MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE #6 (Dark horse comics)

It’s not easy being Evil-Lyn, serving Skeletor while wanting so much more. This issue gives us a peek into Evil-Lyn’s past, while also revealing her plot to remove Skeletor and claim the leadership role for herself. Can she amass the power she’s always wanted, or will she be bypassed and thwarted once again?

Masters of the Universe #6 - Written By Tim Seeley – Pencils By Reilly Brown – Inks By Nelson Decastro – Colors By Jim Charalampidis - Letters By Andworld Design - Edited By Brett Israel - Published By Dark Horse Comics

Credit: Dark Horse Comics

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

STORY OVERVIEW:

Evil-Lyn meets secretly with Khan at Snake Mountain. She is looking for a way to summon a very powerful ghost to take out Skeletor so she can invade Grayskull and take the power for herself. We get a little backstory on Evil-Lyn, where we find out she was a scientist from a wealthy and powerful family named Evelyn Morgan Powers. She crashed into Eternos on the same ship as Marlena Glenn who would become Queen of Eternos, well Evelyn had to turn to necromancy just to survive and thus becoming Evil-Lyn. Meanwhile, the other kingdoms of Eternia are trying to figure out alliances to take on Skeletor. This will cause an uneasy alliance with the Snake Men and their king, Hiss.

WRITING:

This issue does a strong job exploring what is happening on multiple sides of the war for Eternos without allowing the story to feel overloaded. Tim Seeley uses Evil-Lyn as the emotional and strategic center of the issue, but he also keeps enough attention on Prince Adam, the growing political tension across Eternia, and the uneasy alliance forming with the Snake Men. That balance is important because this chapter is not just about one character making a move against Skeletor. It is about showing how unstable Eternia has become and how every major player is beginning to make desperate choices as the threat of Skeletor continues to grow.

The Evil-Lyn storyline is easily the strongest part of the issue because it gives her ambition more context and makes her betrayal feel like the natural result of who she has always been. Her desire for power is not presented as a sudden reaction to Skeletor mistreating or ignoring her. Instead, Seeley makes it clear that Evil-Lyn has always believed she deserves more than what the world has given her. The flashbacks to Evelyn Morgan Powers help deepen that idea, showing that her pride, jealousy, and hunger for control existed long before she became trapped on Eternia. Her turn toward necromancy may have been born out of survival, but the issue suggests that survival only gave her the excuse to become the person she already had the potential to be.

That added history makes her plot against Skeletor more interesting because it shows both her intelligence and her greatest weakness. Evil-Lyn is powerful, calculating, and confident enough to believe she can manipulate forces even Skeletor should fear. At the same time, her confidence blinds her. She relies so heavily on magic and her own cleverness that she does not fully consider how Skeletor will respond once he realizes what she is doing. Seeley uses that flaw well, because Evil-Lyn never comes across as foolish. She comes across as dangerous, but too arrogant to recognize that Skeletor is just as ruthless and unpredictable as she is.

The Prince Adam material also adds a meaningful layer to the issue. Adam understands that He-Man may be Eternia’s best chance at defeating Skeletor, but the decision is not as simple as picking up the sword and charging into battle. Man-At-Arms raises a valid concern about what it means for Adam to become He-Man and how that transformation changes the way others will see him. Seeley continues to explore Adam’s two identities as more than a secret or a superhero-style disguise. The separation between Adam and He-Man creates questions about leadership, responsibility, and whether Adam can save Eternia without losing part of himself in the process.

What makes Adam’s conflict hit harder is the personal stake involving Cringer. This is not only a political or military decision for him. Adam is being pushed toward action because someone close to him needs saving. That gives the larger battle a more emotional foundation and keeps the story from becoming only about kingdoms, armies, and strategies. Seeley understands that Eternia works best when the mythic scale is tied to personal relationships, and Adam’s concern for Cringer helps ground the issue in something direct and relatable.

The alliance with the Snake Men may be the most important development for the series moving forward. The Targans reaching a tentative agreement with King Hiss puts pressure on the Eternians and makes their choices feel increasingly limited. On one hand, joining forces with the Snake Men gives them a stronger chance against Skeletor. On the other hand, trusting King Hiss comes with obvious danger. Seeley does a good job making the alliance feel useful and unsettling at the same time. It is the kind of decision that may help the heroes in the short term while creating even bigger problems later.

Overall, the writing succeeds because Seeley keeps the issue moving while still giving each storyline enough room to matter. Evil-Lyn’s ambition, Adam’s internal struggle, and the political tension with the Snake Men all connect to the same larger question: how far is everyone willing to go in order to survive Skeletor’s rise? That question gives the issue a strong sense of momentum and makes the series feel more layered as it moves toward future conflicts.

ARTWORK:

The artwork in this issue does a great job staying true to the roots of the Masters of the Universe franchise while still giving the comic enough energy to stand on its own. Reilly Brown keeps the visuals close to the spirit of the 1980s cartoon and action figure line, which gives the issue an immediate sense of nostalgia without making it feel stiff or overly dependent on the past. The characters have the bold shapes, expressive faces, and larger-than-life poses that longtime fans expect from MOTU, and that familiar visual language helps the world of Eternia feel instantly recognizable.

What works especially well is how the issue balances classic adventure visuals with the darker tone of the story. Scenes set around Evil-Lyn and Snake Mountain carry a stronger sense of danger and mystery, with the artwork leaning into shadows, dramatic expressions, and magical imagery to make her plot against Skeletor feel more ominous. Those moments help sell Evil-Lyn as more than just a villain standing in the background. She feels active, calculating, and powerful, and the visuals support that by giving her a commanding presence whenever she is on the page.

The action scenes are also a highlight because they capture the fun, exaggerated energy that has always been part of the franchise. The fights and movement have a big animated quality, almost like the comic is recreating the feeling of an episode from the classic cartoon, but with more detail and sharper pacing. Brown’s layouts keep the action easy to follow, which is important in a book filled with warriors, monsters, magic, and competing factions. Even when the page gets busy, the storytelling remains clear, and the reader can understand the flow of the scene without getting lost.

The character designs are another strong part of the issue. The familiar MOTU designs are respected, but they are not treated like flat recreations of toys or old animation models. The characters look powerful and iconic, but they also have enough expression and body language to fit the drama of the story. Evil-Lyn looks sharp and dangerous, Skeletor keeps his intimidating but yet bumbling presence, and the Snake Men have the kind of monstrous detail that makes their uneasy alliance feel visually unsettling. That variety helps each group feel distinct and gives the issue a strong visual identity.

The colors by Jim Charalampidis add a lot to the overall impact as well. The palette keeps the bright fantasy appeal of Eternia, but it also shifts nicely depending on the mood of the scene. The more heroic and adventurous moments have the vibrant look fans associate with MOTU, while the scenes involving magic, betrayal, and darker plans use moodier tones that make the danger feel more immediate. That contrast helps the issue move between fun action and serious drama without either side feeling out of place.

Overall, the artwork succeeds because it understands what makes Masters of the Universe visually appealing. It honors the classic designs, captures the energy of the cartoon, and still gives the story enough atmosphere to match the higher stakes of the issue. The result is a comic that feels familiar in the best way, but also polished, dynamic, and dramatic enough to support the larger story being told.

Check Out MY REVIEW OF MOTU: GENESIS #1

Final Thoughts:

Masters of the Universe #6 is a strong issue that gives Evil-Lyn a sharper spotlight while continuing to build the larger conflict across Eternia. The issue balances character drama, political tension, and classic fantasy action in a way that keeps the story moving without losing its emotional stakes. With solid writing, energetic artwork, and a bigger threat still looming, this remains a compelling entry for longtime MOTU fans and a strong addition to the series.

FINAL GRADE: 9.2/10

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