Power Ship

The Power Lords is a strange property. In 1983, Revell, the ubiquitous model company, threw its hat into the action figure ring with the Power Lords, a fantasy themed series roughly in the vein of Masters of the Universe. Revell enlisted the talents of science fiction illustrator Wayne Barlowe to develop the designs. Barlowe’s designs are some of the strangest ever created for the mass market. The Power lords were creepy, sinewy, organic space aliens, more like nightmares than the muscle-men of the He-Man pantheon. I remember feeling distinctly unsettled by the toys as a child. I was too fixated on the Transformers and G.I. Joe to pay much attention, and the Power Lords were on shelves for about a half an hour, but they were some of the first figures I picked up off of ebay as an adult.

This is Adam Power’s Power ship. It looks like a shoe monster. I love it dearly.

The Power Shoe came in a handsome window box. I love the illustrations on the back.

God what a strange toy for a child. I love the intricate molded organic detail. The black paint apps are a little sloppy, though. Revell’s plastics for the line feel totally unique, sturdy but more model-like.

The ship has two gimmicks. When you pull a switch in the center console of the cockpit, the clear cover at the front springs open to reveal a blaster within.

There are tabs inside the cockpit on either side which activate spring-blades at the sides.

Other than that, the rear rudder moves, as does the steering thing.

It really comes to life with Adam Power.

Like it’s companion vehicle Trigore, the Power Ship manages to feel genuinely of another world.