Head-Popping MadballsIn late 1986 AmToy produced a line of 4-inch figures known as Head-Popping Madballs. The toys had a spring-loaded trigger on the back of each figure that you could pull down to 'launch' the Madball head off of the body. A single wave of eight individual Head-Popping Madballs was produced -- Screamin Meemie, Oculus Orbus, Slobulus, Skull Face, Bruise Brother, Wolf Breath, Dust Brain and Lock Lips. What line of action figures would be complete though without at least one accessory? A Mad Rollercycle complete with Horn Head figure was also produced.
I had the entire line of Head-Popping Madballs sans Mad Rollercycle. What I recall most about these things was the force in which the heads were launched off the bodies. Man, these things could really hurt! I remember screwing around once, acting dumb, and shooting myself in the eye on accident. It felt as though one of my older brothers had walked in the room and just straight up hauled off and punched me in the eye.
Madballs The Cartoon SeriesMadballs eventually received their own cartoon series in the fall of 1987. The plot centered around a group of Madballs that flee their home planet of Orb for Earth after the Badballs, and their ruthless leader Commander Wolf Breath, outlaw rock music. The Madballs meet up with a man-dork from Earth named Skip, who politely agrees to manage the Madball band and....you know the rest.
I honestly could not do justice to how bad this series actually was. I have heard it called the worst Saturday morning cartoon show ever produced quite a few times. If you'd like to read more on how bad this show was, I'd suggest taking a look at Jason43's Madball: The Series review right here at RetroJunk. You can find it in the article archives.
Tried as I might, I could not track down accurate information on how many of these episodes of the series were produced, and out of those how many actually made it to air, but I think it would be safe to say the show only aired for one season - if that.
Madballs: The Comic BookUnder the Star Comic imprint, Marvel Comics printed a total of ten Madballs comic books. The first three issues were part of a mini-series, with a monthly release schedule starting at issue #4. Alas, the comic went the way of the Madball cartoon series, and was cancelled after issue #10.
Madballs MiscellaneousIt's truly amazing that such a diverse line of products were made, and continued to be made for several years, for a toy with a shelf-life of only a few months. Over time we have been graced with Madball pencil toppers, coffee mugs, piggy banks and silly string guns to name just a few. And it doesn't stop there...
Madballs: Retro LineEarlier this year toy company Art Asylum in had come to an agreement with American Greeting Corp. to revive the Madballs. The first wave of 6 Madballs includes Bash Brain, Dust Brain, Horn Head, Skull Face, Slobulus and Repvile (an entirely new Madball design). The figures are tentatively scheduled for release December 2006, with a suggested retail price ranging from $4.99 - $5.99 per.
In ConclusionI never did get my Madball. I ended up with several of the spin-off products and the entire line of Head-Poppers, but never did get my little hands on that Oculus Orbus I wanted so desperately. Oh well, maybe with this retro line I'll finally get another crack at one.
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