Category Archives: Skeletor

New Eternia Terror Claws Skeletor-SpartanNerd Unboxing and Review

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I was gifted Terror Claws Skeletor…a version of Skeletor I never had as a kid. (I didn’t care for the generation that was Flying Fist He-Man and Terror Claws Skeletor, and I believe this was He-Man’s fault). But I remember the Terror Claws from the mini comics, and I really like mini comics. (Versions of Skeletor I had were OG, Battle Armor, and Dragon Blaster).

Keep reading to find out my opinion on this Masterverse re-imagined version.

PACKAGING

Terror Claws Skeletor comes in the typical Masterverse package. It has a nice window where you can see the figure inside with some accessories…in this case part of his claw. You can see that he is wearing a helmet with a visor also, which looks kind of Judge Dredd-ish. The art is very nice, showing Terror Claws Skeletor fighting the fully transformed King Hiss.

If you angle the box to the side you can see a continuation of the main image…Cobra Kahn is standing in the background, with Viper Tower looming overhead.

The other side of the box has the library image for those who keep the packaging. I will be cutting this up and adding it to my YouTube video backdrops. But you can see him full on battle posed, and his profile picture at the top.

The back features a photoshopped image of the toy. This bio says that he invented the Terror Claws to go Mano-e-mano with He-Man. (I paraphrased that!). You get some images of the figure with the claws, a back of armor shot where we can see the Dr. Octopus arms, and a mugshot of the helmet with the visor.

There is cross sell on the bottom, showing Terror Claws for one thing, Ninjor…a character that I wasn’t aware of as a child and honestly one of my least favorite Masters characters, and then the newest version of She-Ra.

FIGURE REVIEW

What do you get in the package?

  • Terror Claws Skeletor figure
  • Pair of Terror Claws
  • Pair of alternate hands

Not much to list here. Normally I would complain, but this is Terror Claws Skeletor…his whole jam IS accessories.

This Skeletor has all of the articulation of any Masterverse figure. But this one has a posable jaw, which not every Skeletor gets.

His sculpt and paint are very good. There are dragon details at the top of each terror claw, as well as the classic skull on his armor, but this time kind of cybernetic looking. The armor is what some people like to compare to a crop-top or sports bra…and I agree with joking about that! But it looks like the vintage design. The helmet is kind of a football helmet with spikes running up the mohawk. His feet have metal boots covering monster feet. There is this glossy blue, purple, and silver paint all over the figure, with the same pale blue that BA Skeletor has. I think the paint is one of the best features of this figure. The red belt also compliments red evil eyes that always work for Skeletor.

The visor on the helmet is removable (the helmet is not). This is kind of a sunglasses design…your best bet is to wedge your fingernail at the seam between the helmet and glasses at the top. You can then use the glasses on other figures.

PICTURED: New Eternia Battle Armor Skeletor, NE Terror Claws Skeletor, and Masterverse Movie Skeletor. Also notice a rando Mythic Legions skull that has the visor on it. Battle Armor Skeletor is still the winner…I have armed him with an extra Havoc Staff and also with Heatboys Donatello’s camouflage cape. But Movie Skeletor is surely in everyone’s mind. Click to see my movie trailer analysis.

ACCESSORIES

Like I said…that is what this figure is about. Those gigantic claws. This time we have mechanical arms attached to them. These run from the same kind of sockets that we have on the back of New Etheria Hordak (they are for wings). I don’t believe that was a part of the vintage design. What Mattel is doing is updating this Skeletor to have a more techno look, which also tracks well with the old Mini Comics, where the dinosaurs had a “techno virus,” an idea that also was kind of used in the most recent Kevin Smith cartoon series.

PICTURED: New Eternia Battle Armor He-Man vs. New Eternia Terror Claws Skeletor. Skeletor is meant to go up against Flying Fist He-Man…a figure I do not want.
PICTURED: New Eternia Clawful and New Eternia Terror Claws Skeletor. You can see some shared design aesthetics, for instance Clawful’s new shell on his back and metal boots over monster feet are similar updates to what is going on with Terror Claws Skeletor.
PICTURED: New Eternia Fisto fights New Eternia Terror Claws Skeletor. My complaint about Fisto is that his fist isn’t large enough. It should be as large as Terror Claws Skeletor’s mechanical hands. So Skeletor wins.

SPARTANNERD RATING OF NEW ETERNIA TERROR CLAWS SKELETOR

PICTURED: New Eternia Terror Claws Skeletor and New Eternia Evil Lyn. These two look like they belong together, sharing somewhat of a color scheme. I have Skeletor showing Evil Lyn the Star Seed, which he is able to hold no problem with his metal hands. (It is a spherical polished blue quartz from a rock store at a mall somewhere)

I don’t see any reason to downgrade this figure. His paint is especially good, but his terror claws gimmick has been generously updated, and we also have an articulated jaw and sunglasses style visor that we can use on other figures…this is a home run. Plus, I haven’t had any trouble getting him to stand, and you know these claws would normally present a challenge of balance. But not this time. I think it is because the Masterverse line of figures has reached a point where stupid problems like that just don’t come up as much.

Near the end of the line last year, I had a lot of complaints because it seemed that Mattel was cutting paint. They didn’t on this, and I appreciate it very much. Sculpt, Paint, Accessories, Articulation…all points that I am awarding. And I am giving this the feels point because I am very grateful for it as a gift. I didn’t have him as a kid and wouldn’t have gotten him, but I’m glad to have it now…so I award him a 5/5! Do you agree or disagree, Hub City Geeks? Let me know in the comments!

Turtles of Grayskull Skele-Shredder…SpartanNerd unboxing and review

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Note: Packaging photos on this review are from the day I recorded the YouTube video review.

I was gifted both Origins Cartoon Collection Catra and Turtles of Grayskull Stealth Ninja He-Man, both excellent figures and my “jumping on” point for Mattel’s Origins line. Originally I thought I might collect the WWEternia figures, but then I didn’t. And then the Origins line proper, but I went for Masterverse, a scale and detail I still think is more my type. When the Turtles of Grayskull line was announced, it was just wacky enough that I thought I might get them all. But then I didn’t…opting for more Masterverse and Mythic Legions figures instead. And I pretty much just ignored it after that until I was gifted He-Man.

It felt awkward though, not to have any other figures from the line…especially bad guys. But then I saw Skele-Shredder, who was also on sale as a part of the end-of-the-year sale for Club Grayskull, and I picked this up along with Sharella.

Did I make a good choice?

PACKAGING

Just so you know…it is totally worth looking at the unboxing video.

This really blurs the line between playset and packaging. Kind of like the GI Joe Classified series Cold Slither set. Just the same, here are some shots of what is just in the shipper box. It wasn’t cellophane wrapped or anything…just covered in tissue paper.

Skele-Shredder is sitting on his throne in blister plastic. you can see his two display heads and his spikes. The “skull”comes up…it is it’s own separate sliding box top, and the door (which is a jaw) comes down.

The back…This box becomes a prison cell, making it into a dungeon!

Terrific packaging…the best I have seen in the Origins line. Granted I don’t have much, but really what could be better? There are mutagen ooze details all around it as well.

FIGURE REVIEW

Not only am I showing off what you get in the package, but also my collection of Dark Horse Turtles of Grayskull comics.

What do you get in the package?

  • Minicomic “Havoc is Afoot”
  • Skele-Shredder action figure
  • Two alternate heads
  • Bone ninja claws
  • Ninja Havoc bladed bo staff. (Not actually sure what it’s called.)
  • Throne
  • Foot Clan flag
  • Havoc flag

The word is that this is the final figure for the Turtles of Grayskull line, and that Mattel wanted to “go out with a bang.” They certainly did!

The figure is painted with the black, purple, and blue “evil” palette that we expect to see for Skeletor and Shredder, with some bony weapon details. You can remove the claws, but the bony shin guards are sculpted on to the boots.

There is a cowl with a soft-goods cape, but I had a problem upon opening my figure. The paint on his shoulder wasn’t dry! And so some of that paint has rubbed off on the underside of the collar…not a big deal. And some got on my finger. I have been doing this hobby for years and years…AND I also opened up practically all of my own children’s toys when they were little kids. I have never seen wet paint on an action figure.

Skele-Shredder has two peg holes on the back of his armor, but it isn’t clear what these are for. He didn’t come with any accessory to slot into those. I thought the flags might have some way, but it just isn’t so. (After thinking about it, it is to add wings from other figures that have been released).

The most notable thing about this actual figure is the options for a head. The stock head is a metal skull mask with a samurai crown, reminiscent of the band Slipknot. Another head is similar, but has a red crown and this is intended to be Shredder, while the other head is yellow with a green crown, intended to be Skeletor. I prefer the metal “stock” head over both of the others. I find it a problem that Skeletor’s head doesn’t have an articulated jaw. He has a permanent open mouth smile.

His articulation is exactly what you would expect…it is the same as Stealth Ninja He-Man and Cartoon Collection Faker. Here’s the list anyway: ball-joint head, rotating shoulders that are ball-on-a-peg, swivel wrists, waist twist, ball-on-peg legs, hinged knees, rotation at the boot cut, and rocker ankles.

“Our articulation is the same, and our parts are swappable. But that’s all we have in common!” PICTURED: Turtles of Grayskull Stealth Ninja He-Man and Skele-Shredder, both from the Origins line.

The overall effect of the figure is a perfect combination of Skeletor and Shredder, exactly like his name implies.

ACCESSORIES

The throne. So this is a big draw, and one of the reasons I wanted to get the figure. This is a perfect combination of bony details and metal details. (The toys is made of plastic…references to metal and bone are referring to how the materials look). Most of the chair is made of metal, with a brass or gold outline and a large helmet sitting on top. (This helmet can also be an alternate head for the figure!). The rib cage behind the chair is made of metal blades, and these are all on a movable joint so that you can move them to fit your taste. The armrests of the chair are bone, and there are also two stands for the alternate hands or for storing the ninja spikes. The seat of the chair is sculpted like it is covered in fur, and there is a platform with peg holes for action figure feet beneath the chair.

There are two flags, and these peg in to octagonal holes on either side of the chair. The flag poles are cylindrical, so…(This is a puzzling design.). The only “problem” with this chair is that it is made of thin plastic. I had a hard time getting that helmet attached…I was afraid I would break something by applying too much pressure. Likewise the flags are also flimsy stuff.

For weapons, the claws are removable. These are bent, but don’t look too bad. The main weapon here is the combination ninja spear and Havoc staff. It looks like a cool asian medieval weapon, but with large green skull embedded. There is a mace sculpted to the bottom of the pole, giving it a second business end. Unfortunately, it is kind of loose in Skele-Shredder’s hands.

This box is by itself an awesome accessory. Who is throwing this away or mutilating it? I cut up a lot of packages lately to make backdrops, but not this one.

The Minicomic…here is a picture of the cover along with Sharella’s comic. The story…a follow up to Stealth-Ninja He-Man’s comic that kind of ends on a cliffhanger. An odd choice if indeed this is the end of the Turtles of Grayskull line. (You can find my review of Sharella here).

PHOTOS

“I already took out one robotic turtle, now it’s your turn!” PICTURED: Heatboys Donatello fighting Turtles of Grayskull Skele-Shredder. He has already defeated Super7 Ultimates! Metal Head. I thought Grayskull and New York might as well be together…it already happened in Los Angeles! My review of Heatboys Donatello is very in-depth.

He looks so wacky. That’s why I love this line! And he is a great villain for just about anybody.

“Tonight I dine on Monkey King soup!” PICTURED: Figura Obscura Monkey King vs. Skele-Shredder. I said back when I reviewed the Monkey King that I thought he would work well with Ninja Turtles. But I wasn’t thinking about this.
“I should pay someone to invent robots to deal with your kind! Or maybe just bully them.” PICTURED: Figura Obscura Mouse King vs Turtles of Grayskull Skele-Shredder. I don’t have a Master Splinter figure, but this can work. I expect a re-color of the Mouse King will be released that might be more Splinter-esque.

SPARTANNERD RATING OF TURTLES OF GRAYSKULL SKELE-SHREDDER

Skele-Shredder isn’t that recognizable. If you didn’t know his name…try it. Who is he?

He is heads above the other Origins figures I have, which aren’t many. (Cartoon Collection Prince Adam and Cringer, Faker, and Catra. Powers of Grayskull Sharella. Turtles of Grayskull Stealth Ninja He-Man. These are all I have.). Cringer and Adam might beat him for the “feels” points in my grading system. BUT. I got him to be a villain for exposed toes He-Man. But if he was found at a flea market with no package…would you know who he is?

That package is terrific! The paint is still wet (I’m typing this three weeks after opening it). But he looks great fighting people that aren’t necessarily He-Man or TMNT. He has plenty of accessories and lots of display options. In fact, he is everything that Sharella is not as far as an action figure, and I awarded her only 4/5.

PICTURED: My new Origins and Vintage diorama has Skele-Shredder in the center between the good guys and the bad guys. (Not pictured, Sharella, who is too far over beside the armor-less Man-At-Arms…)

So I award Turtles of Grayskull Skele-Shredder a 5/5. Do you agree or disagree, Hub City Geeks? Let me know in the comments!

SpartanNerd- Action Figure Awards- The Best Figures of 2025

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I have a long-form video review HERE. You can find links to every figure reviewed on the SpartanNerd home page, or in the description of the YouTube video linked above.

I am only awarding to figures that I got in 2025. This isn’t necessarily figures that came out in 2025, but that happens to be the case for some of these. The featured image shows Masters of the Universe Classics Vikor and Mythic Legions Legendary Barbarian. Neither were the winners of 2025, I just wanted to use their picture!

GI JOE CLASSIFIED FIGURE OF THE YEAR

I decided that Panthor and Gnawgahyde were candidates. But it isn’t really fair to put Panthor in the pool…I might feel differently also if he was flocked. Gnawgahyde on the other hand is incredible, with that true-to-life accurate sniper rifle and his two pets, Porkbelly and Yobbo. That’s why Gnawgahyde is the GI Joe Classified Figure of the year.

MASTERVERSE FIGURE OF THE YEAR

New Eternia Battle Armor Skeletor is the SpartanNerd MASTERVERSE Figure of the Year. Mattel learned their lesson from the two Battle Armor He-Man figures that we received already…they were lackluster and apparently haven’t sold very well. Skeletor is the opposite of that in every way. A true update, giving him the best axe in MASTERVERSE, a removable helmet, and spikes on his shoulders. He has a chain-mail piece sculpted on his cranium, and also hip armor. You can swap his chest plate quickly and easily…another improvement on the other two. I really considered Roboto, but for my 2025 tastes, I like barbarians and skeletons more than robots (does that make sense?).

LADIES CATEGORY FIGURE OF THE YEAR

I did a ladies category this year, and New Eternia Evil-Lyn was a leading candidate. But she didn’t win. I do love her paint and sculpt. Other nominees were GI Joe Classified Shooter, New Eternia Teela, and the ladies category winner of the year (keep reading!). The lack of paint on Shooter’s weapons brought her down, and the “eye roll” of Teela is what knocked her out. (The others in my comic here are Movie Evil-Lyn and Revlation Evil-Lyn, both acquisitions from previous years)
I used an app called Comic Life to make these comics.
Skeletor’s Throne has three different colors of fire in its LED set. I liked the green for the Snake Mountain throne room the best.
Belualyth the Beastmaster is the Mythic Legions figure of the year. Incredible sculpting and paint details, plus a skeletal snake, vulture, and chimera, which I think is a cow and a big cat crossed with a snake. She is my kind of character! I always play black in Magic the Gathering, I have a collection of skeleton action figures, and this year I also picked up a lot of ladies. (action figure ladies…). That’s why Belualyth is also the ladies category winner of the year.
My mom gave me that miniature Lowe’s bucket. Remember Robbies Ribs from the 1987 Masters of the Universe Movie?
If you don’t know Carolina Mustard-style Barbecue, you should look that up. Even better, try some!

So there you have it!

SPARTANNERD FIGURE OF THE YEAR!

Do you agree or disagree, Hub City Geeks? Let me know in the comments! What was your greatest action figure of the year?

MASTERVERSE New Eternia Teela- SpartanNerd Unboxing and Review

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See the video review of this figure HERE.

I ordered MASTERVERSE New Eternia Teela from BigBadToyStore when she was first released, and this time I did something different…I ordered three other things that I sent to the “Pile of Loot.” So lots of reviews coming soon! (New Etheria Hordak, New Eternia Cobra Kahn, and Mythic Legions Belualyth…I will update links as I review them)

And why did I order this Teela, when I already had three other modern Teela figures? Keep reading!

PACKAGING

In this box you can see her very well. And she is looking upwards.

Teela came in the typical “Transformers” style packaging. (I use that term in reference to the way Hasbro has been doing TF toys for awhile…it increases the artwork and minimizes the blister plastic). We have a good image of her on the front holding the Staff of Ka…but you could mistake her for rowing a boat! After all, there is a Merfolk warrior looking on. (Aquaticans, I believe in Motu lore). As the image wraps around you can see her golden horse that was depicted in the early mini comics. (OK, so if Mattel doesn’t give us such a horse, this is the Four Horsemen’s chance to capitalize on what people surely will want!) Also in that wraparound image, we have an image of Castle Grayskull, but in 200x style! And we all know, Mattel and Mondo are both going to be issuing some 200x style toys. (This is a whole blog entry itself when more details get revealed).

The other side has the library image for people who store their action figures in the box, with her having windblown hair and wearing the “warrior goddess” snake headdress. And so we have homage to four different iterations of Masters of the Universe…200x with the castle, mini comics with the golden horse, filmation with the main presentation, and vintage toy with the hooded look.

The back has kind of generic photoshop of the figure, and just like the Green Goddess and Evil-Lyn, they have “airbrushed” off the seam at the thigh cut. We all know it’s there. Come on Mattel, why lie to us? Teela has a bio indicating that she has embraced her destiny as “the avatar” of “The Goddess of New Eternia.” Underneath this bio there are three cross-sell images that in addition to this figure includes Hordak and Kobra Kahn. I suppose the other figure in this was is New Eternia Moss Man, but he was offered only through Mattel Creations, mostly to Club Grayskull members at that. (The cross-sell functions for retail store shelves).

WHAT DO WE GET IN THE BOX

I told you there were seems in the thighs!
  • New Eternia Teela figure
  • Snake headdress
  • shield
  • Staff of Ka
  • Warrior Spear
  • a pair of punching fists

We have the accessories here for two different looks: “Captain of the Guard” and “Warrior Goddess.” And this starts to get into the weeds of who even is this character. Most people will remember Teela from the Filmation Cartoon and other iterations (200x) as the Captain of the Guard. And the presentation here is clearly homage to the vintage action figure, being a repaint of MASTERVERSE New Eternia Evil-Lyn with a different head. (In the vintage line, it was the other way around!) The whole Warrior Goddess thing comes from the early mini comics, which is basically an entirely different story from the Filmation show. When I was a kid I was confused by this, but you know…pretty much since I was in high school and began to get back into Masters of the Universe that there were different forces writing different stories has been clear. As Warrior Goddess, in the first issue she was green. (This is why I tend to call MASTERVERSE Revolution Sorceress Teela “The Green Goddess.” This is a fan nickname, like Baby Yoda for instance). In subsequent issues she was colored caucasian, and sometimes blonde instead of ginger. There is this whole story about Skeletor cloning her to be his bride also, and so that is why there is a Sorceress and more of a princess Teela. (It feels so weird typing all that. The mini comics were indeed different!)

Yep. This actually happened in the mini comics story “The Tale of Teela.” Funny how Skeletor says his plan is “simple.” I didn’t imagine all of that about Dolly the Sheep in the 1990’s did I? Also, this is a creeptastic plan. And this story was meant for CHILDREN TO READ. This story kind of explains why Teela has blonde hair and the goddess has red hair and wears that headdress. I’m pretty sure after this story, they began to use the word Sorceress to soften the religious connotations.

The vintage action figure came with this hood and snake staff, as well as a sword I believe. I never had a female action figure until I was 12 years old and got Evil-Lyn for Christmas, so I only know what I have seen in vintage toy stores. But I can see how all of this can be confusing for who this character actually is. But it is just fine to think of her as “He-Man’s girlfriend”.

(In the newest Netflix cartoon, Revolution, Teela and He-Man are practically married by the power of Grayskull at the end! If they make figures of this, I am the first in line! The designs were so pretty!)

FIGURE REVIEW

Well, I am at the point of wondering what the greatest action figure of the year is, and I was starting to think they couldn’t be better than MASTERVERSE New Eternia Evil-Lyn, but Teela has proven me wrong!

Teela jumped right into the den of zombies and skeletons! Notice Skeletor’s Staff of Ka being very large and unpainted BOO!

She has the same body as Evil-Lyn, only painted with lighter colors as Teela. The same boots, arm bracers, everything. She has a different skirt piece, and this is a point to bring up because in my figure, this was flattened down far too much, and also askew from the position it should be in. I was able to fix it, but if you are a mint in box collector, look out!

So this sculpt and paint are brilliant. Maybe the best part is that she looks like a real woman with maybe legs that are only slightly too long…(Mattel Barbie dolls famously have this too, so…) In other words, no hyper-sexualized design like something from Street Fighter. The upper body is tastefully presented, and that is kind of refreshing.

Her face sculpt and paint. The image on the back makes her look like the face is more round than it is. She has her hair pulled back in a ponytail, which I guess gives her a high forehead look. But her eyes…They are done very pretty. But I asked the SpartanWife if she thought the same thing as I do. I think she is looking upwards? So for Force Captain, this looks kind of strange if she is just standing there, but not if she is stabbing something with that spear. For the hooded goddess look, this looking up looks more spiritually powered up and otherworldly appropriate.

ACCESSORIES

This Teela proves that Evil-Lyn didn’t come with enough stuff. Sure, you could argue that cape was something, but really it was inexcusable. Teela’s accessory count is very welcome in the MASTERVERSE line. They are bronzy-gold in the same color as the highlights painted on the main figure. BUT…this means the Green Goddess’ Staff of Ka remains the best of the three we have been given. (Skeletor’s throne came with one also)

The Green Goddess’ Staff of Ka is still the best one we’ve been given in MASTERVERSE.

This shield looks very royal and feminine at the same time, and has that barbarian spike in the middle. The spear as well looks like it belongs in the throne room. The only paint of the accessories that I see is the spot of green on the eyes of the snake mask and a brighter colored ring around the “neck” on the Staff of Ka.

The headdress fits loosely to her face, and yet feels snug. How did they do that? I managed to get the Masters of the Unvierse Classics Weapons Pack snake armor on the earlier MASTERVERSE Revelation Teela figure only with a hairdryer. (Granted, it was for a different line…) Teela’s tiara is hidden perfectly by the mask when she has it on, and it really kind of is that she is presented as a different character. A person could be justified in having two of these! (I won’t. I’ll wait on Sorceress of Havoc to come out…that will be AWESOME if they do that!)

Four Teela figures. From top left clockwise. MASTERVERSE New Eternia Teela, MASTERVERSE Revolution Sorceress Teela, Masters of the Universe Classics Battleground Teela (with Revelation alternate head), and MASTERVERSE Revelation Teela kitbash, with Classics weapons and Super7 Ultimates! Conan the Barbarian ceremonial snake dagger.

In the above picture I have kitbashed some MOTUC with MASTERVERSE. Ultimately, the earlier MASTERVERSE Teela seems a lot more “babyish.” You can also see the improvements they have made in the knee joints so they look less lumpy. I heard another reviewer complain about having single jointed elbows, but I think that is the best choice…the arms just look better this way.

SPARTANNERD RATING OF MASTERVERSE NEW ETERNIA TEELA

I can’t say enough good stuff about the sculpt. (1 point). The paint is very good even if the choice to have her looking upwards is questionable…but she isn’t derp. (1 point). Very good articulation and she stands very well with no stupid problems. (1 point). Her accessory count is very good also. (1 point).

And OK. This is my new “go-to” Teela. I am retiring the kitbash that I have used forever. I’ll keep using MOTUC Battleground Teela for that even more barbarian “skimpy” look, but this figure is downright beautiful, and fun to play with to boot. So with the “feels point” I award MASTERVERSE New Eternia Teela a 5/5. Do you agree or disagree, Hub City Geeks? Let me know in the comments!

Super7 Ultimates! Conan Battle of the Mounds Valeria (Spirit) and MASTERVERSE New Eternia Teela. Valeria is a spiritual descendant of the Masters of the Universe Classics.

The Warrior Beasts Head Hunter

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(NOTE: Some photos were taken from the YouTube review).

I think a big part of me hanging on to Masters of the Universe so long as a child was the figures were cheaper, and we were able to amass a sizable collection among me and my two younger brothers. When Mattel came out with Snake Men and the Evil Horde, this was like treasure. The SpartanBrothers could each have and collect and play a different team. (We kind of put the Snake Men in with Skeletor).

I bring this history lesson to come to another idea. What if…you have all of the figures available at the store. What if you see something else that looks cool. It always bothered me that GI Joes were smaller than He-Man. Eventually the ninja turtles were close, but didn’t quite fit. But wrestlers? These guys usually went right with He-Man. And then there were the KOs. The bootlegs. The knockoffs. The cash-grabs. You could typically get one of these “generic” figures somewhere like Dollar Tree or some other discount mart for even less than a Mattel MOTU figure. (See the review of Demistros and Black Falcon)

Which brings us to Warrior Beasts Head Hunter. Who is this guy, and why should we care? Well as soon as I saw him during the Four Horsemen’s special Spring sale, I knew I would need to get him. I’ve been collecting skeletons. He would probably sell out immediately. (Nope. He’s still available). So this was kind of a knee-jerk buy. Was he worth my $40? Keep reading!

(Extra detail- I believe this to be the among the first of “Infinite Legions”… IP licensed to the Four Horsemen to make Mythic Legions/Cosmic Legions style toys).

PACKAGING

This packaging isn’t anything great. But it is exactly what it calls out to. Head Hunter was a KO Scareglo or Skeletor variant. The Warrior Beasts line was evidently the enemies of the Remco “Lost World of the Warlord” line of toys. (A quick question of Siri tells me that Remco Toys was purchased by Jakk’s Pacific when Remco went bankrupt in 1997). Both toylines, (it’s easy to look them up on the internet) were meant to be playable alongside He-Man and Skeletor. So this packaging, it looks like the original packaging. And I can’t fault that. Otherwise, it is the same style as other Mythic Legions, with a collector friendly card back and re-usable blister. The front has an orange sign of The Warrior Beasts, just like the originals had, and then there is some “spray” colors behind the figure. The back has a photoshop of the character in action, showing an articulated jaw. One of the sides has a bio that says something like, “The Head Hunter waits around in the swamp to collect your head!”

FIGURE REVIEW

Here’s what you get in the package

  • Head Hunter figure
  • Alternate head with articulated jaw
  • Halberd weapon (this is in two pieces, the pole and the axe head)
  • Two alternate, more open hands
  • A wired cape.
Doesn’t he say “Scare Glow” to you?

This is it. A Scareglo knockoff with a big axe and swappable heads and hands. Those heads are identical, by the way. AND, we have both heads for other figures. AND, those are the same legs…maybe the same lower body…as the Headless Horseman. The top is the Mythic Legions barbarian. So what we have is a 100% re-used parts figure with a different paint job. And that is SO in the spirit of Masters of the Universe and knockoff versions, isn’t it!

As such, we know what we have. He stands well, very stable. He is as posable as a Masters of the Universe Classics or MASTERVERSE figure. His sculpting is the work of the best in the toy business, the Four Horsemen Studios.

His (I should say “it’s” to go with the bio) entire paint is white over a black body. I mean…the plastic is molded in shadow black. And then the white bones are painted on. The only other pop of color on the figure is the green eyes. So very effective paint, and it’s what caught my attention. That said, the way Scareglo is presented nowadays is reversed from the 1980’s.

ACTION…

The Halberd…we already have it in Chrome. It came with Mythic Legions Dark Knight Templar. But this is a different color. Be careful not to scratch the paint off of it getting it in Head Hunter’s hand. I haven’t had this accident, but it seems like it could happen.

Does he glow….NO. (Sadness)

That said, the white coloration really takes to colored lights. He looks best under pinkish, purple-ish light.

COMPARISON

First, let’s put him with Scare Glow. MASTERVERSE Scare Glow does glow in the dark. It is also more reactive to the blue light…that light energizes the glow in the dark paint on his ribs. But we could say that Headhunter is stronger as a figure as his whole body reflects that light, it just isn’t a phosphorescent effect. (Good job SpartanNerd. “Phosphoresent…”). And just like Scare Glow, I don’t see how people can confuse him and Skeletor. I get it…some kids only had “generic” or “off-brand” Skeletor. This is what they had to get because they couldn’t get the real thing. But other than a skull head, they don’t look alike.

PICTURED: MASTERVERSE New Eternia Bone Throne, MASTERVERSE New Eternia Battle Armor Skeletor, Four Horsemen Studios Warrior Beasts Head Hunter, and MASTERVERSE Revelation Scare Glow.

What about other Grim Reapers?

He has an alternate head that goes perfectly with Mythic Legions, so try putting that other head on Maxillius the Harvester…but set Maxillius to classic mode by removing the awesome blood wings, and check out how you have kitbashed a “Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey” Grim Reaper!

Heh Heh. Black Falcon lost his lunch again!

Here he is with most of my other skeleton figures

Funko Magic the Gathering Liliana commands her undead army. PICTURED: Demistros, MASTERVERSE New Eternia Skeletor, MASTERVERSE Revelation Scare Glow, Mythic Legions Skeleton Legion Builder, Mythic Legions Skeleton Legion Builder II, Death (From Marvel Legends Thanos), Mythic Legions Maxillius the Harvester, Four Horsemen Studios Warrior Beasts Head Hunter, Super7 Ultimates Black Falcon. You can find reviews for all of these at SpartanNerd.com, except for Liliana.

As with all good action figures, you can do some cool stuff with Photoshop. This took like, no effort, but terrific effect! I used ToyPixx’s recent “graveyard” backdrop, and green screened Head Hunter, layered him on the graveyard and made him a little bit transparent.

I just moved into a new house, and I kind of walk around in my yard in this same way.

SPARTANNERD’S RATING OF FOUR HORSEMEN STUDIOS WARRIOR BEASTS HEAD HUNTER

At the beginning of my review, I asked the question, was this worth my $40? Kind of yes. But also…kind of no.

He’s cool and scratches a kind of nostalgic itch even for a guy who never owned this as a kid. A color variant of Scare Glow is a nice thing to have. And if you go back and look at old pictures of the original, the Four Horsemen have updated him perfectly. “The feels”… he gets this point because I felt like I saw something I just knew I needed when I saw it.

I’m not a “parts collector,” but someone who is might be upset that there is nothing new here. On the other hand, maybe someone wants those white boots and that white cape could definitely be used on other figures. The accessory count here is just sad. I’m always joking about Super Seven Ultimates! Black Falcon, but that figure came with more accessories than any other just about, and he hit that same generic “feels.”

Lost your lunch? Let’s eat the SpartanNerd’s food. PICTURED: Super7 Ultimates! Black Falcon and Four Horsemen Studios Warrior Beasts Head Hunter. Also Mythic Legions Evil Magic Effects on the halberd. And a frozen turkey sausage English muffin.

I am awarding Four Horsemen Studios Warrior Beasts Head Hunter a 4/5. He is a nice update on a generic figure from the 1980’s, but he needs more accessories. It is a great thing to add another skeleton to my collection, even if he has that “Karate Kid” skeleton costume vibe. Sculpting, paint, articulation, all this is good. But he just needs more accessories, and this is where he loses a point.

Do you agree or disagree, Hub City Geeks? Let me know in the comments! Did you own this as a kid? Let me and the world that reads the SpartanNerd blog know!

Maxillius the Harvester

by

3

See the video unboxing and initial review on my YouTube Channel

I ordered this guy so long ago. February 2024? Something crazy like that. This was really when I was starting to get into Mythic Legions more heavily, and they announced the Necronominus wave, and I didn’t place any orders…I missed it. But then Big Bad Toy Store had it for pre-order so I got it there, not realizing that Store Horsemen purchasers get theirs first, and also cheaper. But it was a learning experience.

I wanted him because … I mean he’s the grim reaper, right!

PACKAGING

Maxillius comes in the regular collector friendly blister. As you look at it, you might think he has huge hands sticking up beside his hood. Nope. This is a halo. (Yes. A halo of DEATH). My specific example also features the rope around his waist coming down onto the Mythic Legions logo. you can see some stuff behind him, the hard edge of a ziplock bag, and something else that isn’t clear.

On the back you see the Necronominus wave boss, Necronominus himself. (I know I am likely not spelling this correctly, and I also can’t pronounce it. Listen to me stammer on YouTube!).

The figures on the cross sell…I don’t know any of these, but I think I might have seen the blue girl or someone like her in a store. The creature on the bottom is akin to Modulok. It is an alien beast skeleton that you can swap the parts around, and I probably will eventually get that because I like stuff like that. I watched a Dork Lair review of it, which is why I know so much about it.

And the sides…one side gives us the bio from the vague Mythic Legions story. Basically, Maxillius comes before the big boss who is the gaudy skeleton thing featured in the art on the back of the box. (That is Necro-unpronouncable himself). And the other side has a spider which is probably the faction symbol.

WHAT DO YOU GET IN THE BOX

Here he is, taken directly out. No posing or anything. he stands just fine

Here’s what you get.

  • Maxillius the Harvester action figure
  • Removable robe with rope belt
  • Removable halo
  • Front armor (this was what the mysterious thing in the box was…it was upside down)
  • Scythe weapon. Or should it be labeled a “tool.”
  • Hourglass
  • Pair of pointing hands
  • Alternate head that is a traditional human skull.

And just so you know, this is what he looks like if you remove the halo and the robe. (I also put the other head on)

“Specimen Room” PICTURED: Cosmic Legions Wal-Torr the Mad with Mythic Legions Undead of Vikenfell etched skull, and Maxillius the Harvester hanging on display using Cosmic Legions figure stand.

One of the selling points of this figure was that it is a bare skeleton, and as far as I know the first one in Mythic Legions. They have since come out with a few others, and I am definitely tempted to get those…one is a box of four glow-in-the-dark Halloween skeletons. “Graveyard Skeletons” or something.

And then the next selling point was you have a three-in-one figure. You can go with bare skeleton, traditional Grim Reaper, or Mythic Legions mini-boss. (Who am I kidding. This guy is a main boss, even if captain gaudy unpronounceable skeleton god is his boss.)

FIGURE REVIEW

This. Sculpt. Is. Amazing. WOW!

I have been seeing the Four Horsemen talk about the dragon kickstarter at recent conventions on YouTube, and one thing to point out…Eric Treadway doesn’t make symmetrical sides. The right and left dragon legs have varying details. Well, this is true here on some of the Maxillius figure. For instance, that halo is made of an upturned ribcage. Each rib has a different treatment.

Speaking of the halo. DUDE. It has MEAT! There are some bloody details around the spotwelds. And then…MEAT FEATHERS. Yep. This is a thing. Coming out the back of the halo are small angel wings made of MEAT FEATHERS.

A glimpse into the increasingly inadequate Nerd Closet. This halo…wow! What a piece. MEAT FEATHERS are a thing. They remind me of the gills on a fish kind of. And those ribs…butcher shop. This was a detail of strength I wasn’t aware of.

While he is wearing the robe, this halo makes it apparent that this grim reaper is a Mythic Legions. It isn’t your average Halloween prop. A casual observer might think “Oh. A doll of the death angel.” But the halo and the armor piece that hangs down front give it intense flare.

And sticking out of the robe are perfectly sculpted feet and hands. This robe has wires in the sleeves…you don’t realize how necessary this is until you think about how important it is for his bony hands to point at stuff. (Especially people that he is reaping).

Surely, you know this image Hub City Geeks…(Google Image Search)

You have two head sculpt options. I thought I would prefer the classic human head, but the more alien head is growing on me. And you can pose the hood over his eyes better with the alien head. But with the human head, it looks more Halloween classic. Now that head is the same head that some other skeletons in Mythic Legions have, but it has less paint…and it could definitely use some black eyes. But also, the alien head’s eyes need some paint. As it is, they are bulbous protrusions with the same bone color as the rest of the skull.

PICTURED: MASTERVERSE New Eternia Fisto and Ram Man vs. Mythic Legions Maxillius the Harvester and Skeleton Legion Builder Reinforcement. They fight MASTERVERSE New Eternia Ram Man and Fisto. Maxillius is armed with Masters of the Universe Classics Despara sword and MASTERVERSE New Eternia Skelcon shield, while Skeleton Reinforcement is armed with Super7 Ultimates Battle of the Mounds bloody weapons short sword. I understand that in D&D, to beat skeletons you should use hammers and blunt weapons. So metal fist and rammy head…

But taking the robe off. WHOO HOO. What’s underneath!

This skeleton sculpt looks less Lego-ish than I had criticized it as being when I first ordered it. Of course, we are looking at prototypes then, so I am glad to report that the final product doesn’t feel so Ninjago-ish. True, the calves might be more thick than true human bone, but if it was thinner it wouldn’t support the figure’s weight. So we kind of have a tibia and fibula kind of sculpted together, with a patella also glued on. (SpartanNerd dropping the big words today!)

So this skeleton is so accurate! Every vertebrate is a sculpted detail. This is a new neck piece that doesn’t seem to be removable…but why would you? It feels kind of delicate, though. The spine goes down the back of the ribcage, and then the lower spine connects to a ball joint in the upper torso so that we have an “ab crunch” (without the abs.). And I almost didn’t notice at first, but the upper torso has LUNGS sculpted in, perhaps rotten, but this justifies there being some meat for the ball joint to attach.

The ribs are not removable…but they might be for a customizer. It seems like they are glued on the front.

And in this naked form, you have what must be the most articulated Mythic Legions action figure. And I haven’t disassembled him, but you could take him apart and strow bones around everywhere.

The paint on the skeleton…the bone color is a pretty close match to Skeletor’s throne. Reinforcement Skeleton is darker.

“Am I Evil”. PICTURED: Mythic Legions Maxillius the Harvester on MASTERVERSE New Eternia Skeletor’s throne. (Also called bone throne, and Havoc throne.)

ACCESSORIES

“I was hardly using it anyway”. PICTURED: Mythic Legions Maxxilius the Harvester and MASTERVERSE New Eternia Evil-Lyn. Her soul is a ghostly skull effect from a Mythic Legions Magic effect pack, and they are at Skeletor’s throne with green fire.

Pointing fingers are a necessity for the Grim Reaper. But they gave us this hourglass to capture people’s souls. So cool. I never would have thought of this, but it is a crazy fantasy idea. And here’s one for the nerds. Master Tonberry in Final Fantasy wears a robe, has an instant death knife, and what? An hourglass. So maybe the Horsemen were thinking about this?

The Scythe. (See the picture above). This is huge and all one piece. It is beautifully painted, and has battle scar marks. The stick end is slender and sharp, but this was made for adult collectors, right…(I poked myself with it accidentally and it really hurt 😦

SPARTANNERD RATING OF MYTHIC LEGIONS MAXILLIUS THE HARVERSTER

“Maestro Maxillius”. PICTURED: Mythic Legions figures Maxillius the Harvester, Undead of Vikenfell, Skeleton Legion Builder, Demistros, and MASTERVERSE New Eternia Skelcon, and Revelation Scareglo (Comic Con exclusive). The diorama is Skeletor’s bone throne.

Well it was worth the wait!

Maxillius delivers everything I would have wanted, and also MEAT FEATHERS, that I didn’t know I wanted until I had them.

Sculpt- Great. Paint- Great. Accessories- Great. Articulation- Great with no stupid problems.

And what does he add? He adds a bare skeleton, a classic Grim Reaper, and a Mythic Legions Skeleton boss.

Maxillius is a solid 5/5. And I suppose you have to agree with me, Hub City Geeks. What argument is there against this figure being a 5/5? No one ever comments, so LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and COMMENT! Let me know your opinion of Maxillius the Harvester!7