Filed under: Comic Reviews, DC Comics | Tags: Frazer Irving, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Keldor, Randor, Skeletor
Having enjoyed the first three issues of DC’s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (Issue #1 reviewed here) – I jumped at the chance to read this one-shot telling the origin of the recognizable villain.
The fact that it’s hit its thirty year anniversary pretty much tells me how old I am but it’s letting me relive the elements that caught my imagination when I was young. This one-shot tells the story of two brothers, Keldor & Randor, as they vie for their father’s attention and approval. A story of magic, sorcery and betrayal that sees the darker side of Keldor develop alongside his jealous towards his brother being the favourite. Not a new tale to us to be fair as the parallels with the Odin, Thor & Loki Asgardian story are uncanny which is a real shame given the originality in that main title.
That being said the story is kept cruising along with a steady pace as Joshua Hale Fialkov leads us through the complex back-story in the evolution of our villain. Physically changing as the story progresses we see Keldor change and confront his brother Randor who has now taken his place as king. What differs here from that Asgard familiarity is the definite actions taken by Randor as he kills his brother and joins a dark being to complete his transformation into Skeletor…….a transformation we knew we’d reach but the journey to that was always the focus.
These differences are subtle in terms of the story but the real standout element of this title is the artwork from Frazer Irving as black & white flashbacks mingle with the vibrant colours of Randor in his kingdom and these all exist amidst the dark, gloomy world Keldor exists in. Maybe more of a reflection on their minds as much as their physical surroundings but that’s part of the success in this tale. Good writing and amazing art help this along quite smoothly and with news of a similar origin one-shot being released in January featuring He-Man……it’s good to see some time and effort being spent on some non-superhero characters I grew up with.
7/10
G-Man
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