"Video Magic"

As He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was developed into a series, the staff writers at Filmation came up with a wealth of proposed story premises. Numerous episodes were never developed beyond the early stages. Showcased below is one of those abandoned episodes, alongside a title card that I have created to show what might have been. Please note that in some of these synopses Orko is still referred to as Gorpo, Evil-Lyn as Desira, and the Evil Warriors as the Masters of the Universe. The Sorceress does not appear to have been fully developed at this point either; with many references instead to the Spirit of Grayskull. Also, Stratos is a villain; much like he was in the early Mattel material. All of the original spellings (Tee-La, Beastman, etc.) are also retained for authenticity.

The unofficial cartoon guide to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe features many more abandoned episodes!

"Video Magic"
An evil inventor lands on the planet Eternia, bringing strange computer games from distant worlds. The games become the rage of the royal palace, until one game takes on a life of its own. He-Man and friends are swept into the game, where they must wage battle with strange computer creatures from the dimension of Videola, where Skeletor now rules!


* Legally I should say that David Wise did NOT write this episode. This is merely an example of how the episode title card might have looked.

Panini sticker album art #45

When I was a kid, one of my most prized possessions was the Masters of the Universe sticker album by Panini. I still remember the day my mother purchased the album for me. Aside from the fun of collecting the stickers themselves I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the Filmation-accurate illustrations that could be found on each and every page. I thought it would be a good idea to showcase those illustrations on this very Blog!

In this wonderful illustration He-Man, Battle Cat, Teela, and Man-At-Arms observe the frozen dragon...

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

Panini sticker album art #44

When I was a kid, one of my most prized possessions was the Masters of the Universe sticker album by Panini. I still remember the day my mother purchased the album for me. Aside from the fun of collecting the stickers themselves I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the Filmation-accurate illustrations that could be found on each and every page. I thought it would be a good idea to showcase those illustrations on this very Blog!

In this illustration the dragon looms over the citizens of the Royal Palace...

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

A brief review #059 - "The Witch and The Warrior"

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 "The Witch and The Warrior"...

From the moment the series was created it was always notable that Teela and Evil-Lyn appeared not only to be wearing a similar costume, but also had very similar strong personalities; often overshadowing their male counterparts. With this episode Paul Dini manages to explore Teela and Evil-Lyn's personality quite naturally, without the need for a forced heart to heart. The story itself is nothing spectacular, but the dynamic between the two females works better than it does in any other episode. The change of scenery and the inclusion of Mallek and Kothos, whilst good, never even comes close to the story we want to stay with throughout the episode's duration. 7/10

Now, may I ask; what is YOUR rating?

Panini sticker album art #43

When I was a kid, one of my most prized possessions was the Masters of the Universe sticker album by Panini. I still remember the day my mother purchased the album for me. Aside from the fun of collecting the stickers themselves I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the Filmation-accurate illustrations that could be found on each and every page. I thought it would be a good idea to showcase those illustrations on this very Blog!

Orko and his magical clones work together in order to entertain his friends...

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

"Prisoner of Veelos"

As He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was developed into a series, the staff writers at Filmation came up with a wealth of proposed story premises. Numerous episodes were never developed beyond the early stages. Showcased below is one of those abandoned episodes, alongside a title card that I have created to show what might have been. Please note that in some of these synopses Orko is still referred to as Gorpo, Evil-Lyn as Desira, and the Evil Warriors as the Masters of the Universe. The Sorceress does not appear to have been fully developed at this point either; with many references instead to the Spirit of Grayskull. Also, Stratos is a villain; much like he was in the early Mattel material. All of the original spellings (Tee-La, Beastman, etc.) are also retained for authenticity.

The unofficial cartoon guide to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe features many more abandoned episodes!

"Prisoner of Veelos"
On a trek through the Forest of Elves, Prince Adam and Tee-La are captured by the tiny Zaculon people, who are engaged in a bitter struggle with Veelos, the giant. He-Man vows to help them, until he meets Veelos -- no ordinary giant, Veelos is a fifty-foot tall cyclops!


* Legally I should say that Douglas Booth did NOT write this episode. This is merely an example of how the episode title card might have looked.

Panini sticker album art #42

When I was a kid, one of my most prized possessions was the Masters of the Universe sticker album by Panini. I still remember the day my mother purchased the album for me. Aside from the fun of collecting the stickers themselves I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the Filmation-accurate illustrations that could be found on each and every page. I thought it would be a good idea to showcase those illustrations on this very Blog!

Here we see the opening panel for "The Dragon Invasion"...

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

Panini sticker album art #41

When I was a kid, one of my most prized possessions was the Masters of the Universe sticker album by Panini. I still remember the day my mother purchased the album for me. Aside from the fun of collecting the stickers themselves I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the Filmation-accurate illustrations that could be found on each and every page. I thought it would be a good idea to showcase those illustrations on this very Blog!

In this illustration we see He-Man and Battle Cat recoiling as the Wheel of Infinity begins to explode...

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

Panini sticker album art #40

When I was a kid, one of my most prized possessions was the Masters of the Universe sticker album by Panini. I still remember the day my mother purchased the album for me. Aside from the fun of collecting the stickers themselves I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the Filmation-accurate illustrations that could be found on each and every page. I thought it would be a good idea to showcase those illustrations on this very Blog!

In these two panels we see both Man-At-Arms and Skeletor in action...

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

Combining our powers...

Here are some fantastic Bruce Timm illustrated panels from the Masters of the Universe minicomic "The Ultimate Battleground!" The composition, the rendering, and the colors come together quite wonderfully, as Skeletor and King Hiss combine their powers to raise the Three Towers. And, once again, as always, in their thoughts, the pair threaten to destroy one another...


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

"The Silver Knight"

As He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was developed into a series, the staff writers at Filmation came up with a wealth of proposed story premises. Numerous episodes were never developed beyond the early stages. Showcased below is one of those abandoned episodes, alongside a title card that I have created to show what might have been. Please note that in some of these synopses Orko is still referred to as Gorpo, Evil-Lyn as Desira, and the Evil Warriors as the Masters of the Universe. The Sorceress does not appear to have been fully developed at this point either; with many references instead to the Spirit of Grayskull. Also, Stratos is a villain; much like he was in the early Mattel material. All of the original spellings (Tee-La, Beastman, etc.) are also retained for authenticity.

The unofficial cartoon guide to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe features many more abandoned episodes!

"The Silver Knight"
He-Man is challenged in battle by the Silver Knight, a towering warrior working for Skeletor. While He-man is the strongest man, the Silver Knight is the strongest woman...and she may be too powerful for He-Man to handle.


* Legally I should say that Marc Scott Zicree did NOT write this episode. This is merely an example of how the episode title card might have looked.

Panini sticker album art #39

When I was a kid, one of my most prized possessions was the Masters of the Universe sticker album by Panini. I still remember the day my mother purchased the album for me. Aside from the fun of collecting the stickers themselves I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the Filmation-accurate illustrations that could be found on each and every page. I thought it would be a good idea to showcase those illustrations on this very Blog!

Here we see Skeletor using his Havoc Staff to attack the heroes...

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

A brief review #058 - "The Once and Future Duke"

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 "The Once and Future Duke"...

What this episode has going for it is an overriding sense of magic; every single part of this episode pertains to Count Marzo's magical spells. Count Marzo himself is a great villain because he is a cunning nobleman, instead of a muscle-bound villain that only wants to destroy. The heroes are given a good amount of screen time in this episode, and Orko, who appears more than most, is thankfully given a lot of good scenes laced with amusing dialogue. The directing in this episode is very clever in places; steering clear of scene transitions and relying on interesting ways to change the scene. However, while it is an enjoyable adventure with many great scenes, something feels missing throughout. 6/10

Now, may I ask; what is YOUR rating?

Panini sticker album art #38

When I was a kid, one of my most prized possessions was the Masters of the Universe sticker album by Panini. I still remember the day my mother purchased the album for me. Aside from the fun of collecting the stickers themselves I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the Filmation-accurate illustrations that could be found on each and every page. I thought it would be a good idea to showcase those illustrations on this very Blog!

These four detailed panels show the heroes arrive, as well as their first moments on Dragosaur Isle...

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

She-Ra script: "Return of the Sea Hawk" #7

For your entertainment I present to you the script for the season one She-Ra episode "Return of the Sea Hawk" written by Michael Chase Walker and Larry DiTillio. This episode would mark the return of the Sea Hawk, whilst revealing if it was Adora or She-Ra as to whom he would rather spend quality time with. Here are the last three pages of the script.


(click on the images to see them at full-size)

Panini sticker album art #37

When I was a kid, one of my most prized possessions was the Masters of the Universe sticker album by Panini. I still remember the day my mother purchased the album for me. Aside from the fun of collecting the stickers themselves I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the Filmation-accurate illustrations that could be found on each and every page. I thought it would be a good idea to showcase those illustrations on this very Blog!

In this piece He-Man uses his Sword of Power to deflect an oncoming boulder...

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

She-Ra script: "Return of the Sea Hawk" #6

For your entertainment I present to you the script for the season one She-Ra episode "Return of the Sea Hawk" written by Michael Chase Walker and Larry DiTillio. This episode would mark the return of the Sea Hawk, whilst revealing if it was Adora or She-Ra as to whom he would rather spend quality time with. Here are pages thirty to thirty-five of the script.



(click on the images to see them at full-size)

"The Poltergeist"

As He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was developed into a series, the staff writers at Filmation came up with a wealth of proposed story premises. Numerous episodes were never developed beyond the early stages. Showcased below is one of those abandoned episodes, alongside a title card that I have created to show what might have been. Please note that in some of these synopses Orko is still referred to as Gorpo, Evil-Lyn as Desira, and the Evil Warriors as the Masters of the Universe. The Sorceress does not appear to have been fully developed at this point either; with many references instead to the Spirit of Grayskull. Also, Stratos is a villain; much like he was in the early Mattel material. All of the original spellings (Tee-La, Beastman, etc.) are also retained for authenticity.

The unofficial cartoon guide to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe features many more abandoned episodes!

"The Poltergeist"
The Royal Castle of Eternia is invaded by a poltergeist, a mischievous ghost who turns the royal court upside-down...in fact, the poltergeist is a distant relative of the Spirit of Grayskull...and it's trying to take mystic control of the kingdom!


* Legally I should say that Janis Diamond did NOT write this episode. This is merely an example of how the episode title card might have looked.

Panini sticker album art #36

When I was a kid, one of my most prized possessions was the Masters of the Universe sticker album by Panini. I still remember the day my mother purchased the album for me. Aside from the fun of collecting the stickers themselves I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the Filmation-accurate illustrations that could be found on each and every page. I thought it would be a good idea to showcase those illustrations on this very Blog!

In these three wonderful illustrations we see He-Man, Battle Cat, Man-At-Arms, and Orko encounter a Dragosaur...

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

She-Ra script: "Return of the Sea Hawk" #5

For your entertainment I present to you the script for the season one She-Ra episode "Return of the Sea Hawk" written by Michael Chase Walker and Larry DiTillio. This episode would mark the return of the Sea Hawk, whilst revealing if it was Adora or She-Ra as to whom he would rather spend quality time with. Here are pages twenty-four to twenty-nine of the script.



(click on the images to see them at full-size)

The ground seems to moan...

Here is an absolutely breathtaking panel by Bruce Timm from the Masters of the Universe minicomic "The Ultimate Battleground!" In this panel we see Skeletor and King Hiss atop Snake Mountain combining their powers to unleash the Three Towers, with which they believe they can use to overthrow Eternia. Bruce Timm's artwork is, as always, incredibly striking. But of particular note are the extraordinary array of atmospheric colors by Charles Simpson that complement Timm's lines perfectly. As I have stressed before, my one small gripe with this minicomic, as is evidenced by this illustration, is the ridiculously close proximity of Castle Grayskull to Snake Mountain!


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

Panini sticker album art #35

When I was a kid, one of my most prized possessions was the Masters of the Universe sticker album by Panini. I still remember the day my mother purchased the album for me. Aside from the fun of collecting the stickers themselves I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the Filmation-accurate illustrations that could be found on each and every page. I thought it would be a good idea to showcase those illustrations on this very Blog!

This illustration shows the construction of the fortress that will house the Wheel of Infinity...

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

She-Ra script: "Return of the Sea Hawk" #4

For your entertainment I present to you the script for the season one She-Ra episode "Return of the Sea Hawk" written by Michael Chase Walker and Larry DiTillio. This episode would mark the return of the Sea Hawk, whilst revealing if it was Adora or She-Ra as to whom he would rather spend quality time with. Here are pages eighteen to twenty-three of the script.



(click on the images to see them at full-size)

Panini sticker album art #34

When I was a kid, one of my most prized possessions was the Masters of the Universe sticker album by Panini. I still remember the day my mother purchased the album for me. Aside from the fun of collecting the stickers themselves I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the Filmation-accurate illustrations that could be found on each and every page. I thought it would be a good idea to showcase those illustrations on this very Blog!

In this panel we see Skeletor watching over Ollo, leader of the Ape Clan...

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

She-Ra script: "Return of the Sea Hawk" #3

For your entertainment I present to you the script for the season one She-Ra episode "Return of the Sea Hawk" written by Michael Chase Walker and Larry DiTillio. This episode would mark the return of the Sea Hawk, whilst revealing if it was Adora or She-Ra as to whom he would rather spend quality time with. Here are pages twelve to seventeen of the script.



(click on the images to see them at full-size)

"Riddle of the Comet"

As He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was developed into a series, the staff writers at Filmation came up with a wealth of proposed story premises. Numerous episodes were never developed beyond the early stages. Showcased below is one of those abandoned episodes, alongside a title card that I have created to show what might have been. Please note that in some of these synopses Orko is still referred to as Gorpo, Evil-Lyn as Desira, and the Evil Warriors as the Masters of the Universe. The Sorceress does not appear to have been fully developed at this point either; with many references instead to the Spirit of Grayskull. Also, Stratos is a villain; much like he was in the early Mattel material. All of the original spellings (Tee-La, Beastman, etc.) are also retained for authenticity.

The unofficial cartoon guide to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe features many more abandoned episodes!

"Riddle of the Comet"
When a comet crashes into the planet, He-Man loses his strength. Meanwhile, Beastman's legions storm into the kingdom, and without He-Man's defensive power, Castle Grayskull is sure to fall. Only by unraveling the riddle of the comet...and its strange properties...can He-Man recover his strength and save Grayskull.


* Legally I should say that Larry DiTillio did NOT write this episode. This is merely an example of how the episode title card might have looked.

Panini sticker album art #33

When I was a kid, one of my most prized possessions was the Masters of the Universe sticker album by Panini. I still remember the day my mother purchased the album for me. Aside from the fun of collecting the stickers themselves I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the Filmation-accurate illustrations that could be found on each and every page. I thought it would be a good idea to showcase those illustrations on this very Blog!

Here we see the opening panel for "The Time Corridor"...

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

She-Ra script: "Return of the Sea Hawk" #2

For your entertainment I present to you the script for the season one She-Ra episode "Return of the Sea Hawk" written by Michael Chase Walker and Larry DiTillio. This episode would mark the return of the Sea Hawk, whilst revealing if it was Adora or She-Ra as to whom he would rather spend quality time with. Here are pages six to eleven of the script.



(click on the images to see them at full-size)