The Masters of the Universe toys were launched by Mattel in 1982 and took the world by storm. Children loved the instantly recognisable Castle Grayskull and the memorable action figures.

Originally there were just two factions, led by He-Man and Skeletor, who battled each other on the wild planet Eternia in a classic and endless conflict between good and evil.

Minicomics included with the figures provided a loose backstory, suggesting that the planet Eternia had been ravaged by a great war. A few technological remnants survived in a world dominated by magic.

Those early stories saw a barbarian He-Man from a jungle tribe riding into the fray on a giant fighting tiger named Battle Cat, wielding weapons given to him by a goddess who protected the ancient fortress.

The line did not stay true to its fantasy-inspired canon for very long. A cartoon series, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, adopted the dual-identity motif when the character of Prince Adam was introduced.

The cartoon was very popular and introduced many fans to the property, although the shift away from the barbarian themes was not universally appreciated. The cartoon is beyond the scope of this website.

Regardless of one’s views on the alternative Masters of the Universe canons, it was inevitable that the backstory would grow in some fashion. Two new factions, the Evil Horde and the Snake Men, were added to the line.

The Masters of the Universe also prompted the Princess of Power spin-off series. This line, featuring She-Ra, also had an accompanying cartoon. But we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves…

A wealth of material is now available to fans – through books and websites – including early artwork and information about prototypes. We know, for example, that the working name for the line was Lords of Power.

It’s a curious truth about the Masters of the Universe that the creators at Mattel did not put a lot of effort into creating the backstory. The minicomics were meant to inspire young imaginations but not become lore.

And yet, combined with the dramatic fantasy art that adorned the packaging, the simple stories became so much more than advertisements. The stories are now arguably more important to fans than the toys themselves.

That is the reason for the enduring appeal of the property. It is why several reincarnations of the figures have appeared over the years, both for collectors and at retail, and the characters are reborn in various media.

We’re drawn to the Masters of the Universe concept for different reasons, but the common ground is imagination. I can remember being enthralled by He-Man summoning Battle Cat from the forest in Battle in the Clouds.

But this site is not just here to celebrate the stories and artwork of the Masters of the Universe. My collection of vintage figures has been photographed for your enjoyment, including a number of factory variants.

Photos of the toys have been arranged by faction: Heroic Warriors; Evil Warriors; the Evil Horde and the Snake Men. Captions have been added to provide context on the photos (might not be visible on mobile devices).

The content so far concentrates on the action figures as they make up the majority of the vintage toy line, but I intend to add some more pages when time allows. Battle Cat and Panthor are now featured in this section.