Comeback kids

There’s no escaping the Saturday morning cartoons of the 1980s. Ask most 30-something males what their favorite cartoon was as a kid and you may hear Voltron: Defender of the Universe. The cartoon, which premiered in 1984, is making a comeback in January ’06 with collectibles from Toynami, Sherman Oaks, Calif. But Voltron is just the beginning of the comebacks.

Characters from the past like Jem and the Micronauts are just a few that have yet to be re-launched—until now. Most will be back in the spotlight aimed toward collectors, fans and their kids.

The Micronauts, the interchangeable space toys first produced by Mego Corporation between 1976 and 1980 are back, this time from Sota Toys, Van Nuys, Calif. When the Micronauts first came out, all the parts from one figure could be attached to another, increasing the play value.

The new Sota line, Micronauts Evolution, features interchangeable body parts and accessories, as well. Three figures, due out April 2006, include the Space Glider and Baron Karza. Both include 33 points of articulation, while the Lobros figure includes 37 points as well as a 6-legged crustacean body.

And for the guys who said Voltron was their favorite show, the new Masterpiece Collection line of Voltron figures is a limited edition of highly-detailed action figures and collectibles for the discerning fan or collector. All the lion figures come together to form the 12-inch figure Voltron, and are packaged in a mint-in-box packaging with slide-out tray. Sample figures can be displayed for in-store play, enticing zealous fans and collectors everywhere.

The Smurfs, or Les Schtroumpfs, debuted as a comic series in 1958 in Belgium as a village of small blue creatures who lived in a European forest during the Middle Ages. The Smurfs gained popularity in the United States when the animated series premiered in 1980 on NBC.

Today, Smurfs are making a different comeback. A Smurfs movie from Paramount, Hollywood, Calif. will be released in 2006 (the last film, Here are the Smurfs, premiered in 1984). A new line of Smurfs figures from Schleich, Ottawa, are due out first quarter 2006—classic smurf figures are currently available.