Even though it looks mostly the same, Hordak’s armor and cowl are also new sculpts. His cowl no longer has a cape attached to it, and his armor is now sporting a giant red dial on the back. I wasn’t sure about that dial the first time I saw it. Similar pseudo-gimmicks were added to Optikk’s and Sy-Klone’s waists, but those were small and fit in better with the tech-like designs of their belts. Hordak’s big red dial just kind of sticks. But I’ve been playing with this figure for a couple days now, and I guess I’ve gotten used to it. Would he look better without it? Maybe, but his armor would be a lot more boring. Besides, this way we can say he replaced his spine with a buzz saw.
One of the things that makes this Hurricane Hordak so cool is his color scheme. I’ve always been a fan of the original’s shiny gold armor. I would have really preferred it if Matty had developed an entirely new piece that was made out of the hard plastic of the Battle Armor figures. I think this would have made the armor easier to remove without damaging the gold. As is, you have to take his head off and slightly bend the armor to get it around his body. This causes the gold layer to begin to fracture and flake.
I know a lot of people were very disappointed with this, and decided not to buy him because of it. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that decision. But keep in mind that I’ve been playing around and posing my Hordak for a few days now. I’ve taken him outside for pictures, and he’s even fallen off of my table once. I have yet to see any cracking or chipping of his gold armor. We’ll have to see how it plays out over time. Obviously if he’s going to be played with by a child or you’re planning on removing his armor, then he won’t last as long. But in my opinion, if you’re just a bit more careful with this figure then I think he’ll last quite a while without any major problems.
Aside from the new gold armor, Hordak’s also got these great new glossy black highlights that replace most of the silver armor pieces from the original Classics figure. I think this gives his costume a great pleathery evil scientist look and makes him much more menacing, like he really will remove your kidneys and replace them with laser guns.
I’ve been waiting for this figure from the beginning. Even though the gold armor isn’t perfect, I’m so happy they still went with it. Now he stands out on my shelf like the badass he is, and he’s taken the first figure’s place as group leader. Sorry first Hordak figure, there’s a new Prime in town and you’re going into the overflow box. Now he just needs a ride. Looks like it’s time to begin lobbying for a Manitisaur.
-Vault
There is a trick from the model building community that may be of help.
Future acrylic floor finish.
This stuff does amazing things not at all planned by the manufacturer. It makes clear parts more clear, it covers and protects better than ‘glosscoat’, it’s amazing.
You might take the Hordak armor and dip it in a cup of Future and let it dry, then the plating would be sealed and protected. lay it on paper towel and let the excess drain off. Conversely you could airbrush it on if you have an airbrush.
Being a clear acrylic that air cures I don’t think it will react to the plastic or the plating or paint. Again, there’s MANY model builders who use this as a sealing coat over complicated paint schemes and thin, fragile decals.
Just to be on the safe side, you might test it on other things first.
Anyway, another great review. That arm looks a LOT like the cannon arm Hordak has in the cartoon, so your youthful imagination was dead-on. 🙂
I might have to try that, thanks for the tip Steve.
that tip is incredible, i’ve never heard of this… can’t wait to find an excuse to try it out.
Another great review! I love this figure and I can’t wait for Mantisaur 🙂
Thanks! A 4H Mantisaur is so going to rock.
I’m actually not a Hordak fan but you made me see this figure in a new light. Good work!
Thanks Clutch 🙂
Aaaand, MOTUC is officially in “superfluous variants” territory. 😛
thats pretty much what motu is all about
I get what you’re saying . . . but no.
No, that’s when we get Halloween Skeletor. (Sadly, I would love a Classics Halloween Skeletor. He would go great with blue Merman!)
My HH only has one eye! how one of his eyes managed to not be painted is beyond me esp considering all his teeth ar painted but I’m sure logistics are to be blamed.
cuz the QC is overseen by a syphilitic narcoleptic names Pepi.
sounds right! I just pretend Skelly shot Hordaks eye out! helps me sleep at night ha ha
Make an eyepatch. Seriously. Why not? 🙂
been thinking about it!
techno-biological eyepatch with a BAT on it! Yeah. that’s the ticket. 🙂
Maybe your Hordak replaced his eye with a bottle opener. It may sound silly, but you know he’d do it.
“cannon”, not “canon”.
oops, Thanks Jim.
When I found out his right arm is basically the cannon arm from the cartoon, I couldn’t wait to buy him. He’s going to be me She-Ra display Hordak while I put the original Hordak with my Preternia characters.
However, I still think they should make a Battleground Hordak that has blue skin and that same cannon arm.
That’s a really good idea. I was originally just going to replace my first Hordak with Hurricane, but now I think I’ll put him on the Preternia shelf too. Thanks Rage!
The gold on this guy assailed me with a “glam” perception for a bit, but it’s thankfully dying off. For a moment, I was tempted to turn his maces into disco balls.
I’ve taken to flipping his hood upside down. When the head’s mounted on it like normal, it results in a shorter look for the hood and accentuates his cool head sculpt more.
Huh, I never thought about turning his hood upside down. I might just do that.
1) Excellent review, with great pics, as per usual. Would’ve been nice if he came with a cape as well, like he had in one of the mini-comics. I’d also forgotten quite how goofily big-headed the vintage Horde figures looked.
2) Please add my name to the Mantisaur petition. Mantises rule. Giant evil cyborg mantises rule even harder.
3) I dunno about anyone else, but I really dislike these “Action Feature Dials” that have been sculpted onto figures that don’t have freaking action features. More pointless than a plucked porcupine.
Ya know….yeah. yeah.
I mean, yes, I do ‘get’ it, the faux action wheel helps give a visual callback and all that, but really? It’s kinda pointless. I mean, by that same token why bother giving this Hordak a right elbow? OK, yes, sure, if they went THAT route then they’d have to sculpt an entire new right arm that couldn’t be re-used.
But a new thought, going back to the Fisto discussion!
Wonder if the Hurricane Hordak weapon forearm could be used as the attachment point for Fisto? I don’t think it would be completely out of place with the giant fist part slid over it.
Ah, doesn’t matter, I’m sure the parts have long been decided and tooling finished by now. 🙂
yeah, i know i generally support the horsemen when do some of these cool shoutouts to the original gimmick, but the dial is mega-lame on hordak and only slightly less lame on optikk and psyk. it’s time to collectively ditch the stupid dial. though i recently used them to argue that motuc has in fact embraced the action feature, they just do it a little differently. cuz like on optikk, the dial is there and the eye still rotates… action feature intact as far as i’m concerned.
Count me in for “pro-dial”. The review actually mentioned what I was thinking – crazy Hordak and his buzzsaw spine to protect his back while unleashing hurricanes…
A thought I have been having as I look at the release schedule is that something like Hurricane Hordak “makes sense” to me because of the mini-comics from days gone past. Sure, the cover and the figure that had to be bought to get the comic would give away that Hordak would get a hurricane power somehow, but just those few pages that characterized it made it seem more important.
I really don’t use the arm attachments b/c I pretend that his arm is that cannon that he slays turned his right arm into on the old cartoon. His armor is not bad at to me I just dont take it off.Cool review!