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Masters of the Universe Classics - OPTIKK
Evil Space Mutant an eye-opener for this non-MOTU fan...
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This is going to come as a shock to many reading this, but I'm not a huge Masters of the Universe fan. Sure, I caught my fair share of the cartoon on TV after school, but for the most part He-Man and his muscular minions didn't excite me. It all boils down to age really. Compared to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Masters of the Universe felt very tame to this twelve-year-old in 1983. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate MOTU's campy charm, but the characters/toys never did much for me.
That said, I love MattyCollector.com's exclusive Optikk action figure. The character has this cool retro-60's sci-fi vibe that appeals to me. He's a giant eyeball on legs - a "Space Mutant" as his package proclaims - a look I find infinitely more interesting then say, an oversized, half-naked barbarian with a sword (and I'm not referring to Conan).
Optikk goes on sale today as MattyCollector.com's Club Eternia Monthly Figure. If you have a subscription in place, then obtaining this "eye-catching" figure (sorry, couldn't resist) is guaranteed. For the rest of you, be prepared for an inevitable sell-out. I'm not sure if Optikk is going to fly out the door as fast as an A-list character like Teela or Trap Jaw, but his obscurity may work to his advantage. Like all MOTUC figures, Optikk will retail for $20.
When Mattel first announced Optikk as their next "Classic" I had to do some digging around to see who he was. I had never heard of him, and according to my research, I'm not surprised. Optikk came out in the early '90s during a short-lived attempt to revive the MOTU brand. Optikk was part of a new toy line simply titled "He-Man" that was in turn based on a new animated series called "The New Adventures of He-Man". My interest in MOTU may have been a small blip in the '80s, but by the '90s, MOTU didn't even register on my radar. An obscure character, indeed.
The thing I like the most about Optikk is, of course, his large staring eyeball head. Rather eyeballs, as the case may be. Mattel packs two interchangable orbs with Optikk - a calm, green eyeball and a blazing orange "angry," or "powered-up" eyeball. They pop on and off rather easily and both look fantastic. I'm torn at which one I like better, but I'm leaning more towards the green. It has a tinge of orange in the iris that adds an extra bit of visual pop.
Optikk also includes a "photon neutralizer gun" and shield. I'm not crazy about fantasy that mixes high-tech laser guns with medieval swords and shields (another reason I'm not a big MOTU fan), but the accessories both feature a great sculpt and attach firmly to the figure. I particularly like the photon neutralizer with it's fun Buck Rogers-like appearance.
The rest of Optikk is a cleverly modified Trap Jaw body (ironically another MOTU character I do enjoy). Optikk's gold color scheme goes a long way in making him look different than Trap Jaw, as does the newly sculpted chest piece that slides over Optikk's upper torso. It's all very clunky and mechanical in appearance, with wires snaking to-and-fro. The chest piece even has a fake gear sculpted in the back - a nostalgic nod to the original toy's action feature.
In closing, Optikk isn't going to convert me into a full-fledged Masters of the Universe loving fan, but he certainly opened my eyes to one of the more colorful characters the brand has to offer. Optikk is a fine example of how you don't need to be a fan of a particular license to enjoy a particular character or toy. If giant eyeball-headed Space Mutants are your thing or MOTU is your collecting passion, Optikk aims to please. Get him at MattyCollector.com, while supplies last. UPDATE: Optikk is now sold-out.
For even more photos of Optikk, CLICK HERE!
Review and Photos by: Jeff Saylor
Review Sample Courtesy of Mattel
Re: Masters of the Universe Classics - OPTIKK
Oh, it's obvious, I'm liking this guy! May have to get him, maybe a platoon of them, and give each one a custom paint job.
Re: Masters of the Universe Classics - OPTIKK
LOL! The Oneye action figure! It's fitting!
Re: Masters of the Universe Classics - OPTIKK
I can not believe the prices of figures in this scale. Especially in this economy. Pass, just because of the cost. 12" figures being sold for over $100, now little 6" figures for $30+. Who can afford that?
Re: Masters of the Universe Classics - OPTIKK
Optikk costs $20 (which is about right for an exclusive figure of this caliber), but yeah, with shipping and handling, around $30 (not right). Now on the secondary market, $30+ easily (insane). Guess if you are a big enough MOTU fan, price does not mater, but I agree that $30 is pushing things into crazyville for a toy like this. The fans (and scalpers) have spoken, however, with Optikk selling out today in like 5 minutes.
I do believe Mattel should lower the amount you can purchase from 10 to something like 2 to give more people a chance at getting them. Take a gander on eBay and search Optikk and you'll see what I mean: pages of nothing but Optikks jacked up at $30+. But hey, I can see why Mattel won't lower the number - a sale is a sale - which is all good from their perspective. Heck, even the secondary market on these only goes to further the demand. It's a win-win for Mattel. And for fans for that matter. These sell-outs equal success for the line, which in turn means more characters will be made.
Re: Masters of the Universe Classics - OPTIKK
It's a sad world. Of course, if I won the lottery, I wouldn't "blink" at getting it for the current price. (Trying for a figure/name related pun, and even that failed for me.)
Re: Masters of the Universe Classics - OPTIKK
