M.A.S.K. collectibles figures

M.A.S.K., a cult collection born in the 1980s

Launched by Kenner in 1985, M.A.S.K. – Mobile Armored Strike Kommand combined action figures, transforming vehicles and an animated series centred on the conflict between the M.A.S.K. organisation, led by Matt Trakker, and its V.E.N.O.M. adversaries.

The range was particularly distinctive for its vehicles, which could transform into different configurations, and the masks worn by the characters, each associated with specific abilities within the series.

Forty years later, The Loyal Subjects has revived M.A.S.K. through a new generation of figures and vehicles that deliberately remains close to the original toys while modernising certain aspects of their design.

Are The Loyal Subjects M.A.S.K. toys simply reissues of the Kenner toys from the 1980s?

No. The Loyal Subjects M.A.S.K. toys faithfully reproduce the concept and appearance of the toys released by Kenner from 1985 onwards, but they are not simple reissues made from the original moulds.

The vehicles and characters have been recreated using new tooling, with the original range serving as the reference. The Loyal Subjects sought to preserve its identity, transformations and characteristic format while modernising certain details, figures and accessories. The packaging also closely echoes the appearance of the M.A.S.K. boxes from the 1980s.

They are therefore better described as new interpretations of the classic M.A.S.K. toys rather than strictly identical reproductions.

Are the new figures and vehicles the same scale as the original M.A.S.K. toys?

The Loyal Subjects deliberately retained a format very close to the Kenner collection rather than adapting M.A.S.K. to a modern scale such as 1/18. The new figures measure approximately 7 cm, with the vehicles sized accordingly.

However, the dimensions should not be expected to be perfectly identical. The characters have been entirely resculpted and their proportions may differ slightly from those of the Kenner figures.

The main objective is therefore to maintain visual consistency with the original collection rather than reproduce every component to the exact millimetre.

Do the vehicles transform like those from the 1980s?

Yes. The Loyal Subjects has retained one of the defining features of M.A.S.K.: relatively conventional-looking vehicles capable of revealing a second mode and various combat functions.

Thunderhawk transforms from a sports car into an aerial vehicle, while Condor transforms from a motorcycle into a helicopter. The new versions therefore retain the transformations that contributed significantly to the success of the original toys.

The Loyal Subjects has also taken advantage of the new designs to add, depending on the model, certain moving parts, accessories or effects intended to enhance both handling and display.

Are The Loyal Subjects characters more articulated than the original M.A.S.K. figures?

Yes. The Kenner figures already featured several points of articulation despite their very small size, but the new versions benefit from a more modern design that provides greater mobility and more posing possibilities.

The Loyal Subjects has nevertheless retained the characteristic small format of M.A.S.K. The level of articulation should therefore not be compared with that of a much larger action figure: the priority remains to provide characters that fit the vehicles while improving their display options and mobility.

Why do some vehicles no longer use their names from the 1980s?

Some vehicles in the new collection no longer use the names under which they were originally marketed by Kenner. Rhino has therefore become Mobile Defense Unit, Switchblade is presented as High Tech Helicopter, while other models have also received new commercial names.

These changes do not mean that the vehicles have changed identity within the M.A.S.K. universe. They are primarily explained by the current availability of certain names and the rights associated with commercial trademarks, which can no longer necessarily be used under the same conditions as in the mid-1980s.

For collectors, the connection remains obvious: the Mobile Defense Unit, for example, represents the vehicle historically known as Rhino. The change therefore mainly concerns the name used to market the new version, rather than the concept or identity of the vehicle itself.

Is it better to buy the new versions or look for vintage M.A.S.K. toys?

The two approaches appeal to different types of collectors.

Vintage Kenner M.A.S.K. toys are the genuine products released in the 1980s and therefore hold particular appeal for collectors attached to the original toys of their childhood, their packaging and their different variations.

Finding a complete example can, however, be difficult. The vehicles often included numerous small components: driver, mask, missiles and other accessories that may have been lost over the decades. The condition of the mechanisms, stickers and moving parts can also vary considerably from one example to another.

The The Loyal Subjects versions provide the same concept in brand-new products, with vehicles recreated in a format close to the originals, modernised characters and various additional accessories.

Can The Loyal Subjects M.A.S.K. toys be mixed with a vintage Kenner collection?

Yes. This is precisely one of the advantages of the format chosen by The Loyal Subjects. The new figures and vehicles remain close enough to the dimensions of the original collection to be displayed together without creating a major difference in scale.

The differences are most noticeable when the characters are placed side by side: facial sculpting, proportions, paintwork and articulation make it easy to distinguish a The Loyal Subjects figure from a Kenner figure from the 1980s.

The new versions can therefore help complete a vintage collection, particularly when an original vehicle has become difficult to find complete, in good condition or at a reasonable price.

However, not all small components should be considered interchangeable between the two generations. Their similar format primarily makes them suitable for display together.