Masters of the Universe Marvel/Star Comics --SPIDAROT SHARE

Masters of the Universe Marvel Comics


Issue 01: "The Coming of Hordak!"

Details
Collection: Marvel/Star Comics
Publisher: Marvel
Month: May
Year: 1986
Production Country: USA
Issue: 1
Language: English



Description

Recap:

As the story begins, Skeletor seals the interplanetary gate between Eternia and Etheria to stop Hordak from coming. In the meantime, Adam and Teela are practicing their mid-air fighting skills.

The Sorceress alerts Adam to danger, and he rushes to Grayskull. There, he finds Skeletor trying to dig into Grayskull with the Terror Claws.

Skeletor takes Zoar as hostage, and Orko says an incantation for help, and he gets something he didn't bargain for: Hordak and the Horde show up. A battle ensues, and eventually Hordak captures everyone and imprisons them on Etheria.

The heroes break free and, after a brief skirmish with the worm monster, Orko says an incantation to take them all home. They arrive to find Hordak beating Skeletor in a duel of magic. The heroes stop Hordak and he returns to Etheria, while Skeletor curses them for helping.

Analysis:

This is the first of 13 issues in the MOTU series published by Marvel under their "Star" label.


Issue 02: "Falling Stars"

Details
Collection: Marvel/Star Comics
Publisher: Marvel
Month: July
Year: 1986
Production Country: USA
Issue: 2
Language: English



Description



Because of his thoughtlessness, Orko causes the Laser Bolt to go haywire, knocking a meteoroid out of the sky.

5 others follow, claiming that it is their right to deal with him as they please. When they start shooting, Adam becomes He-Man and tries to put an end to the battle. The renegade Meteorbs leave only when Stonedar and the Meteorb Legion arrive to help their injured companion, Rokkon.

He-Man informs them that they can go to the palace to seek help for their friend, so they take off towards Eternos.

Meanwhile, Skeletor befriends the renegades. When He-Man and Battle Cat arrive, they find that there is a battle at the palace between Man-At-Arms and the Meteorb Legion.

He-Man tries to stop it, and in the meantime Orko and Rokkon discover that Skeletor and the renegades are behind it. The good guys win and later help repair the damage to the palace.


Issue 03: "The Garden of Evil"

Details
Collection: Marvel/Star Comics
Publisher: Marvel
Month: September
Year: 1986
Production Country: USA
Issue: 3
Language: English



Description

Hordak orders his Troopers to capture He-Man to get his revenge (see issue #1). Being robots, they mistake Adam for He-Man and bring him to the Fright Zone. Hordak recognizes He-Man's sword but it defends itself when he wants to touch it. Adam is put in the Slime Pit. Meanwhile, Orko and Cringer manage to get to Etheria and fool the Horde Troopers. Orko thinks about grabbing the sword himself and defeat Hordak, but in the very last moment he decides to use his magic to transport it to Adam of whom only the hand is still visible - the rest has already been slimed. He-Man breaks free from the Slime Pit, trashes the Troopers, and is about to attack Hordak when Orko transports him back to Eternia to prevent this dangerous fight.


Issue 04: "Snakes Alive!"

Details
Collection: Marvel/Star Comics
Publisher: Marvel
Month: November
Year: 1986
Production Country: USA
Issue: 4
Language: English



Description

Despite the cover, this issue has nothing to do with Hordak OR the rest of the Marvel universe.

As it begins, Kobra Khan leads Skeletor to the lower corridors of Snake Mt. and shows him the box containing the Snake Men. Skeletor opens it and forces them to work for him.

They end up capturing Cringer and luring He-Man and Orko to Snake Mt., where a battle takes place. After some arguing, Rio Blast and Snout Spout help stop Skeletor and send the Snake Men running, along with Kobra Khan.


Issue 05: "Monstroid"

Details
Collection: Marvel/Star Comics
Publisher: Marvel
Month: January
Year: 1987
Production Country: USA
Issue: 5
Language: English



Description



The Horde resurrect Monstroid from the bottom of the Sea of Rakash, with the help of Modulok's newest invention, Multi-Bot. Apparently, Monstroid was one of the legion of monsters banished eons ago by the Ancients.

The Horde show up to meet Monstroid, but so does Skeletor -- to control him as a tool of destruction. He-Man and gang are alerted of the problem and head down as well. Extendar is temporarily imprisoned by Mulit-Bot, while Skeletor, unable to control the monster, is attacked.

He-Man goes to save Skeletor, but ends up being captured as well. Monstroid begins to head off to the sea, but Extendar breaks loose and heads after them.

It turns out that Orko is able to force Multi-Bot to help Extendar, which in turn allows He-Man and Skeletor to be released (after 12 minutes underwater).

Orko then causes Multi-Bot to swim into Monstroid's mouth. Apparently Monstroid doesn't like the taste, and swims back to the depths of the sea.

Issue 06: "From Here to Eternia"

Details
Collection: Marvel/Star Comics
Publisher: Marvel
Month: March
Year: 1987
Production Country: USA
Issue: 6
Language: English



Description

Orko is left to guard Central Tower by himself while the others fix the track. Skeletor arrives in the Fright Fighter, confines Orko, and changes his appearance to look like the Trollan.

He then makes the Fright Fighter invisible. When the others return, he gains their trust. Mysterious accidents begin to occur, and the Sorceress warns them that everything is not what it seems to be (in her usual cryptic talk).

The truth finally is revealed when "Orko" lifts his hat to scratch his head, tipping off He-Man (since Orko never takes off his hat for anyone -- well, except for Dree-Elle).

Anyway, Skeletor changes to his familiar form and gets in the Fright Fighter, intent on attacking Central Tower. He-Man counterattacks in the Blaster Hawk, and ends up shooting down Skeletor.

Skeletor then creates a mud monster, which He-Man destroys as well. It ends with Skeletor retreating, like always.

Issue 07: "Long Live the King"

Details
Collection: Marvel/Star Comics
Publisher: Marvel
Month: May
Year: 1987
Production Country: USA
Issue: 7
Language: English



Description



Skeletor summons Ninjor, Blast-Attak, and Scare Glow (and Faker shows up, too) to carry out a plan to take over the kingdom.

Faker "defeats" Blast-Attak and gains the trust of everyone, thinking he is He-Man. Faker then takes out Clamp Champ, but Randor takes out Faker.

Randor runs outside to find He-Man and Orko battling the group, and Randor surprises Skeletor with a sneak attack. Skeletor disappears, and Randor keeps his kingdom.

Issue 08: "The Getaway"

Details
Collection: Marvel/Star Comics
Publisher: Marvel
Month: July
Year: 1987
Production Country: USA
Issue: 8
Language: English



Description

If you wanted to summarize this comic in three words or less, they'd have to be "blatant toy advertisement." Let's see: Mosquitor, SSSQueeze, Buzz-Saw Hordak, Scubattack, Cliff Climber, Tower Tools all with bit parts in one comic? And the list goes on, too. Basically, He-Man fights each one of the bad guys until he is trasported to the palace by Orko, who has discovered that Snake Face has turned everyone to stone. He-Man, with the help of Man-At-Arms and Orko, stops Snake Face by reflecting his own image with the sword, turning Snake Face to stone.

Issue 09: "The Hate Stones"

Details
Collection: Marvel/Star Comics
Publisher: Marvel
Month: September
Year: 1987
Production Country: USA
Issue: 9
Language: English




Description

Lieutenant Andra is being awarded the Eternian Star of Valor for single-handedly defending outposts in the Ice Lands against overwhelming odds. The ceremony doesn't last long. The Horde invades, and in the process, Dree-Elle is hurt. Orko, thinking he caused her death, goes for fresh air. Suddenly, the Hate Stones, from under a destroyed statue, call to him, claiming that he can avenge her death. He puts on the necklace (with the stones attached) and is filled with incredible power. However, according to the Sorceress later, the person wearing them will be totally consumed with hate. So much so, that it took the power of the cosmic enforcers (like Zodac) to stop them. Anyway, Orko goes after the Horde stronghold on Eternia, the War Star, and begins to attack it. It ends up that he is about to destroy Hordak when He-Man stops him. The hate stones are thrown into an energy well and cause a power imbalance. The War Star is destroyed, and the Hate Stones are forever (?) destroyed.


Issue 10: "Courage"

Details
Collection: Marvel/Star Comics
Publisher: Marvel
Month: November
Year: 1987
Production Country: USA
Issue: 10
Language: English




Description

While testing out Man-At-Arm's new targeting system, Adam, Teela, Man-At-Arms, and Orko are shot down in a Wind Raider by some of Skeletor's minions. A battle occurs, and at the end Man-At-Arms is left unconscious by Saurod's sparks. The royal physician pronounces Man-At-Arms in suspended animation. Teela, meanwhile, blames it all on Adam because he "abandoned" her father (to become He-Man). As with many other instances, he decides he wants to rid himself of He-Man. Teela then says that the only thing that can cure her father is the Healing Gem of Helios, a floating city above the Sands of Time (there is a logistical error during this part that contradicts other information). While here, Teela forgives Adam. They are then made to pass a test with the "Mind Beast" before allowed access to the gem. After defeating the beast, they take the gem back to Grayskull, where they find that the unconscious Man-At-Arms is really a robot (like Faker). Skeletor appears and tries to use the gem for evil, but He-Man tricks the robot and gets the gem back. The Sorceress then teleports the real Man-At-Arms from Skeletor's dungeon. While Skeletor is disappearing, he says that unknown to the residents of Helios, without the gem the city will fall at sundown (in 8 minutes). He-Man, using the targeting device, hurls it back to its rightful place. Adam decides to tell Teela the truth, but he changes his mind after finding she cares for him as Adam.


Issue 11: "Whose Enemy am I anyway?"

Details
Collection: Marvel/Star Comics
Publisher: Marvel
Month: January
Year: 1988
Production Country: USA
Issue: 11
Language: English



Description

Eternia is being invaded by the Horde army, led by Hordak, through a star gate. The heroes try to disable the gate, but during the battle it becomes an unstable gravity-dense vortex.

He-Man and Hordak are sucked through it and end up on Aarboria, a planet once under Horde control, both with a case of amnesia. As they stroll through town, people yell insults at Hordak and slam their doors to him.

Both are confused as to why they are being treated this way. Suddenly, a planet-quake occurs. While He-Man holds up the arena pillars, Hordak saves a young boy who had fallen into a crevice. Prince Bar'in arrives with some knights and orders that they be made to fight a two-headed serpent for their lives in the arena, despite their heroics, as they are suspected of both being Hordesmen.

Hordak defeats the monster and frees He-Man, but Bar'in goes back on his word and orders his guards to sieze them. Just as they surround them, an Eternian ship lands with Man-At-Arms and crew onboard, ready to take He-Man home. A Horde ship also arrives, and Shadow Weaver restores Hordak's memory against his will. He-Man, after regaining his memory, invites Hordak to join them, but Hordak replies that he is simply too old and set in his ways to change now.

Flying away, Shadow Weaver says that it is their opportunity to destroy the heroes' ship, but Hordak intentionally misses them.



Interesting trivia: The planet Aarboria is a not so subtle homage to the kingdom of Arboria from Flash Gordon comics and assorted media. Likewise is Prince Bar'in a homage to Barin, prince of Arboria and close friend of Flash Gordon.

Issue 12: "Lifetime, part 1"

Details
Collection: Marvel/Star Comics
Publisher: Marvel
Month: March
Year: 1988
Production Country: USA
Issue: 12
Language: English




[color=blue]Description

The Star Comics series begins it's final story, a book-end to their run. And the increase in the quality of writing is so dramatic that one is hard-pressed to believe it is even the same series.

Adam is wracked with doubt and bitterness, at the fact that he constantly have to hide his true nature, that he is He-man. Pretending to be a bumbling, lazy, womanizing fool, while his alter-ego earns the respect and admiration of his fellow Heroic Warriors, yes even the love of Teela. It is simply too much, and he informs Man-At-Arms that he quits. He-man is no more, he will never summon the power of Grayskull again. He will join the Heroic Warriors himself, and fight for good in his own guise. Man-At-Arms tries to make him change his mind, but Adam is resolute. He has hardly taken 3 steps outside Duncan's lab however, before his sombre is interrupted by a scream! Man-At-Arms is dangling from the steely hands of Skeletor, defeated!

Adam has no choice but to surrender, as without the Power Sword he cannot defeat the Lord of Destruction. Skeletor reveals his plan, to take them prisoner and when He-man comes to save them, he will detonate a chronal bomb, primed to He-mans brain-wave patterns, that will send the Most Powerful Man in the Universe into the distant future, ridding him from the world. However, since Adam's brainwaves are the same as He-man's, the coundown starts, much to the surprise of Skeletor. Adam reacts instinctively, and is able to reach the Power Sword he left in Duncan's lab, he throws it into the bomb, causing it to malfunction