The selection on this page shows perhaps some of the best and worst of the Origins minicomics. The best dig into Masters of the Universe lore; the worst are about the dreadful ROTS characters which have no place in the brand.

RENEGADE RAID

Renegade Raid is a cracking tale which features a character named Kol-Darr. The comic came with the exclusive Kol-Darr figure. It’s a longer tale than usual and all the better for it. (Ignore the mistake in the first text box.)

He-Man is misled by the magistrates who rule Caravan City. The truth comes out when he encounters Kol-Darr. The storyline is fresh while relying on familiar MOTU themes of deception and friendship. A good read.

LOST LEGEND

Lost Legend came with the exclusive Wun-Dar figure and features him as the protagonist. This story is deliberately similar to Series One’s He-Man and the Power Sword. The goddess in that tale is named Sharella in this one.

This story is one for longstanding MOTU fans. It features several Easter eggs which relate to early MOTU lore and artwork. It portends the arrival of Skeletor and also adds weight to Moss Man’s importance. It’s a real treat.

NIGHT OF THE LEECH

A great little story which features some favourite Masters of the Universe characters. Leech attacks and captures He-Man in the Swamp of Gangoon. It is left to Snout Spout to rescue He-Man and his friends from the Evil Horde.

The minicomic uses the old theme of turning heroic warriors into evil zombies after dousing them in green slime, although the Slime Pit itself is not featured. It is reminiscent of a Vintage tale called Escape From The Slime Pit!

THE HORRORS OF PIG-HEAD

A weak tale featuring a couple of the unwanted ROTS characters. Banished by Sun-Man’s people, Pig-Head turns up on Eternia and deceives Skeletor into trying to destroy the sun. The Sorceress has no idea what’s going on.

In order to try to incorporate these ROTS characters into the canon, Mattel has granted them powers that exceed those of the MOTU characters. It feels forced and simply doesn’t work. These minicomics are the poorer for it.

MIND OVER MATTER

An attack on the royal palace is thwarted by another boring ROTS character called Digitino. Apparently he has the mental ability to calculate his opponents’ moves before they happen and then counterattack with devastating skill.

These ROTS stories diminish the value of the Masters of the Universe canon. We know the characters’ inclusion is nothing more than virtue-signalling. Mattel made a foolish miscalculation when licensing the ROTS property.

RISE OF THE SNAKEMEN!

If you thought it was odd to put a ROTS character on the cover of a minicomic that was meant to introduce a very important MOTU faction, you would, of course, be absolutely correct. Furthermore, the story seems unfinished.

He-Man is poisoned. The Goddess cannot cure him, but apparently the molecule-manipulating Bolt-Man can manage it. His seemingly unlimited powers also allow him to detect hidden Snakemen. It’s a very weak story.