What toy did you get in your Mighty Ducks McDonald's Happy Meal? Emilio Eztevez? Joshua Jackson? Nope, because this was all about the animated TV series.The Mighty Ducks cartoon from 1996 was sort of a mad mix of The Mighty Ducks movies, Howard the Duck, Darkwing Duck, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Beverly Hills 90210.
This series shared little in common with the 1992 live action film besides the name and the logo on the team jersey.The Mighty Ducks cartoon followed the adventures of a team of alien, hockey playing ducks living in the human world. And they also fought a race of alien dragon bad guys.
My favorite thing about the show was the theme song, performed by Mickey Thomas from Jefferson Starship.The leader of the Mighty Ducks is Wildwing, voiced by Ian Ziering (of Beverly Hills 90210 fame). This masked duck was also the mascot for the real Disney hockey team, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, which debuted in 1993.
Wildwing's younger brother is Nosedive, voiced by Steve Mackall. Nosedive reminds me of Steven Weber's character "Brian" from the "Cheers" TV show spin-off, "Wings."Mighty Ducks aired in syndication and Saturday Mornings on Disney's then-newly purchased ABC network.
Had this show been developed a year later as part of the 1997 "Disney's One Saturday Morning" on ABC, I wonder if it would have been a "kids in school" version of the Mighty Ducks along the lines of "Recess" and "Pepper Ann." I'm glad it wasn't, because I really like the outrageous premise of the Mighty Ducks from another galaxy.Mallory, voiced by Jennifer Hale (a prolific actress who is currently the voice of Cinderella for Disney) looks a bit like an adult version of Gosalyn from Disney's 1991 TV series, "Darkwing Duck."
Duke L'Orange (voiced by Jeff Bennett) gets the award for the best named character on the show.Gentle giant Grin is voiced by Brad Garrett (from "Everybody Loves Raymond").
Like all smart geniuses, Tanya (voiced by April Winchell) wears glasses.Step back in time to November 1996 and see the Ducks in action.
It's hockey! It's ducks! It's a setup for another flashback!Here we see how the space dragons were taking over the planet belonging to the space ducks. We don't see him here, but Tim Curry is the voice of Lord Dragaunus.
Wait, the ducks are in a comic book and are looking for comics at the same time? That, like, makes you think.A Saurian (that's what the space dragons are called) henchman named Chameleon (voiced by Frank Welker) is up to no good.
In Anaheim, California, the Mighty Ducks played hockey at a rink called The Pond.Wildwing wears a mood mask that changes color.
Disney Ducks were insanely popular on TV in the Eighties and Nineties.The Mighty Ducks each have their own numbered jersey. I understand Wildwing's "00" and Duke's "13" but I don't know the significance of the others.
An "Ice A Zoni" Zamboni? Love that.No Hockey Game is complete until there's a fight.
The Mighty Ducks don't have to worry about losing teeth.This is a comic that doesn't take itself too seriously.
When you are talking about hockey playing space ducks, though, things could never be taken too seriously.Did they ever play "Disco Duck" on that organ? Probably.
Disney sold the Mighty Ducks Hockey team in 2005. I guess these animated cold ducks will spend a lot of time chilling on ice.After a long day of cleaning up the streets, the Mighty Ducks are now ready to fight grime (with Mighty Ducks Bubble Bath).
Revving up his motorcycle and popping a wheelie, Wildwing is the baddest rubber duckie I've ever seen.