Galactic Defender

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Galactic Defender
Micronauts character
Galacticdefender-carded.jpg
Mego grey Galactic Defender toy on card
First appearance

Micronauts Annual 1 (1979)
Created by

Mego Corp.
Release number

71016
Information
Aliases Galactic Destroyer, Orbital Defender
Species Micron (Protectors of Inner Space)
Abilities

  • Energy blasts
  • Flight
Affiliation

Death Squad (as Galactic Destroyer, Marvel Comics)
Galactic Defense Squad/Micronauts (Protectors of Inner Space)

Galactic Defender (also called Galactic Destroyer and Orbital Defender) is a fictional character from the Micronauts series introduced in 1977.

Micronauts

Galactic Defender was a character in the Micronauts series. The depiction of Galactic Defender has varied vastly from one fictional setting to another.

Galactic Defender usually carries a helmet, Laser Sword, Power Unit and Stun Carbine.

Development

Mego released the Galactic Defender toy in 1978 in three color variants. It was based on the mold use for a Takara the Microman Command 3 figures, but with the chamber removed and new accessories added.

In 2003 Palisades Toys released a Galactic Defender Toy in four new color variants. This toy had a new backpack design.

In 2016 Hasbro released a set of Micronauts toys at SDCC which included Orbital Defender, a new take on Galactic Defender. Derryl DePriest said at SDCC 2016 that the Micronauts Classic Collection toys were created using a combination of the 1970's molds recovered by Takara and various Microman parts.[1]

In 2018 parts for Galactic Defender were released on Shapeways by Mathew Robert Ignash.

Reception

Comics

Galactic Defender has appeared in comic form several times over the years. Each appearance varies radically.

1979 Marvel Comics

Galactic Defender in Micronauts Annual 1

Galactic Defender first appeared in Micronauts Annual 1 by Marvel Comics. He was depicted as a foe of the Micronauts. He dies in that story.

Galactic Defender would inspire an identical looking character called Galactic Destroyer, a member of the Death Squad, who appeared in issue 35-36 of the Micronauts comic.

Both Defender and Destroyer were based on the yellow Mego version of the Galactic Defender toy.

2002 Image Comics

Galactic Defender appeared as a regular among the cast of the 2002 Image Comics Micronauts series, depicted as a heroic woman.

2016 IDW Publishing

Micronauts 4 by IDW Publishing featuring Orbital Defender

Orbital Defender in the IDW Publishing series varies greatly from the original toy, being depicted as a woman named Larissa, the daughter of Baron Karza, whose armor looks nothing like the original toy.

2018 Micronauts Protectors of Inner Space

Galactic Defender is among the main cast in the 2018 art series Micronauts Protectors of Inner Space by Brian Vox. He appears on the cover of issues 1-2, 10, 13, 17 and 25. This version of Galactic Defender was based on the grey Mego version of the Galactic Defender toy.

An evil character named Galactic Annihilator appeared as a villain in the series. He appears on the cover of issue 32.

Commercials

Galactic Defender appeared together in a commercial with the Aquatron vehicle.[2]

Galactic Defender shared a commercial with Acroyear II, Andromeda, Baron Karza, Force Commander, Oberon and Spacer Glider.[3]

Toys

  • Mego Micronauts Galactic Defender (1978)
Available in 3 color variants, grey/red, white/blue and yellow/black.
Comes with a red helmet, chrome leg wings and arm blades. Has red sword, gun and backpack. The gun has two variants which were mirror images of each other.
  • Lion Rock Micronauts Galactic Defender
A release of Lion Rock without helmet, sword, gun or backpack, but with a back connector.
  • Palisades Toys Galactic Defender (2003)
Available in four color variants: black, blue, clear smoke and green.
Comes with a helmet and the same weapon as the original Mego toy, but has a Super Rocket Pack replacing the Power Unit.
Micronauts Classic Collection toys
  • Hasbro Micronauts Classic Collection (2016)
A SDCC 2016 exclusive box set containing a green plastic Galactic Warrior, a grey Orbital Defender (formerly called the Galactic Defender) and blue Pharoid with two winglets and Time Chamber.
The Time Chamber featured the original Japanese writing.
Inside the box the figures are attacked to a cardboard display which looks like a miniature version of the Astro Station.
Features art by Ken Kelly. The box art for Pharoid features him wearing the larger wings from the Palisades version of Pharoid which were not part of this set.


Gallery

References

External links

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