Rick Purvis was a playboy / athlete living on 22nd Century Earth. Rick was an independently wealthy man, and along with his friendly rivals Karel Sorensen and Homer Glint, he roamed the known galaxy seeking adventure.

The trio were wealthy enough to each own their own space craft - something that was still considered a luxury at the time. However, Rick and his friends were bored with the life of luxury and rather than idle away their time, they sought adventure. And they often found it in the form of cases that threatened the very existence of the Earth.

Calling themselves the Star Rovers, Rick and his colleagues would combat these threats by experiencing seperate adventures and emerging triumphant - each member of the team believing only he or she had the proper solution to the main threat. Usually, however, it was only when they compared notes and theories that they discovered the true solution to their problem.

Because the group acted independently of any official Earth organisation, their adventures and exploits often went unnoticed and slipped "under the radar." This suited Rick adn the others, because it meant they could retain their anonimity and their much valued privacy.