Power Xtreme! Everything you didn't know about Centurions

"Man and machine, Power Xtreme!"

With a tagline like that, how could anyone forget the Centurions? And yet this high concept animated series has largely disappeared from geek discourse. It happens when there still hasn't been a Centurions revival after three decades!

Like almost every other animated series from the '80s, Centurions: Power Xtreme was designed to sell toys. However, it also featured character designs by comic book legends Jack Kirby and Gil Kane, as well as a stellar lineup of writers that included Michael Reaves, Marc Scott Zicree, Larry DiTillio, and Gerry Conway. Iron Man may have predated the show by two decades, but Centurions updated the concept of using high-tech armor in battle. Each of the main heroes could have specialized armor and weapons instantly beamed to their location. Top that, Tony Stark!

This show wasn't exactly known for its subtlety, hence the villain names like Doc Terror and Hacker. But the heroes have such gloriously '80s names that it's impossible not to love Max Ray, Jake Rockwell, and Ace McCloud. Even the team members who came later, like Rex Charger and John Thunder, have awesome names.

Unfortunately, not even a cool toy line by Kenner could help keep Centurions on the air for more than a single season. Bizarrely enough, one of the show's downfalls is that it tried too hard to include aspects of real science into the stories. That didn't always make for riveting television, but the creative team definitely swung for the fences a few times.

For more memories and trivia about Centurions: Power Xtreme, check out the latest episode of SYFY WIRE's Everything You Didn't Know!