Look out oil-drilling villains, there is one tough, green, mullet-wearing dude back in town, and his name is Captain Planet.
From the mind of Ted Turner, Captain Planet and the Planeteers was a big hit in the early 90’s on the Cartoon Network and almost became a feature film starring the voice of Tom Cruise. But then it was shelved, MIA, as countless real-life eco-disasters unfolded.
But now he is back, starting today, thanks to the Mother Nature Network. MNN.com, called the "green CNN" by Time Magazine and features a wealth of green news and resources (and a tech blog by yours truly). And the latest addition to the roster is the Captain Planet crew.
For those of you either too young or too old to remember, the premise is that Gaia, one hot Native American mama played by Whoopi Goldberg, awakes from a hundred year slumber, only to discover that her planet is on the brink of collapse.
She creates 5 magic rings, one for each element (the 5th element is love of course!) and gives them to these cute teenagers in 5 different continents. When they put their rings together, Captain Planet is born.
In the first episode, he kicks Ed Asner’s ass, quite a freaky villain. But he escapes, sure to cause more environmental trouble in subsequent episodes.
It's quite a coup to bring back these cartoons online. MNN has a pretty sweet embeddable video player, and you can subscribe to hear all the famous character actors of the day battling our planet-loving heroes.
Here’s a short list of some of the cameos: Ed Asner, Levar Burton, Tim Curry, Phyllis Diller, Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Jeff Goldberg, Neil Patrick Harris (as a boy), Helen Hunt, Margot Kidder, Meg Ryan, Martin Sheen, Sting and Elizabeth Tailor.
Eco Superhero Comebacks
Captain Planet Makes A Very Green Return From The 90s
Trend Themes
1. Eco-conscious Entertainment - The resurgence of Captain Planet showcases the growing demand for environmentally themed entertainment, creating opportunities for eco-friendly content creators and platforms.
2. Nostalgia Marketing - The return of Captain Planet taps into the trend of nostalgia marketing, presenting opportunities for brands to leverage beloved characters and shows from the past to connect with consumers.
3. Social Activism Through Media - Captain Planet's return highlights the trend of using media to promote social activism and environmental consciousness, opening doors for organizations and individuals to create impactful content and campaigns around sustainability.
Industry Implications
1. Entertainment - The eco-focused revival of Captain Planet presents opportunities for entertainment companies to develop new environmentally conscious content for various platforms.
2. Marketing and Advertising - The nostalgia surrounding Captain Planet's comeback offers marketing and advertising professionals the chance to incorporate beloved characters and themes from the past into their campaigns, appealing to nostalgic consumers.
3. Social Media and Activism - Captain Planet's return provides opportunities for social media platforms, NGOs, and activists to leverage the character's popularity in promoting and raising awareness about environmental causes.