Manta Force

Last updated

MANTA Force
Company Bluebird Toys
Availability1987–1991

MANTA Force is a line of toys produced by British toy company Bluebird in 1987. The toyline was initially divided into two main factions: the heroic MANTA Force and their opponents, the evil Viper Squad. Following the popularity of the MANTA Force toy range, an additional enemy was introduced in 1989; a group of robots known as the Karnoids, who were an enemy of both MANTA Force and the Viper Squad. The following year saw the release of the Stenchoids, which were another new threat for the humans. By the early 1990s however, the popularity of the toy range began to decrease and eventually production was stopped.

Contents

Plot

By 2012, humans had colonised many planets throughout the Solar System, including Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. The planet Earth however, had become polluted and overpopulated. In an attempt to save mankind, President Battaille ordered the creation of the MANTA ship. MANTA Force was an acronym for Multiple-Air-Naval-Terrain-Assault Force and was the most advanced Earth ship ever built. It was designed to work in any environment and its engine was fuelled by a substance called Thorium.

Following the successful launch of the MANTA Force ship, the World Government created the Red Venom to help Manta Force colonise New Earth. On Saturn however, many of the people had grown tired of living in plastic bubbles and believed New Earth should belong to them. During its test runs therefore, the Red Venom was hijacked by a group of highly skilled soldiers called the Viper Squad. Under the command of Major Vex, the Viper Squad attempted to use the Red Venom to hijack the MANTA Force ship, so they could be the ones to colonise New Earth.

Later the two opposing sides joined forces to fight off attacks from a cybernetic alien known as Mad Karnock, who was served by an army of robots called Karnoids. Another enemy also emerged from the swamps of New Earth in the form of the vile Stinkhorn, leader of the Stenchoids, who attempted to destroy the humans with their decomposing Stench weapons (which excreted a green compound similar to Play-Doh).

Toys

Manta Force toys

Smaller sets

Comics

Eagle strip

A comic strip based on the toyline was featured in the IPC Magazines anthology comic Eagle between 5 September 1987 to 23 January 1988. The first episode was written by John Wagner and Alan Grant (under the pseudonym 'R. Steele' and drawn by Ian Kennedy, with subsequent instalments scripted by Alan Hebden and illustrated by Mike Dorey. [1]

Other comics

Following the conclusion of the comic strip in Eagle, Marvel UK produced a one-shot special in 1989. [2] Bluebird themselves also published two promotional comics to promote the Black Barracuda and Vile Stinkhorn toy ranges. These promotional comics were generally found in the packages of other Manta Force toys.[ citation needed ]

Storybooks

In July 1989, Carnival released two books based on the Manta Force toyline, called Manta Force - The Enemy Within and Manta Force - Red Venom Attack!. Both books were written by Royston Drake.[ citation needed ]

Notes

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Arcee</span> Transformers character

    Arcee is a robot character in the Transformers franchise, an Autobot usually pink or blue in color. She has made more appearances and has had several more incarnations than any other female Transformer. Arcee's design, alternate mode, and personality vary depending on continuity.

    Jazz (<i>Transformers</i>) Transformers character

    Jazz is a fictional robot character from the Transformers franchise. He is usually portrayed as a music-loving Autobot who speaks Black Vernacular English. In certain continuities he is shown as Optimus Prime's good friend and right-hand man.

    Viper mostly refers to the snake family Viperidae, containing venomous snakes with long hinged fangs for injection of venom. This may also refer to:

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Microman</span> Multimedia franchise based on a toy line

    Microman was a science fiction toyline created, manufactured and marketed by Takara Co., Ltd. from 1974 to 1984 as well as from 1998 to 2007. The Microman line was a series of 3.75-inch-tall (9.5 cm) action figures with accompanying vehicles, robots, playsets and accessories. Unlike other toylines at the time, Microman figures were marketed as being the "actual" size of cyborg beings called "Micros" that hailed from a fictional planet known as "Micro Earth" and disguised themselves as action figures while on planet Earth.

    Jetfire is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers franchise. He is almost always depicted as an Autobot with flight capabilities and a jet or space shuttle as an alternate mode. In some continuities, he is a former Decepticon.

    <i>G.I. Joe: Sigma 6</i> Line of toy action figures; animated series

    G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 is a line of military-themed action figures and toys produced by Hasbro, re-imagining the characters of the 1980s toyline, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Sideswipe (Transformers)</span> Transformers character

    Sideswipe is a fictional robot character in the Transformers series.

    Cliffjumper is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers franchise. His name is usually associated with an Autobot whose toys are often red repaints or remold of Bumblebee toys.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Lego Space</span> Discontinued Lego theme

    Lego Space is a science fiction-oriented Lego theme which focuses on astronauts, space colonization, spaceships, and extraterrestrial life. Introduced in 1978, along with Castle and Town, with each of the three themes representing the 'Past' (Castle), 'Present' (Town) and 'Future' (Space). It is one of the oldest and most extensive themes in Lego history, consisting of over 300 individual sets.

    Dusty (<i>G.I. Joe</i>) Character from the G.I. Joe franchise

    Dusty is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and animated series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's desert trooper and debuted in 1985.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Mighty Max (toyline)</span> British series of toys (1992-1996)

    Mighty Max was a series of toys that were manufactured by Bluebird Toys PLC in the UK in 1992. The toys were similar to the earlier Polly Pocket toyline, but these toys were marketed primarily towards young boys. In Canada and the United States, they were distributed by Irwin Toy Limited and Mattel Inc. respectively. The original toyline consisted mainly of "Doom Zones" and "Horror Heads". "Doom Zones" were small playsets with a horror theme and featured miniature figurines of menacing creatures and the hero Max, a young boy with blond hair, jeans, a white t-shirt with a red "M" on it, and a baseball cap which also always had an "M" on it. The "Horror Heads" were smaller-sized playsets, also shaped like the heads of creatures and contained miniature figures. It was later adapted into a TV series, as well as a tie-in video game The Adventures of Mighty Max produced by Ocean Software for the Super NES and Mega Drive/Genesis.

    Built to Rule was a building block toyline from Hasbro released from 2003 to 2005. The sets included block that are compatible with such leading brands as Lego. These sets were Sets are usually based upon existing toys and characters from the Hasbro brand, such as Tonka, G.I. Joe and Transformers: Armada.

    Transformers: Generation 1 is a toy line from 1984 to 1990, produced by Hasbro and Takara Tomy. It was a line of toy robots that could change into an alternate form by moving parts into other places, and it was the first line of toys produced for the successful Transformers toy and entertainment franchise. The line was originally called The Transformers, with "Generation 1" originating as a term coined by fans of the toys when the Transformers: Generation 2 toy line was released in 1992. Hasbro eventually adopted the term "Generation 1" to refer to any toy produced in that era.

    <i>Transformers: Zone</i> Japanese original video animation

    Transformers: Zone is a Japanese original video animation (OVA) in the fictional Transformers universe. It was released on July 21, 1990, on VHS and on April 21, 2004, on DVD in Japan. An unofficial fan-made English dub was released on TFCog.com in March 2004.

    Robo Force was a toy line created by the Ideal Toy Company in the year 1984. The line was revived in 2013 by new rights holder Toyfinity. The line was sold from Toyfinity to The Nacelle Company in 2021.

    Space Ironman Kyodain is a Japanese tokusatsu science fiction superhero television series. The show, like numerous others of its type and era, were produced as a joint effort between manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori and Toei Company producer Toru Hirayama. It premiered in 1976 and ran for 48 episodes. The show is well known for its strange plot and costume design, rapid-fire and purposefully disorienting editing, and unique, sometimes surreal, atmosphere. The late Yūsuke Natsu and Takeshi Sasaki starred as Skyzel and Grounzel respectively.

    Planet Heroes was a line of toys from Fisher-Price depicting various heroic characters each identified with a specific planet.

    <i>M.A.S.K.</i> (franchise) Media franchise constructed around action figures

    M.A.S.K. is a media franchise created by Kenner. The main premise revolved around the fight between the titular protagonist underground task force and the terrorist organization V.E.N.O.M.. After its initial launch in 1985, the franchise spawned a variety of products and presentations, including four series of action figures, an animated television series, video games, and comics; as of 2018, a live-action theatrical film is in development by Hasbro and Paramount.

    References

    1. Holland, Steve (2002). The Fleetway Companion. Rotherham: CJ & Publication.
    2. "STARLOGGED - GEEK MEDIA AGAIN: 1989: M.A.N.T.A FORCE WINTER SPECIAL HOUSE AD (Marvel UK)". 10 July 2013.