Dino-Riders
| Dino-Riders | |
|---|---|
 Product logo | |
| Genre |
Action/adventure science fiction |
| Created by |
Gerry Conway Carla Conway |
| Directed by |
Ray Lee Steven Hahn |
| Starring |
Charles Adler Jack Angel Cam Clarke Townsend Coleman Joe Colligan Peter Cullen Ike Eisenmann Dan Gilvezan Noelle North Rob Paulsen Patrick Pinney Frank Welker |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 14 |
| Production | |
| Running time |
approximately 23 min (per episode) |
| Production company(s) |
Marvel Productions Tyco Toys —Animation by— Hanho Heung-Up Co., Ltd. (South Korean Animation Studio) AKOM Productions Ltd. (South Korean Animation Studio) |
| Distributor |
BVS Entertainment Mattel Playground Productions |
| Release | |
| Original network | First-run syndication |
| Original release | October 1 – December 31, 1988[1] |
Dino-Riders is a cartoon television series that first aired in 1988.[1] Dino-Riders was primarily a promotional show to launch a new Tyco toy line.[2] Only fourteen episodes were produced, three of which were produced on VHS for the United States.[2] The show aired in the U.S. as part of the Marvel Action Universe.[2]
The series focuses on the battle between the good Valorians and the evil Rulons on prehistoric Earth.[2] The Valorians were a superhuman race, while the Rulons were a mixture of humanoid creatures. Both races came from the future but were transported back in time to the age of dinosaurs. Once on Earth, the Valorians befriended dinosaurs, while the Rulons brainwashed them.[2]
Overview
The Valorians were a peaceful race that lived on Valoria until they were attacked by the Rulons.[2] The Valorians attempted to escape from the Rulons' assault using their "Space Time Energy Projector" (S.T.E.P.); however, something went wrong. They were sent back in time, 65 million years to the age of the dinosaurs.[2] Unknown to them, the Rulons in the spaceship Dreadlock were also sent back through time when the S.T.E.P. was activated.[2]
After successfully landing on prehistoric Earth, the Valorians, led by Questar, used their AMP necklaces to telepathically communicate with the dinosaurs they encountered and eventually befriended them.[2] On the other hand, the Rulons, led by their leader Emperor Krulos, used brainwashing devices known as brain-boxes to control dinosaurs for their own needs.[2] The Rulons then launched an attack on the Valorians, who called upon their dinosaur friends to assist them in fighting back. After successfully defeating the Rulons, the Valorians declared themselves to be the Dino-Riders.[2]
In regard to the dinosaur (and other animal) species present, the series is extremely anachronistic, showing late Cretaceous species like Tyrannosaurus rex alongside species from earlier eras, including the Permian genus Dimetrodon, which lived 200 million years earlier, before dinosaurs existed.
Characters
Valorians
- Questar (voiced by Dan Gilvezan) – Leader of the Valorians who is strong-willed and courageous.[3]
- Mind-Zei (voiced by Peter Cullen) – Blind warrior with a sixth-sense for detecting people around him. He offers advice to Questar and is also Serena's grandfather.[3]
- Yungstar – Young and eager for action, is prone to letting pride get in his way. He rides a Deinonychus.[3]
- Serena (voiced by Noelle North) – Able to heal other beings and can sense when someone is in trouble. She is also the granddaughter of Mind-Zei.[3]
- Turret – Technician and scientist. Turret is in charge of the S.T.E.P. crystal.[3]
- Llahd – The youngest of the Dino-Riders.[3]
- Gunnur (voiced by Peter Cullen) – A hardened war veteran and high-ranking official who often helps train other Dino-Riders.[3]
- Tagg – A mid-level official who also helps instructs in the training of the Dino-Riders. He rides a Pachycephalosaurus.[3]
- Ikon – A statistician as well as a pragmatist. Ikon is one of Questar's top advisors. He possesses a staff that allows him to answer Questar's questions almost instantly.[3]
- Vector – Vector is one of Questar's top advisors. He is a general contractor who has a computerized wrist strap that allows him to assess projects that need carried out such as camp expansion and infrastructure repair.[3]
- Aero (voiced by Cam Clarke) – The competitive rival of Yungstar. He flies a Quetzalcoatlus and can maneuver it better than anyone.[3]
- Ayce – He usually teaches training and equipment familiarization classes.[3]
- Aries – Aries is a young warrior who is frequently unsure of himself and is always seeking guidance from the other Valorians. He mainly mans the artillery of the Diplodocus.[3]
- Neutrino – He assists in various training courses. Although much of Neutrino's time is spent training others, Neutrino is more than capable on the battlefield.[3]
Commandos
The Commandos are a special forces military unit within the Dino-Riders.[3]
- Astra – A hardened war veteran and leader of the Commandos. Formerly a teacher at the Valorian University and once counted Questar as a student.[3]
- Bomba (voiced by Peter Cullen) – An explosives expert who is utilized to make clearings or remove obstacles.[3]
- Kameelian (voiced by Rob Paulsen) – Specializes in surveillance and reconnaissance. Kameelian is a master of disguise.[3]
- Glyde (voiced by Frank Welker) – Aerial reconnaissance and artillery cover. Uses a glider to navigate through the air.[3]
- Faze (voiced by Rob Paulsen) – Artillery expert.[3]
- Rok – Expert in crossing rocky terrain such as mountains.[3]
Cro-Magnons
The Valorians have also made allies with a tribe of Cro-Magnons. Among the known Cro-Magnons are:
- Zar – Leader of a clan of Cro-Magnons. He leads his clan against the evil Neanderthals of Grom and refuses to succumb to his powers like the other tribes before him.[3]
- Kub – A young but courageous Cro-Magnon. He helps the Valorians in their fight with the Rulons.[3]
- Maya – Maya is a compassionate Cro-Magnon who is the Cro-Magnon equivalent of Serena as she is the healer of the tribe.[3]
Rulons
The Rulons are a race of aliens that are the enemies of the Valorians and the main antagonists of the series.
- Emperor Krulos (voiced by Frank Welker) – The evil leader of the Rulons who rules them with fear. Krulos is a frog-like humanoid creature in an armored suit who seeks world domination. He mostly uses a Tyrannosaurus when going into battle.[3]
- Rasp (voiced by Frank Welker) – Rasp is a cobra-like creature who is the leader of the Viper group and Krulos's second-in-command. Rasp always tries to usurp Krulos's place while keeping Hammerhead and Antor from trying to take his status.[3]
- Hammerhead (voiced by Charlie Adler) – Hammerhead is a hammerhead shark-like creature who is the leader of the Sharkurrs and one of Krulos's top generals. Hammerhead usually vies with Rasp and Antor for second-in-command status.[3]
- Antor (voiced by Peter Cullen) – Antor is an ant-like creature who is the leader of the Antmen and one of Krulos's generals. Antor usually vies with Hammerhead and Rasp for second-in-command status.[3]
- Krok – A crocodile-like humanoid creature and one of Krulos's generals. He is entirely obedient to Krulos and focuses on serving his master rather than getting involved in the petty-squabbling his fellow generals get into.[3]
- Skate – Skate is a manta ray-like creature who is a low-ranking official of the Rulons.[3]
- Lokus (voiced by Charlie Adler) – Lokus is a locust-like creature who is a low-ranking official of the Rulons.[3]
Neanderthals
Zar's tribe of Cro-Magnons have been at war with a rogue tribe of Neanderthals. Among the known Neanderthals are:
- Grom – Grom is the leader of a deadly clan of Neanderthals who seeks to control or annihilate all neighboring tribes. He has ruled his tribe for years and has struck fear into the hearts of many rival Neanderthal tribes.[3]
Episodes
The Dino-Riders series consisted of a single season of 14 episodes.[4] Below is a list of each episode along with the date it first aired.[1]
| Episode # | Title | Aired |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Adventure Begins" | October 01, 1988 |
| 2 | "Revenge of the Rulons" | October 08, 1988 |
| 3 | "The Rulon Stampede" | October 15, 1988 |
| 4 | "The Blue Skies of Earth" | October 22, 1988 |
| 5 | "Toro, Toro, Torosaurus" | October 29, 1988 |
| 6 | "T-Rex" | November 05, 1988 |
| 7 | "Krulos" | November 12, 1988 |
| 8 | "Tagg, You're It!" | November 19, 1988 |
| 9 | "Thanksgiving" | November 26, 1988 |
| 10 | "To Lose the Path" | December 03, 1988 |
| 11 | "Enter the Commandos" | December 10, 1988 |
| 12 | "Battle for the Brontosaurus" (1) | December 17, 1988 |
| 13 | "One to Lead Us" (2) | December 24, 1988 |
| 14 | "Ice Age Adventure" | December 31, 1988 |
Cast
- Charles Adler – Hammerhead, Lokus
- Jack Angel –
- S. Scott Bullock –
- Wally Burr –
- Cam Clarke – Aero
- Townsend Coleman –
- Joe Colligan –
- Peter Cullen – Gunnur, Antor, Bomba, Mind-Zei
- Shawn Donahue –
- Stephen Dorff –
- Ike Eisenmann –
- Liz Georges –
- Dan Gilvezan – Questar
- Noelle North – Serena
- Rob Paulsen – Faze, Kameelian
- Patrick Pinney –
- Frank Welker – Krulos, Rasp, Glyde
Crew
- Wally Burr – Voice Director
Toys
In total, there were four series of Dino-Riders toys: Series 1 (1988), Series 2 (1989), Series 3 and Ice Age (1990).[5][6] The Ice Age line focused on Ice-Age mammals rather than dinosaurs.[6]
The larger toys in the range also had a motorized walking action with the dinosaur's head swaying from side to side.[7] Each Rulon faction toy came with a different self-automated trap.[7]
The dinosaurs were acclaimed for their highly detailed bodies and color, and impressed the Smithsonian Institution, who contacted Tyco to reproduce the dinosaurs (without the motorized mechanisms and wheels) for their "Dinosaur and other Prehistoric Reptile Collection".[8] Dinosaur illustrator William Stout was credited for dinosaur design on the show's credits.
Series 1 (1988)
The release of the first series of Dino-Riders toys was timed to coincide with the cartoon series on television.[7] It initially consisted of 5 Valorian and 6 Rulon toys, along with eight 2-figure packs.[5][7] A sixth Valorian toy, Torosaurus, would be released at the end of the series.[9] The Diplodocus,[10] Torosaurus,[9] Tyrannosaurus Rex,[11] and Triceratops[12] all had motorized walking mechanisms.
| Valorians | Rulons |
|---|---|
| Diplodocus with Questar, Mind-Zei, and Aries | Tyrannosaurus Rex with Krulos, Bitor, and Cobrus |
| Torosaurus with Gunnur and Magnus | Triceratops with Hammerhead and Sidewinder |
| Deinonychus with Sky | Deinonychus with Antor |
| Styracosaurus with Turret | Monoclonius with Mako |
| Quetzalcoatlus with Yungstar | Pteranodon with Rasp |
| Unidentified pterodactyloid pterosaur with Llahd | Ankylosaurus with Sting |
Action figures
- Questar / Krulos
- Proto / Rattlar
- Orion / Six-Gill
- Mind-Zei / Fire
- Quark / Finn
- Nova / Demon
- Mercury / Fang
- Boldar / Termite
Series 2 (1989)
The second series of Dino-Rider toys consisted of 7 new Valorian toys and 3 new Rulons,[5][13] along with eight more 2-figure packs as well as 6 "Commandos".[14] The Commandos consisted of a human figure with unique weapons and accessories.[13]
The most notable toy from this series was the Brontosaurus, which was the largest toy in the entire range, measuring 34 inches long and 15 inches tall.[15] In an effort to keep costs down, Tyco had to abandon several features that were originally intended to be part of the figure.[16] These included motorized walking action, four figures instead of three, and an entirely different weapons system.[16]
The Stegosaurus toy had motorized walking action,[17] while the Pachycephalosaurus and Saurolophus both had a mechanism that allowed their bodies to thrust from a horizontal position with their tail in the air into a vertical position with their tail on the ground.[18][19]
| Valorians | Rulons | Commandos |
|---|---|---|
| Brontosaurus with Serena, Ayce, and Ion (also included 3 Rhamphorhynchus pterosaurs) |
Kentrosaurus with Krok | Astra, commander |
| Stegosaurus with Tark and Vega | Saurolophus with Lokus | Bomba, munitions expert |
| Edmontonia with Axis | Placerias with Skate | Kameelian, infiltrator |
| Dimetrodon with Shado | Glyde, paratrooper | |
| Pachycephalosaurus with Tagg | Faze, artillery expert | |
| Struthiomimus with Nimbus | Rok, mountain warfare expert | |
| Protoceratops with Kanon |
Action figures
- Questar / Krulos
- Serena / Skwirm
- Yungstar / Dedeye
- Mind-Zei / Sludj
- Hondo / Drone
- Ursus / Snarrl
- Neutrino / Poxx
- Graff / Kraw
Series 3 (1990)
The third series of Dino-Riders toys was split into two assortments: 3 new dinosaurs for the regular series and 4 prehistoric mammals for the new "Ice Age" concept.[5][20] The dinosaur sets are among the rarest of the entire range due to a limited production run.[21]
The Quetzalcoatlus, originally released as a Valorian in Series 1, was re-released as a Rulon with a new yellow and spotted black paint scheme.[22][23] The Pachyrhinosaurus had motorized walking action.[21]
| Valorians | Rulons |
|---|---|
| Pachyrhinosaurus with Atlas | Quetzalcoatlus with Algar |
| Chasmosaurus with Llava |
Ice Age
The Ice Age subline was unique in that all of the animals produced belonged to the Valorian faction and, with the rest of the Series 3, are very hard to find.[5][24] This line also included six more 2-figure packs. The Woolly Mammoth, the largest figure in the range, had motorized walking action.[25]
| Valorians |
|---|
| Woolly Mammoth with Grom |
| Giant Ground Sloth with Ulk |
| Killer Warthog with Zar |
| Sabre-Tooth Tiger with Kub |
Action figures
- Onk / Buzz
- Tor / Gorr
- Urg / Rayy
- Agga / Gill
- Ecco / Squish
- Wizz / Gutz
Comics
Apart from the miniature comics included with each of the dinosaur toys, Marvel released a 3-part miniseries of Dino-Rider comics. The comics' storylines were considered to be much darker than the cartoon, sometimes focusing on conflicts between the Valorians. For instance, one storyline involves Questar being accused of murdering his jealous, scheming brother, Tark.
The first comic book issue, "The Path", was released in February 1989 and was 23 pages long. A Dino-Riders Annual was later released as a hardcover book that contained both the first and second issues in one collection.
Film adaptation
In 2015, Tracking Board reported that Mattel has teamed with Solipsist Film to develop a live action Dino-Riders movie with Alissa Phillips and Stephen L’Heureux producing.[26]
Other media
- In addition to the toys and comics, there were a number of other products released during the Dino-Riders run on television. These were primarily child-oriented products such as colouring books, puzzles, and crayons, but also included clothing, kites, stickers, and costumes. Tyco also released a number of Super Dough play sets.
- The character Bix in the Dinotopia series is modeled after the Dino-Riders Protoceratops toy.[27]
- It is claimed that the character Rex in Disney/Pixar's Toy Story franchise is based on the Tyrannosaurus Rex from the Dino-Riders line, with both toys having very apparent similarities.[28]
- In the South Park cartoon episode "Imaginationland Episode III", a Rulon Dino-Rider on a Tyrannosaurus can be seen for several seconds marching in the background with the other evil characters.[28]
- In the Robot Chicken cartoon episode "G.I. Jogurt", the Dino-Riders have a rock song.
See also
References
- 1 2 3 TV.com. "Dino-Riders - Episode Guide". TV.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Archived February 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Archived October 14, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "Cartoons". Dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- 1 2 "STA: Dino Riders: The Toys". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- 1 2 3 4 "STA: Dino Riders: Toy line Series 1 (1988)". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- ↑ "STA: Dino Riders: The Smithsonian Institution Dinosaur Collection (1992)". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- 1 2 "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- ↑ "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- ↑ "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- ↑ "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- 1 2 "STA: Dino Riders: Toy line Series 2 (1989)". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- ↑ "STA: Dino Rider Commando's (1989)". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- ↑ "STA: Dino Riders: Bronotsaurus w/ Ion, Serena & Ayce". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- 1 2 "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- ↑ "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- ↑ "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- ↑ "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- ↑ "STA: Dino Riders: Toy line Series 3 (1990)". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- 1 2 "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- ↑ "STA: Dino Riders: Quetzalcoatlus w/ Algar". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- ↑ "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- ↑ "STA: Dino Riders Ice Age (1990)". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- ↑ "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- ↑ Boyle, Lance (October 12, 2015). "{EXCLUSIVE} MATTEL IS INTERESTED IN A "DINO-RIDERS" FILM". The Tracking Board.
- ↑ "Gurney Journey: Bix Maquettes". Gurneyjourney.blogspot.com. 2007-11-26. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- 1 2 "Miscellaneous". Dinoridersworld.com. 2011-08-27. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
External links
- Dino-Riders at the Internet Movie Database
- Dino-Riders at TV.com
- Dino-Riders at the Big Cartoon DataBase
- A complete list of aired episodes
- dinoriders.com A Dino-Riders fan site
- "Dino-Riders" Series Recap
- Toy and video information
- Comic book credits
- Dino-Riders by Tyco at www.figure-archive.net