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

Commandos

The Commandos are a special forces military unit within the Dino-Riders.[3]

Cro-Magnons

The Valorians have also made allies with a tribe of Cro-Magnons. Among the known Cro-Magnons are:

Rulons

The Rulons are a race of aliens that are the enemies of the Valorians and the main antagonists of the series.

Neanderthals

Zar's tribe of Cro-Magnons have been at war with a rogue tribe of Neanderthals. Among the known Neanderthals are:

Episodes

The Dino-Riders series consisted of a single season of 14 episodes. The first two episodes were produced for release on VHS as standalone specials, the first in 1987 and the second in 1988. Also in 1988, the series transitioned to television, with a further 11 episodes being produced and added to the specials to create a standard season's worth of 13 episodes. Lastly, in 1990, an additional VHS special was produced to promote the new range of "Ice Age" figures, released as "Ice Age Adventure" (but with the on-screen title "Dino-Riders in the Ice Age"). [4] Below is a list of each episode along with the date it first aired.[1]

Episode # Title Aired
1 "The Adventure Begins" 1987 (VHS release)
October 01, 1988 (airdate)
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"/"Dino-Riders in the Ice Age" 1990 (VHS release)

Cast

Main series
Ice Age Adventure

Crew

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

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

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

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 October 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]The live-action movie on Dino-Riders is beginning to take shape, currently the cast selection process is underway. [27]

Other media

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 TV.com. "Dino-Riders - Episode Guide". TV.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Archived February 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  3. 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.
  4. "Cartoons". Dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  6. 1 2 "STA: Dino Riders: The Toys". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "STA: Dino Riders: Toy line Series 1 (1988)". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  8. "STA: Dino Riders: The Smithsonian Institution Dinosaur Collection (1992)". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  9. 1 2 "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  10. "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  11. "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  12. "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  13. 1 2 "STA: Dino Riders: Toy line Series 2 (1989)". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  14. "STA: Dino Rider Commando's (1989)". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  15. "STA: Dino Riders: Bronotsaurus w/ Ion, Serena & Ayce". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  16. 1 2 "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  17. "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  18. "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  19. "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  20. "STA: Dino Riders: Toy line Series 3 (1990)". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  21. 1 2 "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  22. "STA: Dino Riders: Quetzalcoatlus w/ Algar". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  23. "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  24. "STA: Dino Riders Ice Age (1990)". Toyarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  25. "Dino Riders World - Toy Section". www.dinoridersworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  26. Boyle, Lance (October 12, 2015). "{EXCLUSIVE} MATTEL IS INTERESTED IN A “DINO-RIDERS” FILM". The Tracking Board.
  27. Quraishi, Ahtesham (June 5, 2017). "Dino Riders Movie : 5 A-Listers Are In Talks For A Big Budget Live-Action Adaptation". Comic Books Galaxy.
  28. "Gurney Journey: Bix Maquettes". Gurneyjourney.blogspot.com. 2007-11-26. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  29. 1 2 "Miscellaneous". Dinoridersworld.com. 2011-08-27. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
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