The Care Bears weren't just colorful, stuffed animals--they were one of the biggest cultural and business success stories of the 1980s.

From a simple sketch to the eureka moment of their final creation, the story of the Care Bears is a testament to how to launch a child's brand with surgical precision.

When they finally hit shelves in 1983, it didn't take long for the Care Bears to become a pop culture phenomenon. With their very specific and strategic rollout, the Care Bears were hard to ignore.

Today, we look back at the history of a defining 1980s brand, the brand that may have been the gold standard in how to promote a kids' toy. Not only did the Care Bears become a billion-dollar brand, but they also beat Disney at their own game, and may have also led to the death of a beloved cartoon character...

• Karate Kid movie review: Patreon.com/80s

When it came out in the summer of 1983, War Games was seen as a fun, summertime popcorn movie. But was the premise of this film starring Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy more realistic than we realized?

Welcome to a free preview of the Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast, which you can find at Patreon.com/80s. In this episode, we look back on the movie that was a bit of a surprise hit and went on to become a 1980s classic.

But, at the same time, War Games raised some serious questions--questions that even went all the way to the White House...

• The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

Even though part of it was considered the Bronze Age, the comic books of the 1980s were like a golden age for kids who grew up during that time. It was the decade that saw massive changes to how comics were distributed, but also a time that saw a significant shift in how comic book stories were told.

The big two--Marvel and DC--were still on top, but something was changing... an independent boom was taking place, and underground and indie comic books were blazing their own trail. And there was one specific creation that would go on to become one of the biggest pop culture phenomenons of all time...

So let's go back to the decade when you could spend all day in the comic book store. A time that not only saw the end of the Bronze Age of comic books--but the introduction of a brand new, Modern Age.

• Special guest: Alex Grand: comicbookhistorians.com
• Alex's book: Understanding Superhero Comic Books

Get the first look at new episodes early, and ad-free: Patreon.com/80s