Sy-Klone and Spikor Coming to MOTU Origins Sketch Book Series

With the reveal of the Evil-Horde 2-pack that kicked off the Masters of the Universe Origins Sketchbook Series, Mark Taylor and Roger Sweet’s early concepts of the Masters of the Universe figures are on a fast track production. This was a brilliant move by Mattel as we get a peak into an alternate reality as the early concepts very well could have been green lit for production and the figures and characters we know today could have looked very different. Mark Taylor is a former toy designer who worked for Mattel in the 1980s, during the development of the Masters of the Universe toy line. Taylor is known for his contributions to the early development of the franchise, including the creation of many iconic characters such as He-Man, Skeletor, and Battle Cat. With teases of Skeletor (aka Evil Incarnate) and He-Man on the Hordak and Grizzlor Sketch Book Series card art, the door is wide open to bring more concepts of yesteryear to life! Thanks to yo_tengo_el_poder for posting a listing from Heo that shows that Sy-Klone and Spikor are coming to the MOTU Origins Sketch Book series!

Sy-Klone

Although the illustrations appear to depict two very different characters, they are actually early design concepts for Sy-Klone, a character with a unique action feature developed by Roger Sweet. The design on the right closely resembles the final sculpt, while the overall look and color scheme of the figure on the left clearly draws from the other design. Interestingly, this same design was later used in several minicomics, most notably in the “Spikor Strikes” minicomic that came with his action figure. In that minicomic, Sy-Klone was mistakenly referred to as Tornado in one panel, which was a temporary name for the character.

Spikor

The character that would eventually be known as Spikor originated from a simple concept by Roger Sweet: an action figure that combined features of a humanoid and a porcupine, making it one of the more unusual creatures on Earth. In this early sketch, Spikor’s porcupine traits are more apparent. Not only does he have a more natural animal color scheme, but he also features a distinct snout and tail. While the trident arm seems to have been part of the design from the start, the mace appears less threatening than in the final version. Sweet had initially intended for the character to be named Spike, but marketing opted for a name that was more fitting for the world of Eternia.