Rock on, Masters of the Universe! Though the Masters of the Universe Origins line generally uses the same type of base body for its figures, all the better to facilitate the swapping of parts, this one will mirror its vintage counterpart by being all-new. Rokkon, alternately marketed as both a Rock Person and a Comet Warrior (the minicomics used them interchangeably), was Mattel‘s attempt to jump on a trend at the time for transforming rock toys. Inhumanoids, Rock Lords, and Rocks & Bugs & Things were among several briefly trendy toy lines that seemed to inspire budding geologists, though none lasted too long.
Rock Till You Drop
Within Masters of the Universe, the rock transformation trend yielded two figures — Rokkon and Stonedar — and a line of egg-shaped creatures called Meteorbs that were mainly repaints of Japanese toys that Mattel acquired the rights to. Rokkon and Stonedar simply fell into a rock shape when posed to touch their toes, and could spring up again when stood up fully. Stonedar recently made a cameo in Masters of the Universe: Revolution, but it’s Rokkon who’s getting a Mattel Creations figure first.
Like the other Origins figures, Rokkon is designed to look like his ’80s figure, but with added articulation. Just from the image, it looks like his knees, waist, elbows, ankles, and wrists now have joints. His shoulders and hips always were restricted ball joints, but look to have more movement range now. And as before, his radar gun either fits in his hand or plugs into his chest.
Rokkon goes on sale on February 16 and costs $20. Blame the all-original sculpt for the price bump and hope that if enough fans buy him, his buddy Stonedar might follow. (The Meteorbs probably depend on Mattel still having a license for the originals.) Rokkon will include a mini-comic and last as long as supplies hold out. Take a look at some more official images below.
