Galaxy Adventures (THANKS TO JOSH SANTANA FOR TRANSLATING IT)

Dear friends, in order to understand this article we have to travel through time. The year is 1983, the movie "Star Wars - Return of the Jedi" is the greatest blockbuster of the year, maybe of the decade! Children and adults around the planet were fascinated with the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and the rest of the team. Star Wars action figures were produced and sold a lot in US. However, in Brazil, the importation and the business of imported products were prohibited. Including toys. Should we fated to be out of the playing?

Model Trem, a company that used to make model train's parts in Rio de Janeiro, didn't think so. With some creativity, ability and of course, the original figures, it has created lead and clay replicas very similar to the plastic original ones. It's important to understand that we're not talking about falsification, because these figures were sold as replicas. It was a great success. Initially they were found only in Rio and São Paulo but right after they were also sold in the main Brazilian capitals. In Porto Alegre they were found at Hobby Brinquedos, one of the best stores of the 80's.

In despite of the fact that they were very fragile, these figures were really cool. The American ones, of course, were infinitely more resistant. They could survive to falls, pool baths, and many hours under the sun and didn't get a "loose" leg or arm so easily. However, the replicas were an excellent choice for those who couldn't leave Brazil and wanted to complete their collection. I remember that in order to get an original figure we needed to go to Uruguay or Argentina and pay a small fortune for each one.

By the pictures we can see that none of the important characters were left behind (with the exception of Jabba, the Hutt). There wasn't neither an evidenced movie. Three of the Luke's suits, imperial guards in different poses and even secondary characters such as Snaggletooth were available to the consumer. In the spot, the excellent medical robot, Darth Vader, Yoda and the Gamorrean guard replicas. This last one made of a material that I couldn't find out what it is. Even thou, it's very good.

Unfortunately Glasslite, a company that in the present days only makes simple toys, has bought the rights of Star Wars series and Model Team was forced to stop producing its replicas. In fact, the prohibition was unnecessary because people just stopped buying the replicas and started getting the original ones. What seemed to be a great new for the collectors haven't last too long. Glasslite haven't invested too much in the collection. It only released the most popular characters that would be a sure profit and a few ships. The irony of it all is that the Star Wars universe is so very rich! It could be hundreds of characters that for sure would have a place on the Brazilian shelves. I don't need to say that pretty fast this collection was over and we were put aside again.
When everything seemed lost, Model Trem got its power back. Using the same molding cast but combining parts in a different way and creating new figures and vehicles. It was created a new line of figures totally compatible to the Star Wars collection. The new Galaxy Adventures was released! (In Brazil - Novas Aventuras nas Galáxias) Check below the reproduction of all graphic material that exists. The original number order was respected. Every figure came with a brief story about itself and its role in this new universe, which was nothing less than the humankind of the year 3030. Taking a better look, you'll see that there is a break in the characters numerical sequence. Star Wars figures (here called Aventura nas Galáxias) goes from 01 to 32. The new Novas Aventuras nas Galáxias starts in 51 and goes to 70. If you have figures different from the ones that have appeared here or know people from Model Trem, please contact me. I'll try to display both complete collections in the website. 

Now, with no more dragging on, we proudly present:

 As Novas Aventuras Nas Galáxias
This story takes time in the third millenium of our age. Intergalactic journeys have become a routine. Many ships travel using light speed, with automatic navigation systems controlled by hi-tech computers that are able to guide a space vehicle to almost every place in the universe. The ship crew uses life support systems, that allows them to make trips that take several years long without getting older, frozen in a cryogenic module.

The Earth is out of resources and with no life condition for all people. Other planets of our system have scientific basis or mine colonies but they're no good for living in. In the search of a new world with a better life condition, they finally found a group of planets many light-years from Earth. The most adequate one for colonization has an aspect such as the dinosaur age of our Earth. It's populated by weird animals, real savage monsters and other evolved ones that could adapt themselves and coexist with the humans. This planet has infinite animal species and also vegetables and minerals.
This new world they called Hamiliria. Now, there is an extremely advanced civilization in there, where almost no diseases harm its habitants and life lasts 200 years long. Added to the domesticated animals that make the auxiliary services, there are also robots for all kind of work (specially the ones that can be dangerous to men). Everybody has confort and all conditions to live a happy life. The ones who take attention for their inventions and well-done works for the community are honoured and become capable to rule Hamiliria.
Although all this scientific progress, envy and evil were not totally erased. A single group, leaded by a candidate to government, has tried to domain by force but was defeated in its fight. After the defeat, they ran away to another planet where powerful military bases were installed. They captured domestic animals and transformed them into assassin beasts. The planet where the rebel leader made his base is desolated, with an almost poisonous atmosphere and totally out of resources. That's why the rebels make many pirate invasions to Hamirilia to supply themselves. The boss of those tyrants called himself Emperor Zakro; his main base, Zakron and his sad planet is called Arkysmis.

In Hamiliria you will meet: Werther, which rules the planet helped by a council of ancients and raises his two granddaughters. Helda, still very young and her sister, the pretty Mirna, which owes to her grandfather her scientific knowledge. Mirna is the girlfriend of Li-Karmi, who had his parents cruelly murdered by Zakro, for whom he has sworn his vengeance...
Many other characters will be part of our story - soldiers, robots, animals, their weapons and ships. You will get the opportunity of knowing them every time you buy one of our heroes. Every character comes with a booklet that explains who it is and what it represents in the Aventuras das Galáxias.

Use your imagination to create adventures and situations in this so exciting and modern theme.

Cordially,
Professor Arkulus
(reporter - historiographer - year of 3030)
Thanks to my friends Adailson Torma and Rodrigo Paixão who lent me their collections for these pictures. It wouldn't be possible without you. Thank you very much. Written in December, 2001.