July was a big month for Masters of the Universe Classics. Not only did we see new reveals at this year’s San Diego Comic Con, but we also got a whole slew of releases this month by way of the regular MOTUC subscription and the first month of the limited 6 month MOTUC Filmation subscription. Let’s look at what was offered up for the regular MOTUC sub with an article on the Filmation sub to follow soon.

This month saw two releases in the basic MOTUC sub, Galactic Protector He-Man (He-Man from the New Adventures of He-Man) and everyone’s favorite champ, Clamp Champ! Both of these figures have been fan demanded for awhile, and their releases did not disappoint.

This He-Man variant was from the sequel to the Masters of the Universe cartoon. The cartoon was not as popular as the original in part because it took place in space and contained a whole new set of characters that took some getting used to for some fans. NA He-Man comes packed on the regular MOTUC card. A Galactic Protector sticker is on the bubble to signify which faction this release falls under.

NA He-Man has a different look compared to the original He-Man. Gone is the loin cloth and in its place are pants and high tech looking space armor. NA He-Man does have a ponytail and a nice set of accessories. Included (but not necessarily shown) are a sword, shield, full chest piece, and an extra head featuring He-Man wearing a golden helmet. The items and over all look of this figure is a nice translation from the original release. I also like the use of neon green/yellow plastic for the sword and shield.

Looking at the back, most of the slots on the card are of releases from the NA He-Man cartoon, but clearly this only shows that there is indeed a lack of NA figures from this line. One of the biggest concerns with this line is that there are still so many characters in need of a release, and the concern is that the line won’t keep up enough steam to see all these characters released. I do hope though for the NA fans to see some more releases soon. (Fortunately for them another Galactic Protector, Hydron, will be coming out in 2014.) I am very vocal that I want to see more releases from She-Ra, but even I have to admit that those wanting to see more NA representation have had to wait for some time.

The bio if NA He-Man is very interesting. Adam gives up his identity as Adam and simply becomes He-Man 24-7. Even though I was never really a big fan of the NA cartoon when it came out, I do like this idea that the war between He-Man and Skeletor is taken to space. There seems to be so many story possibilities that seem interesting. I will be very curious to see where things go as more bios come out filling in the story during these adventures in space.

Grade: A (I can appreciate the look and style of this figure; he is a nice looking He-Man variant and one that does justice to the original.)

Now on to a release that had me thrilled the moment I found out he was coming in July. The original Clamp Champ was released towards the end of the vintage He-Man toy line, and he has been high on the list for many collectors. He will more than likely be even higher on those lists because there was no day of sale for him. Clamp Champ was released for sub holders only.

Clamp Champ like the rest of the basic figures comes attached to the regular bubble and card of MOTUC items. He fills the bubble out nicely. I like his representation and his techno clamp propped up for view too.

A closer look shows the nice metallic coloring used to enhance his chest plate. This release looks very similar to the original. There are a few updates here and there, but nothing that takes anything away from the figure. I think Clamp Champ is one of the best MOTUC releases to date.

The back of the card features familiar releases of MOTUC items and the bio. I think with the release of Clamp Champ, we are now pretty close to having all the regular heroic Masters from the original toy line released, I believe. I think all that is left from the Heroic Warriors are Extendar, Gwildor, Rio Blast, and Rotar. With 2014 being dubbed the year of the A-List releases for MOTUC, I am very curious who is all going to appear in the line.

Bio wise, Clamp Champ has a prominent one. He becomes the next Man-At-Arms. I know this is a plot point that divided some fans because it spelled the demise of Duncan, but the bios aren’t always meant to be the end-all-be-all for the story. I do like Clamp Champ’s real name. I think the Mattel team did a good job with his name. It sounds otherworldly and very cool.

Unlike NA He-Man, I had to open the Champ. Like I said earlier, I have been looking forward to this release for some time. He has the same basic articulation of a regular MOTUC figure. My figure also has nice tight joints; nothing seems loose on him at all. However, I can’t say if all will be like that or not.

A closer look shows off a really nice face sculpt. I think the Four Horseman really did a great job with his face sculpt. The detail with his wrinkles gives him this rugged tough guy expression. I also like how his skin color came out. Sometimes toys end up with skin tones that don’t seem natural. I am referring to all kinds of skin tones; sometimes it can be difficult for a toy to look natural. For example there can be too much pink or orange in the mix depending on the color. I think all around Clamp Champ just looks awesome. There were also photos released where Clamp Champ’s face looked incredibly glossy, but mine does not appear to have that look. There is a nice matte look to his skin tone.

Clamp Champ also has a molded backpack piece on his back too. This is a nod to the 200X version of Clamp Champ that was released as a mini statue by NECA. It seems like it would add bulk to him, but it is not really a big issue and does not have any problems with poseability or anything like that. This was also a nice addition to Clamp Champ for those who liked the 200X line.

Accessory-wise Clamp Champ comes with his techno clamp and a smaller hand held clamp. The smaller weapon was not released with the original figure, but was an item that came with the mini statue of Clamp Champ by NECA from 2005. Both weapons have nice detail, but the techno clamp is just really cool.

The clamp pieces slide out to mimic the action feature of the original toy. This is so nice. There aren’t many weapons from the line that have an emphasis on movement, so it was nice to see the Four Horsemen add this to the techno clamp. It is a big sturdy weapon, and it just looks very cool.

I’m also pleased that Clamp Champ can stand on his own while holding his weapons. I was a little nervous that he would topple over, but he stands tall. I wanted to add more photos, but I’m still waiting for the release of Ninjor first before I add any cool fightin’ photos. (On the original vintage card, Clamp Champ is drawn fighting against Ninjor.)

Grade: A+ (Clamp Champ’s final release has been better than expected. He looks amazing and is another great addition to the line.)

So that is about it for the two basic MOTUC releases for the month of July. Stay tuned for a new look at the MOTUC July Filmation release of: Icer!

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