MOTUClassics.Com
Modulok Review (18 Pics!)

NoisyDvL5

I always think it’s funny when I get an e-mail or a PM asking if I’m still collecting or going to be reviewing MOTU Classics. MOTU is such a huge part of IAT, that I can’t imagine IAT without He-Man being a part of it (even if we’ve only reviewed one MOTU figure in two months! Our bad!). Now, it is true that I haven’t been reviewing the MOTUCs of late. I’ve been letting Vault have a bite of the apple. I think the last figure I reviewed was either Nepthu or Batros back in September, but I am still happy to be picking up the line and looking forward to a lot of the upcoming product!

To that point, I’m jumping back in today with a MOTUC review of a particularly fun release: Modulok! (Yes, I know, we’ve skipped a few! We’ll get ‘em, don’t worry!) I never had Modulok as a kid – in fact, I don’t think I had all that many of the Horde at all. I was always a fan of Skeletor and his evil army first & foremost. Ironically, though, Modulok appeared in the Filmation cartoon as more a rogue agent. He had only one head (though the second appeared as a robotic head intended to house MAA’s consciousness) and sought favor with Skeletor before transferring over to the POP cartoon and joining up with the Horde. Either way, I just don’t imagine my parents or I ran across Modulok back in the day. He was too cool to pass up.

Just look at where we are right now. We’re seeing Modulok’s action feature hit the big time. The indie world is still afire over Glyos and the Glyos system. Hasbro has taken notice and started with the Assemblers line for IM3 and the larger, better overall, Mashers line that will extend to at least Marvel & Transformers. Rearranging your figures parts has never been a bigger deal, but Modulok had all that down nearly thirty years ago. He wasn’t the first, of course, but he was a big deal all the same.

As a big fan of this time of built-in customization, you can surely guess that I loved Modulok. Once I got him out of the package (glued shut, Mattel? I thought we were trying to not waste money?) I quickly got to assembling him from his packaged bipedal form to a monster using all the pieces! Well, all but one. This guy has got two butts and you’re just going to have to let one sit out or use at a club. Your call.

It was awesome. All the connection points are ball & socket (the shoulders & hips are also hinged) so we’ve got a fantastic range or movement on this guy. Everything snaps together pretty cleanly and I don’t feel like I’m going to break him which was something I was really worried about going in. The only downside is that a lot of the connections are made from a particularly soft plastic and I’m worried if they’re going to get chalky in a few years. I’ve been “losing” JLU figures to that white dust left and right lately. Fingers crossed on that.

Sculptwise, Modulok is pretty masterful. The unique pieces look unique thanks to sharp updates to the old designs and added textures throughout help bring the sculpt to life. The only problem sculptwise is that considerations weren’t always made to accommodate the “plug n’ play”, part-swapping feature. This most noticeable on the hips where the Mattel team had to widen the piece to make things work. I wouldn’t mind it, but the widening isn’t even on both sides (duh) and it’s smooth & featureless, which really calls attention to it. I think he looks worst in bipedal forms, but it does blend out a little if you add everything on to the figure. Either way, I wish the crotch had been built up a little more to make the whole area more aesthetic than just functional. Continue to Page 2…

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43 thoughts on “MOTUClassics.Com
Modulok Review (18 Pics!)”

  1. Ha! I love this review… I can only hope March gets here soon and my quarterly figures ship (yeah, I’m the guy who opted for this, because I was hoping to save money and make delivery day more like Chanukkah, I guess. Onell should do a neck-spitting piece… I’ve got a million extra heads roaming around and I’d love to make a Glyos Modulock…

    JediNate, formerly JediCreeper

  2. he looks like a lot of fun, reassembling into different forms. the awkward part of making two separate bodies does stand out.
    I still don’t regret passing on him, tho.

    and 5/18 – um…that’s a conversation I’ve had before. It was only because we thought he was shipping out to Iraq right away, not a year later! and that was 12 years ago!! and he still won’t let it go!!!
    (and it was just on the cheek AFTER he asked!)

  4. I had the vintage and think still finding pieces. Modulok was a debate for me but with little pieces and possible later on as possible grabbed by pooch chew toys. (A cousin’s of mine new pup has turned many a wrestler into chew toys. ) so he’s out. Unless can figure what in Mattel’s product keeps her wanting them.

    I do have memories of this (or is it these) guy and do like the update. Maybe try to get him/them later. Great review and pics.

  5. Trying to put this guy together using every piece was the first thing I did, too! That was really weird that the only extra piece was an extra rear end. I wish there was an extra plug for that to go somewhere….

  6. I’m glad I brought multiple Modulok’s……this figure is awesome. I haven’t put this figure down yet. FH did an excellent job on the snap on parts. This may be 1 of the top 5 figures in Classics. Excellent pics & review.

  7. in that opening on the history of swappable pieces on action figures, i honestly thought you were trying to give tek an aneurysm by not mentioning micronauts/microman… why do you hate him so? 😉

    i think he looks like a load of fun, though, like you, i wonder why he has two asses… cuz you can’t even alleviate that issue with multiple purchases, he’ll always have one more part than he has places to put it… on the plus side, with standardized balls for the whole fig, i suspect the 3rd partiers and 3d printers will have a ball creating new pieces to beef up dr nycoff. that could be a lot of fun!

    1. On the original, I had three pieces left over from making the big monster configureation: two splitters and the red/green tail. I turned them into a cute little slug he kept as a pet.

    2. I believe the spare tail is there so those who want to make a Filmation version don’t have to use a tail with holes in it.

  8. Great pics and review!!

    To be honest I didn’t even notice the hips thing because a “standard figure” configuration on Modulok is sacrilege IMO. 😀

    On the extra butt thing, there are no leg pegs, so I think it’s to give him a tail that looks better than a tail with two holes in it if you don’t want to use extra legs. Definitely wouldn’t be my first choice (as I say, extra legs are a must here) but I’m sure someone out there will use it.

    Definitely wanna see what 3P cats will do to augment this guy, and to see what custom characters we’ll see borrowing his parts.

  9. Nice! I love Modulok! Wish I coulda nabbed an extra one at least. My only “complaint” is that I wish he came with an extra upper torso so each head could have it’s own unique figure. Otherwise this guy is a lot of fun. I never had the vintage figure until recently when a friend of mine hooked me up. I think I’ve spent hours playing and look forward to the same here as well.

    1. Same. I ummed and ahhed over getting a second, but it’s just way too pricey to buy a DOS one and add shipping just for that. Would have just been perfect to have a second torso but oh well.

      Such a fun figure. My 5yo and I had a blast on the weekend making all sorts of weird combos.

      As others have said, will be interested to see if anyone makes add ons for him.

    2. I do wish they’d gone a bit above and beyond the vintage for sure. An extra torso or letting the limbs pop at the knees and elbows. This guy is fun, but he could be even more fun..

      And yeah, two… wallet cruncher.

  10. Great review!
    I am extremely glad that I bought a second Modulok. Can’t wait for the second to arrive I have been creating monsters left and right. He is awesome

  11. Xevoz! You had to go and say that name. If there is one toy I would bring back if I had the chance…sigh.

    Anyway, Modulok. So glad you said something about the awful looking hips/pelvis. Thought I was crazy looking at the pics but not one review mentioning it. I see why it was necessary, but it could have been 1) at least symmetrical and 2) disguised a bit better with paint apps or something (especially if they went with Filmation paint apps). Oh well…

    1. I remember people on RTM’s old toybuzz were really upset once Xevoz bit the dust. That was also the first time I remember an unreleased set of cancelled figures showing up at discount stores after so many fans had previously paid an arm and a leg for the unreleased ones on eBay.

    2. I always wonder if it would’ve done better without that stupid game! I’d bring it back too!

      Yeah, the hips are atrocious. I wish the Mattel engineers that work stuff out would just show some effort or love or inspiration. They are “at work” it feels like.

  12. I love these! They are so funny. I must say I look forward to the reviews here more than any other site.

  13. Your pics and the speech bubbles, I love em! Specially “are you holding your own butt?”

  14. Most of MOTUC figs i take out of the package and right into the display they go, but this guy just sits there on my desk looking back at me. He is perfectly done by 4H and mattel! I didn’t get multiple troopers and feel okay about it but man, if I had another of him I could really get to work! First mantanna and now this with Scorpia on the way? The Horde have some beautiful figures in their ranks!

    1. The Horde is finally filling out nicely, benefiting from the Filmation “license”. But yeah, Moddy just needs played with before he goes to do his standing.

  15. Great review and side splitting pics! Well done!

    Altho I almost expected to see Man-At-Arms commenting on how the Horde was almost undefeatable, because they had a creature using ‘three butts’ tech. 🙂

  16. LOL! Great review. Now we Horde lovers only need Dragstor to complete the original team and I would love a Horde Mummy (fully articulated and not a custom) at some point to finish out the Horde “monsters.”

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