One of the Most Underrated Animated Series of the ’90s Returns After 30 Years

’90s kids are being treated with the return of a beloved animated series. There have been several attempts to harness the nostalgia that comes with reboots, as franchises like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Sonic the Hedgehog deliver on the big screen and in comics. It makes sense since it’s much easier to relaunch a property that already has a devoted fanbase behind it, rather than create something new from scratch. It also ends up being well worth the effort, especially for fans. Each success paves the way for another to follow in their footsteps, and the latest features an animated series return that’s been 30 years in the making.

The animated series SWAT Kats is getting its very first comic book series from veteran editor (Batman, Milestone), co-writers Frank J. Barbiere (Avengers, Lobo, Five Ghosts) and Kevin Roditeli (The Exiled, Zorro: Man of the Dead), and artist Jorge Corona (Batgirl, We Are… Robin; Middlewest). Roditeli is the founder of Roditeli Productions and the former co-founder of Massive Publishing, while Corona is wrapping up his Golden Issue Award-winning run on Skybound’s Transformers series with Daniel Warren Johnson.

SWAT Kats will debut on Kickstarter in the fall with exclusive content and some surprises for new and longtime fans of The Radical Squadron. Created by Christian and Yvon Tremblay, SWAT Kats originally aired in 1993 on Cartoon Network and was produced by Hanna-Barbera. The show has been broadcast in over 76 countries and remains one of the most iconic cartoons of the ’90s, thanks to its slick jet-fueled action, gritty art style, and cult fan following.

“SWAT Kats was one of my favorite animated shows of its time because of its unique mix of adventure, characters with believable personalities, and city politics,” said Joseph P. Illidge. “Batman meets Blacksad. So when Kevin offered me the opportunity to join his radical squadron as editor, it was an automatic, ‘Let’s go!’ We’re looking forward to reigniting this world for you in a new era of high-level action with bigger stakes.”

“We are absolutely thrilled to bring new storytelling to the SWAT Kats universe,” said the Tremblay Bros. “We are equally excited that such outstanding collaborators are joining us in this first-ever comic book series.”

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Titled MegaKat City Has Fallen, the story picks up with the city in ruins and the Radical Squadron facing their greatest threat yet. There are already plans to launch SWAT Kats across multiple mediums. There have been previous attempts to revive SWAT Kats, with a reboot titled SWAT-KATS Revolution in development back in 2022.

Barbiere added, “I’m honored and excited to be contributing to the world of the SWAT Kats. As a fan who grew up and was inspired by the action and excitement of the original series, I’m working hard with the team to deliver an energetic, modern take that will thrill longtime fans and a new audience ready for the Radical Squadron.”

“From being a kid watching the show and filling notepads with missile designs for the Turbo Kat… to now being part of the first comic iteration of the Radical Squadron—it’s pretty awesome,” said Corona.

More information on SWAT Kats can be found on the comic’s Kickstarter page. There are plans for exclusive editions, collectibles, and fan-first bonuses leading up to the Kickstarter launch.

Are you excited for the return of SWAT Kats? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!