The world of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe has a unique collection of characters, and Masters of the Universe: Andra gives one of the most underrated characters her own time to shine. Taking place in between Masters of the Universe: Revelation and Revolution, Andra finds its title character settling into her new role as Man-at-Arms. But it’s far harder than she expects, especially when a menacing figure from her past threatens Eternia.
I freely admit that I didn’t really get into He-Man and the Masters of the Universe until I watched Masters of the Universe: Revelation, and one of the best parts was watching Andra’s friendship with Teela and former Man-at-Arms, Duncan. Masters of the Universe: Andra smartly builds on those relationships, showing how Andra’s friends are there for her in the major world-shattering moments and the quieter moments where she struggles with her own self-doubts.
It helps that Andra is written by Tiffany Smith, who voiced Andra in Revelation and Revolution. Smith’s been in this character’s head for 15 episodes of television, and brings that to the page; she not only shows the worries that Andra has at taking over the position of Man-at-Arms, but also the events that shaped her into the person she is. It gives far more depth to the character, and makes me wish for more stories set in this time period. This is proof that you can tell a story in He-Man’s world without featuring He-Man as a major character.
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Credit should also go to Adriana Melo, who manages to capture the distinct visuals of Masters of the Universe: Revelation #1 in Andra #1. Whether it’s Andra’s signature armor, the mystical energies that Teela now wields as the Sorceress of Greyskull, or the mish-mash of magic and technology that fuels Eternia, Melo delivers imagery that will stick with MOTU fans. Guilano Peratelli enhances the art with rich, vibrant colors that capture the eye, even bleeding into Andworld Design’s lettering. The gold and green captions not only match Andra’s color scheme, they also feel as exuberant as Andra herself to the point where you can almost hear the words in Smith’s voice.
The one wrinkle in Andra #1 is the villainous Count Marzo, who returns to menace the people of Andra’s homeland. While Marzo was an old foe from the classic He-Man and the Masters of the Universe series, he lacks the presence of Skeletor or the sheer menace of the Snake Men; if it wasn’t for his connection to Andra’s past, he’d be little more than a generic doomsday villain. Andra #1 also builds on events from Masters of the Universe: Revelation, so if you haven’t seen the series, you might be a little lost.
Masters of the Universe: Andra #1 offers both a solid character study and a continuation of Masters of the Universe: Revelation, thanks to the creative efforts of Tiffany Smith and Adriana Melo. I’d love to see more comics set in this timeline, especially with the way Revelation and Revolution built on MOTU‘s lore.
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