Guest Review > Megator (Masters of the Universe Classics, Mattel)

I collect nearly exclusively in the 1/12th scale. For me, it’s the perfect scale – translating to about a foot per inch, it’s the ideal size for strong sculpts with recognizable likenesses and meticulous paint detailing while also allowing one to have a bigger collection in a much smaller space than the average 1/6th scale collection.

That said, I am a huge fan of GIANT 1/12th-scale action figures, and rejoice at toys that are both large and in scale with the majority of my collection. I loved the Spawn movie boxed sets Malebolgia and Violator early in my collecting days, and when ToyBiz introduced BAFs into the Marvel Legends line I was ecstatic.

As a childhood fan of Masters of the Universe, it’s a thrill for me to have Mattel releasing some of the larger figures from that line that the majority of kids never got to see, fully updated in the Masters of the Universe Classics style. Even with his goofy vacuum cleaner accessory and lack of shoulder balljoints I still dug Tytus, and am pleased to be reviewing his evil counterpart Megator today.

Packaging: Megator comes packaged in nearly the identical large window box as Tytus, which shows off the figure very nicely as well as most of the accessories. I appreciate the fact that all of the MOTUC figures share similar packaging. Opening the package isn’t too difficult, and the bio seems to be satisfactory for fans. I always appreciate these for more background on the characters and to give an idea of which toys should be displayed where. In this case, Megator has found his home alongside the original King Grayskull, Tytus, Goddess and He-Ro.

Design & Sculpt: Standing 12″ tall, Megator is a nice big figure that looms above the other MOTUC. The amount of reuse here shouldn’t surprise anyone – Megator and Tytus are essentially the same toy with a different paint, heads and vests, although there are many other differences and touches to Megator that make him distinct from the other MOTUC giant. Where Tytus had nicely details boots, Megator features very-troll like feet, with blackened claws matching that in his twisted hands. Although the main design is simple, Megator has veins running all of his body as well as good detail on the vest and loincloth.

His two heads are a point of contention, and personal preference will dictate which you prefer. I like the original, with plastic hair, which is sculpted closer to the original Megator, but I understand the issue many take with that sculpted hair, which doesn’t look quite right and stifles the neck articulation. It’s something to do with the hair not really hanging off his shoulders (along with an unexciting paint job that falls short of what we expect from the line). The special “zombie” head features rooted hair but doesn’t appeal to me visually, making the character look much more dumb and pathetic than I feel he should. Regardless, the sculpt is excellent and puts across a lot of character.

Plastic & Paint: Despite being a rotocast figure, Megator feels solid and durable – for my money, he’ll stand up to plenty of play. His paint application is excellent – the details are captured beautifully all over his ugly body, with simple washes making his nasty veins and facial contortions stand out. He’s appropriately painted all over, with great attention to detail on the amour. All of this helps make him more distinct from Tytus and gives him all the more character.

Articulation: Fans were frustrated by Tytus and his lack of shoulder balljoints, something that Matty assured us was to keep him cost effective. Unfortunately Megator shares that same deficiency, and actually has less articulation overall – he’s got swivel joints at the neck, shoulders, wrists, waist and hips, and hinges at the elbows and knees. There’s still plenty of play in him, and unlike the heavy weapon that ensured Tytus couldn’t keep his arm in the air, Megator has a few great poses mid-attack. It’s worth noting that using the original head here limits the neck movement due to the sculpted hair, and the foot articulation has been removed as not to impact on the sculpt, but that’s all the better – he still has leg movement and it’s easier to keep him standing. That balljointed shoulders remain out of reach for these toys is a bummer but regardless there’s lots of play to be had with Megator and some neat poses.

Accessories: Like Tytus, Megator comes with the original toy’s accessory – his large spiked ball mace, with a real chain and grip that resembles brass knuckles – and a bonus accessory, his interchangeable head. These are both excellent, and can’t be faulted – the mace is the appropriate size and weight that Megator can wield, and if one were so inclined this is perfect for play. The “zombie” head is a nice addition–if not for Megator himself, it makes a great accessory for Vikor to carry!

Quality Control: Aside from some slight paint issues I haven’t heard of any problems with Megator.

Overall: I think Megator is an excellent figure who fits right in with the other MOTUC figures, or in other displays as the kind of large and scary troll figure you might wish to menace other toys with. I think it’s great that Mattel have updated several of the rarer 80’s MOTU figures for modern collectors, giving us the opportunity to own something like this in our collections. With the exception of the shoulders, a bit of retooling on the plastic hair and a slight price drop, for my money there isn’t much to improve upon this figure. Bring on more large MOTUC toys!

[raven 4]