| Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Also known as | Super Friends VII |
| Genre | |
| Created by |
|
| Based on | Justice League by |
| Written by |
|
| Directed by |
|
| Creative director | Iwao Takamoto |
| Voices of |
|
| Narrated by | William Woodson |
| Theme music composer | Hoyt Curtin |
| Composers |
|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 8 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | Kay Wright |
| Editors |
|
| Running time | 30 minutes (including commercials) |
| Production companies | |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Television Distribution |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | September 8, 1984 – August 31, 1985 |
Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 1984 to 1985 on ABC. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and is based on the Justice League and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics.[1]
Format[]
Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show was the first Super Friends series in a new format since 1979's The World's Greatest Super Friends.[2] Continuing the previous three years' policy of producing short stories, this series' format was two stories per half-hour, so all the separate stories were ten minutes long each. Furthermore, the Wonder Twins were largely supplanted as audience identification figures by Firestorm, a well established teenage superhero in the DC Comics Universe. However, continuing the trend from the "lost season" episodes, the Wonder Twins were paired with other Justice League members, as opposed to always teaming up with Wonder Woman or Batman & Robin. In "Case of The Shrinking Super Friends" they are teamed with Firestorm and Robin. In "Uncle Mxyzptlk" they work with Firestorm and Samurai. In "Village of The Lost Souls" they work with Wonder Woman and Apache Chief.
Toyline tie-in[]
Unlike previous series, Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show was produced to tie-in with the Super Powers Collection toyline produced by Kenner, hence the name change. The general story, as detailed in the mini-comics that accompanied the figures, was that the major heroes of Earth had teamed up to fight Darkseid and his villains.
Characters[]
Super Friends/Justice League of America[]
Thirteen heroes made up the Super Friends. They were:
- Superman
- Batman
- Robin
- Wonder Woman
- Green Lantern
- Firestorm
- Black Vulcan
- Gleek
- Apache Chief
- Samurai
- El Dorado
- Wonder Twins (Zan and Jayna)
According to DC writer/historian Mark Waid, Aquaman's sole appearance in The Legendary Super Powers Show comes via his appearance within the opening credits.[citation needed] The same is true for The Flash. This was the first time Wonder Woman was animated with the W symbol on her costume instead of the eagle design; this carried over into the final series, Galactic Guardians. Lynda Carter was unable to reprise this role for animation because she was busy with her singing career, commercials for Maybelline cosmetics, and television films. The series was also noteworthy for using Adam West as the voice of Batman, two decades after the end of his live action television series of Batman. West replaced Olan Soule and would continue through the subsequent Galactic Guardians series.
Villains[]
- Darkseid – Outside of the comic books for the first time, Darkseid was still attempting to conquer Earth (often with help from other villains), but also had a secondary goal, of making Wonder Woman his bride. Darkseid brought a degree of seriousness to a show that had largely lacked it.
- Kalibak – His appearance was not as brutish as in later TV incarnations, more like the original Jack Kirby design for the character. He was almost always depicted as boastful, dull-witted and ineffectual against the heroes.
- Desaad
- Brainiac – The mechanical version of Brainiac appeared in the episodes "The Wrath of Brainiac" and "The Village of Lost Souls". In "The Wrath of Brainiac," Brainiac reveals that he shed his earlier appearance when he worked alongside Darkseid.
- Mirror Master – Mirror Master appeared in an episode entitled "Reflections in Crime". The Flash does not appear in this episode. In the episode, Mirror Master sets about trapping the Super Friends in this particular episode inside mirrors called the sixth dimension. The Super Friends managed to escape and trap Mirror Master in a House of Mirrors.
- Lex Luthor – He appeared in the opening and the episodes "No Honor Among Super Thieves" (in which acquires his power suit from the comics of then), "Case of the Shrinking Super Friends" and "The Mask of Mystery".
- Mister Mxyzptlk – In this series, Mxyzptlk's name is pronounced as Miks-ill-plik (backwards, Kilp-ill-skim) and he takes to tormenting all the members of the team, even when Superman is absent.
- The Robber Baron and Sleeves
- Dollmaker
For this series, Lex Luthor and Brainiac were completely revamped to resemble their comic book counterparts.[citation needed]
List of episodes[]
Cast[]
- Jack Angel – Samurai
- René Auberjonois – DeSaad
- James Avery – Alien Auctioneer (in "Darkseid's Golden Trap"), Cromar (in "Darkseid's Golden Trap")
- Michael Bell – Zan, Gleek
- Gregg Berger – Benny the Bungler (in "Mr. Mxyzptlk and the Magic Lamp"), Ernie (in "Mr. Mxyzpltlk and the Magic Lamp)
- Arthur Burghardt – General Plankton (in "Mr. Mxyzptlk and the Magic Lamp")
- Howard Caine – Dr. Dan Corwin (in "Island of the Dinosoids"), King Timon (in "The Royal Ruse")
- Connie Cawlfield – Diana Prince / Wonder Woman
- Danny Dark – Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superman
- Fernando Escandon – El Dorado
- Patrick Fraley – Captain Mystery/Sidney Wanamaker (in "Mask of Mystery"), Bank Guard (in "Mask of Mystery"), Remlar (in "The Curator")
- Liz Georges – Little Superman (in "Uncle Mxyzptlk")
- Buster Jones – Black Vulcan
- Stan Jones – Lex Luthor, Robber Baron (in "Mask of Mystery"), Sleeves (in "Mask of Mystery")
- Casey Kasem – Dick Grayson / Robin , Mirror Master (in "Reflections in Crime")
- Mary McDonald-Lewis – Lois Lane
- Mickey McGowan – Princess Tara (in "The Royal Ruse")
- Stanley Ralph Ross – Brainiac
- Michael Rye – Apache Chief, Hal Jordan / Green Lantern, Dr. Dan Corwin's Assistant (in "Island of the Dinosoids")
- Olan Soule – Professor Martin Stein
- Mark Taylor – Ronald Raymond/Firestorm
- Dick Tufeld - Announcer
- B.J. Ward - Jayna
- Frank Welker – Uxas / Darkseid, Kalibak, Mister Mxyzptlk, Trucker (in "The Wrath of Brainiac"), Inspector Throckmorton (in "Mr. Mxyzptlk and the Magic Lamp"), Dollmaker (in "The Case of the Dreadful Dolls")
- Adam West – Bruce Wayne / Batman
- Bill Woodson - Narrator
Note: Beginning with this version, Adam West replaced Olan Soule as the voice of Batman.
Crew[]
- Gordon Hunt - Recording Director
- Mitch Schauer - Title Design, Story Director
Production credits[]
- Producer: Kay Wright
- Story Editors: Alan Burnett, Jeff Segal
- Supervising Director: Ray Patterson
- Director: Oscar Dufau
- Assistant Director: Jay Sarbry
- Story Direction: Bill Barry, Michael Maliani, Lew Saw, Mitch Schauer, Kay Wright
- Recording Director: Gordon Hunt
- Animation Casting Director: Ginny McSwain
- Voices: Jack Angel, René Auberjonois, James Avery, Michael Bell, Gregg Berger, Arthur Burghardt, Howard Caine, Connie Cawlfield, Danny Dark, Fernando Escandon, Pat Fraley, Liz Georges, Buster Jones, Stanley Jones, Casey Kasem, Mary McDonald Lewis, Mickie McGowan, Howard Morris, Kathy Najimy, Stanley Ralph Ross, Michael Rye, Olan Soule, Mark Taylor, B.J. Ward, Frank Welker, Adam West, Bill Woodson
- Title Design: Mitch Schauer
- Graphics: Iraj Paran, Tom Wogatzke
- Musical Director: Hoyt Curtin
- Musical Supervisor: Paul DeKorte
- Creative Producer: Iwao Takamoto
- Design Supervisor: Bob Singer
- Character Design: Geoff Darrow, Gabriel Hoyos, Lew Ott
- Animation Supervisors: Sean Newton, Don Spencer,Roger Chiasson, Don Patterson,
- Sound Direction: Alvy Dorman, Phil Flad
- Camera: Bob Marples
- Supervising Film Editor: Larry C. Cowan
- Dubbing Supervisor: Pat Foley
- Music Editors: Cecil Broughton, Daniels McLean, Terry Moore, Joe Sandusky
- Effects Editors: Michael Bradley, David Cowan, Mary Gleason, Jon Johnson, Carol Lewis, Catherine MacKenzie, Kerry Williams, Jerry Winicki
- Show Editor: Gil Iverson
- Negative Consultant: William E. DeBoer
- Post Production Supervisor: Joed Eaton
- Production Coordinator: Peter Aries
- Production Manager: James Wang
- Executives In Charge of Production: Jayne Barbera and Jean MacCurdy
- Supervising Executive Producer: Margaret Loesch
Home media[]
- On August 7, 2007, Warner Home Video (via DC Entertainment, Hanna-Barbera Productions and Warner Bros. Family Entertainment) released The Complete Series of Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show on DVD, featuring all 16 episodes of the eighth Hanna-Barbera-produced Super Friends series on a 2-Disc DVD boxed set, uncut and unedited, presented in its original broadcast presentation and original airdate order.[3]
| DVD name | Ep No. | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| The Complete Series | 16 | August 7, 2007 |
See also[]
- Super Powers Collection
References[]
- ↑ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 802-804. ISBN 978-1476665993.
- ↑ Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 606-610. ISBN 978-1538103739.
- ↑ Cyrenne, Randall (2007-09-30). "Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show: The Complete Series • Animated Views". Animated-views.com. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
{{cite web}}:
External links[]
- Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show at Big Cartoon DataBase
- Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show at the Internet Movie Database
- Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show at TV.com
| Super Friends | ||
|---|---|---|
| Television series | Super Friends (1973) • The All-New Super Friends Hour (1977) • Challenge of the Super Friends (1978) • The World's Greatest Super Friends (1979) • Super Friends (1980)
| |
| Heroes | Apache Chief • Aquaman • The Atom • Batman • Black Vulcan • Cyborg • El Dorado • Firestorm • The Flash • Gleek • Green Lantern • Hawkgirl • Hawkman • Rima The Jungle Girl • Robin • Samurai • Superman • Wendy and Marvin • Wonder Dog • Wonder Twins • Wonder Woman | |
| Villains | Legion of Doom | Bizarro • Black Manta • Brainiac • Captain Cold • Cheetah • Giganta • Gorilla Grodd • Lex Luthor • The Riddler • The Scarecrow • Sinestro • Solomon Grundy • Toyman |
| General | Darkseid • DeSaad • Kalibak • Mirror Master • Mister Mxyzptlk • Paradrones • Time Trapper | |
| Merchandise | Super Powers Collection • Super Powers Minicomics | |
| Miscellania | The Superman/Batman Adventures • The Hall of Justice • List of Super Friends episodes | |
| Children's programming on the American Broadcasting Company in the 1980s | ||
|---|---|---|
| First-run animated series |
The World's Greatest Super Friends (1979–80) • The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show (Mighty Man and Yukk) • Fangface • Rickety Rocket) (1979–80) • Spider-Woman (1979–80) • Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo (1979–80) • Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels (1977–80) • Super Friends (1980-82) • The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang (1980–82) • Richie Rich (1980–84) • Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo (shorts) (1980–82) • Thundarr the Barbarian (1980–82) • The Heathcliff and Dingbat Show (1980–82) • Laverne & Shirley in the Army (1981–82) • Goldie Gold and Action Jack (1981–82) • Pac-Man (1982–84) • The Little Rascals (1982–84) • Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour (1982–83) • The Scooby & Scrappy-Doo/Puppy Hour (1982–83) • The Puppy's Further Adventures (1982–84) • Monchhichis (1983–84) • Rubik, the Amazing Cube (1983–84) • The Littles (1983–86) • Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show (1984–85) • Mighty Orbots (1984–85) • Turbo Teen (1984–85) • Dragon's Lair (1984–85) • Wolf Rock TV (1984-85) • The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show/The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries (1983–85) • Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears (1985–90) • Ewoks (1985–87) • Droids (1985–86) • The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (1985–86) • The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo (1985) • Pound Puppies (1986–88) • The Care Bears Family (1986–88) • The Flintstone Kids (1986–88, 1989) • The Real Ghostbusters (1986–91) • My Pet Monster (1987–88) • Little Clowns of Happytown (1987-88) • Little Wizards (1987-88) • The New Adventures of Beany and Cecil (1988) • The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1988–1991) • A Pup Named Scooby-Doo (1988–91) • Beetlejuice (1989–92) | |
| First-run live-action series |
ABC Weekend Special (1977–97) • American Bandstand (1957–87) • Animals, Animals, Animals (1976–81) • Kids Are People Too (1978–82) • Menudo on ABC (1983–85) • ABC Funfit (1985) • ABC Fun Facts (1988) | |
| Rebroadcasts | The Best of Scooby-Doo (1983–84) • The Bugs Bunny Show (1985–2000) • Scary Scooby Funnies (1984–85) • Scooby's Mystery Funhouse (1985–86) • Pink Panther and Sons (1986) • The Wuzzles (1986–87) | |
| Related | Animation in the United States in the television era • Modern animation in the United States | |
| The New Gods | ||
|---|---|---|
| Creator | Jack Kirby | |
| Inhabitants of New Genesis | Bekka • Big Barda • Forager • Forever People • Highfather • Lightray • Orion • Mister Miracle • Takion | |
| Inhabitants of Apokolips | Darkseid • DeSaad • Devilance • Doctor Bedlam • Female Furies (Bernadeth • Lashina • Mad Harriet • Stompa) • Glorious Godfrey • Granny Goodness • Grayven • Kanto • Mantis • Parademons (Pharzoof) • Steppenwolf • Virman Vundabar | |
| Other characters | Black Racer • Infinity-Man • Metron • Shilo Norman • Oberon • Sonny Sumo | |
| Locations | New Genesis • Apokolips | |
| Storylines | Jack Kirby's Fourth World • The Great Darkness Saga • Legends • Cosmic Odyssey • Genesis • Countdown to Final Crisis • Death of the New Gods • Final Crisis | |
| In other media | Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show (1984–1985) • The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (1985–1986) • Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010) • Smallville (season 10) (2010–2011) • DC Universe Online • Steppenwolf (DC Extended Universe) | |
| Related articles | Anti-Life Equation • Boom tube • Eternals • Mother Box • The Source | |
| Animated TV series based on DC Comics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Former | 1960s debuts | The New Adventures of Superman (1966–1970) • The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure (1967–1968) • Aquaman (1968–1970) • The Batman/Superman Hour (1968–1969) |
| 1970s debuts | Super Friends (1973) • The New Adventures of Batman (1977) • The All-New Super Friends Hour (1977) • Challenge of the Super Friends (1978) • The World's Greatest Super Friends (1979) • The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show (1979–1981) | |
| 1980s debuts | Super Friends (1980–1983) • The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam! (1981–1982) • Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show (1984) • The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (1985) • Superman (1988) | |
| 1990s debuts | Swamp Thing (1990–1991) • Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995) • Wild C.A.T.s (1994–1995) • Superman: The Animated Series (1996–2000) • The New Batman/Superman Adventures (1997–2000) • The New Batman Adventures (1997–1999) • Batman Beyond (1999–2001) | |
| 2000s debuts | Static Shock (2000–2004) • The Zeta Project (2001–2002) • Justice League (2001–2004) • Teen Titans (2003–2006) • Justice League Unlimited (2004–2006) • The Batman (2004–2008) • Krypto the Superdog (2005–2006) • Legion of Super Heroes (2006–2008) • Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2008–2011) | |
| 2010s debuts | Green Lantern: The Animated Series (2011–2013) • Beware the Batman (2013–2014) • Justice League: Gods and Monsters Chronicles (2015) | |
| Current | Young Justice (2010–2013, 2018–) • Teen Titans Go! (2013–) • Vixen (2015–) • Justice League Action (2016–) | |