Prince Adam transforms into "the most powerful man in the universe!"
Sometimes I think that obsession must be linked to a gene; I know plenty of people that aren't touched by it, that never find themselves so enmeshed in something that they can't even take a deep breath - never mind see to the laundry or the grocery list. Although I've driven friends and family from my side because they didn't want to be dragged into my latest obsession (or simply couldn't listen to me discuss it one more time), I count myself blessed to be one of those people who falls headfirst into the things she loves... and sometimes struggles to surface!
I can precisely date my obsession with He-man and the Masters of the Universe
(and I'm willing to concede, upfront, that the show hovers between
corny and commercialism for many). I was three years old and my stepdad
was in the habit of renting VHS tapes for me from our local library. I
still remember the chunky, ivory plastic of the box and the magic window
logo that preceded the iconic
Filmation screen.
After that one episode (loathed by my mother) I was hooked. I eagerly searched for re-runs on my grandparents' cable television and I asked for the toys for Christmas. (Because He-man was off the air by this point, the toys were next to impossible to find. My Christmas presents came from yard sales, but I never noticed the missing accessories or stickers!)
Fortunately for the little kid that I remain at heart (less fortunately for my bank card), the forces of capitalism have been tapping into the nostalgia of those of us who grew up in the 80s - and He-man has become not only a force for good in Eternia, but a force on my bookshelf. This year's reads have included:
He-man and She-ra: a complete guide to the classic animated adventures (James Eatock 2016). - This hefty tome was a wealth of information, visually pleasing, and a lot of fun! There were aspects of the layout that got repetitive, but it's hard to raise a single complaint against a book whose pages contain a He-man flipbook drawing on the bottom right corners!
And the year is far from over in Eternia! (Here's hoping that Etheria gets some attention, too; it annoys me so much that producers of science fiction and fantasy act as though a female fanbase doesn't exist...)
Later this month, Dark Horse releases the He-man newspaper strips.In March, Brian C. Baer's How He-man Mastered the Universe will also come to print. In May, fans can look forward to the character guide. Finally, in July, the He-man/Thundercats (oh, the audacity) graphic novel will be released. Before all of these titles come to weigh down my shelves (Dark Horse, bless them, likes to produce hefty works), I need to finish my He-man Art Book.
Surveying this wealth of titles, I imagine that He-man's creators would be pleased. After all, even Skeletor knows that, "Books are the real treasures!"
