6.23.2008

70 Super Years: 1973 - You Gotta Have FRIENDS

By 1973, Hanna Barbara had acquired the rights to animate DC Comics characters. They took the concept of the Justice League of America and modified it. Changing the name to The Super Friends and toning down the violence common in superhero comics for a younger audience, as well as to fit with the restrictive broadcast standards regarding violence in 1970s children’s television.
Although it was cancelled after it's first season, it would return. Between 1973 and 1986, the series title and role call of the Super Friends would undergo numerous changes, with Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and Robin, and Aquaman being the familar faces that tied each season together.
1973-1974: The Super Friends
1977-1978: The All-New Super Friends Hour
1978-1979: All-New Super Friends/Challenge of the Super Friends
1979-1980: The World's Greatest Superfriends
1980-1982: The Super Friends Hour
1982-1983: The Best of the Superfriends
1984-1985: Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show
1985-1986: The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians
This was the first animated appearance of Superman that was not voiced by Bud Collyer, who has died in 1969. Superman was portrayed by Danny Dark throughout the course of the Super Friends series.

Here are a few opening credits to various incarnations of The Super Friends! Enjoy!

Linkocity:
Super Friends @ Wikipedia
Hanna-Barbera Superfriends Chronology @ Challenge of the Superfriends
The Super Friends @ Don Markstein's Toonopedia


Available @ Amazon:

The All-New Superfriends Hour: Season One, Vol. 1 (1977)
Challenge of the Super Friends: The First Season (1978)
Super Friends: Volume Two (1978)
Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show: The Complete Series (1984)
The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (1985)

6.21.2008

70 Super Years: Superman in the Seventies

SUPERMAN #233
(Jan 1971)
Classic Neal Adams cover!


ACTION COMICS #400
(May 1971)
Special 400th Anniversary Issue!
DC 100-PAGE SUPER SPECTACULAR #DC-18
(July 1973)
Superman's 35th Anniversary Special!
SUPERMAN FAMILY #164
(May 1974)
First issue of the SUPERMAN FAMILY!
AURORA COMIC SCENES #185-140
(1974)
Instruction booklet included with plastic model kit!
SUPERMAN vs THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
(1976)
The DC and Marvel Universes collide for the first time!
SUPERMAN #300
(Jun 1976)
300th issue of SUPERMAN!

ACTION COMICS #484
(Jun 1978)
40th Anniversary Issue!
Lois and Clark of Earth-2 get married!

ALL-NEW COLLECTORS' EDITION #56 (1978)
Superman vs Muhammad Ali! In space!! Drawn by Neal Adams!!! Woo!

DC COMICS PRESENTS #1
(Aug 1978)
First issue!!



ACTION COMICS #500
(Oct 1979)
Big 500th issue of ACTION COMICS!

6.20.2008

Countdown to Birds of Prey: Day 25

Only 25 days left until the July 15th release of...
BIRDS OF PREY:
THE COMPLETE SERIES
!!!

The DVD set will feature all 13 episodes of the series in matted widescreen, 4:3 ratio (boo). 30 episodes of the Flash-animated web-series "Gotham Girls," featuring Batgirl, Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. And the previously unreleased, unaired pilot!!

There are some minor differences between the original unaired pilot and the one that was finally broadcast. Past events leading up to the actual series were pretty much played out in the unaired pilot, while in the aired version, they were condensed and narrated by Alfred Pennyworth (Ian Abercrombie).
Slightly less minor: When we meet Wade Brixton (Shawn Christian), it is as Barbara Gordon (Dina Meyer) is ending their relationship. In the version that was televised, they did a 180 and we see the beginning of the relationship as Wade and Barbara meet.
The most major difference comes in the form of villainous (or villainess) Harleen Quinzell. In the pilot broadcast on the WB network, Harleen is portrayed by Mia Sara. But the role originally had been cast with Twin Peaks star Sherilyn Fenn. The story as to why Fenn left has been told many times, and usually never twice the same way, so we may never know the real reason.

For kicks and giggles, here's a scene from the unaired pilot featuring Sherilyn Fenn:
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For even more fun, compare it to the Mia Sara version:
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I prefer the Mia Sara characterization. I think Sherilyn plays her as just sort of evil and mean. Mia, on the other hand, has this slight unhinged-ness that is truly kinda creepy. I would expect Sherilyn to just walk right up to my face and tear my head off. With Mia: I'd be afraid of what she was going to do, when she was going to do it, and which direction she's be coming from! LOL!

Pre-Order Birds of Prey: The Complete Series from Amazon.com

6.19.2008

70 Super Years: 1966 - Saturday Morning Superstar

On September 10, 1966, Superman returned to animation (for the first time since the 1940s theatrical shorts) in the first Filmation Associates-produced Saturday morning cartoon.

Bud Collyer and Joan Alexander, who had provided the voices for Superman/Clark Kent and Lois Lane in the theatrical shorts and the radio serial, returned to the roles for a third time. Although Alexander would only stick around for the first season, replaced by Julie Bennett in later episodes.

During it's first season, The New Adventures of Superman ran thirty minutes and presented two Superman cartoons with a Superboy cartoon in between.

In season two it became The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure. Episodes of this season included a Superman story and an Aquaman story and rotated in cartoons featuring The Flash and Kid Flash, the Green Lantern, Hawkman, The Atom, the Justice League of America, the Teen Titans (Speedy, Kid Flash, Wonder Girl and Aqualad), and Superboy.

The third season beget The Batman/Superman Hour, featuring new two-part Superman segments alongside new Superboy shorts and the adventures of Batman, Robin and Batgirl.

The fourth season saw a return of The New Adventures of Superman, following the same 30-minute format of the first season, but using only repeats from the previous three seasons, with no new episodes produced.

Here are the opening credits to The New Adventures of Superman:

And here's an episode from the first season:

Links:
The New Adventures of Superman @ Wikipedia
The New Adventures of Superman @ Superman Homepage
The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure @ Wikipedia
The Batman/Superman Hour @ Wikipedia


Available @ Amazon:

The New Adventures of Superman

The Adventures of Aquaman:
The Complete Collection

DC Super Heroes:
The Filmation Adventures

6.18.2008

70 Super Years: 1966 - Broadway Bound

It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman opened on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre on March 29, 1966. Although the musical received generally positive reviews, it failed to catch on with the theater-going public and closed on July 17, 1966 after 129 performances.

...It's Superman features music by Charles Strouse (Bye Bye Birdie, Annie) and lyrics by Lee Adams (Bye Bye Birdie), with a book by David Newman and Robert Benton. Strouse and Adams also wrote the theme song to All in the Family, "Those Were The Days." Newman would later go on to co-write the films Superman I-III starring Christopher Reeve.

The plot revolves around Superman's efforts to defeat Dr. Abner Sedgwick, a ten-time Nobel Prize-losing scientist who seeks to avenge the scientific world's dismissal of his brilliance by attempting to destroy the world's symbol of good. Additionally, Superman comes into romantic conflict with Max Mencken, a columnist for the Daily Planet newspaper, who resents Lois Lane's attraction to Superman.

The original Broadway cast included Jack Cassidy as Max Mencken, Bob Holiday as Superman/Clark Kent, Patricia Marand as Lois Lane and Linda Lavin as Sydney.

Hear Linda Lavin's Sydney sing "You've Got Possiblities" to Clark Kent:
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Link-o-rama:
It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman @ Wikipedia
Superman on Broadway @ Superman Homepage
Superman the Musical @ Superman and Lois & Clark Reference Site
Superman on Broadway @ Superman from Krypton to Metropolis
SupermanBobHoliday.com


Available @ Amazon:

6.16.2008

70 Super Years: Superman in the Sixties

ACTION COMICS #300
(May 1963)
300th issue of ACTION COMICS!
SUPERMAN ANNUAL #7
(1963)
Superman's 25th Anniversay!
SUPERMAN RECORD COMIC
(1966)
Giveaway!
SUPERMAN #200
(Oct 1967)
200th issue of SUPERMAN!
ACTION COMICS #364
(Jun 1968)
30TH Anniversary of ACTION COMICS!
SUPERMAN #207
(Jul 1968)
30th Anniversary of SUPERMAN!

6.15.2008

DC Comics Previews for June 18, 2008


Newsarama has got previews for the following DC Comics, going on sale this Wednesday:

TRINITY #3
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #22

Don't forget to "Click to Launch Viewer" to finish reading the preview pages!!

70 Super Years: Superman in the Fifties

SUPERMAN #76
(May/June 1952)
Superman and Batman share their first comic-book adventure together!
THREE DIMENSION ADVENTURES
(1953)
Superman's 15th Anniversay!
ACTION COMICS #200
(Jan 1955)
ACTION's 200th issue!
ADVENTURE COMICS #210
(Mar 1955)
First Appearance of Krypto the Superdog!
SUPERMAN #100
(Sept/Oct 1955)
Superman's 100th issue!!


SHOWCASE #9

(Aug 1957)
Lois Lane's first shot as headliner!
ACTION COMICS #241
(Jun 1958)
Superman's 20th anniversary!
And the first appearance of the Fortress of Solitude!


ACTION COMICS #242

(Jul 1958)
First Appearance of Brainiac!
SUPERBOY #68
(Oct 1958)
First Appearance of Bizarro!




ACTION COMICS #252
(May 1959)
First Appearances of Supergirl and Metallo!!

70 Super Years: TV Land here we come

Well crap, with an explanation to long to give, I had to delete this post. So here's a quick edit from Wikipedia to fill in the blank and bring it back. Pffft.

Superman and the Mole Men was a 1951 black and white film starring George Reeves as Superman and Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane. It was shot in 12 days on a studio back lot and served as a trial run for the syndicated TV series Adventures of Superman.
The series generally employed visual effects advanced for television of the period, and, while the show won no major awards, it was popular with its audience and remains popular today. Its opening theme, known as The Superman March, has become a classic of its kind and is instantly recognizable by most classic television buffs and Superman fans.
The first television season went into production in August/September of 1951. The series discontinued production, however, and remained unaired until September 1952 when cereal manufacturer Kellogg's agreed to sponsor the show, as the company had previously done with the Superman radio series.
After the first season's filming was completed, Phyllis Coates made other commitments and did not return as Lois Lane. Noel Neill (who had played the character in the theatrical serials) stepped into the role, and remained until the series' cancellation.

Here's a clip from the December 1953 episode Panic in the Sky (episode 38, or season 2 episode 12, if you prefer):
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I chose this clip because it has more interesting special effects than most episodes, but also because the story has been reused so many time:
- In WORLD'S FINEST COMICS #68 (February 1954) "Menace from the Stars."
- In the live-actions Adventures of Superboy (December 1990) "Superboy...Lost."
- And in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (January 1994) "All Shook Up."

Linkage:
Superman and the Mole Men @ Wikipedia
Adventures of Superman @ Wikipedia
Panic in the Sky @ Wikipedia
Watch episodes of Adventures of Superman @ AOL Video

Available @ Amazon:

Adventures of Superman - The Complete First Season
Adventures of Superman - The Complete Second Season
Adventures of Superman - The Complete Third and Fourth Seasons
Adventures of Superman - The Complete Fifth and Sixth Seasons