It seems like the toyline based on the Netflix He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon has reached an end as the last few releases have been kind of tough to find. Most disappointingly for me is the Savage Eternia Moss Man, who has become crazy expensive and impossible to find. My preorder for him was cancelled from BBTS and if you find any on Ebay they're often on auction, now seeming to sell for over $500 bucks. That sucks, doesn't it? Moss Man is my absolute favorite MOTU character and I fear I'll never get this version with a cool owl companion. I did manage to get King Hiss, however, and he's an interesting figure. One of the things I really did enjoy about this toyline is that the characters really did vary quite a bit from their classic counterparts. It kept things fresh and interesting. This version of King Hiss is wildly different from any previous version, but that does make it a fresh, interesting take. He's one of the deluxe figures from this series. Let's take a look at King Hiss after the break...
Height: 5 1/2 inches
Articulation: Swivel mid-tail, swivel "waist," spring swivel shoulders, bicep swivels, swivel left wrist, spring hinged jaw, and spring sliding tongue.
Accessories: None
Non-Scalper Price: $15-$18 dollars
* King Hiss looks very regal, but kind of more like a sea creature or something than a traditional snake. Granted, King Hiss has never been much of a traditional snake, has he? He's quite colorful with a nice amount of paint applications on his serpentine body and on the hood and chest. There's something about him that reminds me of a Power Rangers villains, like one of those 5.5 inch Evil Space Aliens figures from the mid-1990s. The sculpt is a bit soft but it does match the CG style of the show and the style of the other figures fairly well, so that seems suitable.
* King Hiss's hood is pretty impressive and it looks like he's wearing a crown of some sort, too. The snake-like eyes are pretty creepy, as is his green tongue.
* This figure has an action feature: Press the button on his back and his arms raise up, his jaw lowers, and his tongue flicks out. Release the lever and his arms drop while his tongue and jaw return to normal.
* Rather than hands, King Hiss has a set of three snake heads at the end of each arm. the left set of three snakes can spin when you rotate the green tail jutting out of his left elbow.
The Negatives:
* Articulation wise, this guy is kind of a bust. You can't keep his arms in any raised position because of the action feature and his tail articulation makes it difficult to keep him standing in all but one or two poses. He's definitely a toy targeted at kids who would be messing around with the action feature rather than anyone planning to pose and photograph this guy.
King Hiss is an interesting take on the character and for that reason I do like how different he looks. There's definitely something fun about him, but he's not as impressive as I would have hoped. He gets a Good from me; he's pretty average. Nothing inherently wrong, but nothing that really wows me. No accessories and the rather useless articulation are definitely the two biggest downers. The Netflix based He-Man and the Masters of the Universe line has been a mixed bag, though the fun designs of some of the characters have definitely helped to make this more interesting than it could have been. I've got another figure lined up from this line to review but, sadly, it isn't Moss Man.
If you're a fan of King Hiss/ King Hssss then check out my review of the MOTUC Snake Armor He-Man and Battle Armor King Hssss, the MOTU Origins King Hiss, and the Funko POP! King Hiss #1038.
For more reviews from the Netflix inspired He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, check out the following:
* Articulation wise, this guy is kind of a bust. You can't keep his arms in any raised position because of the action feature and his tail articulation makes it difficult to keep him standing in all but one or two poses. He's definitely a toy targeted at kids who would be messing around with the action feature rather than anyone planning to pose and photograph this guy.
If you're a fan of King Hiss/ King Hssss then check out my review of the MOTUC Snake Armor He-Man and Battle Armor King Hssss, the MOTU Origins King Hiss, and the Funko POP! King Hiss #1038.
For more reviews from the Netflix inspired He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, check out the following:
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe by Mattel
5.5 inch
8.5 inch
Roleplay
Wow. Wasn't expecting this sculpt, but definitely cool.
ReplyDeleteYes, he definitely has a cool sculpt. I just wish his articulation was better.
DeleteI like it. I recently canceled my Netflix account but believe it or not, it's the MOTU power sword series that I think I'm gonna miss the most.
ReplyDeleteSo much so that I got the title wrong.
ReplyDeleteHaha. Yeah, it's confusing with all of these shows having similar names. We call it Netflix He-Man and CG He-Man in my house. My daughter calls it fat He-Man.
DeleteThe Netflix He-Man has a very different aesthetic, particularly in action figure form. That being said, it's been fun to see the very different interpretations of characters. I still prefer the New Eternia looks over these, but these are more radically different.
ReplyDelete