Action Figure Review: Scare Glow from Masters of the Universe Chronicles by Mattel

 

   While there are some pretty exciting movies coming out this year, I don't think I'm anticipating any of them as much as Masters of the Universe. This movie has seemingly been in the works for nearly 20 years off and on and it's amazing that it's finally happening. And the trailers and such so far? They look good! Yes, like many others I'm not a fan of Jared Leto, but everything else about this film so far has me ecstatic and the hundreds of people (likely over a thousand) working on it seem to be delivering something special. I don't think any MOTU project could ever please all fans but I think this project seems on the right track. You'll probably hear me go on about the movie once it releases, though; for now, let's talk about the first release from the new Masters of the Universe Chronicles line: Scare Glow. If there's a figure that's guaranteed to get MOTU fans and collectors of cool action figures in general all up in a hot tizzy, it's Scare Glow. The guy is a legend just for looking incredible cool. While the MOTU Chronicles line seems to be largely supporting the movie this year, it hasn't been confirmed if Scare Glow will appear in the film or if this is just a new take on the character. Mattel Creations also just announced a King Grayskull for Chronicles who may just be a new take on the character rather than a movie based design, so it seems like Chronicles will be a larger banner for figures from different MOTU media, like Masterverse. I'm going to go in to this guy in more depth here since he's the inaugural release in the line, so get ready. He's a Walmart exclusive, something which usually freaks people out but he seems to be plentiful on store shelves as I've seen him multiple times at different Walmart locations in my area. Ready to check out the MOTU Chronicles Scare Glow? Then join me after the break...

The Facts:

Height: 6 3/4ths inches

Articulation: Double swivel/hinge ankles, boot swivels, double hinged knees, balljointed hips w/vertical drop down hinges, balljointed waist, balljointed mid-torso, balljointed shoulders w/ balljointed sockets, bicep swivels, double hinged elbows, double swivel/hinge wrists, balljointed neck, and a barbell jointed head.

Accessories: Shoulder armor, green flame effect, scythe, and four swappable hands.

Non-Scalper Price: $27 dollars

Comparison:

* Masters of the Universe Chronicles are slightly smaller in scale than Masterverse. Here's a look at the Masters of the Universe Classics Scareglow (left), the MOTU Chronicles Scare Glow (center), and the Masterverse MOTU Revelations Scare Glow (right). I don't think the MOTU Chronicles Scare Glow would be too wildly out of scale in either of the other lines but he definitely is more detailed than the other Scare Glows. If he were based on a move design, I wouldn't be surprised but I would be quite thrilled. 

The Positives:

* While Scare Glow is a mass market action figure from Mattel, the quality of the sculpt and articulation feels like a huge leap forward for the company. I love MOTU, so I'm not trying to knock Mattel, but Mattel often feels like they're a few steps behind other action figure companies marketing product to collectors. Scare Glow does not; he is really impressive with a sharp and seemingly unique sculpt and impressive articulation. It's not hard to make an evil glowing skeleton look cool, but Scare Glow looks extra cool with a great design that borrows from previous designs while still feeling quite fresh. He's definitely not just "the vintage toy but larger" unlike some of the retro releases we're seeing these days. 

* I'm really impressed that Scare Glow actually has his bones sculpted. While all previous Mattel versions of Scare Glow (that I can recall) simply feature a paint mask, the MOTU Chronicles Scare Glow actually has his bones sculpted. They look great and definitely feature a less human look, giving him a sharper and edgier appearance. With spikes on his shoulders and jagged ribs, he's not just a regular skeleton come to life. The negative space of Scare Glow without bones actually has the appearance of perhaps muscle or cartilage. It definitely sells the effect that we're not just seeing a glowing ghost but a powerful creature. Recent media and Mattel copy has depicted Scare Glow as the Lord of Subternia, so he's been suitably pumped up to feel more powerful. 

* Scare Glow has a removable cape that is attached to his shoulder pads. Just pop off his head and the shoulder pads fit over his chest. The accessory fits well and definitely completes his look, making him feel more regal in an evil sort of way. He's got a painted chain  across his chest and skulls on the shoulder pads. There's a nice leather-like texture in a few places, too, with plenty of little, dents and dings. Definitely an upgrade from a simple cape with a mantle. 

* Scare Glow's cape feels pretty nice. It's a decent material with a shiny appearance and a nice cut on the bottom. 

* Scare Glow's skull looks really nice, especially in person where you can better appreciate the slightly mottled color scheme and the rather realistic looking cracks. This is a very impressive skull! And the green dots in the eye sockets? incredible. This is some impressive work and definitely above most any portraits from Masterverse that I can recall. 

* While Scare Glow's body doesn't glow, his skull does. I used a night capture lens on my phone to try to capture the glow. It's a decent glow, though not as strong as my picture indicates. I wouldn't be surprised if Mattel rereleased Scare Glow as some point as an exclusive to Mattel Creations or something with glow in the dark paint on all of his bones. 

* Maybe even cooler than the glowing skull is this green flame effect that fits around Scare Glow's neck. It nestles nicely into the collar of his shoulder pads and just looks awesome. He is way more intimidating with his one. 

* Not only are the bones individually sculpted and painted on his fingers but Scare Glow is also sporting some really cool bracers. I dig the buckles on them. 

 * He's also sporting boney feet and toes and his shins are protected with greaves. Interestingly, the right greave has a chain "wrapped" around it with a lock on the back. What's the story there? It kind of calls to mind both the classic archetype of a ghost dragging a chain and the Castle Grayskull reliquary chained to Scare Glow's forearm included with the MOTU Classics release.

* Besides having a wildly cool belt, Scare Glow also has some interesting little tags with runes on them hanging from his belt and down his loincloth. Interesting details. What could they be? Magical runes that augment his power or runes placed on him by powerful Eternian mages that bind him in some way?

* Scare Glow looks excellent but the articulation is one of those places where you can tell that Mattel out some serious thought into the design. Everything is smooth, the joints are plentiful and well designed, and the quality is excellent. The knees and elbows are fantastic, feeling more like something you'd find on a Japanese import with a brilliant mix of form and function. The balljointed shoulders and hips are also really versatile, especially with the interior ballsockets/ barbell joints of the shoulders, giving not just the lateral movement of a butterfly joint but also vertical movement. I'm very excited for more releases from this line!

* Scare Glow comes with four swappable hands: A pair of standard grips, a right hand fist, and a gesturing left hand. The hands were tight at first but they swapped easily after a time or two. The pegs feel very sturdy, too, so no worries about swapping them. The peg is part of the wrist, not part of the hand, which is different from the design used in Masterverse. 

* Scare Glow comes with his Scythe of Doom. It's not green this time around, nor does it glow in the dark: It's just a metal looking weapon, though the sculpt is excellent. There's a wrapped dragon or serpent design at the top above the blade which definitely makes this seem like an ornate weapon. The blade is also chipped in places due to age and has ancient runes etched into it. It's a bit taller than Scare Glow and looks great in his hands.

* Here's a shot of Scare Glow from the back without his cape, allowing you to see the detail sculpted into the back of the figure.

The Negatives:



* Unfortunately, there are some sculpted bones here that Mattel neglected to paint. I know they're not visible when he's in the package and are usually covered by his cape and shoulder pads, but I still think they should have been painted. 

* Overall the bones look really good on Scare Glow, though there are a few places where the paint applications are a bit sloppy. Most Walmart stores I've been to have had a decent selection of Scare Glows, so take your time and pick the best one if you can. 

   I am wildly impressed with Scare Glow. I like Masterverse, especially the New Eternia/ New Etheria figures, and I was a bit disappointed to learn that the line is seemingly coming to an end. Fortunately, MOTU Chronicles seems to really be an evolution of what Mattel is capable of. Scare Glow was an inspired first choice and he is an Epic figure that really should appear to a wider crowd than just He-Fans and She-Ravers. He's just a darn cool figure who is excellent made. He really feels like he is far more than a mass market retail figure. This guy? He's Epic. I can't recommend him enough!

If you're a Scare Glow/ Scareglow/ Karak Nul fan, check out my review of the MOTUC Scareglow, the Masterverse Scare Glow and Scare Glow (exclusive), the MOTU origins Scare Glow, the Mega Construx Heroes Scare Glow and standard Scare Glow, the Funko POP! Scare Glow pencil, the POP! Rides Scare Mare & Scare Glow #999,  the Mondo Scare Glow and Scare Glow (Classic Variant), the Vinyl SODA Scare Glow, and the ReAction Scare Glow and Scare Glow (Clear).