LEGENDS OF THE SUPERHEROES

Written by Mugo del Jefe

Musgo should know better. When you ask for companies to empty their vaults, sometimes you get just what you asked for. The Warner Archives Collection may be one of the more wonderful things that a company has done for the movie lovers in the past decade. Instead of milking some of their more obscure releases for anniversary editions or part of holiday promotions, they've made no-frills editions of the movies available online as made-to-order DVDs. This has been a boon to those of us who have scoured used VHS racks for previously out-of-print films. This collection has given us Brewster McCloud, Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark, Bad Ronald, Slither, and Americathon. These films wouldn't survive on the shelves at a major retailer but they find their homes on the Internet.

The same company that has released Goober & The Ghost Chasers and Funky Phantom collections has recently released two episodes of a lost show from the Seventies - Legends Of The SuperHeroes. For those of us old enough to remember - the name is a way that NBC tried to link these two live action episodes back to the Super Friends cartoons airing on Saturday mornings. In January 1979 when these episodes aired the Super Friends was an hour long Saturday morning show featuring Challenge Of The Super Friends as the second half hour - still one of the most entertaining of the incarnations. At the same time, the early Seventies creations of Sid and Marty Krofft including H.R. Pufnstuf, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, and Land Of The Lost were still finding audiences on daytime and Saturday morning television through syndication. Out of this odd mixture of influences came two specials - The Challenge and The Roast.

The specials aired on consecutive Thursday nights on NBC in January of 1979. As an 11-year-old, young Musgo immediately found the ads for these shows in his TV Guide. They promised live-action versions of superheroes that I hadn't seen except in comics or cartoons. At the time, there were repeats of the Batman live-action series and there was Wonder Woman. That was the beginning and end of DC characters I could see in "person" on TV. And my big screen Superman was still a year or two away.

The Challenge is an hour-long traditional comic book story. The Justice League of America consisting of Batman, Robin, Flash, Captain Marvel, Green Lantern, Black Canary and Huntress are gathered to celebrate the retired Scarlet Cyclone's birthday (a great bit on Superman). At the same time, the Legion Of Doom (Mordru, Solomon Grundy, Riddler, Weather Wizard, Dr. Sivana, Giganta and a funny moustached Sinestro) unleash a deadly bomb that will blow up the Earth in one hour. The plot has our heroes spreading out to find the bombs, losing their powers, having a chase on cool '70s-era jet skis, and trying to disarm the bombs with seconds to spare.

The Roast is a gathering of the superheroes at a celebrity roast hosted by Ed McMahon. There are several side skits that have little to do with the roast including an entertainment-style report by Rhoda Rooter, a song by Mordru, and a stand-up routine by Ghetto Man.

Both specials are shot on videotape with a very obvious laugh track to simulate a live audience. The special effects are largely done with a green screen and sound effects. They have the same feel as the ones being used on the Krofft shows of the day including Wonderbug, Bigfoot and Wildboy, and Dr. Shrinker. Green Lantern and Sinestro's rays from their rings could be right out of an episode of Magic Mongo. The look of videotape does not go well with the stylized world of comic book heroes. It's disconcerting to see Batman and Robin battling Solomon Grundy at a gas station while cars pass by and onlookers from the Italian place across the street look on.

The acting is another interesting combination. There are familiar faces from the Batman series - Adam West and Burt Ward play Batman and Robin again, as does Frank Gorshin as a very disinterested Riddler (check out his belly as he lounges in his chair in The Challenge). And then there's the odd casting like Charlie Callas as Sinestro. I never imagined Sinestro with a Wise Guys Brooklyn accent. The best casting might be Howard Morris as Dr. Sivana. The character usually battles Captain Marvel as an evil genius. But here Howard, best known as Ernest T. Bass on The Andy Griffith Show plays him completely over the top in a way that only would be matched by an early Robin Williams.

The roast is where the show really can't find its mark. It runs more like another Krofft product - The Donny & Marie Show or other variety shows of the day - more than it resembles a Dean Martin Roast. Ed McMahon is a perfect straight man but in many of the skits it's clear that no one in the cast is up to the level of Johnny Carson to take advantage of his skills. There's a skit with William Schallert as the Scarlet Cyclone. It's one of the more cleverly written skits on the show and even with Schallert's talents it just screams for Johnny Carson or a Jonathan Winters to play this elderly character.

It's not surprising that these two episodes never turned into anything more. The ratings were horrendous and it disappeared quickly. But as with most things related to superheroes - especially the big names like Batman, the show became a thing of legend. Copies of it from really bad VHS copies circulated at comic conventions for years. People were curious to see what they had missed and people who were 11 years old at the time remembered it fondly 20 years later. But in its DVD glory here - the memories become too real. What looked presentable on a grainy, fourth-generation VHS copy - looks just as grainy and bad on DVD. The show hasn't aged well, even as a cult item, there's little to recommend. There's a tiny excerpt of a deleted scene and outtakes and even that feels accidentally left on the disc.

But play on Warners. This is what we asked for. Warts and all. If every one of Legends Of The SuperHeroes helps to unearth more classics like Macabre and the upcoming Classic TV Christmas Collection then bring it on. And now Musgo must fly away like Ghetto Man . . . "Kareem!".

Available only at the WarnerArchive.com

Article first published as DVD Review: Legends of the Superheroes on Blogcritics

Batman: The Brave and the Bold - Season One, Part One

Written by Hombre Divertido

On November 14th 2008, the Cartoon Network returned the Caped Crusader to television in a series well behind its time, and thankfully so. In Batman: The Brave and the Bold, the Dark Knight is back to the Batman of an era long since past. He has a personality, a sense of humor, works well with others, and yet still manages to be the mysterious Batman.

Based on the DC comic book, The Brave and the Bold in which Batman is partnered with other superheroes, Warner Home Video brought the first thirteen episodes of the twenty-six episode first season of Batman: The Brave and the Bold to DVD on August 17th, 2010. The chemistry within the partnerships is reminiscent of the Super Friends cartoons of the seventies. The significant difference being that we get to see some lesser-known stars of the DC universe work with the winged avenger. In the animated series of the seventies Batman was primarily teamed with Superman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman. Though we do see Aquaman in this series, the characterization is much different than that of the Super Friends. In the new series we get to see Batman work with the Green Arrow, Red, Tornado, Plastic Man, and many more.

Ultimately the series is about relationships. With each episode opening with what is usually the conclusion of an adventure where just enough of the story is delivered to engage the audience, we get a small teaser of Batman working with another superhero. Then the opening credits roll and we pick up a whole new story. For the most part this teaser technique works, but there are a few episodes where there is not enough story to make it worth the time. The relationships within the teasers and main story are enjoyable, but ultimately many of the stories are over written. Keeping it simple in many cases would make the show more enjoyable to watch.

Though the creators and writers of the series may have embraced Batman’s personality of the past, they certainly did not embrace the simple storytelling of the past. “Invasion of the Secret Santa’s” is a perfect example. The opening segment has Batman and the Blue Beetle battling the Sportsmaster (voiced wonderfully by the always fun Thomas F. Wilson) who is trying to rob a bowling tournament. This may be one of the silliest storylines in the series to date. It’s poorly written and poorly executed. The main story has Batman and Red Tornado battling Fun Haus who is out to spoil Christmas. The Christmas storyline tries to be poignant and witty, but fails on many levels. Other episodes such as the two-part “Deep Cover for Batman” (Part one) and “Game Over for Owlman!” (Part Two) are too busy, and end up just being a mess.

Along with the focus of relationships. Batman: The Brave and The Bold also excels in animation and vocal talent. The animation has a sharp look to it that allows the characters to jump off the screen. Diedrich Bader voices the Batman and captures the character better than he has been in years.

There is no bonus material on the new release, and splitting a season into two releases is generally frowned upon by the public.

Recommendation: Fun for the whole family. Enough action for the kids, and character development for the adults, combined with a style of animation that is sure to appeal to all.

Article first published as DVD Review: Batman: The Brave and the Bold - Season One, Part One on Blogcritics.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold - Season One, Part One

Written by Pirata Hermosa

In the many years since his creation in 1939 Batman has been through many changes. In the most recent incarnation that runs on the Cartoon Network, the caped crusader has drifted to a lighter version of his character and has taken a step back from the current hard-hitting, brooding, no-nonsense superhero that has been portrayed through the most recent films and television shows.

While he still remains one of the baddest crime fighters ever to walk Gotham City, the fact that he has a sense of humor, can smile, and even takes joy in friendly competition with his friend Green Arrow makes his overall character more human.

Each episode features Batman teaming up with a different superhero as partners. While Robin is not featured in this set, you get a variety of others, such as Blue Beetle, The Outsiders, Wildcat, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Bronze Tiger, and Green Lantern just to name a few.

There are two particularly entertaining stories that stand out. “Invasion of the Secret Santas,” is a fun Christmassy episode that pairs Batman with the Red Tornado, who is trying to experience the Christmas Spirit, while the two go around smashing evil Santa Claus robots bent on taking over the city. It’s a humorous episode filled with fun.

The other comes in two-parts: “Deep Cover for Batman” and “Game Over for Owlman”. In this storyline Batman finds himself on an alternate Earth. But on this planet, all the good guys are bad and the bad guys are good. So not only do you get an extra set of heroes and villains, but you get to watch him pummel his friends. And when he teams up with the mysterious Red Hood from the second Earth to save both planets, it lifts the story to an entirely different level.

This DVD set includes two discs containing the first 13 episodes of season one. There are no Special Features included.

While the new series is quite enjoyable, not everyone will like the lighter tone it takes. It still deals with the serious issue of Bruce’s parents being killed, but doesn’t dwell on it. Most of the time it does a fairly good job of staying away from being too silly, but sometimes it does dip a little too low. The overly boisterous, loud-mouthed, over-the-top Aquaman is the best example of when it goes too far. But if you really are a Batman fan, it would probably be a nice edition to your collection.

Article first published as DVD Review: Batman: The Brave and the Bold - Season One, Part One on Blogcritics.

Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1970s Vol. 2

Written by Hombre Divertido

On October 27th Warner Brothers released 316 minutes of cartoon memories from the seventies, though, not all of it is animated nor from the seventies. This new release not only contains some classics, but some you may not remember as well. It is important to remember the collection makes no reference to being the best of the seventies, and it certainly isn’t. Nonetheless, there is some interesting history here, as well as some voices to listen for.

The release contains 12 shows on two discs, but you won’t find the list of shows anywhere on the packaging. The main menu on the disk does supply the list, but can be frustrating to operate as selecting some episodes will return you to the menu unnecessarily, and selecting “Play all” excludes one episode.

The twelve shows included are: Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch, the story of three mischievous bears who live in a zoo and manipulate the zoo keeper; New Adventures of Gilligan, which continues the adventures of the castaways from the sitcom of the sixties; Sea Lab 2020, a futuristic series based on an underwater community; Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan, which follows the exploits of the famous detective and his children who happen to be a rock group; Shazzan, the story of two teens who travel around on a flying camel during the time of the Arabian Knights and call upon a sixty-foot Genie when they get into trouble; Yogi's Gang, which follows the classic members of the Hanna Barbera library as they travel in a flying ark and meet people who teach them important lessons; Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour, which consists of stories from the two classic Warner Brothers characters; Valley of the Dinosaurs, which tells the story of a family that travels back in time and is befriended by a Neanderthal family;
Tom and Jerry/Grape Ape Show, which consists of stories with the classic cat and mouse and stories with the 40-foot purple ape and his canine best friend; The Banana Splits Adventure Hour, a live-action series with four costumed characters who would introduce animated series and live-action serials; Inch High Private Eye, which followed the adventures of the diminutive detective and his assistants; and The New Adventures of Batman, which continues the adventures of the caped crusader. There is certainly something in this eclectic mix for everyone, but likely they all won't be satisfying.

From a story perspective, many are quite weak, such as the Inch High Private Eye episodes where the solution to the mysteries rarely made sense to anyone other than Inch High. The animation is poor in several of the shows, most noticeably in The New Adventures of Batman. Filmation had produced superior superhero cartoons in the sixties, and though these episodes have a smoother flow to the movement, it is easy to see the lack of attention to detail in this episode as the Bat Logo on the hood of the Batmobile changes color and disappears all together.

It is the historical aspects that make this release most interesting. Batman reunites the talents of Adam West and Burt Ward for the first time since the original series. Unfortunately the series also introduces the Bat Mite character, which was nothing more than annoying. Filmation’s New Adventures of Batman aired during the same season as Hanna Barbera’s Super Friends which marked a rare occasion in television history where the adventures of the same character were being chronicled on two different networks.

The Banana Splits Adventure Hour was created by Sid and Marty Kroft, and produced by Hanna Barbera. This is most interesting since this release includes Valley of the Dinosaurs, an animated series produced by Hanna Barbera that tells the story of a family on a rafting trip that gets swept into a prehistoric world. Valley premiered on the same day as Sid and Marty Kroft’s live-action series Land of the Lost, which coincidentally follows a similar story line.

The New Adventures of Gilligan reunites the original cast with the exception of Dawn Wells and Tina Louise. Jane Web would voice both the Mary Ann and Ginger characters. Sealab 2020 would be remixed to produce Sealab 2021, part of Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan marked the first time that the character of Charlie Chan was portrayed by an actor of Chinese decent, Key Luke.

Jodie Foster can also be heard on episodes of Amazing Chan. Along with Foster, other notable actor’s voices in this collection are Jackie Earle Haley, Ross Martin, Ann Jillian, Jay North, and classic cartoon vocal talents including Paul Winchell, Joe E. Ross, Daws Butler, John Sephenson, and Don Messick.

Not a lot of bonus material here. “The Power of Shazzan” tells the back-story of this classic cartoon. What it fails to reveal is that this series ended its original run in 1969, and thus does not belong in this collection. “Saturday Morning Wake-Up Calls” provides a brief preview of the contents of the DVD. Though it is somewhat of a waste, as it appears to be a commercial for a product already purchased, it is voiced by Casey Kasem, who was also the voice of Shaggy on Scooby Doo and Robin the Boy Wonder in the first animated Batman series and a legendary radio personality.

Bottom Line: The historical significance may be more than those who are looking for memories to sit back and enjoy with a bowl of cereal care about, and there are certainly better series from the decade, but Warner Brothers has put together a collection worth owning. Watching these series in small portions is just right. Having all the episodes of any of these series would only serve to remind us that all the stories of the shows we loved as kids were basically the same.

Valley of the Dinosaurs Clip From the DVD: “Such Luck”

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Written by Pirata Hermosa

With the crumbling economy, millions of people out of work, rampant looting and martial law instated in every city across the nation, the citizens of the United States do the unthinkable. They vote in Lex Luthor (Clancy Brown) as President.

While the country makes a remarkable recovery under his watch and superheroes who once fought against him are lining up to work for him, there’s still a couple who just aren’t buying his new-and-improved image. And when Lex’s biggest rival, Superman (Tim Daly), won’t bow down to him and take orders, he frames the Man of Steel for the murder of Metallo (John C. McGinley) and places a $1 billion bounty on his head.

Even though Superman has every superhero and every super-villain chasing him in order to collect the reward, he still has the Dark Knight (Kevin Conroy) watching his back. Together the two must fight to stay alive and prove that Lex was behind the murder. But while the heroes are being hunted, Lex has to deal with a giant meteorite made of Kryptonite that is threatening to destroy the entire planet.

The plot seems to really be stretching for a reason to put Batman and Superman together and also to fulfill every comic book fan’s wet dreams. Not only do they get to see them work as a team, but then they get to watch them take on anyone and everyone. That includes the Justice League and the Legion of Doom.

While the storyline is certainly more adult than you might expect, the death of Metallo is somewhat jarring and has some unexpected results. When the death of an actual super being occurs, the question of how much power does everyone really have starts to wander into the viewer’s mind. The murderer easily kills Metallo, yet Superman couldn’t even dent him. Then when that same murderer confronts Superman, Superman isn’t really hurt. Once the mind starts wandering like that, the entire illusion begins to fall apart. How many times can Batman, who is a normal human, be beat up, thrown around, and have his ass kicked and still be able to walk away without a scratch? And why does a small amount of Kryptonite affect Superman so much from afar, but yet a Kryptonite bullet next to his heart doesn’t seem to be that much more difficult for him to withstand. Granted it is a comic book, and you’re always going to need that willing suspension of disbelief in order to enjoy it.

The first DVD includes the 67-minute long film, and several features for upcoming and previously released DC Universe films: Wonder Woman - The Amazon Princess, Justice League - The New Frontier, and Green Lantern - First Flight. The disc also includes a look at the latest DC Comics’ event, “Blackest Night.”

The second DVD is entirely filled with features.

“A Test of Minds” – A critical look into the psyches of Superman and Batman and how their pasts have made them so different from one another but has made them both into heroes.

“Dinner with DC Universe and Special Guest Kevin Conroy” – Executive producer Bruce Timm, voice/casting director Andrea Romano, SVP of Creative Affairs Gregory Noveck, and long-time voice of Batman Kevin Conroy sit around a dining table and discuss how they came about creating the films and television shows that they’ve each been associated with.

First Look at Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths – The next movie in the DC Universe scheduled for release will pit the Justice League against their evil counterparts from a parallel universe, known as the Syndicate.

Bruce Timm’s picks from Superman: The Animated Series – “The Demon Reborn,” and “Knight Time.”

Overall, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies is a fun film to watch. Not only is it cool to watch the duo stand up to just about everyone, but it’s also just as enjoyable to see them work as a team and how they truly are friends.

The Batman - The Complete Fourth Season

Written by Musgo Del Jefe

The Batman's been around since 1939. In almost 70 years, he's existed in print, on the silver screen, on the television, in video games, and loads of other mediums. It's hard to imagine someone that hasn't interacted with Bruce Wayne's universe in one way or another. The character has essentially remained the same in every incarnation and reboot; it's usually the themes, surrounding cast, and tone that change. I first encountered Batman as a young child, just getting home off the bus and running in to catch reruns of the campy TV show from the Sixties. Batman existed for me in the various incarnations of the Superfriends on Saturday mornings also. The character had never truly crept into my imagination until my college days when I came across The Dark Knight Returns in 1986. This Frank Miller take on the character struck a chord with this young adult at the time. That dark vision of Batman's future was a heavy influence on the Tim Burton Batman films and I was hooked. That fandom led me to the ultimate comic adaptation of this character in the Bruce Timm-produced, Batman: The Animated Series. While following the different incarnations of this universe through the Justice League Unlimited project, another Batman project flew in under my radar.

Since 2004, an animated show called The Batman has been airing on Kids' WB (now The CW). I came to this show fresh with no prior knowledge of the show with the latest DVD release, The Batman - The Complete Fourth Season. As a relatively knowledgeable Bat-fan, I immediately knew that I had dropped into a fan-friendly universe. The Fourth Season starts with the episode "A Matter Of Family." This episode introduces us to Dick Grayson, who'll become Robin by the end of this story and a mainstay for the whole season. It's the little nods to the rich tapestry of Batman's history that make this so accessible. Dick's father is voiced by Kevin Conroy (voice of Batman from Batman:TAS). Tony Zucco is voiced by Mark Hamill (voice of The Joker from Batman:TAS). Dick's origin mostly follows the initial DC Comics story with a slight nod to the wonderful Batman: Dark Victory mini-series, but the core of story remains strong, Bruce and Dick both lose their parents in front of their own eyes and initially seek crime-fighting as a way to find revenge. This link, this understanding is the basis of their relationship. In the end, Robin saves Zucco's life, but the question of "justice" remains.

There are two episodes in this season that illustrate the power of good storytelling. The power of not talking down to kids. The first is "Strange New World." The episode starts with a shot of helicopters, reminiscent of the opening sequence of Batman:TAS. The story starts with Batman surrounded by zombies and we are taken back 48 hours to see how we got to this point. Dr. Strange is behind bars at Arkham Asylum and threatens to turn all of Gotham into zombies. Slowly, Dr. Strange's prophecy starts to come true. Eventually, Batgirl and then Alfred and eventually Robin are turned into fast-moving zombies and Batman is all alone. By starting at the end, we know that Batman is going to come to a point in which he's surrounded by zombies. He has what he thinks is the antidote, but he's not sure. The delicious detective work he pulls and the "Twilight Zone"-ish ending are worthy of some of the best issues of the comic series. It's a rare episode of any superhero series that pulls in both the fun villains like zombies in combination with the great Moriarty/Holmes relationship that Dr. Strange and Batman have.

This episode is followed by the strongest episode of the season, "Artifacts." This story is a fresh break even in a 13-episode season. The story starts in 3027 and flashes back to 2027. In the far future, the Batcave has just been discovered. Investigators follow the clues in the cave to reconstruct what happened in 2027. This episode shares many elements with The Dark Knight Returns. The Batman of 2027 has the same scar as in the book, drives a tank-like Batmobile that's similar to the book and Batman Begins, and Mr. Freeze even utters the line, "the Dark Knight returns." But the plot isn't beholden to the story of the book, nor does it expect the viewer to necessarily have knowledge of that story. It's a testament to the writers that the story is influenced by other projects, but it commands the characters in a way that fits the universe that it exists in. Dick Grayson is now Nightwing and Barbara Gordon is now the wheelchair-bound Oracle.

Like in "Strange New World," there's a time element to add to the suspense. The investigators in 3027 need to find the right clues or New Gotham will be destroyed. As their investigation unfolds, so does the parallel story in 2027 with Batman battling a more powerful Mr. Freeze. The viewers are assembling the clues along with the future cops. And once the 2027 storyline is completed, there's a solution to the problem in New Gotham. Yet, there's a way that Batman, even 100 years later shows us that his "legend" lives on.

The Fourth Season has a nice variety of villains - Joker, Penguin, Clayface (two of them), Killer Croc, and more. The weakest of the bunch is Black Mask (in "The Breakout") who comes across as a very poor man's version of the Red Skull. Some stories are straightforward: bad guy commits crime and Batman and family catch them. There are also a good balance of stories that require more detective work to solve, which has always been an important part of the Batman mythos. This season introduces Harley Quinn in "Two Of A Kind", interestingly written by Paul Dini who created her in Batman:TAS. Here he has the rare opportunity to reboot his own character and does so by making her more of an equal to the Joker instead of his lackey.

The season ends with an interesting two-parter that introduces J'onn J'onnz as the Martian Manhunter. "The Joining Parts 1 & 2" tells the story of an alien invasion of Earth. While a good story, the core invasion story seems to get ignored in order to characterize the great chemistry between Batman and J'onn J'onnz. The aliens are a boring combination of The Borg and War Of The Worlds and their downfall is too easily predicted based on that comparison. All this leads to Batman's invitation to join the Justice League of America in an orbiting tower that looks much like the Hall of Justice from Superfriends.

Season Five will no doubt take place on a grander scale with Batman teaming up with other superheroes and fighter bigger battles. But, for me, it's those little moments in "Strange New World" where Batman is surrounded by zombie versions of his "family" and there's that moment of indecision. Has he solved the mystery, can he save his "family," or will they face the same fate as his parents? This series isn't a dark, adult version of Batman, but it is smart. The Batman doesn't have the best soundtrack, nor is its animated look the most desirable (why does The Riddler look like Marilyn Manson?), but it has something that I didn't expect to find. It has a heart.