Herculoids (1967) with special guest star Gary Owens

The Art Of Steve Rude

Herculoids by Alex Toth

Hanna-Barbera Super TV Heroes

Art by Steve Rude

Herculoids - Igoo

Art by Steve Rude

Herculoids: Tundro

Art by Steve Rude

KAIJUNE DAY 13: Tundro

It came raining boulders.

Scouts searched desperately for where exactly the bombardment was coming from. Reports from outside said that strange stones charged with glowing green energy were raining down, stones that did not merely shatter on impact but burst apart with tremendous force. Explosions be damned this was tons of rock hurtling in every direction at high speed, it was cleaving through the buildings that remained, further hammering our meagre shelters - and threatening the Genesis Engine.

Before we had countered every theat, our own crafted champions were defending the city at this very moment. Between the low booms we could hear the high pitched screech of the Steed and the burbling howl of the Krakenwulf, the grinding thrum of the Highway and the bellowing scream of the Hunter Killer. Blood and Ichor flowed and light flashed. But it was not enough, even if our own defeated the howling titans outside we could scarcely expect them to assail whatever it was that shelled us incessantly, especially with the recently revealed looming danger of the Shade.

Word came of something in the hills outside the city. A living rock, chewing stone and bombarding us with energy infusing what passed through its internal systems. Aerial support is what was needed here. Something that could traverse the distance at speed, and distract Mortarus while our own wounded titans closed the distance and brought the fight to it directly. The damage was mounting, it was clear that there would need to be repairs to the Engine after this, and something else had become paramount, we needed to be able to move the Genesis Engine somehow. But for the moment we were scanning our files. There had to be something that could fly in our arsenal. We had several options on file but not a bird of prey was compatible with our available volunteers. But there, a single match - it would not be a bird but a bat.

Sparks flew and rubble had begun to fall from the ceiling. We almost hurled the academy volunteer into the engine and engaged the Genesis Engine. Circuits blew and fires erupted, the lights went out, and a thrumming bellow echoed from the Engine.

And a titan on leather wings took to the sky.

A whole bunch of Hanna-Barbera Saturday morning heroes by Alex Ross:

Shazzan, Kaboobie, Chuck, Nancy, Zok, Tara, Zandor, Dorno, Apache Chief, Raseem the Strong, Bez the Beast, Fariik the Magician, Prince Turban, Princess Nida,  Zazuum, Blip, Jan, Jace, Space Ghost, Avenger, Birdman, Mightor, Jana of the Jungle, Samurai, Gravity Girl, Meteor Man, Vapor Man, Tundro, Gleep, Igoo, Gloop, Samson, Goliath, Marvin, Wonder Dog, Wendy, Blue Falcon, Dynomutt, Jayna, Gleek, and Zan.

Alex Toth concept art for the Herculoids (a futuristic update of Tarzan, essentially Tarzan in Space), part of the initial presentation. 

What is most interesting is that Toth also created designs for creatures that were not used on the series (or were severely modified): 

Really random impulse to draw these guys, it was an old cartoon already even when I was young and I really don't recall forming a strong attachment. Well, I always thought Tendro's thing of being a pillbug-rhino-Triceratops-artillery-thing was kinda neat. Still skipping humans for now so no space barbarian family with these guys, just the aliens.

This is a great rendition of the Herculoids...

...but why the heck is Tundro so tiny? Her name is literally Tundro the Tremendous. Maybe it's a baby Tundro?

Still loving the art though.

Herculoids by Alex Toth

The Herculoids

Art by Steve Rude