He-Man & The Masters of the Universe #6 - DC Comics - SPOILERS

[ZacMasters]

So... the Sorceress is dead, Orko is evil, Teela is a borderline nudist, Castle Grayskull and the power sword are useless relics, and He-Man IS the Power!

Those old Star Comics from the 80s are suddenly looking pretty good right now.

Seriously, though, I don't mind the changes too much as long as they're contained to this comic (I would hate to see this play out in a television series or movie, which would be seen by a much larger audience and become the new direction for the property overall). This comic almost feels like someones fan fiction to me and that's fine, but the violence and gore are a real turn off and I likely won't continue with this series if that continues. I think you can still imply violence without turning the book into a bloodbath.

[gbagok]

I think all Adam really contributes is a fleshed out He-Man. If Adam is really He-Man all the time now, the only real difference from Pre-Filmation is that "Adam" is his real name except He-Man and that he doesn't come from a tribe in the jungle. He might wake up as He-Man and go to bed as He-Man, but his friends and family call him "Adam".

I guess we lose the whole "good for nothing son/disappointed in my son" relationship with Randor, assuming that Prince "He-Man" might be "Prince Perfect" now. THIS is the son Randor had always wanted! Now that I think about it, this could be very interesting! This could be like the Texiera mini-comics...

I'm surprised that we haven't discussed the implications of everyone knowing that Adam is He-Man in this canon.

Yes, that's where I think the secret identity is a great set up. When Adam had to keep his heroism secret, it forced some humility on him. He could do so many great things and couldn't take any of the credit, much to the detriment of his public image, which could have been really sweet as the prince and all. Now that the cat is out of the bag, what are the consequences? Can this go to his head? Will people want Randor to abdicate for him to be the new king? Will Randor start to fear more for He-Man than before, or actually start to be more critical of his actions than he was before learning the secret (parents can be like that)? Also, where the heck is Marlena? If they've killed another matriarch, I'll be convinced DC has some misogyny in its creative team.

[Telkan2]

We need Pre-Filmation speech!
"Ho, noble Man-At-Arms!"
"We ride to find Teela, good Man-At-Arms!"
"The fates are with us!"
"The evil one works a foul magic!"

Please, for the love of Grayskull, NO!

If they've killed another matriarch, I'll be convinced DC has some misogyny in its creative team.

Wait... I thought everyone understood that already...

[Darkspecter]

Also, where the heck is Marlena? If they've killed another matriarch, I'll be convinced DC has some misogyny in its creative team.

Wait... I thought everyone understood that already...

Things aren't looking so good for the ladies of MOTU at the moment:

- Teela: almost always barely clothed, acting bi-polar and being scared of battle in issue 6 (she looked the best in the Battle Cat digital issue. Fully clothed, armoured and a warrior true!).
- Evil-Lyn: Digital issue...she has sex for a jewel *coughPROSTITUTEcough*
- The Sorceress: Her 'V' neck goes down to her nether regions, is tortured violently, starved, choked, has her neck broken and is beheaded.
- Flutterina: 4 panels to show her get murdered and tossed aside like garbage without a single word of dialogue or introducing who she is.

The only ones who have been written and treated decently THUS FAR, are Shadow Weaver and Despera. We shall she what happens in the future issues.

[Brad2dbone]

I've always thought that the secret origin thing was pretty useless for He-man anyway. Skeletor wants to rule Eternia, that means he's already after Adam and all of his loved ones; which, isn't protecting your loved ones the main purpose of the secret identity? I also think He-man should just move in and live at Castle Grayskull, since he's always having to rush over there to protect the place. I mean if he's the guardian of Grayskull shouldn't he be there, guarding it? I guess that point might be moot though since, apparently Grayskull isn't the source of the power in this comic. Speaking of, if Grayskull doesn't contain the power, what's Skeletor going to do?

[Masamune]

I think all Adam really contributes is a fleshed out He-Man. If Adam is really He-Man all the time now, the only real difference from Pre-Filmation is that "Adam" is his real name except He-Man and that he doesn't come from a tribe in the jungle. He might wake up as He-Man and go to bed as He-Man, but his friends and family call him "Adam".

I guess we lose the whole "good for nothing son/disappointed in my son" relationship with Randor, assuming that Prince "He-Man" might be "Prince Perfect" now. THIS is the son Randor had always wanted! Now that I think about it, this could be very interesting! This could be like the Texiera mini-comics...

I'm surprised that we haven't discussed the implications of everyone knowing that Adam is He-Man in this canon.

Personally I would like to see the ongoing comic deal with the aftermath of people knowing who He-man is and not for it simply to be a tool to swipe the character of Adam under the rug. I think it would provide great potential for some original storytelling in MotU and I've always wanted to see how Randor or Teela would handle knowing the truth or how Man-at-arms would explain his part in all of it. It could make for some great reading and still keep Adam relevant (although I'm sure there are other things that will keep him relevant, like his relationships with other characters).

[MegaGearMax]

Things aren't looking so good for the ladies of MOTU at the moment:

- Evil-Lyn: Digital issue...she has sex for a jewel *coughPROSTITUTEcough*

I disagree. That was what a villainous woman would do. Indiana Jones, Conan and James Bond all slept with evil women who gained their trust and pretended to be friends/allies.

[CaptainMendoc]

I took the Orko thing as an explanation for why we won't see him in the comics. I like that. When I play with my toys I invent a different canon for them and Orko doesn't exist in that. I'm happy keeping him MISB and in the more light-hearted stories of the 80s.

I also like that everyone knows that Adam is the He-Man. It's pretty obvious, and I've never concealed it in my own canon. And I liked that Giffen called him THE He-Man, it implied that the title 'He-Man' was similar to how it's used in our world - ie. a muscle-man. I don't like the Neitlich explanation that 'He' means something different in the MOTU universe.

All in all I thought it was a good mix of some of the best things from MOTUC, 200X, the 80s and Giffen's own ideas. The banter with Teela remains particularly good. Particularly the exchange where she gets cross with him for telling her he's leaving to fight Skeletor. Although the glamour within a glamour was a bit confusing, especially when you read #6 with the Origin of He-Man, regarding the source of the Power.

[Telkan2]

I disagree. That was what a villainous woman would do. Indiana Jones, Conan and James Bond all slept with evil women who gained their trust and pretended to be friends/allies.

But it's also deeply problematic. She could have just as easily gotten the gem through other means of manipulation (if that was necessary at all), or she could have simply used her brute power--which Skeletor apparently even fears--to get it. Instead, they went with the oldest trick in the book (literally) by inferring that women use sex to manipulate men. Also, I'm not interested in collecting/reading rehashes of what Indiana Jones, Conan or James Bond have gone through--though it's becoming, sadly (IMO) more like the second option every month--I'm interested in seeing new worlds and new possibilities instead of the same old tired approach.

[BCI Guy]

I disagree. That was what a villainous woman would do. Indiana Jones, Conan and James Bond all slept with evil women who gained their trust and pretended to be friends/allies.

Want to bet we'll never see any of the male characters do the same thing in the comics?

[Larry Waters]

But, with Grayskull now a red herring, is there any need for a Sorceress?



I agree with Penny Dreadful's assessment 1000% The only thing I would add is that their treatment of women is problematic as a whole--not just the Sorceress' gruesome end, but also allowing Evil-Lyn to be powerful only so long as she's also insane, and only more of Teela's T&A than anything else.



Or we can continue to advocate to both Mattel and DC for whatever it is that we may feel is a better vision.



My God, you know it's a cold day in the Sands of Fire when I'm agreeing with Larry Waters about...well, anything! But I do agree with him (or at least with the parts that aren't indicated by ellipses.

So if this awful series did anything good, it was to bring us together!

[MegaGearMax]

But it's also deeply problematic. She could have just as easily gotten the gem through other means of manipulation (if that was necessary at all), or she could have simply used her brute power--which Skeletor apparently even fears--to get it. Instead, they went with the oldest trick in the book (literally) by inferring that women use sex to manipulate men. Also, I'm not interested in collecting/reading rehashes of what Indiana Jones, Conan or James Bond have gone through--though it's becoming, sadly (IMO) more like the second option every month--I'm interested in seeing new worlds and new possibilities instead of the same old tired approach.

But that was new for MOTU.

I think the writers might not have done the typical Evil-Lyn plot device of her putting Nolar under a spell, because they want to get away from the "Saturday morning cartoon" approach that they seem to regularly put down in the earlier interviews.

I wasn't bothered by the sex scene in of itself, although I do agree that she could have simply placed him under a spell and made him get the gem that night. The story might have worked better if it were explained that she had some actual feeling for Nolar, which is why she didn't use her magic on him to get immediate results.

- - - Updated - - -

Want to bet we'll never see any of the male characters do the same thing in the comics?

Almost all of the villains in MOTU are ugly and monstrous! They couldn't get to first base, let alone third!
(I'm kidding...I know exactly what you mean)

[Darkspecter]

I disagree. That was what a villainous woman would do. Indiana Jones, Conan and James Bond all slept with evil women who gained their trust and pretended to be friends/allies.

I know my stance is controversial, but I stand by the prostitute comment. Evil-Lyn, the THIRD most powerful person on Eternia (after Skeletor and The Sorceress), needs to sex some guy up for a jewel? Please. She's much more cunning than that. She also gives off the aura that anyone who touches her will burn a raining death of fire (which, Nolar technically does...). Evil-Lyn has ALWAYS thought herself above people. She's very conceited and would never lower herself to such standards. She's bad as all get out, but would not use sex to get what she desires. That's below her.

Want to bet we'll never see any of the male characters do the same thing in the comics?

Exactly. Skeletor would never sex up The Sorceress to get into Castle Grayskull.

[gbagok]

You guys totally underestimate what a **** Merman can be.

[MegaGearMax]

I know my stance is controversial, but I stand by the prostitute comment. Evil-Lyn, the THIRD most powerful person on Eternia (after Skeletor and The Sorceress), needs to sex some guy up for a jewel? Please. She's much more cunning than that. She also gives off the aura that anyone who touches her will burn a raining death of fire (which, Nolan technically does...). Evil-Lyn has ALWAYS thought herself above people. She's very conceited and would never lower herself to such standards. She's bad as all get out, but would not use sex to get what she desires. That's below her.

Kyle Higgins' version of Evil-Lyn isn't the other versions that you're used to. That could be how that Evil-Lyn manipulates people. There are differences between the DC characters versus the MOTU characters in other media. He-Man in DC KILLS humanoid enemies.

[Melfis]

Why does everyone believe that Evil-Lyn is not the person who needs cheap tricks like sex to get what she wants. When I read the issue for the first time I assumed that she had sex with him because she wanted it. Afterall she is a hot witch with needs and knows what she wants, so why not get laid during "a job"? Nolar seems like a handsome guy and even Evil-Lyn needs to relax at some point.

[Darkspecter]

You guys totally underestimate what a **** Merman can be.

True. He DID have all those Mer-Man babies that came out of nowhere...and he does smell of fish.

[80's Enthusiast]

So......... Orko, huh?


Personally, I am shocked and it's certainly not the path I would've taken nor what I expected but I'm excited to see what the new creative team does.

This is not your grand daddy's MOTU.

[kochane]

So Teela calls HeMan a "smug ****"?

This would mean something rather different in my neck of the woods to what I imagine its intended meaning is!

[Firefly]

Orko being a villain reminds me of Scrappy being a villain in the live-action Scooby-Doo movie. The whole amnesia storyline is not something I'd pick to reintroduce people to MOTU.

[hadley]

Want to bet we'll never see any of the male characters do the same thing in the comics?

Well, the laws of supply and demand make that pretty much impossible on Eternia...

Hm, someone run a background check on Sea Hawk.

[Mophead]

I think its shadow weaver sitting on that throne.
Skeletor was transported to another planet/dimension.
Shadow weaver would have that ability and was Hordak's right hand woman.
This would also account for the line (playing the part and playing it well).
then there is, (know this skeletor of eternia) speech.
We really do not know what they have in store for the Horde in this story line.
With most of skeletor's forces either on vacation or defeated this seems to me
A way to get everyone in the mix right from the start.

- - - Updated - - -

As far as ORKO being that person on the throne.
If he did turn into a baddie, I really do not think ORKO would be so philosophical
with skeletor.
Orko (baddie) would be so twisted.

[Darkspecter]

I think its shadow weaver sitting on that throne.

In the Despera Digital Comic, Shadow Weaver has green hands. The character sitting on the throne at the end of issue 6 has a blue hand. Also, the demonic "Trollan" army have the letter 'O' burning on their chests, in a yellowish green colour.

EDIT: The 'O' is teeth continued down! Creepy.

[Mophead]

In the Despera Digital Comic, Shadow Weaver has green hands. The character sitting on the throne at the end of issue 6 has a blue hand. Also, the demonic "Trollan" army have the letter 'O' burning on their chests, in a yellowish green colour.

EDIT: The 'O' is teeth continued down! Creepy.

There not burning O's there teeth, Burning eyes yes.

- - - Updated - - -

It's really just the maw of the demons and I do not see any circles on their chests.

[Iris Wildthyme]

I enjoyed this and am genuinely glad that DC seem to want to take the property in a new direction (look at how fantastically IDW are running their G1-themed Transformers comics right now, with the Autobot/Decepticon war being over).

I do agree with the atrocious sexism that has been on display, most notably with Teela and the Sorceress' costumes.

I am sure that other British readers guffawed when Teela called He-Man a "smug ****"!!!!!!!! Ummm, what does "****" mean to Americans?