SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 103 Min.
From Warner Home Video in 2008 is this collection of nine archival cartoons (approximately seven minutes per episode) from Filmation’s 1967 TV adaptation of DC Comics. Plus, there is a 40-minute featurette on Filmation founder/animator Lou Scheimer. With the exception of a credited writer, no other credits are included. The episodes are:
- Hawkman: Peril from Pluto (written by George Kashdan). Katar Hol’s Hawkman intercepts an invisible destruction ray, which he traces back to the villain’s observatory on Pluto. Of course, the ray is the first step towards an invasion of Earth.
- Hawkman: A Visit to Venus (written by George Kashdan). As Hawkman, Katar Hol must rescue three astronauts abducted by mind-controlling alien raiders on planet Venus.
- Hawkman: The Twenty-Third Dimension (written by Dennis Marks). Banished to a crystal-like dimension, Hawkman must escape to thwart a duo of trouble-making imps from planet Jupiter.
- Justice League of America: (In) Between Two Armies (written by George Kashdan). Superman; Green Lantern; Flash; Atom; and Hawkman thwart a hostile feud between Mercury’s ‘Crystal Men’ and alien rock-men.
- Justice League of America: Target Earth (no writing credit). Yet another alien invasion (this time, Earth is being pulled closer to the sun) forces Green Lantern; Superman; Hawkman; Atom; and Flash to split up on different missions to save the world.
- Justice League of America: Bad Day on Black Mountain (written by Dennis Marks). Threatening to expose their secret identities and destroy the Justice League, the evil Mastermind abducts Superman, Atom, and the Flash. Completing their own mission, Hawkman & Green Lantern try to save their teammates. Superman ensures that Mastermind grimly meets a deserving fate.
Note: Despite his billing in the Justice League’s intro, Aquaman isn’t included in these three adventures.
- Teen Titans: The Monster Machine (written by George Kashdan). Kid Flash; Wonder Girl; Speedy; and Aqualad take on sea robots sent in advance of an alien invasion.
- Teen Titans: The Space Beast Round-Up (written by George Kashdan). Wonder Girl; Aqualad; Kid Flash; and Speedy must trap three escaped space dinosaurs.
- Teen Titans: Operation Rescue (written by George Kashdan). Wonder Girl and Kid Flash rescue Aqualad, Speedy, an explorer; and the explorer’s young son from mutated, horned men.
REVIEW:
In terms of nostalgic value, these formulaic cartoons are worth perusing maybe once. The cheap animation is primitive, as compared to later Filmation projects, like the animated Star Trek, The New Adventures of Batman, and He-Man & The Masters of Universe.
Predictably, with only seven minutes to work with, don’t expect to see any personality development, as the characters are essentially all talking cardboard. While dialogue for these DC heroes is virtually interchangeable, one notices that a bossy Superman considers himself the leader of this Justice League. Another notable exception is the Titans’ propensity for corny nicknames for one another. Like Volume 1, the stock plot is a never-ending series of generic alien invasions, as there isn’t an actual DC villain in sight. Frankly, there isn’t much here, though the content is safe for kids eight and under as a low-key precursor to Hanna-Barbera’s Super-Friends.
BONUS FEATURES:
Available languages and sub-titles are in English (for the hearing-impaired) and Portuguese. A forty-minute featurette, “Lou Scheimer, Animation Maverick,” poignantly explores Filmation’s co-founder and his impact on modern television animation. Trailers appear for Scooby Doo & the Goblin King; It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown; Popeye & Friends, Vol. 1; LEGO Batman (the video game); Smurfs, Vol. 2; & Tiny Toons – Season 1, Vol. 1 and Freakazoid – Season 1.
PACKAGING:
With the exception of Aquaman’s deceptive appearance, the DVD case provides a fair listing of its contents. The cover artwork is also noticeably better than the faded animation quality.
Note: There’s a visual goof, as Hanna-Barbera’s Birdman (instead of Hawkman) is included on the menu screens.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 3½ Stars
Note: Volume 1 showcases more episodes from 1967: specifically, of the Atom, Flash, & Green Lantern in solo action.
