I love crazy MOTU characters, and Strobo is definitely right up my alley. The guy inserted a mirror into his chest and is wearing an outfit that would make most superheroes blush. I can’t help thinking that he runs around Eternia, half naked and enforcing chaotic neutrality in his own weird way.
All the while acting out a strange MOTU/noir storyline as he searches for Zodac’s killer.
Strobo only appeared once in all of the old MOTU media outlets. According to his Wiki, it was a story called “The Dark Power of Skeletor” that ran in the Masters of the Universe Magazine. Skeletor uses the Dark Star meteor to cast an evil shadow over the land and control those within it. Lucky for He-Man, Strobo happened to be in the neighborhood and could use his light projecting powers to thwart Skeletor’s evil space rock.
Strobo was pretty blatantly designed to be easily produced as an action figure, so there isn’t a lot of new sculpting on him. Even so, the combination of Zodac’s head, Sy-Klone’s body, and Flipshot’s shorts is oddly functional. Like a lot of MOTU figures, this odd amalgamation gives the figure his own unique look that allows him to stand out a bit on the shelf.
But even with all those reused parts, Strobo still has a couple new pieces. First is the mirror in his chest, which replaces Sy-Klone’s lenticular radar sticker. The mirror doesn’t work very well unless an item is very close to it, but it still looks shiny and reflective which is what really matters.
Strobo also has a newly sculpted cape. This is just a plain cape that drapes straight down, and I really like its simplicity. I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing it remolded in red or black for customizing options.
With so few new pieces, Strobo’s paint job does most of the heavy lifting to make him look distinctive. Red and blue always look good together. The silver from his helmet and belt also do a great job of adding contrast to the large amount of tanned skin he’s showing. I always thought it was a bit odd that he had a mirror implanted into his chest, but the design team colored the surrounding area in a metallic bronze. This gives a much more natural cybernetic implant look rather than a traumatic accident victim. Continue to page 2…
Glad I was able to grab 2 of these thru early access. Cool review.
To be honest, Strobo’s design always seemed like a knock-off toy to me. The MOTUC version looks like someone decided to make intricate figures of a knockoff toy line. Glad the extra head was included, though.
I love Strobo! He’s a fun Figure, Wile waiting for his ” cosmic shotgun” to show up on a weapons pack, I gave him Selphie’s (Bandai’s 1999 FFVIII toyline) nunchucks.
so the only new parts are: a cape, an alt head for another character, and a rock on a stand?
So glad they didn’t waste money tooling a new torso buck for what I previously thought was a “new” character based on others. (altho, the Lady Zodac/k is one I wouldn’t mind!)
this guy just screams “MEH.” to me.
It’s a good thing the captions were HILARIOUS! they made an otherwise basic figure review worth the price of admission! and gotta love MM popping up for this! LOL
and I still want “extra hands” in that next battlepak if they do toss in some cape variants! Fisto and Jitsu really deserve them.
Loved the dio story here. Those pics are hilarious.
Strobo is the only reason I’d yet to use Early Access but like most people, I missed out on the guy. Shame too, ’cause those accessories aren’t likely to be seen again.
Neutral Kick straight to the junk! Nice. I can easily see this guy running around Eternia committing random acts of jackassery like this. He just looks like the type.
And is it me or does the Zodak head look like it has a giant “question mark” stamped right on the forehead, giving him a permanently confused look? Maybe he’s as befuddled as us as to why the Meteor won’t come off the damn stand.
It’s supposed to be a Z in the 200X toon, but on MOTUC it looks like a ? Classicizer Machine and other BS!
Let me put on my reader hat and say, “great review!”
Yeaaaah… Now about posting it so late in the day?? Hrmm…. That’s gonna be a problem… 😀
Great, Vault. Thanks to your characterization, Strobo just became my MOTUC Zapp Brannigan.
I’m happy to pick him up if it got me the Zodak head, I like it even more than my Kevin Kosse custom head and that was pretty awesome. I know Matty’s playing me for a fool, but I’d be willing to buy a Disco Skeletor if it came with a MYP Roboto head or even a fitted staction Snout Spout head.
Love the Mirror Master gag!
Great review and pics, outstanding comics!
I completely forgot about getting this guy on Early Access on the day. All things considered, I probably wouldn’t have been able to get him then, anyway, if he saold out in 30 seconds. I just hope he’s more easily available later in the year, whether through BBTS or kind, obliging toy mule . . . .
Loved this review. Tons of fun. Great pics and storyline. I think it needed to be light-hearted like this as Strobo is such a goofy looking character. Awesome.
dude, neutral punch and kick were the best bits you’ve yet deployed in a review. they were fantastic. that’s going in my lexicon.
but yeah, get that damned review posted earlier!! (i have no real idea when you posted the review, i’m just bandwagoning.)
Nice review!
Am I the only one that finds it odd Strobo chose to pin his cape directly into the skin on his chest? Sure he’s already received some crazy damage there with the implanted mirror, but the addition of the cape fasteners makes it seem like he has a definite pain fetish…albeit a neutral one.
As Volatile as The Dark Star Fragment is, I have no problem with it coming permanently attached to the pedestal stand. That Baby is simply TOO DANGEROUS to go running around with it tucked under Your arm..! It’ll look great next to The Throne in Castle Graysull, as Skeletor lords his dominion over a powerless He-Man…