****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
Being a huge fan of He-Man, I was extremely excited when I heard DC was planning on a new comic run. I have to say, this first volume has me extremely hopeful for more to follow, even if it was far from perfect.The story in question picks up some time after the series. Which series though... is a little unclear. There are certain characters seen in the background and a similar tone and style to make me think it was a continuation of the 2002 Mike Young series, and while many of the visual elements pair up with that, there are others that are ripped straight from the 80's Filmation series! So it's a bit confusing in that regard. In any case, there is a young woodsman named Adam who has no memory of being a prince, or He-Man (even though it should be obvious to the reader, so I'm not spoiling anything). He ends up travelling to discover the truth of what is going on, soon encountering a young woman named Teela who similarly feels things are off. Together they journey through different lands, following a falcon, and fighting off minions of Skeletor. Meanwhile we get the occasional shot of Skeletor, inside Castle Greyskull, with his prisoner, The Sorceress. This turn of events disturbs him, and only now does he decide he wants Adam and the others dead.This is a great way to introduce a new chapter in the mythology of He-Man in comic form. Yes there are differences from the kid's shows, as there is a lot more overt violence and even death (yes, our heroes do kill), and it seems public knowledge to everyone on both sides (once memories are restored) who He-Man really is. There are also some problems with some plot holes (it's never explained why, in Skeletor's moment of triumph, he blanks everyone's memory rather than wipe them out), and with the story taking it's sweet time to get to, well, He-Man appearing (the very last of the five chapters for any meaningful time), with the previous entries all playing out similarly with Adam and Teela having to outmaneuver one of Skeletor's evil warriors in each one. But it certainly does set a new tone and feel for a new start, as well as a launching point that leaves me excited to see what happens next. I wouldn't recommend this for anyone who is either unfamiliar with He-Man, or else otherwise not a fan, or even for purists who wouldn't want anything changed. But if you enjoy He-Man, and wouldn't mind a slightly different take on the character, give it a go.Oh yeah, I have to say I love the artwork as well. Some of the best I've seen for some of my favorite iconic characters of the shows. I only wish they had actually used more of them!
