Starcom: The U.S. Space Force

Starcom: The U.S. Space Force is a 13-episode animated syndicated television series inspired by a motorized toy franchise manufactured by Coleco.[2] The characters were adapted for animation by series creator Brynne Stephens, who also story edited the show. Starcom was produced by DIC Animation City and distributed by Coca-Cola Telecommunications. The plot detailed the adventures of an American astronaut brigade as they fought off attempted invasions by Shadow Force, a nasty collection of humans and robots led by the nefarious Emperor Dark. The toy line was popular in Europe and Asia, but was unsuccessful in the North American domestic market.

Not to be confused with Space Training and Readiness Command.
Starcom: The U.S. Space Force
StarCom: The U.S. Space Force title card
Created byBrynne Stephens
Developed byBrynne Stephens
Written by
Directed byMarek Buchwald
Voices of
  • Philip Akin
  • Yank Azman
  • Robert Cait
  • Rob Cowan
  • Don Francks
  • Susan Roman
Country of origin
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes13
Production
Executive producerAndy Heyward
ProducerRichard Raynis
Running time25 minutes
Production companyDIC Animation City
Release
Original networkSyndication
Original release20 September (1987-09-20) –
13 December 1987 (1987-12-13)

The show was developed with the help of the Young Astronauts’ Council, with the original intention of sparking young viewers’ interest in the NASA Space Program.[3]

The show earned poor ratings, and was cancelled after 13 episodes.[4] The series was rerun in the late 1990s as part of DIC and Pax TV's "Cloud Nine" programming strand.

Toys

Like many 1980s toys, the development of the Starcom toy line preceded the development of the cartoon series.

Starcom: The U.S. Space Force debuted on television screens in 1987, and the toy line hit stores around the same time. There was plenty of variety for the pint-sized empire builder to choose from: the complete series of Starcom toys offered 23 figures, 6 playsets, and 13 vehicles on the Starcom side, while the Shadow Force was represented by 15 action figures and 11 vehicles. The action figures were two inches tall and came packaged with a backpack, a weapon, and identification cards that explained who they were and what their equipment could do. Like the figures, the vehicles and playsets benefited from a sleek, attractive design.

The most unusual aspect of the Starcom toy line was its use of Magna Lock technology. The action figures had tiny magnets implanted in their feet. Not only did this allow them to stand on the vehicles and playsets without falling off, but it also activated devices in the playsets. For instance, if one placed a figure in the elevator of the Starbase Station playset, its Magna Lock magnets would cause the elevator to rise to the top by itself. On the same playset, if one put a figure within a cannon, the Magna Lock magnets would activate a mechanism that made it turn and fire its rockets.

The vehicles and playsets also delivered Power Deploy features, which uses automatic wind up mechanisms that allows them to perform multiple actions all in a touch of a button, without the use of batteries. For example, with the touch of a button, the Starcom StarWolf unfolds its front, and both its wings. All in all, they offered plenty of moving parts (hidden compartments, cannons, folding wings, etc.). Starcom toys never caught on in the U.S. due to poor promotion and the fact that its parent show only lasted a year in syndication. They were discontinued after two years but ended up doing very well in Europe, where both the show and the toys continued to be popular long after the American toys. The toys were successful and hugely popular in Europe and Southeast Asia only after coming under the production and promotion of Mattel. That company removed the US flag and NASA details from the Coleco originals and launched the toys with a second line of promotions in the early 1990s.

Cast
Colonels: John "Slim" Griffin (Starbase Command), Paul "Crowbar" Corbin (Astro Marines), James "Dash" Derringer (Star Wing)

Starcom

Shadow Force

Episode list
EpisodeAiredTitleWriter
120 September 1987"Nantucket Sleighride"Richard Mueller
227 September 1987"Trojan Crowbar"Steve Perry
34 October 1987"The Long Fall"Brynne Stephens
411 October 1987"Caverns of Mars"Michael Reaves
518 October 1987"Fire and Ice"Michael Reaves
625 October 1987"Galactic Heartbeat"Steve Perry
71 November 1987"The Boys Who Cried Dark"Richard Mueller
88 November 1987"Dark Harvest"Lydia Marano and Arthur Byron Cover
915 November 1987"A Few Bugs in the System"Barbara Hambly
1022 November 1987"Turnabout"Marv Wolfman
1129 November 1987"Hot Enough for You?"Steve Perry
126 December 1987"Flash Moskowitz, Space Cadet"David Wise
1313 December 1987"The Last Star Ranger"Steve Perry

Home video releases

In 2003, Sterling Entertainment released Starcom: The Search for Aliens on DVD containing 3 episodes.

In February 2015, Mill Creek Entertainment released Starcom: The U.S. Space Force- The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1 for the very first time.[5][6]

United States Space Force

The USSF is divided into three categories:

  • Admiral Franklin Brickley (custom figure) / StarCom Director [7]

Astro Marines
  • Col. Paul "Crowbar" Corbin / Battle-Group Commander
  • Capt. Vic "Dakota" Hayes / Laser RAT Driver
  • Capt. Tim "Ranger" Murphy (custom figure) / Squad Leader; Missile Fox Driver [8]

[9]

  • Capt. Rick Ruffing / M-6 "Railgunner" GAV Driver
  • Staff Sgt. "Champ" O`Ryan / HARV-7 Driver
  • Sgt. "Bear" (custom figure) / Covert Ops; Skyroller Driver [10]
  • Sgt. Jonathan "Hammer" Moskowitz (custom figure) / Reconnaissance; Missile Fox Gunner[11]
  • Sgt. Hector Morales / Squad Leader
  • Sgt. Victor Rivera / Squad Leader
  • Sgt. Bill Travers / Laser RAT Gunner
  • Pfc. Al "Cannon" Evans / HARV-7 Gunner
  • Pfc. John "Cowboy" Jefferson / M-6 GAV Gunner

Starbase Command
  • Col. John "Slim" Griffin / Battle-Group Commander
  • Maj. Tony Barona / SC-Headquarters Commander
  • Capt. David "Hawk" Hartford (custom figure) / Gunner; Ring Station Docking Officer [12][13]
  • Capt. Pete Yablonsky / SC-Headquarters Docking Officer
  • Lt. "Lone Wolf" (custom figure) / Gunnery Officer; Medic [14][15]
  • Sgt. Maj. "Bull" Gruff / SB-Cargo Station Chief
  • Sgt. Maj. Lucas "Tiger" Hall (custom figure)
  • Pfc. Rusty Caldwell / SB-Cargo Station Gunner
  • Pfc. Shawn Reed / SB-Cargo Station Fuel Pumper

Star Wing
  • Col. James "Dash" Derringer / Battle-Group Commander
  • Capt. Rip Malone / Starmax Bomber TMC Pilot
  • Capt. Steve "Hotshot" Stockton (custom figure) / Six-Shooter Pilot[16]
  • Capt. "Secret" Swofford (custom figure) / Sidewinder Pilot[17][18]
  • Capt. "Yank" (custom figure) / Tornado Gunship Pilot
  • Lt. "Bomber" (custom figure) / Double-Fighter Pilot
  • Lt. Jeff "Bronx" Carrier / Starhawk SFB Pilot
  • Lt. Bob T. Rogers / Starmax Bomber TMC Navigator
  • Lt. Tom "Bandit" Waldron / F-1400 Starwolf Pilot
  • Sgt. Bob Anders / Battlecrane Pilot
  • Sgt. Red Baker / Starmax Bomber TMC Weapons-Chief
  • Sgt. Ed Kramer / Starhawk SFB Gunner
  • Sgt. Jerry "Speed" Hatch (custom figure) / Tornado Gunship Weapons-Chief

Astro-Marines
  • Laser RAT (#) - Rapid Assault Tracker / (Capt. Vic "Dakota" Hayes; Sgt. Bill Travers)
  • M-6 "Railgunner" GAV (#) - Ground Attack Vehicle / (Capt. Rick Ruffing; PFC John "Cowboy" Jefferson)
  • HARV-7 - Heavy Armored Recovery Vehicle / (Staff Sgt. "Champ" O`Ryan; PFC Al "Cannon" Evans)
  • Missile Fox (#) - Tactical Launching Vehicle / (Capt. Tim "Ranger" Murphy; Sgt. "Hammer")
  • Skyroller - High-Rising Supertank / (Sgt. "Bear")

(#) - transportable by larger vehicles.

Star Wing
  • Starmax Bomber TMC - Transport & Missile Cruiser / (Capt. Rip Malone; Lt. Bob T. Rogers; Sgt. Red Baker)
  • Starhawk SFB - Strategic Fighter-Bomber / (Lt. Jeff "Bronx" Carrier; Sgt. Ed Kramer)
  • F-1400 Starwolf (#) - Flexwing Astro Fighter / (Lt. Tom "Bandit" Waldron)
  • Battlecrane (#) - Combat Cargo Lifter / (Sgt. Bob Anders)
  • Double Fighter - Massive Attack Jet / (Lt. "Bomber")
  • Sidewinder (#) - High-Speed "Jackknife" Fighter / (Capt. "Secret" Swofford)
  • Six-Shooter - Multi-Deployment Fighter / (Capt. Steve "Hotshot" Stockton)
  • Tornado Gunship (#) - Aerospace Transcopter / (Capt. "Yank"; Sgt. "Speed")

(#) - transportable by larger vehicles.

Playsets
  • Starbase Station - Strategic Deployment Platform / (Sergeant Major "Bull" Gruff; PFC Rusty Caldwell; PFC Shawn Reed)
  • Starbase Command - Headquarters / (Major Tony Barona; Captain Pete Yablonsky)
  • Prefabricated Planetary Fortress - comprises A thru D
    • (A) Command Post (#) - Mobile Action Pod
    • (B) Laser Artillery (#) - Mobile Action Pod
    • (C) Medical Bay (#) - Mobile Action Pod
    • (D) Vehicle Repair (#) - Mobile Action Pod
  • Big Cannon Fortress (#) - Mobile Action Pod
  • Missile Station (#) - Mobile Action Pod

(#) - transportable by larger vehicles.

"Shadow Force" Enemy

The Shadow Forces are divided into three groups:

  • Supreme Emperor Dark (special edition figure) / Shadow Force Dictator

Invasion Force
  • General Von Dar / Attack-Force Commander
  • Maj. Romak / Shadow Invader Driver
  • Capt. Pannok (custom figure) / Shadow Upriser Driver [19]
  • Lt. Gorn (custom figure) / Shadow Mini-Tank Driver [20]
  • Lt. Vasor (custom figure) / Shadow Blast-Track Driver
  • Sgt. Borek / Attack Leader
  • Sgt. Hack / Shadow Raider Gunner
  • Cpl. Slash / Trooper
  • Cpl. Storn / Shadow Invader Gunner

Starmada
  • General Malvanna Wilde (custom figure) / Attack-Force Commander [21]
  • Maj. Klag / Shadowbat Pilot
  • Capt. Howl (custom figure) / Counter-Insurgency; Shadow Spy Pilot [22]
  • Capt. Mace / Shadow Vampire Pilot
  • Lt. Magg / Shadow Parasite Pilot
  • Sgt. Ramor / Shadowbat Weapons Master
  • Sgt. Von Rodd / Shadow Vampire Gunner

Robot-Drone Force
  • General Torvek / Attack-Force Commander
  • Capt. Battlecron-9 / Shadow Raider Driver
  • Capt. Hydrone (custom figure)
  • Capt. Tox (custom figure)[23]
  • Lt. Zortek (custom figure) / Gunner; Shadow Bandit Pilot[24]
  • Sergeant-Major Ivok (custom figure) / Shadow Attack-Trike Driver[25]
  • Sergeant-Major Targon (custom figure) / Gunner [26]
  • Cpl. Agon-6 / Shadow Raider Gunner
  • Cpl. Cronax (custom figure)

Invasion
  • Shadow Invader (#) - Rapid Strike Vehicle / (Maj. Romak; Cpl. Storn)
  • Shadow Blast Track - Enemy Tank/Transport / (Lt. Vasor)
  • Shadow Upriser - Elevating Land Vehicle / (Capt. Pannok)
  • Shadow Mini-Tank (#) / (Lt. Gorn)

(#) - transportable by larger vehicles.

Starmada
  • Shadowbat - Battle Cruiser / (Maj. Klag; Sgt. Ramor)
  • Shadow Parasite (#) - Attack Fighter / (Lt. Magg)
  • Shadow Vampire - Enemy V.T.O.L. Fighter / (Capt. Mace; Sgt. Von Rodd)
  • Shadow Spy (#) - Disguised Enemy / (Capt. Howl)

(#) - transportable by larger vehicles.

Robot-Drone
  • Shadow Raider - Sneak Attack Vehicle / (Capt. Battlecron-9; Sgt. Hack; Cpl. Agon-6)
  • Shadow Bandit - Enemy Pod Lifter / (Lt. Zortek)
  • Shadow Attack-Trike (#) / (Sgt. Maj. Ivok)

References
  1. "LUMIERE". Starcom: The U.S. Space Force; Director(s): Marek Buchwald; Co-producing countries: CA,US; Production year: 1987
  2. Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 587. ISBN 978-1538103739.
  3. John J. Kao (2010-08-17). The entrepreneurial organization. ISBN 9780132823289. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
  4. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 789. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  5. David Lambert (5 December 2014). "Starcom: The U.S. Space Force DVD news: Announcement for The Complete Series". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  6. "Starcom: The U.S. Space Force - The Complete Series". TV Shows on DVD. 17 February 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  7. "Vintage 1980's Starcom Toys ~ "ADM. FRANKLIN BRICKLEY" ~ Starcom Commander ~ *CUSTOM FIGURE".
  8. "Vintage 1980's Starcom Toys ~ "RANGER" ~ Astro Marines ~ *CUSTOM FIGURE".
  9. ":: STARCOM :: The U.S. Space Force Website: H I S T O R y ::".
  10. "Vintage 1980's Starcom Toys ~ "BEAR" ~ Astro Marines ~ *CUSTOM FIGURE".
  11. "Vintage 1980's Starcom Toys ~ "HAMMER" Astro Marines *EUROPEAN EXCLUSIVE".
  12. ":: STARCOM :: The U.S. Space Force Website: H I S T O R y ::".
  13. "Vintage 1980's Starcom Toys ~ "HAWK" ~ Starbase Command ~ *CUSTOM FIGURE".
  14. https://www.angelfire.com/sc2/SHADOWREALM/starcom.html
  15. "Vintage 1980's Starcom Toys ~ "LONE WOLF" Astro Marines *EUROPEAN EXCLUSIVE".
  16. "Talking Point Episode 19: Unreleased Starcom Toys". YouTube.
  17. ":: STARCOM :: The U.S. Space Force Website: H I S T O R y ::".
  18. "The Starcom Collection".
  19. "Vintage 1980's Starcom Toys ~ "CAPT. PANNOK" ~ Invasion ~ *CUSTOM FIGURE".
  20. "Talking Point Episode 19: Unreleased Starcom Toys". YouTube.
  21. "1980's Coleco Toys - Starcom ~ PROF. MALVANNA WILDE ~ Carded *Custom Figure".
  22. "Vintage 1980's Starcom Toys ~ "CAPT. HOWL" Starmada *EUROPEAN EXCLUSIVE".
  23. "Talking Point Episode 19: Unreleased Starcom Toys". YouTube.
  24. "Vintage 1980's Starcom Toys ~ "LT. ZORTEK" ~ Robot Drones ~ *CUSTOM FIGURE".
  25. "Vintage 1980's Starcom Toys ~ "SGT MAJ. IVOK" ~ Robot Drones ~ *CUSTOM FIGURE".
  26. "Vintage 1980's Starcom Toys ~ "SGT MAJ. TARGON" ~ Robot Drones ~ *CUSTOM FIGURE".
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