Category: Masters of the Universe

Recommended music: Rush – Hand Over Fist

Happy Monday! On this #MastersMonday, we’re still in 1984 mode with another figure from the vintage Mattel Masters of the Universe toy line—it’s Fisto!

Fisto was a figure in frequent use during my childhood MOTU adventures. This heroic hand-to-hand fighter and ally to He-Man featured a spring-loaded right arm (with an oversized fist) that really stepped up the game from previous figures in the line that only had spring-loaded waist action. He also came with a Tri-Klops sword cast in purple that matched his color scheme.

I’m not sure if it was box art, mini-comics, or other memorable Errol McCarthy artwork that made it stick, but everyone seemed to know that the robotic horse Stridor belonged to Fisto (they were offered together in a 2-pack even though Stridor was created by Man-At-Arms in Filmation cannon), and Fisto’s natural enemy was Jitsu (the big handed evil-warrior version of Fisto). ✊🏼

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Recommended music: T78 – Clawful

Happy Monday! For this #MastersMonday, we’re fully into 1984. Here’s another figure from the vintage Mattel Masters of the Universe toy line—it’s Clawful!

Clawful was another figure I didn’t have as a kid, and honestly, I wasn’t as interested in playing him with from my friend’s collections. I somewhat knew the character due to his inclusion in more than a handful of episodes of the Filmation He-Man animated series, but the animated version looked totally different and somehow didn’t make the connection to the action figure.

The cartoon Clawful head looked more like a dragon or lizard, while this figure’s head reminded me more of a crab. Besides his standard claw hand (something the cartoon version had a pair of), he has an oversized grabbing hand, which at worst could hold his green Grayskull mace, and at best could pinch your friend’s finger.😄

#MastersOfTheUniverse

Recommended music: Rimsky Korsakov – Flight of the Bumblebee

Happy Monday! On this #MastersMonday we’re buzzing to share another figure from the vintage Mattel Masters of the Universe toy line, it’s Buzz-Off!

Buzz-Off was a figure I didn’t have as a kid, but thankfully I still had access to him through my friend’s collections. I was familiar with the character due to his appearance in the Filmation He-Man animated series where he showed up for a handful of episodes in season two. His semi-transparent techno wings were appealing. However, the extra eyes on his helmet seemed strange to me. The new clawed hands being used for a bee man also appeared unusual at the time. 😄

The cardback art above was once again done by Errol McCarthy. There was another version of this art. It was also used for Buzz-Off but was mirrored and missing his axe for some reason. The axe was a repaint of the one available with Castle Grayskull. I’m not sure why it was initially not included in the art.

#MastersOfTheUniverse