Multiple companies chased after the success of larger companies like Mattel by copying their toys. One of these companies was Sparkle Toys, Inc. In 1985, they introduced a small toy line called the Defenders of the Planets.
Sparkle Toys was an American toy company that often created toys that treaded upon infringing on other toy companies’ IPs. They were involved in a lawsuit with Hasbro for copying Takara’s toys, which they called Trans Robot. So, it was no surprise that another of their toy lines copied Mattel’s toys with potential bootlegs.
Sparkle Toys Defenders of the Planets action figure toy line
The line was divided between the heroic Defenders of the Planets and the self-explanatory Evildoers from Star Systems Far Away. While the Defenders were more human in appearance, the Evildoers were more reptilian and alien. With their muscles and squatted appearance, both types of figures strongly resembled Mattel’s Masters of the Universe action figures.
Despite copying Mattel, Sparkle added enough changes to distinguish the Defenders of the Planets from He-Man. While each mold was generic, the clean paint jobs made the toys stand out.
Each action figure came on a colored card back, which even had color on the back of the card. While the front featured a group picture of the toy line’s cast, the back provided a useful description of the line: “Earth’s solar system is being threatened by evildoers of star systems far away! Orion and the Defenders of the Planets must stop Zaardoom and Evildoers from entering the galaxy of Earth and her sister planets!”
The Defenders of the Planets characters
On the Defenders’ side were Orion, Weaponsmaster, and Strongarm. They had two mounts that they could ride, Lion Steed and Eagle Steed. They also had two other beasts, Starcat and Starhawk, who resembled wingless griffins.
Meanwhile, Zaardoom, Canis Major, and Quasar were on the side of the Evildoers. Like the Defenders, they had two mounts to ride on: Dino Beast and Rhino Beast. They also had two other beasts, Dino Demon and Rhino Demon.
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