The Masters of the Universe 1/5th scale statue series from Sideshow and now Tweeterhead has been a fantastic series for fans. They have released some mature, detailed, and beautiful interpretations of the classic characters from the old 80s cartoon show.
This new Mer-Man from Tweeterhead is no exception, and is a gorgeous addition to the series. Click through below to watch my full review on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel! It would be great if you could give the video a like, and also subscribe to stay tuned for more video content!
The packaging follows similar styled art to previous releases, with a couple of nice shots on the front and back. The contents are fairly well protected within the foam and plastic wrap packaging. With this Exclusive version via Sideshow, the statue comes with the extra trident, which looks fantastic. Both the regular version and the Exclusive come with both head sculpts.
It seems this Mer-Man will be the last Exclusive in the series from Tweeterhead. Their upcoming Trap Jaw and Skeletor only have one version that includes all swap out parts. This is OK for me, as it's definitely cheaper to buy locally in Australia without needing to order an Exclusive version from overseas.
Once setup, this Mer-Man simply looks fantastic from every angle. The sculpted detail on this one is particularly great with all the horns and spikes across the yellow/orangey armour. The shading differences in the yellow, orange, and browns really bring out the sculpted detail, and makes the armour really pop.
From early photos, I was a little concerned that the base and the snake-like scales were too greyish, as opposed to the slight purple hue from the previous Skeletor and Evil-Lyn bases. But in person, the purplish hue does come through and is noticeable. I love the shiny hue of the acid-like fluid from which he's standing from, and the join that hides part of his left foot is nicely done.
It would've been even better if they had included some more gloss on the tentacle that also comes from the fluid. The finish is a bit too matte, and some extra gloss would give it a nice slimey appearance similar to what they did with the Teela statue. But overall I think the base is fantastic.
It all comes together really nicely with the yellowish armour, and makes for a mature interpretation of the character that suits the aesthetic of the previous releases perfectly. I like the stance too, that conveys just enough action in a static piece to be visually appealing.
It's great that the paint application and sculpting of the swap out head sculpts matches that of the body itself. One sculpt seems to be more an homage to the original 80s toy, with the ears more flared up vertically above the eyes. The other seems to be more an homage to the original 80s cartoon version, with the ears more flared horizontally out to the sides.
It's great that the paint application and sculpting of the swap out head sculpts matches that of the body itself. One sculpt seems to be more an homage to the original 80s toy, with the ears more flared up vertically above the eyes. The other seems to be more an homage to the original 80s cartoon version, with the ears more flared horizontally out to the sides.
I prefer the latter, since the horizontally flared sculpt has the illusion of being larger and seems to be more in proportion with the body, at least to my eyes. But both sculpts have some incredible detail in the eyes, ears, mouth and teeth, so either option looks pretty awesome.
The swap out sword or trident also gives different options for display. Neither seem to be made of metal, which is fine since the sculpted detail and paint application are top notch. Both have quite sharp tips to their horns or spikes, so be careful in not chipping any of those. For me, I love the large style of the trident.
A feature that would've been incredible would have been if they had designed the sword to sit within the armour sheath on his back. But unfortunately it's sculpted into the swap out hand, and is not removable. That would've been an amazing detail that allowed both the Exclusive trident and the sword to be displayed together. That's essentially the design that Sideshow did with the original He-Man, where the Exclusive Battle Axe could be held whilst the Power Sword was placed on He-Man's back.
Setup and displayed with the other bad guys, the series of statues really does come alive. It's fantastic that Tweeterhead have taken over the series from Sideshow, yet maintained the mature aesthetic whilst adding their own beautiful touches.
Mer-Man adds a great bit of colour to the gang, and the upcoming Trap Jaw is going to add even more awesomeness to the series. I simply cannot wait for Tweeterhead to show us a coloured or painted prototype of Beastman. The digital sculpted image of that looks incredible!
Tweeterhead are also releasing a new Skeletor and He-Man it seems, which is fine for collectors who missed the original releases. I'm just glad that they're also doing some other characters too. Sorceress seems to be on their list too, and if they announce a Man-At-Arms and Tri Klops, I may well die happy that I have my favourite core cast members in this incredible series! Here's to hoping Tweeterhead all the best to keep this series going for many years to come.
