Starcom: The US Space Force
Produced by DiC Entertainment, released 1987, available on YouTube
GI Joe meets NASA
Starcom is a shining example of the difference between recalling something and remembering something. People remember GI Joe; they recall Starcom. They recall a show kind of like GI Joe, with somewhat similar toys, but details are usually pretty sparse and they usually end up just writing it off as misremembering an episode of GI Joe.
In fact, Starcom wasn’t a GI Joe knock-off but more of a Flash Gordon knock-off, meant to ignite kids’ interest in outer space. The story was rooted (in theory) in a little bit more realism than the sci-fi fare of the time (remember when the Decepticons teleported Cybertron into earth’s orbit; if you had a week, you couldn’t list all the ways that would be a bad idea, even for the bad guys). So while Starcom does have aliens and interplanetary space travel that takes hours instead of months, it also has an emphasis on biospheres, weather patterns, and some of the more mundane wonders of studying space. All of it is set against the heroic efforts of the uniformly benign Starcom as they try to keep the peace against the enigmatic Shadow Force, led by Emperor Dark, who is trying to do bad because it’s a Saturday morning cartoon.
Story – 4 out of 5
Starcom’s story, while nothing truly exceptional, is better than most because of the slight nuances that play out. It’s true that, as a kids’ show in the 1980s, nuance isn’t the best word, but the Shadow Force often have slightly more intelligent plans than their counterparts on other shows. Moreover, they are often depicted with a greater level of understanding. Rather than try to overwhelm Starcom, they try to use elements of a given planet to their advantage and the Starcom forces often have to use similar intellectual resourcefulness to overcome them. Yeah, laser blasters come into play, but for a kids’ show, it’s above-average stuff.
Art – 4 out of 5
The art is stellar. 1980s cartoons made a leap forward in quality artwork, but this show really stands out. Only theatrical releases had better artwork than this show and the detail is often on par with a lot of the anime that was being imported at this time.
Animation – 3 out of 5
While the art was stellar, the animation was nothing outstanding. But nothing at all bad, either.
Characters – 3 out of 5
The characters of the show are a little bland and generic, but by having a tight cast of three principle heroes (Slim, Crowbar, and Dash) and three primary Shadow Force villains (Malvanna Wilde, General Von Dar, Major Romak), the characters get a little more personality than in other shows (like, say GI Joe which had over twenty protagonists in its first year alone). Sort of like the Real Ghostbusters, the characters aren’t much, but what they are is done well.
Acting – 3 out of 5
The acting is unremarkable, even for the 1980s. There are some cringe-worthy moments and some really stellar moments, but as a whole, nothing stands out.
Overall – 4 out of 5
Starcom remains largely an unsung hero of the 1980s cartoon behemoth. It was a well-done show that just didn’t manage to catch on. It’s well put together, had a fun gimmick (more on that next week), and was rooted in some good intentions. Maybe it’ll get reimagined in the coming years. But for now, Youtube videos will have to suffice.
Teach The Sky 