The Toys That Time Forgot: Dino-Riders

Posted on December 14, 2023 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink! Christmas 2023 is just around the corner, and I know that many of you friends and readers are thinking about many of your past Christmases and all the memories you had being around your loved ones as well as some of the cool gifts you got under the tree those years. And for some of you kids of the 1980’s and early 90’s I would think that Dino Riders made their way under your tree from Santa and made that years holiday just a little more cooler! And that is why I think it’s been long over due for me to cover Dino Riders as growing up they were pretty popular for a short time and a friend of mine to this day loves all things them! So let’s drink some Eggnog and have some cookies as its time to gather around the Christmas tree and talk about a classic toy series that spawned toys, comics and more. Let’s travel to that time when Dinosaurs were decked out in weapons and when aliens wanted to take over the Earth.

Dino Riders was a cartoon TV Show that lasted for one season and a total of 13 episodes with the first episode being VHS releases before being aired on TV via syndication as part of the “Marvel Action Universe” block. The production company behind the show was Marvel Productions who was owned by media company New World Pictures, and they had the idea to try and dominate the Saturday Morning Cartoon market by making toons based on their films as well as some popular properties that also included Robocop. The cartoon started in 1988 and would end just as fast as it started and while the show was semi popular with the kids, it just failed to gain the attention it needed to keep it going. In 1990 they did one direct to VHS animated special to promote the change in the toy series Ice Age, and it as well made only a minor splash. Besides a few episodes being released on VHS in America, the cartoon never got a DVD or Blu-Ray release and can only be found on the Grey Market on physical media or on different region releases. The cartoon was about a race of humans called The Valorians on the planet of Valoria who are being attacked by an alien race called the Rulons and each use armored dinosaurs as their war machines once both sides get stuck on prehistoric Earth. Growing up I remember this cartoon and would watch it from time to time as I found it to be entertaining and like all kids I liked dinosaurs, let alone dinosaurs with weapons attached to them!

In 1988 Tyco Toys released the first series in the Dino-Riders figure line that was pretty awesome stuff for the time of their release as you could buy the figures of the Valorians (humans) or the Rulons (monster men) that each came with their own weapons and armor, or you could buy the sets that include a figure as well as a dinosaurs that came with all kinds of attachments to weaponize them out. The figures themselves are the size of Mattel’s M.A.S.K., just slightly smaller and bulkier, and are pretty cool with many of the Rulons figures having the same insect or snake head with different outfit paint schemes. Meanwhile the Dinosaurs are very well done and very detailed and some even had mechanical parts that would make them walk and move and that made them must have toys for a while among my group of friends. The toys’ first two series all were about the dinosaurs and the third series would be more about the Ice Age and would feature mammals like the Woolly Mammoth and Sabre-Tooth Tiger. The human figures as well would be cavemen and are really cool! The figures would run from 1988-1990 and would only have the three series before disappearing from toy shelves. The only rebirth for the series as of this posting was in 2020 when Mattel released a very limited set of Dino-Riders that are in scale with the classic plastic green Army Men. Growing up I had some of the figures and would only have one of the dinosaurs that was the Torosaurus and I had him fight with my Imperial Godzilla and King Kong figures. And like I said before, for a short time Dino-Riders was popular at my school, but they were very short lived in popularity as my friends and fellow classmates quickly moved onto the next big thing in toys. I think what hurt the toys the most was the price point for the bigger dinosaurs and figures in the series scared many parents from getting them, and toy stores didn’t want to give those big figures that much shelf space so in my area they were very short lived at the box stores making them out of sight and out of mind. Tyco was bought out of Mattel in 1997, and the fate of Dino-Riders are now in their hands, so who knows if new toys will make their way to stores worldwide anytime soon.

I just want to take a moment to chat slightly about the third line in the series called “Ice Age” as I remember when these came out but could never find the figures at the stores my parents went to. I really wanted the Sabre-Tooth Tiger as well as some of the human Cavemen figures as to me they were really cool looking figures as even around this time I had some of those Playskool “Definitely Dinosaurs” figures of the Cavemen and they were fun but cheesy and the Dino-Riders Cavemen figures would fit into the M.A.S.K. figures I had and they could be added to the Toy War that I had going on at that time. Now these figures sell for super high prices and the market for them seems to not be lowering so having one of these Caveman figures for my collection just seems not to be in the cards. Well who knows, maybe one day I will find one cheap at a garage sale or at a flea market. Do you readers and friends remember the Ice Age set from Dino-Riders and did you have any in your collection?

Dino Riders really is a toy series that was pretty big when I was a kid that sadly over time has been pushed more and more into the forgotten zone and that’s because unlike so many other 80’s toys, it never got a film nor re-release of the toys making it never again in the eyes of new collectors. My friend Garrison Kane is still a big fan of the series and use to have a massive collection of the toy series, and I can remember him talking about Dino Riders all the time whenever toys came up in conversation. But now we are at the time for the comic review and I have to say that if Marvel Comics would have had Star Comics still open in 1989 this would have been a great series for that kids’ branch! I would like to thank Bell Book and Comic as well as Lone Star Comics for having these issues in stock and making this update possible. And I of course would like to remind you that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, their entertainment value and their art and story. So if you are ready, let’s take a trip to a place were dinosaurs and technology mix.

Dino-Riders # 1 **1/2
Released in 1989 Cover Price $1.00 Marvel # 1 of 3

On the planet of Valoria, a war is going on and inside a base Questar is working on a machine and orders Serena and Tark to get onto a nearby ship…this order does not set well with Tark who is mad that he and Serena’s relationship has fallen apart. Questar has gotten 200 of his people on the ship and the countdown starts as the enemy The Rulons are getting very close, but the ship is able to get past their ships and to safety for the time being, while Lord Krulos the leader of The Rulons wants his men to follow them and take prisoners. Questar on the ship installed what he is calling The Space-Time-Energy-Projector that will allow them to jump to a new dimension and away from their enemies for good, but when they make the jump Lord Krulos’s ship is also pulled through and they land near Earth in the time of Dinosaurs! And of course on the planet as soon as they land Lord Krulos orders his men to capture some of the dinosaurs to use them as a battlewagon as he still wants war with Questar’s men. Meanwhile Questar is having issues as some of his people do not like his leadership and they are fighting among themselves, all the while Questar is trying to get dinosaurs on their side to help fight. Tark challenges Questar to a battle for leadership and as the two are fighting by their old law The Rulons appear and are ready for the attack and the two have to put their differences aside for the time and mount up on their dinosaurs for battle. Questar and his brave men defeat The Rulons in this battle, but Questar has to shoot Tark who was going to shoot him in the back and those on the side of Tark arrest Questar for murder!

This is a pretty good first issue to kick off this comic series that is based on a toy line as well as a short-lived cartoon. The plot is very simple as it as a race of humans having to flee and dimension jump in order to get away from their alien enemies only for them by accident to be swept into the jump and they all find themselves on Earth during the time of Dinosaurs and the two sides are still at war and use these amazing creatures in their battles now. The main hero is Questar, a wise leader who has chosen by his father to lead his people. He is very smart but also does not like killing or endangering living things for this war…but he will kill if he has to. He is respected by many of his people but small section do not like his leadership as they think his more take charge brother Tark should be in charge. Tark however is a man filled with rage as he thinks he should be the leader due to his age as well as he blames Questar for losing his girlfriend Serena who know is in love with Questar. Lord Krulos is the leader of The Rulons, a race of aliens who look like insects and serpents and who love war and want to rule the galaxy. They use mind control on other living beings to make them take part in their conquests of planets. Lord Krulos is very cold and loves to see his enemies die…in other words he is one bad dude. This comic does a great job of bringing a story to these characters and while it’s based on the first cartoon episode, it still packs a fun read punch for those kids who enjoyed this toy series. The cover is very cool and eye catching with the interior art being well done by Kelley Jones. Over all a great issue that makes me look forward to reading the next as the cliffhanger of Questar being arrested for murder makes you wonder how he can prove it was self-defense and is Tark really dead!

Dino-Riders # 2 **1/2
Released in 1989 Cover Price $1.00 Marvel # 2 of 3

Questar is on trial for murder and people are split on if he killed his brother in cold blood or self-defense with even those not at the trail arguing with each other. While Lord Krulos has found himself a large T-Rex that he wants as his new ride into battle and The Rulons attack the beast to get it under mind control they are unaware of the trail of Questar who has been found Not Guilty and can return to leading his people…this does not set well with many. As Questar is riding around on his dinosaur to clear his mind he is attacked by Lord Krulos and his T-Rex and its Serena who saves him from being killed and they two talk about the trail as well as the powers Serena has and most important how they can not let The Rulons get their hands on The Space-Time-Energy-Projector as this would give them way to much power and make it easier for them to take over planets. As Questar and Serena return to base they find it is under attack by Lord Krulos and his T-Rex and they know this is a fight for their lives and after tripping up the T-Rex a very angry Lord Krulos fires a shot at Aries that Questar jumps in front of wounding the leader but saving the life of Aries who was a Tark supporter who now has a change of heart. Lord Krulos ends up retreating when the mind control box falls off the T-Rex and now the beast is mad. And once more Questar leads him people into victory and as well gets the respect of some of his doubters.

Not Guilty! Is the verdict on if Questar killed his brother in cold blood and this makes many of the people happy but also drives those who were friends of Tark further away from supporting their leader who they think only got freed of the chargers cause of his ties to the court and those who were the Judges. Questar in this issue goes from having to prove he is innocent, to almost being killed by Lord Krulos twice, to being mentally blasted by Serena and finally proving that he is a leader for his people as he would even take a laser blast for them…Questar is your typical 80’s cartoon hero and I dig him as I think he is truly strong willed but also has a side to him that’s frustrated on how he is viewed by some of those he protects. I also need to say that Questar and his people have these telepathic powers that allows them to talk mentally to the dinosaurs as well as look into the minds of each other. Serena is also a hero as she saves not only Questar, but also has more of a raw power that allows her to send a power blast to a persons mind that can kill them on the spot. I also have to say I like that Lord Krulos gets a T-Rex as his ride and feels so powerful that he heads toward his enemies base in order to show out as well as try and kill a few people. It’s crazy to think that we only have one more issue in this series as it looks like Marvel pulled the plug on it really quick and did not allow it to find it’s readership, and that’s a shame as this comic should have been apart of the Star Comics line and it could have been a solid series for young readers who not only liked the toys/cartoon it was based on but also liked dinosaurs. The cover for this issue is okay and has Questar looking like he is in pain and it’s not all that eye-catching. The interior art is done by Kelley Jones again and it great stuff as his style fits really well and he draws dinosaurs really well! Another great issue and I think they could have really kept this series going if they only would have given it time to grow.

Dino-Riders # 3 **1/2
Released in 1989 Cover Price $1.00 Marvel # 3 of 3

Tark has been found by The Rulons and he is hurt badly but Lord Krulos wants the human broken and used as a slave to get to Questar and his people and Rasp takes Tark and infuses dinosaur DNA into him causing Tark to become a humanoid monster on a rampage and he is able to hold off The Rulons army even lifting the dinosaurs with ease and not feeling any pain. After beating up The Rulons the now humanoid Tark rushes off into the jungle where he meets a baby Triceratops who takes him to his mother that was attacked by a T-Rex and as Tark morns with the youngster he then has to rush off as The Rulons have tracked down Questar and Serena and they fire a shot that hurts her and this causes Tark to throw a big rock at the T-Rex they control knocking off the mind control box and causing the beast to chase the baddies away and Questar to get to Serena. Trak then returns to the young Triceratops and fights off the T-Rex that has returned to kill the young dinosaurs…Tark is able to kill the giant beast and as he stands there the dinosaurs gather around him and he is now The Lord Of The Dinosaurs.

This is a very interesting way to end this series as our heroes Questar and his people are hardly in it as it more follows Tark who is found alive by is enemies and after having experiments done to him turns into a half human and half dinosaur humanoid who is super strong, un-hurt, able and now is the master of all the dinosaurs on the planet. And yeah that is the plot as we truly do just follow Tark as he comes to grips with his new powers, beats up The Rulons and a T-Rex and knows that he cannot return to his people looking the way he looks now. I like that Tark stays loyal to his people and is able to break free before he can get mind controlled and he knows that he needs to be an outside protector to not only his people but also the weaker dinosaurs that are being used and even killed by the predators of the planet. Lord Krulos for once shows fear as he clearly sees that his race has created a fighting machine that has good in it’s heart and could defeat his army and himself in minutes! Its great to see this warlord be scared as he has struck fear into many people’s hearts. While this issue is very interesting I also wish the final issue would have had a final showdown between Questar and Lord Krulos as the way the series ends we get no real closure to the war as well we have zero clue if Tark ever lets himself be seen by Questar. With this issue as well I feel that the creative team had plans for more issues and it was Marvel that pulled the plug in the middle of their story arch. The cover for this issue shows a T-Rex scaring young Triceratops and is pretty eye-catching for readers who like dinosaurs, and Kelley Jones returns to do the interior art and it of course is great stuff. While I am a little disappointed as I feel this issue while good does miss the mark of being attached to the Dino-Riders as it has very little to do with the cartoon or figures and is more about a building a new player in the world. And to sum it up I have to say this is a good series that for the most part does do justice to the source material. Check out the artwork below to see the style of Jones that he used in these issues.

Dino-Riders is truly a very underrated toy series as well as a cartoon series and it was a perfect fit for comic books and I really do wish that Marvel Comics would have given it more of a chance besides canceling the series only after three issues and never given it a full ending as the final issue really is more of a set up for a returning character that we never do get to see play out. And again this should have been part of the Star Comics branch that Marvel foolishly gotten ride of in 1988 a year before this series was released. And I hope this update triggered some great memories of Tyco’s Dino-Riders as with this being the Christmas season it’s always fun to remember back to ones youth. And with that, the next update will also be a great one to look back on as it as well was a cartoon and a figure line and is still a very popular character to this day and I am talking about Voltron The Defender Of The Universe! So until next time, read a comic of three, watch a cartoon or two and as always support your local Horror Host! See you next update as we talk more robots of the 80’s!

The Short-Lived Story of AniMax

Posted on November 21, 2012 by bloodlinematt

Hello all and welcome back. The next series of comics we are looking at is called Animax, based off a failed toy line and released by Star Comics, the kids’ branch of Marvel. This book is different from The A-Team and Smurfs as I had never heard of it in any shape or form when I was a kid. The first time I found this book was 2011 when I found issue one at Mavericks Cards and Comics for a whooping 25 cents! That’s the one good thing about living in Dayton, there are many great places to get comics. Besides Mavericks, we also have Bell, Book and Comic, Bookery Fantasy, Half Price Books, Superfly Comics, Dark Star, Fearless Reader, Game Swap Kettering and a few other places you can find issues.

Every store is different and each carries something that sets it apart from the others making them all worth checking out if you ever find yourself in the area and looking for comics, toys, books, movies, video games, card games, sports cards and everything else that will send your nerdom into overdrive. In fact this review is possible thanks to both Mavericks and Bell, Book and Comic where I found all four issues in this mini series. So thanks, guys!

Star Comics has always fascinated me and to this day I still find myself always looking for issues that escaped me when I was younger. Marvel Comics started Star back in 1984 and closed it in 1988. The four year run was enough time for them to gobble up properties like Thundercats, Masters of the Universe, Silver Hawks, Muppet Babies, Care Bears, Star Wars and many more popular toy and cartoon lines. Star gave the properties short comic runs to satisfy kids who craved all they could get of their favorite characters. But Star also gave us some great original characters like Planet Terry, Wally The Wizard, Top Dog, Spider-Ham and Royal Roy. While fans didn’t know these characters at first, we eventually learned to love and respect them. The best and most loved from the originals was Peter Porker (Spider-Ham), a pig man who turned into a Spider-Man like hero – great silly stuff. He was followed by Wally The Wizard. It’s a shame that Marvel didn’t give Star enough time to fully grow and become the next big thing in kids’ comics since Archie. I am sure that Star’s fall came with poor sales and high payouts to get licensed properties. But years after shutting them down, Marvel continued to put out books based on cartoons from Captain Planet to the Toxic Crusaders. I missed Star Comics when it was gone and would have loved to see the company put out some issues based on other toy lines of the day. Look for a followup blog soon about the toy and cartoon lines I wished they would have done.

AniMax made its first appearance at the 1986 Toy Fair and was the brain child of Mel Birnkrants and Schaper Toys (the folks who brought you Ants in the Pants, Cootie and Don’t Break the Ice). The toy line featured Max Action and his vehicle Jungle Max as they led the AniMax as the evil X-Tinctor and his vehicle Obliterator led the mutant Car-nivores in a future world where both sides clashed in order to see who would rule their world. The AniMax vehicles were alive, half animals and half automobile, controlled by helmets that the riders wear. The toy line was a hit at the Toy Fair, with its live actors and cool figures. The hype was in place for this to be the next big thing in action figures. Later in 1986, Schaper sold to Tyco toys, and this started the beginning of the end for AniMax.

The toy line was a second thought to Tyco who wanted other properties within Schaper, and so the toys were half assed with poor cheap paint jobs and no commercial push, making them flood the shelves at toy stores and quickly go straight to the markdown bin. A funny note: both main characters Max Action and X-Tinctor never actually made it out to stores. AniMax was also supposed to get a cartoon to fuel the fire. Much like the commercial support, the cartoon never happened making the name and toys fade away without so much as a whisper. But out of the grim future of the toyline came one glimmer of hope to help make kids care about the cheap looking toys: Star Comics issue # 1 of AniMax!

Star Comics decided to take a chance on AniMax and made some issues to try to draw some buzz. But sadly without a cartoon or a solid toy line, the comic lasted only four issues before it landed in the cancel bin. It’s odd that these pretty cool characters with a really great storyline never got the fair shot they deserved. My knowledge of this subject and amazing pictures are thanks to Mel Birnkrants and his website who had all the history of this failed toy/cartoon line.

Now it’s time to take a look at this short Star Comics Mini series and see just how well the idea of this series translated to comics. Remember, I grade these on a standard 1-4 star rating and am looking at how well the comic keeps to the source material, its entertainment value, and its art and story.

AniMax # 1 ***

Released in 1986 Cover Price .75 Star Comics #1 of 4

This issue is “Days of Wrath” and has Max Action and his AniMax Jungle Max (Lion Machine) battered and dying at the feet of X-Tinctor and his evil band of mutants, who have set up the hero. Tiger Trakker and the rest of the AniMax swoop in and run off the mutants to find their weak leader who dies in Tiger’s arms. They take Max’s body and send Jungle to the junkyard. All hope looks lost for the people of Peoplopolis. Heater and her Mother own the Museum, and unbeknownst to Tiger and his men, they have a clone machine that they use to bring Max back to life! When some mutants sneak into the compound Tiger comes face to face with the clone who moves and acts like his fallen friend and leader. In the battle Mother is killed, and Max must prove that he is who he says by saving Jungle Max from death’s door. As more mutants come in for the attack, Tiger and Max flee the city to save Jungle Max and to get the proof that the savior is alive.

What a fun action packed first issue that pulls no punches and starts with the main hero dying, one of many deaths. When the mutants sneak into the compound, they shoot and kill two humans, and the panel shows the bullets passing through the bodies, making this the first Star Comic I can think of that features that much violence. This issue’s plot is the start of a war between the humans and the mutants and is the restart of the warrior known as Max Action. The death of Max Action is shocking to start the issue off with and his rebirth is true classic sci-fi/Frankenstein inspired stuff. On the downside, the issue don’t explain much of who, why and what the AniMax universe is all about and for the most part flings you in as if their history is common knowledge, or as if it was coming off a cartoon series. But even after being flung in, the storyline is pretty cool and for some reason drew me into wanting to see what was going to happen next. The issue is also packed with lots of action, making it very exciting. The art is well done and is very much that Marvel style of the late 80s. The cover is also great and very much eye catching, showing action and Max and X-Tinctor. Over all it’s a nice start to the series and made me want to see what is going to happen in issue 2.

AniMax # 2 ***

Released in 1986 Cover Price .75 Star Comics #2 of 4

“The Siege of Peoplopolis” is the second issue’s plot and has X-Tinctor and his mutants launching a full on attack to the walls of Peoplopolis, pushing the rest of the AniMax to fight harder to save the innocent people. Tiger Trakker takes Max to the living jungle and has mini-Animax help him track down Jungle Max who is on the highway of death, as he holds off the mutants that were tracking them. Max finds Jungle, and the two reconnect. While still injured Jungle and Max help Tiger out and head back to town. The walls of Peoplopolis have fallen, and X-Tinctor has entered the city and the remaining AniMax know they can not win, until Max and Tiger show back up and open a can of woop ass on the Mutants who flee…for now. The town and his fellow warriors are shocked to see Max as Heater shares her feeling for the hero. Tiger tells Max his secret of being a clone is safe with him as they take Jungle to get repaired. X-Tinctor meanwhile has a evil plan the he will execute in the next issue.

Issue two is good but not nearly as well done as the first though it’s still fun and action and drama packed. The plot has X-Tinctor trying to bring down the humans and kill or make the remaining AniMax join his side while Max is trying to come to grips with being a clone and trying to save his lion friend Jungle Max from the graveyard. This issue brings up lots of great emotions as Max must come to grips with the fact he is not the original but is the face of hope to many people and also touches up on his love for Heater. It then builds up the true friendship of Max and Tiger and gives it an almost Prince Adam and Man-At-Arms (Masters of the Universe) bond that has one keeping a major secret for the other. Plus the road of death sure does look a hell of a lot like the yellow brick road of Wizard of Oz fame. While drama-filled, this issues still packs in action as the mutants attack the city’s walls and Tiger Trakker fights a bunch of blood thirsty ones as well. This is a nice follow up issue, and let’s you a little more into the world of AniMax, fleshing out characters a little better. The art once more is well done as is the cover that again pops with action. Over all it’s a nice follow up to issue one.

AniMax # 3 **1/2

Released in 1986 Cover Price .75 Star Comics #3 of 4

“The Retread Plot” is the third issue’s name and has the cloned Max Action wondering if he is as good as the original because of his lackluster shooting. Tiger is also concerned now and thinks the clone might not be able to handle being a leader. Max goes to visit Heater in Peoplopolis as X-Tinctor unleashes a giant rubber air man named Retread to find the hideout of the AniMax, following Max to the secret location. Retread, who can float when releasing air from his massive frame, sets off the hideout’s alarm, and the AniMax go after him. But X-Tinctor and the Mutants show up to save their man and to get the info he has tucked away before he deflates and forgets all his knowledge. All looks dim as the Mutants take Retread over the bridge of doom and into the dark side of Earth. But one well timed shot from Max hits the rubber man deflating him and saving the location of their secret hideout.

This issue is very cheesy and does not pack the drama of the action of the first two issues. The story has a few moments of drama as Max and Tiger both question his ability to lead the world’s only hope team, but the quickly follows Retread as he tries to get away with the knowledge of the AniMax base. I was not a fan of the cheesy comedy and wished they would have stayed closer to the style of the first two issues’ plots. However even with the terrible shift from action-drama to action-comedy, the reader is treated to more of what and who the AniMax are showing that they are the humans’ last hope in a world that was left in terrible shape after doomsday. Plus I like how they showed the Bridge of Doom, a gateway the separates the Light Side from the Dark Side. X-Tinctor also himself to be another bad guy who just can’t seem to get that win putting him alongside Skeletor, Moonstar and many other 80’s cartoon bad guys. Over all issue three is not as good as previous issues but was still a solid read. The art in this one is pretty good but a few panels seem rushed, not to mention the cover on this one smells of pure cheese.

AniMax # 4 **

Released in 1986 Cover Price $1.00 Star Comics #4 of 4

This is the fourth and final issue and starts off with Max and crew fighting X-Tinctor and crew on the Bridge of Doom over a human slave girl. In the fight Max is hit with a large dose of radiation and fellow AniMax Tarmac who controls the horse is kidnapped. X-Tinctor has a plan to learn about the bond that allows the humans to talk to their machine animals. If he can learn this power and take control over his machine animal to unleash its full power that would be able to bring the end of mankind. Meanwhile as Max lies dying once more in the hospital, the AniMax machines learn a way to take some of their riders’ pain unto themselves but if they take too much the bond between the two will be lost. In the end X-Tinctor and his mutants attack, and all looks grim as the riders and the machine animals are loosing their bond, but with the help of Tarmac and Max getting better from his illness, they are able to use the pain energy to rid the world of X-Tinctor once and for all…or so they think.

This last issue seems rushed and the storyline is a little over done. The plot has the riders and machine animals having such a tight bond that they would take each others pain in order to save their friend, and X-Tinctor wants to exploit this and gain that ability himself to use his machine to destroy the human population. Max Action is hardly in this issue and spends most the time in a hospital bed, making you wonder why they hardly used the main hero of the book in the final issue. The action also seems rushed and was a quick way to kill most of the mutants off to end the saga. X-Tinctor’s death is also very lame and is one weak way to get rid of a bad guy that issues back seemed to strike fear in the hearts of humans. This was not a fitting way to end the series and once more makes me wonder why AniMax had a curse that allowed it to be treated so poorly. The art in this one is well done, but as for the cover, it just seems very generic and not thought out. Also the price on final issue, as you can see, was raised by a quarter making it a dollar. Shame on you, Marvel, for not given this series a proper send off.

Going into this I did not know anything about the AniMax universe and after reading Star Comics’ four issue run and reading Birnkrant’s webpage, I found myself enjoying my journey into their world. I did notice that this series is very heavily influenced by Masters of the Universe and M.A.S.K – more so Masters. Let’s break it down real quick: look at Max Action and compare him to He-Man (Prince Adam). First, they both have a secret that only a few know; Max’s is that he is a clone, Adam’s is he is He-Man. Both have a main villain that has a skeleton face; Max with X-Tinctors and He-Man with Skeletor. They both have a giant cat they ride and are best friends with; Max with Jungle Max and Adam with Battlecat. Both in some ways are leaders to people who need their protection. Both had a limited comic run at Star Comics, and both have blonde hair. It’s very clear that this was inspired by Masters of the Universe and was just changed to fit in a more apocalyptic world. But I am ok with that. I am sorry I didn’t have any fun stories of me blowing up AniMax figures or having my Godzilla toy crush them, but like me, I hope you found this entry entertaining and insightful on a basically forgotten toy line and the mini series that it spawned. Next up: the giant monsters that live under us, The Inhumanoids!