Sun-Man Joins He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Toy Line

Mattel’s Masters of the Universe Origins toy line is set to include the diverse Rulers of the Sun characters in 2022.

The first Rulers of the Sun hero to join He-Man is Sun-Man. The action figure is now available for preorder and is slated to land on shelves around the globe this spring.

The He-Man and the Masters of the Universe toy line is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. In addition to the Masters of the Universe Origins line, Rulers of the Sun will be part of the new Masters of the Universe: Masterverse. Joining Sun-Man will be Rulers of the Sun characters Digitino and Space Sumo.

Yla Eason, creator of Sun-Man and the Rulers of the Sun, said: “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, senior VP of action figures, games and plush design and inventor relations at Mattel, said: “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 playback 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.”