Superman-The Filmation Era

Defender of the innocent, champion of justice and the most powerful icon in the history of super hero commercial properties, Superman has enjoyed an almost unending run of popularity since his introduction in 1938. Part of this success is due to the character’s translatability in other mediums. From a successful radio show to the still famous TV series with George Reeves, it is perhaps no surprise that the red caped one made quite the splash on TV in cartoon form.

His 60’s cartoon series was such a hit that it created the ideal opportunity to showcase other characters including Aquaman, The Flash, Green Lantern, The Atom and Hawkman. All of the characters (minus Aquaman) teamed up (with Superman as the chairman of the board) for a trio of adventures as the Justice League of America, “Between Two Armies”, “Target Earth” and “Bad Day on a Black Mountain”… I hear any day is a bad day on Black Mountain, but never mind.

The series was the first cartoon to be created by Filmation, who… weren’t even a real animation studio at the time. They made quite the impression on DC Comics executives with a clever ploy which earned them the contract to develop the cartoon and deserves to be recreated in a film one day (this is all covered in the videos below).

Documentary part 1

part 2

The cartoon was innocent yet innovative and almost entirely responsible for the birth of the Saturday Morning Cartoons era that came to follow. Almost a mirror image to the Superman comics published at the time, the Filmation Superman is also responsible for arguable the toughest depiction of the Man of Steel I’ve ever seen.

I enjoyed seeing Superman in action, but I always feared his wraith being turned on me somehow. It might be something as simple as his firm facial expressions and those heavy eyebrows and beady eyes, but he reminds me of an ‘angry Dad’ type one bad report card away from snapping.

In any case, the Superman cartoons made by Filmation kick-started the cartoon boom of their own empire (leading to He-Man, The Groovie Goolies, Fantastic Voyage, The Hardie Boys, Archie, Sabrina… and a host of others), and the success of cartoons in general. Loved by many, including comic book Superman expert Mark Waid, the Filmation series is a lot of fun and a great addition to the character’s career.

Suggested reading/viewing:

The New Adventures of Superman – (DC Comics Classic Collection)
Showcase Presents: Superman, Vol. 1
Showcase Presents: Superman, Vol. 2
Showcase Presents: Superman, Vol. 3

Batman-The Filmation Era

Batman has seen more iterations than any other fictional character. Introduced in the late 30’s as a terrifying creature of the night, he later became a smiling supporter of the Police in the 50’s, and an absurd crime fighter who foiled even crazier men’s plans in the city that never got a break, Gotham City in the 60’s. Since his career has been all over the map, it’s no surprise that his appearances on the screen have been equally bizarre.

In the late 70’s, Filmation created The New Adventures of Batman and Robin to bank on the characters undying popularity. Using the standard technique of re-use/rec-cycle of film stock familiar to anyone who has ever seen a Filmation cartoon, this series was if anything an homage to the 60’s TV series with Burt Ward and Adam West. So much of an homage that they actually used the TV stars as voice over actors!

Finally on DVD, the series is a reminder that there is more than one way to depict the Dark Knight… or the Light Dark Knight that we see here.

Here is a preview of the cartoon featuring animation greats Bruce Timm and Paul Dini along with voice actor and Jedi Knight, Mark Hamill.

part 1

part 2

A complete opposite to the Bruce Timm Animated Series, the Filmation series is camp, absurd and silly. While watching it, I was reminded of the fact that scribe Grant Morrison got many of his ideas for the best modern JLA story, Rock of Ages, while re-reading the Jack Kirby Super Powers mini-series. Sure, Super Powers is a camp and absolutely insane toy tie-in, but it’s also full of the wildest ideas this side of Seven Soldiers of Victory.

Likewise the Filmation Batman series is stiff, hokey and childish… but it’s also a great companion to the absurd 60’s Batman comics recently collected by DC Comics in their Showcase Presents editions.

Suggested viewing/reading:

The New Adventures of Batman – (DC Comics Classic Collection)
Showcase Presents: Batman, Vol. 1
Showcase Presents: Batman, Vol. 2

The Batman Season Five

 

The four time Emmy Award winning cartoon series that fans are still skeptical about is entering its fifth season. Following the success of the Bruce Timm/Paul Dini Batman The Animated Series, The Batman was criticized as being too flashy, too childish and too self-consciously ‘edgy.’ One of those criticisms is undeniable as U2’s lead man The Edge provides the opening signature tune.

I too was skeptical and actually went through the entire ‘I hate this – this is great’ experience in one episode. A wild re-vision of a classic concept, the new cartoon is NOT a patch on the previous work, but it is full of fantastic animation, new stories and on a much grander scale than the previous film-noir style animated series (never call it a cartoon). In short, it offers something new on an old concept and takes the character in a very action-oriented direction rather than what Timm and his crew did which was more mood oriented.

So far the series has given us all of the Classic villains and even a new take on Clayface, Bat-Girl, Robin and a new jazzier opening sequence in comparison to the spooky season one opener. He even fought Dracula in a direct to DVD movie!

Last year everything changed, however, when Batman teamed up with the Martian Manhunter to squash an alien invasion. The conclusion featured a major surprise for yours truly as the Dark Knight was teleported to the Justice League of America satellite where he met Hawkman, the Hal Jordan Green Lantern, Green Arrow and the Flash.

Seeming to share my own wide grin, the Batman declared that they had better get to work.

The Batman Season Five Trailer

At the 2007 San Diego Comic Con, comic fans were given a look into next year with the above clip and the following news… The Justice League of America will be making up the majority of this season’s stories as Batman teams up with the galactic guardians in his never-evening war on crime.

I love how Batman equates a petty thief with a mass murdering alien entity. They’re both ‘crooks’ to Bats.

The first new character will not be a founding member of the JLA, however. Gary Newbern (of the Justice League animated series) will once again voice the Man of Tomorrow, Superman, as he teams up with Batman for the first time (again). In addition, Dana Delainey is back as Lois Lane to report the whole affair (seen in the clip).

Other new characters include Lou Gosset Jr. as Lucius Fox, Jerry O’Connel as Nightwing, and Patton Oswalt as the voice of Marty Slack… whoever that is.

While the Cartoon Network played around with fans’ expectations, this Justice League of America will be an all classics version with the Barry Allen version of The Flash, Hal Jordan as Green Lantern, the wise cracking Green Arrow (who gets an origin story for the first time on screen). To match this new fighting force, the villains will be equally spectacular, with Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, the Joker, and Harley Quinn returning to the series along with newcomers Sinestro and the Injustice Gang.

The fifth season of The Batman is due to premiere on September 22.

Suggested Viewing:

The Batman – The Complete First Season (DC Comics Kids Collection)
The Batman – The Complete Second Season (DC Comics Kids Collection)
Batman vs. Dracula
The Batman – The Complete Third Season (DC Comics Kids Collection)