"Gwildor's Gamble!" #4

"Gwildor's Gamble!" from issue seventeen of the UK Masters of the Universe Adventure magazine is interesting in that it takes a movie character in Gwildor, and places him firmly in the comic continuity, which some would say is prior to the movie. This story revolves around the power of the Cosmic Key, and dare I say, would have made for a really good minicomic story to accompany the Gwildor action figure! It is amusing how Gwildor's contribution to the story ends here, with him failing to save the day!


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Sole source of income.

Robert Lamb came up with numerous story ideas during his time working on She-Ra. One of many which unfortunately never saw the light of day was an untitled story that would've seen She-Ra attempt to pursuade an island kingdom not to give any further aid to the Evil Horde. Read for yourself!


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"Gwildor's Gamble!" #3

"Gwildor's Gamble!" from issue seventeen of the UK Masters of the Universe Adventure magazine is interesting in that it takes a movie character in Gwildor, and places him firmly in the comic continuity, which some would say is prior to the movie. This story revolves around the power of the Cosmic Key, and dare I say, would have made for a really good minicomic story to accompany the Gwildor action figure! The third panel on page eleven is beautifully colored to create an amazing sense of depth...


(click on the image to see it at full-size)

A brief review #019 - "Quest for He-man"

As many of you will know, in 2010 I published The unofficial cartoon guide to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. At 300+ pages the book features 700+ pieces of trivia, 460+ deleted scenes, 360+ examples of animation reuse, 380+ quotes, 50+ abandoned episodes, and a LOT more! It is the book that NO fan of the Filmation series can live without! BUY IT NOW!

As an incentive, here is my brief review and rating (as they appear in the book) for "Quest for He-man"...

An episode that features such ludicrous colorful characters, combined with a plot detailing the slow decay of a planet sounds like an odd mix. Yet, this episode somehow manages to make it work. Paul Dini, who often delights in character-driven episodes, delivers one that feels like a traditional Saturday morning cartoon. Surprisingly the story of He-Man suffering from amnesia and meeting the strange inhabitants of Trannis becomes the sub-plot. This is because the moment Cringer, Orko, and Ram Man enter the Time Corridor we realize that it is they who are the stars of this episode. Their endearing misadventures make us warm greatly to this crazy-looking episode. 7/10

Now, may I ask; what is YOUR rating?

"Gwildor's Gamble!" #2

"Gwildor's Gamble!" from issue seventeen of the UK Masters of the Universe Adventure magazine is interesting in that it takes a movie character in Gwildor, and places him firmly in the comic continuity, which some would say is prior to the movie. This story revolves around the power of the Cosmic Key, and dare I say, would have made for a really good minicomic story to accompany the Gwildor action figure! The numerous panels in which we see He-Man, Teela, and Gwildor travelling through time are wonderfully illustrated!


(click on the image to see it at full-size)

Robin Davies transforms!

This fantastic illustration by Robin Davies from the Ladybird book "Skeletor's Ice Attack!" was used as a promotional illustration when Ladybird would advertise their books in magazines. And rightly so! I remember being at school when one kid, who had just managed to acquire this book, came racing over to us. We all stood in the hall, instead of going into class, looking wide-eyed at this awesome piece of artwork! The definition of He-Man's physique looks impressive, but the power of Castle Grayskull that surrounds him steals the show!


(click on the image to see it at full-size)

"Gwildor's Gamble!" #1

"Gwildor's Gamble!" from issue seventeen of the UK Masters of the Universe Adventure magazine is interesting in that it takes a movie character in Gwildor, and places him firmly in the comic continuity, which some would say is prior to the movie. This story revolves around the power of the Cosmic Key, and dare I say, would have made for a really good minicomic story to accompany the Gwildor action figure! I like the way in which the heroes casually ignore Orko's warnings in order to listen to more of Gwildor's stories. I think they have their priorities mixed up...


(click on the image to see it at full-size)

Trap-Jaw explodes!

Here is a fantastic illustration from the Masters of the Universe minicomic "The Menace of Trap Jaw!" Mark Texeira's illustrative work on these minicomics was always of a high standard, and we can see here his expert use of blacks across the front of Trap Jaw to make the explosion stand out more against the figure in the foreground. The explosion itself is drawn with incredible fury, and the striking lines all around the image just add to the impact of this one panel!


(click on the image to see it at full-size)

Who is Bow talking to?

In the She-Ra Ladybird book "She-Ra and the surprise party" Terry Gabbey's detailed illustration reveals an interesting collection of characters that we have never seen before! Although most are seen from the back it is always nice to see an artist's take on characters outside of the main cast. What I want to know though, is who Bow is talking to? "A white-haired female" is not a sufficient answer!


(click on the image to see it at full-size)

A brief review #018 - "Creatures From The Tar Swamp"

As many of you will know, in 2010 I published The unofficial cartoon guide to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. At 300+ pages the book features 700+ pieces of trivia, 460+ deleted scenes, 360+ examples of animation reuse, 380+ quotes, 50+ abandoned episodes, and a LOT more! It is the book that NO fan of the Filmation series can live without! BUY IT NOW!

As an incentive, here is my brief review and rating (as they appear in the book) for "Creatures From The Tar Swamp"...

The plot for this episode is relatively simple, but the character writing throughout the script, whilst not spectacular, is above average. Orko is written in this episode more appropriately than many other appearances in the series. During the course of the story we see him learn a hard lesson, and we can almost feel his frustration and pain. Not only are we treated to Orko's origin story, but we also get a fantastic character in Lady Edwina. She steals each and every scene she is in thanks to her wonderful look and Linda Gary's great voice acting. The pacing of this story slows down during the middle of the episode, but it is not enough to spoil an entertaining episode. 7/10

Now, may I ask; what is YOUR rating?