Defenders of the Earth

This show had the interesting idea of bringing together the stars of the four greatest adventure strips that were distributed by King Features Syndicate and team them with their children to fight Ming and his son. Too bad it only lasted a short time because I really enjoyed the cross generational concept. This show probably would have succeeded if it had come on perhaps during the late sixties at a time when the strips featuring the principals were still popular and at a time when super hero shows were at their peak.

This show looks really good. Its just not for me.

Its a superhero show.

The animation is great. Its just the pacing and music that gives me a headache. It has a story going on however, the pacing is really fast.

The characters are plenty, fine and very 80s like.

OVerall a nice show. Its put together real well. However, its not for me after a few episodes I'm done.

What can be learned? 80 shows are really good.

Verdict: It's the music that gives me a headache. Overall a fun show if the music doesn't harm you.

Defenders of the Earth gathered hero like Flash Gordon and the Phantom to fight Ming and his forces. However the Defenders had kids or something, Flash has a son named Rick. The Phantom has a daughter with the black panther or puma. Then there's a magician and some guy with rope and there are two more kids too. A lot of this show revolves around the kids, similar to the Mister T cartoon. It's your typical cartoon with kids. They fight, get into trouble, then find a lesson in it all.

A quite good '80s cartoon.The music is good.Most characters are rather boring except:1)Ming the Merciless.The ruler of Mongo and would-be conqueror of Earth.Witiful and inspiring.This guy should have his own series.He always has plans to keep his opponents occupied.No defeat actually influences him much.He seems to believe he has time.2)The Phantom,apparently Phantom the 22th,practicaly the star of this series.Intelligent and mysterious.3)Jedda Walker,the Phantom's daughter and heir.Equaly intelligent and mysterious with powers developing. The episodes that revolve around the Walkers are the best.They examine some aspects of the Phantom's legend:1)Each Phantom passes his mantle to a descentant of him.What happens when they are more than one leaving?In a flashback episode we have young Phantom facing his own older brother for the right to inherite his father.His brother almost kills him.How many times has such fight among the Walkers happened?2)The Walkers are no saints.The older brother is still alive trying to kill his brother and niece in order to obtain the title that should be his own long ago,he was the strongest.To fulfil his goal he has alied with Ming.The family genes can provide super criminals as well as superheroes.3)Jedda has to make her father understand that her being a female doesn't disqualify her as the next Phantom.This son to son tradition seems to be currently based on male sobinism.4)Another issue is what kind of influence do the Walkers have on Bengala and through what means are they planning to keep it? This should have featured only the Walkers not the rest.It should be seen by anyone who is interested in The Phantom Who Walks.

The 80's were the best time ever for cartoons and Defenders of the Earth was one of many fantastic shows.

For starters, the Defenders consisted of a team of brilliant heroes. There was Flash Gordon, comic book heroes The Phantom and Mandrake the Magician and Lothar. Each of them had a child who helped them battle the truly diabolical Ming the Merciless.

The shows were really good; the music was brilliant and the action was top-notch. Flash Gordon needs no introduction and neither do the other heroes. Each week they pooled their resources to foil Ming's plans.

If you like 80's cartoons then you will love this.