Inhumanoids (1986, Neil Ross, Michael Bell)

Foolish humans. When will they learn that digging and exploring where mother nature never intended will only unleash gigantic monsters bent on destroying the world? Apparently, the lesson hadn’t sunk in by 1986, when humanity unleashed the fearsome Inhumanoids from their centuries-long slumber.

Hailing from beneath the earth’s crust, the Inhumanoids were three elemental creatures with very bad attitudes. The de facto leader was Metlar, a volcanic type who could throw fireballs and had the power to animate statues. Tendril, a plantlike monster, had amazing regenerative capabilities and powerful tendril arms. Rounding out the trio was D. Compose, a frightening creature with an exposed ribcage who could turn any organic being into a zombie with a single touch.

Long ago, the Inhumanoids were defeated in battle by three other elemental factions known as Mutores—the rocky Granites (led by Granok), the mighty Redwoods (led by Redlen) and the magnetic Magnakor, who could split into two forms, icy Crygen and fiery Pyre. Teaming up against their common enemy, the Mutores banished the Inhumanoids to underground prisons, where they remained for untold years. Then some stupid humans dug them up.

Fighting for the side of humanity against the evil Inhumanoids were a group of scientists known as Earth Corps. Led by geologist Herc Armstrong, Earth Corps investigated mysteries beneath the Earth’s surface, while wearing powerful armored suits designed by group member Dr. Derek Bright (Bright’s suit had rock-cutting claws, while Armstrong’s contained a titanium grappling hook). Joining Armstrong and Bright in their Earth Corps duties were archaeologist/vehicle designer Ed ‘Auger’ Augutter (green armor with a big drill for a right arm) and chemist/spelunker Jonathan ‘The Liquidator’ Slattery (yellow armor, sprayed various fluids). Sandra Shore, the group’s benefactor, also donned a suit on occasion.

After hearing the Inhumanoids’ background from the Redwoods themselves, Earth Corps teamed up with the Mutores to take on Metlar, Tendril, D. Compose and their evil human flunky, Blackthorne Shore (Sandra’s brother). The group also had to deal with the terrifying, zombie-like Nightcrawler, a former associate of Blackthorne’s who had been turned into an undead monster by D. Compose.

The Inhumanoids wasn’t a cartoon for the very young or very claustrophobic. It had its lighter moments, but many battles took place in spooky caverns and deep crevasses, where, in the words of the theme song, ‘nightmares begin.’ But for those old enough to appreciate it, The Inhumanoids was another action-packed wonder from Marvel/Claster, the team behind Transformers and G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.

Like those cartoons, The Inhumanoids came complete with its own Hasbro toy line, but neither toy nor series met with the same kind of success as its predecessors. After a single season’s worth of 13 weekly episodes, The Inhumanoids returned to the fiery depths from whence it came, leaving fans with nothing but the hope that humanity would once again repeat its folly and dig up a new race of gargantuan terrors.

‘It’s another Attack!
They’re not human, they’re…
Inhumanoids, Inhumanoids,
The evil that lies within…
Who can stop ‘em?
Earth Corps, I hope!’

production details
USA | Marvel – Claster – LBS | 13×24 minutes | 1986

cast
Neil Ross
Michael Bell
Susan Silo
Ed Gilbert
Christopher Collins
Richard Sanders
William Callaway