Written by It was has been really quiet in regards to updates from Mattel regarding their upcoming Eternia playset.
Successfully crowdfunded over a year ago, Mattel’s new Eternia Playset (or Preternia playset in the Revelation continuity) promised to be a bigger and better, fantastic re-issue of the 1986 vintage playset and compatible with both Origins and Masterverse figures.
The only thing disappointing about this successful crowfunding item is the campaign ended just 709 backers shy of the 10,000 backer benchmark that was required to guarantee a Keclar figure (the leader of the Elders) to come included with this playset.
The day after the campaign ended, we posted an piece titled “No Keclar, No Problem? Will the Eternia Playset unachieved bonus figure still become available one day?” (CLICK HERE to READ). In that article we surmised that it wouldn’t be the last we saw of this Keclar figure.
Well fast forward to yesterday when backers received an an update email finally from Mattel Creations regarding Eternia that included some terrific art for the playset.
Check it out:
“We’re so excited to create the Eternia Playset you helped fund. It’s still on track for Spring 2024, but here’s a sneak peek at the amazing artwork that’ll be included.
“The packaging features original art by Axel Giménez and Francisco Etchart. Their drawings were influenced by the “vintage” Eternia box art by William George.
“Look closely to find “Easter Eggs” throughout the artwork. Fan favorites from heroic and evil warriors to the ‘Powers of Grayskull’ are featured.
“Be on the lookout for more reveals of the Eternia Playset. But for now, check out the figures, vehicles, and sets you can add to your collection.“
The conclusion of this update email featured an image of King Grayskull, “Moaty” the moat monster… and the unobtained Keclar figure.
Is this perhaps a signal from Mattel that Keclar will still become available to fans, perhaps through Mattel Creations, one day soon? Could Mattel be giving backers a bonus Keclar figure anyway, because they came so close to hitting the required sales benchmark? Or is this picture of Keclar simply a mistake, an error, an oversight by Mattel that should have never been included in this email.
All three scenarios are possible. We will just have to wait and see to find out. We’ll see you next time.
Maybe through Mattel Creations but Mattel isn’t giving this away for free.
Is it a new picture or just copied and pasted from the crowd fund period?
@durendal It’s an old picture.
I just want the opportunity. I don’t mind paying for him.
I want him too. Hopefully including that picture is a hint that they’re planning to release him somehow, but I fear that we might be reading too much into it. It’s more likely that it was just a lazy copy and paste without further thought.
@durendal If it’s a lazy thing then that’s cruel to get our hopes up.
I saw @brasco & @depp76 get some recognition too. When is it gonna be my turn! 😂
That is my fear also.
I really hope we can get him somehow.
I honestly would have preferred getting him instead of the King Grayskull.
I’ve never been a huge fan of King Grayskull as I felt his introduction diminished He-Ro’s role. Let’s face it they went and gave a lot of the story that was meant for He-Ro to him and then Classics continuity really reduced it even further (“Oh he was just some guy named Ro who brought the sword to Eternia then died")
It’s nice to see someone else who didn’t like that bio.
Most of the Classics biographies are terrible, but this goes beyond that. King Grayskull as a character should not exist. He is derivative, supplants He-Ro, and diminishes He-Man.
How does he diminish He-Man?
It reduces He-Man to a second-rate King Grayskull; making him a smaller, weaker, copy of the original.
Personally I like King Grayskull. To me it makes perfect sense that the protector of the power exists throughout history, the legend of He-Man. I do prefer the DC Comics story of He-Ro being King Grayskull’s son to have the lineage of both characters lead to Adam and Adora
@he-metayer in those Revelation comics Ro is his son. Dare is his son too but he gets killed
Ro was the only one who had white skin. Do you remember if the comic explained that? Was Ro adopted?
@skeledog I forgot about those Revelation comics. So it sounds like Mattel is trending towards making King Grayskull and He-Ro related in all future stories.
@he-metayer It looks like revelation is the canon for now. Rob david said the eternia playset stuff would be a big deal in Revelation so some of that father son angle could be in Revolution but I dont know why they look different. I guess Ro could have a different mother