I left this comic until last because it's one of my favourite children's/toy comics in the collection. And I think I may have to extend "Hey Kids! Comics!" week by one day so I can read the conclusion to this story. I've read that when the Transformers line of toys started to wane in popularity, Simon Furman was given free reign to tell stories not contingent on the merchandise that was associated with the title, and it's these stories that are actually the best ones in the series. I wonder if such a think might be behind this He-Man tale. We see in this story a post-Skeletor vision of Eternia, a young Prince Adam decrying his heroic alter-ego, and the deaths of beloved characters. It's dark, and a bit grim, and manages to do some remarkably interesting things with characters that are, more than occasionally, ridiculous. The covers of these last two issues of the series are amazing (as you'll see tomorrow as well), and the story within hints at what could have been had the series been given a few more issues to find its feet. It moves from toy-related advertisement to thoughtful fantasy series in a very short space of time - where it might have gone afterward is, sadly, only a matter for speculation.
Masters of the Universe has been revived a couple of times since this comic folded, but I've never been quite as impressed with the stories (though I haven't read that many of them) as I am with this one. There's a naivety around it, in that it hasn't been grit-washed to appeal to the grown fans of the line - it's still a colourful children's comic, but an intelligent one, which is in the minority when it comes to this genre of comics, I'm finding.
We'll really finish up with the kids' comics tomorrow, and then move on to another genre. See you then.
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