1986: ROBOTECH ART BOOKS (Starblaze Editions)

ROBOTECH was something of an unknown commodity to British Star Heroes in the eighties: evidence of the US animated series (actually three Japanese animated series bolted together to create one series for daily syndication) filtered through to the UK in the form of occasional magazine articles (notably an extensive piece in an issue of AMAZING HEROES... but we'll get to that) and copies of the copious Comico adaptations (although their crack at the franchise was nothing compared with the bewildering number of series and specials published by their successors) but we never got to see the series itself.

I'm sure it's subsequently turned-up on multi-channel TV somewhere and the whole run was released on DVD (the first time I saw the show) a few years ago.

These three books used to turn-up in British comic book stores in the eighties but, without any knowledge of the TV show, didn't mean much to me.  And, I'm pretty sure they were expensive as well!

Nevertheless, I've tracked down copies over the last few years.  The third book is, in many ways, the most interesting as it covers THE SENTINELS, the sequel series which would have followed the success of the original.  With production already underway, the deal fell through and the completed footage was released (to minimal effect) as a movie in the States.  I have a *vague* idea that it may have surfaced, without fanfare, on VHS in the UK, possibly on one of those "pocket money" priced tapes.  It was certainly available as a bonus feature on one of the US DVD sets, which is how I acquired it.

Was there really - ever - such a thing as "Rambo-philes"?