THE ORDEAL OF MAN-E-FACES!

The main theme of Cohn's second story is the same as his first: the manipulation of a vulnerable individual by the scheming Skeletor. Once again Skeletor is portrayed as a dangerous and intelligent being who has the power to use magic for his own evil ends. In The Ordeal of Man-E-Faces! Skeletor forces the actor to drink a powerful potion which changes him forever.

The Ordeal of Man-E-Faces! is a comicbook retelling of Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, but set very much in the magical context of Eternia. Man-E-Faces' divergent personalities prove to be dangerous not only to the citizens of Eternia but also to the man himself. At the end of the tale we realise that nothing is resolved because he can't be cured, and the monster remains inside him. What is not made clear is whether Skeletor retains his power over the poor man. We don't know if it is Skeletor or Man-E-Faces himself who can reawaken the monster.

Man-E-Faces' third identity is the robot. The robot's creation by magic is probably the weakest aspect to this story, but it was necessary to include the explanation. The Sorceress has a key role in this tale, and for the first time we get to see how powerful she is. Another key theme is her communication with He-Man by falcon messenger. The falcon isn't named in this minicomic but we can assume it is Zoar. It was only with the introduction of the Filmation cartoon that Zoar and the Sorceress were merged.

The Ordeal of Man-E-Faces! is the first time we get a glimpse inside the royal palace, and we discover it is a mediaeval-looking castle with feasting tables and drapes adorning the walls. He-Man and Teela evidently hold high positions within the court, for they sit at the head table with the king and queen. It's an interesting elevation of status for the man who left his jungle tribe in the first minicomic.