In honor of He-Man’s 40th Birthday, which takes place tomorrow, October 12th, Nightmarish Conjurings’ Shannon McGrew recently had the chance to visit Mattel’s Design Center, located in El Segunda, CA, for an early celebration of He-Man’s 40th Birthday. Throughout the day, selected press were given a tour of the Design Center where we saw everything from the process of creating the action figures to the overall art packaging, as well as a look into their 2023 product line.

I’ll admit, I’m not overly familiar with Masters of the Universe (aka MOTU), which is one of the reasons I was so interested in exploring what Mattel had to offer through this experience. For many of my friends, He-Man and Master of the Universe were an integral part of their childhood. For some, it surpassed being just a toy from their childhood and instead became sought-after collector pieces.

Kicking off the tour, press were taken to the Design Center’s Sound Lab, a recording studio where all the voice acting takes place. To give us more of an idea of how the process works, a few individuals were chosen to read lines from two of the most popular characters within MOTU, He-Man and Skeletor. Seeing how seamlessly this all came together through the use of mixing different audio together was nothing short of impressive.

Afterward, we were then given an inside look at how the action figures are created through the use of 3D modeling. Once finished, we visited the 3D scan center where modelmakers used a large sphere-like contraption that boasts 64 cameras in order to get a detailed 3D image of whatever items are needed – whether that be a replica of a person (yes, a real live person can be put inside) and/or a detailed object to accompany said action figure(s). If there is one thing this machine showed, it’s that the sky’s the limit.

Once we had a grasp on the toy-making process, we headed down a brightly lit hallway until we reached a door titled “Eternia Room.” Located here was the crème de la crème of all things Masters of the Universe. Ranging from action figures of the past to products of the present, the Eternia Room is a collector’s dream. Not typically seen by folks outside of Mattel, this was a unique experience that allowed someone like me to get a better understanding of the longevity and importance of these toys. While huddled in this room with the rest of the press, I could see my fellow peers’ eyes light up at seeing the 40-year history of MOTU in front of them.

Once the tour concluded, we had a panel presentation from the designers responsible for creating the product and packaging for these figures. They went through the step-by-step process that showcased initial sketches, where they drew inspiration from, and the eventual final product. From the get-go, it was apparent that these designers have a deep love and admiration for MOTU as seen in their art and attention to detail. Once the panel concluded, it was time for Mattel to make its big announcement on what fans can expect from their 2023 line. Announced were the following:

• HLB67 Masterverse Deluxe Revelation Duncan Figure: 7″ scale figure from Revelation Netflix show, featuring 30+ points of articulation and includes additional heads, hands, armor pieces, weapon accessories, and softgoods cape to recreate meaningful storytelling direct from content. Release Timing: Spring 2023; Availability: US Target, varies internationally.

• HLB66 Masterverse New Adventure Skeletor Figure: 7″ scale figure from New Adventures series, featuring 30+ points of articulation and includes a soft goods cape, his iconic staff, as well as a removable helmet. Pairs with Spring 2023 release of New Adventures He-Man. Release Timing: Fall 2023; Availability: US Target, varies internationally.

• HKM62 Origins Ground Ripper and Mekaneck Figure and Vehicle: A hero vehicle from the original toyline and one of the most recognizable single rider vehicles this will include real rolling wheels and an alternate road ripper head based off one of the original He-Man designer’s concept art. It also comes with a Mekaneck figure, a character not yet released in Origins. Release Timing: Spring 2023; Availability: Mainline retail.

• HKM82 Origins Frog Monger Figure: First introduced in the 80s as a label sticker for Castle Grayskull, this dungeon creature eventually made its way to packaging art before fan demand spurred the creation of this figure as a never-done-before Origins character. In the 5.5″ scale, Frog Monger comes with 16 points of articulation and dwells in the dungeon behind the walls of Castle Grayskull. The figure also comes with a blaster weapon and backpack accessory. Release Timing: Spring 2023; Availability: Mattel Creations; SRP: $18. 

• HKM85 Origins Anti-Eternia He-Skeletor Figure: 5.5″ scale Anti Eternia He-Skeletor figure is inspired by the DC Comics Multiverse Keldor! The figure comes with 16 points of articulation and includes the iconic power sword, battle axe, and shield accessories. The package includes mini-comin for meaningful storytelling. Release Timing: Spring 2023; Availability: Mattle Creations; SRP: $18.

• HPG40 Origins Flocked Moss Man Figure: 5.5″ scale with highly authentic flocked detailing with textured feel and authentic pine smell, Moss Man features 20+ points of articulation and comes with mace weapons, harness, and additional head. Release Timing: Fall 2023; Availability: US Walmart, varies internationally.

• HPG41 Origins Snake Mountain Playset: A collector must-have, this iconic fortress pays homage to the vintage 80s product but makes it bigger and better! The playset includes improved displayability with additional stairs/walkways proportionate to Origins figures, swappable filmation facade for multiple ways to play and display and includes trap door feature, additional play areas, and multiple accessories. Release Timing: Fall 2023; Availability: Mainline retail.

 

• HGW42 Origins Eternia Crowdfund Playset: This massive 3ft x 4ft epic display features working monorail with battery-powered battle tramp, sky cage, and jet pack fighter as well as an elevator, command center with battle dummy, trap door, lunging snake head, working lion’s head gate with grabbing claws, turret, softgoods flags, and applicable labels. The monorail can also be reconfigured to just circle the single center tower for maximum display possibilities. It also includes a deluxe mini-comic. Release Timing: October 12, 2022; Availability: Mattel Creation; SRP: $550.

From conception to finished product and everything in between, Mattel pulled out all the stops to give us a well-rounded idea of all the blood, sweat, tears, and unwavering passion that goes into creating these toys. It’s been 40 years since He-Man came into existence and if there is one thing we learned during this day of celebration, it’s that He-Man and the Masters of the Universe aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.