“Leave the turkey-carving to an expert!”
Masters Of The Universe: Icons Of Evil – Trapjaw
CrossGen/MV Creations (September, 2003)
PLOT: Robert Kirkman, Ian Richter, & Val Staples WRITER/LETTERER: Robert Kirkman ARTIST: Carlo Pagulayan COLORIST: Ron Tiley COVER ART: Michael Pedra & Nathan Baertsch EDITORS: Monica Lopez, Jeremy Padawer, Ian Richter, & Geoff WalkerThat a lot of editors for one comic book.
Kronis signed up to follow Keldor, a sorcerer who wanted to conquer Eternia. He did NOT sign up to follow Skeletor, the former Keldor who was now prone to intense anger and mistreatment of his troops. Flung out from Snake Mountain for daring to challenge him, Kronis slowly conquers the other armies of the Dark Hemisphere, forming a mighty war force to conquer Skeletor. However, in both magic and physical strength Skeletor can not be beaten. With his arm and jaw destroyed and replaced by mechanical prosthesis, Kronis has a new name as well now…Trapjaw! And he’s not given up his desire for vengeance against his master.
What they got right: It’s interesting to see in-fighting between the various leaders. Kronis/Trapjaw looks like he would be a more protective leader and might have been better off ignoring Skeletor and maybe luring some of his troops away or working on getting past the Mystic Wall that separates the light and dark hemispheres of this version of Eternia at this point in the story. However, that’s not how things go with this group and it shows Skeletor rules by power, fear, and not much else. We’ll get more into this version of Skeletor’s backstory in the future.
What they got wrong: Okay, we know that Trapjaw got his name from his metal jaw and any origin that took place before he became Trapjaw would involve how he got his arm and jaw and that it was probably brutal. But isn’t this comic for kids? Yeah, the re-imagined show targeted an older audience, but still a kid audience. Seeing a jawless, armless Kronis is just kind of gross. Don’t read this issue while eating, folks.
Recommendation: If you can handle the brutality of this new version (which is still better than the recent DC version) and liked the re-imagined show this might be worth checking out. Just not for the younger fans.
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Trapjaw was probably my favorite villain character of MOTU. (just as Slythe was my favorite Thundercats villain). These origin stories are very complex and interesting. Thanks for sharing another one! Based on what you say though, these origin stories sound a little too intense for young kids.
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The show does seem to be for an older audience than the original, and it’s still better than the recent DC run, but I do need to point that stuff out.
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I need to try to watch some of the MOTU episodes from the early 2000s. I’ve never seen them before. Maybe youtube will have some clips.
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