The Iron Master is a 1984 Masters of the Universe children’s
book written by John Grant and illustrated by Robin Davies. Here, since only “those
who have no evil in them” can handle the Power Sword, Skeletor builds a giant
robot to steal it.
Even with the not-remotely-canon concept of the sword acting
like Tolkien’s elven rope, this is one of Grant’s more coherent He-Man stories.
However, there are some theological ramifications here worth pointing out –
while the Power Sword-handling “rule” changes throughout the book from those “without
evil” to those “fighting for the side of good,” one could very well conclude
that “the Lord” He-Man and the Heroic Warriors are without sin. And beating up
peasants and stealing their goats? Beast Man’s really gone small-time.
Davies’ art on the Ladybird He-Man books has ranged from mediocre
to awful, and the art in The Iron Master is, for him, about average. About
the only thing of note here is his crazy windowless, cubical, bat-themed Royal
Palace – not a good look at all.
Overall, The Iron Master is one of the more readable
Ladybird Masters of the Universe books, but it isn’t particularly good.
TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT
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