 Zodac
Cosmic Enforcer!
Masters of the Universe Origins Fan Channel Exclusive Basic Figure
Item No.: Asst. HYD16 No. HYD29
Manufacturer: Mattel
Includes: Laser pistol, Dimensional Doom mini-comic
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99-$17.99
Availability: ca. January 2021 with a "Fan Favorite" reissue in 2024
Other: You'll Wun-Dar How You Lived Without Him
|
| PREVIOUS |
 RSS |
NEXT |
I'm happy that Mattel elected to bring back older Masters of the Universe Origins, because it made the likes of Zodac easy to get on the cheap. Looking at the line, most of it got a lot cheaper - the rare stuff is expensive but you can scare up a lot of main characters for pretty low prices. As you know, the line was a nod to the 1980s line, with more joints and more saturated coloring.
While not an exact match for the original Mattel toy, it's close enough for someone like me to go "it's Zodac!" while the more discriminating fan will hold it up to their original and notice a lot of changes so nobody can swipe the new accessories and slap it on the old figure without someone noticing. That's good for this kind of thing - change it so the old fans don't get too annoyed.
Click here to check availability at Amazon.
Click here to check availability at eBay.
I got this guy in 2024 and took a lot of pictures, but didn't write it up until now. I never had the original as a kid but noticed the detail on the new one was a little softer than the old figures, which is arguably a fair trade for triple the articulation. The original 5 1/2-inch figure had six joints, and this one adds wrists, elbows, knees, ankles, and can even pop apart at the waist, neck, and arms. But you probably knew that. The musculature and spiky forarms are very similar, while the monster feet are similar but aren't quite textured the same way.
There are a few changed details on the head, like different tube-like structures around the neck and the "dial" where the ears go seems to have different textures, too. This Origins figure's chin strap has additional notches in it, denoting that it's not the same as the old one. But it's cast in different material, and I doubt there's much chance of confusion.
This figure's pistol has softer detail and is a little less translucent. You won't find as many hard edges, but it's generally the same form as the original. The armor also makes some changes, like changing up where the straps buckle and removing the ammunition tucked in the belt on the original 1980s release. You could probably put it on an original figure, but people would figure it out. It still has that big white "W"-shape on it, and most of the detailing is incredibly similar.
This modernized figure with more articulation and no mold seams on the limbs really works for me. He fits in vehicles, he rides the beasts, but mostly he just stands around. I found one of the knees on my sample to be a bit looser, but he hasn't fallen over or anything. Check your local comic or collector shops first, but eBay prices aren't terrible given that inflation has raised prices of these guys to $20 or more. If you can get it for about that - and it looks like you can - it's worth picking up since there's no "Filmation" equivalent.
--Adam Pawlus
Additional Images
Click here to see more Mattel figures in Figure of the Day.
Click here to see more Masters of the Universe figures in Figure of the Day.
