Critical Hit!

Id like to talk about one more 80s nostalgic cartoon while it’s still fresh in my mind. The show was released in 1983 with 3 seasons spanning 27 episodes. That show of course is Dungeons and Dragons. Now I know what you’re thinking, isn’t Dungeons and Dragon a board game from the 70s? And isn’t Dungeons and Dragons not that obscure? Yes both are true but little people know about the animated series that spawned from the game.

First off the show is epic! (In its own right and at a certain POV) Now even though the show is based off the game it actually seems to stand alone. Most of the time when I was watching it, I forget it was based off the game. The show probably would have done just as good without the D&D name. The stories for each episode are great, the animation is good. The characters don’t come off too annoying. It’s campy; don’t get me wrong but campy in a good way. I actually enjoyed this show very much. There are enough main characters that have different attitudes, abilities, age groups and sensibility’s that a kid can choose to relate with. The show even gets intense and nail biting at times. That’s what cartoons of the 80s and 90s were all about, epic adventures, warriors, knights, good formulas and shows that just had balls.

Great artwork!

The shows basic premise is five friends are at a carnival and go onto a D&D based ride. The ride then transports them into a real life fantasy world of Dungeons and Dragons. The kids are immediately thrown into danger and are magically given a “role” and magical weapon by a mysterious riddle spewing wizard named Dungeon master.

Main Characters of D&D: Diana, the Acrobat, Sheila, the Thief,Presto, the Magician,Bobby, the Barbarian,Eric, the Cavalier,Hank, the Ranger and Uni, the Unicorn

The plot of the show's episodes are pretty much the kids are trying to find a way home and the dungeon master appears mysteriously (most of the time) and gives the kids riddles on how to solve the problem they face in each episode.  The main antagonist is Venger, voiced by Peter Cullen, known for Optimus Prime. Venger (like all bad guys) wants to take over the land but first he needs all the weapons from the kids to do so. But of course the kids overcome him whenever they meet, Wash, rinse, repeat.

Dungeon Master

Venger!

Two episodes I can think of off the bat that where my favorites was "The Time Lost" Where a Nazi pilot makes it into their world, wants to turn over a new leaf and ends up helping to kids and returning to his own time reformed. The other is  "The Dungeon at the Heart of Dawn" This episode was balls to the walls! Where the”implied” devil himself is released and everyone is drained of their powers. Everyone ends up being defeated and is saved seconds before death. One episode actually created controversy and was so intense that the National Coalition on Television Violence demanded that the FTC run a warning during each broadcast stating that it had been linked to real life violent deaths.

 

In closing I recommend you watch this show, it’s a great trip down memory lane. Definitely noteworthy enough to mention on this blog. I picked up the entire series cheap at Frys Electronics for 15 bucks.

The final episode was never made but a script and radio drama was made. Fans of the show have actually decided to make the episode a reality by animating it themselves.

Attention Flesh Slugs! Im back!

 

After much neglect im back in biz! Im as nerdy as ever and ready to educate!

I’d like to shed light on a show I just recently watched. That show is inhumanoids. Inhumanoids was released in 1986 and aired only thirteen episodes. The show was released by Hasbro, the same company that brought you the more popular Gi Joe and transformers. Much like those shows, inhumanoids main objective was for children to buy their toys.  (Which are pretty cool btw!) Inhumanoids started off as a movie what was cut up into 6 minute segments and aired on a show called “Super Sunday” which featured a slew of different animated shows in one half hour. After some popularity it actually became its own show, along with Jem and the Holograms. (Another show on super Sunday)

What can I say about inhumanoids? It’s an intense cluster fuck of nonstop action, giant monsters, futuristic weapons/vehicles, grotesque scenes and gore, that satisfies the avid Saturday morning sugar induced viewer. There’s a lot going on! So stay with me folks as I’ll try to summarize as best as possible without boring you with facts.

                     

The show is about 4 scientist that work for a government funded group called earth corps.  Each of them have armored battle suits with different ability’s. Two prehistoric monsters known as the inhumanoids frozen underground get unearthed and then free there leader at the earth’s core. Every episode the inhumanoids try to conquer earth. Earth corps thwarts there plans at the end of every episode and it all starts over again. Majority of the show takes place at the earth’s core with lost civilizations, more creatures and characters joining the cast.

The main objective of Hasbro was to sell toys, these suckers were huge!

       

  

                    Onto the Roster of characters!

The leader of the inhumanoids is Metlar, an armored, lava breathing baddie that can turn statues to life to do his bidding. He pretty much calls the shots and is the most serious of the three. 

Next up is Tendril a giant plant like creature based on H.P. Lovecrafts Cthulu.. Has the ability to change sizes at will and not the most free thinking of the three. 

The best of the three is D'Compose! A undead dinosaur that has the ability to turn any living thing into an undead ghoul. His guts and rib cage are exposed which he uses to trap victims inside. He also commands an army of the living dead. 

Friendly monsters known as Mutores that have been battling the inhumanoids for centuries join earth corps throughout the series. Tree stumps that come to life called the redwoods. Underground rock men called Granites and a monster named Magnokor. A sort of lava rock man who has the ability to split into two polarized halves. He has magnetic energy that seems to be the only way to stop Metlar.  

Other characters appear as the show progresses. Like Russian military, journalists, senators, US air force pilots, movie directors and an array of creatures. More enemies make appearances as well like the reoccurring corrupt industrialist Blackthorne Shore, undead scitentist night crawler, Gagoyle, a blue cycloptic dinosaur that eats everything, has a transparent stomach so you can watch it’s victims get digested  and a whole new snake like inhumanoid named Sslither!

The show was pretty intense for children at the time with its scenes of  graphic gore and horror. As an adult watching it I found it campy  most of the time, with corny dialogue and plots similar to that of a usual 80s cartoon. But it was targeted toward kids and only lasted one season so I shouldn’t expect a whole lot. The animation and characters are great and imaginative. The main characters are not memorable at all, which is why I didn’t get too in depth with them. For the exception of Auger, he’s the usual badass antihero type character. There’s a running gag where if he doesn’t like a TV program he throws his shoe at the screen. It goes so far that the other characters have brand new TVs handy when he breaks them and even set up a net in front of the screen in one episode. At the final episodes they might have reaching because the plot gets to the point of ridiculous with Metlar getting into a domestic partnership with the actual statue of liberty. Inhumanoids has defiantly fallen into obscurity and the gory scenes is what really makes this series standalone from others. It also has a theme song that gets stuck in your head. I recommend it, if you can find it.

The show also spawned a short lived comic series.