While we're in a Masters of the Universe Classics mood, I figured I might as well cover the San Diego Comic Con Exclusive release, He-Ro. While he was available with an "extra-special" deco at SDCC, this is the version made available on MattyCollector.com after the show. Desipte the corny name and prohibitive price, this is a pretty good action figure, so read on to see why!
Name: He-Ro
Line: Masters of the Universe Classics
Manufacturer: Mattel
Released: Summer 2009
Price: Online: $30.00-$80.00
Scale: 6.00 in. (figure in 6.75 in. tall)
Accessories: Translucent blue power Sword, staff with purple gem
Sponsor Listings: Dinosaur Toy Vault-$29.99, Past Generation Toys-$79.95
He-Ro features a lot of new tooling, a welcome change for this line. His various armor pieces all fit into the design well and have lots of intricate sculpted details like rivets, fancy clips, multiple armor layers, and inlaid patterns. His skin features various muscle details as well as intricate sculpting in the hands, ears, and around the eyes. Proportions are appropriately in the bulky MotUC style. His cape hangs naturally, but might be too stiff for some. Nothing stands out about his head sculpt as particularly amazing due to a neutral expression and standard features, although it is still crisply sculpted and looks good enough. His staff is a fresh design that has some finer details and a sleek style, but the sword is nothing new. An attrative and unique figure overall without any problems and some great work with his armor.
Sculpt Score: 10 / 10
He-Ro has better paint applications than many of my previous MotUC figures. Details in the belt, boots, chestplate and wrist-guards are much cleaner than I was expecting. Cut lines are clean, and most of the circle applications are great (a few are terrible, particularly on his belt). I think every color choice, except for the gold, is perfect. I love the mix of blue, red, and gray because they're complementing shades that seem to match well across pieces. I don't have a problem with gold from a design standpoint, but this particular color looks just a step or two too green in my book. A purer gold color would have gone a long way to improving this figure, although, it should kept in mind that this will probably vary from light to light. His facial details are straight and crisp, except for a missing splotch on his headband. Both weapons look good, and I approve of the translucent blue glitter effect in his sword.
Paint Score: 8 / 10
Articulation is the usual MotUC style, which is listed in full in the above image. He-Ro actually features the tightest joints of any MotUC figure I've purchased yet, a huge advantage when posing him, allowing for a lot of dynamic stances that other figures can't achieve. His hips are limited to a degree, though everything else has a nice range, including the rocker ankles that seem much more flexible here than in past releases. I love that a lot of points are well hidden, including the hips, knees, ab crunch, and wrists, as this really helps to preserve the aesthetic.
Articulation Score: 9 / 10
He-Ro is a character that never actually reached production in the past, meaning a lot of people who always wanted this toy are just now getting him, and that's a fun step for Mattel to take this early in the line. Has an entertaining knight-like design with armor, sword, and cape. Comes with removable armor and two weapons to add extra enjoyment to the equation. Articulation helps keep play and display fun thanks to opening up many options. Packaging has bio and cross-sells to steal a few minutes of your time and attention. The only negatives to take away from how enjoyable looking at him and playing with him is, are the facts that actually obtaining him is a struggle, and the price to pay adds exclusivity too.
Fun Score: 9 / 10
He-Ro was available at a "retail store" (at the convention) for $20, which is only slightly overpriced, compared to the more excessive $28-$30 most people had to pay for him online. If you missed him originally, you can expect those prices to rise even farther. That's too much for a just-over 6 inch figure, no matter how well sculpted or painted he is. The inclusion of multiple accessories helps a little, but there's not enough here in the way of plastic or quality to make that price-point defendable. The new protective packaging is a nice touch for some collectors, and still yet $20 seems overpriced. Being an SDCC exclusive figure might make him more valuable to some as well, but most of us don't care (especially since this isn't the stamped version).
Value Score: 6 / 10
84 / 100 - This is a Great Toy
He-Ro may be expensive, but thanks to a top-notch sculpt and strong scores across the other technical categories, he's still a great action figure and one of my favorite releases in the Masters of the Universe Classics line yet.
-The Articulated One
This could be the figure given away in this month's Review Commentator Contest. Join the discussion by leaving a comment for a chance to win!
_________
