The fourth season of Voltron Legendary Defender is scheduled to hit Netflix on October 13, 2017.
Source: https://twitter.com/LetsVoltron/status/893559269160824836
Author: Greg Tyler
Third Season of Voltron: Legendary Defender Available on Netflix
At midnight Pacific Time, Netflix released the seven-episode third season of Voltron: Legendary Defender, and a six-episode fourth season of the series will be released in October.
In the second-season finale, Team Voltron leader Shiro disappeared during an intense battle against Emperor Zarkon, who was critically injured. In the final moments of the second season, Zarkon’s witch Haggar ordered the summoning of Prince Lotor.
Lendy Tayag’s LEGO Ideas Voltron Is Go!
Congratulations to Lendy Tayag, whose amazing LEGO Ideas Voltron is on its way to becoming a licensed LEGO product!
Let’s Voltron Podcast #105: Voltron at SDCC 2017: Panel, Interviews, & Prize Pack Winners
Episode #105 of Let’s Voltron: The Official Voltron Podcast is online!
Marc Morrell and Greg Tyler are joined by guests Shamus Kelley, Shambhavi, and Dani, as they discuss the Voltron events and experience at San Diego Comic Con 2017.
Although Greg wasn’t at the con, he still flew the five-colored flag by reviewing the new Voltron Legendary Defender Metal Defender lion figures by Playmates Toys for the podcasts’s YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsbQhMdwCgc
Two lucky listeners also won Voltron San Diego Comic Con prize packs!
Listen to Let’s Voltron #105 here: http://letsvoltron.com/105
Emmy Award-Winning Voice Director Andrea Romano Retires
Andrea Romano, voice director of Voltron Legendary Defender, has announced that she will retire this week, according to IGN (http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/07/31/legendary-voiceover-director-andrea-romano-retires).
Romano’s professional credits include Tiny Toon Adventures, DuckTales, Animaniacs, Batman: The Animated Series, ReBoot, Spongebob Squarepants, The Legend of Korra, and many other television and feature film projects.
In early 2017, Lions and Pilots and Bots Dot Com author Greg Tyler had the opportunity to meet Andrea Romano during a recording session for Voltron Legendary Defender, and he and Marc Morrell of Let’s Voltron: The Official Voltron Podcast (http://letsvoltron.com) were fortunate to interview her in Episode 74 (http://www.letsvoltron.com/74).
Animation aficionados no doubt wish Ms. Romano the very best as she begins the next chapter of her life.
Voltron Legendary Defender Toy Sightings – Paladin Action Figures, Metal Defender Lions, Lion Box Sets
From around the Internet and social media…
Voltron collectors in the Action Figure Junkies Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/AFJunkies/) have recently spotted some of the second-wave Voltron Legendary Defender basic action figures at a Walmart store in California. Figures spotted include Shiro, Keith, and Lance. Thanks to fellow Voltron fan and collector Mark Oliver for the scoop!
Other collectors have reported that Metal Defender Lions of Voltron, a box set of all five Metal Defender lion figures, have been seen at Target stores, priced at $69.99, roughly $5 less expensive than when the Metal Defender Lions are purchased individually. (Each Metal Defender Lion has an MSRP of about $15.)
There have also been numerous sightings of Voltron Legendary Defender, an all-new box set of all five Legendary Lion figures, which had originally been released individually as part of the toy line’s first wave. The Voltron Legendary Defender box set is a Toys R Us exclusive, and it can also be purchased on Toys R Us’ website (https://www.toysrus.com/product?productId=131665686).
Happy hunting, collectors!
Voltron Legendary Defender Chapter Books Releasing August 1, 2017, More to Come
On August 1, 2017, Simon & Schuster will release two new Voltron Legendary Defender chapter books, and more books are scheduled for release later this year. The books are being published under the Simon Spotlight imprint.
- The Rise of Voltron (ISBN 9781534409194), Book #1 of Voltron Legendary Defender, is a 64-page adaptation of the first episode of the television series, written by Cala Spinner and illustrated by Patrick Spaziante.
- Battle for the Black Lion (ISBN 9781534409224), Book #2 of Voltron Legendary Defender, is a 64-page adaptation of “The Black Paladin,” the eleventh and last episode of the first season of the television series. The book is written by Natalie Shaw, and it features illustrations from the Voltron Legendary Defender style guide.
The chapter books are being marketed to children of ages 4 to 11 and Grades K-4, and their list price is $6.99.
But that’s not all!
- The Paladin’s Handbook: Official Guidebook of Voltron Legendary Defender (ISBN 9781534409033) is a 96-page adaptation of the first episode of the television series, written by R. J. Cregg, and it features illustrations from the Voltron Legendary Defender style guide. This book is being marketed to readers of ages 4 and up and Grades 1 and up. With a list price of $6.99, the book will be released on August 15, 2017.
- Space Mall (ISBN 9781534410213), Book #3 of Voltron Legendary Defender, is a 64-page adaptation of the second-season episode of the same name. The book is written by Natalie Shaw, and it will be released on December 12, 2017.
- The Blade of Marmora (ISBN 9781534410183), Book #4 of Voltron Legendary Defender, is a 64-page adaptation of the second-season episode of the same name. The book is written by Cala Spinner and illustrated by Patrick Spaziante. The book will be released on December 12, 2017.
For more information about these books, check out the Voltron Legendary Defender book series page on Simon & Schuster’s website: http://www.simonandschuster.com/series/Voltron-Legendary-Defender
The books can be pre-ordered or ordered from your favorite online or brick-and-mortar bookstores, as well as from The Voltron Store (https://store.voltron.com/).
Fan Website Spotlight: Voltron Image Archive
In a social media-filled Internet, an argument could be made that fan websites — or personal websites of any kind — are obsolete. Since I created Lions and Pilots and Bots… Dot Com in January 2017, I’m of the mind that fan websites still have a place in cyberspace.
This article is a Fan Website Spotlight — an examination of a Voltron fan website that has piqued my interest.
In this Fan Website Spotlight, we’ll take a look at three related websites which were created by SGB. I’ve known SGB for years by way of the legacy Voltron.com forums, where I have posted as Dudley Drule Right.
Voltron Image Archive
First is the Voltron Image Archive. This website offers a unique look at the Voltron phenomenon.
The site hasn’t been updated in about five years, but I can vouch for how difficult it can be to update a website when a pesky thing called real life keeps getting in the way. It doesn’t matter much that the site hasn’t been updated lately, because the content is solid, informative, and entertaining.
Perhaps the first thing you’ll notice when you visit the Voltron Image Archive is that SGB collects animation cels from Voltron: Defender of the Universe. Collecting these cels is a challenge. Voltron is over three decades old, and it was animated in Japan. For those who don’t already know, 104 of the 125 episodes of Voltron: Defender of the Universe were adapted from one of two anime programs: Beast King Golion and Armored Fleet Dairugger XV, both of which were animated by Toei Animation. The remaining 21 episodes were also animated by Toei, but they were newly animated for Voltron, rather than reused from prior anime productions.
Image Gallery
The Image Gallery page contains links to:
- Lion Voltron: That is, the 52 Lion Force episodes of Voltron: Defender of the Universe that had been adapted from Beast King Golion
- Vehicle Voltron: That is, the 52 Vehicle Team episodes of Voltron: Defender of the Universe that had been adapted from Armored Fleet Dairugger XV
- Voltron Force: The 26-episode Voltron program that premiered in 2011
All three links lead to screen captures organized by episode. The Lion Voltron link also has screen captures organized by character — meaning character, Lion, Robeast, or Voltron himself. Here is a screen capture of the page that highlights the Yellow Lion:
(Incidentally, from my online interactions with SGB, I can tell you that he has unparalleled knowledge of the visuals of Voltron: Defender of the Universe. From a single screen capture, he can often identify the episode that featured it.)
Voltron Shows
This section of the site offers an incredibly detail-oriented look at the Lion Force and Vehicle Team episodes of Voltron: Defender of the Universe. For each set of episodes, you can access series notes, a voice cast list, and — the best part — a deep dive into individual episodes. Each episode page contains a brief synopsis of the episode, writing credits, a handful of screen captures, trivia, deleted scenes and dialogue, and dialogue that changed between when the script was written and when the voice actors were recorded.
There’s a page for each of the first 20 Lion Force episodes, and a page for each of the first 20 Vehicle Team episodes. Detailed analysis of television episodes is incredibly time-consuming, so I appreciate the work that SGB has put into each page.
Voltron DVDs
This section of the Voltron Image Archive covers the numerous Voltron DVD releases from around the globe. Each DVD release has a dedicate page which describes technical details, special features, menus, screen captures, and other notes.
Voltron Comics
This section covers many Voltron comic books, with the strongest focus on the short-lived but fan-loved releases by Devil’s Due Publishing.
Features
The special features section includes images of SGB’s impressive collection of Voltron animation cels, video clips, wallpapers, scans, and much more. You could spend hours browsing this great content. The Dairugger XV stickers are a favorite of mine.
Links
The links page is a bit outdated, as over the years, many Voltron websites have come and gone.
Hundred Beast King Golion and SGB’s Kikou Kantai Dairugger XV Site
SGB’s other two Voltron-related fan websites are Hundred Beast King Golion and SGB’s Kikou Kantai Dairugger XV Site. These sites focus on, respectively, Beast King Golion, the 1981 anime program that became the basis for the first 52 Lion Force episodes of Voltron: Defender of the Universe, and Armored Fleet Dairugger XV, the 1982 anime program that became the basis for the 52 Vehicle Team episodes of Voltron: Defender of the Universe.
As much as I love the Voltron Image Archive site, I actually prefer SGB’s Golion and Dairugger sites, because they cover in depth many aspects of these programs, neither of which is well known to many Voltron fans.
Each of these sites is organized into the same sections:
Cut Pics
This section of each site has a page for each examined episode, with well described images of scenes that were cut from the anime program when it was adapted into Voltron: Defender of the Universe. If you’re familiar with Voltron: Defender of the Universe, but unfamiliar with Golion and Dairugger, then you would be amazed by what was shown in Japan. Some of the imagery could be quite disturbing to younger viewers.
Differences, Episode Guide, Multimedia
These sections were taken down at some point for overhauls that have not yet been completed. As I’ve said previously, real life has a knack for getting in the way of maintaining and updating a fan website.
FAQ
This section of each site covers a handful of basic questions about Golion and Dairugger.
Summary
SGB’s Voltron Image Archive, Golion, and Dairugger fan websites are among my favorite Voltron-related websites. It’s my hope that SGB will someday complete the Voltron Shows section of the Voltron site, and the Cut Pics sections of the Golion and Dairugger sites. The sites are entertaining sources of information that you won’t find anywhere else.
Voltron Force Kids’ Readers by Vizkids (2012-2013)
Although Voltron Force lasted for just one 26-episode season, in 2011-2012, and the show didn’t have much in the way of tie-in merchandise, some of the tie-in merchandise that was made was pretty cool. Among these items were six Voltron Force childrens’ readers.
Published by Vizkids between 2012 and 2013, each of the six readers was basically a mini-graphic novel. Each was a self-contained story, and each was a fun read. The books were marketed to kids aged 7 and up.
Listed below is information about each of the six Voltron Force readers. If you are a fan of Voltron Force, then I recommend tracking down and buying these now out-of-print books!
* * * * *
Voltron Force Volume 1: Shelter from the Storm
Story by Brian Smith
Art by Jacob Chabot
ISBN-13: 978-1-4215-4153-2
First printing: April 2012
Synopsis (from the back cover):
The mighty robot Voltron is back! And three cadets — Daniel, Larmina and Vince — are training to become defenders of the universe.
But King Lotor and his villainous minion Maahox have other plans. They’ve unleashed a horrifying storm, churning with evil energy. When Daniel, Larmina and Vince are sucked into the vortex, their worst nightmares come true!
My Thoughts: This story is surprisingly creepy, as the cadets face their fears head-on. Vince discovers a zombie-like Green Lion and a possessed Pidge. Larmina finds an Arus conquered by Lotor, and a beheaded Voltron. Daniel faces an evil duplicate of himself, in a sort of foreshadowing of the events of what would be the television series’ final episode. The ending features a welcome surprise: a cameo of a classic Voltron character. Good stuff!
Voltron Force Volume 2: Tournament of Lions
Story by Brian Smith
Art by Dario Brizuela
ISBN-13: 978-1-4215-4154-9
First printing: June 2012
Synopsis (from the back cover):
When a cargo ship in deep space sends out a distress signal, it’s the Voltron Force to the rescue! But without warning, Daniel, Larmina and Vince find themselves fighting the greatest warriors in the galaxy for the right to pilot the Voltron lions!
My Thoughts: Both the story and artwork are less impressive than in Volume 1. The art on the first page has some bizarre issues with perspective, and this image is featured again later in the story. Having said that, it is interesting to see the characters rendered with a different, more juvenile look. The story, while not as engaging as that of Volume 1, does raise an interesting question: Should the universe at large have more say in who operates the Defender of the Universe?
Voltron Force Volume 3: Twin Trouble
Story by Brian Smith
Art by Horacio Domingues and Pedro Pablo Perez Valiente
ISBN-13: 978-1-4215-4155-6
First printing: October 2012
Synopsis (from the back cover):
Now that Daniel’s a Voltron Force cadet, he can’t wait to show off in front of his former Galaxy Alliance Flight Academy classmates. He owns the skies in Black Lion, but not for long! Out of nowhere, two unknown ships appear and put Daniel’s flying lion to shame. Who are these mysterious new pilots? And is their presence at the academy an act of peace or an act of aggression?
My Thoughts: This is a fun tale. Lotor’s nieces, Zora and Roza, are a fun addition to the Voltron lore. But where do their loyalties lie?
Voltron Force Volume 4: Rise of the Beast King
Story by Brian Smith
Art by Alfa Robbi
ISBN-13: 978-1-4215-4156-3
First printing: October 2012
Synopsis (from the back cover):
No one knows for certain how Voltron was formed, but one ancient legend claims the mighty robot had a sixth part: a terrible warrior spirit called the Beast King. According to the story, the Beast King was separated from the five robot lions and forced into a deep slumber.
Now, an ancient evil is stirring. Has the Beast King awakened to rejoin its destructive spirit with the Voltron Lions?
My Thoughts: I’m of mixed minds about this story. The “Beast King” myth of Voltron’s creation is unique and enjoyable, but it feels too different from what was suggested in the television series to feel like a good “fit.” The Beast King’s visual design is cool, and the term “Beast King” is a fun reference to Beast King Golion, the anime program on which Voltron: Defender of the Universe was based. I’d almost prefer this story to be a tie-in to Beast King Golion rather than Voltron Force. Overall it’s a great read!
Voltron Force Volume 5: Dragon Dawn
Story by Brian Smith
Art by Albert Carreres Guardia
ISBN-13: 978-1-4215-4157-0
First printing: December 2012
Synopsis (from the back cover):
On Planet Doom, there’s a horrible species of dragon that hatches every hundred years. It’s just about hatching time, and Maahox orders the Drule army to ship thousands of dragon eggs off to Planet Arus! Will the dragon dawn be too much for the Voltron Force?
My Thoughts: This is a straight adventure story. I like it on those terms, although it doesn’t really offer anything that makes it stand out. The artwork has a bit of a Teen Titans vibe.
Voltron Force Volume 6: True Colors
Story by Brian Smith
Art by Jacob Chabot
ISBN-13: 978-1-4215-4158-7
First printing: February 2013
Synopsis (from the back cover):
All of the Voltron Force’s enemies from past battles — the Drule twins Zora and Roza, Daggor, Kai-Borg and Prince Nebulax — have joined forces with King Lotor for the ultimate battle of good versus evil. And this time, Lotor is in command of something he’s never had before — the Voltron Lions!
Could this be the end of the Voltron Force?
My Thoughts: This story is framed as the “finale” of the children’s readers. The events of the previous five books pay off here. The story also takes place just before what would be the final episode of the television series, as Allura, Pidge, and Keith have already stepped down from being pilots in the Voltron Force. Jacob Chabot’s artwork is as strong here as it was in Volume 1. This story is a big finish to some fun stories, and with this book having been published almost a year after the premature cancellation of the television series, in many ways, this book feels like the final goodbye to the Voltron Force characters.
* * * * *
Surprisingly, in 2014, Brian Smith and Jacob Chabot would team up once more with a comic book-style “sequel” to the Voltron Force TV program. The epilogue of Voltron: From Days of Long Ago: A Thirtieth Anniversary Celebration (ISBN-13: 978-1-4215-7540-7) provides a sneak peek of what might have unfolded in the TV show if a second season had been produced. The narrative becomes darker — darker than I suspect that the TV show would have actually gotten. Interestingly, the show’s viewpoint character seems to have changed from Daniel to Vince. Given the events of the story, the shift makes sense, and I rather like the change, since I had found Vince to be a more interesting character than Daniel. Unfortunately, the epilogue reads more like a visual outline of a couple unproduced episodes rather than an actual story, and it ends on a cliffhanger that it almost as frustrating as the one in the TV show — perhaps more so, since it’s almost certain that this cliffhanger will never be resolved.
Voltron Force was a fun show to watch, and these readers from Vizkids are fun, too!
Get the Lead Out: Voltron Toy Recall of 1986 (NOT Modern Toys)
In the mid-1980s, Voltron: Defender of the Universe was a big thing. The TV series was popular, and so were the toys. The first Voltron toys to hit retail shelves were sold by Matchbox Toys.
It seemed that nothing could stop Voltron — either the robot in the television episodes, or the toys on toy store shelves. Unfortunately, the luster of some 1980s Voltron toys would face a foe that would prove to be more formidable than a Robeast: lead paint. On November 12, 1986, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a warning that some of the Matchbox Voltron toys made in 1985 and 1986 had paint which contained levels of lead that exceeded what was allowed by law.
Here is a link to the actual 1986 warning from the Consumer Product Safety Commission: 1986 Voltron Toy Recall Warning
This warning, issued in 1986, pertained only to some toys manufactured in 1985 and 1986. All other Voltron toys are fine… and fun!
The Consumer Product and Safety Commission used these images to describe which Voltron toys from 1985 and 1986 were included in the recall.
I’ll say it again: This warning, issued in 1986, pertained only to some toys manufactured in 1985 and 1986. All other Voltron toys are fine… and fun!