Dark Horse Comics kicks off another new He-Man comic with Masters of the Universe “The Sword of Flaws” as a four-issue mini-series that hearkens back to the early days of Masters of the Universe lore with an exciting story focused on the twin halves of the Power Sword. “The Sword of Flaws” storyline also serves as a lead-in to the recently announced ongoing Masters of the Universe series from Dark Horse Comics, Writer Tim Seeley, and Artist Reilly Brown.
It’s easy to recognize “Sword of Flaws” inspiration point: a mix of early MOTU toy pack-in mini-comics and 80s Filmation cartoon lore frames the story in a way that feels familiar and nostalgic while offering up plenty of intrigue and mystery. MOTU fans can expect the usual blend of Dark Horse Comics-era storytelling thanks to the regular Writer/Artist team of Tim Seeley and Freddie Williams II as the creative duo blends epic, eye-catching art with solid writing that offers plenty of humor and heart in addition to the He-Man vs Skeletor action expected from a MOTU story. Fans of their previous MOTU work (Turtles of Grayskull, MOTU/Thundercats, MOTU Injustice) will find plenty to love in the pages of “The Sword of Flaws.”
The story begins with Prince Adam and his royal caravan escorting a visiting emissary from a neighboring kingdom to Castle Grayskull’s iconic Jaw-Bridge doorstep for a closer look at the ancient fortress. En route, the arrogant Prince Stahl hurls insult after insult at Prince Adam and Eternos as he derides his royal counterpart for being too reliant on the heroics of the mighty He-Man who always seems eager to ride in and save the day. Prince Adam, for his part, does his best to change the subject lest Prince Stahl stumble upon his secret identity as the muscle-bound hero.
As the royal princes draw closer to the castle, their caravan is attacked by Skeletor and his minions. Now, it’s up to Prince Adam to somehow slip away from his escort, transform into He-Man, and save the day… just as fans would expect from a typical He-Man adventure. To make a long story short, He-Man saves the day as expected, but a new threat emerges from Eternia’s past: a violet-colored blade that bears a striking resemblance to He-Man’s own silver Power Sword. It’s not necessarily a unique He-Man story, but the fun is found in the moment-to-moment action that Seeley and Williams weave across the pages of issue 1.
This new mysterious sword is the titular “Sword of Flaws.” What is the sword? Where did it come from? What consequences are to be had by its discovery? These questions present the crux of this new mini-series and based on the strength of this first issue, it seems as if fans are in for a rollercoaster of an adventure as the story unfolds.
Masters of the Universe “The Sword of Flaws” #1 is available now from Dark Horse Comics in comic stores and online now. Good Journey and stay tuned for future reviews from He-Man.org.
