BraveStarr

US 1987–1988 animated TV series
(Learn how and when to remove this template message)
  • Space Western
  • Action-adventure
  • Science fiction
Voices of
  • Pat Fraley
  • Charlie Adler
  • Erika Scheimer
  • Lou Scheimer
  • Alan Oppenheimer
  • Susan Blu
  • Ed Gilbert
Country of originUnited StatesOriginal languageEnglishNo. of series1No. of episodes65ProductionExecutive producerLou ScheimerRunning time25 minutesProduction companyFilmationOriginal releaseNetworkSyndicationReleaseSeptember 14, 1987 (1987-09-14) –
February 24, 1988 (1988-02-24)

BraveStarr is an American Space Western animated series that aired 65 episodes from September 1987 to February 1988 in syndication.[1][2] The show was created a year after Mattel had released a line of action figures. BraveStarr was the last animated series produced by Filmation and Group W Productions before Filmation shut down in 1989.[3] Reruns of the show aired on Qubo Night Owl from 2010 to 2013, and on the Retro Television Network from 2010 to 2015.[4]

Background

The idea for BraveStarr began with Tex Hex, his chief adversary. Tex Hex was created by Filmation's staff artists in 1984, during the development of Filmation's Ghostbusters.[5] Lou Scheimer found the character fascinating and pulled Tex Hex from the Ghostbusters cast. He asked Arthur Nadel, Filmation's vice president for creative affairs, and art director John Grusd to develop a science-fiction Western around the character. As the concepts took shape, staff writer Bob Forward fleshed out the writer's guide and eventually co-wrote the feature film script for BraveStarr: The Legend with writer Steve Hayes.

The series cost $20 million.[5]

Plot

The episodes combine elements of science fiction and western genres. It is set in the 23rd century on a multi-cultural desert planet called New Texas.

As on other Filmation series (He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, She-Ra: Princess of Power, Shazam!, The Secret of Isis, and the animated Ghostbusters), a moral lesson is told at the end of each episode. One notable episode is "The Price", in which a boy buys a drug called "Spin", becomes addicted to it, and dies of an overdose.[6]

Setting