Mattel unveiled new additions to the He-Man and Masters of the Universe toy lines with the Rulers of the Sun, a multicultural assembly of heroes first created in 1985.
(Mattel)
What’s Happening:
- With the arrival of Black History Month, Mattel has announced the return of the Rulers of the Sun, headlined by Sun-Man.
- The collection includes Black, Latino, and Asian characters, joining the Masters of the Universe Origins and Masters of the Universe: Masterverse toy lines in 2022, the year of the franchise’s 40th anniversary.
- Sun-Man is the first action figure available for preorder, with figures expected to hit shelves this Spring.
- The character was created by Yla Eason in 1985 to empower Black children to see themselves as superheroes, inspired by her own son’s belief that he couldn’t step into that role because of the color of his skin.
- A special limited-edition Sun-Man figure was released in 2021 by Mattel Creations and sold out immediately.
- Additional characters in the Rulers of the Sun collection include:
- Digitino – a Latino computer wizard
- Space Sumo – an Asian telekinetic ninja
- Pig-Head – a devious and spiteful lord who spreads fear and despair around the world
- Olmec Toys and Yla Eason retain all rights to the Sun-Man property, with Mattel granted rights to produce new action figures based on the characters.
- Along with the announcement, Mattel has also reaffirmed its commitment to finding ways for its toys to better represent the diverse world kids live in.
What They’re Saying:
- Yla Eason, creator of Sun-Man and the Rulers of the Sun: “When I originally created the character of Sun-Man, it was to show my son that heroes come in all skin colors. Partnering with Mattel has been an honor, bringing this full circle and making it possible for a new generation of kids around the world to see themselves represented in their toys with the powerful portrayal of Sun-Man and his friends.”
- Ed Duncan, SVP – Action Figures, Games and Plush Design, & Inventor Relations at Mattel: “This job requires one to be a bit of a toy historian, and I always knew of the existence of Sun-Man, and of the high prices that vintage examples would go for in the Masters of the Universe collecting community. Even knowing that, it was only a couple of years ago that I came across Yla’s story, and it really resonated with me as another black toymaker. Sun-Man was a carefully crafted toy, designed to add something valuable to Masters of the Universe play back in the 1980s… the value of diversity. That value has only increased with time. Seeing people like yourself represented as strong powerful heroes is something black children were frequently denied through the years. Characters like Sun-Man and the Rulers of the Sun are a great step in the right direction.”
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Amazon.com: Masters of the Universe Origins Sun-Man 5.5-in Action Figures