I picked up New Eternia Sy-Clone at the end of July at Target in Greer, SC. It was a new display, that had Sy-Clone and Thunder Punch He-Man, and maybe Emperor Hordak and Leech. I already had Thunder Punch, and I am waiting on a better Hordak. Never been a fan of Leech. Sy-Clone is kind of a B-List character, but there have been recent comics of him. I figured he might get snatched up.
I remember having this guy as a child. He had a little dial on the back in his waistband that you would turn it it would make his whole torso spin. I remember getting a little blister on my thumb because of that!
Another thing I enjoyed about the vintage figure was the lenticular sticker on his chest that showed a star system. The blue and yellow wacky design plus the star system and the “human tornado” feature made him extra fun.
The front package gives us a view of the figure like all recent MASTERVERSE figures. This is a window box where you can see the figure inside and maybe an accessory. Here we see Sy-Clone with his yellow shield. There is also artwork of him wearing a red mask, and those planets from the old sticker floating behind him.
The back of the package shows a photoshop of the figure in action. We also get panel views of him wearing the mask, using the shield, and using his energy effects. Also a little selfie pic in the circle by his bio…which is minimal, by the way.
There is some art on the sides also. All of this art is excellent. I just wish they wouldn’t do that “this is a photo of the toy” art on the back of the box. They should return to the full-on portraits like so many of the earlier MASTERVERSE figures had.
You might have to click these pictures to see the full art. One shows a Skel-con, which is an upcoming army builder figure, and the other depicts Sy-Clone looking like a menace. We also see the Fright Fighter, and also another spinning Gar warrior.
WHAT DO YOU GET IN THE BOX
Here we go…
Sy-Clone figure.
Yellow translucent shield
Alternate fists.
Red energy effects
RED MASK….WAIT-A-MINUTE!!!!!!!
Let’s check the contents next to the content list….
NOPE. NO RED MASK!!!!!
I looked and looked at the box. Maybe it was stuck in there? NOPE. I checked the floor of my kitchen to see if I might have dropped it. NOPE. It just wasn’t in the box. SIGH.
So I called up Mattel quality control, right…
OK. Do you know what you see on their website? Every kind of product except for anything Masters of the Universe. No Origins. No MASTERVERSE. NOPE! Fisher Price has a huge quality control/technical support page, which makes sense. Also Power Wheels. There are pages that address pieces of missing clothes from Barbies. There are pages about Hot Wheels sets. Not a single thing about Masters.
So I used the chatbot feature and rang up the Hot Wheels page. I figured getting someone to address my problem might not be that hard. I was given a number to call.
I had to find some numbers. One was on the bottom of the package, and the other was on the foot of the figure. This one was extra hard for me to see…I used the magnifier on my cell phone.
Only to be told they could not send me the red mask in the mail. They could not send me a replacement Sy-Clone either. They offered Mekanek. (I already owned Mekanek…I had bought him in June). And so…I accepted this. I wanted to add more pieces to his neck feature anyway.
But not having this mask takes some of the “oomph” out of the “New Eternia” branding. Without it, this might as well be strictly worse than the Masters of the Universe Classics version. The mask was something that made this unique. And I got shortchanged.
ACCESSORIES
The accessories that he DID come with are OK. I do wish the shield was bigger. The red energy effects are cool, and they can be placed on the shield to give it a spinning illusion, or on his wrists to emulate (kind of ) the vintage action feature.
ARTICULATION
He moves just fine. DANG IT! I WANT THE RED MASK!
One other complaint. Instead of the lenticular sticker, we have a clear bubble with a sticker that is NOT LENTICULAR behind it. This doesn’t light up or anything.
Speaking of Lenticular stickers…we rarely see these anymore. Have they gone the way of the buffalo?
SPARTANNERD RATING OF MASTERVERSE NEW ETERNIA SY-CLONE
“F.” No mask. No satisfaction. No lenticular sticker…no fun. No weapons besides a shield…and that is underwhelming too. The 200x and MOTUC version had this big ring that fit on his back. No ring here.
I kept putting this review off for a reason. I don’t like writing negative reviews. But with MASTERVERSE Movie Beast Man and now Sy-Clone, that’s two in a row.
This sculpt is OK. I appreciate the fins. The paint is maybe more matte than I remember the vintage one being, but perhaps my memory fails me. His face sculpt and paint makes him appear menacing.
It seems to me they could have pulled the original action feature off. Maybe not with a gear, but with a looser torso-to-waist joint.
I rate New Eternia Sy-Clone at 1/5. Too many issues that could be improved, but probably won’t be. Sy-Clone might get another release in a future. Maybe Mondo will make a 200x version that is amazing.
But at least now I can give Mekanek more of a 200x vibe!
I rate MASTERVERSE New Eternia Sy-Clone at 1/5. Do you agree or disagree, Hub City Geeks? Let me know in the comments!
Another one of those orders that took SO LONG. I ordered the Super7 Ultimates! Conan Battle of the Mounds set in March of 2023. And I received it right at the beginning of August 2024
And now it is the last day of September. It has taken me so long because so much drama in life. And we can cap that off with a Hurricane Helene. Regardless I am blessed. Read my review to escape the gloom and doom. (But not the Thulsa Doom.)
There are four figures in all: Conan, Subotai, Valeria (Spirit), and Thulsa Doom.
The front packaging is a nice window box where you can see every figure. There is no slip cover with these, which is different from the others that I have. There is a little bio on the back.
So we didn’t get more torches as a background…instead this bonfire behind each figure. At first glance I thought this was strictly worse. Imagine lining up those torches in a row to create a “hallway.” But actually this bonfire can be pretty useful…I have already found some creative ways to use it. So … Cool!
PICTURED: Mythic Legions Gold Knight Legion Builder (Review coming soon,) Sir Godfrey, and Cosmic Legions SSKUR’GE. This little scene is made of different packaging pieces…the fire adds some chaos. I’ll use these figures again later in the review.
I have taken some spicy pics, but for this review I am using very basic props, so you can have a fair look. In some of my prettier pictures, I am using the alternate “bloody” weapons from the exclusive super pack that you received when you ordered all of these as a set.
CONAN
First, Conan. Here is the figure with all you get in the box.
Conan comes with:
Conan figure
Scabbard for Atlantean Sword
Atlantean Sword
Battle Axe, as seen in the movie
Alternate, unhelmeted, neutral head sculpt.
Alternate hands..gripping and open.
Eye of the Serpent necklace
I have King Conan to compare him to. This is a classic, less costumed design as it was of the 20-something year old Arnold Schwarzenegger with his natural face. And it does indeed capture the likeness. As presented, they are two different characters. Obviously the king is old, wise, grizzled, and wizened. This is youthful arena champion-turned adventurer Conan. He is out for revenge against the cult of Set.
PICTURED: Super7 Ulimates! King Conan with Throne of Acquilonia, Super7 Ultimates! Battle of the Mounds Conan, and Masters of the Universe Classics Vikor with the alternate Battle of the Mounds head. All three are armed with a different version of The Atlantean Sword.
There is a little problem with the armor…See that button on the right shoulder? That is a rubber plug that connects the shoulder pauldron to the tunic. It might have supposed to have been glued…unsure. But it comes out, and it is difficult to get it to stay in. I’ve had to use the hairdryer.
PICTURED: Super7 Ultimates Battle of the Mounds Conan with bloodied axe, and Super7 Ultimates! “Timber” from Snake Eyes. You can see that berserker Conan here has a hole in his armor where that pauldron plugs in. In the movie, a pack of wolves attack him. Next scene, he has fur all over his armor…
The berserker/maurauder head is insane, but I prefer the more relaxed unhelmeted head.
All of the articulation is what you would expect, and furthermore if you could remove the armor, I am certain you would just have Masters of the Universe Classics Vikor’s torso buck underneath. The hair does hinder the head movement some.
Though the Atlantean Sword is huge in the movie, I believe this rendition with all of these figures is just too big to be an accurate recreation. You can see that there is better paint on this version than the version that came with the king. I haven’t had any paint chip off of the hilts in this set (yet)
THULSA DOOM
I am writing this just one week after James Earl Jones passed away. Sad stuff. He was a great actor…he contributed so much to everything he did, from Thulsa Doom to Mufasa to Darth Vader to The Sandlot. And in this movie he was a very terrifying villain if you like Conan the Barbarian at all. All of these worshippers…he had them completely hypnotized. And that he could change into a snake was a cool power. I know it was the 1980’s, but this was an underused power in the movie.
Here is what you get with Thulsa Doom:
Thulsa Doom figure with removable cape.
Alternate head sculpt capturing Thulsa’s awesome battle helmet
Twin daggers
The ceremonial snake “Fangs of the Serpent” Dagger
A bow with a snake arrow.
Alternate hands…fists and praying hands.
This sculpt looks just like James Earl Jones. Really, the likeness to the look of the character in the movie is remarkable. Just like Conan, you have identical articulation that is restricted by the head sculpt only. Very likely also Vikor’s buck with some armor sculped and glued over. This cape is an improvement on what we saw on King Conan. It has Velcro straps that reach around.
I think the helmeted head is over-the-top. I wish we had a curly snake. In the movie he takes the normal snake and stretches it into this arrow with the instructions “seek.” It becomes a homing arrow. Unfortunately, you can’t get him into a proper archery pose. Like most figures nowadays that have bows and arrows, he can’t properly “knock” the arrow. Check out the back of the cape.
The Fangs of the Serpent knife is very detailed and welcome, though I am uncertain he ever actually uses it in the movie. If I remember right, it is the king who hires them to save his daughter that has it.
SUBOTAI
If you ever read any Conan the Barbarian comics, he is usually paired with someone weaker but smarter. In this movie that is Subotai.
Here’s what Subotai comes with:
Subotai figure
Alternate head with a different expression
Spear
Short sword with a scabbard
Bow with arrow
Alternate hands with…wait for it…separations in the fingers so you can “attempt” a proper arrow pose.
This buck is different, and I looked to see who I have that might share it. I believe Ultimates! Snake Eyes from GI Joe has this same torso. It is smaller, skinnier as to be expected with no ab crunch.
Once again, this head sculpt looks like the actor and the character. (Gerry Lopez-he is also a professional surfer!)
Perhaps of the four, this is my least favorite. But it is good variety, and I wish I had the monk guy, and also Thorgrim, (this figure costs a ton at this point). And now an admission from the SpartanNerd. I got so frustrated trying to get Subotai into an arrow pose, I didn’t even try with Thulsa Doom. 😦
PICTURED: Super7 Ultimates! Battle of the Mouinds Conan and Subotai with MASTERVERSE New Eternia Snout Spout. There is a classic Robert E. Howard story, the Tower of the Elephant, or something like that. So here is a remix of that.
VALERIA (Spirit)
Valeria isn’t even named in the movie, only the credits. But she is truly the driver of this story about a slave who finds freedom. She has her own type of slavery to be free of.
This is the perfect portrait of Sandahl Bergman. I’m sure Arnold and the estate of James Earl Jones don’t need this NIL money so much, but I hope this figure bankrolls Sandahl and Gerry. Especially Sandahl, who was such an underused actress after this terrific performance. Enough glowing…get to it SpartanNerd! Of these four figures, Valeria is my favorite to photograph!
But we don’t get much with this figure. And readers of the blog know that this really bothers the SpartanNerd.
With Valeria we get…
A slender, curved sword, like she wields in her final scene.
Alternate hands. There are gripping and fists. (She came with princess wave hands displayed).
And that’s it. 😦
We could have got The Eye of the Serpent necklace that she and Conan stole. (But Conan from this same set came with that…)
We could have got…really all kinds of accessories. But we got just the basics. To be fair, this is what she used in the scene where she returns as a Valkyrie to save Conan, and this is what she was wearing.
So…some sort-of uncomfortable things to talk about…
To preserve her side hip profile, which is obviously a panty-less lady barbarian, there is a ”split” in the skirt piece on her leotard. This is left unpainted, but you can see the joint seams, and that isn’t very flattering.
(OK…she has silver-painted under there. I know someone was wondering. Reverend SpartanNerd condemns thee!) But on the side profile, what could be the most attractive curve on the figure…the way this breaks up the sculpt doesn’t do it for me.
The articulation is very good, and she can turn her head but you have to move her locks over. These shoulder pauldrons are glued on, and her straps are painted details. That she is chrome silver is very nice.
PICTURED: Super7 Ultimates Valeria (Spirit) and Mythic Legions Sir Godfrey. Both have brilliant chrome paint.
I think Sandahl is actually taller than this figure portrays. Probably to accommodate those ridiculous wings on top of the helmet (AWESOME!), they made the figure just a tad shorter. Below I am showing off the Masters of the Universe Classics Battleground Teela along with Valeria (Spirit,) and I think they have made her shorter. Wouldn’t this figure technically be the 5.0 MOTUC figure?
The Snake Dagger is perfect with the Teela, Warrior Goddess outfit.
Actually, I think they are the same basic body. So maybe not. Maybe just the MOTUC scale is actually too small to properly capture Sandahl’s height. (I am using the MASTERVERSE Revelation Teela’s alternate hair’s-down head, as I usually do. No, it doesn’t fit snugly)
BATTLE OF THE MOUNDS BLOODY WEAPONS SUPER PACK
Here’s what you get with this exclusive pack:
Conan Broken Father Sword
Conan Atlantean Sword (Bloody)
Subotai Spear (Bloody)
Subotai Arrow (Bloody)
Thulsa Doom Fangs of the Serpent Dagger (Bloody)
Subotai Sword (Bloody)
Valeria Sword (bloody)
Conan Axe (Bloody)
Conan Father Sword
Don’t these guys just look better armed with these weapons!
Conan’s father’s sword, along with the father’s half-sword he uses when he defeats Thulsa Doom at the end of the movie… I believe this is the only way to get these two weapons. Conan’s father’s sword is even bigger than the Atlantean sword.
PICTURED: Super7 Ultimates! Thulsa Doom armed with Conan’s Father Sword. he is on the MASTERVERSE New Eternia Bone Throne. If someone besides Skeletor would sit there, it would be Thulsa Doom or King Hiss.SPOILER ALERT. This is how the movie ends.
SPARTANNERD’S RATING OF THE BATTLE OF THE MOUNDS SET
How should I even do this? As a set, it is a perfect 5/5…it leaves me wanting more, like Thorgrim and the monk guy. Isn’t there another barbarian thug on Thulsa’s team? I think so. I want those guys. As a set, 5/5.
Here is my rating of each part of the set.
Conan– 4/5. The armor strap button is a problem. You can see how loose it is even in these pictures.
Thulsa Doom– 5/5. James Earl Jones is honored very well with this figure.
Subotai– 4/5. even though he has that notched finger, it is still pretty hard to get him to pull off an archers pose.
Valeria (Spirit)– The sculpt and the paint carries this one. 5/5…my favorite to photograph. Though there are some unsightly seams on the hips and not many accessories.
Bloodied Weapons Super Pack– 5/5. How useful are these?! See above…the snake witches knife goes perfect with Teela in her cobra snake armor. As far as I know, we never had Conan’s father’s sword. The other weapons are the same that came with the other figures, but with blood. How can that be worse than plain?
So do you agree, or disagree, Hub City Geeks? This time Super7 didn’t ask me to apply for their affiliate program. Either way, these figures are excellent, and I highly recommend them if you like Conan the Barbarian or just barbarians in general.
Whiplash is the only villain in modern form for Masters of the Universe that I feel I am really missing, besides maybe Modulok and Screech. That MASTERVERSE figures are very affordable and generally excellent, and plentiful unlike the superior Masters of the Universe Classics figures has allowed me to have a goal and complete that goal. Reclaim all of the figures I had as a kid. So to me Webstor isn’t important. Jitsu and Ninjor, not important. I didn’t have these. I like the Evil Horde, and will get some of them, but I don’t have the same connection to them as I do Skeletor’s friends. I’m ready for them to release some MASTERVERSE Snake Men. There are also a lot of holes to fill in the Heroic slot for me.
The MASTERVERSE Whiplash figure Mattel has put out just isn’t that great. I haven’t seen it in person, but the pictures I have seen of it just don’t do it for me. Like most MASTERVERSE figures he is too lanky, and I believe Whiplash should be bulkier if anything. The head seems too small and kind of wrong. And the weapons and stuff seem off too. The secondary market price is around $40, and I just figure eventually they will come out with a better one. (I have seen a sealed Classics Whiplash for $200. PASS!)
But then there is this…I saw it at Toy Federation in Greer, SC. (Maybe that is more like Taylors or Simpsonville?). (Excellent store. I can spend hours in there and would if I lived closer!)
So this is SSKUR’GE. A Cosmic Legions figure (and my first one!). In case you didn’t figure out from the context clues, Cosmic Legions is the science fiction version of Mythic Legions. You can see a cross sell from the back of the packaging below.
You can see that there are some other Masters of the Universe tributes in this line. Slush Head and Man-E-Faces.Because this is my first Cosmic Legions figure, I wanted to show off the packaging a little more. Check out the font of SSKUR’GE’s name below.
This little story lets us know that SSKUR’GE is a bounty hunter, and as I read this and the story online about him, I get the feeling that he is kind of like The Skuxxoid from The Transformers.
Outpost Zaxxius is apparently the name of the set that SSKUR’GE was released in.
So what the Four Horsemen studios are doing is kind of one-upping Mattel. They have their own IP, but are doing their figures in tribute colors to the Masters of the Universe. Case in point, I ordered Anthophilees immediately when I saw him. (Maybe get him by Christmas next year. (Sigh.). Anthophilees is the strongest example of them all (Buzz-Off tribute), but here SSKUR’GE is very strong in the Whiplash hole. He really only has one weakness…neither head looks like Whiplash.
(If you want to see another example I have of the Four Horsemen tributing a figure, check out my review of Demistros, the Skeletor tribute.)
When you get him out of the box, this is what you get. You have to attach the tail…
So to accomplish this, you have to take your brand new $75 giant figure and separate the torso from the waist. This was not easy. And then you have some soft goods for furry shorts (not furry shorts), which complicates getting it back together correctly. I am never removing this tail again, or swapping the parts of this figure, so at least I won’t have to do it again. (In case you don’t know, Mythic Legions and Cosmic Legions are entirely parts swappable in their own scale. The scale of this figure is Ogre scale.) I made good use of the hair dryer.
If you watch these little turntable clips, you can hear my birds chirping in the background!
Here I am showing you the figure assembled and everything you get in the box, and also including the inside of the box as the diorama. (He is standing on the box for Skeletor’s Throne)
In the box, you get
SSKUR’GE figure, who is “ogre scale” and of the apparently new “dragon” buck.
Two heads, one dragon “default” and the other alien.
Four alternate hands, two of which are fists
A large spear with a mace head
A scythe and trident intended to combine into one weapon.
THE SCULPT
The Four Horsemen are just the gold standard. That’s it. They have built these lines on this quality pop-art form. Think about it, did you need Mythic Legions or Cosmic Legions in your life until you saw them? There is no cartoon or comic book. No video game. Just the toys. They have created a line of generic fantasy that is positively KILLING IT. They made it for the Elden Ring fans and Dungeons and Dragons crowd. They made it so it goes with Masters of the Universe, or in this case also Star Wars or Transformers.
We have seen elements of this sculpt before in MOTUC Draego Man. I don’t have that figure any more, but I went back and looked at some pictures. They have truly advanced their ideas. Draego Man as a figure appears to be much stiffer and have less character. You don’t see the joints right off like you did in the old MOTUC days, and that has something to do with it.Here SSKUR’GE (I really like typing that name) has similar scales and toothy, horned elements. (This exact same sculpt with different paint is available as Mythic Legions Araccagor.)
I don’t know if you can tell, but I don’t care too much for that alien head. To me it looks like some kind of sad duck. The reason I almost punted on this figure is that neither head really looks like Whiplash…But…
PICTURED: Mythic Legions Balthor the Tower Ogre, armed with Animal Warriors of the Kingdom’s gold axe. And SSKUR’GE armed with the scythe and trident spear.PICTURED: Same as above, but this time Balthor is throwing a Skeleton Legion Builder figure at SSKUR’GE, who is ready to to use the Whiplash tail. Notice the plugs on the back of the harness…I haven’t removed it, but likely one day we will get some wings.
PAINT
(Continued from …But…). The green and blue paint apps on this just overrides the weakness of the head sculpt when you put him with the other MASTERVERSE villains.
PICTURED: MASTERVERSE New Eternia Two-Bad and Cosmic Legions SSKUR’GE. Don’t these two just “seem” to go together?
The green is intentially two-tone Whiplash colored. The lighter green highlights his face and underside parts like hands, and the darker represents armor on his back. Not only do I get Whiplash vibes, but also Killer Croc vibes.
The armor pieces like the bracers and the waist pieces have a metallic sheen that I really like. That soft goods loin cloth is a kind of felt with fancy stripes. I can’t tell if the metal ring on his back is actually metal or plastic, but it is painted in the same color as the shiny parts of green on the harness. There is a pop of gold on his belt.
ACCESSORIES
Oh boy. Here is a weak part.
So the long pole mace that he comes with has the same handle as the weapon that came with my other ogre scale figure. Can’t the Horsemen give us something different? This time it is painted in gold or brass. And what even is a mace like this?
The other two weapons are designed to fit together in tribute to what Whiplash came with in the 200x line. The problem is, the handles are for a different scale of a figure.
PICTURED: Comparison Time! I don’t’ have a vintage Whiplash, but I picked up a loose 200x Whiplash the day before I decided to go back to Toy Federation. To me, everything is similar except the head sculpt.PICTURED: SSKUR’GE fights against a Legion Builder gold knight (review coming soon) and also Mythic Legions Sir Godfrey (I think I have the name correct.) My point is that the trident and scythe don’t fit on the other pole.
But wait…there’s more…(facepalm)
These weapon pieces would be better if they could fit together on the pole pieces that came with the mace. But they don’t. I tried jamming them together…it just wasn’t really meant to happen. And it would be far cooler if it would work.
SPARTANNERD RATING OF COSMIC LEGIONS SSKUR’GE
I’ve said it before and want to re-iterate. As an adult collector, I have a job. Sometimes I have two. I have real life responsibilities, and this side hobby is pure escapism. It is escapism from the constant bad news. The constant political news. The constant culture wars. Getting this was an alternative to buying new Magic the Gathering cards, or a new video game, or going out to eat somewhere, or going to the movies. The nostalgia factor here is a key part of it. But also, like I said above, the Four Horsemen have created things that you didn’t know you wanted until you saw it. Kind of like Steve Jobs/Apple did with the iPad I am typing on right now. I happened to be going through the area where the Toy Federation is two days in a row. I walked around with the box on the first day, but then bought the 200x version instead. When I went home, it was nagging at me. So the next day when I was in town I went ahead and grabbed it.
SSKUR’GE here checks every box. Can I chalk up the head sculpt not being like Whiplash as a weakness? Not for this product. Both head sculpt options are sculpted and painted terrifically, just neither looks like Whiplash, which at a certain point the Horsemen probably aren’t allowed to do anyway.
I do think the accessories are the weakest point, and believe the Horsemen could have given us a proper scaled trident but cut the corners here. On the other hand, both parts of the weapon have good paint. Still not sure how practical a mace on a long pole would be. But it does look cool, and will be modular with other weapons in ogre scale for the line. And it isn’t like he can’t hold the trident…it is very loose. But this weapon is in scale for the other Mythic Legions that I have so it has additional use.
I couldn’t be happier with this figure. It is one of the best that I purchased over the summer. 5/5. I MIGHT look into getting a proper Whiplash head sculpt on the customizers market. Or maybe I will wait and see if Mattel comes out with a better MASTERVERSE Whiplash. But if they do, it won’t be as awesome as SSKUR’GE. And when assembled with all the bad guys, he really completes the picture.
My “bad guy” collection. Everyone’s here (Except Modulok and Screech). One Day I might update this to be a better pic with a proper diorama backdrop.
So SpartanNerd’s rating of Cosmic Legions SSKUR’GE Whiplash is 5/5. Do you agree or disagree, oh Hub City Geeks? Let me know in the comments!
For unboxing and initial review of the packaging for Snout Spout and Vykron , click here.
INITIAL THOUGHTS
Snout Spout is one of them characters. Yep.
So I have owned every version of Snout Spout ever released EXCEPT for the 200x Staction, which looks totally awesome! I picked up the Masters of the Universe Classics version at Big Lots that time that a bunch of Matty Collector stuff landed there…But I sold that when I did my mass sell off of MOTUC figures. (I am really starting to regret that. It wouldn’t be so bad if Mattel would support MEGA a little more). As a vintage character, I remember using that squirting action feature all the time. The Classics version didn’t have that, but came with the awesome Jaws of Life weapon. I didn’t get that “Heads pack” with the awesome 200x design.
When Mattel Creations listed Snout Spout for $33 a few months ago, I thought about it. Wouldn’t they just eventually mark it down? It did look cool, but did I like the character that much? Remember, I picked up the Classics version for $20…that was really a steal and a deal that will probably never come back up. the MASTERVERSE version didn’t look quite as fierce as the 200x version, but it didn’t look like a Dumbo either as the vintage one and stock MOTUC one did. I finally decided to when I saw Vykron on a Mattel Creations sale and thought, “what else should I get” while I was on vacation. Not getting Motherboard at $65 of Dark-lyn. Snout Spout was the winner.
So what did I think of it when I had it in hand…keep reading to see the SpartanNerd’s review, and also his first ever Special Effects Toy Photography!
ADDITIONAL PACKAGING REVIEW
When you open the box, you get to see a poster of the same artwork on the cover. BUT the other side features (EXCITEMENT!!)
YEP. SNAKE MEN! Now there is no reason to have snake men here. Snout Spout (presented as a firefighter) doesn’t have much to do with them. Mattel will have to do some explaining. He does look cool standing between King Hiss and the lady (Lady Slither?). But more importantly, this art seems to point to Snake Men coming soon to MASTERVERSE!
Snout Spout was tied in just like Vykron. No blister bubble. One thing that is an improvement on the package is the smooth black poster finish on the cardboard. But the way the trunk is wrapped…it makes it look like he was injured.
You can open the little box, which doubles as a stand, to see the rest of the items.
FIGURE REVIEW
Here is everything you get.
Snout Spout figure. He has a power harness and belt that is removable.
Fire fighter’s axe
Backpack
Three hoses
Alternate fist hands
Water blast effect
A good bit of items! And look how impressive he looks! This orange and pink and metallic purple, silver, and bright red. It all works so well!
Those eyes use “Light Piping.” And this is kind of a bummer. Mattel tries to play it up as great, but it would be better if there was some kind of battery. When you don’t have a light right overhead, you get the “dead eyes” look.
So the hoses can be attached all over the place. You can connect them from the bottom of the backpack to the power harness. You can connect the shorter one from the top of the backpack to the back of his head. You can connect one to the bottom of the axe to make it into a nozzle. You can use your imagination! You can also attach the water effext to the power harness to make it seem like he sprung a leak. Or you can put it on the end of the axe.
Speaking of imagination, the SpartanNerd is a middle school chorus teacher…one of the things that almost kept me from purchasing this was the belt. What might a middle school student (especially a boy) say about that pressure gauge?
The hose nose (this is Snout Spout’s alternate name). His real name…Jaxston. Awesome! This nose is very posable, made of several hard plastic joints. Not foam. Not rubber with wire. This was done right!
ACCESSORIES
I really already talked about them, didn’t I!
But not including the Jaws of Life…that is a missed opportunity. Now I realize that item was roughly an homage to The Four Horsemen…it was in the shape of their symbol. Still…we have Clamp Champ. There could have been some parts re-use.
The axe is pretty cool. It looks kind of dinged up and used. There could be more paint apps.
REAL SPECIAL EFFECTS PHOTOGRAPHY!
This is my first time. I watched of few YouTube videos, especially about adding explosions and fire to GI Joe Classified and Star Wars Black Series figures. I knew there would be plenty, and I could apply those here.
I took a trip to the Dollar General Market to find some dollhouse pieces or something to destroy. It would have to be really cheap. Would you believe the only thing they had was an off-brand Barbie doll house that was $25! No way. Not for this project. So I went back home, and took the to box cutter to some Amazon boxes. And some spray paint…
Here are some of the pics I got when I lit it all up!
PICTURED: New Eternia MASTERVERSE Snout Spout rescuing MASTERVERSE Revelation Evil-Lyn, who is dressed in Tri-Klops’ robe as “Eternian Winch.”
I did two special effects videos… the fire and a snow one for the barbarians. But the fire one was truly a blast! No, this Snout Spout can’t really squirt water. But he looks great fighting fire!
SPARTANNERD’S RATING OF MATTEL CREATIONS MASTERVERSE NEW ETERNIA SNOUT SPOUT
Not kidding. Snout Spout turned out to be one of the coolest figures I almost punted on. I’m glad I didn’t! He looks impressive. So tall and heroic. He is taller than anyone else besides Mekanek with all the pieces. At first I thought this torso was a re-use of 40th anniversary He-Man, but it can’t be because the neck is different and larger. It is similar size to Beast Man, but isn’t the same either. The only re-used parts I see are the pauldrons, which are Vykron’s but with all red. The head sculpt doesn’t look like the 200x, but it also doesn’t look like the sad elephant from the vintage line. Those are huge feet…he stands very stable for what is a heavy build and big head. The trunk is very posable.
The light-piping isn’t very great, some kind of electronic design would be better. I am considering modding this with some LED’s. I seem to be living dangerously lately. The Jaws of Life would have been a good include. But the many options for display, plus the bonus promise of snake men over-rides these weaknesses. Snout Spout is one of the best figures I own now! I highly recommend him. 5/5!
For unboxing and initial review of the packaging for Vykron and Snout Spout, click here.
INITIAL THOUGHTS ON VYKRON
Vykron is a character that Mattel wants to keep shoving at us. I mean…who ever asked for Vykron in the first place? That he is a prototype He-Man concept is cool to a point, but the main idea for Mattel should be “keep it interesting for most people.” Offering someone like Vykron out there really appeals to maybe especially Classics fans. A certain crowd of people like the SpartanNerd. Middle aged Filmation, minicomics, vintage line types.
What I am saying, they would pull more mass appeal with a proper Moss Man, or Rio Blast, or Mosquitor, or … really…just about any A-list character. (Are Rio Blast and Mosquitor A-listers? Maybe B-listers). My point- everyone wants a proper Faker with orange armor. Everyone wants vintage style Roboto. Everyone wants King Randor, or the Sorceress to be done right. But they throw Vykron out there, and he is someone that most people won’t recognize, and now a product that I have seen on toy store shelves in boxes for $75 is being placed on sale at MattelCreations for $15. YEP. $15. This couldn’t be good for the brand OR MASTERVERSE. (This price was low enough for me to finally make the purchase.)
Then there is the whole Mark Taylor/Roger Sweet controversy. In my heart, I believe who is now called Vykor was the first He-Man. This was based on the barbarian concept by Mark Taylor. Roger Sweet INDEED contributed alot to He-Man and to his identity. But the very beginning has to be Mark Taylor. You can read about this if you haven’t heard of it you can read an article on Vykron at the Battleram Blog.
So all of this rant…what do I actually think about the MASTERVERSE figure?
MORE ON THE PACKAGING
When you open the box, you are greeted with some more artwork. This piece of cardboard is double-sided. The art you see depicts Vykron fighting skeleton warriors (Yes!), while the back of that is a mini diorama of Eternia, featuring the alien landscape with Eternos Palace in the distance, and a planetary backdrop.
You could hang the poster side of the battle, and photograph the Diorama (I will be doing that here!)
When you remove the art, Vykron is revealed dressed in his barbarian look. You can also see the helmet and gun from the military look, the jetpack from the spaceman look, and the battle axe. There is notably no blister bubble in this box. Oddly, I appreciate that. The box is such a display delight that we don’t have to see the figure on display. Someone who wants to collect everything with blister bubbles will be disapointed. But here, they didn’t even use bread ties, opting for those “paper” ties. (Is that stuff called “Jute?”
The figure stand opens up like the GI Joe Classified toys, revealing other parts..
I didn’t photograph it, but you can totally use the backdrop, stand Vykron on the stand in a pose, and keep him on display as a “staction” figure. This is a bonus 200x kind of idea that Mattel is tapping…much appreciated!
Overall, this package is very nice and I am reluctant to discard it. I will eventually, but nobody out there who makes toys needs to neglect how important the boxes are for “the feels.” This box won’t be valuable ever probably, but if you look at vintage toys, the packaging is unbelievably in demand. (Vinatage GI Joe and Transformers boxes especially). But I saw a complete vintage He-Man loose for $25, sitting in front of a MOC He-Man for $250 at a toy store (with yellowed bubble no less!). That is what nostalgia has done to people. Amping up the packaging of modern toys can at least let everyone today share the experience.
WHAT DO YOU GET IN THE BOX
Oh Boy! What a list!
Vykron figure- wearing gear (listed below)
Brown battle harness featuring blue Iron Cross
Soft-goods feathery cape
Shin guards featuring Iron Crosses
Wrist bracers
I armed him with the battle axe for the pic.
The helmet is NOT removable!
Space Armor Items
Space battle harness with ..
space helmeted head. This has a hose that can disconnect to use somewhere else.
Orange Lazer gun
White bracers
Backpack with removable wings.
Military Armor Items
Military battle harness with removable pauldrons
Army tank helmet
Green armor bracers
Green shin armor
Very large gun. (Is this a rocket launcher?)
Also included…a pair of fist hands.
Notably, you can use the space backpack with the military armor.
FIGURE REVIEW
I guess we will start with the barbarian
…less work, right? I say this because I can see the hair dryer being needed a mile away! The straps on the back of the shins look to require some dexterity.
I get to do a little bit of “comparison time” first. I actually picked up the Vykron barbarian armor from Masters of the Universe Classics at the Greenville Retro Toy con a few years back for something like $10. Then I modded Battleground Teela so she could wear the helmet. So here is the first big difference. MOTUC Vykron (which I never owned) had a slot on his head so you could change helmets. This helmet would slide right on, apparently. I realize that Vykron is made of earlier MASTERVERSE parts, but in the past year they released New Eternia Man-At-Arms, who features a removable helmet. I’m just saying…it could have been done.
The MOTUC axe is better than the MASTERVERSE axe. I’ve always felt that it was a little bit skinny, but look how nice a female character can hold it! These harnesses are almost identical, but the MOTUC one was designed for chunkier torsos. (Yes. I went there. Would you have for YOUR toy review?). Do I prefer the sculpted cape to the soft-goods cape? On one hand, the sculpted cape does look good. On the other, the soft-goods cape is adaptable to fit on the shoulders however you like. You can see that the MOTUC shin guards clip on the boots and are held on by tension, while the modern MASTERVERSE ones have armor straps.
So there is some improvement, but some steps back.
Vykron looks awesome, but did you notice that this is the only He-Man figure maybe ever that didn’t COME WITH A SWORD! (I thought I had a picture, but I guess not. There IS a loop under the soft goods to hold a sword. The axe fits fine in there, but you have to bunch the cape.)
Military Vykron
Apparently, he can be called “Tank Top.”
I had to get the hair dryer as predicted to get the shin guards off. These go on easier, with a “button strap” instead of belts. You have to remove the hands and bracers to put on the green bracers. The helmet has a large hole underneath the chin so you can just pop it over Vykron’s barbarian head. And here is a missed opportunity. We could have gotten a bald head, or a crew-cut head, or some other military look of a head sculpt. Making the helmet removable from barbarian Vykron’s head would have worked nicely. The guns on the side of the helmet move up and down like the sides of the Attak Trak. This gun seems to be a missile launcher, but it doesn’t have a removable rocket.
You can mount the space jetpack on the back of the harness to add something else of interest. The mystery is…what are those slots on the back of the helmet meant to be? None of these accessories go with that, including the “wings” that slot on the jetpack.
This helmet has it’s own positive qualities, though.
It could totally be a vehicle for a World’s Smallest micro He-Man, or go well with GI Joe Classified Seargeant Slaughter’s included micro-fig. Viewed in this way as a vehicle, it is reminiscent of “The Collector” that Skeletor used in FILMATION. (There is an Origins Collector vehicle for sale out there. So tempting. But I don’t collect Origins.). It kind of has the look of the beak on the Talon Fighter, the guns of the Attack Track, the rear-end of the Road Ripper, the mouth of Land Shark. Clearly the design department was going for all of this when they decided to make something that didn’t look so much like an American military tank.
These micro-figures are so small, once again they are a hazzard. I literally lost the shield breaking He-Man back out of the box. I found it after I packed everything up. Go figure.
Space Armor
Apparently this version of Vykron can be called “Space Ace.” I wonder if they bounced that one off of KISS, or at least Ace Frehley.
Maybe you can tell, but I find this version of Vykron to be the least interesting. He reminds me of Zodac somewhat. Why aren’t there any shin guards to cover up those Roman Soldier/ Arctic boots? This is meant to be a helmet, but they just made it an alternate head sculpt. It is said that this resembles the space suit that was cardboard in the vintage Castle Grayskull. Roger Sweet’s design was just Boba Fett armor applied to either Big Jim or GI Joe.
You can un-attach the hose and use the helmet somewhere else. I don’t know where, but you could… The hose is not removable from the helmet, however. The wings on the jetpack are removable, and you can see that pictured on the Military version’s back if you want.
WHAT IS THE REAL VALUE OF VYKRON
Well…check out the pics below.
Pictured: Clockwise from the left- MASTERVERSE Revelation King Grayskull, Masters of the Universe Classics Vikor, Super7 Ultimates! King Conan, MASTERVERSE Revelation Savage He-Man, Mythic Legions Balthor the Tower Ogre, Masters of the Universe Classics Battleground Teela (with Revelation Teela head), Mattel Creations MASTERVERSE Vykron, and MASTERVERSE 40th Anniversary He-Man. There is all kinds of weapons and accessories pictured…can you identify them?
Vykron is just another barbarian for my growing collection. That by itself would have been worth $15.
PICTURED:- MASTERVERSE Revelation Tri-Klops wearing Tank Top armor and MASTERVERSE New Eternia Man-At-Arms wearing Space Ace armor.
But, here is Man-At-Arms and Tri-Klops. The space armor really works well with Man-At-Arms, and seems like something he would use if anyone would. And that helmet fits better on Tri-Klops than it does on Vykron by a long way, plus with that round eye selected, it is like you are staring down the throat of a monster. This is how I plan on using the accessories…Vykron can remain a barbarian. This stuff is a nice arsenal.
SPARTANNERD’S RATING OF MATTEL CREATIONS MASTERVERSE VYKRON
At $75 (Toy Collector store price), no way. NEVER. Not even at $65 (the price of Motherboard at Mattel Creations right now) or $33 (the price of Snout Spout. Review coming soon) Give me a Mythic Legions for that price.
But having gotten this on what is apparently clearance on Mattel Creations for $15, it is a no brainer 5/5. Philosophically I might have a little bit of a problem with Mattel pushing Vykron out there. But as a figure, especially at that low, low price…especially with all of the accessories and a nice diorama. No question.
I kept putting this purchase off, but didn’t want another faker situation. I caught Mekaneck on sale on BigBadToyStore, and boom, here was my chance
Here was a character that I owned and played with everyday as a child..not only was he cool to imagine a spy, you could also use the action feature to head butt other characters and knock them down. Another memory about this character. The armor was stiff plastic, which was better than the typical rubber armor. But the tabs broke and so my Mekaneck went shirtless a lot. Stinkor’s armor was the same but orange, so you could mix and match
Who is featured on the bottom? Battle Armor He-Man. This makes the second version in the MASTERVERSE line. Tri-Klops. This makes the second version in the MASTERVERSE line. I concede that each version has its strengths, but don’t feel the need for another Tri-Klops. I predict a big clearance on Battle Armor He-Man eventually because of the glut of product out there. Then I will pick up both version. I actually have King Keldor now, and will be posting a review soon.
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PACKAGING NOTES
You can see the packaging art is very nice, and you can see that the blue Road Ripper is featured heavily. Also, whatever species that Clawful is, there are lots of those guys around, so the illustration makes it seem that Mekaneck is spying on their camp. If you read the little bio story, you can see that New Eternia Mekaneck is part of a submarine squadron, a very cool new spin. (This makes the Road Ripper an aquatic vehicle too! Maybe…maybe!!! We can get a MASTERVERSE Road Ripper! How hard could it be?) You can see in the illustration some classic pieces of Castle Grayskull, namely the weapons, and that chest has the same design as the classic trap door.
This is another one of those boxes that is akin to what is going on with Transformers, and I like this very much. It gives more room for story art, and you can see the figure just fine if you wanted to keep them in box. It is also semi-collector friendly. The blister bubble inside isn’t worth much, but the character can stand in there and be seen without it, and there is a storage compartment for accessories to boot.
FIGURE REVIEW
Here is everything you get in the box:
alternate fist hands
five(!) telescoping neck pieces
classic mace, with a new twist (see below)
shield featuring the blue Road Ripper
The figure stands well and has very good paint. But something especially striking is the VAC METAL or SHINY FOIL goggles! They can do it here, why not on say…Thunder Punch He-Man? It is notable that this is only on the goggles. The other chrome details on the armor are painted. I like the contrast of the dark “furry shorts” and the green-ish belt. I like the silver straps on the boots also.
ACCESSORIES
The shield has “patina” already on the sticker as a part of the design, which is appreciable. These kinds of stickers wear and fade with age, often showing that white paper backing. So they just built it in to this shield, which is the very opposite of some of the boring shields they have given us on some figures. This shield has a peg instead of a strap, making this the second design like this I have seen. There is hole in the wrist and one on the back of the armor where the shield can go. And like I said, could we get a blue Road Ripper?
And now for the new spin on the mace. This mace is presented as a telescope. This is something that never occurred to me, and I wonder if there was a discarded design precedent in the past for the vintage or 200x line. This mace is in two pieces, so the big diamond-y part can detach just like the head or neck pieces. This will make a great new way to display alternate head sculpts. I didn’t get a photo of it, but the shorter “handle” piece is a convincing telescope by itself.
As you can see above, you can use just one of the neck joints to create a classic vintage feel. Or…
You can go more 200x with this one. And I’m not kidding, if I see Mekaneck on clearance in December or sometime, I am picking up more just to get these neck pieces to play with! So this is a big win, Mattel. Thank you for paying attention to what we probably want.
yep. You can use the neck pieces to extend the telescope!
SPARTANNERD’S RATING OF MASTERVERSE NEW ETERNIA MEKANECK
Are you kidding me? This is one of the best MASTERVERSE figures. Why did I put off this purchase? I think I have been holding out for Faker or Whiplash.
PICTURED: MASTERVERSE New Eternia Mekaneck and Mythic Legions Balthor the Tower Ogre. I wanted to highlight just how tall Mekaneck can be…that is like a nine inch figure! Balthor is armed with McFarlane Toys Raven Spawn’s chain.PICTURED: MASTERVERSE New Eternia Mekaneck and Man-E-Faces. I am titling this one “Two Wierdos.”
Really the fun doesn’t stop. The figure is sculpted and painted well. The articulation is more than great considering the neck joints. The accessories have been riffed on in the best possible ways. And there is extended funtionality because the end of the telescope can be used to display some of the alternate heads in the future. My rating of this figure is a solid 5/5.
spartannerd 