The Art of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Review: This Book Has the Power and More

Review by Nolan P. Smith

(Victor Valley)—It’s one of the most beloved franchises to come out of the 1980’s. If you grew up during or anytime after that time, you know all too well who He-Man and the Masters of the Universe are. I was born the year the cartoon hit the television, which makes the property 32 years old. Dark Horse Comics has created an art book that celebrates everything related to the man from Castle Grayskull.

The 320 page hardcover is a thing of beauty, and I don’t use that word very often. It covers the original Filmation cartoon, the awesome original action figures that spawned an amazing childhood for so many of us, the 200X animated series, the new Masters of the Universe action figures from Mattel, to the various comic series by DC Comics, and tons more.

One of the best aspects of this beautiful hardcover are the behind the scene looks: to see the concept sketches for characters, for unproduced toys, for animated series that never made it past the planning stages. This book is the epitome of greatness for He-Man fans. Also included are maps for the fictional worlds of the universe, as well as an animation cell, which is included with the regular hardcover version.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe captured the imagination of a generation with over the top characters, tons of actions, and stories that have lasted and been retold over the franchise’s 32 year life span so far. I cannot recommend this book enough, as this is the art book fans like myself have been waiting for. Dark Horse always presents the very best of hardcover collections in the business, and this is no exception. I easily give the Art of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe a perfect @@@@@ out of FIVE. This book has the power… I mean HAS THE POOOOOOOWER!