Sky Commanders
Encyclopedia
Sky Commanders is an animated television series made by Hanna-Barbera Productions. It premiered in July
1987
as part of The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera
and lasted for thirteen episodes. It also spawned an action figure
line from Kenner
Toys.
deep in the South Pacific
which was created by the emergence to the surface world of a new and powerful, unstable radioactive element called Phata 7.
This lethal energy source can only be stabilized for containment by exposure to temperatures of 200 degrees below zero. It is known that whoever can control the element and harness its enormous power would be the ruler of the world; a goal that the amoral General Plague wants strongly. It is up to General Mike Summit and his highly trained soldiers to stop him.
Complicating the Sky Commanders' objective of stopping the criminal ambitions of The Raiders is the fact the new continent (collectively referred to in the series as "The High Frontier") is routinely beset by sporadic, unstable and highly dangerous weather conditions and environmental hazards such as landslides, earthquakes, cave-ins, whirlpools, etc. There is also the need for monthly shipments of fresh supplies, new advanced technology and weapon systems. Constant attack by the scheming and underhanded Raiders and the aforementioned environmental dangers make the Sky Commanders mission only that much more dangerous.
Travel throughout the new continent is only possible by means of high-altitude flight, or by means of using Laser Cables; a specialized version of a rappelling cord emitted from combat backpacks worn by both Radier and Sky Commander. When used, the cables shoot out from the combat backpacks in the form of energy beams. When contact is made with a solid object, the Laser Cable solidifies into a solid metal cable line upon which travel is possible.
Phata 7, the radioactive element that both sides vie for control of, which came from the deepest subterranean recesses of the earth itself has brought with it on its rise to the surface of the world not only the new continent itself but also a wild and voracious, bizarre menagerie of utterly horrific creatures to inhabit it. These lifeforms are either the products of long-term mutative exposure to Phata 7's radiation or were just naturally brought about the way that they are. Occasional violent encounters with these monstrosities is yet another danger waiting for both sides of this battle for the future freedom or enslavement of the world.
July
July is the seventh month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of seven months with the length of 31 days. It is, on average, the warmest month in most of the Northern hemisphere and the coldest month in much of the Southern hemisphere...
1987
1987 in television
The year 1987 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1987.For American TV schedule, see: 1987–88 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:...
as part of The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera
The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera
The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera was a syndicated block of animated television programming and new original shows produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions.-Format:...
and lasted for thirteen episodes. It also spawned an action figure
Action figure
An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
line from Kenner
Kenner
Kenner Products was a toy company founded in 1947 by three brothers, Albert, Phillip, and Joseph L. Steiner, in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, and was named after the street where the original corporate offices were located, which is just north of Cincinnati's Union Terminal.Kenner introduced its...
Toys.
Plot
The storyline of Sky Commanders comprises the daily adventures of a multi-racial group of soldiers and mountaineering specialists from all over the world who battle the evil General Plague and his goon squad of villainous mercenaries and miscreants, The Raiders, whose aim is to seize control of the planet. The series is set on a new continentContinent
A continent is one of several very large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents—they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.Plate tectonics is...
deep in the South Pacific
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
which was created by the emergence to the surface world of a new and powerful, unstable radioactive element called Phata 7.
This lethal energy source can only be stabilized for containment by exposure to temperatures of 200 degrees below zero. It is known that whoever can control the element and harness its enormous power would be the ruler of the world; a goal that the amoral General Plague wants strongly. It is up to General Mike Summit and his highly trained soldiers to stop him.
Complicating the Sky Commanders' objective of stopping the criminal ambitions of The Raiders is the fact the new continent (collectively referred to in the series as "The High Frontier") is routinely beset by sporadic, unstable and highly dangerous weather conditions and environmental hazards such as landslides, earthquakes, cave-ins, whirlpools, etc. There is also the need for monthly shipments of fresh supplies, new advanced technology and weapon systems. Constant attack by the scheming and underhanded Raiders and the aforementioned environmental dangers make the Sky Commanders mission only that much more dangerous.
Travel throughout the new continent is only possible by means of high-altitude flight, or by means of using Laser Cables; a specialized version of a rappelling cord emitted from combat backpacks worn by both Radier and Sky Commander. When used, the cables shoot out from the combat backpacks in the form of energy beams. When contact is made with a solid object, the Laser Cable solidifies into a solid metal cable line upon which travel is possible.
Phata 7, the radioactive element that both sides vie for control of, which came from the deepest subterranean recesses of the earth itself has brought with it on its rise to the surface of the world not only the new continent itself but also a wild and voracious, bizarre menagerie of utterly horrific creatures to inhabit it. These lifeforms are either the products of long-term mutative exposure to Phata 7's radiation or were just naturally brought about the way that they are. Occasional violent encounters with these monstrosities is yet another danger waiting for both sides of this battle for the future freedom or enslavement of the world.
Episodes
- Assault on Raider Stronghold
- Back In the Fold
- Marooned
- Fresh Recruit
- One On One
- Divide and Conquer
- Rescuers Need Rescuing
- Terminal Temblor
- S.O.S.
- Turncoat
- Deep Freeze
- Firestorm
- The Agony of Defeat
Voice cast
- Charlie Adler - Kreeg
- Richard DoyleRichard Doyle (actor)Richard Doyle , sometimes credited as Richard Doyal, is an American actor and voice actor.- Early life :Richard Doyle was born in 1945 in Brockton, Massachusetts...
- 'Books' Baxter - Bernard ErhardBernard ErhardBernard Erhard was an American voice actor.He worked primarily in children's cartoons. Among his roles were Cy-Kill in Challenge of the GoBots , King Morpheus in Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, and one of the wolves in Rover Dangerfield.-External links:...
- General Lucas Plague - Paul EidingPaul EidingPaul Eiding is an American voice actor, voice instructor, and actor, perhaps best known as the voice actor behind Perceptor in the original Transformers cartoon, Roy Campbell in the Metal Gear series, the narrator in Diablo, Judicator Aldaris in StarCraft, and Max Tennyson in Ben 10, Ben 10: Alien...
- Raider Rath - Dick GautierRichard GautierRichard "Dick" Gautier is an actor, comedian, composer, singer and author. Among his most well-known television roles are for Hymie the Robot in the television series Get Smart, and Robin Hood in the short-lived TV comedy series When Things Were Rotten, a Mel Brooks send-up of the classic...
- Mordax - Dorian HarewoodDorian HarewoodW. Dorian Harewood is an American actor. He first garnered attention for his portrayal of Simon Haley in the ABC miniseries Roots: The Next Generations.-Career:...
- Jim Stryker - Darryl HickmanDarryl HickmanDarryl Gerard Hickman is an American film and television actor, former television executive, and child star of the 1930s and 1940s.-Early life:...
- R. J. Scott - Soon-Tek OhSoon-Tek OhSoon-Tek Oh |M*A*S*H]], Charlie's Angels, Airwolf, Magnum, P. I., Hawaii Five-O, Kung-Fu, Zorro, and Touched By An Angel....
- Kodiak - Robert RidgelyRobert RidgelyRobert Ridgely was an American actor and vocal artist, known for both on-camera roles and extensive voice-over work.-Career:...
- Mike Summit - Tristan RogersTristan RogersTristan Rogers is an Australian–American actor. He is best known for playing Robert Scorpio on the ABC soap opera General Hospital...
- 'Spider' Reilly - Lauren TewesLauren TewesCynthia Lauren Tewes ,known simply as Lauren Tewes,is an American actress best known for playing Cruise Director Julie McCoy on the sitcom The Love Boat beating out over 100 other actresses for the role...
- Red McCullough - B.J. Ward - Dr. Erica Slade
- William WindomWilliam Windom (actor)William Windom is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his work on television, including several episodes of The Twilight Zone; playing the character of Glen Morley, a congressman from Minnesota like his own great-grandfather and namesake in The Farmer's Daughter; the character of John...
- 'Cutter' Kling