Masters of the Universe wouldn’t be the beloved franchise it is today without the maniacal and grandiose villain known as Skeletor, who has set his sights on conquering all of Eternia. He’s gotten close plenty of times and has even managed to make it happen several times along the way, but what actually happened to create the Skeletor we know today? A new Masters of the Universe series is set to explore just that, and you can get your first look below.
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Mattel and Dark Horse Comics have revealed a new series titled Masters of the Universe: Genesis, which will span 12 issues and explore the history of Eternia through the franchise’s iconic characters. First up is Skeletor, whose origin will be explored over the course of the first three issues. The Skeletor arc will be helmed by writer Rich Douek, illustrator Gavin Smith, colorist Fabi Marques, and letterer AndWorld Design, and issue #1 will feature a main cover by Mark Buckingham and a variant cover by Lee Bermejo. You can check out both covers below.
Masters of the Universe Has Never Fully Explored Skeletor’s Origin Story
Skeletor’s origin story is one of the bigger question marks in the franchise, as there have been multiple interpretations and none of them have fully explored the character’s earliest days. The original cartoon presented a Skeletor who was originally from another dimension, while the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe reboot from 2002 presented a Skeletor who was originally Keldor, but after being splashed with his own acid would become the Skeletor we now know.
In the comics from DC in 2012, this was expanded upon, revealing a Skeletor who was the heir to the throne of Eternia, but was passed over by King Miro for Randor. Then, in Masters of the Universe Revelation, there was another twist on that version of the story, where Prince Keldor was taught magic by Hordak and given the Havoc Staff, which melted his face and created the iconic Skeletor look.
These are all compelling versions, but they all leave a lot to interpretation in terms of details of Skeletor’s early days, and many of these aren’t canon either. Masters of the Universe: Genesis could change all that, but we’ll have to wait and see how far back in Skeletor’s life it ultimately goes. You can find the official description for the issue below.
“Discover the origins of your favorite heroes and villains with Masters of the Universe: Genesis! In issue #1 we meet Skeletor—a power-hungry demon-mage determined to seize control of Castle Grayskull, conquer Eternia, and become Master of the Universe! The first arc of Genesis is written by Rich Douek (Superman Red & Blue, Edge of Spider-Verse) and illustrated by Gavin Smith (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Zord Quest).”
Masters of the Universe: Genesis #1 will land in comic stores on August 5, 2026.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Forum Conversation: Which Skeletor Origin Do You Want To See in Masters of the Universe?
Go to ForumPersonally I am a proponent of knowing someone’s cereal preferences, even a villain like Skeletor. LET US HAVE OUR CEREAL DETAILS SOLOMON!
What did the last go at his origin from Dark Horse not cover? His favorite breakfast cereal? His first shave? It was never a franchise that needed every minute detail kept explicitly canon. That was an exercise in why adherence to canon is such a pain in the ass. That way lies Crisis addiction. Sometimes you just have to let the story move forward and stop going backward.
I am kind of expecting it to be something like the Barbie movie, so i kind of am hoping for and welcome an out of cannon origin in this case