Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Action Figure Review: Blast-Attak from Masters of the Universe Origins by Mattel

 

   Want to check out a somewhat obscure Masters of the Universe villain? Then let's take a look at Blast-Attak from Masters of the Universe Origins. Blast-Attak was part of the 1987 series of action figures and is a bit unusual as he was initially listed as an Evil Warrior summoned by Skeletor but his minicomic appearance shows him as being part of the Snake Men as a creation of King Hiss. He's an odd character whose power is exploding into two halves. This doesn't seem to destroy him, though; it's simply his special attac. What an odd guy, right? I'm quite glad that Mattel finally released him in Origins (he went on sale in January) as I love these vintage guys that just don't get as much attention. The last Blast-Attak released that I can recall was a Funko POP! vinyl back in 2020, so we were definitely due for a new Blast-Attak. Ready to see how he turned out for MOTU Origins? Then join me after the break...





The Facts:

Height: 6 inches

Articulation: Swivel/ hinge ankles, boot swivels, swivel/hinge knees, balljointed hips, "blast apart" torso, swivel/hinge shoulders, swivel/hinge elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, and a barbell jointed head.

Accessories: Poleaxe, trigger cable, and minicomic.

Non-Scalper Price: $22 dollars







Comparison:

* Usually I do a comparison of figures but I actually sold my childhood Blast-Attak at a garage sale at some point as a kid. Yes, I'm aware that was a horrible idea but those Lost World and Star Wars: Power of the Force 2 figures didn't pay for themselves. What do I still have? The accessory for a vintage Blast-Attak! The Origins poleaxe is on the left while the vintage accessory is on the right. The colors are just a shade different but they're pretty similar. 




Packaging:


* Like many/ most of the Mattel Creations exclusive vintage Origins figures released recently, Blast-Attak has very collector friendly packaging. The backer card is easily removable as the plastic "blister" slides over the card. Space is at a premium for me so I didn't bother with keeping the blister and tray but I did keep the backer card. The card art is fantastic and shows off Blast-Attak leading some Snake Men in a fight against Rotar. I really hope to get Rotar and Twistoid as it would be cool to have them in a vintage style, especially because the original figures are just so pricey and tough to find.






The Positives:

* Like most Masters of the Universe Origins figures, Blast-Attak is essentially a remake of the vintage figure. The same scale, the same details; the only difference is that the colors are brighter and the articulation has been improved. Whether you're wanting playable, posable versions of the vintage line, you're filling in some gaps in your vintage collection, or you want these for your kids, Origins does a rather solid job of capturing what made the vintage toys unique and appealing. Blast-Attak is an unusual looking MOTU figure as he definitely leans more into the sci-fi aesthetic of MOTU rather than barbarian fantasy but he also has some steampunk sensibilities. He's a fairly unqiue figure and if he has any shared parts with other figures released in the line, I don't recognize them. 






* Blast-Attak is an unusual looking guy. He's got a bit of a zombie or Frankenstein's Monster vibe to him, doesn't he? He's wearing a helmet for safety, sure, but that seems like not nearly enough for a guy whose gimmick is exploding! Origins retains the slightly goofy head of the vintage toy, but I'm A-OK with that. It's a tribute to the original toy for sure. 






* Blast-Attak's body is covered with wires, screws, and other greeblies since he's clearly some sort of robot or android. Interestingly, there is a wire on his bicep that connects to his forearm. The wire disconnects at the wrist which allows you to still have it in place for posing but it'll detach for breaking when bending the elbow. Clever design choice. 







* Here's a look at Blast-Attak's back. I love the bronze/ gold color chosen for his torso. It's really nice and has a very solid color and sheen. The back of the figure is also quite detailed, capturing all of the bits and bobs that the vintage toy had. Unlike the Masters of the Universe Classics version of the figure, this guy actually blasts apart like the vintage toy! Check out this YouTube clip I made to show it off:









* Blast-Attak's articulation is fairly similar to most other MOTU Origins figures, though he doesn't have a waist joint because of the blast apart action feature. He moves well and is fun to mess around with, though his shoulder joints might be a bit more restrictive than normal because of the design of his shoulder sockets. He still feels like an evolution of the vintage line with most standard modern joints. He's quite fun to play with, especially with his excellent exploding action feature, and he's very sturdy. He's mostly modular and can be easily separated to make your own lazy boy customs with other figures in all of the usual places, except for his waist. 

* Blast-Attak comes with a pretty accurate replica of the vintage plunger. Does it work on the vintage Blast-Attak? Does anyone have the vintage figure to test it on? It's a neat feature that gives you the feeling of using the old school TNT plunger. 

Fun Fact: The vintage plunger for Blast-Attak was reused from the Bravestarr Fort Kerium playset. I don't recall having ever seen that playset in person until May of this year when I saw one at Collector's Confluence in Archdale, North Carolina. 








* Blast-Attak's poleaxe is a rather unique weapon. What exactly is it meant to be? I mean, clearly there is an axe blade, but it's rather technical looking, like something machined incredibly precisely. The the top of the weapon also makes me thing of a rifle barrel. Is it also capable of firing lasers or ammunition? And the bottom. Can this function as something of a crutch for when Blast-Attack is trying to recombine himself? It's quite unusual and very faithful to the vintage accessory, just with crisper details. 











* Besides the collector friendly packaging with some fantastic art on the backer card, you also get a legit mincomic: Paradigm of Power! It's a pretty neat minicomic focused on Blast-Attak and is definitely an extra of this this sort that adds some value to the package.






   Blast-Attak is awesome. I love when MOTU Origins does incredibly vintage accurate versions of the figures that are rather difficult and/ or pricey to obtain. It's really nice to have a figure that stylistically looks like the vintage Blast-Attak and which also retains the action feature. I love this guy. He's a rather morbid concept if you think about it too much, but his bizarre design and gimmick do add to the unique feel of the later MOTU line. He's an Epic figure and quite a good value as a Mattel Creations exclusive, especially if you're ordering multiple figures at once or using a discount code (which Mattel offers frequently). 




If you're a Blast-Attak fantatic I've also reviewed the Masters of the Universe Classics Blast Attak and the Funko POP! Television Blast-Attak #1017.

For more Masters of the Universe Origins reviews check out the following:
Masters of the Universe Origins by Mattel (2019)
40th Anniversary 4-Pack
Masters of the Universe Cartoon Collection (200X)
Sketchbook Series

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