The second in a series of five daily cartoon programs known collectively as Force Five, Starvengers was a giant robot series that would spawn an interest in cartoons where multiple vehicles combine to create a collective mecha.
Force Five – Starvengers Opening
Tuesday – Starvengers
Known originally as Getter Robo G, Starvengers is strangely a sequel to a series that few Americans ever saw called Getter Robo. Starvengers opens with our heroes celebrating the defeat of an old enemy and mourning the loss of a comrade. The search for a new pilot to join the noble Homer and rakish Paladin. With the creation of an even greater trio of vehicles (again, meaningless to an audience not familiar with the previous series), the team welcomes the boisterous and plump ‘Foul Tip’ as their third team member in the fight against the Demon Empire.
The main gist of this series is that the viewers got three robots for the price of one. When the three vehicles combine in a certain order they create three distinct super robots.
Star Dragon- the double hatchet-wielding Star Dragon is a fan favorite for obvious reasons. The red robot has a variety of attacks, but the one that sticks with most fans is the Double Hatchet Boomerang.
Star Arrow- the slender blue robot known for its double drill attack capable of penetrating the toughest of enemy armors.
Poseidon- the less popular undersea robot piloted by baseball enthusiast Foul Tip, Poseidon’s signature Star Cyclone attack was nothing to sneeze at.
If the high drama and intrigue of Monday’s Danguard Ace caught viewers off guard, the all-out action of Starvengers delivered the message that Force Five was all about high adventure and giant robots smacking the Hell out of each other.
All three robots were present in Marvel Comics’ Shogun Warriors and in toy form, but Star Dragon was the real star of this program.
Make sure to visit Plaid Stallions for more vintage catalog action!
Update:
I only just noticed that one of the evil no-good-nicks threatening our heroes on a regular basis is actually a mutant Hitler called ‘Captain Fuhrer.’
Over the course of this week I will strive to introduce my readers to the era of Force Five, a daily cartoon series consisting of a different episode each day of the week. Mainly showcasing mecha anime (aside from the last minute addition of Spaceketeers to take the place of Mazinger Z), Force Five ran throughout the early 1980′s, bridging the gap between the success of Star Blazers and Robotech on American TV.
In my own childhood, these cartoons formed a pivotal role in shaping my creative landscape. Absurd, dynamic, dramatic and packed full of action, Force Five seemed to be from an entirely different world.
Monday – Danguard Ace
My entire relationship with the days of the week has been impacted by the programming schedule of Force Five. I never did like Mondays and the scheduling of Danguard Ace has long suffered in this regard. A series centered on domination of the tenth planet known as Promete, the main thrust of the program was the relationship between the young pilot Windstar and his estranged and mysterious father, known only as Captain Mask.
Force Five – Danguard Ace Opening
As with many of these programs, the story in each episode was an explosive battle between Windstar piloting the mammoth Danguard Ace robot against the threat of Kommisar Krell and his horde of kill-crazy robots.
Like all of Force Five, Danguard Ace is a rewritten translation of a previously existing anime series from the late 1970′s. The original cartoon, known as Planet Robo Danguard Ace, was co-created by Leiji Matusmoto, famous for his work on Space Captain Harlock and Galaxy Express 999. Again, like many of the Force Five robots, Danguard Ace appeared in the pages of Marvel Comics’ Shogun Warriors, a kind of repository for Japanese robots in comic book form at the time.
While I admit to not wholly enjoying Danguard Ace as a child, re-watching it now I can find a new kind of appreciation for what the program was trying to do. Depicting a future where wars spanned planets and the fate of the human race hung in the balance, this series has a lot going for it. The addition of Captain Mask’s determination to both foster his son through adulthood while refusing to reveal that he is indeed Windstar’s father is so complicated it’s Shakespearean. The robot battles are in keeping with the other Force Five-ers, but the high level of drama makes this one stand out.
UPDATE
I just discovered that there is an episode that Jim Terry Productions didn’t bother to translate that explains all of the background behind Windstar’s dad and the Promete project (both of which you have to pay close attention to catch in the series). I wonder how many piece of hidden info I’ll uncover as I revisit these cartoons!
Additional details have come in for the upcoming DC Animated feature, Superman/Batman. It’s certainly heartening to see stalwart voice actors such as Tim Daly, Kevin Conroy and Clancy Brown returning to the fold once again! A popular storyline from the monthly comic by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness, this should be a great project.
EARTH IMPERILED, VILLAINY REIGNS, HEROES HUNTED –PREPARE TO ROOT FOR THE BAD GUYS!
SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES
FROM WARNER HOME VIDEO ON SEPT. 29, 2009
DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movie Based on Acclaimed
Jeph Loeb/Ed McGuinness Comics; Tim Daly, Kevin Conroy & Clancy Brown Reprise Original Voices of Superman, Batman & Lex Luthor
BURBANK, CA (June 29, 2008) – The World’s Greatest Super Heroes become America’s most wanted criminals – and are hunted by friends and foes alike – in Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, the sixth entry in the popular DVD series of DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movies. A co-production of Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation, the full-length animated film will be distributed by Warner Home Video on September 29, 2009. Superman/Batman: Public Enemies will be available as a Special Edition 2-disc version on DVD and Blu-Ray™ Hi-Def for $24.98 (SRP) and $29.99 (SRP), respectively, as well as single disc DVD for $19.98 (SRP) and On Demand. Order due date for all versions is August 25, 2009.
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies is based on the popular Jeph Loeb/Ed McGuinness comic series/graphic novel. Animation legend Bruce Timm (Superman Doomsday, Green Lantern) is executive producer. Michael Goguen (Justice League: The New Frontier) is supervising producer. Sam Liu (The Batman) is directing a script written by Stan Berkowitz (Justice League: The New Frontier).
In the film, United States President Lex Luthor uses the oncoming trajectory of a Kryptonite asteroid to frame Superman and declare a $1 billion bounty on the heads of the Man of Steel and his “partner in crime,” Batman. Heroes and villains alike launch a relentless pursuit of Superman and Batman, who must unite – and recruit help – to stave off the action-packed onslaught, stop the asteroid, and uncover Luthor’s devious plot to take command of far more than North America.
The movie reunites the lead voices of Superman, Batman and Lex Luthor from the landmark Superman: The Animated Series and Batman: The Animated Series. Tim Daly (Private Practice), Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League) and Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption) reprise their roles as Superman, Batman and Lex Luthor, respectively.
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies – 2 Disc Special Edition version will have more than three hours of incredible bonus features, including:
· Featurettes
· The Blackest Night: Inside the DC Comics Event: Behind-the-scenes of BLACKEST NIGHT, the epic DC Super Hero event in which the dead shall rise.
· A Test of Minds: Superman and Batman featurette with Jeph Loeb, giving viewers a fresh and revitalized look at the team-up of Superman and Batman working together despite their often competitive and challenging relationship.
· “Dinner with DC: With Special Guest Kevin Conroy”: Reprising his role from Batman: The Animated Series, Kevin Conroy joins the crew for dinner to discuss their creative approach and what the Superman/Batman team-up means. The evening will be hosted by Voice Director Andrea Romano, Producer Bruce Timm and DC’s Gregory Noveck
· Extended Sneak Peak at Next DCU Film
· Digital Copy Download
· Widescreen (1.78:1)
· Two Episodes of Justice League Unlimited hand-picked by animation legend Bruce Timm
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies Blu-Ray versions will have more than three-and-a-half hours of bonus materials, including all the great extras from the 2-disc Special Edition as well as two additional episodes of Justice League Unlimited and two episodes from Justice League, both personally selected by fan-favorite Bruce Timm.
“Warner Premiere is excited to continue this successful partnership with DC Comics, Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Home Video to present feature-length PG-13 animated original films with the filmmaking and celebrity voice starpower of Superman/Batman: Public Enemies,” said Matt Bierman, Senior Vice President Production, Warner Premiere.
“Based on the past success of Superman Doomsday and Batman Gotham Knight, we know the pairing of the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight – pitted against both their DC Super Hero colleagues and the entire rogue’s gallery of DC villains – will offer fans the level of entertainment normally reserved for the big, summer blockbuster films,” said Amit Desai, WHV Vice President of Family, Animation & Partner Brands.
“This is the ultimate film for DC animation lovers featuring not only the cornerstone characters of comic book and Saturday morning heroes, but also returns the seminal voices of those characters – Tim Daly, Kevin Conroy and Clancy Brown – in a story that explores the Superman/Batman dynamic and allows Lex Luthor to shine in ultimate villainy,” said Gregory Noveck, Senior VP Creative Affairs, DC Comics.
In the 1980′s the Japanese anime craze was shifting gears. With the popularity of the Tranformers cartoon, several toys created by Takara were re-packaged by Hasbro under the Tranformers banner, including the granddaddy of them all, Autobot leader Optimus Prime.
(note- forgive my ignorance if I get any of my facts wrong on this one, I’m still a novice on Japanese toys)
My exposure to Japanese robots came about after I was intrigued enough from Transformers to seek out the ‘real thing’ at an import shop in Boston. I walked away with as very strange toy that I only recently learned was of Daimos. The shop was full of strange and wonderful robots that would haunt me for decades afterwards. Like a bizarre dream come true, my glimpse into the world of Japanese toys left me with an indelible scar of intrigue.
The level of craftsmanship shown in these toys is just uncanny, hardly translating into the American releases by Hasbro.
With the release of Transformers 2: Even Worse Than Transformers 1 (working title), I thought it would be neat to take a look at how the trucker known to us all simply as ‘Prime’ was presented overseas.
Japanese Diaclone Ultra-Magnus ad
The popularity of the toy and cartoon character of Optimus Prime has led many rising film makers to experiment, including this amazing (if short) piece.
Optimus Prime transformation (note- no audio)
Of course if you want to get technical, the ‘real’ transformer has been around for ages:
Nostalgia is a funny thing. I’m convinced that everyone goes through a moment in their life when they are stricken by the ‘nostalgia bug,’ developing into a kind of fever that results in some dubious purchases. For some, it may even involve a desire to connect to a time that they had never even experienced to begin with (I went through this with Silver Age comics from the 1960′s).
For myself, I have noticed a kind of pattern which I will map out below.
1. I am in a kind of adult bliss, free from connections to anything that is not current or in vogue with the general population.
2. Due to some random encounter, I uncover a hint of something absurd from my past, be it a cartoon, toy or comic and I am intrigued. ‘How humorous this item is,’ I think ‘how ironic and harmless it would be to purchase it.’
3. Mad with desire, I hunt down anything and everything connected to the absurd oddity that is now the most important thing ever.
There are two conflicting thoughts on human development that I feel are related to nostalgia. One thought is that we are born perfect and each moment of our life we are unlearning that which made us what we were. The other thought is that each experience builds on the one before as we continue to develop into a whole person.
Therefore my current infatuation with classic 1970′s cartoons is either an attempt to re-connect to a more perfect time in my life or my developed wisdom is allowing me to appreciate a simpler time in my life. In any case, I have an almost uncanny ability to justify any purchase, including a complete set of Star Blazers episodes (yes, including the films).
A series made famous in the U.S. thanks to the English-dubbed version of the Space Battleship Yamato cartoon that ran in Japan from 1974. Played on American channels during 1979 (the height of all things sci-fi and the beginning of the anime craze that continues to stretch outward to today, I feel that for my generation this fascination began with Star Blazers.
As an American suburban youth, I completely missed the connection to WWII served through the refit of the Yamato as a space cruiser. When asked why he chose the famous battleship as the basis for the Star Blazers cartoon, series producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki stated that ‘Yamato was a tragic figure for those of us who experienced World War II. In fact, I once went to the China Sea to find the spot where it sank.’
Set in the far future, the human race has been attacked by the Gamalon Empire, who have been assaulting the Earth with radioactive asteroids. The only hope lay at the other end of the galaxy on the planet Iscandar. The narrative opening of each episode reminded me each morning that the planet Earth’s days were numbered as the adventurers struggled to make it home in under a year, lending a level of drama and anxiety to the program.
Since the purchased episodes of the series have yet to arrive, all of my memories of the program remain intact and ‘golden,’ unsullied by revisiting the cartoon with a more adult set of criteria. In an attempt to do this the right way, I decided to purchase the original Japanese version of the series (since it is rumored to a must see piece of anime) rather than the translated English version that I am familiar with.
In the past 15 years or so, there has been a resurgence in nostalgia, bolstered by feature films based on 1980′s cartoon properties and the like, leading many to wonder if Star Blazers would also return.
In 2008, a Star Blazers revival was officially announced:
Studio Open general superintendent, Masuda Toshio gave toast to the revival project now that the copyright litigation is over, which was originally announced in July 2004. According to Mr. Nishizaki “This time it’s a fresh start, all is clear.”
In 1999, Mr. Nishizaki was arrested for violating sword and gun laws, who served time and was released December 19th 2007. Meanwhile, reconciliation between Leiji Matsumoto concerning each others work has gave way to allowing each to pursue their own works.
The movie IS currently titled “Fukkatu-hen” which Nishizaki has been planning since the mid 1990s.
Toshio Masuda (81) superintendent of Studio Open, is Chief Director of the Rival Movie. Toshio Masuda (81) has been directing films and TV since 1958, including “Life at the Showa Era” (1968), “Tora! Tora! Tora!” (1970), “Space Battleship Yamato” (1977) and “Arrivederci Yamato” (1978).
Tomonori Kogawa (58) will be Chief animator for the Revival movie. Tomonori Kogawa has animated such works as; “Space Runaway Ideon” (1980), “Aura Battler Dunbine” (1983), “Super Dimensional Cavalry Southern Cross” (1984) and “Heavy Metal L-Gaim” (1984).
Announced for 2009 release.
Additional details on Star Blazers: Rebirth can be found here… and it is very exciting stuff!
So apparently I’m not the only one with the ‘nostalgia bug.’ Perhaps we are living in a kind of oroborus age of retro-active entertainment, forever chasing its own tail in hopes to recapture a simpler time or get in touch with something more perfect.
A French animated feature based on the Oms en Série, by Stefan Wul, Fantastic Planet is both visually mystifying and disturbing all at once. Set in a world where humans are treated as little more than pets at best and pests at worst, the story has a very emotional tale of slavery and co-existence that echoes from the time of its release to today.
The film opens with a mother desperately trying to escape an unseen threat, her baby cradled in her arms. Suddenly a barrier blocks her progress, then another prevents her escape. Aghast, she collapses. It is eventually revealed that her tormentors are giant aliens playing with her as humans would torment an ant on a hot day. The planet where the film is set is populated by beautiful yet savage Draags and the minuscule humans (called Oms).
It is only through the whims of a Draag child that the Om baby is allowed to live as a kind of plaything. The baby is named Terr and lives in a Draag house, enjoying all of the privileges of such an opportunity as well as the humility of playing the part of a live doll for the Draag child. After obtaining some level of intelligence by absorbing the electronic teachings that pass for Draag school, Terr proves far too clever for his own good and becomes involved in a violent strike against the Draags for independence.
Trailer
A spellbinding picture, Fantastic Planet won the jury prize at Cannes in 1973. One of the most thought-provoking and breath-taking animated films I have ever seen, this movie comes highly recommended.
One of the funniest series of panels I have seen in ages, thanks to Brain Reed and Luke Ross.
From today’s issue of Ms. Marvel, Wolverine reveals his secondary mutation while entertaining Luke Cage’s baby:
I should mention that the issue as a whole was also spectacular. I have been on the fence about dropping Ms. Marvel more times than I can count and each time I pick up the new issue I am glad that I did. Writer Brian Reed has maintained this series by keeping it new month-to-month and the latest shift (introducing Moonstone as the new Ms. Marvel) is just brilliant. If you have never picked up this series, you may want to give it a shot, either by picking up the latest issue, in collected form or at the Marvel Comics digital database.
With the Marvel Motion Picture Machine churning its way toward the Avengers, I thought it would be a good time to collect the data thus far regarding the hammer-swinging thunder God known as Thor. The Premise
Originally planned to be set exclusively on Asgard as a fantasy film, it is starting to sound more and more like the mighty Thor is touching down in NYC. Honestly, I liked the idea of this movie being more of a comic book answer to Lord of the Rings rather than Hercules in New York, but we’ll see if my anxiety is justified or not soon enough.
The mighty Thor is tethered to the lame physician Dr. Donald Blake to teach him humility, a lesson posed by his father Odin that ends up backfiring. The more Thor gets to know humanity, the more he admires them and becomes a guardian to the world Man (called Midgard by the Norse Gods). Thor’s trickster brother Loki conspires to confuse and harm Thor at every turn, jealous for the love that their father bestows upon the thunder God.
A unique blend of fantasy, mythology and superheroics, Thor is also a tough sell to moviegoers. But then again, so was Iron Man.
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Yes, the Shakespearean actor/director from Henry V and Hamlet is directing a superhero movie. I guess that if he going to head any such project it has to be Thor, doesn’t it? It made so little sense when I first heard his name associated with the film and I’m still in a quandry over this one. However, Marvel EIC Joe Quesada is beside himself with excitement:
We had one big creative meeting with the Marvel Creative Committee, which now works on all of our movies and I have the honor to be a part of. We sat with Kenneth and discussed the “Thor” movie and the overarching story of what that’s going to be, just to give our input before anything was put down to paper by screenwriters.
And it was one of the highlights of my time here at Marvel because not only did Branagh sit there and give you the story beat for beat, he and [Marvel Studios head] Kevin Feige formed a great team. It was performance art. Kevin would give us the establishment of the shot and the situation: “Here we are. We’re in (take your pick of location). And here’s Odin and he’s coming up to (pick a character).” And then Kenneth would come in and give you the color commentary. “Odin has an air of majesty to him” and he’d act out the Odin part or the Thor part. So we sat there and literally got a three-hour one-man show from Kenneth Branagh. It was fantastic. People pay a lot of money for that kind of performance by one of the world’s greatest living actors.
And of course, he’s got that great, charming British accent, so it makes it all go down easy too. [laughs] He could have said anything, and we would have said, “Yeah. Make that.” He has such a passion for the material, and he’s sitting there describing things from the Kirby run and things from the Simonson run, citing places where the mythology conflicted in Marvel history and how we’re going to streamline it. It was just fascinating to watch.
Loki: Tim Hiddleston
A fellow stage actor to Branagh, the fact that he was the first actor announced said many things. This will not be a ‘cast of thousands’ debacle as many fear it to be. It will be a real movie with real actors… that you don’t know. I’m hoping that Hiddleston will bring the necessary life to the character of Loki because it is such a pivotal role in the world of Marvel Comics and the character of Thor.
Odin: Brian Blessed
Color me pleased. Prince Vultan of Flash Gordon himself is Odin the All Father. This is just brilliant casting the likes of which is rarely seen in movies. Another fellow RSC actor of Branagh’s (as Hiddleston is), Blessed is also well known in sci-fi circles for his appearances on Blake’s 7, Doctor Who and Space: 1999.
Yes, he has been in all three.
Thor: Chris Hemsworth
I’m still on the fence about this announcement (the latest casting announcement to date) as I know so little about the guy. Given that the film dodged so many bad idea bullets from the wrestler Triple H to Brad Pitt I should be grateful. So far he strikes me as just another pretty face. I think (hope) after I see him in costume I will feel better about this one.
One of the most popular characters in the history of Marvel Comics also has one of the worst luck with keeping a monthly book on the shelves. Doctor Strange, the Master of the Mystic Arts, has been defending the human race from threats posed by the dark forces of beyond since his first appearance in 1963. The brainchild of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (also responsible for a certain wall crawling misfit named Spider-Man), the character operated in the realm of the supernatural rather than the every day real world where the rest of the superheroes planted fists on chins 24/7.
Pairing the character in Strange Tales first with the Human Torch and later with Nick Fury, Dr Strange finally graduated into his own book in 1968. An oddball character, Strange is a former surgeon who was so egocentric he prided himself on his immense skill with the scalpel, refusing to operate on anyone who could not afford his services (can you imagine!?). After a tragic car accident took the use of his once golden hands from him, he took to the streets, destitute and hopeless. Only after hearing of the fabled Ancient One, did Strange find hope. Trained by the Sorcerer Supreme, Stephen Strange eventually learned to use his hands in weaving spells rather than making incisions. His operating table was the realm eternal and his patient all of humanity. He was now Dr Strange.
You’d think with such a blockbuster origin story and two of the finest creators in the business that the character would be a natural success in the comics world. However, he has been beset with several cancellations in his paper-based career. Recently writer J Michael Straczynski attempted to revive the character but had little luck. Lost scriptwriter and creator of Y: The Last Man, Brian K Vaughn also launched a mini-series… again with limited success.
Brian Michael Bendis took the hero into the fold of the New Avengers (as he has done with so many creations without a home from Hawkeye to Luke Cage and even Spider-Woman) and kept him alive and relevant while Marvel prepared to once again bring back the good doctor.
This October, Mark Waid will bring his writing skills to the former Sorcerer Supreme (more on that later) in another mini-series that will hopefully break the curse that has plagued the magician for so long.
“The appeal of Doctor Strange, to me, is that he’s one of the few longtime characters who’s always learning, always striving to better himself in ways that we can actually witness,” the writer explains. “He never rests on his philosophy or dwells for long in the status quo.”
The series will address the character’s fall from grace, but it’s a shift in focus that apparently will not be all bad news.
“To his stunned surprise, he doesn’t miss it,” Waid reveals of Strange’s disposition towards his new lot. “He figured he would, he assumed he would, but the Doc we’re meeting up with is one who’s looking upon this as more of a sabbatical than a punishment and is rather enjoying, for the first time in his adult life, not having to shoulder the weight of responsibility every waking moment. Before he started learning the Mystic Arts, Stephen Strange must have had other hobbies, other interests, and now he’s able to reconnect with them with a joi de vivre that’s overwhelmingly new to him.
“Doc’s been a tough sell as a solo player, but we’re hopeful that the story we’re going to be telling in this new STRANGE project will interest some new fans while giving Doc’s core supporters something they’ll like,” editor Tom Brevoort articulates. “The goal in this case is what the goal always is with our characters: to bring greater attention to them, and to bring them to greater prominence and popularity.”
For those of you unfamiliar with the writing of Greg Rucka… get familiar with it. A celebrated crime novelist who turned his talents to comics with Whiteout and later Detective Comics and Checkmate (to name but a three), Rucka has been hailed as one of the best of the ‘new breed’ of comic book writer extending to Brian K Vaughn, Ed Brubaker and Brian Michael Bendis.
His first major comic book work from 1998, Whiteout is the perfect fusion of his skills as a comic book writer and novelist. A murder mystery set in the wastes of Antarctica during its long period of complete seclusion, the story is told from the point of view of Federal Marshall Carrie Stetko. The only female stationed on the network of bases, there is a definite feeling of seclusion from the rest of the world as much as a feeling that being the only female puts her at risk. A thrilling tale that earned Rucka the Eisner Award for Best Writer, Best Artist for Steve Lieber, Best Limited Series, and Best Graphic Album of 2000, Whiteout has been in film development for some time.
Finally, it’s here.
... somewhat awkward tagline, no?
While the trailer offers little in ways of hinting at a story, it is very informative about the challenges posed by Antarctica as a setting… kind of like a miniature nature documentary.
Release date: September 29, 2009
Studio Open general superintendent, Masuda Toshio gave toast to the revival project now that the copyright litigation is over, which was originally announced in July 2004. According to Mr. Nishizaki “This time it’s a fresh start, all is clear.”
The Premise
