[The Title Card: what it's all about]Written by GL
I hope that some of you may vaguely remember this cartoon to action figure series, although I'll admit that it's the toys that actually helped me in remembering this old time show. Funnily enough, lengthy searches on the internet have not revealed any (good) cartoon images of the Sky Commanders.
Sky Commanders was a series created by Hanna-Barbera Studios. It premiered in July 1987 (as and lasted for only thirteen episodes. The cartoon creation also spawned an action figure line from Kenner Toys - the actual date of release of the toys is not available.
[The Sky Commanders: check out the highlight purple and pink jump-suits]As far as many people know, Sky Commanders as a toy line was short-lived and only produced in two series'. However, there are doubts that Series Two even reached toy stores. Series One of the Sky Commanders were heavy with good guys (four of them), and included only about two Raiders.
[Series One: traveling in style]It was the toy line vehicles that were totally awesome: they were designed so expertly that they appeared almost technologically advanced, plus they could attach to table sides. How cool was that?
[Vector Command: the headquarters could stand horizontal or vertically. Awesome]I do know for a fact that Series One did come to Brunei because I remember holding these little buggers in my hands - Beast, my cousin and best buddy in the whole world, practically had the entire Series One, and I remember times when we would cob-web his room with string to fight out these Sky Commanders.
[The Battle Track: living on the edge]Take the Battle Track for example (pictured above); it could attach to cornered surfaces by clamp and it's extension was a hard fabric line for it's detachable back pod. Toy today don't even have concepts such as these. Rock on.
The storyline of Sky Commanders goes around the daily adventures of a group of soldiers and mountaineering specialists from all over the world who battle the evil General Plague and his squad of mercenaries, known as The Raiders, whose aim is to seize control of the planet. The series is set on a new continent deep in the South Pacific, known as 'The High Frontier' (probably somewhere near Pontianak or Sungai Liang), which is the source of a new and powerful, unstable radioactive element called Phata 7.
It is known that whoever can control this element would be the ruler of the world; a goal that the General Plague wants strongly. It is up to General Mike Summit and his highly trained soldiers to stop him.
Of course, evil never sleeps and the Sky Commanders always had to deal with The Raiders getting in the way, as well as the unstable and highly dangerous weather conditions and environmental hazards such as landslides, earthquakes, cave-ins, whirlpools, etc. There is also the need for monthly shipments of fresh supplies, new advanced technology and weapon systems. Constant attack by The Raiders and the aforementioned environmental dangers make the Sky Commanders mission super dangerous.
Therefore, travelling throughout the new continent is only possible by high-altitude flight, or by means of using Laser Cables; a specialized version of a rappelling cord shot from combat backpacks worn by both Raiders and Sky Commanders. When used, the cables shoot out from the combat backpacks in the form of energy beams. When contact is made with a solid object, the Laser Cable solidifies into a solid metal cable line upon which travel is possible.
[Sky Travel: it beats AirAsia]Phata 7, the radioactive element that both sides fight for control of, which came from the deepest parts of the earth, has also brought with it wild and bizarre creatures. These lifeforms are either the products of long-term exposure to Phata 7's radiation or were just naturally brought about the way that they are. Occasional violent encounters with these monstrosities is yet another danger waiting for both sides of this battle for the future freedom or enslavement of the world.
So you see, be happy that you're here to be reading this blog entry in your comfortable homes, because it's a heck of a lot easier than being a Sky Commander.
