other He-Man thing I ever read was the DC Comics Presents story with Superman and He-Man meeting and I was oddly surprised that in it Adam's mom was apparently from Earth.

[eaglet_auditore]

A little late I am.

Might check it out when it comes out. I like He-Man, though I prefer She-Ra.
And when watching either I start acting like my grandfather when he's watching soap operas.
''What? No, this is cheesy and stupid. BUT OMG DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME? :D ''

So yeah, depending how it turns out, I might be lookign forward to this.

[eyz]

Intriguing!

Hope it turns out better than Thundercats (the comics from the 2000s)...mmmh..speaking of which, a Thundercats comics based on the current show would be neat too^^