Toy Galaxy: The History Of... 2019

KB Toys, originally known as Kay Bee Toys, started in the 1920's as a candy wholesaler and eventually grew into the 2nd largest toy store chain in the United States. But all of that eventually changed, partly at the hands of Bain Capital, and by 2008 KB Toys was out of business. What happened? And why is KB Toys killer still at large?

For 3 seasons Nintendo had an animated show on the air called Captain N: The Game Master, which centered on Captain N teaming up with Mega Man (sorta), Kid Icarus (kinda) and Simon Belmont to battle Mother Brain. Mostly forgotten and relegated to a footnote in Nintendo's history, the creation of the show is still disputed by some of the people involved.

Mattel and Filmation partnered on a property, Bravestarr, in the 1980's they were sure was going to be the next huge hit like Masters of the Universe. Instead it lasted 1 season and helped to sink a studio on the process. This is the story of Bravestarr and how market research isn't always the way to go.

It's a tale all too often repeated throughout pop culture history and repeated again with regards to the Bionic Six. Tons and tons of talent behind the scenes working to create something special instead run into a company handicapped by controversy looking to cut their losses.

The Dungeons and Dragons cartoon hit the airwaves in 1983 riding the Satanic Panic wave from the Dungeons and Dragons Role-playing Game and only lasted a few seasons. It was also not helped by the fractured marketing approach which had a toyline and other merchandise being released as "Advanced Dungeons and Dragons" with no action figures made of the characters from the cartoon. Despite all that, it led in the rating for it's first 2 seasons and made a lasting impression on pop culture at large.

For a brief time in the 80's Lazer Tag was all the rage. Lazer Tag: The Game had storybooks, lunchboxes, puzzles and even a short-lived animated series; Lazer Tag Academy. But it didn't last long and it wasn't helped by the same controversy that beset another toy gun line in the 80's: Entertech. After a fatal shooting the Lazer Tag brand lost some of it's luster but laser tag as a game is still going strong to this day.

The Mighty Orbots, the story of smaller robots that combine into a bigger robot, only lasted 1 short 13 episode season on ABC in 1984. It had no toys, no comics, no lunchboxes, no video games, no nothing. But what it did have was a lawsuit from Tonka alleging infringement on it's copyright for The Gobots.

Way back in 1987 Canon Films bet big on a film based on He Man and The Masters of the Universe. The resulting film, just called Masters of the Universe, satisfied no one and helped to put Cannon Films out of business. Here is the story of Masters of the Universe and it's almost sequel and what went wrong along the way.

Back in the late 70's Star Wars was released and it was huge. So huge that everyone was looking for the next Star Wars. Sandy Frank saw his opportunity in a popular Japanese animated show named Gatchaman. He bought the rights, reedited and redubbed the episodes and thus was born Battle of the Planets. But there's a lot more to the story...

On this episode we attempt to cover the confusing history G-Force: Guardians of Space. Like Battle of the Planets, it was based on the original Gatchaman Japanese series, but unlike Battle of the Planets G-Force attempted to be a more faithful adaptation. But it pleased neither fanbase and has now faded into confusing obscurity.

Captain Planet and the Planeteers is an American animated environmentalist Superhero television series that ran from 1990 to 1992 and then had a sequel series run from 1993 to 1996. Created with an environmental message in mind, the animated series Captain Planet and the Planeteers and the New Adventures of Captain Planet spawned lots of other merchandise but it's lasting legacy is in the Captain Planet Foundation.

Back in the mid 80's a few companies decided that space cowboys were going to be the next big thing. The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers is an American animated Space Western broadcast in syndication between 1986 and 1989. The series combines sci-fi stories with traditional wild west themes. It is one of the first anime-style shows produced mainly in the United States. At the time it aired, The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers was considered a revolutionary children's show. And so we had Bravestarr, Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs and, of course, The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers. None of them were very successful but at least Galaxy Rangers had the theme song "No Guts, No Glory".

Kids love dinosaurs and kids love war. Put them together and you get Dino-Riders. It was supposed to be huge with a full out marketing and merchandising blitz with tons of intricately sculpted toys but it failed after just one season and 14 episodes. But that sculpting work did have a second and third life. This is the history of Dino-Riders.

The history of Robotech is very complicated. It is littered with failed projects, like Robotech Academy, Mars Force and Palladium Book Robotech RPG Tactics, and lots of lawsuits. Lawsuits involving Battletech, Piranha Games, Hairbrained Schemes, Hasbro and more. And a confusing spaghetti of rights involving Harmony Gold, Tatsunoko, Big West, Studio Nue, Battletech, Hasbro and others. We do our best to tell that story.

On this episode we cover the history of Jem and the Holograms. After having much success with Transformers and GI Joe Hasbro decided to take that same formula of a cartoon developed around a toyline and apply to a line aimed mostly at girls.

Kidd Video was an American Saturday morning cartoon created by DIC Enterprises in association with Saban Productions. The series originally ran on NBC from 1984 to 1985. Kidd Video was one of the most popular Saturday morning cartoons in its day but it only lasted 2 seasons in the US and was gone. But the same could not be said for another part of the world where Kidd Video the band had merchandise and a tour.

Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends is a 1981-1983 American animated television series produced by Marvel Productions, considered to be a crossover series connected to the 1981 Spider-Man series. The show stars already-established Marvel Comics characters Spider-Man and Iceman, plus an original character, Firestar. As a trio called the Spider-Friends, they fought against various villains of the Marvel Universe. Originally broadcast on NBC as a Saturday morning cartoon, the series ran first-run original episodes for three seasons, from 1981 to 1983, then aired repeats for an additional two years from 1984 to 1986. Almost no merchandise and no action figures, this was a cartoon created specifically to sell comic books.

On this episode we cover the history of build a figures, an innovation certainly popularized by Marvel Legends from Toybiz to Hasbro. But their history does go farther back and seems to have it's roots in Japan with a few smaller companies and McDonalds.

On this episode we cover the slightly backwards history of the toyline and animated series for Mighty Max. A toyline born in the UK and imported to the US, it spawned an animated series that then went backwards to influence the toyline.

On this episode we cover the crazy history of Reboot, the first ever CG series. It told of the adventures of Bob, Dot and Enzo and their battles against Megabyte and Hexidecimal. It started in Canada, came to the US via ABC, was canceled by ABC, picked up by Cartoon Network and then canceled twice more before being rebooted by Netflix completely as Reboot: The Guardian Code.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is a 1993 American animated superhero film featuring the DC Comics character Batman. Directed by Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm, it is a cinematic stand-alone continuation of Batman: The Animated Series and the first original theatrical film produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Originally planned for a direct-to-video release, Warner Bros. gave Mask of the Phantasm a theatrical release, condensing its production into a strenuous eight-month schedule. The film was released through the studio's Family Entertainment division on December 24, 1993, to positive reviews from critics, who praised the stylized animation, voice performances, story, and music. Despite Batman: Mask of the Phantasm being critically acclaimed it was a box office bomb. Time, however, has been kind to this animated Batman film which is now a beloved favorite among fans of the Dark Knight.

Following on the success of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and raised environmental awareness, the Biker Mice From Mars were born in 1993. It lasted 3 seasons but that was not the end. In 2006 the Biker Mice were reborn for another season with a Donald Trump like protagonist and a whole new round of marketing and merchandise.

When Hasbro launched the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline in 1982 alongside the Marvel Comics series, it commissioned Marvel Productions to produce a series of fully animated 30-second television commercials which were broadcast in order to promote the toys and comics, beginning with an ad for the first issue that aired throughout the Spring of 1982. The popularity of these commercials led to the production of a five-part G.I. Joe mini-series which aired in 1983 and eventually to a syndicated animated show that ran for 95 episodes. The production was not without it's problems. The cartoon, the action figures and the comic books all working together in a first of its kind effort to resurrect a property that had been dormant for a number of years.

Spider-Man (スパイダーマン, Supaidāman), also referred to as Japanese Spider-Man, is a Japanese live-action tokusatsu television series produced by Toei Company, loosely based on Marvel Comics' Spider-Man character. While Toei's version of the character wore the same costume as his Marvel counterpart, the show's storyline and the origin of the character's powers deviated from the source material. From his origin, his job as "an emissary of Hell" and the giant robot named Leopardon he pilots this Spider Man doesn't have a lot in common with Spider Man proper.

Toonami is an American late night television programming block that primarily broadcasts Japanese anime and occasionally American action animation. It was created by Sean Akins and Jason DeMarco and produced by Williams Street, a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment. Toonami is credited with pushing the popularity of Japanese anime to new heights for shows such as Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon and Mobile Suit Gundam Wing.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American superhero children's television series that premiered on August 28, 1993, on the Fox Kids programming block. It is the first entry of the Power Rangers franchise, and became a 1990s pop culture phenomenon alongside a large line of action figures and other merchandise. The show adapted stock footage from the Japanese TV series Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger (1992-1993), which was the 16th installment of Toei's Super Sentai franchise. The second and third seasons of the show drew elements and stock footage from Gosei Sentai Dairanger and Ninja Sentai Kakuranger, respectively, though the Zyuranger costumes were still used for the lead cast in these two seasons. The shows path to US television was anything but smooth, however.

On this episode Dan covers the history of Disney's Gargoyles. Spookier and darker than almost anything had done at the time, this 3 season animated series lasted only 78 episodes despite some big hopes. But even with all that, this series still has a ton of fans to this day that hope to someday see the Gargoyles return.

In the height of 1980's pop culture M.A.S.K. was born. Following 80's precedent a toyline was developed involving transforming vehicles and action figures and then an animated series followed, lasting for 2 seasons. A MASK movie has been whispered about for years but so far nothing has happened. While you're waiting for that let Dan fill you in on the history of MASK.

With a little help from our friend GameDave (https://www.youtube.com/gamedave​) Dan tackles the history of Dragon's Lair. From it's inception as a "playable" cartoon on Laserdisc through it's numerous sequels and releases on consoles and the little seen Saturday morning cartoon.

Starriors was a robot toyline created by Tomy in association with Marvel Comics in 1984. They were based on Zoids, but had a new storyline that U.S. Zoids had not had at all. Six Marvel mini-comics were distributed with the toys. Marvel also produced a four-issue limited series written by Louise Simonson, with art by Michael Chen, Ian Akin, and Brian Garvey, and covers painted by Bill Sienkiewicz. There is much speculation about the existence of Starriors animated material. A 1984 trade advertisement released by Tomy stated "There is currently a Starriors television mini-series in production to air in Spring and Fall '85."

Among the deluge of pop culture properties in 1986 was the barely remembered Defenders of the Earth, bringing together Mandrake the Magician, The Phantom and Flash Gordon to battle Ming the Merciless.

People generally don't remember who finishes in 2nd place, only the Champion which, in this case, is the Transformers. But people remember the Gobots, either as that cartoon that used to be on or as the affordable Transformers or as the one with the transforming rocks.