Robo Force, one of the most obscure toy lines of the 1980s, are returning to save humanity in a new prequel comic. The Nacelle Company, the masterminds behind hit television shows such as The Toys That Made Us, is set to launch the “Nacelle-Verse,” made up of some of the best, but lesser-known, toys of the 80s and 90s. Robo Force will be part of the new line, and fans can see them in action in a prequel comic from Oni Press.
The one-shot, titled Nacelleverse #0, will be written by Melissa Flores and drawn by Diogenes Neves. Oni provided an overview of the book in a press release:
The debut comic series will chart the rise of ROBO FORCE – a scrappy, overworked team of once-thought-obsolete robots who might just be Earth’s last, best chance at survival – in the lead-up to Nacelle’s upcoming ROBO FORCE animated series.
After Nacelleverse #0, the Robo Force will spin off into their own, three-issue miniseries, also written by Flores, that will connect to other titles in the imprint. Other properties appearing in the Nacelleverse include Biker Mice From Mars, the Power Lords, the Sectaurs and the Great Garloo. Nacelleverse #0 will ship with a wrap-around cover by Mike Deodato.
While some of those franchises, particularly Biker Mice, have maintained a cult following over the years, Robo Force has had no such luck. The toy line, and the subsequent cartoon, have been relegated to the dustbin of history. In an interview with SuperHeroHype, Nacelle CEO Brian Volk Weiss pointed out the reasons why. First, according to Weiss, the toys had little play value, with suction cups instead of legs. Second, and most tragic, Robo Force was upstaged by the Transformers. Ideal Toys, Robo Force’s original manufacturer, intended for the line to be huge. According to Weiss, Hasbro introduced The Transformers just a few weeks later, and the rest is history.