Written by Continuing this new reoccurring series!
For years Michael ”Smitty.81” Smith has been largely responsible for digitizing minicomics for the "Masters of the Universe" community. Now, HE-MANIA.COM will be officially cataloging his work, accompanied with his personal reviews.
COMIC:
REVIEW:
“Heart of the Snake”
STORY:
We open with Zoar flying through space being guided by a voice that we learn is King Hiss, who has some how gotten into Castle Grayskull, and is using “astral projection” to use The Sorceress to retrieve The Serpent’s Ring from what they call a star but is clearly a planet. Once the Sorceress returns, it is not long before Thunder Punch He-Man and Mekaneck show up on the Road Ripper A.K.A. the Ground Ripper. He-Man and King Hiss trade blows and insults. The battle causes a big exposition dump explaining a pervious adventure involving the Serpent’s Ring. Mekaneck gets tired of the flashback and tries to run over King Hiss but gets turned into Rattlor. He-Man punches him and The Sorceress turns him back to normal. King Hiss tries to use the Serpent’s Ring on the Sorceress, but it doesn’t work. Mekaneck uses his neck like a boa constrictor to subdue King Hiss and He-Man punches King Hiss, but it’s just his skin, and we see King Hiss running away, topless. The Sorceress hides the ring somewhere in space, the end…?
ART:
The art for this is, in my opinion, fantastic! The cover is beautiful, and the art in the mini comic is just as good. The one flashback panel is in a muted tone. When Mekaneck is transformed he’s Rattlor so you could make “Snake-A-Neck” using the mix and match gimmick on the toys to recreate him.
CONTINUITY:
The previous adventure involving the Serpent’s Ring is not something from any of the Origins mini comic, but it is similar to an episode of the 200X Masters of the Universe cartoon, “Second Skin”. The following mini comics will pick up from this story.
FINAL THOUGHT:
Even with this being a pseudo sequel to a 200X episode it’s a solid story that does exactly what a mini comic should do. It could have had He-Man use his thunder punch ability more or in a more direct way. Bur for the only adventure for my favorite version of He-Man this is really enjoyable.
– Review by Michael ”Smitty.81” Smith @smitty-81
Good review Smitty.
I feel like there’s some questions that should be asked.
Like for one, how did King Hiss control the Sorceress like that? Can he hypnotize? Is that a power he has?