Big Bad Beetleborgs (and later Beetleborgs Metallix) was a short-lived television series from Saban that featured three kids; Roland, Drew, and Jo. When they freed the humorous phantom ('Phasm') Flabber from the pipe organ he was trapped in, he thankfully agreed to grant them one wish, and they all wished to become their favorite comic book super heroes, the Beetleborgs (after accidentally being turned into rats). But the kids found their wish had its consequences as the evil Magnavores from the comics were also unleashed. The combat footage for the show was used from Jukkou B-Fighter (first season) and B-Fighter Kabuto (second season). With its younger protagonists and greater leanings toward comedy, the show seemed intended to mainly appeal to younger children than Saban's normal audience for the Power Rangers series.
Characters
Good Beetleborgs
- Andrew "Drew" McCormick - Blue Stinger Beetleborg/Chromium Gold Beetleborg (Wesley Barker), armed with telekinesis, which he activated by pointing at an object and nodding his head. His armor was modeled after a goliath beetle.
- Roland Williams- Green Hunter Beetleborg/Titanium Silver Beetleborg (Herbie Baez), armed with super speed, which he activated by snapping his fingers. His armor was modeled after a stag beetle. His family owns the comic book store where the three characters spent a good deal of time in the episodes.
- Josephine "Jo" McCormick - Red Striker Beetleborg/Platinum Purple Beetleborg (Shannon Chandler, Brittany Konarzewski), armed with super strength, which she activated by cracking her knuckles. Her Red Striker armor was modeled after a flower beetle, and her Platinum Purple armor after a ladybug.
- Josh Baldwin - White Blaster Beetleborg (Warren Berkow), armed with invisibility, which he activated by dusting his hands. A new Beetleborg was created when Shadowborg stole the Beetleborgs' powers. The White Blaster Beetleborg succeeded in getting the Beetleborg powers back. However, it was soon discovered the White Blaster and Shadowborg were linked in like yin and yang - if one was destroyed, the other would lose his power forever. Shadowborg is destroyed by the Mega Blue Beetleborg. With Shadowborg's destruction, the White Blaster Beetleborg lost his powers. His armor was modeled after a hercules beetle.
- Astralborgs - Four Beetleborgs who helped the heroes while the Mantrons were around. Created by Art Fortunes as a child when he and Les worked together on their only collaboration, the Lost Comic.
- Dragonborg (voiced by Doug Stone) - Modeled after a dragonfly, leader of the Astralborgs. Had a voice like Sean Connery
- Fireborg (voiced by Gene Holliday) - Modeled after a firefly.
- Lightingborg (voiced by Richard Epcar) - Modeled after a cicada.
- Ladyborg (voiced by Barbara Goodson) - Modeled after a butterfly.
- Mega Spectra Beetleborgs - Nukus and Vilor get an upgrade, going Mega powered. So, to even things up, the Beetleborgs are given a power-boost by Roboborg, fusing their old powers with their Metallix ones, creating the Mega Spectra Beetleborgs.
Allies
- Art Fortunes (Rigg Kennedy) - Creator of the Beetleborgs comics, who shows up time and time again with new ways to help the kids.
- Flabber (Billy Forester) - When Jo accidentally hit the organ, it played three notes that released Flabber. Happy to be free, Flabber granted the kids one wish and with gave them the power to become the Beetleborgs. However, Flabber's magic left a door in the comic book world open and the Magnavores escaped. Acting as an advisor and best friend, he offers needed magic to the kids when fighting the Magnavores and Crustaceans. He is the head of the Hillhurst Mansion and works to keep the house monsters in check. According to Executive Producer Lance Robbins; "Flabber was modeled after Jay Leno."
- The House Monsters - The residents of Hillhurst Manor, they are mostly cause as much trouble as the villians, terrorizing the kids when not doing anything else. They make frequent appearences in the ending credits, doing their antics.
- Frankenbeans (David Fletcher) - Called "Frankie" for short, he is a strange, lumbering Frakenstein type monster. He was once kidnapped by the Magnavores, and held by ransom in exchange for the Beetleborgs' Beetle Bonders. Dr. Baron von Frankenbeans, his creator, showed up in a few episodes.
- Mums (Blake Torney, voiced by Michael Sorich) - Mums is an Egyptian mummy, but he can unwrap his bandages to reveal a "Grim Reaper"-like form under his bandages. Has 703 brothers and sisters. In one episode, two archaeologists came to return Mums to the crypt in which they found him in order to get rid of a curse placed on them.
- Count Fangula (Joe Hackett) - Count Fangula is a vampire, a not so good one, but a vampire nonetheless.
- Wolfgang "Wolfie" Smith (Frank Tahoe, voiced by Scott Page-Pagter) - Wolfie is a werewolf and is treated more like a family dog than a monster at Hillhurst. Only Fangula can translate what Wolfie is saying most of the time. Probably the bravest and most cunning of the Hillhurst Monsters because he's the only one of the group who tangled with the bad guys at least once.
- Little Ghoul (Lina Godouse) - An addition to the Hillhurst group in season two, she lives in the basment and rarely comes out. A niece of the Grim Reaper, she is a sort of a grim reaper-in-training who loves collecting. She also has a short temper, which scares the other monsters even more than what she really look like under her hood.
- The Pipettes (Traci Bellusci) - A multicolor spirit like trio of ladies who live in the pipe organ. They act as Flabber's back-up singers.
- Ghoulum (voiced by Dan Letlow for one episode only)- A livng stone statue type monster that resides in Hillhurst Mansion who often had little to say or do other than what statues do best, stand in place. While not the most active monster of Hillhurst Mansion on rare ocassions he would join in on the other monsters' mischief. In one episode, he was accidnetally exposed to a 'Bad Potion', turning him evil, causing him to grow into a giant, and fell under Noxic's control.
- Karato and Silver Ray - Two other armored superheroes that the kids are fans of, they are released from the comics universe by Flabber to help the Beetleborgs battle escaped monsters released by the Magnavores at a comic book convention.
Magnavores
The villains of the first season, they were originally from the Beetleborgs comic until they were brought into the real world by accident. Their hideout was within a crypt under the local cemetery. They have ability to bring monsters to life from their comic book world.
- Vexor (voiced by Joey Pal) - The leader of the Magnavors.
- Typhus (voiced by Dave "Foots" Footman) - Plant/Animal-like humanoid monster, prefers brawn over brain and his whale-like flatop is an extra mouth he eats with.
- Noxic (voiced by Derek Stephen Prince) - Android with coils for hair and white jacket. Can control machinery and other things by removing his head and attaching it to them. Prefers to eat donuts all day long instead of doing Vexor's bidding. He has a brother named Super Noxic.
- Jara (voiced by Rajia Baroudi) - Female humanoid clad in red attire and white mask. Speaks with a Russian accent, despite her face being remade 3-dimensional.
- Magnavore Jet Fighters - Air-borne machines resembling wasps. Summoned to attack the Bettleborgs on several occasions.
- Scabs - Yellow-black goon squads summoned to fight the Beetleborgs on rare occasions.
Crustaceans
The villains of the second season, based on the art work of Art Fortune's evil brother, Les Fortunes. They took over the Mangavores' hideout as their own.
- Nukus (Christopher Cho) - A creation of Les Fortunes, the dinosaur-based Overlord of the 2nd Dimension. Hid away in Art Fortune's vault until the Magnavores took the picture and Vexor brought him to life. Nukus quickly set a plan to dispose the Magnavores and take over as the new villain. He broke Les out of jail to use the artist's skills to bring deadly monsters to life. He had an advantage over the Beetleborgs as he destroyed both the paper he came out of and the copy Art had. Later gains a mega form (Mega Nukus) from touching Les Fortunes' transmographier device.
- Horribelle (Claudine Barros) - Second in command of the Crustaceans, an insect-based sword-toting fighter, and also Nukus' right hand woman.
- Vilor (voiced by Dave "Foots" Footman) - Third in command of the Crustaceans, a fish-based, trident-toting fighter. He briefly gains a second form (Super Vilor) when the Mantrons arrived, and later a brief mega form (Mega Vilor) after touching Les Fortunes' transmographier device, though he somehow reverted back to his normal state.
- Les Fortunes (Marshal Hilton) - The black sheep in the Fortunes family, Art's younger brother. He was in jail when Nukus recruited him to his cause. Despite creating all the Crustacean monsters and their arsenal, Les never gets any respect or credit for it. At the end of the series, he goes back to jail for some peace and quiet.
- Dregs - Assorted monsters used as foot soldiers. Dregs came in two groups. One group was based off land animals and wore brown slacks and black boots (Examples: Stego Dred). The other based off sea creatures and wore blue spandex pants and white boots. Each group consisted of six different types of Dregs.
- Worm Tanks - Giant worm like vehicles summoned to attack the Beetleborgs on several occasions.
- Crustacean Jet Fighters - Air-borne machines based on the design of the Worm Tank summoned to attack the Beetleborgs on several occasions.
Evil Beetleborgs
- Shadowborg (voiced by Bob Papenbrook) - Black evil Beetleborg created by Vexor from ionic DNA and insectite material stolen from the Blue Stinger Beetleborg. Not only is Shadowborg created from the basic meterials as Blue Stinger, but he is enhanced with some of the powers of the other Beetleborgs. Shadowborg can run faster than the Green Hunter, jump higher than Red Striker, and remain underwater for 51 minutes. Shadowborg's architectural armor is modeled after of a longicorn beetle, perhaps the fiercest warrior of the insect world. With his Shadow Claw, Shadowborg can cut through any substance known to this planet. Was finally destroyed by Drew in his new form, Mega Blue Beetleborg. Unlike his predecesors the Green Ranger, Red Python and Roborider, Shadowborg did not need a brainwashed human to harness his powers.
- Mantrons - Evil counterparts of the Astralborgs. Created by Les Fortunes as a child to rival Art Fortunes' Astralborgs in their only collaboration, the Lost Comic.
- Scorpix (voiced by Bob Papenbrook) - Modeled after a scorpion, leader of the Mantrons.
- Centipix (voiced by Lee Hondo Woodford) - Modeled after a centipede.
- Mantix (voiced by Ethan Murray) - Modeled after a praying mantis.
- Hornix (voiced by Bob Johnson) - Modeled after a hornet.
Supporting Cast
The denizens of Charterville who often interacted with the kids. Most of which were Roland's family. Even after the strange occurances that have been happening throughout town, they never acknowledged the battles between the Beetleborgs and thier enemies. Everyone still remained ignorant to the fact that Beetleborgs and monsters were real.
- "Nano" Williams (Vivian Smallwood)-Roland's Grandmother, Aaron's Mother, and Abbie's Mother-In-Law.
- Aaron Williams(Kim Delgado)-Roland's Father
- Abbie Williams (Channe Nolen)-Roland's Mother, who takes over for Aaron running the comic book store even though she doesn't have much knowledge about comic books.
- Heather (Elizabeth Z. Lund) -Drew's crush
- Trip and Van (Todd Hurst and Patrick Seaborn) : The Bulk and Skull of the series. Just like thier predecessors, the brothers constantly pestered the kids daily lives by flaunting their wealth and self-acclaimed superiority. Trip was the smarter of the two, whereas Van was a bit slow. They sometimes cooked up schemes to get richer, humiliate the Beetleborgs, or simply to cause mischief; often getting thier unwitting chauffeur, Dudley, involved. However, if these two didn't dare Drew, Jo and Roland to enter Hillhurst, the Beetleborgs wouldn't be around. Like Bulk and Skull, they almost always got their just desserts through hilarious and zany gags. In the season one finale, as they fled Charterville, Nukus forced them to go back and tell the Beetleborgs how to defeat Borgslayer. They finally left town and never returned.
Monsters
Here is a list of monsters brought out the comics or drawing by each bad guy:
Big Bad Beetleborgs
- Terror Bear: A people-eating bear, or at least he was supposed to be. Terror Bear had a huge sweet tooth. He was the first monster to be pulled out of the comics.
- Mean Green Cannon Machine: The Magnavores were seeking Hillhusrt's treasure. To aide them, they summoned Cannon Machine to obstruct the Beetleborgs.
- Sword Warrior: A sword-wielding monster summoned by the Magnavores.
- Graxxis: While Hollywood filmakers were making a horror flick in Charterville, Graxxis was mistaken for the leading monster. After he grew tired of the director's abuse, he went out to cause real trouble in the city.
- LottaMuggs: The Magnavores stole his Amulate of Subjugation, which hypnotizes people into the wearer's servants. Lottamuggs was determined to get his amulate back at any cost.
- Garganturat: The Magnavores wanted to steal a train, but needed a diversion and summoned the rat monster Garganturat. Garganturat kidnapped Heather to keep the Beetleborgs busy. He then shrunk himself and hid in a mousehole dimension where he was finished off for good.
- Firecat: He was a weak creature that required recharging through a special machine. When fully charged, he was stronger and had the ability to breathe fire. His scratched Drew in battle, causing Drew to turn into a cat himself.
- Photominator: A camera monster with deadly lenses. Photominator was easliy beaten by the Beetleborgs.
- Mace Warrior: A warrior with a bull shaped helmet and a red tunic. He could toss his mace at far distances causing explosions.
- Amp Head: An over-sized amp robot that played loud, devastating music. The Magnavores got word that a famous rock band was in town and were inspired to create music mayhem of thier own.
- Wingar: A bird-like monster pulled from a comic book. It was defeated with the aide of Karato and Silver Ray.
- Goldex: Karato's arch enemy; he was designed like Karato, only red and gold.
- Venus Claptrap: A large plant creature that could fire burning pollen. He was brought from the comics to steal Drew's unusual plant. During battle, Claptrap swallowed Roland and Jo; inside, they clung onto his inner roots to avoid falling into his stomach acid.
- Cyber-Serpent: A very powerful snake monster that came from a two-part comic. Because the comics come monthly, the kids had no idea on how to defeat Cyber-Serpent. With the help of Baron von Frankenbeans, the Beetleborgs came up with a strategy to trick the monster and send it back into the comic book.
- Dice Head: His brain was stolen by Typhus and placed into Hillhurst mansion. Whoever held the brain, their worst fears were brought to life. When Dice Head came to life, he was clueless and idiotic. Once reunited with his brain, Dice Head's intellegence was restored, making him extremely dangerous. To defeat him, the Beetleborgs has to confuse him, causing his brain to shatter and his defeat to come quick.
- Grenade Guy: He was humaniod grenade that was assigned to kidnap Frankenbeans so the Magnavore could ransom him for the Beetle Bonders. The Beetleborgs tried a new manuever with their AVs. Jo equiped her AV with the Blue AV's magnet attachment to capture Grenade Guy. She then dropped him onto the other two AVs, which were waiting to finish him off.
- Porkasaurus: Like Power Ranger monster, Pudgy Pig, Porkasaurus was brought out to consume all the food in Charterville during a blood drive.
- Detestro: Drew and Josh broke into the cemetery to steal the Energy Axis from Vexor. Vexor then summoned Detestro to hunt the boys down and retrieve the device.
- Cataclaws: A cat monster who impersonated Blackbeard the Pirate.
- Mucant: An orange muscular phoenix/bird monster that was summoned by the Magnavores to kidnap people's pets and ransom them.
- Furocious: Vexor's stategy to harm the kids was constantly disrupt their daily lives so they would fail school. To further complicate things, a blue monster with brown fur named Furocious was called upon.
- Skullhead: The kids confronted the Magnavores to retrieve Mums' stolen cursed scarab. To stop them, Skullhead was called from the comics and he pulled them into another dimension.
- Malavex: A green monster with a bird-like face and a voice like Scatman Crothers. Malavex's pasttime was playing his trumpet, but his music was disturbing the grave of Old Man Hillhurst. For Hillhurst to rest in peace again, the Beetleborgs had to send Malavex back to the comic.
- Hammerhands: His name says it all. He attacked the Beetleborgs at the time when Wolfgang accidentally used a spell on Jo.
- Cataclyzmic: He first appeared as part of the comic book army used to terrorize the comic convention. He was brought back once more to help Noxic and Typhus retrieve Jara, who had been turned into werewolf by Wolfgang.
- Charterville Charlie: Vexor summoned a monster to impersonate an old Charterville urban myth. Charlie was a fishman with extremely foul odor.
- Crimson Creep: A monster summoned by the Magnavores to crash the wedding of Frankenbeans and Bride of Frankenbeans.
- Unctous: A crab monster who was to help the Mangavores capture Fangula's boss.
- Super Grenade Guy: Grenade Guy was back and powerful than before. He could self-destruct and put his dismembered body back together at anytime.
- Kombat Knat: Kombat Knat is a gnat monster that could shrink in size so he could act as a spy at Hillhurst. However, Flabber was messing around with a teleportation machine and Kombat Kant crept inside. The machine fused them together and Flabber slowly transformed into Kombat Knat. The Beetleborgs were faced with a difficult dilemma: stop Kombat Knat or lose Flabber forever.
- Evil Eye: A green cyclops. The Magnavores were hiding in the Hillhurst attic to cause bad luck for Flabber and the gang. They turned things up a notch by calling Evil Eye. Evil Eye's powers came from his eye; by attacking the eye, Evil Eye was defeated.
- Hypnomaniac: Vexor was tired of the trio's failures. After they bungled thier mission to capture Flabber, Vexor fired them. Hypnomaniac was summoned to hypnotize the Hillhurst monster into Vexor's new servants.
- Rocket Man: The Magnavores left a baby at Hillhurst. Little did they know, the baby was really Rocket Man in disguise. Rocket Man was a blue robot that fired blinding flashbombs. However, Rocket Man briefly reverted to a baby-like persona when Flabber materialized an over-sized bottle. The Beetleborgs took the window of opportunity and defeated him.
- Borgslayer: The final monster of season one. After Nukus was brought to life, he fused the energies of all Vexor's monsters to create one massive creature. Borgslayer was far too powerful as he destroyed Gargantis with little to no trouble. The only way to defeat Borgslayer was for the Beetleborgs to triangulate their fire power. By doing so, Borgslayer was finished and the Magnavores, even Vexor, were sent back into the comic book. But the war wasn't over just yet...
Beetleborgs Metallix
- Aqualungs: Aqualungs had the ability to liquify his body, making it difficult to attack. After a one-on-one with Roland, he was defeated with the Metallix Grappler.
- Hagfish
- Changeling: A shapeshifter used to infiltrate Hillhurst Mansion. He could disguise himself as any house monster, even Flabber. Changeling captured Flabber in a jar and took over his identity.
- Fernzilla: Flabber and the monsters converted thier mansion into a hotel. Among the hotel guests was an old hag who was really Fernzilla in disguise. Fernzilla could control vines to entangle the Borgs and shot out deadly pollen spores.
- Roo-Thless: A boxing kangaroo monster with voice like Mickey Mouse or Mike Tyson accidently brought to life by Vilor. If monsters weren't summoned by Nukus, they cannot be controlled and anything 2-dimensional would return to paper in 24 hours. Had the Beetleborgs knew this, they would've been rid of the Crustaceans.
- Ultimate Conqueror
- Torch Mouth: A fire-breathing tiger monster used by the Crustaceans to capture a reporter.
- Ultra Vulture
- Brain Sucker: Les began his own line of comics called "Brainsucker". The main character had the ability to drain the intellect from anyone, even the Hillhurst monsters.
- Triplesaurus Rex
- Pirahna Khan
- Fangula Bat Monster: Fangula was accidently transformed in a bat monster by Mums' family heirloom.
- El Scorpio: A scorpion monster sent to infiltrate a Halloween party at Hillhurst. The Beetleborgs lured him outside and to an abandoned warehouse. El Scorpio could split his body to attack multiple opponents.
- Shellator: Les was running out of ideas, so the Crustaceans captured a boogey man to give Les nightmares to serve as inspiration. Shellator also transformed into a giant.
- Mole Monster
- Repgillian: The final monster the Beetleborgs faced. Repgillian was created from mixing toxic chemicals, Les' old drawings, and Nukus' powers.
Weaponry & Arsenal
Big Bad Beetleborgs
- Beetle Bonders - The Beetleborgs' transformation devices. Once summoned, the kids can transform into Beetleborgs with a cry of "Beetle Blast!"
- Sonic Lasers - The Beetleborgs' fire-arms.
- Pulsabers - The weapons that the Beetleborgs use to summon Gargantis. It can combine with the Sonic Laser for more firepower.
- Beetle Battlers - The Beetleborgs' main weapons of their own design:
- Stinger Blade - The Blue Stinger Beetleborg's weapon.
- Stinger Drill - The Blue Stinger Beetleborg's more powerful enhanced Beetle Battler.
- Hunter Claw - The Green Hunter Beetleborg's weapon.
- Striker Blaster - The Red Striker Beetleborg's weapon.
- Thunder Stinger - More powerful than any Sonic Laser, only the Blue Stinger Beetleborg can use it. This weapon also helps transform Blue Stinger Beetleborg into the Mega Blue Beetleborg.
Beetleborgs Metallix
- Data Bonders - The Beetleborgs' transformation devices. Unlike the originals, the kids had to insert input cards. Once summoned, the kids can transform into Metallix Beetleborgs with a cry of "Beetle Blast!"
- Data Lasers - The Beetleborgs' fire-arms.
- Metallix Battlers - The Borgs' main weapons of their own design:
- Metallix Lancer - The Chromium Gold Beetleborg's weapon.
- Metallix Grappler - The Titanium Silver Beetleborg's weapon. Much like the Hunter Claw, it could also grab an enemy.
- Metallix Baton - The Platinum Purple Beetleborg's weapon.
- Astral Bonders - The Astralborgs use this device to give the Beetleborgs new weapons to use in battle.
- Astral Arsenal - Weapons used by either the Beetleborgs or Astralborgs.
- Astral Laser - Laser weapon used by either Dragonborg or Chromium Gold Beetleborg.
- Astral Launcher - Arm-cannon used by Fireborg.
- Astral Pulsar - Hand-held weapon used by Platinum Purple to ruin or restore.
- Astral Sabers - Long swords used by Lightningborg.
- Astral Sonic Cannon - Weapon on Lightningborg's chest used to give his enemy ear aches, later involving a laser blast afterwards.
- Astral Datadex - Weapon used by the Titanium Silver Beetleborg.
- Astral Bazooka - Weapon used by Ladyborg.
- Astral Blaster - Combination of a Data Laser, Astral Laser, Astral Datadex & Astral Pulsar, usually held by Chromium Gold Beetleborg.
- Astral Sword - See Battleborgs - Roboborg.
- Astral Ax - See Battleborgs - Boron.
- Sector Cycles - The Beetleborgs' new bikes used when they need to get to another part of the city. When Roboborg arrived, he changed the cycles into the new Mega Spectra Sector Cycles by combining their old powers with their Metallix powers. Now the cycles can go at light speed to stop any Crustacean in the city.
- Bugging out - in the first two episodes of Metallix, Drew and his teammates use Flabber's book of spells (or Phasm Handbook) to try and change him back to normal after Nukus traps him into a giant block of ice. One spell gives all three the power to change into somewhat larger versions of their respective insects (about the size of their fists), then revert back to human. By stamping one foot and saying "Bug out!", they change into bugs. To become human again, they say "Bug back!" The trio are able to use this ability in either human or Beetleborg form, and will never lose it.
Assault Vehicles
- Beetleborg Attack Vehicles
- The A.V.'s are the Beetleborgs' heavy artillery to use when the city is attacked by Magnavor Jet Fighters. Housed in the Beetle Battle Base, minus Gargantis.
- Blue Stinger A.V. - Blue Stinger Beetleborg's A.V.
- Green Hunter A.V. - Green Hunter Beetleborg's A.V.
- Red Striker A.V. - Red Stinker Beetleborg's air-borne A.V.
- Gargantis the Attack Mobile Carrier - Most powerful attack vehicle the Beetleborgs had, it can open its back so the smaller A.V.s can ride atop of it for the Gargantis Mega Cannon.
- The A.V.'s are the Beetleborgs' heavy artillery to use when the city is attacked by Magnavor Jet Fighters. Housed in the Beetle Battle Base, minus Gargantis.
- Beetleborg Battle Vehicles
- The B.V.'s are the Beetleborgs' heavy artillery to use when the city is attacked by Crustacean Jet Fighters & Worm Tanks. Housed in the Beetle Battle Station.
- Chromium Gold B.V. - Chromium Gold Beetleborg's B.V.
- Titanium Silver B.V. - Titanium Silver Beetleborg's B.V.
- Platinum Purple B.V. - Platinum Purple Beetleborg's air-borne B.V.
- The B.V.'s are the Beetleborgs' heavy artillery to use when the city is attacked by Crustacean Jet Fighters & Worm Tanks. Housed in the Beetle Battle Station.
Battleborgs
- Roboborg (voiced by Michael Sorich) - Arrived on Earth when all eight of the Astral Coins were reunited with the Astral Sword. Roboborg is summoned when the Chromium Gold Beetleborg holds the Astral Sword in the air and shouts "Roboborg!".
- Boron (voiced by Y.I. Otta) - Les Fortunes created the Astral Ax, the evil counterpart to the Astral Sword, and with it Roboborg's evil counterpart, Boron. Used by Mega Nukus to summon Boron, simply by shouting out, "Boron, Arise!". In the battle against Repgillian, the Beetleborgs tricked the Crustaceans into giving up the Astral Ax so as to fall into the hands of Titanium Silver Beetleborg.
Theme Songs
Big Bad Beetleborgs Theme (TV Version)
Three typical average kids inside a haunted mansion!
Just by chance, freed a ghost, who made them Beetleborgs!
Frankenbeans: Beetleborgs!
Big Bad Beetleborgs!
Big Bad Beetleborgs!
Hey look now they’re superheroes, armed with superpowers!
Mums: Cool!
Taken from a comic strip and now they’re Beetleborgs!
Fangula: Beetleborgs!
Big Bad Beetleborgs!
Big Bad Beetleborgs!
Big Bad Beetleborgs Theme (Complete Version)
Unlike the TV version, this version of the song is performed by Billy "Flabber" Forrester, who uses his Flabber voice for the song
Three typical, average kids
Love to read their comic strips
Wishing one day they could be
Big Bad Beetleborgs
Big Bad Beetleborgs!
Big Bad Beetleborgs!
On a dare, they went inside
A haunted, spooky mansion
Just by chance, freed this ghost
I made them Beetleborgs
Big Bad...
Big Bad Beetle...
Hey! Look! Now they're superheroes
Armed with superpowers
Taken from a comic strip
And now they're Beetleborgs
Big Bad Beetleborgs!
Big Bad Beetleborgs!
Beetles, beetles everywhere
Catch those villains, if you dare
They might be big and mean
But you're the biggest, baddest team
One is quick and one is strong
The other's brave, can't go wrong
Superheroes, one, two, three
Beetleborgs is what you see
Big Bad...
Big Bad Beetle...
Big Bad Beetleborgs!
Big Bad Beetleborgs!
Beetleborgs Metallix Theme
Three typical average kids love to read their comic strips.
Wolfgang: Yeah!
Got their wish and they became the Big Bad Beetleborgs.
Fangula: Beetleborgs!
Big Bad Beetleborgs!
Big Bad Beetleborgs!
Then new villains came along and blew away their powers!
Frankenbeans: Whoa!
Beetleborgs were in a fix and now have gone Metallix!
Mums: Metallix!
Beetleborgs Metallix!
Metallix!
Beetleborgs Metallix!
Metallix!
Big, big, big, big, bad, bad, bad, bad
Big Bad…
Big Bad Beetle…
Beetleborgs Metallix!
Metallix!
Beetleborgs Metallix!
Trivia
- Every episode ended with a sped-up sequence with Flabber and his crew running around the Hillhurst Mansion during the end credits.
- The character of Jo McCormick, portrayed by Shannon Chandler, was replaced halfway through the first season by Brittany Konarzewski; to some extent, it paralleled the situation in B-Fighter, when the original Reddle, Rei, left the team and was replaced.
- Karato and Silver Ray footage came from the Jukkou B-Fighter Metal Hero teamup special. Karato is actually the metal hero Tokusou Robo Janperson; and Silver Ray is Gungibson, another Janperson character. Furthermore, the villian known as 'Goldez' was acutally the psychotic and villanous Billgoldy, one of Janperson and Gungibson's toughest enemies.
- The Assault Vehicles were recreated in CGI for new action footage, with the footage being re-used for several episodes.
- Billy Forrester, who portrayed Flabber, won an episode of the game show The Weakest Link.
- A character in an episode of The Simpsons was named Art Fortunes.
- During one of the Monday Headline segments on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, a picture of Flabber was sent to Leno, which got laughs from the audience, while Leno was a bit peeved.
- Beetleborgs Metallix was canceled because there was no more B-Fighter and B-Fighter Kabuto footage left to adapt.
- Beetleborgs Metallix was the only Saban production in which the heroes never lost their powers.
- The costumes for Shadowborg, Ladyborg, Lightningborg, Dragonborg and the Green Hunter Beetleborg were re-cycled for the Power Rangers: Wild Force annversary special episode, Forever Red, in which they represented the remaining generals of the Machine Empire.
- Various monsters from both Beetleborgs seasons were re-used as enemy monsters in The Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog.
- Some of the Beetleborgs monsters appeared in Power Rangers. Terror Bear, Stego Dred, and Triplesaurus Rex were seen at the Onyx Tavern in the Power Rangers: In Space episode "Flashes of Darkonda" (a monster with Hammerhands' body and Mean Screen's hands was there). Torch Mouth and LottaMuggs were seen during the PRIS episode Countdown to Destruction. Borgslayer and Torch Mouth were seen in Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue as they appear in the Shadow World in the episode "The Fate of Lightspeed Pt 2."
- For several years there were rumors of a possible Big Bad Beetleborgs/Power Rangers teamup, but it never materialised due to contract disputes.
- The Astralborgs original counterparts within B-Figher Kabuto were international fighters with civilian identities, which wasn't carried over to Beetleborgs Metallix. B-Fighter Yanma (Dragonborg) was from New York, B-Fighter Ageha (Ladyborg) was from France, B-Fighter Min (Lightningborg) was from Peking, China and B-Fighter Genji (Fireborg) was from South America.
- A third season, entitled Beetleborgs Genesis, was proposed but wasn't created after the cancellation of Beetleborgs Metallix.
- Possibly due to the fact that the orignal three B-Fighter's guns, the Input Magnums, looked very realistic due to the black-and-silver coloring, the American footage of Big Bad Beetleborgs changed the gun's colours to bright red and purple. However, the colours of the guns changed from time to time due to the blending in of the Juukou B-Fighter footage. Similarly, the American version of the toy was done in white-and-blue colors instead of the Input Mangum's black and silver colouring.
- When Beetleborgs Metallix used the B-Fighter Kabuto Input-Card Guns, however, the show's US footage retained the Input-Card Gun colors of grey and black, but the American toy was redone in a Blue and White color scheme yet again.
- Wesley Barker (Drew) made an appearance on Power Rangers Turbo, uncredited, as an unnamed acquaintance of Justin's. Herbie Baez (Roland) provided his voice as a monster of the day (Shockatron) for an episode of Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue.
- Mums' Reaper form, which only appeared in the pilot, was originally a B-Figher monster, Shinigami ("Death God") . The Reaper costume was later repainted green and used for the monster Evil Eye.
References
- Beetleborgs Underground Layer (lyrics)
- Beetleborgs Central (general info)
- Springfield Nuclear Power Plant (Art Fortunes in Simpsons)