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From: ciaraldi@rochester.UUCP (Mike Ciaraldi)
Newsgroups: net.comics,net.sf-lovers,net.tv
Subject: Re: Robotech
Message-ID: <12769@rochester.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 30-Oct-85 21:57:08 EST
Article-I.D.: rocheste.12769
Posted: Wed Oct 30 21:57:08 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 2-Nov-85 05:01:29 EST
References: <149@lmef.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: U. of Rochester, CS Dept.
Lines: 92
Xref: watmath net.comics:2219 net.sf-lovers:10899 net.tv:3451

> Salutations!
> 
> 	Has anyone ever heard of   Robotech?
> It just recently started playing here in the afternoons, and....
> I'm hooked.
> 
> Some questions I have:
> 
> 	1. Is it new
> 	2. Does it come in comic-book form (if so, where can I
> 	   get it?)
> 	3. Does anyone watch it beside me...has anyone HEARD of it
> 	   besides me?
> 
> 	I would love to hear from anyone having ANY info on this
> 	animated sf series.
> 
> 	A lonely Micronian & Centratti fan....(sp may be wrong)
> 
> *susan*


Aha! Robotech strikes again!

This has shown up in net.comics before, but the basic answers to your questions are
the following:
1) Robotech is actually three Japanese animated series from the same
   company, reshuffled somwhat and dubbed into English by an American 
   company, Harmony Gold.  The three Japanese sereis were called
   MACROSS, SOUTHERN CROSS, and MOSPEADA.  Two were in the same
   "universe" and the other wasn't, but has been rescripted to make
   it compatible.
   They are considered quite good examples of Japanimation.
   Each of the series has roughly 30 epsiodes, for a total of
   about 90.  As rescripted into English, the 3 series relate like this:

   Macross is the first.  It concerns an alien spaceship which crashed
   on Earth a long time ago.  Earthlings finally figure out how to
   run it, and are just getting it ready for its first flight
   when the Zentraedi arrive.  The ship (called SDF-1 for "Space
   Defense Fortress", I think) comes to life and attacks
   the aliens, and the Earthlings are plunged into battle.

   20 years later, aliens attack again, and again Earthlings in 
   battle armor and convertible vehicles defend the Earth.
   I don't know whwere the term "Southern Cross" fits in,
   but I remember a reference to "The Army of the Southern Cross".

   Another 20 years later (I think), there is another invasion, 
   and the Earth is overwhelmed.  As Mospeada opens, our hero crashlands
   in Central America and has to make his way to the former USA 
   and Earth HQ.  As I understand it, there is less space battle
   in this one.

2) Comico--The Comic Company is publishing the entire Robotech series
   in comic book form (there is a line in the closing credits to
   that effect).  They are publishing it as three interlocking series.
   ROBOTECH--The MACROSS SAGA covers the first set of episodes,
   ROBOTECH MASTERS is the middle set, and ROBOTECH--THE NEW GENERATION
   is the final set.

   Because the whole series is so long, and being shown at different
   rates in different parts of the country, the comics publishing
   sachedule is a little funny.  Each of the 3 series publishes a
   new issue every 6 weeks (nominally, anyway), staggered so a
   new episode hits the stores every 2 weeks.
   Each series does its 30 or so consecuitve epsiodes in the same number
   (i.e. 30 or so) of issues.

   So, Macross Saga has about 6 issues out so far (the very first issue
   was called simply MACROSS, without "Robotech"), adapting the first
   6 episoded.  Masters has about 3 issues, adapting the first 3 episodes
   of Southern Cross, or what appears to the unsuspecting TV viewer
   as episodes 31-33 of Robotech, and New Generation similarly has
   aboyut 3 issues out.

   So, where do you get them?  Comico I think sells only throughj 
   comics stores and certain magazine stores, not regular newsstands
   or 7-11's.  All three series are also avaialble from Comico
   by subscription, or from comics stores that sell mail order.
   If your local comics shop doesnt have back issues, try a biggie
   like Bud Plant in CA.

3) Does anyone else watch them?  I habve been reading all the issues,
   but finally last week saw my very first episode, discussed in
   the next news item.

I hope this was helpful, and I hope I didn't get too many facts
wrong, since I did this all from memory.

Mike Ciaraldi
seismo!rochester!ciaraldi