MOTUClassics.Com
Spirit of Grayskull Review

NoisyDvL5

“When my sword was lost in battle with the Snake Men, I had hoped it was a sign… that a time of peace was upon us.” -King Grayskull, “MO2K: The Power of Grayskull”.

I will never have a complete collection of MOTU Classics. I just started too late… with the second figure. MOTU Classics kicked off with a 2008 SDCC Exclusive King Grayskull. I knew about it, but I was still too fresh off the MO2K collapse to want to get back in. Worse still, Mattel made variants of Grayskull right out of the gate. The figures were sold blind box and, randomly, you would either get a traditional looking KG or a less likely bronzed variant that resembled his current status as a statue-honored, deceased hero.

Worser still, there was an ever rarer variant: the Spirit of Grayskull, the same figure cast in a cool, translucent blue. It looked awesome, but was basically unattainable. My memory is fuzzy, but there were definitely less than a dozen Spirit of Grayskulls made in comparison to the thousands of others. I think two were randomly inserted, one was sold as part of a charity auction (the one cool part), Toy Guru owns one, and I think a few other Mattel folks have one too. But that’s it. Telling a person like me, who often exhibits completist sickness, that I will never have them all right out of the gate? That’s bold… and some would say unwise.

It worked out though. Mattel did get around to offering a KG v2 which solved a lot of the issues on the original and got a regular version into my grubby little hands. And never mind, that He-Man & Beast Man got me straight away, leaving me to be completist since then (I haven’t spared cash towards a Battle Ram yet, someday though… and I still don’t have those damn Hover Robots, but again, soon). So not getting that cool blue Grayskull certainly wasn’t a dealbreaker.

And now, seven years later, Mattel is again playing the reissue game. This year’s Mattycollector chase figure, which is still a terrible concept, is the Spirit of Grayskull. He’s a little (or a lot, depending) different this go-round. He’s traded in his ancient, translucent blue for a spooky glow-in-the dark green – and, honestly, that does it for me. If you’re not going to give me a shot at an exclusive deco, offering up a sacrificial GITD figure is points back. I might even say I like this better (but I say that still wanting a Spirit of He-Ro in clear blue).

I’m not going to get into the specifics of this figure. I’ve already reviewed the 2.0 and this is just him in clear green, check that out if you need specifics. This review is basically that review cast in GITD green and given a nice wash or two to simulate weathering and dial him up to 11 when he’s doing the glow thing. The only real complaint is the wash on his face. It’s just too much and dampens the glow on what should probably be a bright spot on the figure. I’m going to have to clean that up a bit.

Honestly, this is going to be one of my favorite purchases all year. I’m easy like that. Whether it’s getting a whole GITD figure (why couldn’t Hordak be glow red!?) or just getting some awesome GITD He-Man gear (I kinda want a GITD harness now), this guy is worth it. You just have to be around at the right stupid time to buy him since he pops up on the site randomly. Oh, and you have to pay separate shipping on him because of course he never pops up during a normal order time. Or, you can hold the complaints and buy him at the end of the year when the remaining stock is made available to the masses. Y’know, cause you’re a toy collector, you’re renowned for being patient. Eventually, though, all who want him should be able to get him. That’s something.

And even with all that chase baggage, is he still great? Yeah… did I mention he glows in the dark?

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16 thoughts on “MOTUClassics.Com
Spirit of Grayskull Review”

  1. As a rationalist, an empiricist, and a scientist, I don’t believe in “luck.” Having said that: You lucky duck! I missed out on this guy in Early Access and every subsequent time he was put up. I just hope I can bag one or two at the end of the year, like with Spirit of Hordak. And I hope that unlike Spirit of Hordak, they both come assembled correctly.

    Excellent review, as always. Hilarious comics.

  2. So if your only missing the blue He-man does that mean you have the silver She-Ra? lol

  4. I try not to think about it, but I still kick myself in the butt for not getting the 2008 Grayskull. Even though I have V2, and it gets the job done filling the hole on the shelf— I still know.

    1. We’ve all been there man. 🙂 I received not one but two DCUC naked Cheetah figures from Amazon (I ordered twice because I kept trying to get the classic version and at that time I was collecting only a few of the figures). I knew they were going to be worth something, but I tried to be a good collector and traded them for easy-to-get figures. Now she goes for hundreds on the ‘Bay. It hurts so bad!

      1. Back in the late 1990s, a couple of my friends and I went into Cuyahoga Falls to the Toys R Us in the run-up to Christmas, and they had A WHOLE WALL of the Star Wars Expanded Universe figures. For three bucks a pop. We each got the whole set, and I bagged a whole squad of Spacetroopers. And left the rest there for the scalpers to nab and hock for at lest $50 on eBay.

        Then we went across the street and the Target had loads of Action Fleet E-Wings and Tie Defenders. Since we didn’t collect those, we just left ’em there for those who did. They were then appearing on eBay for hundreds each before too long.

        I like stories.

        1. I don’t regret any of the rare toys I’ve left behind. If it’s no use to me, why should I buy it? After all, if someone had gotten there first and snagged it solely for profit, I wouldn’t have some of my favorite toys now.

          And it never works when I do. I still have every figure I bought looking to sell or trade.

          1. I should clarify that it hurts so bad because I am now trying to complete my DCUC collection, and Cheetah is gonna be the reason I can’t. But you’re absolutely right.

          2. Yeah, I know what you guys mean. Got a couple of regrets of my own like that. Biggest was when my parents made me sell a Speeder Bike pedal car I won in a department store contest back in 1984. I entered because I wanted to win the Imperial Shuttle toy, but that was already taken, so I only got the grand prize: the Speeder Bike. Anywho, it was too small for me to ride (I was 10), but took up a lot of room, so the folks made me sell it to a second-hand shop. I got $20 for it. By 1999, they were going for $2,000 apiece.

            I like stories. };D

  5. I feel the same way about the original blue version. Although I own every figure until now, I still don’t have that good feeling that my collection is complete.
    But I do know I will never have that blue version.
    I like this green GITD version, but I really prefer the blue one. Maybe, like you said, Spirit of Hero in blue would be a great idea…who knows…

  6. I was thought I was pretty lucky to get this one the first time it went up at Matty during Early Access. I only wish that he didn’t come with the ax and shield and instead came with a GITD 200X sword.

  7. Well crap– I didn’t think I needed one of these until you HAD to go and post those blacklight photos.

    Stupid MoTUC sucking me back in!

    (Nice review, BTW.)

  8. I’ve been checking out Mattycollector.com regularly chasing this figure. Must have!

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