Elaborate cinematic universes and sophisticated marketing tie-ins are commonplace in entertainment today. It's easy to forget that the transmedia trend began in 1982 with a barbarian action figure. He-Man and the other characters in Mattel's popular Masters of the Universe toy line quickly found their way into comic books, video games, multiple television series and a Hollywood film. The original animated series (1983-1985) was the first based on an action figure, and the cult classic Masters of the Universe (1987) was the first toy-inspired live-action feature film. But it wasn't easy. He-Man faced adversaries more dangerous than Skeletor: entertainment lawyers, Hollywood executives, even the Reagan administration. The heroes and villains of Eternia did more than shape the childhoods of the toy-buying public--they formed the modern entertainment landscape.

Mastering the Universe is a must-read for members of the He-Man generation as well as for toy collectors, pop culture enthusiasts, inventors, and anyone interested in the drama of business history-as bloody a battleground as anything He-Man ever faced. Book jacket.

In 1983, the world was introduced to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. What followed was a cultural sensation that changed the landscape of children's entertainment forever! Join Mattel and Dark Horse in this comprehensive retrospective chronicling He-Man's decades-long epic journey from toy, to television, to film, to a true pop culture phenomenon!

This is the most comprehensive guide ever published, covering all things Masters of the Universe and Princess of Power from 1982 through today! The universe of He-Man and She-Ra is full of mystery. And thanks to over four thousand individual entries covering characters, beasts, vehicles, locations, weapons and magic, you can learn the secrets of this entire universe!

For over four years, Masters of the Universe had its own newspaper comic strip! This story continued the tales from the Filmation cartoon bridged the saga to the space-themed New Adventures of He-Man cartoon relaunch. The comic strip only ran in selected newspapers and was never reprinted, so most fans have never read it... until now! For the first time ever Dark Horse brings you a collection of these strips, restored and ready for you to unleash the Power!

The toy juggernaut Masters of the Universe and its subsequent action figure lines featured memorable pack-in minicomics that aided in playtime for children across the world. This oversized hardcover collection features sixty-eight U.S. releases, including all minicomics from the '80s Masters of the Universe line, the '80s Princess of Power line, and the '80s and '90s He-Man line, plus an introduction to the minicomics in the current Masters of the Universe Classics toy line. Relive the illustrated adventures that fueled your imagination! Over 1000 pages of minicomics collected for the first time featuring interviews with the original comics creators!

Celebrate the incredible world of the beloved 80s franchise with this treasure trove of images and stories from Masters of the Universe. Relive childhood excitement and enjoy more than 30 years of He-Man, She-Ra, Skeletor and all the Masters of the Universe! By the Power of Grayskull! The war for Eternia begins again in 2021! Officially licensed by Mattel, this stunning guide is a visual celebration of Masters of the Universe’s enduring legacy, including artworks, sketches, posters and merchandise from the official archives. With the continuation of He-Man’s epic story, and a new CGI animated series both scheduled to release on Netflix in 2021, it’s the perfect time to familiarise yourself with all the heroes, villains, amazing battles and incredible locations from your childhood. Explore the full history of the toys, minicomics, TV series and movies. Meet characters including Skeletor, Man-At-Arms, Teela, Battle Cat, Beast Man and She-Ra and track how they change through the decades, from 1982 to today. Go behind-the-scenes to discover what it took to create a franchise with phenomenal worldwide impact. There’s also a sneak peak at the reboots, to find out how He-Man, one of the biggest icons of the 80s, is being restored to his former glory. ©Mattel. All rights reserved.