George :: [Marvel] ACTIVATORS - Zeck

Activators (Toy Line & Comic) SKY character design art by Mike Zeck (1988) - Hasbro / Marvel Books / Big Looker Storybook / Turnaround / Model Sheet

Artist: Mike Zeck (All)

1 Comment - 92 Views - 5 Likes

Activators (Toy Line & Comic) SKY character design art by Mike Zeck (1988) - Hasbro / Marvel Books / Big Looker Storybook / Turnaround / Model Sheet Comic Art

Click Image to View Full Size

Additional Images:

Sky turnaround designs - Mike Zeck pencils/inks

Previous Item:
Activators (Toy Line & Comic) WIRE character design art by Mike Zeck (1988) - Hasbro / Marvel Books / Big Looker Storybook

Next Item:
Activators (Toy Line & Comic) SEIZOR character design art by Mike Zeck (1988) - Hasbro / Marvel Books / Big Looker Storybook / Turnaround / Model Sheet

Artwork Details

Title:	Activators (Toy Line & Comic) SKY character design art by Mike Zeck (1988) - Hasbro / Marvel Books / Big Looker Storybook / Turnaround / Model Sheet
Artist:	Mike Zeck (All)
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Illustration
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	92
Likes on CAF:	5 6
Comments:	1
Added to Site:	3/7/2025
Comic Art Archive:

Description

Activators (Toy Line & Comic) SKY design
Art by Mike Zeck
Marvel Books 1988

Is that a young Bill Cox with that ponytail and stache??

In 1982 Marvel produced a comic book series featuring the toys for GI Joe. In 1984 they debuted the Transformers comics and US toys. A few years later they may have been looking for their next line of toys and comics with The Activators, but it never came to be.

I'm excited to share this set of untold Mike Zeck and Marvel/Hasbro history. I picked up the cover pieces from a collector in France and the figure designs from a dealer in Italy. Here's what I've been able to piece together from other collectors and the little info I found online.

In the late 1980's (Circa 1986-88 based on the 75cent price on the cover mockups) Mike Zeck was hired to design a new line of characters and covers for a new toyline/story called THE ACTIVATORS, which were never published.

Based on these drawings the work was going to be published by Big Looker Storybooks, which Marvel Books published in the mid-to-late 80's under license from Hasbro. Marvel published some of their own licensed IP (Spider-Man) under Big Looker along side big properties like Transformers, GI Joe. The Activators felt like they may have been going for a mix of GI Joe and Transformers with soldiers wearing transformative tech.

Even though these never saw the light of day, I couldn't help but pick them up as they are prime era Zeck! He was working on his iconic Punisher run and Kraven's Last Hunt story around the same time and had just come off his memorable work on Captain America and Secret Wars just a few years before. I love the logo designs and thought the character designs were super cool as well.

Here is the set of designs for SKY, one of the good guys in the Activators. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.

Social/Sharing

About the Owner

	George H ( 6 ) Premium Gallery Owner
Joined:	April 2009
Last Login:	September 2025
Ebay Id:	thedigitalgeorge
Country:	UNITED STATES
On CAF:	Artworks Commented On Liked Art Site Activity on CAF

Contact the Owner

Use can use a contact form to send an email to this gallery owner,
but, you must be logged in to use this feature.

Comments on this Artwork

You must be logged in to make comments.

Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005

Posted on 3/7/2025

Very cool where Zeck shows the special action feature of the toy design. Young Bill figure would have to be included with the van that he lives out of, parked by the river.

All
	Stefan H 9/6/2025 2:17:00 AM
	Richard Donnelly 9/6/2025 2:08:00 AM
	David F. 9/6/2025 1:44:00 AM
	Gio Scarp 9/6/2025 1:38:00 AM
	--J S-- 9/6/2025 1:24:00 AM
View All


	Sam Casciato 9/6/2025 12:38:00 AM
	Alan E 9/6/2025 12:05:00 AM
	Aidan (Re-Legion ) Lacy 9/5/2025 10:56:00 PM
	Tom McDonald 9/5/2025 10:46:00 PM
	Abraham Martinez 9/5/2025 9:33:00 PM