"By the power of Grayskull!" 20 years ago, on September 5th 1983 He-Man and the Masters of the Universe debuted on television screens across the world. For the first time, the words of the transformation were uttered by Prince Adam, the soothing voice of the Sorceress was heard, and the cackle of Skeletor's laugh rang in our ears. Little did Filmation or Mattel know at the time that their new cartoon series would influence the lives of millions of impressionable young children.

Today, those of us who were impressed the most are celebrating He-Man's 20th birthday on the Internet. We all owe He-Man a big thanks for teaching us morals, giving us years of action-packed entertainment, and for fighting evil wherever it presents itself. When He-Man began in 1983, it started with 65 syndicated episodes, a television market move unheard of at the time. When production ended in 1985, 130 episodes of He-Man were on the air, and dozens of copycat series were competing to become the next He-Man.

For all of us who grew up in the 1980s, He-Man was a big part of our childhoods. The characters, settings, and stories will not be forgotten. Twenty years later we still hold He-Man dear in our hearts.

To celebrate 20 years of He-Man, the Episode Review Website is honoring the most powerful man in the universe with:

The He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Series Guide - a book largely based on the content of the Series Bible, that was sent out to channels wanting to pick up the show, containing lots of long character histories, and episodes that were never made.

The completion of all 130 He-Man synopses - for the first time in six years the Episode Review Website has ALL the episode synopses on the site! The reviews will start appearing soon, along with the multimedia content in the next month. At this moment you will be able to see the new episode review structure.

The opening of the Animation Art section - Busta Toons’ near-ridiculous collection of artwork from the Filmation He-Man and She-Ra series will be showcased here - Hundreds of pieces to come!

Over the next few days you will see a lot of content appearing in the above sections! For now we wish He-Man a joyous Happy Birthday!!

It's 1:25am here in Los Angeles. I'm staying up extra late tonight, working on Nickelodeon stuff from home.

I just wanted to thank you all again for your continued support and passion for the Masters of the Universe. It is and forever remains the most important male action brand in the history of the play pattern.

Seriously... who else can compete?

GI Joe: ok. I'll give you that. GI Joe was a manifestation of a country that just faced a major world war and was starring down the barrel of many wars to come... Korea, Vietnam. What GI Joe wasn't - it wasn't a superhero. It was more of a statement of the day that wouldn't end. GI Joe was obvious.

Transformers: Transformation + Robots as a play pattern... completely revolutionary and on-point with kids. Remember, however, Transformers came after MOTU.

Turtles: After MOTU

Batman, Justice League: Great stuff, limited on shelf.

Masters: Masters was it. A billion dollar boy action figure brand.... not based in reality, but completely from a new world, where bees, mosquitos, humanoid creatures, beasts, underwater minions, skeletal monsters, and elephant heads (what tha??) all lived side by side... all lived with 1 thing in common... a propensity for being pumped up and ready for conflict. The original Masters series embodied all that is right in kids television and toys. In turn, kids (you in 1984) embraced the brand.

I never took this for granted. Mattel knows how important the MOTU brand is to the adult collector. That's precisely why we spend so much time listening, promoting to, and conversing with the collector. We know how important the brand is to you.

The struggle, after the 1st year of the launch, has been to continue momentum with today's kids... kids with tons of choices between internet, tv, video games and many, many other distractions, not relevant to 1984. The Snakemen has been an important element in recruiting a whole new MOTU generation.

Anyway, thank you again for the opportunity to work with you over the last 2 years. I will never forget it. The brand, in Brad Wood's hands, is exactly where you'd want it to be. Brad is the most competent person I know.

And, of course I still read the boards!

Thanks again for everything,
Jeremy Padawer

1. Could you satiate the fans desire for any word on figures for the
Sorceress, Modulok, Multi-Bot, the rock warriors, or an all-new sculpted Faker?

We are always looking into bringing new figures to the line. While I cannot commit to any of the above mentioned names, we have looked into a few of them as possible exclusives. In the meantime, I can tell you we are focused on rounding out the Snakemen for 2004.

2. We know that the 12" Ultra-Eternia line will begin with He-Man and
Skeletor, and be available toward the end of this year. Can you give us
any other details about them?

They're actually 10" inches. The figures are what we call a Roto-cast design. This basically means that they hollow to accommodate the large size and are targeted to a younger child. The look is more blown out with bigger muscles and a more grounded stance. These are going into production as we speak and will be available late December/early January. (see photo below)

3. Will the collectors' club be available for fans overseas?

It's a little too early in its development to say for certain. We'll keep you posted.

4. Will figures continue to incorporate classic elements? (i.e., Will
Moss-Man smell of pine? Will Webstor have his hook and line?)

Only where it makes sense to do so. I know, that's a vague answer but we do not limit our design team to recreating the old line, rather we want them to take the best of best and then build upon that with new things.

5. She-Ra fans still clammer for their heroine; can you give us any hints
about her possibly being re-introduced into the MotU line?

No plans as of yet but we do want to do the research and see if and when it would make sense to bring her back.

6. Will the Snake Mountain play set more closely resemble its toon
counterpart, unlike the 1980's version?

If developed, Snake Mountain would more closely resemble the show equities as does the rest of the line.

7. Will there be more Grayskull add-ons, besides the Battle station?

Cannot comment, but I don't see why not.

8. The Sorceress's falcon form, Zoar, has made toon appearances. Will we
see her in toy form?

See my response for question #1.

9. We know that figures of Clawful, Webstor, and Stinkor are in the
works. When might we see these great villains hit stores?

Who told you that? Was it that crazy Jeremy, the Four Horsemen, or JVS3? ;-)
None are officially on the books as we speak.

10. With the unveiling of the snake Armor He-Man, fans are concerned that
He-Man may have an entirely new look for every new season of the
cartoon. Will this be the case, or may he return to his traditional
costume when the threat of the Snakemen has passed.

Yet to be determined. Obviously the Snake Armor is indeed designed to fight this nemesis so the look could return or change again in the future. We want to stay as consistent as possible moving forward while still bring newness to our hero.

11. With the release of the new MotU line throughout various European
countries, Australian fans are disappointed to find that Mattel Australia
has stated that the line will be delayed yet another year down under. Can
you give any insight as to why this is the case?

He-Man is afraid of sharks. Actually, TV will not start in Australia until 2004, therefore the line will not launch until that same time.

12. Are there plans for any other female characters to be produced as
figures, aside from the obvious Sorceress and re-decos of Teela and evil-Lyn?

Sorry, no comment.

13. Fans are puzzled by the failure of Battle Glove Man-At-Arms to appear
in stores. What's the story on this redeco?

We had some last minute touches we wanted done on the figure that postponed his release. I'll let fans know when he's ready to be added to the mix.

14. Is there any news on possible MotU children's story books, novels,
sticker books, coloring books, or boardgames?

Not to my knowledge, sorry!

15. Many fans are eager for figures of new Filmation/MYP characters such as
Count Marzo, Hawk, and Evil Seed. Will we see them?

Return to that darn Question 1.

16. Why were the short character bios, (i.e. "Most Powerful Man in the
Universe", "Overlord of Evil", "Captain of the Royal Guard") removed from
the most current waves of figures? Fans miss them.

One of our corporate goals is to make universal/global packaging where possible. To do this effectively, we needed to eliminate text due the huge number of translations required.

17. Are there any upcoming vehicles you can give us insight on?

Just the Spitbull and Battle bones but you guys know those already.

18. Can you tell us if there are any plans for MotU figures stands any time
in the near future? Fans would much rather give their money to Mattel than
www.SpawnStore.com for generic stands.

No plans currently but a good idea!

19. Any other role-playing toys, like the electronic power sword, in the
works in the foreseeable future?

He-Man's Snake Armor, of course. Check it out! (see photo below)

Thursday, 17 July, dawned hot and much more humid than is typical in southern California. The lines of sci-fi and fantasy enthusiasts were as long as ever outside the San Diego Convention Center.

My mission: To buy Mattel's exclusive Masters of the Universe "Keldor" figure. Not to mention pick up whatever odds and ends I could to expand my MotU collection.

But I wasn't the only one. This became perfectly clear when, within just a few short minutes of arriving at the center after a six block hike from the best parking we could find, we spotted a young woman wearing the promotional shirt that Mattel had given out two years previous. Incongruously, a Power Puff Girl trinket swung from her backpack as well.

At last! 10:00 AM had arrived. We made a mad dash for the Mattel booth...along with half the convention goers, it seemed. However, there was a catch. Due to the overwhelming demand and the unfortunate few who had decided to become physical during the sale of Mattel's He-Man repaint last year, a lottery system was imposed.

Between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM, tickets were handed out for a chance to buy a Keldor figure. A span of numbers would randomly be selected, and the fans with those tickets could purchase the exclusive from 2:00 PM until 6:00.

Though I missed out on Keldor the first day, I did get a chance to purchase him on Friday. Overall, the plan and system was a good one. The lottery surely cut down on the vast number of exhibitors and scalpers planning to stock up on Keldors.

Mattel definitely went all out for the convention. Huge banners of the new Snake Armor He-Man and the Snakemen themselves gave us a glimpse into what the future of MotU holds in season #2. 2-ups and prototypes of figures were set up in glass cases. A huge video monitor played clips from the past and future cartoon season, as well as footage of the new video game for Gamecube, Playstation 2, and Xbox. All this plus two beautiful women walking around dressed as Teela and Evil-Lyn...what more could a Masters fan have asked for?

I'm a firm believer that toys are meant to be played with. If you're a MOC collector and faint of heart, you may wish to skip the next couple of paragraphs. ;-)

So, I opened Keldor. What an amazing job the 4HM and Mattel did on this figure. The three interchangeable heads are beautifully sculpted. It is interesting to note that the Skeletor head is made up of one solid piece, rather than the two separate ones on the regular figure. The cape is perfect, and I love the vile of acid.

In fact, my only complaints with this figure are pretty superficial. One is that his sword was bent to heck in the packaging, which seems to be a common theme with the figures from the first wave. The other is that he still has that button sticking out of his back.

The theme of the booth was largely the war with the Snakemen that has been hinted at in the next season. Prototypes of King Hsss, Kobra Kahn, and Rattlor made their public debut, along with many other figures. Here's a run down and what you can expect.

• King Hsss -- despite the lack of ball jointed shoulders, this figure is still extremely well done. His human form appears to be much less prone to falling off or apart, unlike its classic counterpart. The great surprise here is the
added articulation of his mouth.

• Rattlor -- I certainly wouldn't want to meet this guy down a dark alley...or at noon at Times Square either, for that matter. He's hefty, probably along the lines of Beast Man and Whiplash. And, unlike the original, his now curved neck gives him an impressive feel when it extends. He too can open and close his mouth.

• Kobra Khan -- Kahn was always my favorite of all the Snakemen, and the new interpretation of him leaves me entirely satisfied. He is still my favorite. The figure will indeed maintain his water-spraying gimmick, however his mouth will open and close at the appropriate time.

•Mecha-Crush/Crunch Skeletor -- This figure, meant to be part of the deluxe line, is quite an improvement over the previous two deluxe versions of ol' Bonehead. The most noteworthy detail is a snake snacking glimpse at Hordak on his chestplate.

•Snake Trapper He-Man -- This heroic counterpart to Mecha-Crunch Skeletor boasts a design similar to the new Sorceress. This leads to the question: Will there be a link between Hordak, the Sorceress, and possibly the Snakemen as well? Only time will tell.

•Snake Hunter He-Man -- This figure, also known as Snake Armor, Snake Buster, and "new look for He-Man in season #2", is actually a superb figure, despite the mixed reviews it received when unveiled in Toyfare magazine. I was a bit concerned at the oversized power sword to accommodate for the missile inside (some sort of green bolt of magical energy), but it is executed well and I have no complaints.

•Battle Bones -- How any kid or collector could not love this re-design of a classic toy is beyond me. No picture can possibly do this toy justice. It's quite a bit larger than the original, boasts a massive tail that swings up over its back to double as a handle, and a pair of its front teeth help hold the jaws closed...much safer keeping for weaponry than the original. The only down side is that it will certainly not be able to hold the much heftier figures, such as Beast-Man, Rattlor, and Whip-Lash.

The other Masters decked out in new armor to battle the Snakemen are well done and make sense. There are no pointless versions here, like many of the previous figures have been. These figures make sense with the story line that is to unfold, and I'm thoroughly satisfied with them. Mekaneck's gear to play up his reconnaissance duties is fantastic.

And what can be said for Jeremy Padawer, the Four Horsemen, Ian Richter, and the other fine folks that made up the team at the Mattel booth? If ever Masters of the Universe was in great hands, it is with these people. Friendly, upbeat, and completely enthusiastic about the line, they made the entire experience a pleasure.

Moving away from the Mattel booth, at noon on Thursday we dashed to the NECA booth where the Four Horsemen, (the brilliant designers of the new MotU line), would be making an announcement. A crowd gathered, and the excitement was high.

They would be sculpting mini busts of Masters characters, to be produced by NECA. On display was the Merman bust, which is a work of art if ever there was one. The bust was approximately eight or ten inches tall and the level of detail and craftsmanship in these is not to be beat. I can't wait to purchase one. Merman was a great character to start with, as well.

Over the rest of the weekend, fans flooded in, out, through, and around the Masters of the Universe display. It was one of the hottest items there, and it is a testament to the strength and power of the brand that such a high percentage of the 65,000 convention-goers were enthusiastic about Masters of the Universe.

Even with all that said, it cannot be emphasized enough that Jeremy, the Horsemen, Ian, and everyone else made the experience what it was. Much like the characters they sculpt, promote, and love as much as we do, they are masters themselves.