Silverhawks
Encyclopedia
SilverHawks is an American animated television series developed by Rankin/Bass
and distributed by Lorimar-Telepictures
in 1986. The animation was provided by Japanese studio Pacific Animation Corporation. In total, 65 episodes were made. It was created as a space-bound equivalent of their previous series, ThunderCats
.
As was the case with ThunderCats, there was also a SilverHawks comic book
series published by then-Marvel Comics
imprint Star Comics
.
Currently, Warner Bros.
(who purchased Lorimar in 1989) owns the rights to the series.
followed up their successful ThunderCats
series with this series about a team of human heroes in the 29th century who were given metal bodies and hawk wings to stop organized crime
in the Galaxy of Limbo. SilverHawks featured many of the same voice actors who had worked on ThunderCats, including Larry Kenney
, Peter Newman
, Earl Hammond
, Doug Preis
and Bob McFadden
.
policeman Commander Stargazer recruited the SilverHawks, heroes who are "partly metal, partly real," to fight the evil Mon*Star, an escaped alien mob boss who transforms into an enormous armor-plated creature with the aid of Limbo’s Moonstar. Joining Mon*Star in his villainy is an intergalactic mob: the snakelike Yessman, the blade-armed Buzz-Saw, the "bull"-headed Mumbo-Jumbo, weather controller Windhammer, shapeshifter
Mo-Lec-U-Lar, robotic card sharp Pokerface, weapons-heavy Hardware, and "the musical madness of" Melodia (uses a "keytar
" that fires musical notes)
Quicksilver (formerly Jonathan Quick) leads the SilverHawks, with his metal bird companion TallyHawk at his side. Twins Emily and Will Hart became Steelheart and Steelwill, the SilverHawks’ technician and strongman respectively. Country
-singing Col. Bluegrass played a sonic guitar
and piloted the team’s ship, the Miraj ' onMouseout='HidePop("59829")' href="/topics/Mirage">mirage
" on the series, but given that spelling on the Kenner toy). Rounding out the group is a youngster “from the planet of the mimes,” named Copper Kidd (usually called "Kidd" for short), a mathematical genius who spoke in whistles and computerized tones. Their bionic bodies are covered by a full-body close-fitting metal armor that only exposes the face and an arm, the armor is equipped with a retractile protective mask, retractile wings under-arm (except Bluegrass) thruster on elbows, and laser-weapons over the body. At the end of every episode, Copper Kidd was quizzed (along with the home audience) on various space facts by Col. Bluegrass.
Launching from their satellite base, Hawk Haven, the SilverHawks flew into battle five days a week for one season. The fictitious Galaxy of Limbo in which the series takes place apparently has an overall atmosphere with breathable air and acceptable living condition of temperature and pressure; characters speak in space and operate "open-air" vehicles, and Windhammer's powers work even when he is not on an actual planet. There is also gravity; characters not "flying" tend to fall downward relative to whatever vehicle, satellite, or other platform with which they lost footing. Apparently, because SilverHawks is a fantastical children's cartoon, it was not held to high standards of realism. Yet, it provided correct space facts at the end of each episode, apparently meant for the same audience.
NOTE: Only TallyHawk appeared in almost all of the episodes in the series. All the other "weapon-birds" only appeared in a handful of episodes. Per the episode "The Fighting Hawks", the Hawks for the Steel Twins were accidentally switched in the toy versions.
released Silverhawks: Volume 1 on DVD in Region 1 for the very first time. The 4-disc set contains the first 32 episodes of the series.
On October 4, 2011, Warner Bros.
will release Silverhawks: Volume 2 on DVD in region 1 via their Warner Archive Collection. This is a Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) release, available exclusively through Warner's online store and only in the US. The 4-disc set contains the remaining 33 episodes of the series.
collection based on the animated series was produced by Kenner
and first released in 1987. LJN
, the makers of the ThunderCats
figures, originally were to produce the SilverHawks figures but decided to pass on the project at the last minute. Each figure was packaged with a companion bird and, similar to the popular Super Powers Collection
, had an action feature of some type. The second series of figures is harder to find than the first with Ultrasonic Quicksilver being the most difficult. The MonStar with Laser Lance, Copper Kid with Laser Discs, and the Copper Racer vehicle were not produced but were shown in the 1988 Kenner toy catalog. The series 1 Hawk Haven Fortress was never produced either, due to the high production costs it would incur. Figures for many characters, including Melodia and Poker-Face, were never made.
imprint
Star Comics
(which also published ThunderCats
) released a seven-issue series. Writers included Steve Perry
who also wrote for the animated series.
remake, Mon*Star briefly appears in a cameo in the episode "Legacy." He was seen on a monitor in the bridge of Mumm-Ra's ship.
Rankin/Bass
Rankin/Bass Productions, Inc. , also known as Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment, was an American production company, known for its seasonal television specials, particularly its work in stop-motion animation. The pre-1974 library is currently owned by Classic Media,while the post-1974 library is...
and distributed by Lorimar-Telepictures
Lorimar-Telepictures
Lorimar-Telepictures was a production and television syndication firm established in 1986 with the merger of Lorimar and Telepictures until both TV divisions became separate in 1988...
in 1986. The animation was provided by Japanese studio Pacific Animation Corporation. In total, 65 episodes were made. It was created as a space-bound equivalent of their previous series, ThunderCats
ThunderCats
ThunderCats is an American animated television series that was produced by Rankin/Bass Productions debuting in 1984, based on the characters created by Tobin "Ted" Wolf. The series follows the adventures of a group of cat-like humanoid aliens...
.
As was the case with ThunderCats, there was also a SilverHawks comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series published by then-Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
imprint Star Comics
Star Comics
Star Comics was an imprint of Marvel Comics that began in 1984 and continued to publish comic books until early 1988. Titles published by the imprint were aimed at child readers and were often adaptations of children's television series, animated series or toys...
.
Currently, Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
(who purchased Lorimar in 1989) owns the rights to the series.
Production and development
Rankin/BassRankin/Bass
Rankin/Bass Productions, Inc. , also known as Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment, was an American production company, known for its seasonal television specials, particularly its work in stop-motion animation. The pre-1974 library is currently owned by Classic Media,while the post-1974 library is...
followed up their successful ThunderCats
ThunderCats
ThunderCats is an American animated television series that was produced by Rankin/Bass Productions debuting in 1984, based on the characters created by Tobin "Ted" Wolf. The series follows the adventures of a group of cat-like humanoid aliens...
series with this series about a team of human heroes in the 29th century who were given metal bodies and hawk wings to stop organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
in the Galaxy of Limbo. SilverHawks featured many of the same voice actors who had worked on ThunderCats, including Larry Kenney
Larry Kenney
Larry Kenney is an American radio personality and voice actor.In 1963, Kenney began his radio career at the age of 15 as a disc jockey at WIRL in Peoria. After WIRL, he worked at WOWO, Ft...
, Peter Newman
Peter Newman (actor)
Peter Newman is famous for his voice work for Rankin/Bass. In ThunderCats he provided the voices of Tygra, Wilykat, Bengali, and Monkian. In SilverHawks he provided the voices of Quicksilver, Mumbo Jumbo, and Timestopper. He also played the evil Duke of Zill & Wack Lizardi in Felix the Cat: The...
, Earl Hammond
Earl Hammond
Earl Hammond was an American theater, radio, film and television actor, and, in his later years, a voice actor for several animated films and TV series.-Best known roles:...
, Doug Preis
Doug Preis
Doug Preis is an American voice actor. He is best known for his roles in Doug, ThunderCats, and Silverhawks. He also voiced commercials including the Lucky Charms leprechaun and the Vlasic Pickles stork.-Filmography:...
and Bob McFadden
Bob McFadden
Robert "Bob" McFadden was a singer and voiceover actor best known for his many contributions to animated cartoons. His best known characters were Milton the Monster, Cool McCool, and the ThunderCats' Snarf...
.
Story
BionicBionics
Bionics is the application of biological methods and systems found in nature to the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology.The word bionic was coined by Jack E...
policeman Commander Stargazer recruited the SilverHawks, heroes who are "partly metal, partly real," to fight the evil Mon*Star, an escaped alien mob boss who transforms into an enormous armor-plated creature with the aid of Limbo’s Moonstar. Joining Mon*Star in his villainy is an intergalactic mob: the snakelike Yessman, the blade-armed Buzz-Saw, the "bull"-headed Mumbo-Jumbo, weather controller Windhammer, shapeshifter
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
Mo-Lec-U-Lar, robotic card sharp Pokerface, weapons-heavy Hardware, and "the musical madness of" Melodia (uses a "keytar
Keytar
A keytar is a relatively lightweight keyboard that is supported by a strap around the neck and shoulders, similar to the way a guitar is supported by a strap. Keytars allow players a greater range of movement compared to conventional keyboards, which are placed on stands...
" that fires musical notes)
Quicksilver (formerly Jonathan Quick) leads the SilverHawks, with his metal bird companion TallyHawk at his side. Twins Emily and Will Hart became Steelheart and Steelwill, the SilverHawks’ technician and strongman respectively. Country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
-singing Col. Bluegrass played a sonic guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and piloted the team’s ship, the Miraj ' onMouseout='HidePop("59829")' href="/topics/Mirage">mirage
Mirage
A mirage is a naturally occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays are bent to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky. The word comes to English via the French mirage, from the Latin mirare, meaning "to look at, to wonder at"...
" on the series, but given that spelling on the Kenner toy). Rounding out the group is a youngster “from the planet of the mimes,” named Copper Kidd (usually called "Kidd" for short), a mathematical genius who spoke in whistles and computerized tones. Their bionic bodies are covered by a full-body close-fitting metal armor that only exposes the face and an arm, the armor is equipped with a retractile protective mask, retractile wings under-arm (except Bluegrass) thruster on elbows, and laser-weapons over the body. At the end of every episode, Copper Kidd was quizzed (along with the home audience) on various space facts by Col. Bluegrass.
Launching from their satellite base, Hawk Haven, the SilverHawks flew into battle five days a week for one season. The fictitious Galaxy of Limbo in which the series takes place apparently has an overall atmosphere with breathable air and acceptable living condition of temperature and pressure; characters speak in space and operate "open-air" vehicles, and Windhammer's powers work even when he is not on an actual planet. There is also gravity; characters not "flying" tend to fall downward relative to whatever vehicle, satellite, or other platform with which they lost footing. Apparently, because SilverHawks is a fantastical children's cartoon, it was not held to high standards of realism. Yet, it provided correct space facts at the end of each episode, apparently meant for the same audience.
Original SilverHawks
- Commander Stargazer (voiced by Bob McFaddenBob McFaddenRobert "Bob" McFadden was a singer and voiceover actor best known for his many contributions to animated cartoons. His best known characters were Milton the Monster, Cool McCool, and the ThunderCats' Snarf...
) - A tough and grizzled old cop with bionic capabilities. He captured Mon*Star several years ago, and had him imprisoned. Older than the other SilverHawks, he longs to return to Earth for either a vacation or for retirement. He chiefly serves as the SilverHawks "eyes and ears", keeping them apprised of their current situation. His first name is apparently Burt. Stargazer's weapon-bird is Sly-bird. In the Silverhawks' first adventure, Stargazer is depicted as being the original keeper of Tallyhawk, who from the pilot movie onwards was teamed with Quicksilver.
- Quicksilver (voiced by Peter NewmanPeter Newman (actor)Peter Newman is famous for his voice work for Rankin/Bass. In ThunderCats he provided the voices of Tygra, Wilykat, Bengali, and Monkian. In SilverHawks he provided the voices of Quicksilver, Mumbo Jumbo, and Timestopper. He also played the evil Duke of Zill & Wack Lizardi in Felix the Cat: The...
) - Lieutenant Jonathan Quick was the former head of the Interplanetary Force H, and is the field leader of the SilverHawks. He has a cyborgCyborgA cyborg is a being with both biological and artificial parts. The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
/bird companion called Tally Hawk. Known for his quick reflexes (and even quicker thinking), Quicksilver is an accomplished tactician and athlete. His armor has the lightest silver-shade.
- Col. Bluegrass (voiced by Larry KenneyLarry KenneyLarry Kenney is an American radio personality and voice actor.In 1963, Kenney began his radio career at the age of 15 as a disc jockey at WIRL in Peoria. After WIRL, he worked at WOWO, Ft...
) - He is second-in-command (as a Colonel) of the SilverHawks, and the chief pilot of the group, as well as a cowboy at heart. He is the only Silverhawk who cannot fly (other than CDR Stargazer), but he is the one that flies the team transport vehicle, the Miraj. He likes to use his weapon/instrument (portrayed in the toyline as his weapon-bird with the name Sideman)and his lazo, has an interface with the Miraj's advanced dynamic piloting system, which he has affectionately dubbed "Hot Licks". His armor has a blue-silver shade.
- Steelheart & Steelwill (voiced by Maggie WheelerMaggie WheelerMaggie Wheeler is an American actress, best known for her role as Janice on the TV show Friends.-Personal life:Wheeler was born Margaret Emily Jakobson in Manhattan...
and Bob McFaddenBob McFaddenRobert "Bob" McFadden was a singer and voiceover actor best known for his many contributions to animated cartoons. His best known characters were Milton the Monster, Cool McCool, and the ThunderCats' Snarf...
) - Sergeants Emily Hart and Will Hart are twin siblings. They are the "gearheads" of the team. They share an empathic bond in that when one sibling feels something, the other feels it as well. They are the only SilverHawks who have had real stainless steel hearts implanted during their transformation. Their weapon-birds are Rayzor (for Emily) and Stronghold (for Will). Their armors have the same dark steel tone shade.
- The Copper Kidd - He is the youngest member of the SilverHawks, and the only one not a Terran (Earthling). A mathematical genius from the Planet of the Mimes, he "speaks" in mathematically calculated tones and whistles. His skin is azurine except the face that is white (similar to a mime). His armor is copper-colored but the wings have a silver-like appearance that is similar to those of the other winged team members. At the end of each episode, he was quizzed in several astronomyAstronomyAstronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
lessons by Bluegrass as training to become the reserve Miraj pilot (sure enough, he was called in to fill Bluegrass's shoes, albeit infrequently). A natural acrobat, the Copper Kidd has two razor-edged discs (one mounted on each hip) which he throws like Frisbees. His weapon-bird is Mayday.
New SilverHawks
- Hotwing (voiced by Adolph CaesarAdolph CaesarAdolph Caesar was an American actor.-Biography:Born in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, he is best remembered for his role in director Norman Jewison's film, A Soldier's Story for which he received a nomination for "Best Actor in a Supporting Role" from both the Academy Awards and the...
) - A gold Silverhawk of African AmericanAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
heritage who was added in mid-season. He is a magician, and skilled illusionist. He receives his powers from a mystical energy force that 'chose' him to bear the powers to fight against injustice. He has to recharge these powers every 14 years, otherwise he will die. One notable time was when Zeek the Beak tricked the mystic force into giving him these powers, which would have resulted in Hotwing's death. Hotwing has a weapon-bird named Gyro.
- Flashback - A green time-traveling Silverhawk from the far future. When he meets the 'much older' Stargazer, who tells him of the fateful day the SilverHawks died, Flashback travels back in time to save them from an exploding sun. He also traveled back in time to stop Hardware from destroying the SilverHawks (when the mad inventor sabotaged the Miraj during the S-Hawks hyperspace-sleep to Hawk-Haven from Earth, which would have caused the autopilot to fly them straight into the sun). Flashback's weapon-bird is Backlash.
- Moonstryker - A turquoise Silverhawk. He can propel himself through space by a powerful cyclone generated from propellers that emerge from his waist. He is cocky but an expert marksman, as demonstrated when he shot a pen out of Stargazer's hand when they first met in the episode "Battle Cruiser". His fighting hawk is Tailspin.
- Condor - An old ally of Commander Stargazer, whom Condor calls "Gaze". Condor left the Silverhawks to become a private detective before the series, but eventually returned. Instead of wings, he has cybernetic bodyparts similar to Stargazer's, and also a jetpack. Condor always talks like Humphrey Bogart. His weapon-bird is Jet Stream.
NOTE: Only TallyHawk appeared in almost all of the episodes in the series. All the other "weapon-birds" only appeared in a handful of episodes. Per the episode "The Fighting Hawks", the Hawks for the Steel Twins were accidentally switched in the toy versions.
Other supporting characters
- Seymour (voiced by Peter NewmanPeter Newman (actor)Peter Newman is famous for his voice work for Rankin/Bass. In ThunderCats he provided the voices of Tygra, Wilykat, Bengali, and Monkian. In SilverHawks he provided the voices of Quicksilver, Mumbo Jumbo, and Timestopper. He also played the evil Duke of Zill & Wack Lizardi in Felix the Cat: The...
) - The television show's comic reliefComic reliefComic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.-Definition:...
, is a space cabbie who frequently says "Y'know what I mean?". He might be inspired by Space CabbieSpace CabbieSpace Cabbie is a science fiction character that first appeared in the comic book Mystery in Space #21 . He was series created by Otto Binder and Howard Sherman.-Fictional character biography:...
, a 1950s science fictionScience fictionScience fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
character.
- Zeek the Beak - Seymour's pal. He is a green bird-like alien who often accompanies Seymour on cab rides. His catch phrases are "You wanna buy a fish?" and the interjectionInterjectionIn grammar, an interjection or exclamation is a word used to express an emotion or sentiment on the part of the speaker . Filled pauses such as uh, er, um are also considered interjections...
"Zeek!"
- Harry - He is a robot that works as a barman in Fence. He appears in many chapters usually serving Limbo drinks.
- Professor Power - He works in the Artificial Sun. He controls it. He is friendly with the SilverHawks and helps them many times, like in the amber amplifier episode.
- Sanders - He is governor in Bedlama, a planet similar to the Earth.
- Monotone - It is Automata's computer. It rules the whole planet.
- Grod the Informer - He appears in episode 32 when he informs the mob of a rock that is supposed to be worth a fortune, the Saviour Stone.
- Lord Cash - He is in charge of Dolar planet, where there is plenty of Limbo money. He is friendly to SilverHawks.
- Gotbucks - Dolar's new security chief.
Villains
- Mon*Star (voiced by Earl HammondEarl HammondEarl Hammond was an American theater, radio, film and television actor, and, in his later years, a voice actor for several animated films and TV series.-Best known roles:...
) - The quintillionaire alien mob boss who escaped from his cell, located on Penal Planet 10. He appears as a feline muscular humanoid with dark hair streaked with red over all the body, a voluminous red mane and beard and an eyepatch (with the symbol of a black star) covering his left eye. Utilizing beams from Limbo's Moonstar, Mon*Star's body becomes encased on spiked armor-plating as he recites, "Moonstar of Limbo, Give me the might, the muscle, the menace, of MON*STAR!". In this state, he temporarily regains his left eye with it able to fire the crimson Light Star beam which as various effects, destructive and stunning. Mon*Star rides a giant "space-squid" called Sky-Runner and has a weapon-bird named Sky Shadow. He has some bad blood with Stargazer due to their past conflicts, and extends that animosity to the SilverHawks.
- Yes-Man (voiced by Bob McFaddenBob McFaddenRobert "Bob" McFadden was a singer and voiceover actor best known for his many contributions to animated cartoons. His best known characters were Milton the Monster, Cool McCool, and the ThunderCats' Snarf...
) - Yes-Man is a half-man half-snake creature. He is basically Mon*Star's all-purpose lackey, thrall, and/or sycophant. As his name suggests, he is notorious for constantly saying "Oh yess, Boss...yess." Yes-Man once used the powers of the Moonstar alongside Mon*Star, but did not change form. The Moonstar primarily gave him increased mental abilities and ambition. This led to a feud between himself and his boss until the powers faded.
- Hardware (voiced by Bob McFaddenBob McFaddenRobert "Bob" McFadden was a singer and voiceover actor best known for his many contributions to animated cartoons. His best known characters were Milton the Monster, Cool McCool, and the ThunderCats' Snarf...
) - An extremely intelligent, short but bulky, light purple-skinned creature who carries an over-sized rucksack full of self-engineered weapons and equipment. Hardware has the uniquely honed talent for invention, and can devise devilishly effective machines. Mon*Star considers Hardware his most dangerous minion because of this talent. His weapon-bird is Prowler
- Melodia (voiced by Maggie WheelerMaggie WheelerMaggie Wheeler is an American actress, best known for her role as Janice on the TV show Friends.-Personal life:Wheeler was born Margaret Emily Jakobson in Manhattan...
) - A musical mistress who serves as a nemesis and counterpart to the SilverHawks' Bluegrass. Melodia is usually seen cruising around in the Limbo limo, causing havoc and assorted acts of terror as diversions. Melodia almost always carries a musical synthesizerKeytarA keytar is a relatively lightweight keyboard that is supported by a strap around the neck and shoulders, similar to the way a guitar is supported by a strap. Keytars allow players a greater range of movement compared to conventional keyboards, which are placed on stands...
called a "Sound Smasher" as a weapon. Her usual dressing are an exaggerated costume of a rock-singer: two-shaded green hair, a short black dress, Red Belt with plug up battery pack for "Sound Smasher," long red gloves, tights half dark purple half light pink, and glasses with dark blue lenses and a red music note frame, in contrast to Bluegrass' blue music note frame. In "Switch", while both Melodia and Bluegrass were under effect of a gas that temporarily turns good people into bad people and vice-versa, Bluegrass was the one with a red music note frame and Melodia had a blue one. It's not specifically stated if that was another direct effect of the gas or if the weapons/instruments could be regulated into different music note colors.
- Windhammer (voiced by Doug PreisDoug PreisDoug Preis is an American voice actor. He is best known for his roles in Doug, ThunderCats, and Silverhawks. He also voiced commercials including the Lucky Charms leprechaun and the Vlasic Pickles stork.-Filmography:...
) - An environmental terrorist with a huge, "blasted" tuning fork that enables him to manipulate or generate destructive weather patterns. He is a muscular humanoid with azurine skin, long blonde hair and large elf-like ears.
- Mo-Lec-U-Lar (voiced by Doug PreisDoug PreisDoug Preis is an American voice actor. He is best known for his roles in Doug, ThunderCats, and Silverhawks. He also voiced commercials including the Lucky Charms leprechaun and the Vlasic Pickles stork.-Filmography:...
) - A shapeshifter whose primary form is a humanoid body composed of many spheres in various copper shades. He is Mon*Star's master of disguise and leading hitman. Besides shapeshifting, he one time became invisible in order to infiltrate the Silverhawks' base. His weapon-bird is Volt-ure.
- Mumbo Jumbo (voiced by Peter NewmanPeter Newman (actor)Peter Newman is famous for his voice work for Rankin/Bass. In ThunderCats he provided the voices of Tygra, Wilykat, Bengali, and Monkian. In SilverHawks he provided the voices of Quicksilver, Mumbo Jumbo, and Timestopper. He also played the evil Duke of Zill & Wack Lizardi in Felix the Cat: The...
) - A copper-skinned robotic minotaurMinotaurIn Greek mythology, the Minotaur , as the Greeks imagined him, was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, "part man and part bull"...
who is basically the grunt for the Mob, aided by his ability to "bulk up", growing larger and more muscular, increasing his strength by doing so. He speaks in metallic grunts which his associates seem to understand (though he usually pronounces Mon*Star's name properly) and appears to be on the low scale of the intellectual spectrum. His signature attack is a quadrupedal charge at an opponent. He is a sworn enemy of Steelheart because of Steelheart's strength and skill which takes him down easily. Mumbo's weapon-bird is Airshock.
- Poker-Face (voiced by Larry KenneyLarry KenneyLarry Kenney is an American radio personality and voice actor.In 1963, Kenney began his radio career at the age of 15 as a disc jockey at WIRL in Peoria. After WIRL, he worked at WOWO, Ft...
) - A member of Mon*Star who has slot machines for his eyes and carries a cane decorated with playing card suits. He is the owner of the Starship CasinoCasinoIn modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
which was run outside of the "Lightyear Limit" and was the extent of the SilverHawks' jurisdiction. He always charges Mon*Star billions for new inventive ideas against the Silver Hawks.
- Timestopper (voiced by Larry KenneyLarry KenneyLarry Kenney is an American radio personality and voice actor.In 1963, Kenney began his radio career at the age of 15 as a disc jockey at WIRL in Peoria. After WIRL, he worked at WOWO, Ft...
) - A cocky juvenile delinquent nyctophobeNyctophobiaNyctophobia is a phobia characterized by a severe fear of the darkness. It is triggered by the brain’s disfigured perception of what would or could happen when in a dark environment....
with a chest device that has the ability to suspend all ambient motion and kinetic energy around him (freeze time, as it were) for a minute. He is often in the services of Mon*Star but has no qualms about getting on his way if he isn't paid for the job. His nyctophobia is most likely from the fact his chest device is light-powered.
- Buzz-Saw - A totally cybernetic (and independently sentient) war machine of an light copper-shade skin with razor sharp circular sawCircular sawThe circular saw is a machine using a toothed metal cutting disc or blade. The term is also loosely used for the blade itself. The blade is a tool for cutting wood or other materials and may be hand-held or table-mounted. It can also be used to make narrow slots...
cutting blades over its body that can be used as projectile weapons. It speaks with a high-pitched metallic voice. His weapon-bird is Shredator.
- Zero the Memory Thief - A long-nosed shady character who steals memoriesMemoryIn psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of artificially enhancing memory....
using a cattle prod-like weapon and records them on cassettes. He occasionally did business with Mon*Star's gang when the opportunity suited him. While he can steal memories, they don't teach him how to use the memorized data the way his victims know.
- Smiley - A mummy boxer robot that is brought back to life by the Pokerface. He was once stopped by Commander Stargazer. Smiley is the heavyweight champion of Limbo. Pokerface (and then Mon*Star) use a remote control to tell Smiley what he has to do. In the Starship Casino, Smiley defeats easily both Mumbo Jumbo and Buzz-Saw, but later on could not beat the SilverHawks.
Other Villains
- Bounty Hunter - He was imprisoned by CDR Stargazer for 200 years. He escaped twice from the Penal Planet 10 (once broken out by Mon*Star -episode 22- and the second time by his own -episode45-). He can absorb energy directed at him, and use it to sustain his physical form as well as grow larger and more powerful. He can only be defeated by a solar energy bazooka that Commander Stargazer has.
Three Outlaws from Fence
- The Space Bandit - He is most of the time in Fence (Harry's planet) playing cards with his two friends (Rhino and Cyclops). He appears in many episodes and is also friendly to Melodia and Poker-Face who usually betray him.
- Rhino - A rhinoceros-like mutant. He is most of the time in Fence (Harry's planet) playing cards with his two friends. He appears in many episodes and is also friendly to Melodia and Poker-Face who usually betray him.
- Cyclops - A balloon body creature that is was very weak because whenever he was shot, he started to fly around and to lose his air like a balloon. Most of the time in Fence (Harry's planet) playing cards with his two friends. He appears in many episodes and is also friendly to Melodia and Poker-Face who usually betray him.
DVD releases
On October 14, 2008 Warner Home VideoWarner Home Video
Warner Home Video is the home video unit of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., itself part of Time Warner. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video . The company launched in the United States with twenty films on VHS and Betamax videocassettes in late 1979...
released Silverhawks: Volume 1 on DVD in Region 1 for the very first time. The 4-disc set contains the first 32 episodes of the series.
On October 4, 2011, Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
will release Silverhawks: Volume 2 on DVD in region 1 via their Warner Archive Collection. This is a Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) release, available exclusively through Warner's online store and only in the US. The 4-disc set contains the remaining 33 episodes of the series.
List of episodes
- The Origin Story 09/08/1986
- Journey To Limbo 09/09/1986
- The Planet Eater 09/10/1986
- Save The Sun 09/11/1986
- Stop Timestopper 09/12/1986
- Darkbird 09/15/1986
- The Backroom 09/16/1986
- The Threat of Dritt 09/17/1986
- Sky-Shadow (09/18/1986)
- Magnetic Attraction 09/19/1986
- Gold Shield 09/22/1986
- Zero The Memory Thief 09/23/1986
- The Milk Run 09/24/1986
- The Hardware Trap, Part 1 09/25/1986
- The Hardware Trap, Part 2 09/26/1986
- Race Against Time 09/29/1986
- Operation Big Freeze 09/30/1986
- The Ghost Ship 10/01/1986
- The Great Galaxy Race 10/02/1986
- Fantascreen 10/03/1986
- Hotwing Hits Limbo 10/06/1986
- The Bounty Hunter 10/07/1986
- Zeek's Fumble 10/08/1986
- The Fighting Hawks 10/09/1986
- The Rengade Hero 10/10/1986
- One on One 10/13/1986
- No More Mr. Nice Guy 10/14/1986
- Music of the Spheres 10/15/1986
- Limbo Gold Rush 10/16/1986
- Countdown to Zero 10/17/1986
- The Amber Amplifier 10/20/1986
- The Saviour Stone 10/21/1986
- Smiley 10/22/1986
- Gotbucks 10/23/1986
- Melodia's Siren Song 10/24/1986
- Tally-Hawk Returns 10/27/1986
- Undercover 10/28/1986
- Eye of Infinity 10/29/1986
- A Piece of the Action 10/30/1986
- Flashback 10/31/1986
- Super Birds 11/03/1986
- The Blue Door 11/04/1986
- The Star of Bedlama 11/05/1986
- The Illusionist 11/06/1986
- The Bounty Hunter Returns 11/07/1986
- The Chase 11/10/1986
- Switch 11/11/1986
- Junkyard Dog 11/12/1986
- Window in Time 11/13/1986
- Gangwar, Part 1 11/14/1986
- Gangwar, Part 2 11/17/1986
- Sneak Attack, Part 1 11/18/1986
- Sneak Attack, Part 2 11/19/1986
- Moon*Star 11/20/1986
- The Diamond Stick-Pin 11/21/1986
- Burnout 11/24/1986
- Battle Cruiser 11/25/1986
- Small World 11/26/1986
- Match-Up 11/27/1986
- Stargazer's Refit 11/28/1986
- The Invisible Destroyer 12/01/1986
- The Harder They Fall 12/02/1986
- Uncle Rattler 12/03/1986
- Zeek's Power 12/04/1986
- Airshow 12/05/1986
Action figures
The SilverHawks action figureAction 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...
collection based on the animated series was produced by 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...
and first released in 1987. LJN
LJN
LJN was an American toy company and video game publisher. It created toy lines and video games based on movies, television shows, and celebrities. It was headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and later in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.-Founding:...
, the makers of the ThunderCats
ThunderCats
ThunderCats is an American animated television series that was produced by Rankin/Bass Productions debuting in 1984, based on the characters created by Tobin "Ted" Wolf. The series follows the adventures of a group of cat-like humanoid aliens...
figures, originally were to produce the SilverHawks figures but decided to pass on the project at the last minute. Each figure was packaged with a companion bird and, similar to the popular Super Powers Collection
Super Powers Collection
The Super Powers Collection was a line of action figures based on DC Comics superheroes and supervillains that was created by Kenner Products in the 1980s.-History of the Line:...
, had an action feature of some type. The second series of figures is harder to find than the first with Ultrasonic Quicksilver being the most difficult. The MonStar with Laser Lance, Copper Kid with Laser Discs, and the Copper Racer vehicle were not produced but were shown in the 1988 Kenner toy catalog. The series 1 Hawk Haven Fortress was never produced either, due to the high production costs it would incur. Figures for many characters, including Melodia and Poker-Face, were never made.
Comics
The Marvel ComicsMarvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
imprint
Imprint
In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...
Star Comics
Star Comics
Star Comics was an imprint of Marvel Comics that began in 1984 and continued to publish comic books until early 1988. Titles published by the imprint were aimed at child readers and were often adaptations of children's television series, animated series or toys...
(which also published ThunderCats
ThunderCats (comics)
The ThunderCats comic book series was based on the original television series of the same name. It was originally published by Marvel Comics through its Star Comics imprint in 1985, lasting for 3 years and 24 issues...
) released a seven-issue series. Writers included Steve Perry
Stephen Perry (writer)
Stephen J. Perry was an American writer of animated cartoons and comic books.-Biography:Perry wrote for the ThunderCats and Silverhawks television shows in the 1980s, as well as the comic book series Timespirits and ThunderCats, among others.In 2008 Perry was diagnosed with bladder cancer which...
who also wrote for the animated series.
Merchandise
Several other pieces of SilverHawks merchandise were released in the 1980s including a board game, puzzles, and a plastic pencil pouch with the main characters on one side with a metal zipper. A set of pajamas were also produced which included wing flaps under the arms to more resemble the characters while wearing them.ThunderCats (2011)
In the 2011 ThunderCatsThunderCats (2011 TV series)
ThunderCats is an American animated television series executive produced by Sam Register, and produced by Ethan Spaulding and Michael Jelenic and is a reboot of the original series by Tobin "Ted" Wolf. It is produced by Warner Bros. Animation with animation provided by the Japanese Studio 4°C.The...
remake, Mon*Star briefly appears in a cameo in the episode "Legacy." He was seen on a monitor in the bridge of Mumm-Ra's ship.