Supernaturals_(comics)
Supernaturals (toy line)
American action figure toy line
Supernaturals[lower-alpha 1] was a short-lived line of action figures produced by American toy company Tonka in 1987.
Supernaturals was one of several 1980s toy lines to use holographic technology, similar to Hasbro lines Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light and Battle Beasts. Like many action figures of the period, it was split into two prosaic Heroic and Evil factions. Large Warriors, smaller Ghostlings and a selection of playsets and vehicles were released.[1] Tonka launched Supernaturals with a large hologram display at the 1987 New York Toy Show.[2] The use of holograms on a line of toys attracted considerable attention at the time.[3][4][5]
The Warrior figures featured holograms on both the upper body and shield accessories, as well as 'glow-in-the-dark' weaponry.[6] The upper body was cast in flat plastic, with the hologram giving the appearance of three dimensions; clip-on upper body armour was included to hide the hologram - simulating the Warriors being able to hide their 'real' visages, and the expression of the hologram face would change depending on the angle the toy was viewed from. Only a single wave of toys was issued before the Supernaturals was cancelled,[7] and the line was a financial failure for Tonka.[8]
- Heroic Warriors [9]
- Eagle-Eye (Native American War-Chief; Soaring Eagle) [1]
- WEAPONS: Spear; Eagle-shield
- POWER: Sees into the future
- Lionheart (Medieval King; Powerful Lion) [1]
- WEAPONS: Sword; Lion-shield
- POWER: Fierce strength
- Thunderbolt (Viking Overlord; Lightning Spirit) [1]
- WEAPONS: Hammer; Shield of Lightning
- POWER: Controls thunderstorms
- Evil Warriors [10]
- Burnheart (Medieval Knight; Fiery Spirit) [1]
- WEAPONS: Flamethrower; Shield of Fire
- POWER: Controls fire
- Skull (Pirate Captain; Skeleton with X-ray Eye) [1]
- WEAPONS: Mace; Shield of Vision
- POWER: Sees through anything
- Snakebite (Snake-Charmer; Deadly Cobra) [1]
- WEAPONS: Cobra-staff; Snake-shield
- POWER: Hypnotism
- Heroic Ghostlings (with swords) [11]
- Evil Ghostlings (with swords) [12]
- Playsets and vehicles
Supernaturals | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | Fleetway Publications |
Schedule | Fortnightly |
Format | Ongoing series |
Genre | |
Publication date | 31 October 1987 – 4 March 1988 |
No. of issues | 9 |
In America, the toy line's backstory - featuring centuries-old warriors reviving in the Tomb of Doom - was explained by text included on the toy packaging[7] and a pack-in mini-comic.[13] However, in Britain a licensed fortnightly comic was produced by Fleetway Publications, featuring in-house material created to promote the line for Tonka. The series was previewed by a free comic given away with the 31 October 1987 editions of Fleetway's top selling weekly boys' comics, 2000 AD and Eagle. The first regular issue of the 32-page 40p comic was issued at the same time, with a 'Double Mask' based on the character Skull included; the second included a similar giveaway. John Gillatt, Sandy James and Jim Watson were among the artists.[14]
In line with a pattern used in many British children's comics of the period, the comic had a fictional editor, the Ghostling Spooks. The lead strip was "The Legend of the Supernaturals" and the lighter "Ghostlings!". Also included were non-Supernaturals strips, including ventriloquist dummy story "The Doll" (written by Peter Milligan) and self-contained 'creepy' stories reportedly chosen by another Ghostling, Scary Cat. Profile material and toy adverts also featured heavily in the comic.[14]
While the comic was produced under the auspices of IPC boys' adventure group editor Barrie Tomlinson he had very little memory of working on it when writing his autobiography.[15] Like the toyline, the comic was not a success - lasting just nine fortnightly issues before being cancelled. Some of the material was reprinted in the hardbacked Supernaturals Adventure Book, an annual issued in 1988.[14]
Toy historian Mark Bellomo included the line in an article for Mental Floss about 12 1980s toys that didn't take off, noting that the then-innovative hologram technology made the figures prohibitively expensive for many of the children of the time.[13]
- Sometimes referred to as Super Naturals due to the logo, though Supernaturals is consistently used in Tonka material.
- "Super Naturals". 2 April 2019.
- Ultra-Realistic Imaging: Advanced Techniques in Analogue and Digital Colour Holography. CRC Press. 19 April 2016. ISBN 9781439828007.
- Holosphere. Museum of Holography. 2 March 1987.
- Holographic Visions: A History of New Science. OUP Oxford. 6 April 2006. ISBN 978-0-19-857122-3.
- "Remember the Short-Lived 1987 Action Figure Line SUPER NATURALS!?". 22 December 2022.
- Children's Business. Fairchild Pub. 1988.
- "12 Toys from the 1980s That Didn't Take off". 12 December 2012.
- Comic Book Hero. Pitch. 24 September 2017. ISBN 9781785313585.