Challenge of the Super Friends DVD collection -- Rhinotainment

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Date Posted: 14:45:43 07/22/04 Thu
Author: Hugh Jazz
Subject: Challenge of the Super Friends DVD collection

I just received this set this past weekend and I watched all 16 episodes and viewed all of the extra features. The cartoons brought back a ton of good memories from when I watched these animated gems as a child.

In 1978, the regular "Super Friends" of Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Robin and Aquaman were joined with other members of the Justice League, Flash, Green Lantern and Hawkman and by 3 newly created heroes, Samurai, Black Vulcan and Apache Chief. They did battle with a group of 13 villains, led by Superman nemesis Lex Luthor, as the Legion of Doom. This collection brings all of the episodes together on 2 DVDs and offers a small collection of extras.

The episodes hold up decently on the story-telling level, but the animation is, of course, subpar. What really shines here are the villains. They have the cool voices and ideas. They bicker among themselves for their inability to top the Super Friends. It's good stuff. A definite favorite is swamp zombie Solomon Grundy who talks like an angry George W. Bush. "I don't like Superman...now watch this drive!"

Most of the work with the heroes centers on the big three of Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman. Batman is not the Batman that most would come to know. He is a good problem-solver, but is basically worthless without his utility belt. There is no hand-to-hand combat in these episodes. The made-up guys are pretty much worthless, especially Samurai. Robin (voiced by top-40 countdown guru Casey Kasem - also the voice of Scooby Doo's Shaggy) says "holy" a lot. Some of the plot solutions are kind of cheap, but fun.

The extras are light, but enjoyable. There is commentary by comic book writers Geoff Johns and Mark Waid on the 1st and 16th episodes. Their comments are fun and whimsical and you can tell they are really having a ball viewing these cartoons again. Also included are small bios of all the heroes and villains with a small video of each one's highlights.

I'd rate it B+.

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