Merry Christmas Eve! How about a big guy and his little helper to kick things off?
OK, so this isn't exactly what you probably had in mind but I'm pretty excited to be checking out this set so soon after its release. One of the biggest surprises of Masters of the Universe: Revelation part 2 was Adam calling on the Power of Grayskull without the Power Sword and turning into the Savage He-Man, a version of the character that hearkens back to the earliest minicomic where He-Man is a loincloth clad warrior who comes out of the jungle. In the bios for Masters of the Universe Classics, a line that used the idea of multiple He-Man/ guardians of the Power Sword throughout history, this incarnation of the character was called
Oo-Lar. Here, though, he's simply Savage He-Man. I'll admit that I didn't love the completely wild and unhinged way Revelation depicted Savage He-Man but I do like the concept (I would have probably toned things down a bit, making him more Tarzan and less a dark and gritty Mr. Peepers). I'm also thrilled Mattel got him out so quickly. The figure is quite a bit smaller and now as crazy as in the show but I'm actually kind of OK with this as it simply makes for a great Oo-Lar/ Jungle He-Man/ Savage He-Man. I'm also loving the inclusion of Orko who was an amazing part of the show, even going toe to toe with Scare Glow. Orko, you are the man and are worthy of all of our love and respect! Let's check out this great set after the break...
The Facts: Savage He-Man
Height: 7 inches
Articulation:
Swivel/hinge ankles, boot swivels, double hinged knees, thigh swivels,
balljointed hips, swivel waist, balljointed mid-torso, swivel/hinge
shoulders, bicep swivels, double hinged elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, and
a barbell jointed head.
Accessories: 4 interchangeable hands, Power Sword, axe, and spear.
The Facts: Orko
Height: 5 inches (while hovering)
Articulation: Swivel hinge hover base, swivel/ hinge hover stand arm, swivel/hinge shoulders, and a balljointed head.
Accessories: None
Non-Scalper Price: $30-$35 dollars
Comparison:
* Here's a quick shot of Savage He-Man (center) with the standard Masterverse
He-Man (left) and the MOTUC
Oo-Lar (right).
The Positives:
* While he's not really any larger than the standard He-Man, Savage He-Man definitely looks way more vicious and barbaric. This variant really lets the great work on the sculpting be in full view, particularly because of the way Mattel highlighted the muscle tone and definition with paint applications. Amazing stuff here. There are a lot of new parts (lower legs and feet and different hands) and the primitive looking loin cloth really seals the deal.
* While the expression isn't perfect for the Savage He-Man from the show it's not bad and definitely makes for a great Jungle He-Man/ Oo-Lar. I really do like it, especially the hint of a scowl or snarl that's just starting to come to his lips.
* Here's a shot of the back of the figure to show off the way Mattel highlighted the muscles on this guy. He could have been a very plain figure but those paint highlights really make him quite visually interesting and give him a unique look from the standard He-Man.
* This line has very solid articulation, really some of the best I've
seen on a Mattel action figure. He moves freely, has a nice range of
motion, and the joints are plentiful.
* Savage He-Man comes with two sets of hands: Open palmed hands that look great for tearing apart Evil Warriors (or anyone, really) and standard grips for holding the included accessories. They swap easily so no problems here.
* While in the show he just screams, snarls, and tears things in two with his bare hands, the action figure comes with some great weapons that allow you to use this as a classic Jungle He-Man. First up is the spear he carries out of the jungle in the vintage minicomic "He-Man and the Power Sword." It's a great accessory that has a stone topped spear head and some fairly sharp paint apps for the cords holding the tip in place.
* I'm very partial to this wild looking axe, though. this is the classic prototype/ minicomic axe but it's been more given a more battered and weathered look. Imagine Savage He-Man dicing up some Skelcons with this baby!
* Mattel also through in a standard Power Sword. While Savage He-Man doesn't use it in the show (that's why he's Savage He-Man, after all) it is a nicely sculpted and painted weapon and a fun extra.
* Interestingly, this set isn't called Savage He-Man and Orko. It's just called Savage He-Man and there's a little blurb on the bottom of the package that says "With Orko!" So Orko is kind of an accessory here which is pretty impressive. He's a fully sculpted figure which captures Orko in his post death of He-Man and Skeletor/ "Modern" look, as the character guides call it. He's got a more tattered looking outfit, a longer purple scarf (which is a separate piece), and short sleeves. There's a nice texture on the different parts of his outfit.
* Orko's head is just flat and round but the eyes look excellent. They're simply painted on and Mattel did a great job with them.
* His hat is pretty cool, too. I like all of the little details on it like the tear on the front, the buckle, and the little ornament hanging off the top.
* Orko's articulation is simple but it works. He's got a balljointed head and swivel/ hinge shoulders so you can definitely get some cool poses out of him. It's simple but works well.
* Orko comes permanently mounted on a clear plastic stand that looks like a magical effect. The bar that holds him up has a swivel hinge joint at the base of the arm and at the top where it connects to Orko, so you've got the ability to put him in some fun flying poses.
* My only complaint is that since Savage He-Man uses the same body as the standard He-Man, he's really not any larger and certainly not massive like he is in the show. I'm kind of OK since he makes for a great standard Jungle He-Man/ Oo-Lar, but it would have been cool to actually have the larger wild He-Man, too.
You know what? I love this set. Orko was amazing in Revelation and so it's pretty awesome to get a really good version of him (he's always one of my favorites) included with a really well done Savage He-Man. He's not a perfect match for the show but on his own he's a fantastic update of the original He-Man/ Jungle He-Man/ Oo-Lar and a really fun figure with killer accessories. This set was announced and release quite close together and it made a wonderful pre-Christmas surprise. It's an Epic set and well worth the deluxe price due to the inclusion of Orko. Great job on this one, Mattel.
I've reviewed so many versions of He-Man (Oo-Lar included) that he has his own review archive. Check out
Fabulous Secret Powers for all of my He-Man reviews.
If you're an Orko fan I've also reviewed the MOTU
Origins
Orko,
Super7's vintage styled
Orko and
Shadow
Orko, Sideshow's exclusive
Orko statue, the
green
Orko M.U.S.C.L.E. minifigure from the #1 Masters of the Universe set
by Super7, The Loyal Subjects
Orko,
the Orko pin from the GameStop Funko
Masters
of the Universe box, the
Orko POP! + Pez dispenser, the POP!
Orko #566, the Dorbz
Orko, the Pint Size Heroes
Orko, the Geeki Tikis
Orko mug, the Micro Collection
Orko, the Monogram International
Orko figural
bag clip, the standard
Orko ReAction
figure, and the boxed ReAction
Orko
(Cartoon Colors).
For more Masterverse reviews check out the following:
The grandson will love this one especially since it comes with Orko. I'm on the lookout for it. Good looking figure and nice accessories as well. Good review and photos. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOrko makes everything better. Thanks again, Bulldog.
DeleteOh no! I hadn't heard.
ReplyDeleteHe kind of looks like Ka-zar. Or does Ka-zar look like He-Man?
ReplyDeleteI almost commented that he looks so much like Ka-Zar that I imagine Marvel Legends fans would snag him for their collections. Ka-Zar and Shanna the She-Devil are definitely over due for a Marvel Legends re-release. It's been about 16 years since that SDCC set with them and Zabu.
DeleteMattel definitely went light on this one by not making him massive. I do kind of wish he'd been more comparable in size to Skelegod but I'm also happy to have an updated Oo-Lar/ classic Jungle He-Man. I really do want more Orkos, though. Hopefully they continue to support Revelation.
ReplyDeleteAwesome set, looks truly beautiful. I like the simplicity of the design here, and the quality of the paint job is stunning. Also, I don't know about the US, but in Europe it's one of the more cheaply priced figures in the line. In France you can get it for under 20 Euros (whereas most Masterverse figures in "small" boxes, like Stinkor or Spikor, sell for around 25-30 Euros..).
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was thinking about Ka-Zar in the X-Men too, and also Rahan (not sure if you know him in the US, though..).
DeleteWe have a lot of bin stores and closeout shops that seem to have lots of Savage He-Man sets as well. Mattel must have overproduced the set, I guess. He is a cool figure, though. I am not familiar with Rahan, but I looked it up. He's pretty cool, too.
Delete