SHADOW FORCE ACTION SET
The Starcom Shadow Force Action Set is one of the rarest Starcom sets and was only sold in Europe by Mattel. The only versions that I have seen appearing for sale have been in the United Kingdom. The date on the rear of the box indicates it was released in 1990 and so it seems it was part of the last series. A Starfleet Action Set was also released and a guide to it is also on my site.
The Shadow Force Action Set is very hard to find boxed. The set included vehicles and figures. The vehicles had different stickers to the ones that they had originally come with. The Starcom figures were described as being prisoners of Shadow Force! A story is also included on the back of the box and you can read this below.
I could not locate a clear image of the back of the box, but from what I found I have worked out which figures and vehicles came with this set (based on what I can see from a blurred image). I have a complete story that can be read on the Starfleet Action Set. I have compared the story layout on both boxes and they appear to be the same. If you have some pictures of the box and are willing to share them then please get in touch!
VEHICLES
The Shadow Force Action set came with three vehicles in total. It came with a Shadowbat and two Shadow Parasite vehicles. As you can see from the pictures, the vehicles in this set had different stickers to those that they had previously been released with.
SHADOWBAT
SHADOW PARASITE
SHADOW PARASITE
GALLERY
INCLUDED FIGURES
The Shadow Force Action set is believed to have come with nine figures. Seven Shadow Force figures and two Starcom figures. Two of the Shadow Force figures were the Euro exclusive figures CAP. Hydrone and CPL. Cronax.
On the blurry back of the box that I have viewed, General Von Dar, CAP. Hydrone, CPL. Cronax, PFC. Shawn Reed and Emperor Dark are quite easy to identify as they are standing together and have distinguishing chracteristics. COL. John Griffin is harder to identify as his figure colours are very similar to COL. Paul Corbin. However, the face on the blurred image gives the impression that the figure is COL. John Griffin.
A clear picture of the back of the box has been hard to find but the one I have used appears to show a pilot and gunner in the Shadow Bat and a pilot in the Shadow Parasite. The gunner in the Shadowbat is blurry but is believed to be LT. MAGG. The presence of three figures in the vehicle indicates that this set had nine figures instead of the eight that were with the Starfleet set.
The standard pilot of the parasite is LT. Magg but a different figure is shown in one of the Parasite’s to the right of the standing figures, and this is Sgt. Ramor (based on the colours that are visible on the figure). The designers of the Starfleet box mixed up the pilots of the Starmax Bomber and the Starwolf and so it seems a similar mix up has happened on the Shadow Force box. It makes sense that SGT Ramor is present as he was the designated gunner for the Shadowbat.
Do you have a picture of the back of the box that you would share for the site? Please contact us via the contact page.
PACKAGING
The Starcom, Shadow Force Action Set came boxed. It hard cardboard inserts and plastic bags for the figures. The box is very hard to find. An instruction sheet was supplied that had all of the vehicles on it to show how they worked and where to place stickers.
THE STORY ON THE BOX
I do not have a clear, readable box to look at the story on the Shadow Force Action set. However, when comparing the blurred one to the Action Fleet story you can see that it appears to be the same based on the structure of the paragraphs. See for yourself by clicking the picture to the left!
After a long patrol, The Starmax Fighter Bomber, on one of Star Fleet’s peacekeeping patrols, is quietly cruising across the galaxy when suddenly…
WAROO…WAROO…WAROO…
The urgent wail of the alarm signals danger. The ship’s battery operated power source is failing. Inside the huge spacecraft, lights flicker and dim. The banks of computer screens go blank. The ships commander, galactic superhero ‘Dash’ Derringer, leaps into action.
“We’ll have to risk an emergency landing on Mars…lower the landing skid…and take a deep breath!”
As he speaks, a huge range of obelisks comes into view. As the huge ship coasts closer to the forest of massive, ancient standing stones the crew become aware of a strange light. It seems to be coming from the obelisks.
The light grows stronger and stronger until the whole of the Starmax glows in it’s beam like a million megawatt light bulb. Then just as suddely the beam vanishes.
The spacecraft’s computer screens light up again “Hey Dash!” shouts Lieutenant Bob Rogers, “We have full power again…but the batteries are just as low!”
Never one to go by the rule book, Dash gives the order to switch off the battery power completely. To their amazement, all systems are still fully energised and registering full power.
“I’ll report this to Admiral Brickley” said Rogers as he flicked open the communication channel. “Stop…” cried Dash “we can’t risk the Shadow Force intercepting it.”
But Emperor Dark, the evil leader of the Shadow Force was already monitoring the Star Fleet ship by spy beam and knew the importance of the discovery. Unlimited energy, unlimited power. He fires orders to his Generals, “Torvek, Von Dar. Mass my legions of mutants and robots. We will take these obelisks and crush the Star Fleet. I will rule the universe.”
Will this new found energy source enable the Star Fleet to repel the evil Shadow Force? Or will the merciless Emperor Dark finally achieve his ambition of ultimate power?
This is only the beginning of the battle for the Universe…
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