The 1980s saw a huge surge of incredible toylines connected to animated television shows. In 1985, the popular franchise of M.A.S.K. hit the scene. With the growing popularity of transforming toys and action-packed heroic stories, the release of the M.A.S.K. toys and animated series fit right in. The series lasted only two years from 1985 to 1986. This series highly promoted the toyline which lasted a few years longer, up until 1988. The storyline includes the awesome special task force, M.A.S.K., led by the heroic character Matt Trackker. M.A.S.K. takes on the evil V.E.N.O.M. criminal organization in awesome battles. These transforming toys by Kenner also showed great popularity as they released many different vehicles and figures, making for endless play opportunities. The many cool factors of this loved 80s franchise determine why M.A.S.K. deserves a reboot.
Follow along in our blog with us as we mention these factors and show just how impactful this powerful team of masked Mobile Armored Strike Kommand characters were and still are.
Join Us in Seeing Why M.A.S.K Deserves a Reboot
Join us through our blog of the forgotten hybrid of cars and commandos. Follow along with us as we go through the 1980s franchise including the animated series and toyline. Along with this, we will also mention the brand new M.A.S.K. toys to release in 2025. Lastly, we will explain why the M.A.S.K. franchise deserves a reboot.
A Look Into the 1980s Franchise
Kenner toy company created the M.A.S.K. animated series and toyline in 1985. Along with many other cartoons and toys at the time, this animated series highly promoted the toyline. The series also played a big role in giving the characters more of a backstory. Children could now view their favorite characters on their television during weekday afternoon airings. The shows gave the children action-packed plots to their favorite characters who also had attached toylines. Children all over desired the toys for their favorite characters and vehicles in the shows. M.A.S.K., standing for Mobile Armored Strike Kommand, included vehicles that transformed with hidden abilities and weapons. Along with these awesome transforming vehicles, the characters include masks which give them powerful special abilities.
Kenner took the inspiration for their toys and series from other popular franchises at the time. Transformers and G.I. Joe held a great impact on the toy industry as well as animation studios at the time of their release. Since they showed great success and creative storylines themselves, the M.A.S.K. franchise began with drawing ideas from both. The defensive special task force masked team, along with their transforming fierce vehicles, create the loved but often forgotten world of M.A.S.K. To understand why M.A.S.K deserves a reboot, we will now dive into the toys and television series released in the 1980s.
M.A.S.K. Toys
Beginning in 1985 by Kenner, the animated series promoted a total of four waves of toys before descending. The toyline centered around 2 inch figures with masks, following the characters from the series. Along with the figures, regular-looking vehicles also released that held the ability to transform into a different type of vehicle or reveal hidden weapons and armor. Although these vehicles were not made from die-cast metal, they still held a high quality and showed durability.
The vehicles came with a figure as well as stickers to apply and a mini comic, calendar, or catalog. Paint, chrome, and rubber tires all appear on these vehicles to give them the best appearance. Some of the vehicles even appear as small replicas of real cars. Each wave of toys included a different theme of vehicles, creating new looks and setting them apart from the previous wave, distinguishing easier from each series of toys.
Series 1
The series 1 wave of vehicles also holds a factor when looking at why M.A.S.K. deserves a reboot. The first wave of toys features different types of vehicles that people normally saw on the roads in the mid 1980s. Series 1 featured 8 vehicles that each came with a 2 inch pilot character to control the vehicle. These include Condor, Firecracker, Gator, Thunderhawk, Jackhammer, Piranha, Rhino, and Switchblade. The Condor vehicle appears as a motorcycle that transforms into a helicopter. It comes with a Brad Turner figure as well as a matching yellow Hocus Pocus mask. Firecraker, the orange Chevy single-cab short bed dually pickup truck, comes with a Hondo MacLean figure, a dirt bike, blaster mask, 2 freeze cannons, boomerang tire, and bike mount. Gator, a Jeep, comes with/turns into a boat with the Dusty Hayes figure, blacklash mask, atom blaster, and barrel depth charge.
Next, Thunderhawk, the Cheverolet Camaro Z28, turns into a jet fighter with the push of a button. This vehicle comes with the Matt Trakker figure, spectrum mask, 2 wing blasters, and 2 stun bombs. Jackhammer, the Ford Bronco, comes with a Cliff Dagger figure, torch mask, and air defense gun. Pressing down on the rear bumper of this vehicle causes awesome features and weapons to pop out. Then, the Piranha vehicle comes with Sly Rax, his stiletto mask, and the side car/submarine. The Rhino Kenworth tractor cab vehicle comes with its all terrain vehicle, Bruce Sato and Matt Trakker figures, lifter and ultra flash mask as well as 2 rockets. Lastly, The Switchblade attack helicopter comes with Miles Mayhem along with his viper mask and bomb.
Series 2
Next up, we have the series 2 toys. Like the first series, these vehicles also mostly take after different vehicles seen in the mid 1980s as small and revamped replicas. This series of toys also featured eight different vehicles with their pilot figures, masks, and weapons. The vehicles included in this series include Firefly, Hurricane, Outlaw, Raven, Slingshot, Vampire, Stinger, and Volcano. First up, the Firefly vehicle comes with its Julio Lopez figure, streamer mask, and super-stun atomizer. Hurricane, the ’57 Chevy turns into a field command post and comes with the Hondo MacLean figure, blaster II mask, mini cutting lasers, and terror space landmine. Then, Outlaw, the oil tanker turns into mobile headquarters. Outlaw comes with the Miles Mayhem and Nash Gorey figures along with 2 radar scanners, 2 poison pod shells, a python and powerhouse mask, power pack, power cable, and tracking unit.
Raven, a corvette that turns into an armed seaplane comes with the Calhoun Burns figure as well as his gulliver mask and 2 immobilizer disks. Slingshot, the RV turns into a surveillance unit and sonic jet. It comes with the Ace Riker figure, ricochet mask, and laser tracer bomb. The Vampire touring cycle vehicle turns into a turbo jet. It comes with a Floyd Malloy figure along with his buckshot mask and 2 retro rockets. The GTO vehicle, Stinger, transforms into an armored tank. It comes with the Bruno Sheppard figure, magna-beam mask, mortar barrel, and 2 sniper scope cannons. Lastly, Volcano, the all-terrain van transforms into a high-rise tracker. This motorized vehicle comes with Matt Trakker and Jaques LaFleur as the figures. It also comes with the lava-shot mask and maraj mask.
Series 3
With the third series of toys and new designs released, more reasons for why M.A.S.K. deserves a reboot arise. This series focuses on racing and stunt themes, creating a new look for some of these figures and vehicles. Series 3 includes the Billboard Blast, Pit Stop Catapult, and The Collector. Bulldog, Bullet, Buzzard, Iguana, Goliath, Meteor, Manta, Razorback, and Wildcat are also all included in this series. The Bilboard Blast turns into a launching platform with the Dusty Hayes figure. Then, the Pit Stop Catapult comes with the Sly Rax figure. The Collector includes the action figure, Alex Sector. Now onto the vehicles for the series, Bulldog the diesel truck, transforms into an armored half-track with the Boris Bushkin figure. Bullet the street bike turns into a hovercraft with the Ali Bombay figure.
Buzzard, the super cool formula race car transforms into a land-air squad vehicle. This vehicle includes both the Miles Mayhem and Maximus Mayhem figures. Iguana is a 4-wheel ATV that changes into a mobile shredder. The Lester Sludge character comes with this vehicle. The Goliath racecar and transport vehicles turn into a missile launcher and jet fighter with the Nevada Rushmore and Matt Trakker figures. Next, Meteor the stunt jet turns into a flying pod and mobile tank with Ace Riker. The Manta Nissan 300ZX changes to an assault plane with the Vanessa Warfield character. Razorback, the T-Bird stock car turns into a snap action rescue tank. This epic vehicle comes with the Brad Turner figure. Lastly, the wildcat tow truck transforms into a vertical fighting machine with Clutch Hawks as the driver.
Series 4
This fourth series released even more awesome vehicles and figures for M.A.S.K. This series, labeled the “Split Seconds” series featured a translucent plastic “hologram” version of the figures to drive the second vehicle. Series 4 included a total of 9 vehicles, each with one regular figure and one translucent figure. The vehicles here include Afterburner, Detonator, Dynamo, Barracuda, Fireforce, Vandal, Skybolt, Stiletto, and Wolfbeast. The Afterburner dragster vehicle turns into the stealth jet and cannon launcher. This vehicle comes with the Dusty Hayes figures. Next up, the Detonator classic Volkswagen transforms into a hovercraft and attack bike with the Jacques LaFleur figures. Dynamo, the off-road vehicle, turns into a turbine chopper and assault cart with the Bruce Sato figures. Then, Barracuda, the jet cycle transforms into a jet glider and booster cycle. This vehicle comes with two of the Bruno Shepherd character.
The Fireforce turns into a fireo-glider craft and 3-wheeled chopper with the Julio Lopez figures. The two Floyd Malloy figures are included with the Vandal front end loader that changes into a recon craft and dirt tracker. Skybolt, the jet fighter turns into a jet plane and thruster car with Matt Trakker figures. Next up, the Stiletto sports car vehicle changes into a raid plane and attack chopper. This vehicle comes with the Gloria Baker figures. Lastly, for series 3 vehicles, Wolfbeast, the Corvette stingray, becomes a tank and flying shuttle. This Wolfbeast vehicle then also includes the Miles Mayhem figures.
Adventure Packs
After going through all four series of vehicles, we now mention the Adventure Pack sets that feature the unique characters with transformable accessories specific to the characters. A total of eight Adventure packs released for the M.A.S.K. toyline, each with their own creative and fierce accessories. These include the Artic Assault, Glider Strike, Racing Arena, and Sea Attack. All four of these came out as Europe Exclusives for the Adventure Pack Sets. Along with these, Coast Patrol, Rescue Mission, Jungle Challenge, and Venom’s Revenge all take a place in the Adventure Pack sets for M.A.S.K. First up, the Artic Assault set includes Calhoun Burns with 2 hooks, 2 snow shoes, 2 blizzard guns, a gulliver mask, toboggan, and robo and turbo instigator backpack. Next, Glider Strike comes with the Jaques LaFleur figure as well as 2 laser blasters, a misleading rocket, hang glider, maraj mask, and turbine.
Then, the Racing Arena set includes Bruno Sheppard with his wrench, cutting tool, racing tool combo, magna beam mask, and hydraulic backpack. Lastly, for the Europe Exclusives, the Sea Attack set includes Hondo MacLean with his sea sled, 2 fog pitchers, harpoon, aqua lung, and blaster II mask. Then, Matt Trakker comes with the Coast Patrol set along with his pontoon and anchor, 2 hyper photon torpedoes, 2 flippers, a dolphin mask, and marine accelerator. Rescue Mission includes Bruce Sato with 2 ski blades, grappling launcher, grappling hooks and tether, ravine spanner, grasshopper mask, and radio with generator backpack. Next, Jungle Challenge comes with Matt Trakker and his binoculars, crossbow, scaling hooks, rocket backpack, utility belt, and arrow mask. Lastly, Venom Revenge includes Miles Mayhem with his 2 fang missiles, 2 pyro-cannons, 2 fuel transport hoses, ripper mask, and personal jet-thrust transporter.
Figure Packs
Unlike the vehicles, which all came in box packaging, each Figure Pack and Adventure Pack came sealed in bubble packaging with card backs. These released with the first and second series of toys and featured some favorite characters together, rather than sold separately. With many different vehicles, figures, and set released, the diversity and collectability all factor into why M.A.S.K. deserves a reboot.
A total of 11 figure sets released for M.A.S.K. These include Ace Riker and Hondo MacLean, Floyd Malloy and Vanessa Warfield, Julio Lopez and Calhoun Burns, Matt Trakker and Jaques LaFleur, as well as Miles Mayhem and Nash Gorey. All five of these figure sets released as Europe Exclusives. Alex Sector and Buddie hawks, Bruce Sato and Brad Turner, Matt Trakker and Hondo MacLean, Matt Trakker and Miles Mayhem, Sly Rax and Cliff Dagger, as well as T-Bob and Scott Trakker all also take spots in the M.A.S.K. Figure Packs.
Playsets
Lastly, for the M.A.S.K 1980s toys, we have the playsets. The first playset, Boulder Hill, released in 1985. This Boulder Hill service station changes into an armed bunker. A comic book and poster are included in the box along with the Alex Sector and Buddie Hawks figures. The jackrabbit mask and penetrator mask come with the figures along with the boulder hill and its attached anti-aircraft turret. Also included in the playset, a radar panel sign, base plate with gas pumps, computer terminal jail cell, armored bunker, gas station roof with anti-gravity howitzer, gas station walls, hose, and boulder all come as parts of the playset.
Next, the other playset released for M.A.S.K., Laser Command, comes with the Matt Trakker and Miles Mayhem figures. Their laserflash and raynet masks also come with the figures, giving them their awesome powers. This set also includes the ratfang and attachment, hornet, wheel, hood, door and gun. Each of these playsets comes in a cardboard box just like the other vehicles and includes so many different pieces that add to the fun of the toys released for the franchise.
Animated Series
Next up, when looking at why M.A.S.K. deserves a reboot, we will mention the awesome animated series. Produced by DIC Enterprises and Kenner, this animated series aired from September 16, 1985 to November 28, 1986. The series includes 2 seasons with a total of 75 episodes of action packed animation. Like many other animated series in the 1980s, this one strongly promoted the toyline that went along with the series. The storyline from the episodes gave the characters more of a background. Children got to know the personalities of each character and got to grow emotional connections with each one. The many characters that released only promoted both the series and the toys more. Out of all the characters in the series, only seven voice actors took the roles of playing the different characters.
Doug Stone voiced Matt Trakker, Hondo MacLean, Dusty Hayes, Bruno Shepherd, Bruce Sato, Nash Gorey, Boris Bushkin, and Maximus Mayhem. Brendan McKane voiced Miles Mayhem, Floyd Malloy, Alex Sector, Nevada Rushmore, and Jaques LeFleur. Then, Graeme McKenna voiced T-Bob and Brad Turner along with Calhoun Burns. Mark Halloran voiced Sly Rax, Buddie Hawks, Cliff Dagger, Ace Riker, and Duane Kennedy. Brennan Thicke voiced just Scott Trakker. Sharon Noble voiced Gloria Baker and Vanessa Warfield as well as the M.A.S.K. computer. Lastly, Brian George voiced both Ali Bombay and Lester Sludge. This series follows the adventures of the team led by Matt Trakker. This M.A.S.K. Mobile Armored Strike Kommand team takes on the task of battling the evil V.E.N.O.M. Vicious Evil Network of Mayhem team. Both sides of characters utilize their transforming vehicles and super powered masks to assist and add strategy to each battle.
New Mask Toys Releasing 2025
Now, we will mention the new toys releasing by Loyal Subjects, in collaboration with Hasbro and in partnership with the Big Bad Toy Store. These awesome new revamped toys, inspired from the original 1985 toys and series, showcase favorite characters and vehicles in a new, modern way. Although this toyline brings the loved classic toys back to life in 2025, 40 years after the release, there are no signs for a reboot of the franchise in any other way at the moment. The new M.A.S.K. toyline includes four vehicles, one with two variations, as well as a combined set available to purchase all items in a set bundle.
A Mobile Defense Unit vehicle released, revamped with the classic stripes on the side and overall truck appearance. This vehicle released as two different purchasing options, one with Matt Trakker and Bruce Sato figures, and the other with the complete Trakker team of Matt, Bruce Sato, Scott, and T-Bob. Another item released for this new toyline, the High Tech Helicopter, comes with the Miles Mayhem figure to pilot the helicopter to jet fighter vehicle. Next, the iconic sportscar, Thunderhawk, takes the scene as it takes the classic car into jet fighter transformation. This vehicle comes with a Matt Tracker figure and shows the modern twist with new sculpting, details, and conversion mechanism. A Condor vehicle also released. This Assault Cycle transforms into the Attack Copter and comes with the Brad Turner character. Lastly, an exclusive vehicle and action figure set bundle released, including all figures and vehicles to purchase together.
Why There Should be a Reboot of M.A.S.K.
This awesome animated series and toyline from the 80s showed popularity among its release. Especially with the transforming toys at the time and connecting toylines to cartoons, this series showed great popularity following the trends at the time. For many other franchises, reboots of new toylines, series, movies, comic books, and more cause positive reviews and responses across the world. However, for M.A.S.K, we merely remember those times from the past and collect the loved toys from the mid to late 1980s. Many positive reviews for the new 2025 toyline have already appeared and only prove more why M.A.S.K deserves a reboot. With more M.A.S.K. toys releasing and an animated reboot along with a movie, comic books, or video games, these masked heroic and evil characters would have a chance to reach a new generation as well as bring back more past fans.
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About the Author
Chris Ingledue is the founder and owner of Wheeljack’s Lab pop Culture and Toy Shop. His vision has always been to reunite customers with their favorite childhood toys and pop culture, triggering fond memories, and reigniting their imaginations. Every day he works in the “lab” where it’s Christmas 365 days a year; scouring the internet – like we did the Sears Catalog of yesteryear – for the next great treasure, awaiting the arrival of the postman as if he was Santa Claus himself and helping collectors worldwide with their own versions of Christmas. For Chris, every day as a vintage toy buyer is an absolute joy!