The Good: Decent sculpted details, Good balance, Accurate coloring
The Bad: No feature, Seems expensive, Assembled appearance
The Basics: The 2016 "He-Man" ornament from Hallmark's new retro toy ornament line reminds collectors how awesome He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe is . . . even if it is not quite perfect!
There are a few aspects of my childhood that I have rediscovered as an adult that truly hold up. I was a big fan, in my youth, of He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe - both of the television series and the massive toy line. So, when Hallmark announced that He-Man was part of their 2016 Hallmark ornament line, I was actually pretty psyched. Fortunately, the 2016 He-Man ornament manages to be a pretty fitting tribute to the toy line and the classic television show.
For those unfamiliar with He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe (season 1 is reviewed here!), He-Man is the most powerful man in the universe . . . when he is equipped with his magic sword and imbued with the power of Greyskull. It is He-Man, after his transformation, with his sword held in both hands, that is the subject of the 2016 He-Man Hallmark ornament!
Basics
The "He-Man" ornament recreates the super hero He-Man as he appeared in He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe, though not in any particular or iconic moment. The ornament, released in 2016, is an incredibly accurate sculpt of He-Man with an incredible amount of sculpted and pretty basic coloring detail, befitting the action figure. Hallmark smartly presented He-Man in a non-violent, not-aggressive pose.
Measuring four and a quarter inches tall by two and three-quarter inches wide by two inches deep, the "He-Man" ornament is a fairly regular-sized Hallmark character ornament. The 2016 He-Man ornament seems a bit pricy at an original release price of $17.95, which seemed expensive for an ornament without any feature.
The Hallmark "He-Man" ornament is made of a durable plastic and has He-Man holding botthe blade itself. The ornament is posed in a such a way that the action figure never could, though it looks like He-Man from the show! He-Man is appropriately muscled and is wearing his very minimal clothes. Hallmark sculpted perfectly He-Man's corny retro haircut, chest place and briefs perfectly accurately. Unfortunately, to get the arms right, Hallmark clearly had to sculpt the arms and sword separately and attach them to the body of the ornament. The result is a noticeable seam and fissure at the juncture where the arms connect to the torso section.
The coloring for the 2016 He-Man ornament is simplistic, but accurate for the action figure source material.
Features
As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, "He-Man" could be accented by a sound chip, but is not. Sadly lacking in any dialogue from the show, the 2016 He-Man ornament does not have a sound or light function, which makes it seem overpriced at the original retail price of $15.95.
Balance
As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake "He-Man" ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate nostalgia television Christmas Tree, the "He-Man" ornament is the essential He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe ornament. The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top center of He-Man's head. This is fairly obvious and necessary for the ornament. From that position, the He-Man ornament hangs perfectly level. The balance for this ornament is incredible, with the sword appearing perfectly perpendicular to the branch upon which the ornament is hung!
Collectibility
Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Within a few years, every major franchise from Star Wars to A Nightmare Before Christmas to Indiana Jones started making Hallmark ornaments. "He-Man" is one of a handful of several nostalgia television show ornaments and the only He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe ornament produced by Hallmark for 2016. This ornament did not yet sell out at any of my local Hallmark Gold Crown stores I frequented. That made it fairly easy to find on discount after the holiday season. The value of the ornament in the secondary market is already deflated -more likely a result of being initially overpriced, as opposed to any inherent quality issues with the ornament itself. It may end up as a decent investment piece for those who are able to pick it up after the holiday season, but not at its original release price.
Overview
Fans of He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe, He-Man, and Hallmark ornaments are likely to get a kick out of the 2016 He-Man ornament for its nostalgia value!
For other 2016 genre-themed Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
Batman Batman V. Superman ornament
Grimlock Transformers ornament
Death Trooper Rogue One ornament
7.5/10
For other ornament reviews, please visit my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!
© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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