Monday, November 1, 2021

Collectible Review: Skeletor Sword from Masters of the Universe by Factory Entertainment

 
   
   Wait! Isn't 31 Days of Toy Terror: Skeletober over now?

  Well, yeah, it is. That doesn't mean you're not still going to get a ton of Skeletor reviews even during non-Halloween months! Skeletor seems to get merchandised even more than He-Man. Today I'm going to start a miniseries of reviews of the newest series of Masters of the Universe scaled prop replicas from Factory Entertainment and I'm kicking off things with a look at the Skeletor Sword scaled prop replica. This sword is the same as He-Man's Power Sword from last year but now given a brilliant purple finish, similar to the Skeletor's half of the Power Sword from the vintage Masters of the Universe toyline. In most MOTU incarnations since the early minicomics Skeletor's sword is nothing special and the Power Sword is a standalone weapon but a purple Power Sword still endures in MOTU toys and collectibles. Need an evil counterpart for your Power Sword? Prefer the bad guys to the good guys? Then we have the right piece for you! Join me after the break...



The Facts:

Length: 7 1/2 inches

Composition: Solid metal

Scale: Around 1/5th

Non-Scalper Price: $30 dollars

The Packaging:

Skeletor's sword comes in the same collector friendly durable box with an opening top as the other items in the series. The top easily lifts off to reveal the sword inside of a molded tray and covered with another plastic overlay. You can take remove and replace it quite easily and overall it does a fine job of holding the item and showing off what's inside.

The Positives:

* What you're getting here is a solid metal version of Skeletor's sword. It's sturdy and the metallic purple looks incredible. I like the purple better than the straight silver and I'm curious if we'll see other colored swords in the future.

* Factory Entertainment went with the vintage look for the Power Sword and since this is the same mold as that piece, you get a classic Skeletor sword, too.


 

*The hilt of the sword has a matte finish which looks quite nice. I also love the curved quillons on this piece. The sculpt is excellent and really looks like a "realistic" depiction of the vintage toy.







The Negatives:

 

* The purple coating of the sword does have a few rough spots on it. Try looking at the quillon in this image. It's not terrible but for such a simple piece, it is a bit disappointing,.

 * My biggest complaint with this line is that there really isn't a great way to display these. You can leave it in the box or use the box insert but that's not terribly attractive for display. I really wish Factory Entertainment would have crafted a small stand to hold the item, either horizontally or vertically, something perhaps with a small name plate. Presentation is key for a prop replica and that would have been a nice touch. 





   While there are some paint problems with the purple (I assume it's a paint issue, right?) I do like the purple color of the Skeletor Sword better than the standard silver Power Sword. It's just more attractive and far more eye-catching. Prop replicas can be incredibly expensive and tough to display and these are a nice alternative for collectors. I do wish Factory Entertainment could include some way to display these, though. For an extra $5 or $10 bucks I've love the inclusion of a nice, personalized display stand as the box is cool but just not as attractive. This sword gets a Good rating from me. For a solid steel scaled replica these aren't a bad deal or anything but the display/ presentation just isn't as impressive as I'd hope for. Considering there are now five pieces in this collection I'm not sure we'll see a major change like that at this point. Also, why is this called "Skeletor Sword" instead of "Skeletor's Sword?" That just seems like a better name.





 I've reviewed so many toys of Keldor/ Skeletor that he has his own review archive. Check out Snake Mountain for all of my reviews of the Evil Lord of Destruction!
 
For more collectibles from Factory Entertainment's Masters of the Universe check out the following:

No comments:

Post a Comment

What'chu talkin' 'bout?