tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11428539498833548132024-03-13T15:04:43.234-07:00The Herculoids!One fan's news and views celebrating one of the most imaginative animated series ever produced for TVDavid C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-67536750053507491472013-10-03T12:18:00.000-07:002013-10-03T12:20:12.660-07:00Space Stars on DVDOkay, time to highlight the latest Herculoids news and <i>WTF? Has it really been over A YEAR AND A HALF since my last post here???</i>
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Well, if I have any readers left - if they haven't all left in disgust at the (mistaken) idea that I've forgotten about this blog - then maybe he or she will be interested in the following news:
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<i>Hanna-Barbera Space Stars</i> is finally coming to DVD!
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<img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/space_stars.jpg" />
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In 1981, in the wake of the success of the sci-fi and space-fantasy films of the late 1970s like <i>Star Wars</i> and <i>Close Encounters of the Third Kind</i>, Hanna-Barbera decided to dust off their own SF* entries, <i>Space Ghost</i> and <i>The Herculoids</i>, creating new episodes for a new generation of viewers. To round out a new hour-long show, they added two new creations: <i>The Teen Force</i> and <i>Astro and the Space Mutts</i> (featuring the canine co-star of <i>The Jetsons</i> (!))
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At the time of <i>Space Stars</i>' run, I'd lost interest in Saturday morning TV (and was working - still am - a job that required me to work most Saturdays anyway), and so didn't catch any of these shows in their first (and only?) run. Heck, I wasn't even aware this show existed, or that they'd produced new <i>Herculoids</i> episodes of it, until years later.
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But rest assured, I will be ordering this from <a href="http://tinyurl.com/koq62zo" target="_blank">Warner Archive</a>, and once I've had a chance to devour it, will be posting my reactions to it. (And I'll be adding the new Herculoids episodes to the episode summaries - which I do plan to get back to one of these years!
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*in this case, SF could stand for either "science fiction" or "space fantasy"<br />
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<br />David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-83050337093703976272012-02-15T19:39:00.004-08:002013-10-03T12:22:38.538-07:00Episode Review: #9, "Destroyer Ants" - Oct. 7, 1967(Note the first: spoilers ahead, blah blah blah…)<br />
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Note the second: The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Herculoids#Original_series" target="_blank">episode list</a> at the Wikipedia article lists "The Lost Dorgyte" as the next episode after "Mekkor", and "Destroyer Ants" after that; while the <a href="http://www.bcdb.com/cartoons/Hanna-Barbera_Studios/G-J/The_Herculoids/" target="_blank">Big Cartoon Database</a> lists "Destroyer Ants" as following "Mekkor". Since "Destroyer Ants" has no prologue (usual for the first episode in a program), I consider the BCDB entry to be the more accurate.)<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants01.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<b>Synopsis:</b><br />
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The skies over Amzot are rent with savage lightning!<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants02.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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One rock formation in particular seems to bear the brunt of the electrical attack...<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants03.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants04.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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and begins to glow. A lightning bolt also blasts an opening in the rock...<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants05.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants06.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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…which is revealed to be hollow! The ceiling of the cavern is covered in large, green egg-shaped nodules, one of which begins to glow…<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants07.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants08.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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…and fall to the ground. It is indeed an egg, and hatches a huge, three-eyed ant!<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants09.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants10.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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More eggs are energized, and hatch out more ants…<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants11.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants12.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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…which march out of the cave, on a mission of destruction! <br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants13.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants14.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants15.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants16.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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At the treehouse, Igoo growls uneasily.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants17.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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"Do you hear that, too, Igoo?" Tara asks. "We'd better go have a look."<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants68.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Tara and Igoo cross a deep chasm between two cliff on a log bridge. "I still hear it, but I don't see anything," Tara comments. "Whatever it is, I don't like it!"<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants18.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Tara is suddenly confronted by a giant ant! "IGOO!"<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants20.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Roaring in challenge, Igoo rushes (well, as quickly as a giant rock ape can) to Tara's rescue.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants19.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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The ant has grabbed Tara up in its front legs, but drops her when it sees several tons of angry rock ape charging at it! <br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants21.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Igoo bears the ant down to the ground, but the ant manages to kick Igoo off…<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants22.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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…sending him crashing into a nearby cliffside while Tara looks on anxiously. "Watch out, Igoo!" The ant tries to press its advantage against a stunned Igoo, who tries to shake off the effects of the ant's attack. "Get up, Igoo, get up!!" Tara cries.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants69.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Igoo takes advantage of his proximity to a pile of large, flat stones; he picks one up and clobbers the ant with it.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants23.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants70.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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He then picks the body of the ant up and flings it over the edge of a cliff.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants24.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants25.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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The other ants gather around the body of their fallen comrade; then, as if vowing revenge, they swarm up over the cliff edge.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants26.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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"More ants!" exclaims Tara. "Thousands of them! Igoo! Igoo!"<br />
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Igoo moves forward, ready to take them on single-handedly; but Tara warns him off that foolhardy deed. "Back, Igoo! Back!" Igoo reluctantly backs off.<br />
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Pointing back to the bridge they just crossed, Tara explains, "We've got to get back to the other side!" Tara and Igoo rush across the log bridge to the (relative) safety of the other side.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants27.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants28.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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As the ants gather ominously on the farther cliff, Igoo bellows belligerently from his side. "Igoo! You've got to hold them, until I get help!" says Tara.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants29.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Igoo breaks a branch off the log…<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants30.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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and as the ants scurry across one by one, Igoo bats them away!<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants31.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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"If it's what you say, Tara," says Zandor, on Zok's back with Tara behind him, "unless they're stopped, they'll destroy all life on this planet!<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants32.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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"Dorno, stay close!" Dorno rides atop Tundro, with Gloop and Gleep behind him. "Yes, Zandor!"<br />
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Commercial break…<br />
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"Look! There's Igoo!" Tara points from her vantage point on Zok's back. Igoo is still swatting ants; then gets a better idea.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants33.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Grabbing the entire log, he dislodges it, sending a number of ants crashing to the bottom.<br />
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"He's destroyed the bridge!" exclaims Tara. "Yes," Zandor responds, "but I'm afraid that won't stop them. Look!!" Zandor points to a disturbing development…<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants34.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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…as the ants climb up each other…<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants35.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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…forming towers that fall forward…<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants36.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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...bridging the gap between the cliff with their own bodies, as Igoo watches in consternation.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants37.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Once again, Igoo has to be warned away (this time by Zandor) from engaging the marauding ants. But once Igoo is clear of the area…<br />
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"NOW, Zok!" Zandor shouts.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants38.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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And Zok unleashes his eye- and tail-beams against the ant-bridges, collapsing them down to join their fellow ants at the bottom of the ravine.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants39.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants40.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants41.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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The gathered Herculoids survey the situation. "Great! That stopped them," observes Dorno.<br />
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"Once they start on the march, nothing stops them!" says Zandor. "Look!"<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants42.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Once again, the ants form their own bridges across the chasm; if nothing else, they're certainly persistent. "It didn't stop them!" says Dorno.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants43.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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"What are we going to do?" asks Tara.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants44.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Zandor points to a distant canyon. "Our only hope is that they will keep marching toward the canyon between those bluffs!"<br />
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"But what if they don't?" asks Dorno. "I've got an idea," responds Zandor. "Evrybody head for the bluffs except Igoo. Now hurry! They're coming fast!"<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants45.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Turning to the rock ape: "Igoo, I have another job for you!"<br />
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The Herculoids (minus Igoo) have taken up a position overlooking the canyon. "There they are!" exclaims Dorno.<br />
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The ants swarm along their path. "I see them," says Zandor.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants46.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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But the ants are turning; "They're heading the wrong way!" says Dorno.<br />
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"It's time to try and turn them!" exclaims Zandor. "We've got to steer them through this canyon!"<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants47.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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"Zok!" Zandor shouts to the airborne dragon, "Signal Igoo to start the avalanche!"<br />
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"I hope this works," says Dorno. "It has to work!" replies Zandor.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants48.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Igoo stands high on a rock formation overlooking the thick swarm of ants, a boulder clutched in his massive paws. He hurls the boulder against a cliff…<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants49.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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…causing a landslide that sends tons of rock and rubble crashing down.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants50.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Another boulder, and another landslide; Igoo roars with pride at his handiwork: a veritable wall of rock that blocks the ants' progress.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants51.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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They pause at the rockslide; then, as one, they turn aside. "It worked, Zandor, it worked!" exclaims Tara. "They turned!" adds Dorno.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants52.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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"Yes, but not enough!" Zandor replies. "You wait here!"<br />
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"Where are you going?" asks Dorno. "To turn them!" answers Zandor.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants53.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Standing on a rock overlooking the marching ants, Zandor unleashes a barrage of energy rocks from his slingshot. Those ants not destroyed outright turn away from the attack.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants54.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Dorno, sitting atop Tundro on the canyon floor, with Gleep behind him. points out Zandor's success. "He did it, Tara! They're heading this way now!"<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants55.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Tara, standing on a rather precarious ledge of rock, responds, "Yes! Now you'd better get back out of the way!"<br />
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"Good job, Igoo!" Zandor says to his rock ape friend. "Now let's get back. They're almost at the bottom of the canyon!"<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants57.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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"Look out, Tara!!" Dorno shouts, just as the rock ledge crumbles under her feet, pitching her directly in path of the oncoming ants!<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants58.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants59.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Gloop stretches down, surrounding Tara with his body just as the ants reach them.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants62.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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"Come on, Tundro! We've gotta save her!" says Dorno. Tundro charges the column of ants, knocking some of them out of the way. "We're coming, Tara!"<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants60.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Tara pokes her head and arms up from Gloop's protection. "Dorno!"<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants61.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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From Tundro's back, Gleep stretches out to grab Tara's wrists, lifting her up out of the way of the ants and onto Tundro's back.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants63.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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"They made it!" exults Zandor. As Gloop takes his place beside Zandor, Zandor remarks, "If they keep going, we've got this battle won!" A puzzled Dorno asks, "What do you mean, Zandor? How?"<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants64.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Zandor points. "See that end of the canyon? Well, that canyon leads directly over the Bottomless Cliffs.<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants65.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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"They'll march to the last ant into that darkness!"<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants66.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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"Has it ever happened before?" asks Dorno.<br />
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"Yes," replies Zandor. "And we can only hope it never happens again!"<br />
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<b>Comments:</b><br />
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Oh boy, does this episode raise questions it never answers! Unlike most of the enemies the Herculoids have faced, these ants are a "home-grown" menace. But are they a "natural" menace? Were these normal-size ants that were somehow mutated by the lightning bolts into the giant-size horror seen here? That doesn't seem likely, since we never saw the eggs grow. Zandor apparently has knowledge of at least one other "infestation" of the destroyer ants that's happened in the past, but it still seems that this ant invasion was not "normal" behavior.<br />
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And exactly what role did the lightning play in the story? My theory: the writers felt they needed something that <i>seemed</i> to explain the emergence and rampage of the ants, and electric bolts fulfill that purpose nicely (or so they thought). And once again, the fact that this series was aimed at children, and that the stories are so short, result in (I think) the writers feeling that not much explanation was needed.<br />
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Hordes of rampaging ants (giant or normal-size) have been a staple of adventure fiction for decades (if not centuries). The iconic "killer ant" story is probably <a href="http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/lvta.html" target="_blank">"Leinengen Versus the Ants"</a> by Carl Stephenson, published in 1938. In this classic short story, Leinengen is warned that a swarm of ants "ten miles long, two miles wide… and every single one of them a fiend from hell!" is marching toward his Brazilian plantation, destroying everything in its path. Leinengen, however, believes that "the human brain needs only to become fully aware of its powers to conquer even the elements"; therefore, instead of fleeing, he decides to make a stand against the ants.<br />
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"Leinengen Versus the Ants" was adapted into one of the <a href="http://ia700202.us.archive.org/17/items/otr_escape/esca_19480114_LeiningenVsTheAnts.mp3" target="_target">best-known episodes of the popular radio series <i>Escape</i></a>, starring radio veteran (and later star of the TV series <i>Cannon</i> and <i>Jake and the Fatman</i>) William Conrad, whose sardonic chuckle "Meh-heh!" sums up the character's defiant nature perfectly. The short story later became the basis of the movie <i>The Naked Jungle</i>, starring Charlton Heston as Leinengen (and, amusingly, features Conrad in the role of the District Commissioner who pleads with Leinengen to save his own life and abandon his plantation.)<br />
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So it's only natural that a killer-ant story show up in the <i>Herculoids</i> canon. And, once again, a little more thought given to plot - and maybe a longer running time - could have elevated the episode from poor-to-mediocre to classic.<br />
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<b>The "Oh, Come ON!" moment</b> happens at the very end, when the ants stampede themselves over the canyon wall into… the "Bottomless Cliffs"? Sorry, even as a child I never bought the concept of a "bottomless" <i>anything</i>: cliffs, pits, oceans, etc. Such a thing is physically impossible, although the idea that something could be so deep as to <i>seem</i> bottomless is plausible.<br />
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And somewhat in the same vein: looking over these episodes now not only as an adult with (I hope) better developed critical facilities, but as an artist who had at one time seriously considered a career as an animator (largely inspired by series such as <i>Herculoids</i> and <i>Jonny Quest</i>, I find myself almost heartbroken over how <i>poorly drawn</i> a lot of these cels are. Besides the usual culprits of rushed production schedules and low budgets that work against the crafting of even competent art, part of the problem may be that many of the artists had never had extensive experience with drawing or animating anything but the "funny animals" of <i>Yogi Bear</i> or <i>Huckleberry Hound</i>, or the humorously stylized humans of <i>The Flintstones</i> and <i>The Jetsons</i>. Look, for example, at this cel of Dorno, Gleep, and Tara sitting on Tundro's back, just after Tara's rescue from the marauding ants:<br />
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<img height="242" src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep09/ants63.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Take note of the fact that Tara as drawn here looks like Dorno's twin sibling, instead of his mother! And unfortunately, there are many more examples of rushed or shoddy drawing than there are of exemplary art. It makes me wonder if Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera even looked at these cartoons on which they insisted their names appear as producers <i>and directors.</i><br />
<br />
I am pleased, however, with how much screen time Tara gets in this episode; I'm guessing that a third to a half of all of the lines Virginia Gregg recorded for the series are used in this one episode. (Which isn't to say she has a lot of lines in this episode, more that she has so few lines in most of the others.)David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-58306433410869322002012-02-14T19:49:00.003-08:002012-02-14T20:04:36.060-08:00Stand by for ACTION!!...or at least for (finally!) another Episode Review, for which I'm sure you've been waiting with bated breath!<br /><br />I just finished the writing of the synopsis and comments for "Destroyer Ants", the next episode in line to be given the inimitabubble Matthews treatment :) Once I've had a chance to edit the screenshots, it'll be ready to post. (By the weekend, if not sooner; at least that's my goal.)<br /><br />Oh, and I've always been fond of the phrase "Stand by for ACTION!!" ever since it was used as the first spoken words in the intro to the classic Gerry Anderson marionette show <i>Stingray</i>:<br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/E06cNv55jTs?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Also love the line "Anything can happen in the next half-hour!"David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-26971348283979677202011-12-31T20:25:00.000-08:002011-12-31T20:27:41.597-08:00Happy New Year!Just wanted to let you know I'm still here!<br /><br />I hate making resolutions, but I am going to try to post more often here, especially more episode reviews.<br /><br />HAPPY NEW YEAR!!David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-80802123192858866652011-10-24T21:39:00.000-07:002011-10-24T22:06:29.257-07:00Episode Review: #8, "Mekkor" - Sept. 30, 1967<b>Synopsis:</b><br /><br /><b>Prologue:</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor01.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Through the quiet skies of Amzot float great numbers of silver spheres, landing on the ground with a weird electronic whine.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor02.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />One by one, the spheres transform into squat, menacing-looking robots, each equipped with a jetpack and sporting two mechanical arms.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor03.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor04.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />One final sphere, larger than the others, descends into their midst, transforming itself into their master control unit.<br /><br /><b>Prologue ends…</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor05.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor06.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />An antenna extends from the head of the master robot, and an electronic voice issues orders: "Go! And do not return until all opposition is removed!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor07.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Beeping acknowledgement, the jet robots form into groups and depart. The master unit speaks again: "Secure our outposts and prepare for next step to take over this planet!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor08.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />"Obey only my orders!" Once the robots have left, the master unit plows into the ground below for concealment.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor09.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />"What's that?" Dorno and Gleep, out for a trek in the jungle, look on as several of the flying robots approach. Sensing danger, Dorno and Gleep duck behind a handy boulder.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor10.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor11.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />"What <i>are</i> they?? I've never seen anything like that!" Gleep gibbers his agreement.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor12.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Suddenly the robots stop, and turn. Their "eyes" glow, indicating they've detected Dorno's and Gleep's presence. "It sees us! Look out!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor13.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor14.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Dorno leaps out from behind the boulder, followed by Gleep, just before power-beams lance out!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor15.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Two of the robots give chase. From behind a tree, Dorno exclaims, "They're after us!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor16.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />He and Gleep manage to avoid a deadly beam that dissolves a chunk out of the tree trunk!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor17.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />"Let's get out of here!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor18.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Dorno and Gleep make a desperate run across the clearing, barely avoiding the deadly energy beams.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor19.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />The robots receive new orders: "Secure hostages!" The robots take up the pursuit. "We've gotta find Tundro! Or Igoo!" Dorno exclaims.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor20.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />But Igoo has already been found - by three more robots. His threatening roars do nothing to faze them.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor21.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />He grabs one in his massive paws; but his grip is broken by a glowing force-field.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor22.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Igoo uproots a tree to club the robot to pieces; once again the force-field flares, and the tree bounces out of Igoo's grasp, not even budging the hovering robot.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor23.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Igoo tries a huge boulder - it's smashed to pieces against the robot's protective shield. Finally, roaring in frustration, Igoo approaches his strange opponent with fists raised.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor24.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />The three robots bombard the great rock ape with a fusillade of rays that first paralyze him…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor25.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor26.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />…then encase him in a coating of solid ice!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor27.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Another robot has found Tundro, who growls a challenge.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor28.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />The robot fires a freezing ray, but apparently the power of one robot is sufficient only to form a thin coat of frost on Tundro's head and neck armor.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor28b.jpg" width=320 height=240><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor29.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />But the energy rocks Tundro fires are equally ineffective against the robot's force shield. The shield also holds up against Tundro's charges.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor30.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Finally, a frustrated Tundro stalks off, followed by his antagonist.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor31.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor32.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor33.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />At the treehouse: Tara hears the distressed screeches of an airborne dragon. "What's the matter, Zok?"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor34.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor35.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />She looks down and sees what's the matter: four robots hover near the ground, looking at Tara.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor36.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />One fires a green beam that strikes Tara in the eyes, rendering her unconscious.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor38.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />She's carried, stiff and paralyzed, in a force-bubble by two of the robots.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor37.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />An angry Zok attacks the robots with his eye-beams, but is driven off by the rays of another robot.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor39.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor40.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><b>Commercial break…</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor41.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Zok's screeches reach the ears of Zandor, standing on the branch of a tree: "There's trouble!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor42.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Gloop, nearby on the ground, turns and sees a robot hovering behind him.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor43.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />"Who are you?" Zandor demands of the robot. "What do you want?!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor44.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />The robot's response: green rays like the ones that incapacitated Tara!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor45.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Paralyzed, Zandor can barely gasp, "Gloop! I… I'm helpless!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor46.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Gloop stretches up and interposes himself between Zandor and the beam.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor47.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Zandor begins recovering from the beam's effects: "Thanks. Gloop! Keep that thing busy while I look into this!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor48.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />And Zandor bounces away off the vines.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor49.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Gloop stretches himself like a cover over the robot, intending to hold against the ground.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor50.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor51.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />The robot strains against Gloop's efforts, finally breaking free and, in the process, breaking Gloop apart into tens of small globs!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor52.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor53.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />The globs re-form into a single Gloop, who then stretches himself to wrap around the robot to crush it!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor54.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />But the robot breaks this embrace as well, and begins firing power-beams at Gloop.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor55.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor56.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor57.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Apparently, Gloop senses these beams could do him actual harm, so he avoids them by assuming various shapes.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor58.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Finally, Gloop sees no alternative but to retreat, with the robot in pursuit.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor59.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor60.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Zok finds the frozen Igoo, and defrosts him with his tail-beam.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor61.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Zandor waves to Zok from a nearby tree-limb; and soon, Zandor is airborne on Zok's neck.<br /><br />Dorno and Gleep are still being pursued; "They're still after us! We can't shake 'em!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor62.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor63.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Gleep stretches himself between two tree trunks, catching the two robots and flinging them away like a giant slingshot; the sound of crashing metal is heard off-camera, signaling the first two robot casualties of this confrontation.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor64.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Dorno and Gleep reach a chasm between two cliffs, bridged by a tree-trunk. Dorno acknowledges Gleep's feat: "That was great, Gleep! That slowed 'em down!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor65.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />But at the base of the cliffs below them is yet another of the seemingly-ubiquitous robots…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor66.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />whose power-beams dislodge Drono and Gleep and send them plunging to certain death below.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor67.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor68.jpg" width=320 height=240><br /><br />But Gleep forms a parachute-like shape for Dorno to grab, and like a hot-air balloon floats Dorno gently back <i>up</i> to the top of the cliff. "Thanks, Gleep… you're a life-saver!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor69.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor70.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />As Tara's captors carry her to their master, they pass the motionless form of Igoo standing against a huge rock pillar, a perfect disguise.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor71.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Once they're past, Igoo follows them.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor72.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Before they can activate their force-fields, Igoo smashes the two robots against each other, reducing them to junk!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor73.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />He then bends down and tenderly picks up Tara, now freed from her paralysis with the destruction of the robots. "I'm all right, Igoo," Tara reassures Igoo, "but we've got to find Dorno!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor74.jpg" width=320 height=239><br /><br />Hidden behind a stand of boulders, Tundro watches the approach of another squad of robots.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor75.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />He ambushes them with energy rocks before they can raise their shields, destroying four of them before the remaining two realize their danger and take to the sky.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor76.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />From high above, they try to bombard Tundro with the green paralysis beams. Nearby, Dorno and Gleep have reached Tundro's location.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor77.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /> "Tundro, they're all over the place! We're surrounded!" Indeed they are, for another squad is approaching from the other direction.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor78.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Zandor forms a hunch: "Those robots seem to be operating on some hidden power source! You think we can locate it, Zok?" Zok screeches in the affirmative. "All right… let's go!!" Zandor replies.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor79.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />"Look! They're everywhere!" Dorno says to Tundro, who's still firing energy rocks at any robot he sees. "We don't have a chance!" The situation does indeed look grim; they're surrounded by robots!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor80.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Zandor's and Zok's search seems to be paying off: "Could that be it?" Zandor asks Zok, pointing to an antenna poking up from the ground.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor81.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />"Let's go after it, Zok!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor82.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Igoo, with Tara in his arms, turns to see they're being pursued by still more robots. "They're still after us, Igoo!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor83.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />"Tara!" Dorno calls from the dubious shelter of the boulders. "Over here!"<br /><br />"Dorno! I'm so glad we found you!" Tara exclaims. "It's too late now," Dorno replies, apparently resigned to a horrible fate. "They've surrounded us… and there's no escape."<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor84.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />But high overhead, Zandor raises his shield, and throws it!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor85.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />The shield skims the ground, neatly slicing off the antenna with which the master unit controls the robots!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor86.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />The effects are almost immediate: "Something's happened!" exclaims Tara as the robots begin to fall to the ground, smashing to pieces as their controlling force - and apparently their power source as well - has been terminated.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor87.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor88.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />"And just in time, too!" answers Dorno.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor89.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Meanwhile, the master unit burrows up out of the ground, trying to escape whatever incapacitated it. "It's coming up, Zok! Blast it!" <br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor90.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />The dragon needs no encouragement; his eyes and tail fire powerful beams at the malevolent master unit until it explodes!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor91.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor92.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />Riding Tundro's back, Zandor and his family return home. As they pass the wreckage of their erstwhile attackers, Dorno asks, "What's going to become of all these robots, Zandor?" He replies, "They'll stay where they are, Dorno. Someday, the forest will reclaim them all. Meanwhile, we have peace again."<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor93.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br /><b>Comments:</b><br /><br />You could call this "<a href="http://mekkor.blogspot.com/2010/07/episode-review-3-pod-creatures-sept-16.html" target="_blank">The Pod Creatures</a> 2.0", since the basic plots of the two episodes are so similar*: an unidentified menace deposits multitudes of killer robots onto the surface of Amzot, and the Herculoids have their work cut out for them saving their world. And indeed, I could believe that the same enemy is responsible for both attacks; seeing that the "pod creatures" were ineffective against the Herculoids, they went "back to the drawing board" (so to speak) and created robots that could withstand the powers used against the pods.<br /><br />And make no mistake: these robots are a formidable force! Their force-shields render them almost invulnerable to Zok's power beams, Tundro's energy rocks, and even Igoo's bludgeons; their jetpacks make them highly maneuverable, and they sport a deadly array of energy weapons themselves. Their long-range sensors could use some improvement, though, since they're caught off-guard so easily. Igoo sneaks up behind Tara's captors and smashes them before they can react, and Tundro is able to ambush them from the cover of boulders.<br /><br />But with these upgrades in defense and weaponry come a fatal flaw: apparently to keep the individual units small and maneuverable, they can't carry their own power supplies, and must depend on the master unit for power. This creates the chink in the armor: the antenna through which energy is broadcast to the units. Disable or destroy that, and the entire invasion falls apart, literally as well as figuratively.<br /><br />So the closest we get to an <b>"Oh, Come ON!" moment</b> is actually the climax of the story. Zandor's shield slices off the master unit's antenna, severing the vital connection between master and slaves. That was a little far-fetched for me even as a child: why couldn't the antenna itself either a) have its own force field for protection, or b) be fabricated out of a more sturdy material. I suppose it could be explained that a force shield, or the "wrong" material for the antenna, could interfere with power transmission; but still, it's such an obvious vulnerability that I still can't conceive of a (supposedly) intelligent species such as the creators of this invasion force not addressing it.<br /><br />Of course, the reason the vulnerability exists is because there's only a short time to tell the story and they needed a quick resolution to a seemingly unsolvable problem.<br /><br />Now, there are still quite a few "refrigerator moments" in this cartoon: the kind of story holes and inconsistencies that aren't severe enough to take you out of the story to wonder "what the futz were they <i>thinking?</i>", but do sneak up on you at strange times - say, when you're getting a snack out of the refrigerator - and make you go "hey, WAIT a minnit!" For example: we're shown that a single unit is capable of breaking Gloop (the larger protoploid) apart; yet the smaller one, Gleep, is able to withstand the force of <i>two</i> robots in the "slingshot" scene! How does that happen?<br /><br />Still, "Mekkor" is one of the more memorable episodes, and the little robots are some of the more iconic images of the series, thanks to the fact that several scenes from this episode are used (in somewhat edited and reconfigured forms) during the opening titles of the <i>Herculoids</i> series.<br /><br />And now, we conclude with your Moment of <s>Zen</s> Tara cheesecake:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep08/mekkor33.jpg" width=320 height=242><br /><br />* Interesting observation: although the sources I use for original broadcast order and dates show "Mekkor" forming the second half of the September 30, 1967 show, the Warner Archive DVD (production order) pairs "The Pod Creatures" with "Mekkor". These two episodes are so similar that I don't think it's a good idea to watch these back-to-back, as you would if you played through the DVD episodes in their order.David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-56480929958112345032011-07-28T21:59:00.000-07:002011-09-27T07:46:35.621-07:00Tara in pastels<b>UPDATE:</b> I wasn't really happy with the previous drawing, so a couple of weeks later I tried again, with a result that I'm more satisfied with:
<object width="450" height="552"><param name="movie" value="http://backend.deviantart.com/embed/view.swf"><param name="flashvars" value="id=254394190&width=1337"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://backend.deviantart.com/embed/view.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="450" height="552" flashvars="id=254394190&width=1337" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br><a href="http://dcmatthews.deviantart.com/art/Tara-in-Pastels-2-254394190">Tara in Pastels 2</a> by *<a class="u" href="http://dcmatthews.deviantart.com/">dcmatthews</a> on <a href="http://www.deviantart.com">deviantART</a>
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Herculoids fan + slow day at the job + access to art materials = portrait of Tara:<br /><br /><object width="450" height="557"><param name="movie" value="http://backend.deviantart.com/embed/view.swf" /><param name="flashvars" value="id=245222469&width=1337" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://backend.deviantart.com/embed/view.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="450" flashvars="id=245222469&width=1337" height="557" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/245222469/">Tara in pastels</a> by *<a class="u" href="http://dcmatthews.deviantart.com/">dcmatthews</a> on <a href="http://www.deviantart.com">deviant</a><a href="http://www.deviantart.com">ART</a><br /><br />The more I look at it, though, the more I find wrong with it. I think I got the mouth too big, for one. And I wish I'd made the jaw a little rounder at the corners. Still, it was a way to a) kill some time, and b) draw (pun intended) attention to the fact that there was an artist on the street! An artist who'd draw your portrait or caricature for a nominal fee.<br /><br />(I went with Tara to see if anyone recognized her.) (They didn't.)David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-56107048198782760152011-07-27T15:05:00.000-07:002011-07-27T15:35:54.381-07:00Episode Review: #7, "The Spider Man" - Sept. 30, 1967<img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider01.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br /><b>Synopsis:</b><br /><br />A group of strange creatures - large, vaguely humanoid-shaped spider-like beings riding huge ant-like insects - traverse one of the jungles of Amzot.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider02.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Their leader orders a halt to the procession,,,<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider03.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />…they've arrived at the treehouse* residence of Zandor and his family.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider04.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Dorno, the only one we see at home, slides down a rope to the ground; the spider-men advance.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider05.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Tara calls out for her son…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider06.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />…but we see he's in no position to respond.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider07.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Dorno finally wriggles out of his captor's grasp just enough to yell a warning: "Look out, Tara!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider08.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />She gasps as she sees spider-men charging her from both sides! "Gloop!" she calls.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider09.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Gloop and Gleep, sitting on the branch of a nearby tree, hear Tara's cry.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider10.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Gloop stretches down to pluck Tara out of the path of the onrushing ant-steeds…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider11.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />...who collide painfully with each other.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider12.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Gleep blows a call on a shell-horn hanging from another nearby branch…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider13.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />…a call which is answered by Igoo…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider14.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />…and Tundro.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider15.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Zandor hears the alarm horn as well, and launches himself into action.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider16.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Igoo stands ready with a large tree-trunk serving as a club…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider17.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />…clobbering an approaching spider-man and his conveyance.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider18.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />The unhorsed (un-anted?) spider-creature confronts Igoo, wielding a staff. It fires a glob of some sort of sticky substance…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider19.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider20.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider21.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />…which pastes Igoo's fists to nearby tree trunks.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider22.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider23.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />From his vantage point high above the scene, Zok fires eye-beams which knock Igoo's assailant off his feet.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider24.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Another spider-man has seen his comrade's plight, and fires his weapon upwards (presumably at Zok).<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider25.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />But Tundro takes exception to the attack on his dragon-friend, and charges the spider-man, dodging blobs of paste and firing several energy rocks.<br /><br />The fleeing spider-man fails to notice the cliff they're heading for…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider26.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />…Tundro stops just in time to watch the attacker plunge to his fate at the bottom of the cliff.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider27.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Zandor and Tara embrace; "Are you all right, Tara?" "I'm all right… where's Dorno?"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider28.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />"If the Spider Men have him, we've got to intercept them at the entrance to the Endless Caves!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider29.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br /> Zok screams his distress at Dorno's plight.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Igoo strains at his bonds…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider30.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />…uprooting the trees!<br /><br />He's then able to throw off the trees themselves.<br /><br />Zandor, flying on Zok's neck, lands in a clearing. He orders Zok to find Igoo, and follow. He then strikes out for the Endless Caves.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider31.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider32.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />The Spider Men, still holding Dorno captive, are suddenly confronted by a large, very angry dragon, blocking the narrow pass they must cross to reach their home.<br /><br />Zok is able to dodge the globs fired at him.<br /><br />Zandor watches the Spider Men approach Zok, still firing their weapons. "Zok can't use his power ray because of Dorno. But if he can keep them busy, it may be my chance!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider33.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider34.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Swinging Tarzan-style from a convenient vine, Zandor snatches Dorno from the grasp of his kidnappers.<br /><br />"Come on, Dorno! We've got to move before they use their web-guns!"<br /><br />But the Spider Men are already aiming their weapons…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider35.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />"Zandor, look out!" But Dorno's warning comes too late: two well-placed blasts paste Zandor's hands to the rock wall! "Too late for me, Dorno! Run!!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider37.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />But Dorno, too, falls victim to the weird webbing.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider38.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Zok, watching from the pass, attacks the Spider Men with his eye-beams.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider39.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Two Spider Men jump from their steeds just as Zok disintegrates them.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider40.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Taking to the sky, Zok notes two more arachnid antagonists climbing the rocks to reach Zandor and Dorno. They notice him as well, and fire web-bolts that barely miss him.<br /><br />"Zok! Get Tara!" Zandor calls out. Zok zooms off.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider41.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Tara, riding on Tundro's back with Gloop and Gleep, with Igoo following closely behind, answers Zok's summons.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider42.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />From behind a boulder, Tara surveys the situation. "With Zandor and Dorno in their power, we can't make any mistakes!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider43.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />She quickly issues orders: "Tundro, you'll have to get past them and seal the entrance to the Endless Caves!" Tundro charges off to fulfill his mission.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider44.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />But two bolts of web-stuff restrain Tundro between two cliffs.<br /><br />Commercial break…<br /><br />Still unable to break his bonds, Tundro fires off several energy rocks.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider45.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />"They slowed him down, but they didn't stop him!" observes Dorno, as the explosive rocks slam into the rocks surrounding the mouth of the Endless Caves, causing a rockslide that blocks the opening.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider46.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Gleep comes bouncing up the hill toward the Spider Men harassing Zandor and Dorno.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider47.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />The arachnoids fire their web-guns, but Gleep is able to avoid their bolts by assuming various shapes.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider48.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />"Go help Gleep, Igoo!" implores Tara.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider49.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />The Spider Men are once again attacking Zok, until Igoo lifts, from below, the rock they're standing on…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider50.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />…and tosses them at the blocked cave entrance.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider51.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider52.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider53.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Zok finds Zandor and Dorno, freeing them from their web-bonds with carefully-placed power beams.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider54.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />"You all right, Dorno?" "I'm fine." But the web-bursts splattering the nearby rocks, too close for comfort, remind them that they won't stay all right if they don't find shelter!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider55.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />From their vantage point, Tara remarks to Gloop, "At least Dorno and Zandor are free!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider56.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />But below them, the Spider Men discover their presence. "They're shooting at <i>us!"</i> cries Tara.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider57.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />One of the Spider Men notes a precarious-looking pile of boulders balanced on the edge of a cliff overlooking Tara and Gloop.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider58.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />They use their web-guns to dislodge the rocks, to crush Tara and Gloop. "Look out, Gloop!" shouts Tara…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider59.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />…but it's Gloop who protects Tara from a rocky doom, and the Spider Men barely escape becoming victims of their own trap, dodging the rocks that bounced off Gloop's back. "Thank you, Gloop! That shook them up, all right!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider60.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />The Spider Men resume their attack on Zandor and Dorno. "They haven't given up yet!" says Dorno. Zandor, slingshot at the ready, replies, "And neither have I!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider61.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Firing energy rocks, and dodging web-bolts, Zandor tries to make his way closer to the mouth of the Endless Caves.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider62.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider63.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />But the persistence of the Spider Men creates a standoff. "They don't know when to quit! It looks like we'll have to team up the Herculoids! Zok! Down here! Igoo… Tundro… Gloop… Gleep… Get ready!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider64.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Tundro, finally freed from the web-bolts, responds to Zandor's call by stretching his ten legs to a towering height.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider65.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Igoo uproots a thick tree.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider66.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider67.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider68.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider69.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider70.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />"Wait for my signal!" commands Zandor. Zok, Tundro and Igoo ready their weapons; Gloop stretches up to a pile of boulders on a nearby cliff, while Gleep is ready with his own little rock.<br /><br />Slingshot cocked, Zandor shouts "NOW!!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider71.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider73.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider74.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />The cave mouth, already covered by the earlier rockslide, is now barraged by an onslaught of boulders, tree trunks, energy rocks, and power beams!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider76.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />But are the Spider Men gone? Zandor uses Gloop as a perch from which to survey the site: "Looks like they managed to squeeze through those rocks!"<br /><br />"You mean they're back in the Endless Caves?" asks Dorno. "Yes," answers Zandor, "and once they're in there, we'll never find them!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider77.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />"Someday I'll have to go in there and make sure they stop these raids!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider78.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Tundro growls; patting his cheek, Zandor reassures him, "And if I do, Tundro, you can come with me!"<br /><br />* I'm calling that strange, giant plant they live in a "tree" until I can find out for certain what it's called.<br /><br /><b>Comments:</b><br /><br />A quibble with the title: why "The Spider <i>Man"</i> (singular) when the story involves a goodly number of them?<br /><br />A welcome change from the series of extraplanetary enemies the Herculoids have faced in recent episodes: a "homegrown" menace, so to speak. We do need an occasional reminder that the population of Amzot consists of more than just three humans and five animals, after all! So, so far we've "met" <a href="http://mekkor.blogspot.com/2010/07/episode-review-1-beaked-people-sept-9.html" target="_blank">the Parrot People, the Monkey People,</a> and <a href="http://mekkor.blogspot.com/2010/11/episode-review-5-mole-men-sept-23-1967.html" target="_blank">The Mole Men</a>. Now we can add the Spider Men (are there any "Spider Women"? or do they reproduce asexually? or what?) to that list. And I have a sneaking suspicion we'll be meeting more in future episodes…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider46.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />I thought that was Gloop charging up the hill at Zandor and Dorno's nemeses, until Tara refers to him as "Gleep". Sounds more like Gloop to me.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider06.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Continuity blooper: when Dorno is captured, the arachnoid is covering his mouth with his upper <i>left</i> hand…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider07.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />…but Dorno slips out of the grip of the Spider Man's upper <i>right</i> hand! (something I didn't notice until I was making these screencaps.)<br /><br />The other day, I had an epiphany concerning the Herculoids; and it came courtesy of a writer who poses as a redneck movie reviewer.<br /><br />Years ago, our local paper would run a syndicated column, "Joe Bob Goes to the Drive-In". (The column may still exist for all I know, but the paper no longer carries it.) The author, John Bloom (a.k.a. "Joe Bob Briggs"), reviewed low-budget exploitation movies like <i>Maniac Cop, Lobster Man from Mars,</i> and <i>Vampire Circus</i>.<br /><br />One of the things he'd complain about most often in these movies was expressed with the phrase, "Too much plot getting in the way of the story." To illustrate his meaning: the "story" of <I>Friday the 13th</I> was the serial killer wiping out a group of teenagers one by one. The "plot", then, was the mechanics of getting the killer and the victims together so the "story" can commence. When those mechanics get too involved, or start trying to flesh out the characters beyond a brief description (the busty blonde party girl, the brainy geeky shy guy who can't get dates, etc.), then there's "too much plot getting in the way of the story." (Although JBB will also use the phrase to describe movies in which too much is happening that has nothing to do with the plot <i>or</i> the story, but were thrown in because the filmmakers thought it'd be cool to do 'em.)<br /><br />Seen in that light, the "story" of every Herculoids episode would be Zandor and co. using their skills and fantastic powers against their enemies. When you only have nine or so minutes to tell that story, there isn't much (if any) time for plot. So it is with "The Spider Man": the spider men show up, kidnap Dorno, the Herculoids follow them back to the Endless Caves, mayhem ensues.<br /><br />To facilitate the story, then, we note that Zandor already knew, not only of the existence of the Spider Men, but the fact that they lived in the Endless Caves. And one of Zandor's last lines in the episode implies that the Spider Men make a horrendous habit of conducting raids upon the other races of Amzot. Why they targeted Zandor's family this time isn't explained, but it shouldn't be difficult to speculate. Perhaps, if Zandor not only knew of the Spider Men's predations but attempted to stop them in the past, then their "visit" to Zandor's home was motivated by revenge.<br /><br />So, as much as I complain about some stories suffering from a too-short running time, maybe "The Spider Man" is one of the few that still works well as a nine-minute cartoon, and wouldn't necessarily be better for expanding the story. There <i>is</i> a fine line between "expanding" and "padding"...<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider43.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />I'm happy to see Tara given a bigger role in the story than usual… Hmm: a thought just occurred to me: maybe the reason Zandor has Tara staying behind every other episode (seemingly) is not because of the male-sexist attitudes of the writers, but because Tara (and Gleep, who's usually the one left behind to "guard" her) are the "reserves", so to speak. They're the ones who can come in and rescue Zandor and the others if things get out of hand, as they did this very episode. So maybe this is Zandor being a brilliant strategist.<br /><br />…or maybe it really is Zandor just being a male-sexist pig.<br /><br />The closest we have to an <b>"Oh, come ON!" moment</b> is when we see Tundro stretching his legs:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider64.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />Okay, I can accept that he shoots energy rocks out of his forehead horn; I could probably even speculate on how, if pressed to do so. But stretching his legs 20 feet or so? Nuh-uh!<br /><br />Notice that his legs remain the same width as they grow; they're somehow adding mass. From where?? (They'd have to, to continue supporting his weight at that height - and I'd say Tundro weighs at least as much as, if not more than, a full-grown bull elephant.)<br /><br />And, ultimately, for what? The next time Tundro appears, he's apparently down to his normal height. So what was the purpose of showing him doing that? With budget and running time at a premium, this was a waste of both.<br /><br />And you know you've come to the end of the review when you get to the Tara pic:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider05.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep07/spider08.jpg" width=320 height=241><br /><br />I just like posting pics of Tara…David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-57532083672631916642011-07-26T11:36:00.000-07:002011-07-26T12:16:00.666-07:00DVD Talk reviews Herculoids DVDI read this myself about a month ago, but for some reason neglected to share it with you here. That oversight is being rectified now...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dvdtalk.com/" target="_blank">DVD Talk</a>, a website devoted to news and reviews of DVDs and Blu-Ray discs, has launched a new series of columns. <i><a href="http://www.dvdtalk.com/features/the_mod_squad_h.html" target="_blank">The M.O.D. Squad</a></i> concentrates on reviews of the growing number of manufacture-on-demand (M.O.D.) DVDs hitting the market, including those from Warner Archives, so naturally they turn their sights on <i>The Herculoids: The Complete Original Series</i>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/50740/herculoids-the-complete-series-the/?___rd=1" target="_blank">The review, written by Jamie S. Rich</a>, is mostly fair, even though he gives the set a "Rent It" recommendation (which I see as a two-and-a-half to three stars out of five). The best line out of the review: <i>"The Herculoids</i> is... an artifact from a time when animation was maybe bigger on ideas than the execution allowed for." (And if you've read any of this blog, you know that's my reaction as well.)David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-77822936733971574862011-07-11T10:14:00.000-07:002011-07-18T22:16:55.254-07:00Episode reviews - what order?So now that I know that the episodes on Warner Archive's <i>Herculoids</i> DVD are presented in production order, I'm giving some thought about how to present my episode reviews.<br /><br />I'm considering re-ordering the reviews to match the DVD order (which would, for example, make the first episode I reviewed, "The Beaked People", the <i>fifth</i> episode.) This would mean going back and editing the posts to remove the broadcast dates from the reviews already published, and going forward with reviews in DVD order regardless of broadcast order.<br /><br />I could continue with broadcast order, but I'm coming to think that the listing I've been using (found in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Herculoids" target="_blank">Wikipedia article</a> is inaccurate. While that listing doesn't show which episodes were shown together in the same half-hour show, it's easy to see which ones were shown together: odd-numbered episodes were the first episode in the show (and do not have prologues), while even-numbered episodes were the second feature of each half-hour (and do include prologues). However, episode #33 is listed as "The Antidote" which I know has a prologue and therefore could not be the first episode of the half-hour; this calls the accuracy of the rest of the list into question.<br /><br />And I have doubts about the reliability of the <a href="http://www.bcdb.com/cartoons/Hanna-Barbera_Studios/G-J/The_Herculoids/index.html" target="_blank">episode list at The Big Cartoon DataBase</a> because they list "The Raiders (sic) Apes" as the second episode of the premiere show on Sept. 9, 1967 instead of "The Raiders" as Wikipedia lists it. Basically, the positions of "The Raiders" and The Raider Apes" were switched, as were the positions of "The Lost Dorgyte" and "Destroyer Ants" (within the same half-hour show), and "The Antidote" and "Attack from Space" (also within the same half-hour, although the BCDB might have the correct order, with "Attack from Space" (no prologue) being the first episode of the show).<br /><br />The Wikipedia and BCDB listings do agree in most of the entries, though, which is better than I can say for some fan sites I've seen, some of which list "The Mutoids" as the first broadcast episode (both Wikipedia and BCDB list it as the first episode of the <i>final</i> half-hour show!).<br /><br />This is important to me because I want to present accurate information; ultimately I'd like to see this blog become the "go-to" site for information and general Herculoids geekery :) (This is why I present the episode reviews with a straightforward synopsis of the episode, and save the opinions I have about the episode for the commentary section.)<br /><br />...okay. I've decided. I'm using a combination of the Wikipedia and BCDB listings, resolving any conflicts as I can, until I can get my hands on an authoritative list of the broadcast order (complete with dates) of the original shows. So the next episode review will be "The Spider Man", posted whenever I can get it done.<br /><br />(<b>EDIT:</b> And, as a compromise, I've added a list to the sidebar there on the right of the episodes as they appear on the Warner Archives DVD. When I finish a review for an episode, I'll add a live link to the title in the list.)David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-20083963493521428442011-07-05T21:31:00.000-07:002011-07-05T21:34:49.463-07:00New blog header picI finally got around to putting an actual picture in the blog title - a collage of scenes from various episodes.<br /><br />One of these days, though, I'm doing some original art for the header.David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-11774209432391215162011-07-02T22:29:00.000-07:002011-07-02T23:08:48.078-07:00Undertones?? What undertones?Earlier this week, the website IGN posted <a href="http://dvd.ign.com/articles/117/1179019p1.html" target="_blank">its review</a> of Warner Archive's <i>The Herculoids: The Complete Original Series</i> DVD. For the most part it's a pretty even-handed, fair review; its bottom line (like mine) was that this is a must-have for fans of the series, calling it "campy, nostalgic fun." (One factual error: the review states that the episodes are presented in the original broadcast order; I tweeted @WarnerArchive asking if that was true, and got back the answer that they're actually in original <i>production</i> order.)<br /><br />But there is a statement in the review I have to take vehement exception to: opining that the series "has slowly evolved over the years into something much funnier than it was back in 1967 when it first hit the airwaves", the (uncredited) reviewer writes, "There's a thin layer of hilarious homoerotic undertones reminiscent of today's Ambiguously Gay Duo."<br /><br />WTF?????<br /><br />I'd love to know what constitutes a "homoerotic undertone" for this guy (yeah, I'm assuming it's a guy), because the only element I can find at all in the series that <i>might</i> be considered such is that the two male leads (Zandor and Dorno) both walk around in some pretty skimpy clothing.<br /><br />But that wouldn't have anything to do with them living on what is sometimes nicknamed "the <i>jungle</i> planet", would it? Where the weather is presumably <i>hot</i> all the time? And heavier clothing would be cumbersome and impractical? I mean, look at Tara: she's wearing as few clothes as the CBS censors probably allowed, given the time period (late 1960s) and the fact this was considered "children's programming". Why, then, aren't there "heteroerotic undertones"?<br /><br />Finding these supposed "homoerotic undertones" vis-a-vis Zandor and Dorno, actually, is perverted given the fact that these two are <i>father and son!</i> I've not seen anything in the way Zandor treats Dorno that is in any way outside the bounds of how you'd expect a dad to interact with his son. (Not that a lot of screen time was devoted to character development anyway; the most unusual aspect of the relationship between Dorno and his parents is that he addresses them by their names instead of as "Father" and "Mother", or even as "Mom" and "Dad". But that may be because there was an ultimately short-lived and limited vogue at the time for some "enlightened" parents to encourage their children to refer to them by first names. And maybe the writers of <i>The Herculoids</i> simply thought it made the characters sound just a bit more "alien" this way.)<br /><br />Okay, maybe I'm just so straight that a homoerotic undertone has to walk up and bitch-slap me before I'll recognize it. But to me, supposition of these "undertones' says more about the reviewer than it does about the show.David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-77212809984153946502011-06-20T21:12:00.000-07:002011-06-30T20:36:30.414-07:00DVD Review: "The Herculoids: The Complete Original Series"<b>UPDATED:</b> See note at end of post<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/herculoids_dvdbox.jpg" align=left><ul><li><b>Series premiere:</b> Sept. 9, 1967 on CBS</li><br /><li><b>DVD release:</b> June 14, 2011<br /><li><b>Created by:</b> Alex Toth</li><br /><li><b>Stories by</b>: Ken Spears, Joe Ruby, David Scott</li><br /><li><b>Voices:</b> Mike Road (Zandor, Zok, Igoo, Tundro); Virginia Gregg (Tara); Ted Eccles (Dorno); Don Messick (Gloop, Gleep)</li></ul><br /><br /><br />Let me say up front: I have been waiting for this release ever since the DVD format became public. I was a huge fan of <i>The Herculoids</i> when I was a child, watching these strange but lovable creatures and their battles with the nefarious forces - some from off-planet, some native to the planet - who sought to destroy, enslave, or exploit the planet Amzot and its inhabitants.<br /><br />And as I saw Warner Home Video release series after series of Hanna-Barbera cartoons like <i>The Jetsons, The Flintstones, Wacky Races, The Perils of Penelope Pitstop, Josie and the Pussycats, Birdman and the Galaxy Trio</i> and <i>Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?</i> (as well as the other two series that, together with <i>The Herculoids</i> makes up my own "holy trinity" of H-B action cartoons, <i>Jonny Quest</i> and <i>Space Ghost and Dino Boy)</i>, my heart held hope that some day Zok, Tara, Tundro, Gloop and their friends would join their brethren on my DVD shelf. That day has come at last with the release of <i>The Herculoids: The Complete Original Animated Series</i> on the Warner Archive label.<br /><br />Okay, let me get this out of the way: I'm disappointed that WB Home Video (WBHV) didn't see fit to give <i>The Herculoids</i> the same "deluxe" treatment that <i>Jonny Quest</i> and <i>Space Ghost</i> got, nicely remastered with a good (if not extensive) selection of bonus materials. (Even the one bonus feature <i>The Herculoids</i> gets is recycled from an earlier WBHV release; more about that later.) I'd have liked to see galleries of concept art, storyboards, model sheets, etc.; I even fantasized about a bonus CD of soundtrack music.<br /><br />But given the economic realities of the times, and the declining sales of DVDs lately, I can't fault WBHV for not going all-out for this set. <i>The Herculoids</i> debuted in 1967: 44 years ago! Most of its original fans are *ahem* as old as me, and the series is not well-known even by knowledgeable fans of Hanna-Barbera. So WBHV (probably correctly) saw at best a niche market for a release of the original series; were it not for manufacture-on-demand (MOD) technology, we probably wouldn't be able to enjoy even this release. So, while I'm disappointed that the kind of "deluxe" release I'd hoped for will more than likely never see the light of day, I am grateful that at least we have the original cartoons in a collectible form.<br /><br />As stated on the <a href="http://www.wbshop.com/Herculoids-The-Complete-Original-Animated-Series/1000210842,default,pd.html?AID=10811526&PID=3821628" target="_blank">product page at the Warner Archives site</a>, these episodes have not been "remastered or restored specifically" for DVD, so there's a little dust and other flaws in the transfer. But honestly, there are so many instances of dirt on the production cels themselves that it's hard to tell which is which; in any event, what there may be is not so noticeable as to be distracting unless you're a demanding videophile, so I'll rate picture quality as "good, not quite great", although this is the best these cartoons have looked in years! (These cartoons will actually look better on smaller screens.)<br /><br />The sound is the original mono from the original broadcasts; back in the day stereo soundtracks weren't produced even for prime time shows. These episodes sound as good as they can be expected to sound given the age of the materials involved, so once again, I'm rating "good, not great".<br /><br />As for the content: as I mentioned before, I was a huge Herculoids fan when I was a child, and even today I carry a great fondness for the concept and the characters. Looking at these cartoons as an adult (moreover, as an adult who was inspired by shows like this, <i>Space Ghost, et al</i> to become an illustrator/cartoonist who dabbles in action/adventure comics), I see an imaginative and spectacular concept that didn't reach its full potential due to tight production schedules, minuscule budgets, and the decision that each half-hour program would consist of two 10-to-11 minute episodes instead of one full-length episode. The short running times reduce many of the stories to "shorthand" versions of plots that become somewhat repetitive and formulaic, because almost no time could be devoted to character interactions or explorations of the potentially fascinating creatures and cultures featured in some episodes (such as "The Raider Apes", the Parrot Men from "The Beaked People", or the Reptons from "Ruler of the Reptons").<br /><br />But having said that, there's still a lot of fun to be had from watching the Herculoids in action; whether it's Tundro shooting energy rocks from his forehead horn, Zok firing "laser" beams from his eyes, or Gloop and/or Gleep assuming their many and varied forms!<br /><br />I have a couple of quibbles with the presentation, however: I'd have liked to see the shows presented in their original broadcast order [SEE UPDATE BELOW], and some reassurance that the episodes are complete and unedited, especially as regards the prologues to the second cartoon in the half-hour program. (In their original broadcasts, the first cartoon would start after the first commercial break following the opening credits. At the conclusion of the first cartoon, a brief prologue teased the next adventure. These prologues were often edited out of the episodes during their rebroadcasts on the Cartoon Network and Boomerang cable channels.) "Time Creatures" on Disc 1, in particular, seems to start very abruptly as Dorno confronts invaders from Amzot's future, and I wonder if this episode is missing a prologue. It's hard to tell without knowing whether it's the first or the second episode in the show. (Although according to both the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Herculoids" target="_blank">Wikipedia article</a> and the <a href="http://www.bcdb.com/cartoons/Hanna-Barbera_Studios/G-J/The_Herculoids/index.html" target="_blank">Big Cartoon Database entry</a>, "Time Creatures" <i>is</i> the first episode of the show, so maybe the abrupt start is a bit of experimentation on the part of the writers and animators.)<br /><br />There's no mention of it on the case, but there is one bonus feature, recycled from an earlier WBHV release, "Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s Volume 1": a short (4 1/2 minute) mini-doc entitled "The Herculoids" First family of Quasar". It's mostly talking heads, animation historians like Jerry Beck and animation professionals like Paul Dini and Mark Evanier talking about the appeal of the Herculoids to young (mostly male) viewers (one interviewee refers to the concept as "dinosaurs in space" which really isn't far off the mark), the contributions of designer Alex Toth on Saturday morning animation, and the influences on and of <i>The Herculoids</i>. The highlights of the feature are the (all-too-brief) glimpses we get of concept art, model sheets, and storyboards. (My own wishlist for bonus features would have been to have a gallery of this production art on the DVD.)<br /><br />(Odd that the feature is entitled "First Family of Quasar", though, since the name "Quasar" wasn't used for the Herculoids' home planet until the 1980s "Space Stars" revival of the characters; the few times their planet wasn't referred to as "Zandor's planet" or other such nickname, it was known as "Amzot", <a href="http://mekkor.blogspot.com/2010/07/amzot-not-quasar.html" target="_blank">which I think is a much cooler name anyway.</a>)<br /><br />Bottom line: this is a "must-have" for fans of the show; it might be an acquired taste for those unfamiliar with the show from its original run or its Cartoon Network/Boomerang repeats. And I salute Warner Archive for finally making <i>The Herculoids</i> available on DVD!<br /><br /><b>UPDATE, June 30 2011:</b> According to a tweet I received from <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/WarnerArchive" target="_blank">@WarnerArchive</a>, the episodes are presented in original <i>production</i> order, e.g. the order in which they were made.David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-76951134928835856512011-06-15T07:50:00.000-07:002011-06-15T07:59:33.894-07:00Herculoids fan art by yerz trooly<object width="450" height="560"><param name="movie" value="http://backend.deviantart.com/embed/view.swf" /><param name="flashvars" value="id=213221567&width=1337" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://backend.deviantart.com/embed/view.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="450" flashvars="id=213221567&width=1337" height="560" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/213221567/">First Family of AMZOT</a> by *<a class="u" href="http://dcmatthews.deviantart.com/">dcmatthews</a> on <a href="http://www.deviantart.com">deviant</a><a href="http://www.deviantart.com">ART</a>David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-82088545532775349502011-06-08T10:10:00.000-07:002011-06-15T08:28:06.640-07:00Preview video clip for Herculoids DVD!The website <a href="http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/" target="_blank">TV Shows on DVD</a> has been great at alerting me about news of the release of <a href="http://www.wbshop.com/Herculoids-The-Complete-Original-Animated-Series/1000210842,default,pd.html?AID=10811526&PID=3821628" target="_blank">The Herculoids - The Complete Original Animated Series</a> from Warner Archives. And now, they've <a href="http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Herculoids-The-Complete-Series/15489" target="_blank">posted a video clip</a> from the set!<br /><br />The order page for the DVD states that "This film has been manufactured from the best-quality video master currently available and has <b>not</b> been remastered or restored specifically for this DVD and Digital Download release" (emphasis mine), but still, if the preview clip is any indication of the quality of the rest of the set, it'll still look GREAT! And I am even happier than before that I already have my pre-order in for it. I am stoked! Once I receive the Herculoids set, my three favorite Hanna-Barbera cartoons shows (also including <i>Space Ghost</i> and <i>Jonny Quest</i>) will be in my collection on DVD, fulfilling a long-time desire.<br /><br />BTW, those of you who are fans of the show might just recognize the clip as an excerpt from the episode "Mekkor", which I'll be reviewing episode after next (next up is "The Spider Man" - and no, no Marvel characters appear in that story!).<br /><br /><B>UPDATE:</b> Found <a href="http://www.movieweb.com/news/exclusive-the-herculoids-the-complete-original-animated-series-dvd-clip" target="_blank">another preview clip!</a> This one's from <a href="http://mekkor.blogspot.com/2010/07/episode-review-3-pod-creatures-sept-16.html" target="_blank">"The Pod Creatures"</a>.<br /><br /><B>UPATE 2:</b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OceyTYnAmyg&feature=channel_video_title">Found a third clip on YouTube;</a> once again, from "Mekkor". This one, though, needs a spoiler warning because it gives away the climax of the cartoon.David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-64763518005835301092011-06-07T18:18:00.001-07:002012-02-20T20:30:41.379-08:00Episode Review: #6, "The Pirates" - Sept. 23, 1967<B>NOTE:</B> I have no idea why some of the images are only partially loading. The files I have display completely and correctly in Photoshop, and I've replaced the problem pics repeatedly, but the problem just won't go away. My apologies.<br /><br />(My copy of this episode did not include a prologue, but because this was the second story of this half-hour, I assume there was one. Fortunately, it doesn't seem too important to the plot.)<br /><br /><b>UPDATE:</b> "The Pirates" actually appears as the very first episode of the first half-hour show on the <a href="http://mekkor.blogspot.com/2011/06/dvd-review-herculoids-complete-original.html" target="_blank">Warner Archive DVD release</a>. Since the episodes are arranged in production order (instead of broadcast order), I have to assume there was never a prologue to this episode. This makes pinning down Sept. 23, 1967 as the original broadcast date very problematic, since both <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Herculoids#Original_series" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a> and <a href="http://www.bcdb.com/cartoons/Hanna-Barbera_Studios/G-J/The_Herculoids/" target="_blank">The Big Cartoon Database</a> list "The Pirates" as the second cartoon in the program, "The Mole Men" being the first.<br /><br /><B>SYNOPSIS:</B><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates01.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates02.jpg" height=240 width=320><br /><br />A sinister spaceship hurtles through the stellar void, a small explosion occurring just behind them.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates03.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />Inside the craft, two humanoid figures lay in glass tubes protruding from the bulkhead. Nearby, the captain of the crew questions his second-in-command: "Has their ship been destroyed, Lieutenant?" "Yes, sir, without a trace."<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates04.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br /><br />"Good." The crew is gathered around a large bin full of sparkling gems. "We have what we came for." As for the prisoners?<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates05.jpg" height=238 width=320><br /><br />"Dispose of them in the usual way."<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates07.jpg" height=243 width=320><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates08.jpg" height=240 width=320><br /><br />The "usual way" consists of shooting the "orbit capsules" into space like torpedoes. "Let the Patrol recover them," the leader orders. "Head for Zandor's planet!" The ship picks up speed as it heads for its new destination.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates09.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />Finding a suitable spot, the ship comes to a hovering rest over the ground of the planet. "Post two guards while we bury the chest!" orders the captain.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates10.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />Two hovercraft exit through a hatch on top of the ship, as the two sentries take up positions.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates11.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates14.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />Underneath the ship, an energy beam burns a hole into the ground, into which the treasure chest is lowered under the captain's watchful eye. But one of the guards has a report: "A party approaches!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates15.jpg" height=240 width=320><br /><br />He's spotted Igoo and Tundro, with Dorno on Tundro's back, unwittingly nearing the site of the treasure burial. The captain gives the order: "Whoever approaches must be eliminated!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates12.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />"Hey, what's that?" exclaims Dorno as he spots the onrushing hovercraft.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates13.jpg" height=243 width=320><br /><br />The pirate guard opens fire on Dorno, who takes refuge behind a boulder.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates16.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />The hovercraft attack Igoo and Tundro, easily evading Tundro's energy rocks and Igoo's grasp.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates19.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />But Tundro makes a prodigious leap and impales one of the hovercraft on his horn.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates20.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />He tosses the craft to Igoo, who crushes it in his paws.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates21.jpg" height=243 width=320><br /><br />The pirate guard escapes via jet backpack, as Igoo bellows his frustration.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates22.jpg" height=243 width=320><br /><br />The other hovercraft pirate then attacks Igoo with his ray pistol, but to little effect.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates23.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />Comes the cavalry to the rescue, in the form of Zandor a-dragonback on Zok.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates24.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />The pirate sees another new target…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates25.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />…but Zandor intercepts the blaster bolt with his shield. And now it's Zok's turn…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates26.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates27.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />…scoring a direct hit on the hovercraft.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates28.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />The two pirate guards, now reduced to jet backpacks for mobility, evade another blast from Zok's eyes and report that they are being attacked by "a man on a winged creature!"<br /><br />"It is Zandor!" repiles the captain. "Return to the ship at once!"<br /><br />Zandor notes that the escapees are heading for the thick jungle. "There may be a lot more invading the planet! Leave me here, Zok! You go warn Tara; I'll look for Dorno!"<br /><br />But the escaping pirates have found Dorno first! "Get going, Tundro!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates29.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />The pirates fire their ray pistols at Dorno; direct hits! But the rays have the effect of paralyzing Dorno, and lifting him off Tundro's back.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates30.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />Tundro realizes too late that Dorno is gone, as the pirates carry Dorno back to the ship.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates31.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />At the top of the cliff overlooking the ship, Igoo watches in helpless frustration as the hatch closes, trapping his young friend inside!<br /><br /><i>Commercial break!</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates32.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />Inside the ship, the pirate captain gloats over capturing the son of Zandor, "the perfect hostage!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates33.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />The ship's engines prepare for takeoff, but a well-placed boulder thrown by Igoo from the cliff above squashes that plan (as well as the engine). Zandor finds Igoo, who points out the ship. "So that's it! Space pirates burying their stolen treasure!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates34.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />Just then, a warning from the pirate captain: the hatch on top of the ship opens to reveal Dorno, a blaster pistol held to his head by the pirate behind him. "Either you allow us to make repairs, or you will never see him alive again! You have only minutes to decide!" as the hatch closes again.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates36.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />Understandably, Igoo wants to crush some evil space pirate skulls; "No, Igoo!" A familiar screech is heard from the sky above: Zok has returned, bearing Tara, Gloop and Gleep.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates37.jpg" height=243 width=320><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates38.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />Tara, of course, is distressed by her son's plight; but Gloop has a plan.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates39.jpg" height=240 width=320><br /><br />On the viewscreen inside the ship, Zandor is seen signaling his willingness to talk. "Open up," orders the captain, "but be prepared for tricks!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates40.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />Gloop, meanwhile, is taking a strategic position just under the ship.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates50.jpg" height=240 width=320><br /><br />"Do you think it'll work?" asks Tara. "It's got to work!" is Zandor's reply.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates34.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />The hatch opens again, with Dorno and his guard once again visible. "Your time is up, Zandor," intones the pirate captain. "You have three seconds; yes or no? One! …Two…!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates41.jpg" height=243 width=320><br /><br />Gloop stretches up to the open hatch and surrounds Dorno on the count of "Three!" The pirate guard fires at Dorno, point-blank range - but Gloop's embrace protects the youngster from harm! Dorno is then whisked quickly out of the hatch, and the clutches of the pirate gang!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates42.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />The captain's orders: "Your weapons! Use them!!" But Gloop stretches up again and wraps himself around the pirate guard, flinging him roughly out of the hatch.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates43.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />"Now let's get out of here!" Dorno tells Gloop.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates44.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />"It's Zandor or us! A fight to the finish!!" the enraged pirate captain exclaims, as he gives the order to "Man all flying torpedoes - and attack!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates45.jpg" height=243 width=320><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates47.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />We see three hovercraft exit the ship to attack the Herculoids. "You know what to do!" Zandor shouts to his friends.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates48.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates49.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />Igoo picks up one of his favorite weapons: a huge log - which would've taken out all three craft at once, but the pirates' ray pistols stop the log in its trajectory, and burns it to a cinder!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates51.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates52.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates54.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />A flying torpedo fires a beam from its underside, lifting Igoo into the air, and dropping him!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates55.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />"He'll crash on the rocks!" Dorno exclaims in terror. But not if Gloop can help it…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates56.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />Igoo bounces off the trampoline-form of Gloop…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates57.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />…with enough upward momentum to shatter the hovercraft!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates58.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />The other two hovercraft attack Zandor; but from his position on Tundro's back he fires an energy rock at them; Tundro fires two more from his forehead horn.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates59.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />The force of the exploding rocks crumples the hovercraft, when then explode!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates60.jpg" height=239 width=320><br /><br />From the top of the cliff, Tara and Dorno watch the battle, unaware of a fourth pirate hovercraft which has gotten the drop on them!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates61.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />But Gleep's gotten the drop on the pirate…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates62.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />…and forced it to crash into a not-so-nearby tree.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates63.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />Two more hovercraft appear; "They're all yours, Zok!" Zandor shouts to the dragon.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates64.jpg" height=240 width=320><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates65.jpg" height=240 width=320><br /><br />"My crew is gone! But if I have enough power, I can still take off!" The crippled ship does indeed possess enough power to lift off…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates66.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />…but Igoo stands in wait for it.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates67.jpg" height=240 width=320><br /><br />He grabs the ship as it passes, and manages to pull it back, before tossing it on a course of <i>his</i> devising…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates68.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />…into the face of a cliff!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates69.jpg" height=241 width=320><br /><br />"He didn't make it," Dorno astutely observes. Zandor agrees: "Thanks to Igoo, his pirate days are over!"<br /><br />"What about the treasure they buried?" asks Dorno. "We'll leave it there, and forget it," Zandor replies. "And let's hope no one ever finds it!"<br /><br /><br /><b>Commentary:</b><br /><br />Heh, between this story and the previous one ("The Mole Men"), we've covered two staples of science-fantasy: mole men and space pirates.<br /><br />But as tempting as it is to make "arrr matey!"-type comments whenever pirates are mentioned, they aren't really appropriate here. While this unnamed captain and his crew do fulfill the technical definition of pirates - they hijack space-faring vessels and "relieve" them of their valuables - there's really not much to associate them with the pop-culture stereotype of pirates that are all the rage now. The captain does not carry a robotic parrot on his shoulder (as do the pirates featured in at least one episode each of <i>Lost In Space</i> and <i>Doctor Who</i>; the crew doesn't use nautical terms in their speech; indeed, the only concession to pirate imagery is a vaguely death's-head-looking symbol on their uniforms and on their vehicles:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates21.jpg" height=243 width=320><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates18.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />This is actually a credit to the writers of the episode for <i>not</i> giving in to that temptation. I don't think, even as a child, I would've taken these characters seriously as villains had they been portrayed as simply outer-space versions of Long John Silver.<br /><br />Plot-wise, though, this is little more than a variation on the second story, "The Raiders": Dorno serves the same "hostage" role that Tara fulfilled in the earlier story, but the basic plot is the same. So there's not a whole lot to say about this episode that wasn't already written about "The Raiders".<br /><br />I do wonder, however, how Zandor's reputation has gotten out to the rest of the galaxy given how few people actually <i>survive</i> their encounters with the Herculoids; also, how many nefarious types still target Amzot for their evil schemes despite the fact that nobody has yet succeeded in defeating Zandor and his troupe!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates07.jpg" height=243 width=320><br /><br />And isn't it considerate of the pirates to eject their prisoners into space where there's at least some chance of being rescued, rather than killing them outright? Yeah, yeah, I know it's not mercy on the part of the pirates, it's the unwillingness of the writers of children's shows to make their villains <i>too</i> villainous, lest the pressure groups come down on them. (And in many ways <i>The Herculoids</i> was one of the more violent cartoon series of the time, with plenty of implied deaths! And indeed the pressure groups <i>did</i> come down on the superhero and sci-fi cartoons of the time, resulting in the replacement of shows like <i>The Herculoids</i>, <i>Space Ghost</i>, and <i>Birdman</i> with lighter fare like <i>Wacky Races</i> and <i>Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?</i>)<br /><br /><b>The "Oh, Come ON!" Moment?</b> I have to say that, as rote as the plot in this cartoon was, it actually was told better than some of the others I've seen lately, so an OCO moment was hard to come by. Pressed to choose one, I'd have to pick the moment, at the climax of the story, that Igoo grabs the escaping pirate ship and <i>stops it</i> in mid-flight. I don't doubt that Igoo possesses the strength to do so, but where does his <i>anchorage</i> come from? What's rooting him to that rock he's standing on that allows him to stop the ship, rather than the ship carrying him off? And this is a concept that is not at all unique to this episode; it seems to be a staple of almost all superhero shows, and shows that feature people (or creatures) of extraordinary abilities. How many times have you seen a superhero in a movie or TV show stop a carful of escaping crooks by simply standing in front of the car and letting it crash into him, while he stands immobile as a rock? Once again, it's a matter of strength or invulnerability, it's anchorage: if the hero only weighs, say 200 or 250 pounds, that's not enough <i>weight</i> to stop an oncoming car. The car would knock him off his feet! His purpose would still be accomplished; the crash would disable the car, stopping the crooks' escape, and the hero's invulnerability would protect him from injury, but he wouldn't be able to just stand there unbudging like Juggernaut from <i>X-Men</i> (who possesses some mutant power that gives him that anchorage, from what I understand).<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep06/pirates46.jpg" height=242 width=320><br /><br />When the captain sends his crew on the "fight to the finish" versus the Herculoids, Zandor makes an interesting statement: "Here they come! You know what to do!" A tacit acknowledgement, perhaps that this sort of thing happens so often (alien invaders/ravagers/scum attack the planet) that the Herculoids have formulated and practiced "standard" defense strategies against them? (It would actually make sense…)David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-21607876267651540552011-05-08T16:32:00.000-07:002011-05-09T20:07:22.491-07:00It's Finally Happening! Herculoids on DVD!!First, let me say that I never intended to stay away this long from the blog! But this stuff called "life" keeps happening to me, and it always seems that other things are more important than reviewing Herculoids episodes.<br /><br />But I had to come back and post some great news here: The Warner Archive Collection has just announced the release of <a href="http://www.wbshop.com/Herculoids-The-Complete-Original-Animated-Series/1000210842,default,pd.html?cgid=HANNABARBERA" target="_blank"><i>The Herculoids: The Complete Animated Series</i> on DVD!</a><br /><br />I don't have any details on the contents (other than it should be all 18 episodes from the original 1967-68 series on 2 discs, but Warner Archives releases generally tend not to have any bonus material on them). But that hasn't stopped me from placing my pre-order for the set! And I'll post a review of the set when I get it in my grubby little hands, and have a chance to watch them.<br /><br />Here's the box art:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/herculoids_dvdbox.jpg">David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-33076505060435039132010-12-26T20:41:00.000-08:002010-12-26T21:08:04.422-08:00Herculoids comics 2: "The Vapor-Vampire Invasion"Just to let you know I haven't abandoned this blog; I've been busy with the job, my own artwork, commission work, and this annoying thing called the "holiday season".<br /><br />My intention is to post episode reviews more frequently in the New Year, as well as any other interesting Herculoid stuff I can find. For now, enjoy some more Herculoids comics, from <i>Hanna-Barbera Super TV Heroes</i> #2, cover date July 1968...<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/02-cover.jpg"><br /><br />Sadly, the Herculoids aren't featured in the cover art (just listed by name), but they are represented by the six-pager "The Vapor-Vampire Invasion". (Once again, also sadly, I have no idea who to credit as writer and artist.) Enjoy!<br /><br />Oh, and I was just kidding about the holiday season being "annoying". I wish all of you a Happy New Year!<br /><br />(Click on the page for larger-size version.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/02-01.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/02-01.jpg" width=300 height=426></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/02-02.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/02-02.jpg" width=300 height=421></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/02-03.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/02-03.jpg" width=300 height=429></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/02-04.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/02-04.jpg" width=300 height=429></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/02-05.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/02-05.jpg" width=300 height=426></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/02-06.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/02-06.jpg" width=300 height=423></a>David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-74334837655786999522010-11-06T20:36:00.000-07:002010-11-06T20:52:00.884-07:00Episode Review: #5, "The Mole Men" - Sept. 23, 1967<i><b>(WARNYNG:</b> Here there bee spoylers)</i><br /><br /><b>Synopsis:</b><br /><br />(NOTE: my copy of this episode does not start with a prologue/teaser. It may be that there was no teaser; or perhaps the prologue was edited out of a syndicated or Cartoon Network broadcast. If I find a prologue for this episode, I'll recap it here.<br /><br />My guess is, if there is a prologue, it shows a cylindrical craft drilling up through the surface from below. A hatch on top opens, and two Mole Men survey their surroundings while ominous music plays.)<br /><br />Title Card:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen01.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Title card: 'The Mole Men'"><br /><br />The episode opens on two Mole Men, standing in the open hatch on top of their craft, taking stock of their surroundings.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen02.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Look!"><br /><br />A Mole man points; "Look!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen03.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="That is what the surface dwellers call a 'bird'"><br /><br />The Mole Man fires a beam at the creature; it is paralyzed, lifted off its branch and levitated to the Mole Men. "Is this one of the Surface People?"<br /><br />"No!" replies his comrade. "That is what the Surface People call a 'bird'. Turn off your magno-ray! Put it back!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen04.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Put it back!"><br /><br />The "bird" is returned to its perch; but upon regaining mobility, it flies away, squawking in distress. Its path takes it past the tree - or whatever it is - where Zandor and his family live.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen05.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="What the heck is that thing anyway?"><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen06.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Zandor"><br /><br />The bird's cries alert Zandor. He looks over: his wife Tara and son Dorno (using Gleep as a pillow) are still asleep, so Zandor decides to quietly investigate the cause of the bird's alarm.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen19.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Zandor makes like Tarzan"><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen09.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Dorno awakened"><br /><br />But Dorno awakens in time to see Zandor leave.<br /><br />Dorno gathers the Herculoids. "I don't know where Zandor went, but I'm gonna follow him." He sends Gleep to guard Tara.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen10.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="A protective ring of Gleeps"><br /><br />Zok is also to stay behind, as Dorno sets off with Igoo, Tundro and Gloop to find Zandor.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen11.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Looks like they've found something…"><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen13.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="The Mole Ship"><br /><br />In no time, they find a craft which Dorno immediately identifies as a "Mole Ship".<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen12.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="What's this? The Mole Men firing on our heroes?"><br /><br />A hatch opens in the belly of the craft, and a ray cannon unleashes a deadly barrage!<br /><br />The bolts are deflected harmlessly off Tundro's neck plates, protecting Dorno. One bolt, however, catches Igoo in the chest, knocking him back off his feet. Gloop splits in two to allow the bolt to pass between his halves.<br /><br />Tundro then unleashes his own attack, a fusillade of energy rocks. The ray cannon is composed of some very resilient metal, however, as the explosive rocks can inflict no damage. A huge boulder pitched by Igoo proves more effective, smashing the nose of the ship.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen14.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Sometimes, non-energy rocks work"><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen15.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Ain't interlacing wonderful?"><br /><i>(Ain't interlacing wonderful?)</i><br /><br />Two Mole Men emerge from the top hatch, guns drawn, only to be swiped off their perch by Gloop. "Now to find Zandor!" exclaims Dorno.<br /><br />At another Mole Ship...<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen28.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Another Mole Ship"><br /><br />"Markon's orders were to stay here and guard the tunnel?"<br /><br />"Yes. And prepare for the attack on the Surface People!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen16.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="'So! Markon's up to his old tricks!'"><br /><br />Zandor's (over)heard enough. "So! Markon's up to his old tricks!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen18.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="When Captain America - oops, Zandor - throws his mighty shield…"><br /><br />Zandor's presence is detected; he throws his mighty shield which knocks out the two guards and returns to Zandor's hand.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen17.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Sleep tight, Mole Men!"><br /><br /> "That will hold them for awhile. I've got to stop Markon!" And Zandor descends by vine into the tunnel…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen20.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Descent Into the Underworld!"><br /><br />Markon, the Kind of the Mole men, is furious with one of his underlings. "No longer will you interfere with my plans, Targo!" The rebellious Mole Man, standing before Markon in chains, remains defiant. "You forget Zandor, Markon!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen21.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Markon, king of the Mole Men. You can tell he's king 'cause he's wearing a crown."><br /><br />"I will deal with Zandor. But first <i>you</i> must <i>die!"</i> With a shark-toothed grin of pure malice, Markon raises his ray gun to execute Targo on the spot.<br /><br />Zandor takes quick but careful aim with his slingshot, delivering an energy rock precisely on target: the gun melts in Markon's grip.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen22.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="It's melting, melting! Oh, what a world!"><br /><br /> Zandor has another rock nocked and ready to go when Markon spots him, and orders his capture.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen25.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="After him!"><br /><br />A squadron of hovercraft set out to take Zandor prisoner…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen23.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Slingshots vs. hovercraft. The slingshot's winning!"><br /><br />but a series of well-aimed energy rocks wipes out rank after rank of would-be captors.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen24.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Blowed it up real good!"><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen26.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="This should help you escape Markon's guards"><br /><br />Zandor finds an unexpected ally, as Targo sends an unmanned hovercraft to him. "Here, Zandor; this should help you escape Markon's guards."<br /><br />"Thanks, Targo!" Zandor shouts as he leaps into the passing hovercraft.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen27.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="When does Zandor have time to learn how to pilot hovercraft? And with what?"><br /><br />Markon has now boarded his own craft, and sets off in pursuit of his Nemesis. "Leave him to me!"<br /><br /><b>Commercial break!</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen28.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="This is the one guarding the tunnel"><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen29.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Where's that stupid snooze button?"><br /><br />Back on the surface, the two tunnel guards revive from their unconsciousness to the beeping of the intruder alarm. This time, the alarm has detected the approach of Dorno, Tundro, Igoo and Gloop.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen30.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="On the march!"><br /><br /> The Mole Men fire at Gloop, who splits into two, then four, then eight copies of himself before the guards see the futility of their attack. "What manner of creatures are these?"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen31.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Gloop times 8!"><br /><br />Meanwhile, back underground…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen32.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="'Markon's gaining on me!"><br /><br />"Markon's gaining on me!" Zandor observes, as he is chased through the extensive tunnels of Markon's domain.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen33.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="'You'll not get away, Zandor!'"><br /><br />Markon brandishes a ray pistol. "You'll not get away, Zandor!" He fires; the beams are deflected by Zandor's shield.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen34.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="That IS a mighty shield!"><br /><br />Meanwhile, back on the surface…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen35.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Igoo's battering ram"><br /><br />Igoo charges the Mole Ship with a huge log.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen36.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Incinerated"><br /><br />The Mole Men train their weapons on the log, which disintegrates into cinders in Igoo's fists.<br /><br />Meanwhile, back underground…<br /><br />"This energy rock ought to slow you down, Markon!" shouts Zandor as he lets fly, aiming for the roof of the cave above Markon's head. The explosion dumps what look to be several tons of rubble directly on Markon. "That shot stopped him… No! Here he comes again!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen37.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="'Here he comes again!"><br /><br />And indeed, Markon blasts out of the rubble and resumes his pursuit! Zandor tries again; once again Markon falls victim to a rockfall, and once again blasts out. "Nothing stops me, Zandor!"<br /><br />Meanwhile, back on the surface…<br /><br />It's a standoff between Tundro and the tunnel guards. Their ray guns are useless against Tundro's shields, but Tundro's energy rocks are equally ineffectual against the hull of the ship.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen38.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Gloop disarms the Mole Men as only he can. Er, he and Gleep..."><br /><br />Gloop turns the tide, snatching the pistols out of the guards' grasps.<br /><br />Meanwhile, back underground…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen39.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="'So, nothing stops him?'"><br /><br />"So, nothing stops him?" Zandor muses as he stands outside his hovercraft, setting the craft in reverse. "Well, let's see how he handles <i>this!"</i><br /><br />As Zandor makes his escape, the unmanned hovercraft flies unerringly at Markon, who realizes too late that it's on a collision course! An off-screen crash and explosion marks the end of Markon's pursuit.<br /><br />Meanwhile, back on the surface…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen40.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Is that an evil grin or what?"><br /><br />Tundro makes one final charge, galloping at full speed toward the Mole Ship. The sight of the charging monster sends the Mole Men into the ship.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen41.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Collision!"><br /><br />Tundro rams the ship, shaking its occupants and preventing their escape.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen42.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Igoo's tun!"><br /><br />More poundings on the hull indicate that Igoo's fists have joined the attack, until Zandor's voice rings out: "That's enough, Igoo! Now send it back where it came from!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen43.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Up it goes..."><br /><br />Igoo roars with grim delight as he lifts the ship over is head and throws it unto the tunnel!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen44.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="…and down it goes!"><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen45.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Tara and Zok"><br /><br />Zok arrives, with Tara on his back. "And just in time for Zok to seal up the tunnel!" says Zandor.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen47.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Zok attacks"><br /><br />Zok's eye and tail beams make short work of the tunnel entrance.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen48.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Sealing the tunnel"><br /><br />Relief now at the end of the threat of the Mole Men… "At least until Markon shows up again!" says Dorno. A sharp roar from Igoo, though, prompts Dorno to add, "Oh, I forgot. Igoo can take care of <i>him!"</i> This brings another roar from Igoo, but this time a roar that's tinged with more than a little amusement.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen50.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Igoo has the last laugh"><br /><br /><b>Comments:</b><br /><br />From the Mole Man of Marvel's <i>Fantastic Four</i> to the "Underminer" from Pixar's <i>The Incredibles</i>, "mole men" have been a staple of pop fantasy for some time: subterranean dwellers who envy the "surface dwellers" their freedom and fresh air while they fester in the dark and putridity, slowly plotting their revenge.<br /><br />Again, a longer running time could have fleshed out the story in interesting ways. I would like to have seen more of Targo's backstory: is he a member - or maybe the leader - of a rebellion against the rule of Markon? Why does he aid Zandor against Markon, other than to simply oppose the Mole King? Were Targo and Zandor personally acquainted? It's obvious that Markon and Zandor know each other by reputation at least, and perhaps have clashed in the past.<br /><br /><b>The "Oh, Come ON!" Moment</b> for this episode comes courtesy, not of the actions of any of the characters, but of the writers having Markon survive being buried under not just one, but <i>two</i> rockfalls! Markon's taunt "Nothing stops me, Zandor!" certainly makes sense in that context, but: just how resistant are Amzot's Mole Men to injury? If Markon became the dictator of the Mole Men because he was the most impervious to injury, why then does it take a mild (compared to a rockfall, at least) collision with an unpiloted hovercraft to incapacitate him enough to end his plans to invade the surface world? (By the same token, what metal are those Mole Ships made of that they're impervious to energy rocks? That should have been a more important plot point, I think.)<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen46.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="If looks could kill - hey, in Zok's case, they can!"><br /><br />And how nice of the writers to finally have Tara show up after all the real action's over. How did she and Zok know where to find the others, anyway? And how did they know what's expected of them? Is that an assumption Zok makes? "There's a big hole, guess I have to seal it up."<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen07.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Sleeping beauty"><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen08.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Heck of a pillow"><br /><br />This episode offers a rare glimpse, brief though it may be, at the home life of Zandor and his family. Their lifestyles are primitive indeed; Zandor and Tara apparently sleep directly on the "floor" of their tree (or whatever that is) house, while Dorno uses Gleep as combination mattress and pillow. They also sleep in their clothes; what, no pajamas? They don't sleep in the nude? (Yeah, I know; they wouldn't have been allowed to be depicted sleeping in the nude, especially an underage boy.) But still… do they have any other clothes? I don't see any closets in that tree (or whatever it is). Or kitchen, or storage space, or really anything else!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep05/molemen49.jpg" width=320 height=242 title="Nice delts, Tara!"><br /><br />And one final point: check out that deltoid muscle on Tara in that final shot! Probably unintended, and just the result of careless drawing; nevertheless, me likey!David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-75502686886634475732010-11-02T19:51:00.000-07:002010-11-02T20:15:02.432-07:00Tara and the Old-Time Radio Connection<img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/tara_head_clr.jpg" align="left" hspace=10 vspace=10 />Internet institution <a href="http://lileks.com/" target="_blank">James Lileks</a> recently <a href="http://lileks.com/bleat/?p=7531" target="_blank">wrote</a> about "the moment when you discover that the voices of your favorite childhood Disney movies had long careers that preceded their appearances in the cartoons. The fun in life? Filling in the details, making connections."<br /><br />Well, I'm still finding the fun in life, because I'm still making these connections.<br /><br />Anyone who's watched as many cartoons as I have over lo these many decades - and paid attention to the talented men and women who made them possible - will see a certain number of the same names pop up again and again as the voice artists. Mel Blanc is most famous for the classic Warner Bros. cartoons, but he pops up again and again in the credits for other animation studios as well; he's the original voice of Woody Woodpecker and Barney Rubble, just to name two out of hundreds. June Foray, the voice of Rocky the flying squirrel from <i>Bullwinkle And Friends</i>, Witch Hazel (Warner Bros.) and Cindy-Lou Who (<i>How the Grinch Stole Christmas</i>) could be considered the "female Mel Blanc", so numerous are her credits. Paul Frees, Daws Butler, Janet Waldo, the list of names you see over and over in the voice cast credits is almost endless.<br /><br />So when an unfamiliar name shows up as the voice of a major character, you can't help (at least I can't) but want to find out more about the actor. So it was with the woman who supplied the voice of my favorite (human) <i>Herculoids</i> character, Tara.<br /><br />I was already familiar with the credited voice actors Mike Road and Don Messick from their roles as Race Bannon and Dr. Benton Quest, respectively, from <i>Jonny Quest</i> (my fave cartoon series until <i>Space Ghost </i> and <i>The Herculoids</i> came along). Although I was surprised that the rich baritone voice of Zandor (Mike Road) was also creating the growls and screeches for Igoo, Tundro and Zok! Ted ("Teddy") Eccles, the voice of Dorno, was a pretty generic "pre-teenager" voice, and apparently hasn't had much of a career in show business since the series. But the voice of Tara - Virginia Gregg? Never heard of her.<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Gregg" target="_blank">So I looked her up</a>… and whaddaya know? Gregg had a long career in TV and radio; her name is all over the casts for many of the classic "old time radio" (OTR) shows like <i>Dragnet, Yours Truly Johnny Dollar</i> and <i>The Adventures of Phillip Marlowe</i>.<br /><br />She was born in 1916, so she'd have been 50 years old in 1967 when she voiced Tara in the original series… and 64 (!) when she reprised the role for the 1981 <i>Space Stars</i> revival! She certainly sounded younger than that! (Especially considering that she was one of two uncredited actresses who did the voice for Norman Bates' mother in <i>Psycho</i>, and reprised the role for the two sequels.) Tragically, Gregg would die some 5 years after <i>Space Stars</i>, at age 70 in 1986.<br /><br />Virginia Gregg isn't the only reason for my recent interest in OTR; but she's certainly one of several, as it was my curiosity about the roles outside of cartoons that some of my favorite voice actors like Paul Frees took on that led me to start listening and appreciating "Golden Age" radio dramas. (And imagine my surprise to find out that Gerald Mohr, the voice of Reed Richards in Hanna-Barbera's <i>Fantastic Four</i>, was Philip Marlowe in the aforementioned radio series! So he and Gregg would have worked together quite a lot.)David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-58343417230116797642010-10-29T19:03:00.000-07:002010-10-29T20:16:12.157-07:00Herculoids comics 1: "Invasion of the Martian Ants"So imagine my delight to see the following cover at the newsstand in 1968:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/SuperTVHeroes1_cover.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/SuperTVHeroes1_cover.jpg" width=300 height=452></a><br /><br />Actual Herculoids comics! Okay, a little disappointed that it wasn't <i>an</i> actual Herculoids <i>comic</i>; that is, that the entire issue wasn't devoted to them... but, as it is today, ya takes what ya can get.<br /><br />Now, I have no idea who the writer or the artist is. But the story does manage to capture the flavor of the TV episodes. (And they share one of the handicaps of the TV show: just as I feel the quality of the stories and the storytelling is hampered by the inadequate length of each episode, so the comics suffer from having to be shoehorned into six pages. But the art is serviceable if not spectacular; the writing seems to anticipate the <i>Space Stars</i> version of the series in that Tara, Zandor and Dorno speak (as in <i>Space Stars</i>) in a more stilted manner than in the original series.<br /><br />One other note: I did not make these scans, and I've forgotten who did. (I found the link for this issue, as well as for issues #2 and 4 which also feature <i>Herculoids</i> stories, <a href="http://cosseyedcyclops.blogspot.com/2010/05/comic-super-tv-heroes.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br /><br />I've toyed with the idea of making my own animation of this story; and I would if I didn't have so many other things I want to do!<br /><br />Click on each image to open it full-size (896 by 1296 pixels) in a new window:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/SuperTVHeroes1-Herculoids01.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/SuperTVHeroes1-Herculoids01.jpg" width=300 height=434 border=0></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/SuperTVHeroes1-Herculoids02.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/SuperTVHeroes1-Herculoids02.jpg" width=300 height=434 border=0></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/SuperTVHeroes1-Herculoids03.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/SuperTVHeroes1-Herculoids03.jpg" width=300 height=434 border=0></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/SuperTVHeroes1-Herculoids04.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/SuperTVHeroes1-Herculoids04.jpg" width=300 height=434 border=0></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/SuperTVHeroes1-Herculoids05.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/SuperTVHeroes1-Herculoids05.jpg" width=300 height=434 border=0></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/SuperTVHeroes1-Herculoids06.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/comics/SuperTVHeroes1-Herculoids06.jpg" width=300 height=434 border=0></a><br /><br />Stay tuned for more!David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-70212161875845334722010-10-28T14:36:00.000-07:002010-10-28T18:15:04.747-07:00Wonder what this means?I've been taking note recently of various DVD releases from Warner Archives, the MOD (<span style="font-weight:bold;">m</span>anufacture-<span style="font-weight:bold;">o</span>n-<span style="font-weight:bold;">d</span>emand) arm of Warner Bros. Home Video. On the animation/superhero front, they include:<br /><ul><li><i>Thundarr the Barbarian - The Complete Series</li><br /><li>Josie and the Pussycats In Outer Space</li><br /><li>Goober and the Ghost Chasers - The Complete Series</li><br /><li>The Funky Phantom - The Complete Series</li><br /><li>The Dukes - The Complete Series</i> (I didn't even know anyone had done an animated adaptation of <i>The Dukes of Hazzard!)</li><br /><li>Legends of the Superheroes</i></li><br /></ul><br /><br />Now, <i>Thundarr</i> has been on the wantlists of a lot of people for a lot of years now; but some of these choices really make me go "Huh? wut?" <a href="http://www.wbshop.com/Legends-of-the-Super-Heroes-1979/1000180131,default,pd.html" target="_blank"><i>Legends of the Superheroes</i></a> is a 1979 two-hour live-action special that was shown exactly <i>once</i>. It's a spoofy take on DC heroes, like Captain Marvel, Green Lantern and Hawkman, as they take on villains like Solomon Grundy and Sinestro to the accompaniment of a laugh track. (It even stars Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin!) And <a href="http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Dukes-The-Complete-Series/14606" target="_blank"><i>The Dukes?</i></a> Really? Has there really been that much demand for this show? And if so... why not <b><i>The Herculoids?</i></b><br /><br />So I started following <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/WarnerArchive" target="_blank">Warner Archives on Twitter,</a> and I tweeted the following:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/twittergrab01.jpg"><br /><br />And lo! I did receive the following reply:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/twittergrab02.jpg"><br /><br />Okay, that first part was a little snarky, but that second statement - "Everything will be OK in the end!" - is fraught with meaning. Are they trying to say that there <i>are</i> plans to put <i>The Herculoids</i> on DVD?<br /><br />If so, I'll be one of the first ordering!!David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-81595750088693930722010-10-25T21:08:00.000-07:002010-10-25T21:18:38.094-07:00Unintentional hiatusSorry for the lack of posting over the past... <i>two months???</I> Has it really been that long?<br /><br />I certainly didn't intend to let it go this long. But that sneaky devil called "real life" tends to interfere with a lot of what I want to do. Commitments to job, to my art commissions, to family, all claim my attention.<br /><br />I hope to get something posted here by the end of the week. If nothing else, I can post some Herculoids comics here... yes, there were Herculoids comics! They never starred in their own title, but they did make several appearances in a Gold Key series, <i>Hanna-Barbera Super TV Heroes</i> (that also featured characters from several other H-B shows of the time, Like <i>Shazzan!</i> and <i>Birdman</i>.<br /><br />And I also hope to get back on track with the episode reviews. Next up: "The Mole Men"!David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-55952665852179438892010-08-23T11:49:00.000-07:002010-08-23T12:36:06.413-07:00Episode Review EXTRA: Space Ghost, "The Molten Monsters of Moltar" - Sept. 16, 1967<i>(<b>Warning!</b> Spoilers, Will Robinson!)</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar01.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Title card: Space Ghost - The Molten Monsters of Moltar" /><br /><br /><b>Synopsis:</b><br /><br />(NOTE: "The Molten Monsters of Moltar" is Episode 4 of the six-episode "Council of Doom" story. This episode resolves the previous installment's cliffhanger, and ends with a new cliffhanger to lead into the next episode.)<br /><br />The Council of Doom - Brak, Creature King, Zorak, Spider Woman, and Metallus (unseen for now) - eagerly watch on a crystal viewscreen as their sixth member, Moltar, traps Space Ghost, Jan, Jace and Blip in a funnel-shaped oven.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar02.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Moltar" title="I've prepared a 'warm welcome' for you, Space Ghost!" /><br /><br />"I've prepared a 'warm welcome' for you, Space Ghost," gloats Moltar as he pulls a lever on his control panel that sends a stream of molten metal - or perhaps lava - down a chute that empties into the top of the funnel.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar03.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="lava chute" title="300,000 degrees warm! (evil laugh)" /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar04.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="lava fills oven" title="Are our heroes done for?" /><br /><br />As the molten metal fills the funnel, it glows red-hot, swells, then bursts open…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar05.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Protected by a 'freeze field'" title="You forget, Moltar, my power bands are equipped with a freeze field!" /><br /><br />…to reveal Space Ghost <i>et al</i> safe; the molten stream runs over an invisible force-field projected by Space Ghost's power bands. Space Ghosts blasts a hole through the side of the cavern, through which he, the twins and the monkey escape.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar06.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Moltar launches his 'molten fire rockets'" title="You may have escaped my molten ovens, Space Ghost, but you'll never escape my molten fire rockets!" /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar07.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="The molten fire rocket" title="'Now, seek and destroy!'" /><br /><br />But Moltar sends his "molten fire rockets" after our heroes. "Now, seek and destroy!" he orders, as the three rockets launch one after the other.<br /><br />A "scatter ray" breaks their formation, after which Space Ghost's "destructo-ray" destroys them. "I'm going in after him!" Space Ghost announces. "Turn on your inviso-power and stay clear!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar08.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="The senso-thermal rockets" title="Well, my senso-thermal rockets should give me just what I need to stop him!" /><br /><br />Moltar launches six bird-like "senso-thermal robots", but orders them to "Get the ones who travel with Space Ghost!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar09.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Inviso-power is no good" title="'They don't have to see us,' shouts Jace, 'they can sense us!'" /><br /><br />Jace is at first confident that their invisibility will protect them - until the robots begin firing on them! Jace, Jan and Blip attempt to evade the robots, but are cornered on a rocky spire.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar10.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Moltar gloats over Space Ghost's helplessness" title="'Jan! Jace' 'Yes, Space Ghost! And if you don't surrender, they will be blown into heat vapors!'" /><br /><br />Space Ghosts blasts his way into Moltar's control room, only to be confronted by the sight, on Moltar's viewscreen, of his crew surrounded by the birdlike robots. Moltar demands Space Ghost's surrender, "or they will be blown into heat vapors!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar11.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Space Ghost, the Molten Monsters, and Moltar" title="'Take Space Ghost to the planet Amzot!'" /><br /><br />Moltar's ultimatum: "take a long trip" accompanied by Moltar's two giant, humanoid "molten monsters". "Take Space Ghost to the planet Amzot," Moltar orders the monsters. "And remember, Space Ghost, if my ship is not back within the hour, your friends are finished." Reluctantly, Space Ghost agrees.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar12.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Approaching Amzot" title="'And remember, Space Ghost, if my ship is not back within an hour, your friends are finished!'" /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar13.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Landing on Amzot" title="Landing on Amzot" /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar14.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="The Herculoids at last" title="'A strange ship is landing, Zandor!'" /><br /><br />Landing on Amzot, Space Ghost and his two "escorts" are confronted by The Herculoids.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar15.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Zandor demands answers" title="'Why have you come here?'" /><br /><br />Zandor demands to know "Why have you come here? And why are you holding that man prisoner?"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar16.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Space Ghost, captive of the Molten Monsters" title="'And why are you holding that man prisoner?'" /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar17.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="A Molten Monster fires an eye-beam" title="The monster's answer to Zandor: a deadly eye-beam!" /><br /><br />One of the molten giants fires a ray-beam at the humans…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar18.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Gloop deflects the beam" title="Gloop to the rescue!" /><br /><br />…Gloop forms a shield that deflects the beam. "Run!" Space Ghost warns. "Or these molten creatures will destroy you!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar19.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Igoo, with one of his favorite weapons" title="Igoo, with one of his favorite weapons" /><br /><br />But Zandor is determined to rescue Space Ghost, and orders Tundro to fire energy rocks. The explosive stones take out one of the giants; while a boulder thrown by Igoo stuns the other.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar20.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Zok attacks!" title="Zok attacks!" /><br /><br />Zok finishes the job by destroying the giant with his eye- and tail-beams.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar21.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Space Ghost bids the Herculoids farewell" title="'Thank you, Zandor,' says a grateful Space Ghost, 'and thanks to your animals, the Herculoids!'" /><br /><br />"Thank you, Zandor," says a grateful Space Ghost as he shakes Zandor's hand. "And thanks to your animals, the Herculoids. But I must hurry back!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar22.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Space Ghost boards Moltar's rocket" title="'But I must hurry back!' 'Good luck, Space Ghost!'" /><br /><br />"Good luck, Space Ghost," replies Zandor as Space Ghost boards Moltar's rocket to save his own friends.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar23.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Moltar watches as his ship returns" title="'With Space Ghost taken care of, I can dispose of my hostages anyway! (evil laugh)'" /><br /><br />Watching the return of the rocket, unaware that Space Ghost is aboard, Moltar evilly laughs. "With Space Ghost taken care of, I can dispose of my hostages anyway!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar24.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Jan, Jace and Blip surrounded by senso-thermal rockets" title="Looks like there's no escape for Jan, Jace and Blip!" /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar25.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Space Ghost exits the ship" title="But unseen by Moltar…" /><br /><br />Space Ghost flies out of the rocket, shouting orders to Jan, Jace and Blip to "Quick, jet up!" They do so just before the rocket smashes into the robots, destroying them.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar26.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Space Ghost fires on Moltar's lair" title="'Now, let's see if Moltar can stand a little of MY heat!'" /><br /><br />"Now, let's see if Moltar can stand a little of <i>my</i> heat!" Space Ghost fires a beam into the open peak of Moltar's mountain…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar27.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Space Ghost's heat ray causes Moltar's pits to overheat" title="'The molten pits are boiling over! I've got to escape!'" /><br /><br />…the beam overheats one of Moltar's molten pits. Moltar runs for his life as the pits boil over.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar28.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Spider Woman is not happy. Not happy at all." title="'Fool! Space Ghost has escaped once more!'" /><br /><br />The Council of Doom watch, frustrated and angry, as a column of fire erupts from Moltar's mountain lair, signaling the defeat of yet another member of the Council.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar29.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Brak, back when he was still evil" title="'But it is I who will try next! And my arsenal of rays will destroy him for good!'" /><br /><br />But Brak is confident that his "arsenal of rays" will "destroy him for good!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar30.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Jace and Blip" title="Blip's tired!" /><br /><br />Space Ghost and company make their way back to the Ghost Ship - "and it won't be too soon for Blip," laughs Jace. "He's tired!" - when they are confronted by a "space cyclone" controlled by Brak.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/extra/moltar31.jpg" width="320" height="242" align="center" alt="Space cyclone!" title="'Is this to be the final fate of our heroes? Destroyed by Brak's deadliest Cyclone?'" /><br /><br />As the cyclone engulfs our heroes, the narrator implores us to "Watch next exciting episode" to find out if they escape!<br /><br /><b>Comments:</b> I'm featuring this episode of <i>Space Ghost</i> at this point in the review queue because this marked the fifth appearance of the Herculoids, after two shows (four episodes) of their own.<br /><br />This episode is notable for being the first reference to "Amzot" as the name of the Herculoids' planet. Other than that, not really a whole lot to say about this, the Herculoids' first (and, until the 1981 <i>Hanna-Barbera Space Stars</i> series, only) guest appearance in another series. Their role occupies a whole minute and five seconds of a six-minute thirteen-second cartoon; not a whole lot of time to introduce new characters, showcase their abilities, and show them interacting with the series' star (since they also have to resolve the previous episode's cliffhanger, tell the story of <i>this</i> episode, <i>and</i> set up the <i>next</i> episode). So to save time, they have to have Moltar's rocket land literally next to where the Herculoids happen to be standing, all gathered in a group, within shouting distance.<br /><br />So we get really brief samples of the Herculoids' powers: Gloop stretches out and forms a power-beam-proof shield over the humans, Tundro fires a few energy rocks, Igoo pitches a boulder, and Zok zaps an enemy with his "laser" beams. (And since Gleep is a smaller version of Gloop, we can infer that he'd have the same abilities.)<br /><br />And poor Tara doesn't even get to speak! Why couldn't she have been the one to deliver the line "Good luck, Space Ghost!" spoken by Zandor as SG departs? Would it have killed them to have had Virginia Gregg (the voice of Tara) speak that one extra line during her recording sessions for their own series? Hell, <i>Dorno</i> gets a line! "A strange ship is landing, Zandor!" (Yeah, I know I gripe a lot about how criminally underutilized Tara is during the original series.)<br /><br />But I do have a few choice words about the rest of the episode, heh heh heh…<br /><br />Don't get me wrong: as a kid, I loved <i>Space Ghost</i>; until <i>The Herculoids</i> came along, it and <i>Jonny Quest</i> were my favorite cartoons. As a matter of fact, I still like the series enough that I could not stomach what they did to him years later in <i>Space Ghost Coast To Coast</i>. I still consider that egotistical buffoon to be an imposter. Or, to paraphrase Sen. Lloyd Bentsen during his 1988 vice-presidential debate: "I knew Space Ghost. I was a fan of Space Ghost. You're no Space Ghost."<br /><br />Having said that…<br /><br />There's still a lot about this episode that just doesn't work. Most of what's wrong (but not by any means all) stems from the restrictive time format (if nine to ten minutes isn't long enough to tell many of the Herculoids' stories effectively, think how much worse <i>six</i> minutes is!), and the decision to feature the stars of another series as guest stars.<br /><br />In fact, the entire "Council of Doom" story arc suffers from what must have been an executive decision (perhaps even promulgated by the network, CBS) to use these <i>Space Ghost</i> episodes as introductions to the stars of the new Saturday morning shows debuting that year (1967). So you get Space Ghost meeting <a href="http://www.toonopedia.com/mightor.htm" target="_blank">The Mighty Mightor</a> in the second part, "Clutches of Creature King" and the genie <a href="http://www.toonopedia.com/shazzan.htm" target="_blank">Shazzan</a> in episode 6, "The Final Encounter" (as well as the Herculoids here in episode 4), and Jan, Jace and Blip encounter - I'm not kidding - <a href="http://www.toonopedia.com/mobydick.htm" target="_blank">Moby Dick</a> in the third installment, "The Deady Trap".<br /><br />So instead of what could have been a gripping mega-saga of Space Ghost's arch-enemies pooling their talents to destroy him, we get a "tag-team" series of encounters in which each villain takes on Space Ghost one at a time! What's worse is that these people seem to have forgotten everything they knew about Space Ghost's abilities, and the variety of rays and force fields at his command via his power bands. Witness the fact that Moltar is surprised that Space Ghost and his companions survived his molten oven*; didn't it occur to him that SG would use some kind of force field to protect them from the boiling lava?<br /><br /><b>The "Oh, Come ON!" Moment</b> comes near the end of the episode: Space Ghost returns from Amzot to find his wards Jace and Jan trapped against a spire of rock by Moltar's six senso-thermal robots. The twins (and Blip) are surrounded on every side - horizontally, at least - and sense somehow that the robots are seconds away from firing on them at point-blank range. So how does Space Ghost rescue them? He shouts to them, "Quick, jet up!" And they do. Because <i>there was nothing preventing them from doing so.</i> There were no robots <i>above</i> them. Which means that they could've "jetted up" <i>anytime they wanted.</i> But, durrhh, they have to wait for Space Ghost to tell them when to escape. (It's actually hard to tell who's having the bigger "idiot moment" here: Moltar, for not having one of the robots cut off their possible <i>vertical</i> escape route, or Jan and Jace for not taking advantage of it sooner.)<br /><br />I try not to pick on anything in these cartoons that I feel is merely the product of low budgets and tight schedules (so criticism of the animation, for the most part, is off-limits). But this was just poor storytelling! Maybe having Space Ghost destroy the robots with a destructo-ray, or projecting a force-shield around Jan and Jace, was just too "been there, done that".<br /><br />I notice, also, throughout the "Council of Doom" arc that their spaceship is referred to as the "Ghost Ship". Did the writers forget that its name is "The Phantom Cruiser"? And I can't help but wonder if Gary Owens, the voice of Space Ghost, remembered that and brought it up during the recording sessions, only to be told "don't worry about it, just recite what's written."<br /><br />Looking back, maybe it's a good idea that the second "season" of <i>Space Ghost</i> consisted only of the six Council of Doom" episodes. The writers, I think, were running out of ideas for challenging opponents and situations for SG; better to just rerun the first season episodes for one more year.<br />---------<br />*Geez, everything's "molten" with this Moltar guy - molten pits, molten ovens, molten fire-rockets...David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-6331360295190780562010-08-06T23:10:00.000-07:002010-08-06T23:46:42.998-07:00"King" Zandor??<img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/zandor01.jpg" align=left hspace=5>Has this happened to you? You've Googled "herculoids", and start browsing websites that purport to have information about <i>The Herculoids</i>. From professional repositories of television history to small one-or-two page fan sites (maybe that's how you ran across this blog!) And when you reach the inevitable descriptions of the cast, you see the leader of the Herculoids referred to as… "King Zandor."<br /><br />And if you're like me, your reaction is always <i>"King"</i> Zandor?? WTF?!<br /><br />Because I certainly don't remember Zandor ever being referred to as "king" during the original series. (There's one reference to Zandor's "rule over this planet" in the first episode, <a href="http://mekkor.blogspot.com/2010/07/episode-review-1-beaked-people-sept-9.html" target="_blank">"The Beaked People"</a>, but none since then.) And yet, site after site will add this title to Zandor's name (usually because they've simply regurgitated the info they picked up from another website). Some even take it a step farther, referring to Zandor's wife and son as "Queen Tara"* and "Prince Dorno".<br /><br />But what are they supposedly the "king" and "queen" of? The whole planet of Amzot? If so, wouldn't you expect their living quarters to be a little more, shall we say, substantial? That weird-looking tree (or whatever that is) shows absolutely no sleeping quarters, no kitchen, no pantry… or, most important of all, no office space in which to conduct the official Royal Business of whatever it is they're supposed to be rulers of.<br /><br />(Although you do have to admit that Zandor certainly looks the part of king of a jungle planet. Tall, muscular, red-haired and square-jawed, with that commanding Mike Road voice. So masculine he can make a Wonder Woman tiara look macho!)<br /><br />Now, it can easily be inferred from the original episodes that Zandor and Tara (and, perhaps to a lesser extent Dorno**) are personages of some importance: the peace-loving races of Amzot come to The Big Z for protection from invaders (as happened in "The Beaked People" and "The Raider Apes"); and the warlike nations want Zandor and Co. out of the way, because they know he and the rest of the Herculoids are not gonna just stand by while freedom is at risk!<br /><br />Even the extraterrestrial invaders will often state the explicit goal of eliminating Zandor before putting their plans for invasion and pillage into motion; seems Zandor's reputation has spread to other solar systems.<br /><br />So it's fair to assume that the Herculoids are the protectors (unofficially, at least) of Freedom and Justice on Amzot. But that wouldn't <i>require</i> Zandor or Tara to be royalty.<br /><br />Which still leaves the question: where did this "King Zandor" stuff come from? My guess: probably an off-hand reference from a poorly-vetted press kit promoting the original run… I can easily believe that the promo materials might have been produced by staffers who weren't familiar with the show they were promoting, and couldn't be bothered to find out. (Especially if the prevailing attitude is "it's just a damn kids' show, who cares if it's accurate?")<br /><br />*or worse, "Queen Tarra" (with the incorrect excess "r")!<br /><br />**or "Doorknob", as a commenter at my deviantART site once referred to him, which I thought was hilarious!David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142853949883354813.post-45749509315830681002010-08-03T15:11:00.000-07:002010-08-03T20:14:19.768-07:00Episode Review: #4, "Sarko the Arkman" - Sept. 16, 1967<i><b>(WARNING:</B> Spoilers. Sorry I couldn't find a more creative way of saying it this time…)</i><br /><br /><b>Synopsis:</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko01.jpg" width=320 height=241 align=center><br /><br />A mysterious spacecraft plies the skies of the jungle planet.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko06.jpg" width=320 height=241 align=center><br /><br />It lands in a clearing; a large hatch opens in the side, and <i>something</i> shoots along an energy beam that issues out of the hatch.<br /><br />Title card:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko02.jpg" width=320 height=242 align=center><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko03.jpg" width=320 height=242 align=center><br /><br />From behind a bush, a short, frog-faced alien watches as Igoo approaches. "Good! A perfect specimen for my experiments!" Bad luck for Igoo: he's standing directly over the "trap area".<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko07.jpg" width=320 height=241 align=center><br /><br />The alien punches a button on his remote-control device…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko04.jpg" width=320 height=242 align=center><br /><br />and the ground falls out from beneath Igoo's feet. Igoo falls into the pit…<br /><br />...only to rise a moment later, encased in a bell-jar-like container.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko05.jpg" width=320 height=242 align=center><br /><br />Igoo's roars of distress draw the attention of Zandor, who commences his bouncing-between-the-vines-stunt, and Dorno, riding atop Tundro accompanied by Gleep.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko11.jpg" width=320 height=240 align=center><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko08.jpg" width=320 height=243 align=center><br /><br />Another press of a button on the remote control opens the hatch in the spaceship's side, from which levitation beams appear to pull Igoo's trap into the interior. "That was even easier than I expected," gloats the alien.<br /><br />"But you didn't expect me, did you, Arko?"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko09.jpg" width=320 height=242 align=center><br /><br />Arko turns to face Zandor. "Yes, I did, Zandor. You warned me never to return to this planet, so…"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko10.jpg" width=320 height=244 align=center><br /><br />A button-press opens a small hatch in the ship's side; Zandor is overcome by a burst of sleep-gas, and falls unconscious at Arko's feet. "Yes, Zandor, you warned me," laughs Arko.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko12.jpg" width=320 height=241 align=center><br /><br />The growls of the charging Tundro attract Arko's attention. Tundro comes to a stop - atop another of Arko's traps, as it turns out…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko13.jpg" width=320 height=242 align=center><br /><br />...and he, with Dorno and Gleep still on his back, ends up encased in a trap as well. "Gleep! Go get help!" orders Dorno.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko14.jpg" width=320 height=242 align=center><br /><br />Gleep separates into several small copies of himself, escapes through the ventilation holes ringing the bottom of the cage, and reassembles, bouncing off to summon aid.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko15.jpg" width=320 height=243 align=center><br /><br />That aid comes in the form of Tara, to whom the wildly-gibbering Gleep tells of the events of the past few minutes. Zok flies Tara, Gleep and Gloop to the scene of the trouble.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko16.jpg" width=320 height=240 align=center><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko17.jpg" width=320 height=242 align=center><br /><br />They find Zandor just regaining consciousness - but no sign of the spacecraft. "Arko must have used some kind of sleep mist on me," Zandor explains.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko18.jpg" width=320 height=241 align=center><br /><br />"Arko!" exclaims Tara. "Then that means they must have been taken to the planet Zodan!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko19.jpg" width=320 height=240 align=center><br /><br />Zok screeches; "That's my feeling, too, Zok." Zandor resolves to go after Arko, and rescue Tundro, Igoo and Dorno. "Gleep, you know what to do." Indeed he does: surround Tara with multiple Gleeps for protection, as Zandor, Gloop and Zok take to the sky.<br /><br />Commercial time-out…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko20.jpg" width=320 height=241 align=center><br /><br />On the planet Zodan: a rocky hillside, into which huge cages for Arko's newest "acquisitions" have been hollowed.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko21.jpg" width=320 height=240 align=center><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko22.jpg" width=320 height=242 align=center><br /><br />From his hovercraft, Arko delights in Igoos' and Tundro's futile attempts to break down the metal bars over the caves' openings: "It is useless! You have great strength; but my bars are stronger!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko23.jpg" width=320 height=241 align=center><br /><br />He then flies up to the cage holding his third trophy: Dorno, whose cage is suspended several yards over the ground. "The animals I can use; but for you, son of Zandor, I have no use… except to control Zandor!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko24.jpg" width=320 height=241 align=center><br /><br />"Who by now is on his way!" challenges Dorno. "And I will be ready for him," Arko gloats as he flies over to a small building from which protrude two deadly-looking ray cannon.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko26.jpg" width=320 height=240 align=center><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko27.jpg" width=320 height=239 align=center><br /><br />As Zandor, Zok and Gloop appears in the skies over Zodan, Arko unleashes a barrage of energy bolts at them.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko28.jpg" width=320 height=236 align=center><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko29.jpg" width=320 height=243 align=center><br /><br />One especially powerful bolt, even though deflected by Zandor's shield, still carries enough kick to knock Zandor and Gloop off the dragon's back!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko30.jpg" width=320 height=241 align=center><br /><br />Dorno cam only watch helplessly as Zandor plunges to certain doom -<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko31.jpg" width=320 height=241 align=center><br /><br />- until Gloop forms himself into a parachute to lower Zandor gently to the ground.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko32.jpg" width=320 height=241 align=center><br /><br />Zok attacks the bars of Igoo's and Tundro's cages with eye- and tail-beams, weakening the metal enough to allow the mighty creatures to break the bars down. Safely on the ground, Zandor and Gloop watch as Igoo and Tundro charge toward Arko's fortification. "So… the creatures are loose. Which means their finish!" he says as he aims the ray cannons at the approaching Herculoids.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko33.jpg" width=320 height=241 align=center><br /><br />But Zandor pitches his shield, severing the electrodes and causing an energy backup which destroys the cannon.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko34.jpg" width=320 height=240 align=center><br /><br />Energy rocks fired from Tundro's horn batter the sturdy metal door leading to Arko's control room…<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko35.jpg" width=320 height=240 align=center><br /><br />…Igoo pushes the door in, and they both charge down the corridor. But a quick press of a button on Arko's console drops three more doors into the hallway, separating Tundro and Igoo from their target.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko36.jpg" width=320 height=240 align=center><br /><br />Between Tundro's energy rocks and Igoo's brute strength, however, the doors are soon dealt with, and Arko finds himself confronted by his two erstwhile victims, and Zandor, slingshot at the ready, demanding his surrender.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko37.jpg" width=320 height=240 align=center><br /><br />"You win, Zandor… and you lose! With this switch, I release the cage containing your son!" Zandor launches an energy rock at Arko just as Arko pulls the lever; the control room is destroyed in a mighty explosion...<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko38.jpg" width=320 height=242 align=center><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko39.jpg" width=320 height=239 align=center><br /><br />...but not in time to prevent the bottom from dropping out of Dorno's cage!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko40.jpg" width=320 height=240 align=center><br /><br />Quick action by Gloop, forming himself into a mattress, saves Dorno from a deadly fall.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko41.jpg" width=320 height=242 align=center><br /><br />Arko's spaceship once again leaves Zodan; but this time it's Zandor at the controls, as Zandor, Dorno, Gloop, Igoo and Tundro fly home. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko42.jpg" width=320 height=241 align=center><br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko43.jpg" width=320 height=241 align=center><br /><br />"Are they all strapped in?" Zandor asks. "All but Zok," answers Dorno. "He's flying escort!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko44.jpg" width=320 height=242 align=center><br /><br /><b>Comments:</b> So why is the episode titled "<b>S</b>arko the Arkman" when the character is referred to throughout the show as "Arko"? The most likely explanation: the character's name was changed sometime during the cartoon's production, but after the vocal tracks were recorded, and rerecording those lines was not possible for some reason. Perhaps the actors were unavailable at the time, perhaps the budget and/or schedule wouldn't allow for the corrections to be made.<br /><br />But I think I can guess why the change was made: someone in a position of authority didn't like the redundancy of the title "Arko the Arkman", and I can't say I blame them. The name "Sarko" is actually pretty cool; it's a name I wish I'd come up with.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.dcmstudiosonline.com/herc/ep04/sarko03.jpg" width=320 height=242 hspace=5 align=left>I am absolutely certain this time that that's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Frees" target="_blank">Paul Frees</a> giving voice to (S)Arko. Frees is one of my favorite voice actors, and I've heard him use that voice, or something similar, for other characters. If you're not familiar with Paul Frees, I know you've heard his voice before: he's the "Ghost Host" for the Disney Parks' Haunted Mansion attractions; he's the voice of Disney's Ludwig von Drake, of the aliens from <i>Earth vs. the Flying Saucers</i>, of Ben "The Thing" Grimm and the Watcher from Hanna-Barbera's version of <i>Fantastic Four</i> (which also debuted in 1967, the same year as <i>The Herculoids</i>) and… of the Pillsbury Doughboy(!) Frees didn't do a lot of work for H-B, but he was the narrator of the opening titles for <i>Frankenstein Jr. and the Impossibles</i>, as well as the voice of Fluid-Man in that same show. (You can find the theme here at <a href="http://www.toontracker.com/realaudio/ttra60-2.htm" target="_blank">Toon Tracker</a> in RealAudio; scroll down about a quarter of the page.)<br /><br />I think this cartoon was just about the right length for the story being told. But the story I would have liked to see done as a single half-hour episode was the first encounter between (S)Arko and the Herculoids. It's obvious this is not (S)Arko's first visit to Amzot; Zandor has warned him never to return, and even Tara knew, not only his name, but his planet of origin (Zodan). PIty they never told <i>that</i> story…<br /><br />So Zandor, Zok and Gloop travel through interplanetary space to reach Zodan without the protection of pressurized craft or even space suits. That might have thrown me for a loop, even at the age I watched this show originally, had I not been watching <i>Space Ghost</i> the year before. With Space Ghost, Jan, Jace and Blip traveling the spaceways <i>sans</i> space suits as a matter of course, the viewer comes to accept that, for whatever reason, the Hanna-Barbera version of space is not an airless vacuum against which elaborate precautions must be taken, lest our heroes die a painful death upon leaving their planetary atmosphere for the first time.<br /><br />OR, maybe Space Ghost's power bands, and Jace, Jan and Blip's inviso-power belts generate a force field that protect them from the airless vacuum of space. And just maybe Zok generates a similar force-field to insulate himself and his passengers from hard vacuum. Tundro, Igoo and Dorno have to use (S)Arko's spaceship to travel back to Amzot because Zok can't fit <i>everybody</i> on his back!<br /><br />The ease with which Zandor pilots (S)Arko's ship tells me that there's a lot more to this man than just a Tarzan-like figure who lives in the wild with his family and a cadre of super-animals. Zandor has dealt extensively with technology in the past, but chooses to live a primitive existence for whatever reason. Wouldn't the reasons behind <i>that</i> make an interesting story!<br /><br />Speaking of Space Ghost (we were, weren't we?): the next episode review will be of a <i>Space Ghost</i> episode! Why, you ask (as if you didn't know, or couldn't guess, the answer)? Because it's the occasion of the first Space Ghost/Herculoids crossover!David C. Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588742755384547966noreply@blogger.com3