The Backwards History of Mighty Max

[@ARCWuLF]

Mighty Max was a surprisingly dark and high-quality cartoon that didn't patronize it's audience. If you've never seen it, I highly recommend it.

[@Openreality]

I always liked how Mighty Max had a "let's do this" attitude, which is sorely missed in moody shows now, like Troll Hunters, which sounds like half of the voice cast from mighty max, are in. I hope it comes back.

[@jdonvance]

I think it was the lack of patronization that drew me in. Max was a kid, sure. But that never meant he couldn't be a hero. Best of all, each crisis of the week wasn't resolved by some coincidence, adult involvement or other deus ex machina. Max always solved his own puzzles through wisdom, intelligence or sheer willpower.

[@scottdavidson7543]

I think it Mighty be my #1!

[@holyhayn]

If you know where I could buy a copy of the show, I'd be more than willing to pay for it.

[@JoePants]

To me the craziest part of the show is the way it ends, looping back around on itself to the very first episode.

[@melon3109]

Who else watched this every morning on USA along with sonic, street sharks, and sailor moon?

[@darthjatarra]

✋🏿

[@JLE8811]

Absolutely

[@mattm1532]

🙌🏽

[@zednotzee]

I watched on YTV (in canada) with Sonic and Street Sharks. Sailor moon was an afternoon show, next to Samurai Pizza Cats i think

[@autobotstarscream765]

Sweet lineup. :3

[@cooltraineralex9711]

That show was brilliant. The way it ends and loops everything back to the beginning left a lasting impression on me. It felt like such a complete story.

[@antonking8784]

What do they call you thunderer? They call me... Norman.

[@alb5632]

One of my favorite things is how it notoriously got around the requirement for kids shows being educational with those shorts at the end

[@jeremyseaton4898]

Mighty Max is definitely in the running for best cartoon show ever. The fact that it made such an impression amid competition like Batman: The Animated Series, Gargoyles, Spiderman and X-Men says all you need to know.

[@IffyJottere]

"I will show you a thousand subtle shades of pain... a hundred ways to die... before I finally lay your lifeless body at my master's table!" THAT was a quote from Skull Master, voiced by Tim Curry, in the episode where Max breaks his Crystal of Souls, his greatest treasure and source of power. THAT is how you make an adventure show!

[@Getwright-]

That's tied with code of heros dinobot quote are the to best quotes of any cartoon ever

[@pious83]

_"I'll rip your limbs from your body, and slowly suck the marrow from your bones!”_ Seriously, try to find a cartoon wherein the villain says a line like that to the protagonist... who is also a child!

[@rwdplz1]

Tim always did the best villains

[@Firguy_the_Foot_Fetishist]

Bit of a leap from Polly Pocket, that's for sure.

[@Openreality]

Right? Ironically i wasn't ever able to watch it as a kid. It was always on when i went to church on sundays. I have only now been able to find the complete episodes on KZbin and watch them with my 4yo son and he likes it ironically. Case in point that cartoons were of better quality in thev80s and 90s than they are now.

[@Treaxvour]

My sister had a polly pocket and I had a mighty max. Golden years the 90s.

[@johnprudent3216]

I remember watching this show. 2 things that stuck out to me are 1- as you mentioned, it got dark and 2- I remember it being one of the only American cartoon shows that actually had some kind of a conclusion.

[@CycoJAM77]

I remember how dope the Mighty Max show was. Having Tim Curry's Skull Master say he'd drink the marrow from Max's bones hooked me right away.

[@khiclark31]

I remember that line!

[@randombarbarian5637]

One cool thing about the cartoon.. the beginning episode ties in with the series final episode very nicely, and completes a continual looping story arc. Also, it was the first cartoon where I remember where the lava things killed some campers (off screen) and Max acknowledged this.. that freaked me out at 14 year old!

[@excessmaterial]

Look up the Mighty Max Restoration Project on here. There's a guy restoring the VHS episodes and bringing the video/audio up to way higher levels. He has over a dozen episodes completed and explains how he does it on his channel. Sidenote, he's also in need of VHS copies of some of the rarer episodes. He mentions this on his channel in a vid on there. So you might want to contact him if you have any way to share with him and he can keep making more restored episodes this year. He uses the physical VHS to do it so the crappier files online won't cut it. The guy does crazy good work. Check it out.

[@jamesstewart8500]

Nice! Thanks for the info

[@Openreality]

I think i may have stumbled upon them. My son of four years of age enjoys them.

[@FrankLightheart]

I remember liking the show. Never really played with the toys. The Mighty Max show even got a proper ending (a rare accomplishment among cartoons based on toy lines). All-in-all, it was a quality show with a respectable amount of talent behind it. Thumbs up!

[@drpain522]

The story ended on a pretty cool time loop where he goes back to when he found the cap and now knows whats gonna happen

[@BaneDarksaber]

This series was my first experience with the fantastic voice of Tim Curry and the magnificent Tony Jay, may he be forever missed

[@leoalcaraz6153]

I loved that show it was surprisingly good well written and mature for a kids cartoon

[@6rimR3ap3r]

Mighty Max was so awesome. If I remember right the spider was my first of them. Had the skull as well. A snake, some ice monster, a scorpion... Damn there had been a lot.

[@stillamitchinmybook6320]

I had the shark one also.. lol I feel bad for my son when I look threw the toy section.. not as good as what I remember.. mighty max toys ninja turtle action figures everywhere man ohh man.. I mean the kids now have way better games but we had them beat in action figures and toys.. ohh and blurb balls lol you remember those?? There was a skull blurb ball a vampire a swamp monster a shark I think..

All I had was the spider! Made me sick to look at, great toy!

[@Chef_Alpo]

I had the spider and only the spider but I always coveted the shark. Everything about the spider playset made me nauseous as a kid, I didn't enjoy it much- never been too keen on spiders.

[@crocbattle07]

I had the scorpion while my older brother had the shark

[@MrMViceroy]

Man, if I had to name ten cartoons that made my childhood, Mighty Max is easily in the top 5. It used to play ridiculously early here in New Zealand, and me and my cousin loved watching it together. We'd get up at 6 and sneak down to the lounge, without waking up my aunt and uncle, and watch Mighty Max. Sometimes we'd drag a cardboard box into the lounge and we'd watch it from inside the box, I have no idea why, lol. Really wish I hadn't sold my old MM toys.

[@Randomark3087]

I never had any of the playsets as a kid, but I LOVED the show! "The Maginifcent 7" will always be my favorite episode.

[@Getwright-]

That and code of hero from beast wars is why I say we had the best cartoons in the 90s

[@IffyJottere]

Mine too, if my quote in the comments didn't sell that idea :D

[@Randomark3087]

@@Getwright- Omg, yes! Both episodes were so deep!

[@raulacosta-vega1044]

Great episode knowing those hero's died was hard to watch as a kid but as I got older I respected their sacrifices

[@The_Kirk_Lazarus]

I'm down to Kickstart this show. Rob Paulsen has spoken about how much he loved the series and wanted to bring Max back.

[@archangel5627]

The Mighty Max cartoon was excellent. Everything about the show was great. The production was very high and the writing was very sharp, compelling, and dark when the story called for it. I remember watching every episode back during its original run and I always wanted to know how Max’s Story ended. I hope they decide to bring Mighty Max back and finish the story that they started over 25 years ago. As always great video and I can’t wait for the next one!

[@iamthejolson]

I cannot stress how much I loved this show as a kid

[@kidwajagstang]

Loved that show. The series finale was dark as dark and definitely left the show open for more that made me hope that more was coming.

[@pious83]

Oh I love Mighty Max! Skull Master was one of the best cartoon villains ever made and the series finale was sublime. The take home message that the villain won and the battle _never_ ends. Basically subverted every trope for a cartoon ending and it worked so well. I had a couple of the playsets too, but the show was my draw.

[@Scott.Sandifer]

Mighty Max aired weirdly late at night when i was in college. Or was it crazy early? It's all a blur now. Instead of doing homework, I randomly caught the pilot alone in the lobby of my dorm - and quickly realized though it was obviously intended for kids, the storyline was incredibly dark and the laughs were mostly gallows humor. I was hooked immediately.

[@jonfoster5685]

This show came out when I was about 13 and at first, I was a bit dismissive, but kept watching. Later on I realized how dark the show got and I was hooked. Never cared for the merch, but I loved the show.

[@skullface2694]

I Loved these back in the day.... ...for about 5 seconds before I'd drop one of the figures and it was lost in the carpet aether forever...

[@Ex-PokerGuy]

I watched it all over again here on KZbin. The ending was good, wish there was another season.

[@mcurran6505]

I remember this series during my childhood, I recall have some of the toys and would often watched the animated series and I loved it. Mighty Max deserves a comeback.

[@drgribb]

Wanted one of these SO bad as a kid. I loved the show. I think it aired as first-run syndication and aired at weird times in my market, because I remember it coming on at super early hours on the weekend and having difficulty catching it every week.

[@BainesMkII]

Mighty Max was a great cartoon. I really liked that it was willing to be dark. Even if deaths happened off-screen, you still knew that people were dying to monsters. And then there was Norman versus Spike, which pretty much just said "no" to the normal sanitized cartoon morality lessons. Norman, out for revenge against the man that had ruined his life, finally has an unarmed Spike backed against the edge of a cliff. Max is watching as Spike does the whole "If you kill me, then you'll be no better than me." Norman just says "I can live with that" and shoves Spike over the edge. There is a unnecessary joke where the falling Spike shouts that he isn't through with Norman, only for Norman to just say "Wrong" as he walks away. (Not a bad bit, it just wasn't necessary.) And this is followed neither by shock on Max's face (from seeing his friend apparently kill an unarmed man) nor admonishment from Virgil (for killing Spike in front of Max). It is followed by Max cheering Norman.

[@keltarking]

Mighty Max was a fun show through and through.

[@johnnieriot13]

Mighty max was one of the best cartoons ever and wasn’t afraid to have a dark ending.

[@ceno10101]

this show was always on right when I had to go to school as a kid. So I only ever got to see the first 10 minutes of each episode.

[@lindsaymccutcheon371]

I've never even collected, I just watch these because Dan seems like a cool guy and I love the production quality.

[@batangbatugan]

I was already a bit too old for the toys back then but I actually liked the show itself. I remember one episode where they actually established Norman's backstory and taught Max that being with the Chosen One was not all fun and games and people could actually get killed. Skull master was actually a pretty terrifying villain and a legit threat to the good guys, too.

[@Carcerothim]

Finally someone talks about Mighty Max. I've been collecting it since the 90s and am sad to see it forgotten so. there are a lot of interesting secrets held in the toyline, the TV series and its history including alternate color Doom Zones and Horror heads and due to its age there are lots of prototypes and concept art circulating eBay. in fact have the original two Artist sketches of the first two pages from comic book you used as your initial image.

[@scottdavidson7543]

That's so dope! I think it's my #1 Cartoon. I never had any of the toys

[@ghostchaser1631]

As a matter of fact, I had Dino Lab (Triceratops head), Temple of Venom (coiled up Rattle Snake) and Magus. The TV series was well written, dark but also fun and had some of the most awesome villains I had seen so far at the time and it is one of my favorite cartoon shows from the '90s. I really hope it eventually gets an official home release of some kind, even if it's digital, because as tempting as those bootleg sets are, they are also illegal.

[@brenthill2656]

As a kid I loved how bizarre and dark the cartoon was! I’d love to see it again!

[@ArCh-or7ey]

Mighty max and the gargoyles were my fave to watch 🙌🏽💯💯💯

[@jasonschlierman412]

I really wish the Mighty Max show would get a DVD/Blu-ray releases, but I'm not optimistic. Who even owns the rights to it?

[@nicholastosoni707]

Mattel and Film Roman, IIRC.

[@JustinK1613]

You can watch them all on KZbin.

[@xsteveconwayx]

I loved this show. Unfortunately it came on in the morning when I had to go to school, so I had to catch it when I could.

[@Tai_Jitu]

"It gets dark." Tim Curry in one episode: "I will rip the limbs from your body, and slowly suck the marrow from your bones!" Yep, a little bit. It was great.

[@connorf6478]

Tim Curry in *the first episode lmao

[@Polylepus]

What an era! I watched the show religiously here in South Africa, roughly two years after it had been running in the US, it seems. I remember planning my next buy of a playset almost solely on the amount of articulated parts in each. Would totally support a resurgence. All hail the Mighty One!

[@danielbloomquist9810]

Pulling skull mountain out of my closet now, thank you.

[@matthewscottshea]

My nephew now plays with my old skull mountain playset, albeit with none of the smaller pieces remaining. Amazing how time flies by.

[@bucknutty952]

Now all you gotta do is move out of your parents house

[@danielbloomquist9810]

Judges? *buzzer* Oooh, the judges have confirmed that already happened! No points...

[@ImortalEnvy]

Glad to know I'm not the only one that still has this lol

[@Razgar_Voxel]

wish i still had my Skull Mountain!

[@Skullogk]

I remember owning the toys long before I saw the TV show. And I loved the show! I was not very impressed with Max, but Norman I still use for inspiration for DnD/Pathfinder characters to this day :) One of my favourite lines from Norman: There is an episode where he and Max get arrested, and they take his sword. The whole episode he complains about not having his sword. At the end he gets the sword back, but doesn't use it. Max asks him, "why do you even bother with it Normie?" "I like it"

[@LatenightLyle]

I wish Dan would do a monthly news video. Something to talk about announced releases, convention exclusives, rumors, and other toy related news.

[@berzerkbankie1342]

Is there enough news to do a monthly video?

[@LatenightLyle]

Bryan Ganz - There’s probably enough news to do a weekly video. Several specific channels like a couple of Transformers ones I watch do monthly news just on that one property. If you cover announcements, releases, problems, company acquisitions, delays, exclusives, convention previews, major community topics, property speculation, license acquisitions and expirations, notable market shifts or trends, or any combination of things Dan and his mystery partner are inspired to cover. There is easily enough news to do a monthly.

[@jackmakinson-sanders7279]

I loved the MM cartoon! Norman was the basis for more than a few of my various RPG characters.

[@Larry]

Aah, Blue Bird were mostly famous over here for pre-school toys, The Big Yellow Tea Pot probably being their most famous. (You can obviously tell they were British with that :D)

[@whosaidthat84]

Guru!

[@stefanocampelli2694]

Is there a KZbin comment section in which you are not present? Not complaining just curious.

[@zednotzee]

The only person on youtube for whom i hear their voice when i read their comments

[@Larry]

@@zednotzee Hello you!

[@zednotzee]

@@Larry yup, heard that too =)

[@maxanluulnaxam1102]

I loved those toys! Had a whole lot of them. So fun with mechanics and and a collectible feel.

[@noejinn]

I love Max. I got into collecting the toys about a year ago. The collection is small but growing.

[@phoule76]

Ha

[@brybaby89]

Was that pun incidental? Because if not, good one!

[@MajorRager504]

Man. I had quite a few of those. Fun cartoon .

[@D21BeastReviews]

Thank you, Dan & Greg! I spent so many weekends trying to record every episode of this show as it aired onto VHS as a kid. Loved this episode!

[@DaleCoreySanford]

Absolutely loved this show. Named my son Max because of it and two years ago dressed him up as Mighty Max and his first puppy was named Norman lol. He still has no clue who Mighty Max is!

[@TheMbk14]

i loved it as a kid, watched it sunday mornings and drew him a lot

[@ShinySephiroth1]

Loved this show! So weird it hasn't seen any sort of renewal attempt.

[@kevinthomas4239]

One of my favorite toy lines. Still have all of them. Skull Mountain & Dragon Island are two of my favorites.

[@funkmachine6420]

I'd forgotten about this! I had the skull and snake toys!

[@mr.vidjagamez9896]

Mighty Max was great. Speaking of mini figs and Micro Machines, would love to see a quick video done about Z-Bots.

[@scottdavidson7543]

Z- Bots!!! Wait ..Go Bots? Ugh I'm confused now. Hey Google...

[@peerboom]

I'LL KICKSTART WITH YOU!!! I used to watch this series, and later on my dad would watch it early in the mornings as I waited for the bus to school. The animation was pretty solid. I didn't have any of the toys, other that a sweet "ice themed" playset from McDonald's that they offered during Christmas one year.

[@jeremyadkins9665]

I remember Mighty Max. had some of the figures and watched the cartoon as a kid. Really awesome toy line. Wouldn't mind seeing it back, with the successful revival of Polly Pocket.

[@Bloodcap]

Mighty Max was one of the stand out cartoons during the nineties for me; amazing story, cool characters( I mean, you had Tim Curry playing the villain, what more do you need?), and, more importantly, it was one of the few cartoons that had a definitive ending. Most of the cartoons of the day just kind of petered out or were cancelled before it could finish(*Koff* Pirates of Dark Water *Koff Koff), but this one ENDED. It ended spectacularly. And it was awesome. I will always love this one, and will gladly get the complete collection if it ever actually gets released.

[@BDogCarter]

I’ve still got a few episodes of Mighty Max on VHS! Loved it. Had that mountain play set and now I’m wondering if they’re all hidden in my mum’s loft somewhere! Having a real nostalgia trip.

[@bskilla4892]

I still keep trying to find one of those mighty Max's pocket play sets, like the Polly Pocket

[@JohnMorris.77]

Mighty max!!! Thanks for the great vid Dan and Greg!

[@definitelynotnolan]

I was about 7yrs old at the time of Mighty Max's release. My mom bought me Skull Mountain, Dragon Island, Magus and a few other sets. I remember playing with them and I have really fond memories of the early 90's. That time was really magical, toys gave me a lot of comfort and adventure. I explored a lot in my mind and I feel like I became creative because of it. Thank you for this video, this comment is 3yrs late but wow, appreciate the trip down memory lane.

[@jbalien20]

I wished you would had described the last episode. The last episode was one of the best final episodes ever!!!!

[@FirstNameLastName-okayyoutube]

I played the game on Nintendo and it was amazing and the TV show had a lot awe inspiring mystery

[@LordProteus]

Remember the episode where they were hunting a deranged un-killable Serial Killer obviously based on Jason Voorheas? Where they find the dead bodies of a family they slaughtered? Where Norman tells Max not to look, only for Max to basically go "don't worry I can handle it!" and then instantly regrets it when Norman lets him look at the off-screen mutilated carcases? I do.

[@planguy9575]

I think I recall Max being sure that seeing movies and the like would prepare him for the sight but it was pointed out that real death is an ugly and disturbing thing.

[@nohomers100]

I really loved the artwork on the show.

[@caspianmk1809]

Love to see you take on Skeleton Warriors and SWAT Kats

[@Treaxvour]

Skeleton warriors was rad

[@HiroZeroVirus]

i used to watch the show every day before school, i was so enamored with it! even now, as you put Virgil's picture in the video, i can hear him say "Foul actually."

[@siamiam]

the mighty max cartoon was one of the few animated shows that dealt with death well

[@rondajones7526]

Thank you for covering one of my favorite toys and shows. Most people I ask about it don't remember him. I loved Mighty Max and Polly Pocket, so cool you guys remembered Max too

[@SirRavix]

I had a few of the playsets. The main one I remember is that skull set. I also used to rent the tapes as a kid. I remember also having a tiny Godzilla playset. I lost every single piece...

[@leoalcaraz6153]

One of the best and most underrated cartoons ever

[@brybaby89]

I loved Mighty Max, show and toys. If you haven't done it yet, maybe Creepy Crawlers? That was an interesting translation to cartoon for sure.

[@zednotzee]

oh yeah, they had those slime canister things in their stomachs....so weird...

[@cindym7234]

Mighty Max was a great cartoon. My kids had all the toys! I have been watching the reruns on KZbin. Still love it 20 years later. One of the best cartoons out there! Love from Texas

[@melmaximum9177]

Maybe with Mattel losing their master license from DC Comics may be an opportunity for Mattel to reboot Mighty Max.

[@adamkrasneski3679]

Never played w the toys. But man this show...

[@sith50]

might be the only one here but did anyone else think Norman looked like a buffed David Xanatos from Gargoyles?

[@zednotzee]

Not only did i see the resemblance as a kid. I had been convinced until JUST NOW watching the video that Jonathan Frakes had voiced both characters

[@wolfthornnholtzklau4913]

Was amazing. Along with XMen animated series and Are you Afraid of the Dark? This rounds out my holy trinity of my shows that influenced me the most.

[@Pharaoh025]

So what you're telling me is... Mighty Max Lincoln Hawk and Ash Ketchum all have the same powers? I tip my cap to you sir.

[@russellharrell2747]

SRey you forgot Bart Simpson in the old ‘lucky red hat’ days.

[@nicholastosoni707]

@@russellharrell2747 And Ness from _Earthbound._

[@SoulStarSketchin]

God this was my fave weekday show as a kid. Rob Paulsen played Max so well and some really dark episodes too for a kids show.

[@Ianator73]

I really appreciate your nostalgic episodes. 💯 Would you consider doing a Snailiens vid?

[@1000bip]

I have been waiting for this topic to be covered. I love Mighty Max! I still have my entire collection in a box in the basement along with a couple of episodes I taped off of tv. I had the game for snes, not very good. They need to reboot the toys and the show. But it has to keep the same dark tone.

[@hollywood21639]

Next up: James Bond Jr, Bucky O'Hare, Ronin Warriors & Rambo

[@brandonpage7087]

Yes, please!

[@joegoodman8213]

I was probably the biggest Mighty Max fan in my elementary school. I watched the show regularly and I still have like nine or ten Mighty Max sets today. The theme music in the show is still awesome.

[@NukeOTron]

I remember them selling the tiny figures separately from the Compacts, and they were based more on the TV show. Before then, we never got that chicken-er, fowl or the other guy in mini-character form. I had two sets of them once, both with differing paint jobs. Also, what do toy companies have against giving girl-focused toys stories with plots? Why should only boys get stories with their toys?

[@aislemontecristo]

This was such cool show!

[@MarcelosToyRoom]

I so wish micro machines and mighty Max comeback :(

[@slowmoe1686]

Micro Machines IS coming back relatively soon though. As for Max... Probably not.

[@chadfalardeau9162]

Tiny cars have never really gone away. They just shrunk in popularity.

[@doedoewski1939]

I watched this when I was like 7 years old. They played this in Croatia and at the time it was one of my favorite cartoons. I wish they made more seasons. This show was really magical to me when I was a young boy. Such nostalgia. The intro is epic, I love that guitar solo, gives me goosebumps.

[@inazumanfrash]

TFW no reboot or continuation. I'm still salty about the show's ending.

[@Ryanizer1000]

For an American animated show of the early 90's, yeah, it got REAL dark, like guy credibly threatening to murder a child and sympathetic characters dying, duties that are painful and eternal, etc., a lost, dark classic along the lines of Exo Squad in tone

[@allwayzrushin]

My dragon island playset... Getting that thing was one of the happiest memories of my childhood.

[@2ndShiftSupremeOverlord546]

My mom brought home some of these for me that she found at a garage sale when I was 8. They were surprisingly complete with the figures and removable pieces tucked inside. The Frankenstein one was really cool.

[@treygreene4298]

Cap Bearer!!!!!!

[@The_Living_Shadow]

This show needs a reboot. I had Day of the cyclops when I was a kid. Watched it countless Times, and found it in an old box a few years ago and my kids love the hell out of it

[@ZBott]

Damn Mighty Max, getting me hooked on History. Now I got this useless degree.

[@zednotzee]

But you still have your Mighty Max toys?

[@Pantaro2007]

THE CAP BEARER! used to watch this everyday before school!

[@stephanberger3476]

I had two, the spider and the snake. Thanks for the nostalgia!

[@forsakenprogeny]

In addition to great voice acting the animated series had some of the best character development and writing for a kids cartoon series. Fight me.