Saturday, September 28, 2013

Sky High & Jet Sled - MOTUC

During the 2013 Club Eternia Subscription from Mattel's Masters of the Universe Classics line a three pack of vehicle drivers was released. These characters were based on art work from vinatge model kits and released under the name The Fighting Foe Men. There was one other mysterious MOTU vehicle driver who was only seen once in artwork, and he was highly desired by fans. As a surprise release outside the action figure subscription Mattel released the "Wind Raider Pilot" with the Jet Sled vehicle.


The Pilot was given the name Sky High. Like the Fighting Foe Men, at least half of the character's body was not seen in the artwork, so it gave the design team some freedom to create an interesting figure. They chose to use the most reused legs in the Masters line besides He-Man's legs. I kind of wish sometime they would combine the Trap Jaw boots with He-Man's thighs to make the reused parts feel a little more original. There wasn't money in the budget to release Sky High with the Wind Raider a few years back, so he has been included with half of the only other vehicle sculpted for the line. The Four Horsemen, who sculpt all the MOTU Classics figures sculpted an update to the vintage Battle Ram vehicle to show to Mattel. Due to it's size, Mattel wanted to test the vehicle market with the smaller Wind Raider. It didn't sell well, and so the Battle Ram was ruled out for release. Since the Ram is really a two part vehicle, they have finally released the Sky Sled portion of the vehicle renamed the Jet Sled due to copyright issues.


Like the Foe Men, Sky High has been armed with a weapon that looks like a piece of the vehicle he drives. He comes with a cool bladed weapon that looks like the wings from the Wind Raider. His weapon can be clipped to his back, which kind of makes it look like he's wearing a jet pack.


Here is Sky High flying around in the Wind Raider. I want to point out that the flying stand used in all the vehicle pictures in this post came with the Wind Raider. This stand will also connect to the new Castle Grayskull which is coming out this Winter.


According to Sky High's bio on the package he is a member of the palace guard, and a gifted pilot. I have a feeling many fans will lump him in with their Fighting Foe Men anyway. He's a natural fit for the team.


I never had the vintage Battle Ram as a kid, but I remember a neighbor having it. For some reason I feel like the Jet Sled is much larger (in scale) to the modern figures than the vintage Sky Sled. I can't even imagine how big the  full Battle Ram must be. The Jet Sled is painted in a slightly greener color than I remember the vintage vehicle being. It almost looks like the color of the Evil Warrior's Sky Sled in the Filmation cartoon. The paint apps on the dragon deco on the side of the Sled is awesome.


The paint apps on the control panel are also incredible. Mattel has said that the Sled is designed so it can attach to the Battle Ram land vehicle if it should ever be released. You can actually see the little tabs on the back of the vehicle near the engines.


Here is the unnamed Sky High in the Wind Raider from the vintage poster.


I have had this poster since I was a little kid. It hung in my room until I was probably half way through elementary school. Then it was put away. I broke it out of storage and displayed it in my dorm room in college. Every guy who ever stopped by was impressed by the vintage poster. It's like a blast from the past. My room was even featured in a campus tour video, and you could see the poster hanging above my computer desk. It now is framed and hangs with several original animation cels from the Filmation He-Man and She-Ra cartoon.


4 comments:

  1. Love that framed artwork!Can't wait to hang some of my pics!BTW-Your package is on the way Buzz.It's not much but I think you'll dig it.

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    Replies
    1. That's just a small portion of the stuff hanging on that wall. Your package is on its way as well.

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  2. That control panel is just so cool they really knocked it out of the park on it.

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