Ruby-Spears SUPERMAN

Written by Pirata Hermosa

In 1988 Ruby-Spears productions in combination with Warner Brothers released a Saturday morning cartoon to correspond with the 50th anniversary of DC Comics’ Superman character. The major difference in the series in regards to previous offerings is Superman’s arch nemesis, Lex Luthor, is no longer just a mad scientist, but instead a corrupt billionaire who held great power and influence.

The show lasted only thirteen episodes on CBS. Each episode is twenty minutes long and contains a five-minute short from the “Superman Family Album” showing small clips from Clark Kent’s life starting at his arrival on Earth to the moment he finally becomes Superman.

After viewing, it’s pretty obvious why the series only lasted for one season. It was 1988 and it felt like it was done in the ‘70s at the same time as the Super Friends. A lot of the sound effects sounded the same and they even used the same narrator.

Even the voice casting seemed particularly poor. Superman’s (Beau Weaver), voice was a little too thin but at least it was tolerable, Lois Lane (Ginny McSwain) was a little whiney, Jimmy Olsen (Mark L. Taylor) was overly childish as was his behavior throughout, and Lex Luthor (Michael Bell) was just a sniveling wimp. In the first episode “Destroy the Defendroids,” the combination of all those voices at once made it nearly unwatchable. Thankfully, the voices of Lois and Jimmy improve once the series gets going.

The good thing about the show is that the storylines are fairly decent. Granted there are a few ridiculous moments like when Lois and Jimmy are trapped in an open-air cage on a giant robot that flies up into space, yet they can breathe the entire time and somehow manage to survive re-entry as the cage becomes red hot.

It’s pretty obvious that the plots have become a little more involved than in previous incarnations, but unfortunately the “Superman Family Album” at the end of each episode really sets any progress backwards. These stories are snapshots of Clark’s past up until he becomes Superman. When they start he has just arrived and is a baby. Even then he has super powers: can fly, use heat vision and has incredible strength. You can imagine how difficult a regular baby can be, but one with super-human abilities is even worse as Clark flies around getting into all sorts of trouble at the orphanage, the grocery store, on his first day of school, and with his new baby sitter. As he grows up he learns to use his powers less and less and while still somewhat corny, they aren’t nearly as bad as when they started.

The DVD includes the original thirteen episodes and corresponding “Superman Family Album” shorts.

The lone Special Feature is “Corporation of the Corrupt: The Rise of Lexcorp,” a discussion about the new re-launch of the Superman story by John Byrne in 1986 and how Lex Luthor is now a businessman instead of a scientist because money and business became the true power in the world during the 1980s.

If you’re a huge Superman fan, you might feel like picking this up for your collection, but it most people probably won’t find it necessary.

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.

Max Fleischer's Superman: 1941-1942

Written by Fantasma el Rey

Max Fleischer and his brother Dave had the honor and challenge of bringing Superman to the silver screen for the very first time. Fleischer’s cartoon studio was known for Popeye and Gulliver’s Travels by the time Paramount came to them asking if they would take on the project. They did and in so doing put on film Superman as much of the world would come to know him. This two-disc DVD set contains all seventeen theatrical shorts from 1941 to 1942.

With a bit of hesitation the brothers accepted the project of animating the Superman comic books. Already a radio hit, the problem was how to make the cartoon move swiftly, remain action packed, and hold the audience’s attention for about nine minutes while making it all seem more realistic than other cartoons of the day. The Fleischer Studio had already perfected the use of rotoscoping (drawing over filmed live action) so making Superman realistic didn’t take long to figure out. Adding to the cartoon appeal were the radio voices of Joan Alexander and Bud Collyer, Lois Lane and Clark Kent/Superman, as the public had grown to know them. On radio and in the comics Superman was really only able to leap or hop from place to place, thus the line in the opening about being “able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.” Since jumping around would look a bit silly on film, the Fleischers got permission to make Superman fly.

The first short, “Superman” a.k.a. “Mad Scientist,” sets the pattern and flow of the episodes that follow. Daily Planet reporters Lois Lane is sent on a story along with or followed by fellow reporter Clark Kent and winds up in trouble. She will either be taken hostage/prisoner at first or she will “stumble” into the situation because she hides out or sneaks into the best place to get the story. But have no fear as Kent/Superman are nearby and can hear her scream. So in swoops Supes and gets beat around for a bit, saves Lois while trying to curb further destruction by the bad guy, and finally captures the villain, mostly through his super strength and sometimes outsmarting them.

The fun lays in watching the various villains Superman faces and takes on. Not only does he nab mad scientists (“Mad Scientist,” “The Magnetic Telescope”) but foreign threats such as the Japanese and Germans (“The Japoteurs,” “Jungle Drums”) along with crime lords, who impersonate Superman, and organized thieves (“Showdown,” “The Bulleteers”). It gets better as the Man of Steel does battle with giant/supernatural beasts like a thawed out T-Rex, a giant circus gorilla gone crazy, ancient Egyptian mummies brought back to life, and underground-dwelling birdmen (“Artic Giant,” “Terror On The Midway,” “The Mummy Strikes,” “Underground World”). Superman must also deal with the Earth itself, either manipulated by humans or on its own be it stopping an earthquake or redirecting the lava flow of a volcano (“Electric Earthquake,” “Volcano”).

The animation overall is great with vivid colors, and the humans, animals, and all things mechanical move very well and appear very realistic either in main focus or in the background; the landscapes and other scenery also look great. The kicker is the stereotypes of the ‘40s. It’s one thing to have robbers in classic mask and thick, five o’clock shadow but the Japanese are outrageous as they all have buckteeth and talk like Mr. Moto. I mean there’s not much to do about it or cry over; I simply think its funny the way that Hollywood saw these people in that day. I personally am not offended as it’s just a cartoon and the product of a different time, so laugh and get over it. The DVD packaging even states that this collection is intended for the adult collector and is “not” suitable for children. Go figure.

We don’t get to see too many of Superman’s skills other than his X-Ray vision, super strength and new ability to fly; he mostly uses his muscle to clear his way and win the day as he saves the girl, stops destruction, and puts an end to the villains short reign of terror. We do however get to witness Lois Lane fly a plane, drive a train, shoot machine guns, and still end up writing a hell of a story.

The two bonus features are a fascinating further look into the creation of not only the Fleischer shorts but also Superman as a myth throughout time. Both are filled with info on the effect that these cartoons had on the comic and recent cartoon versions. They are two good pieces even if they are a bit short at only about thirteen minutes each. Well worth the time for collectors and fans of all types from the average viewer to the diehard comic books guys to the movies buffs and just plain ol’ geeks.

Legion of Super-Heroes, Vol. 3

Written by Musgo Del Jefe

As a young Musgo, my super-hero teams of choice were the Avengers, the Justice League (both the Of America and the International variety) and the occasional Teen Titan adventure. On TV there was no competition, it was the Superfriends and all of their incarnations. The Legion Of Super Heroes were one of the strange teams. They had a long history, having been around since 1958, but I didn't know any other kids who read the comics nor could I identify any member of the group that wasn't Superboy. Their stories took place 1000 years from current time and they seemed to have an inexhaustible roster of characters to choose from. The animated version of Legion Of Super Heroes debuted in 2006 on the CW network. Today, the super-hero team must compete on TV against Justice League Unlimited, Teen Titans, and even their own appearances in live-action form on Smallville.

My introduction to the animated world of Legion Of Super Heroes is in the Volume 3 DVD which contains the final five episodes of the First Season of the show. The core members of the series are "young" Superman (not referred to as Superboy), Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, Bouncing Boy (elected leader in the "Chain Of Command" episode on this disc), Triplicate Girl, Brainiac 5, Phantom Girl, and Timber Wolf.

The disc opens with an episode called "The Substitutes" that closely resembles a Teen Titans episode that I recently reviewed. Much like that storyline, a group of heroes that don't make the team are forced to come together as a team while the main team is away on a mission. Just like the Titans story, here the group calls themselves the Legion Of Substitute Heroes and learn that heroes have to work together. Their battle helps solve the mystery of the Legion's main mission. It's a common plot device but it's effective here. The sheer amount of characters is daunting to keep track of and I felt like I needed a scorecard, but the heart was there. The rejected members weren't made to feel bad even if their powers seemed useless - Color Kid can just turn things different colors and yet his power actually finds a creative use in battle.

The remaining four episodes don't hold up as well. "Child's Play" and "Chain Of Command" are perfect comparisons as to why this series doesn't work as well as Titans. In that series, the main characters feel like real teenagers - videogames, pizza, cars, and falling in love. In their stand-alone episodes, they usually explore the motivations and pasts of one of their five main characters. These two Legion episodes lack that characterization aspect. "Child's Play" ultimately is about a spoiled kid with magic powers who hates rules. It doesn't play his powers off against a similar character like Phantom Girl. Instead, the focus remains solely on the villain. The conclusion leaves the viewer feeling empty.

The disc ends with a two-part story called "Sundown" that borrows liberally from different eras of the comic-book history. Unfortunately, it's filled with so many generic cliches that it never catches your imagination. There's the typical "training scenario" at the beginning followed by the villain (Sun Eater) escaping from prison (bleeding through floors much like Alien), becoming an invisible target (looking like Predator) and then attacking our Sun with a army of robots (designed like smaller versions of the Evangelion robots). So many heroes are brought into the story, that it seems just lazy. When a specific power is needed, it's almost like the Legion can just conjure a hero who happens to have exactly that power.

The season ends with young Superman going back to his time and deciding to move to Metropolis and become Superman. Having only seen five of the season's 13 episodes, I can't fully judge this decision, but there is not that life-changing experience in the final line that should lead Clark to make that decision. It could have been there - there's a moment when the team is coming together that a character makes an important sacrifice. But Superman's reaction is to get revenge. It's unclear how that would make him decide it was time to go back to Metropolis and become a hero.

There are no extras on this disc. I can only recommend this for that die-hard fan that has followed the Legion since younger days. The stories are aimed at a younger audience than Teen Titans and just don't have the same heart.

Legion of Super-Heroes, Vol. 3

Written by Hombre Divertido

This animated series from The Kids WB is based on characters appearing in the DC Comics series. The series centers on the young Superman’s adventures in the 31st century, fighting alongside a group of futuristic superheroes known as the Legion of Super-Heroes. Volume three contains five episodes from season one of the series. Why the series is being released in such a sporadic fashion is certainly curious, and if these episodes are a reflection of the series as a whole, than it is clear why the series only lasted two seasons.

This release gives no explanation of the situation on which the series is based nor does it give any backstory on its heroes. One would have to be a fan of the series, or at least know the history of The Legion to appreciate this release, but even said knowledge may not guarantee appreciation.

For those who don’t know: according to the official press release, the premise of the first season is that a group of teenagers from the 31st century travel back in time to recruit Superman in their fight against evil in their time. Unfortunately, they go too far back and land in a time when Clark Kent was younger and was about to move to Metropolis, already aware of his powers but undecided about his destiny. Taking him back to their future, the young Superman helps the Legion in fighting evil and upholding the laws of the United Planets. It is described as a "fast-paced, character-driven action comedy". It is indeed fast-paced and character-driven, and is even well animated with good sound quality. The problem, in the case of these five episodes, is the stories. They are too busy, have too many characters, and make little sense. Perhaps this is appealing to children, but maybe the series would have lasted longer had the stories contained even the slightest bit of continuity.

The new release contains no extras, and thus must be marketed towards only the fans of the show. That would seem to be somewhat limiting as said fans only massed enough viewership to keep it on for two seasons. Perhaps adding some extras with some backstories on the heroes and the bringing of the series from the pages of the comic books to the small screen might makes this a more attractive purchase.

Recommendation: If you watched the show when it was on, and liked it enough to want to invest the money in collecting all the volumes that it may take to complete the 26 episode series, then pick this up. If you are looking for something reflective of the comic books, this is not for you.

DC Super Heroes: The Filmation Adventures

Written by Hombre Divertido

When Superman came busting through the rock wall in Filmation’s 1966 animated series The New Adventures of Superman, baby boomers went crazy at the sight of the Man of Steel jumping off the comic book pages and on to the small screen. The half-hour series, which contained two Superman shorts with one Superboy story sandwiched in between, was a huge hit.
The following year the show was expanded to an hour under the title of The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure and featured not only Superman, Aquaman, and Superboy stories, but also stories with other characters from the DC library. Watching the show was always exciting because you never knew which superhero would be featured that week. During the 1967 –1968 season The Atom, Hawkman, The Green Lantern, The Flash, The Teen Titans, and The Justice League of America appeared in three seven-minute cartoons each. Warner Home Video has released all eighteen of the classic shorts on a two-DVD set.

What was so exciting back in 1967, and still holds true today, was that for comic-book fans, this was the first time that heroes other than Superman and Batman had been brought to animated life on the screen. Getting to see The Atom, Hawkman, The Green Lantern, and The Flash in cartoons was a huge treat. This series was fun long before any of the Super Friends incarnations and was superior simply because the stories were closer to those being depicted in the comic books.

Though the animation is outdated and repetitive, the stories similar (most written by George Kashdan), and the look of the heroes more bland than the comics and cartoons of today, these classics are still well worth watching for young and old. Lou Scheimer, who along with Hal Sutherland started Filmation Studios, stayed true to the comic books of the era, and produced quality stories. Though the openings for each cartoon don’t seem to have weathered the years too well, the actual individual segments are remarkably sharp and vibrant.

The sound quality is also excellent, and you can’t get too much of the legendary Ted Knight as the narrator.

The packaging is above average as it is quite vibrant and displays the superheroes embossed on the cover as well as boldly on each disc.

For those that want to look deep, there are flaws to be found here: Aquaman is featured prominently on the packaging, yet does not appear in any of the cartoons. There are continuity errors to be found in many of the cartoons where items appear that were not previously seen, and liberties are taken with the abilities of the some of the superheroes. Probably most disturbing are the episodes in which The Green Lantern is seen flying with his pal Kyro on his back ala Ace and Gary from Robert Smigel’s “The Ambiguously Gay Duo” animated segments.

Only one extra here, but it’s good. “Animation Maverick: The Lou Scheimer Story,” follows the career of the driving force behind Filmation Studios, and of a man who cared about his art, the industry as a whole, and his country. It is a well-made documentary that is both entertaining and educational.

Some more extras would have been nice, and including the individual closing credits for each segment certainly would have allowed us to appreciate the vocal and artistic talent utilized.

Recommendation: Not to be watched without a huge bowl of cereal. Baby Boomers will appreciate this wonderful walk down memory lane, and fans of DC and classic animation will appreciate the history lesson. Also a great way to introduce young children to not only the DC world, but that of Filmation as well.

The Batman: The Complete Fifth Season

Written by Musgo Del Jefe

Season Four of The Batman was creative and thought provoking. Robin was introduced to the mythology, one episode echoed Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns and in the finale, Batman and J'onn J'onnz (the Martian Manhunter) battled The Joining. The final scene of that season introduced Batman to the Justice League - Flash, Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and Hawkman in addition to Martian Manhunter.

Season Five starts exactly one year after the attacks. The show hits the ground running with a two-part episode introducing Superman ("Batman/Superman Parts 1 & 2"). The first episode is chock full of comic culture references with nods to almost every other incarnation of Superman in movies and television. Lois, Clark, and Jimmy have traveled to Gotham to present them with a check from the city of Metropolis to help rebuild from the battle with The Joining. They are met here by Superman villain, Metallo. In his battle with Batman and Robin, Metallo looks much like the T2 from the Terminator series. As a way of linking him to that character and not having to do a lot of explaining, we even get an "Hasta la vista, baby" as Robin drives away on his motorcycle.

In what will become a blueprint for many of this season's episodes, there is a blending of bad guys from both universes. Black Mask, Bane, and Clayface work for Lex Luthor to kidnap Lois. All the while Poison Ivy has been captured and Lex uses her spores to control Superman. The second part of the story is essentially a long fight scene with Lex launching one new attack after another with Superman under his control. In a nod to the current DC Comics mythology, Superman allows Batman to keep one of the last existing pieces of Kryptonite, so it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. But this also serves to give Batman, without super powers, equal footing with Superman. In the end, Superman is introduced to the Justice League.

The season is very uneven and predictable. Much like the final season of Teen Titans, each episode from #3 to #11 follows one of two paths: a Brave and the Bold episode (a reference to the old time Batman Team-Up comic) or a stand-alone, usually action-packed episode featuring a Bat villain that is familiar to the viewer. What worked so well in Season Four was that we got to see Batman as a detective. There was a lot of character development between Batman, Robin, and Batgirl (who's almost an afterthought in this season). The Bat "family" that was built in Season Four is almost ignored and forgotten.

Each Justice League character gets an episode dedicated to them. It might be an origin back story (like Green Arrow in "Vertigo") or one that showcases their unique talents (like the Flash in "A Mirror Darkly"). There just isn't the chemistry between Batman and these new characters. It makes me long for the traditional Batman and Robin stories.

The traditional stand-alone episodes don't have the heart and cleverness that ones like "Artifacts" did in previous seasons. "White Heat," for example, brings back Firefly. He's a fun character that stands out because people don't remember his name. In this episode, we are introduced to his girlfriend, Blaze, and through an accident he becomes a new villain, Phosphorus. Instead of playing up the stories that made him a fun character (like people calling him "Bumblebee Man" because of his suit), we get an angry villain that's just Clayface with fire. The Joker is featured in "Joker Express". His humor is all but lost in an episode that becomes one big chase scene. The Joker in a criminal mastermind and part of the fun of his episodes is watching the detective, Batman, figure out the mystery.

The season and series ends with a two-parter that brings back The Joining. The finale would have had more power if we really had connected with the heroes. Seeing them all together fighting for Gotham is nice but not inspiring. The final story tries hard to make a point about working together as a team. It isn 't just super-heroes with superpowers that win the battle. Batman is an important piece with his intelligence.

This could have been a powerful episode with deeper meanings. Done correctly, this could lead to future Justice League movies and cartoons. But the lack of creative presentation of these iconic characters makes it less interesting. Season Four showed where the characters could go with creative license. Without that, it's not a Justice League, it's just five guys fighting the bad guys. And that's not what moves us.

The two-disc set includes the usual single Special Feature. This time it's a piece entitled "Joining Forces" which essentially details how the producers tried to translate the Brave and the Bold team-ups from the comic books to the small screen. It's interesting to see the sources they are pulling from but the execution did not translate. The new heros do not soar into our hearts.