Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light is a science fantasy media franchise that consisted of a short-lived toyline of action figures and vehicles produced by Hasbro, and an animated series by Sunbow Productions that ran for one season of thirteen episodes in 1987. Star Comics published a bimonthly comic book series that lasted six issues from November 1987 to September 1988. The animated series was the first Hasbro property to be produced by Sunbow without the aid of Marvel Productions, and utilized Japanese studio Tokyo Movie Shinsha for overseas animation work.
IDW Publishing published a five-issue crossover comic miniseries featuring the series characters and the Transformers in 2018.
Overview The story is set on the fictional planet of Prysmos, a futuristic society where all technology and complex machinery suddenly cease functioning, and its citizens are forced to rely on ancient magic to survive. This happens when the three suns of the planet align and their combined radiation emissions deactivate all technology on the planet, similar to an electromagnetic pulse effect. The titular Visionaries are knights who are split into two factions: the heroic Spectral Knights and the evil Darkling Lords. The Visionaries who wish to gain the usage of magic are invited to a competition by the wizard Merklynn. After surviving traps, dangerous creatures, and each other, survivors are rewarded with unique animal totems affixed to their armor chestplates; these talismans are based on the bearers' individual attributes while allowing them to transform into their specific creatures.
Some of the knights are given staves enchanted with various magic powers that are activated by its holder reciting a special verse. They could be used only once before they needed to be replenished in the animated series, but had unlimited use in the comic series. Characters who could not use these weapons instead had the power to infuse vehicles with magical powers, the spells for which were printed on official toy packaging but never used in either the comics or the animated series. In the Star Comics series, the female characters were given shields which operated in the same manner as the male characters' power staves.
Characters Spectral Knights Headed by Leoric, the Spectral Knights are magic users who use magic for the purposes of good; they are the protagonists of the series. Character Description Totem Voice performer Leoric Leoric is the leader of the Spectral Knights and prince of the fictional city of New Valarak. In the first issue of the 1987 Star Comics series, he was named as the city's mayor during the Age of Science. He possesses the totem of the Lion and his power staff bestows the Power of Wisdom. He is the only Spectral Knight to have facial hair (a mustache), and his main adversary is Darkstorm. Lion Neil Ross Magical power:Wisdom – "Whispered secrets of a shattered age, I summon you: renew this sage!"Ectar Ectar is Leoric's lieutenant on matters relating to the city of New Valarak. Before the death of technology, he was a police detective in the city of Valarak who often matched wits against a master thief named Reekon, who later becomes a Darkling Lord and his main adversary. He possesses the totem of the Fox and is one of several knights who do not have a power staff but are able to magically power vehicles. His personal vehicle is the Lancer Cycle, which possessed the Power of Protection. Fox Michael McConnohieMagical power:Protection – "Shield this craft from one and all. Reflect, deflect, depose and fall!"Appears only on official toy packaging and never spoken in the cartoon or comic series.Feryl Feryl is the youngest of the Spectral Knights. Like Ectar and Leoric, he lives in New Valarak. He possesses the totem of the Wolf and has no staff but operates the Capture Chariot, the Knights' main transport and attack vehicle that possesses the Power of Fire. His main adversary is Mortdredd. Wolf Beau WeaverMagical power:Fire – "Draw upon the breath of stars, and scorch the skies with fiery scars!"Cryotek The oldest of the group, Cryotek hails from the northern frozen kingdom of Northalia. He possesses the totem of the Bear and his staff bestows the Power of Strength that manifests as a magical archer firing an arrow. He is shown to have a romantic relationship with fellow Spectral Knight Galadria, while his main adversary among the Darkling Lords is Cindarr, with whom he is hinted at having a past history in the animated series. Bear Bernard ErhardMagical power:Strength – "Three suns aligned, pour forth their light, and fill the archer's bow with might!"Witterquick Prince of an unnamed city in the south, Witterquick possesses the totem of the Cheetah and his staff bestows the Power of Lightspeed. Although Ectar is Leoric's second in command of matters pertaining to the city of New Valarak, it is Witterquick who gives the orders and keeps the others in line if Leoric is absent. If necessary, Witterquick is the most ready to bend the rules for the greater good. Cheetah Jim CummingsMagical power:Lightspeed – "Sheathe these feet in the driving gale, make swift these legs, o'er land I sail!"Arzon A deontologist by nature, Arzon possesses the totem of the Eagle and his staff imparts the Power of Knowledge. He is one of the youngest Spectral Knights and can be quite impetuous, optimistic, and eager to help despite the danger. Eagle Hal RayleMagical power:Knowledge – "A whim, a thought, and more is sought. Awake my mind; thy will be wrought!"Galadria The only female Spectral Knight, Galadria hails from the city of Androsia. She is the love interest of fellow Spectral Knight Cryotek, and her main adversary is Virulina. Her totem is the Dolphin, and she had no staff but was given a magical shield imbued with the power of Healing in the Star Comics series. Dolphin Susan BluMagical power:Healing – "By warmth of heart, your pain I feel. Grant me the power, your wounds to heal!"Featured only in the 1987 Star Comics series.
Darkling Lords Headed by Darkstorm, the Darkling Lords use their powers for selfish aims and are the antagonists of the series. Character Description Totem Voice performerDarkstorm The leader of the Darkling Lords, and prior to their creation Darkstorm commanded the allegiance of Reekon and Mortdredd. He secures the services of the other members by having them swear loyalty to him in exchange for freeing them from a trap during Merklynn's magical challenge. He bears the totem of the Mollusk and his power staff wields the Power of Decay, which included a counter spell to reverse its effects. His main adversary is Leoric. Mollusk Chris Latta Magical power:Decay – "By what creeps, what crawls, by what does not; let all that grows recede and rot!" Decay Reversal – "Power of rot, obscuring truth, what once was old restore to youth!"Reekon A career thief during the Age of Science, Reekon serves Darkstorm as a hired mercenary. He finds himself often engaging in a battle of wits against Ectar, with whom he has a professional rivalry and mutual respect. He possesses the totem of the Lizard and has no staff but operates the Dagger Assault, the Darkling Lords' rolling fortress that contains a small attack plane and containment cell used for magically removing animal totems. Lizard Roscoe Lee Browne Magical power:Magic Extractor – "Flay the flesh, lay bare the bone. Upon this field, let grief be sown!"Mortdredd Mortdredd is Darkstorm's most loyal servant and unapologetic sycophant. His totem is the Beetle and he has no staff but is the designated pilot of the Sky Claw, the Lords' aerial assault craft. His main adversary is Feryl, as both are loyal to their respective leaders. Beetle Jonathan Harris Magical power:Flight – "Wings of steel shall ride the breeze. Invade the air, the land, the seas!"Cindarr Previously a construction worker during the Age of Science, Cindarr is the oldest of the fourteen knights, and his main adversary is Cryotek. He joins the Darkling Lords only because of the oath of loyalty to Darkstorm he is forced to make, and is considered a dullard by his peers due to his impedimental speech and compassion toward small animals. He bears the totem of the Gorilla and his staff invokes the Power of Destruction. Gorilla Peter Cullen Magical power:Destruction – "By nature's hand, by craft, by art; what once was one now fly apart!" Cravex Aggressive and short-tempered, Cravex is the most combative of the Darkling Lords, and while the other Darkling Lords have a specific enemy in the Spectral Knights, Cravex is willing to fight any of them, and even threatens his fellow Darkling Lords with harm if they cross him. Cravex bears the totem of the phylot (a Prysmosian pterodactyl-like flying scavenger) and his power staff invokes the Power of Fear. Phylot Chris LattaMagical power:Fear – "Oh mist-filled pits, dark, dank, unclear; touch all before me with frost-fingered fear!"Lexor Lexor is generally regarded as a liar and a coward. He possesses the totem of the Armadillo and his staff offers the Power of Invulnerability, which generates an impenetrable barrier that is often used as a counter against Cryotek's staff of Strength. Armadillo Michael McConnohie Magical power:Invulnerability – "The arrows turn, the swords rebel; may nothing pierce this mortal shell!"Virulina The lone female Darkling Lord, Virulina worked as a newscaster prior to the Age of Magic, and her main adversary is Galadria. Her totem is the Shark and in the 1987 Star Comics series, she possesses a shield imbued with the Power of Disease. Shark Jennifer Darling Magical power:Disease – "Winds of sickness, illness most vile, strike down my enemy with disease revile!"
Other characters
Merklynn (voiced by Roscoe Lee Browne) is a wizard who occupies a shrine inside Iron Mountain. Merklynn invites knights from across the land to compete in an obstacled race to his shrine, rewarding those who reach its hall with magical abilities. In exchange for recharging their power staffs, Merklynn contracts both the Darkling Lords and Spectral Knights to venture on other quests on his behalf. He sometimes offers magical devices in exchange for their services as well, but Merklynn's gifts usually prove to be more trouble than they are worth. The character was named after Hasbro sculptor Bill Merklein, who developed the holography for the toyline. Falkama (voiced by Jim Cummings) is a member of the same circle of wizardry as Merklynn. He is first seen in possession of an artifact called the Dragon's Eye, which Merklynn needs to replenish his magical pool. He is later used by Darkstorm in the latter's failed plot to depose Merklynn, and is then among a trio of fugitive wizards apprehended by the Spectral Knights and imprisoned by Merklynn. The character's name was created by Flint Dille from the surnames of comics writers Lee Falk and Larry Hama. Bogavas (voiced by Jim Cummings) is an enigmatic wizard who is among the three escapees from the Wizards' Jail along with Falkama and Weazaskweaza. When the Spectral Knights capture and bring him to Merklynn, Bogavas denies knowing any real magic. Merklynn subjects him to a test to prove his honesty, which he seemingly passes and is thus allowed to go free. Weazaskweaza (voiced by Bernard Erhard) is a wizard who is condemned to never tell the truth and was imprisoned in the Wizards' Jail along with Falkama and Bogavas. After the Darkling Lords take advantage of his curse to locate a lost underground shrine, Weazaskweaza betrays them and seeks a source of power inside the shrine that would allow him to supplant Merklynn, but is thwarted by Leoric and reimprisoned. According to Flint Dille, Weazaskweaza's name was an instance of inserting "crude adolescent humor" into the show.