VOLTRON: DEFENDER OF THE UNIVERSE #1

By: Arnold T. Blumberg
Review Date: Thursday, June 12, 2003

Remember all those wonderful weekday afternoons when you'd get home from school in the '80s and just flop down on the couch for several hours of cartoon detoxification? For me, it was a joyous mix of the old and the new, episodes of MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE blended with SPEED RACER, Looney Tunes of course, and oh yes, VOLTRON! But as much as I enjoyed watching that big robot go into battle, I was just as often confused by the continuity of this Japanese adventure. I didn't know then about multiple original series or redubbing imports. All I knew was that sometimes Voltron was composed of vehicles and sometimes he was a bunch of lions. There were different villains too, but it had to make some sort of sense - it was all VOLTRON, wasn't it? Oh well, it was fun even when I couldn't figure it out.

Now the children of the '80s are creating the comics of the '00s, as evidenced by revivals of everything from THE TRANSFORMERS to THE MICRONAUTS. It was only a matter of time before VOLTRON flew back into action, and leave it to the folks at Devils' Due to come up with a way to bring him back with a degree of cohesion I never would have anticipated. Rather than ignore the two versions of Voltron outright and pick a favorite, the creators have taken on the troublesome task of reconciling both continuities and starting the saga anew. After a fun flashback showcasing the vehicle version of Voltron (the one I tended to enjoy the most, maybe because that series seemed just a bit more coherent to me), we learn that the robot champion was split asunder and hidden for future use. The pieces were also transformed into the spitting image of - wait for it - lions! Ah, it all falls into place!


Now, with the galaxy divided and the need for a hero pressing (how Arthurian), five unique individuals are enlisted by the Galactic Union to locate the lions and restore Voltron. They aren't the heroes you might expect, but they'll get the job done - after all, where would this comic book be if Voltron never shows up? First stop, planet Arus (yes, another familiar name), where the five unlikely allies encounter a beautiful blonde princess, a throng of riled-up locals, and a gleaming robot lion sitting patiently in an ancient crypt. One down...

As a premiere issue for a new sci-fantasy saga, this one lays the groundwork well enough, but the real charm is in seeing old names and faces freshened up for a new generation and restored to their former glory. It'll be a real kick to see Voltron back in action again. Just four more lions to go!

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