Written by Masters of the Universe author Keith Giffen and illustrated by Dexter Soy, the crossover starts this August. We spoke exclusively with Giffen via email to get the inside scoop on what to expect when Eternia clashes with Earth.
After a long hiatus, Masters of the Universe returns! What are they doing in the DC Universe?
Keith Giffen: Basically, just getting on everybody’s nerves. Culture shock lives! Actually, they’ve come to stop Skeletor from doing to the DCU what he’s always wanted to do to Eternia.
How did Skeletor even GET to Earth?
KG: That’s the great thing about magic. You can do ALL kinds of convenient things with it. By the way, what makes you think Skeletor came to the DCU voluntarily?
Why do the superheroes and MotU see each other as a threat—or at least are at odds with each other?
KG: That seems to be the rule for team-ups; fight, talk, team up. I’m not saying there won’t be conflict between the MOTU and the DCU characters, just that we’re going to try to dodge the obvious cliches.
Whose sword wins in a fight? He-Man’s or Wonder Woman’s?
KG: Teela’s. She’s my favorite to write, so she gets the win.
I do. Superman humiliated him in one punch. That was watered down PC Superman who was struggling to move a planet and isn't above DCnU superman in strength. Giffen writes an uber superman to boot. This doesn't looks good for prince adam.
Ok. I think you're reading a bit too much into it. They grappled and Supes threw/punched him aside and he was ok. That's it. Trying to draw conclusions from such a brief encounter is comically flawed. There's no reason to believe He-Man is Kal's better (I'd give big blue 10/10 in a forum fight), but there is ample reasoning to believe he is as strong or stronger than literally any version of Superman.
Also, realistically, everyone is written more closely together than perhaps they should be in crossovers, for the sake of the fight and story. A beatdown wouldn't serve the story at all, so while it will likely either be a draw or a Superman win (the more popular main hero usually does in crossovers), your appraisal of it as an impending smackdown is almost empirically unlikely.
I really doubt they'd have Superman straight up bury He-Man (assuming they do fight). If anything, Superman will barely win or hold an edge somewhat over He-Man (barring the mystical properties of his sword and whatnot). I could see some weird power fluctuation coming into play too if He-Man's presence on Earth effects his connection to Castle Greyskull.
In any case, DC's not stupid and knows the majority of fans will want to see either an epic throw down that makes them both look good or Superman barely pulling out the win.
Castle Greyskull is a multiversal nexus, from which HM draws his power. It scales based on need and circumstance, and hasn't been shown to have a defined limit. This is rather explicitly written into HM comics (can't speak for the newest incarnation, but he's new and I haven't been following it yet). As plot devices go, it's insanely convenient. So, as I said, a case could be made for strength alone. HM's overall feats don't necessarily support him getting wins, but it's a crossover after all, which are almost exclusively created as fan service. I wouldn't rule anything out, except that they'll probably be shown as near-equals much of the time. Even if I'm shown to be wrong in the upcoming comic, it's a good guess. I'm working based on lopsided precedent, which doesn't mean certainty, but can and should inform our prognostications.
I'm not sure I get the Thor question. It doesn't seem to respond to or counter anything I said. Based on my assessment, which itself was generalized and not without exception, Thor should lose to Supes.
He-Man was ok afterward. Superman was mystically controlled. He-Man was without the Sword of Power, which in those days definitely could've cut/hurt Superman. Glean from those what you will. Imo, it's a non-feat all-around.
Yeah, looking at the scans above, don't see how Superman "humilated" He-Man at all there. Given narration and Skeletor's commentary, seemed as if Superman was just barely stronger than He-Man.