1973: original show
1 "The Power Pirate" September 8, 1973
Super Friends must stop power outage disasters and figure out who is the Power Pirate and how Sir Cedric [Special Inspector with Scotland Yard] fits into the picture.
2 "The Baffles Puzzle" September 15, 1973
Wonder Dog's almond allergy is evident whenever paintings are stolen. Dabney and Darvey, the two brutes Professor Baffles works for, hold him captive after he refuses to go along with their more sinister plans.
3 "Professor Goodfellow’s G.E.E.C." September 22, 1973
Goodfellows Effort Eliminating Computer invention, which runs all machines . The G.E.E.C. computer eventually goes berserk and the Justice League of America get the one member who could assist them in this situation, Plastic Man.
4 "The Weather Maker" September 29, 1973
Man from North Pole shifts the Gulf Stream with a jet nozzle from to warm the climate at his dreadfully cold country.
5 "Dr. Pelagian’s War" October 6, 1973
Colonel Wilcox asks the Superfriends to round up the 3 industrialists who refuse to attend a meeting about pollution. An ecoterrorist named Dr. Pelagian has terrorized these three industrialists in an attempt to frighten them into stopping their polluting.
6 "The Shamon ‘U’" October 13, 1973
Dr. Simian Shamon plans to use his giant metallic “U” to mine the skies for gold meteorites. However, the after-effects of Dr. Shamon’s sky mining caused a green and red mist called Shamonite which caused animals, plants, and non-organic objects to either grow or shrink respectively including Wonder Dog.
7 "Too Hot To Handle" October 20, 1973
With temperatures rising all over the Earth, Colonel Wilcox informs the Super Friends that the rise in temperature is more than a mere heat wave. The junior Super Friends notice a strange man who’s dressed in heavy warm winter clothes. They find out he comes from the planet Solartararium and was trying to find another hot planet for his people to live on when their planet cooled off too heavily because of pollution. Superman, Aquaman, the Junior members, and the Flash journey to Solartararium to clean up the planet.
8 "The Androids" October 27, 1973
After a rocket came plunging back to Earth and crashed, Colonel Wilcox informs the Super Friends that the astronauts are missing. When Colonel Wilcox and the Super Friends investigated the scene they found a tape recording from a man named Dr. Rebos that said all further space exploration must cease including the top secret Venus probe mission. He takes pictures so he can make an android double of Wonder Dog to infiltrate the space station and destroy the mission, and later a robot of Superman, to destroy the Mars space station.
9 "The Balloon People" November 3, 1973
A family of aliens from the planet Balunia leave their polluted planet for a home on Earth. After their flying saucer lands, the balloon people are befriended by the Super Friends. However, the news reports of these unusual guests prompt ambitious scholar Noah Tall to devise a plan to capture the balloon people, and keep the Superfriends away using distractions such "cloud busters" to flood areas with rain.
10 "The Fantastic Frerps" November 10, 1973
King Plasto steals raw plastic powder to create Frerp, a special plastic which he uses to confound the Super Friends. The king has been intercepting every shipment of the powder on its way to the government space research station in order to use it to build his own kingdom. Every object is hatched out of mysterious initialed eggs.
—My favorite, because of the whole plot with the eggs and the mayhem they create.
11 "The Ultra Beam" November 17, 1973
The Super Friends search for a mysterious blue jet that is emitting a blue beam that is destroying gold and creating other disasters. The pilots of the blue jet are Hank and Ben, two scientists who are destroying gold (turning it into quarks to convert to other useful minerals), with the belief that gold is the root of all evil.
12 "The Menace of the White Dwarf" November 24, 1973
The Super Friends investigate when certain objects disappear and are placed elsewhere. Our heroes are dismayed to discover that a white dwarf is responsible for the disappearances. The culprit behind the white dwarf is Raven, a dangerous scientist from another planet, who values science over human life. Raven has escaped the prison specially designed to hold a genius like himself, and he has a personal vendetta against Superman for putting him there. Raven operates from an artificial island in the sky, and he's been trying to purchase a green stone from the sky from the Martingales, a hillbilly family that refuses to sell it. The stone is none other than Kryptonite, Superman's most deadly weakness. Raven eventually proceeds to put Superman on trial.
13 "The Mysterious Moles" December 1, 1973
Important research projects have been closed down, and the Super Friends are called in to find and restore disappearing air conditioning units. The Super Friends' mission leads then into a strange new subterranean world discovered by a pair of spelunkers. They are forced to fight the creatures of that world, animated trees and rocks.
14 "Gulliver’s Gigantic Goof" December 8, 1973
Using his micro-wave reducer, mad Dr. Hiram Gulliver shrinks all adults- including the Superfriends- to two inches tall to help the population problem (by saving resources), and also to rule over them. The Green Arrow joins the Superfriends to stop him and to return things to normal.
15 "The Planet Splitter" December 15, 1973
The Super Friends are alerted when a mysterious red light shines on diamonds and then vanishes. Our heroes discover that in the process, the diamonds are stolen and are replaced by imitations. Dr. LaBond, a misguided scientist and his "trusted" assistant Wilbur, are stealing diamonds to power the Planet Spitter, an invention which LaBond has perfected for the purpose of splitting a planet and using half of it to serve as a second moon with the hopes of providing Earth with more natural resources. The center portion of this episode tells the origin of Superman, as narrated by Marvin, in hopes of dissuading Dr. LaBond and Wilbur from proceeding with their plans.
16 "The Watermen" December 22, 1973
A mysterious red tide appears in the ocean that upsets the ecological balance of the sea. It is the work of Holo and Zara, a pair of water people from another planet who are trying to gather enough silicon to get their mother ship, inhabited by the rest of their people home.
1 "The Brain Machine" September 10, 1977
Wonder Woman, Batman and Robin meet up with a misguided genius, Dr. Cranum, and his Brain Machine.
"Joy Ride"
The Wonder Twins and space monkey Gleek have to teach some youngsters a lesson about the dangers of joyriding in an airplane.
"Invasion of the Earthors" (half hour main feature)
The Super Friends match wits and skills in an underground adventure against the mysterious mining monsters known as the Earthors.
"The Whirlpool"
Aquaman and special guest Black Vulcan find themselves facing the force of a shipwrecking whirlpool.
2 "The Secret Four" September 17, 1977
Superman, Batman and Robin are outnumbered but not outsmarted when they change the plans of the mysterious Secret Four.
"Tiger on the Loose"
The Wonder Twins and Gleek point out the error of jumping to conclusions as they tackle an escaped tiger (and try to end the confusion on how the tiger got out in the first place).
"The Mysterious Time Creatures" (half hour main feature)
The Super Friends combine their superheroics in an all-out conflict with the evil scientist Dictor and the mysterious Time Creatures.
"The Antidote"
An earthquake occurs in India, where the tremors force many cobras out into the open where they bite villagers, exhausting India's antivenom supply. Wonder Woman and Apache Chief go to India and learn a gigantic cobra called Kataru lives in a jungle temple, whom they must milk for its venom in order to make antivenom, or else hundreds of people will soon die.
3 "Invasion of the Hydronoids" September 24, 1977
Aquaman, Batman and Robin meet the menacing Hydronoids in a struggle to save the world from their evil invasion.
"Hitchhike"
The Wonder Twins and space monkey Gleek have a serious problem on their hands when they use their Exxor powers to detour the dangers of hitchhiking when a girl doing so is kidnapped.
"City in a Bottle" (half hour main feature)
The Super Friends travel to a far-off frozen planet to rescue an entire Earth city stolen by the marauding Mongor.
"Space Emergency"
Wonder Woman with special guests Hawkman and Hawkgirl use their special skills in a space emergency.
4 "Doctor Fright" October 1, 1977
Superman and Wonder Woman show no fear when they meet up with the terrifying Doctor Fright.
"Drag Race"
The Wonder Twins, Zan and Jayna, and Gleek have to teach a lesson about the dangers of street drag racing.
"Day of the Plant Creatures" (half hour main feature)
The Super Friends must call on their skills to overcome the perils of monstrous plant creatures.
—ETB Note: with the old TV I grew up on, I could have sworn (no pun intended) that the computer at the end tells Gleek "Stop f___ing around with the tape reel". I 'knew' that couldn't possibly be the case, but only more recently heard it more clearly as "stop monkeying around...".
"Fire"
Batman, Robin and special guest Rima battle a raging forest fire and find two escaped juvenile convicts.
5 "The Monster Of Dr. Droid" October 8, 1977
Superman and Wonder Woman go on an electrifying adventure when they meet the marauding monster of Dr. Droid.
"Vandals"
The Wonder Twins and Gleek have a few special tricks up their sleeve when a couple of thoughtless students turn into school vandals.
"Super Friends Vs. Super Friends" (half hour main feature)
The Super Friends find themselves in critical combat against each other when they become captives of Tyrannic, the ruler of the underseas world of Oceana.
"Energy Mass"
Batman and Robin with special guest Atom are called on the save a speeding passenger train that has been taken over by a critical energy mass.
6 "The Enforcer" October 15, 1977
Upon encountering a man named Garth-1 on a South Pacific Island, Wonder Woman and Aquaman head to his home Arcava (an underground city within a deserted South Pacific Island) to help free his people from an evil dictator called the Enforcer.
"Shark"
The Wonder Twins, Zan and Jayna, must save two boys that are trapped underwater by a shark.
"Planet of the Neanderthals" (half hour main feature)
An evil scientist known as Barko devolves Earth back to a prehistoric planet and brings Neanderthals under his command to the present, which will remain so unless the Super Friends can stop him and retrieve the machine responsible for this from the prehistoric times it was placed in. With the help of Skylab, they build a time tunnel and bring his device back, restoring the world.
"Flood Of Diamonds"
Aquaman and Green Lantern head to Africa to save trapped miners in a diamond mine that is slowly flooding.
7 "The Invisible Menace" October 22, 1977
Superman and Aquaman discover a deep down mystery of sinister submarines and sea life as they battle the Invisible Menace.
"Initiation"
The Wonder Twins and Gleek excel with Exxorian powers when they have to bring a dangerous initiation stunt to a safe ending.
"Coming of the Arthropods" (half hour main feature)
The Super Friends zoom off in an all out struggle against invading insects from a far off planet, for the entire Earth is threatened by the coming of the Arthropods, led by the evil Insecta.
"River Of Doom"
Flying over jungle rain forests, Wonder Woman and Rima search for some missing scientists who are about to become victims of the River of Doom.
8 "Attack of the Giant Squid" October 29, 1977
Superman and Aquaman find themselves entangled in a deep-sea mystery when they meet the tentacled attack of a giant squid.
"Game Of Chicken"
The Wonder Twins, and their space monkey Gleek, teach some young people the serious dangers of playing the foolish game of "Chicken".
"The Water Beast" (half hour main feature)
It's the Super Friends' problem when trouble surfaces on the high seas. All are in trouble from the menace of the deep, the marauding Manta and his terrifying water beast.
"Volcano"
Superman and special guest hero, Samurai, face the heat of a volcano in making a dangerous rescue of space aliens too paranoid of the natives to request help.
9 "The Collector" November 5, 1977
Superman and Wonder Woman save priceless treasures and monuments from the greedy grasp of the Collector, who has invented a device that turns objects into photographs and plans to do this to various monuments and artworks to protect the items from decay, destruction and vandalism.
"Handicap"
The Wonder Twins and Gleek help teach a lesson in courage when they rescue a boy from the wreckage of an overturned van.
"The Mind Maidens" (half hour main feature)
The Super Friends must use all of their superpowers in order to overcome the mental mischief of Medula and her power-hungry plans to eradicate all men so women led by her can rule the world.
"Alaska Peril"
Batman and Robin and special guest Apache Chief head toward the Northern Lakes to save an expedition from a giant snow creature.
10 "The Fifty Foot Woman" November 12, 1977
A woman named Professor Amy Zhan makes a super strength potion which turns her into a 50-foot woman. Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman must look up to the incredible femme fatale and find a way to bring this 50-foot woman back to normal size. Professor Zhan tries to make Batman drink it but she is stopped when her assistant sprays her with the antidote.
"Cheating"
The Wonder Twins and Gleek teach a lesson in honesty when a double-crossing cross-country runner has a misadventure in cheating.
"Exploration Earth" (half hour main feature)
A sinister space probe from planet Zeno visits Earth to capture people and objects for scientific study. The Super Friends must stop "Exploration Earth".
"Attack of the Killer Bees"
Aquaman and special guest superhero Samurai use super teamwork to save an African village from the attack of the killer bees.
11 "Forbidden Power" November 19, 1977
Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman must save the world from the mysterious mutants of the space sphere and its forbidden power.
"Pressure Point"
The Wonder Twins and Gleek travel into the hot desert to cool the dangerous canyon-jumping stunts of some reckless motorcyclists.
"The Lion Men" (half hour main feature)
A spaceship controlled by mysterious Lionmen probes for minerals and starts an earth shaking process that splits our planet into pieces. Will the Super Friends meet the challenge?
"Day of the Rats"
An expiremental electronic device turns sewer rats mad. Can Batman, Robin and Black Vulcan save Gotham from The Day of the Rats?
12 "The Man Beasts Of Xra" November 26, 1977
Superman, Batman and Robin have to save society from the outrageous genetic experiments of a mixed-up scientist and her half-human half-animal beasts.
"Prejudice"
The Wonder Twins and Gleek have to teach a serious lesson in brotherhood when the ugliness of prejudice gets some young people into trouble.
—Person comes right out and voices his dislike for blacks. Unprecedented on cartoons!
"The Tiny World Of Terror" (half hour main feature)
The Super Friends have to do some big thinking when the world is endangered by a shrinking machine in the hands of a greedy inventor.
"Tibetan Raiders"
The passengers of a disabled aircraft stranded in rural Tibet get instant attention as Superman and superhero Flash rush to save them from Tibetan raiders.
13 "Frozen Peril" December 3, 1977
Superman and Aquaman turn the heat on the sinister Sculpin's plans to freeze the world's oceans so he can sell their thawed water to desert countries.
"Dangerous Prank"
The Wonder Twins and Gleek have to save a girl from the perils of a dangerous prank played by some thoughtless companions.
"The Mummy Of Nazca" (half hour main feature)
The Super Friends are called into action when the weird Professor Korloff brings a mysterious mummy to life to steal a cosmic power source for himself.
"Cable Car Rescue"
Wonder Woman and Atom swing into action to save a cable car load of passengers caught in a high wind over a treacherous terrain.
14 "The Marsh Monster" December 10, 1977
Superman, Batman and Robin move into action when an inventor's valuable plans are put in peril by the terrorizing tactics of a mysterious Marsh Monster.
"The Runaways"
The far from home Wonder Twins and Gleek try to rescue some misguided teenagers who face trouble when they decide to become runaways.
"Will The World Collide?" (half hour main feature)
The Super Friends exhibit all their bravery against the super sinister scheme of vengeful Professor Fearo and the threat of a world collision.
"Time Rescue"
A scientist finds trouble when a time machine puts him 2000 years into the future and he is captured by desert slavers. Superman, Hawkman and Hawkgirl come to his rescue.
—Note: The design of this episode seems based on Tatooine from that year's Star Wars.
15 "The Protector" December 17, 1977
Batman, Robin and Aquaman put to sea in an effort to end the pirating and pillaging of Captain Shark and his immobilizing ray.
"Stowaways"
The Wonder Twins activate their special powers to save a couple of girls who try an ill-advised adventure as stowaways.
"The Ghost" (half hour main feature)
The Super Friends tackle the supernatural when the Ghost of Gentleman Jim, a villain from the past, is freed from his imprisonment and wants to take revenge on Superman and Wonder Woman for imprisoning his spirit by threatening the world with his ghostly fate if they don't surrender themselves to him. Superman and Wonder Woman get turned into ghosts.
"Rampage"
In India, Superman and Green Lantern have their hands full when a huge, wild, white elephant tears through jungles and villages on a rampage-looking for its baby.
Superfriends vs the Legion of Doom:
1 "Wanted: The Super Friends" September 9, 1978
Lex Luthor forms a criminal gang called "The Legion of Doom" and uses a dream-machine to make the Super Friends commit crimes. When the Super Friends are forced to turn themselves into police headquarters, the guards reveal themselves to be Bizzaro and Cheetah who send the Super Friends to the sun while the Legion of Doom commit profitable robberies.
2 "Invasion of the Fearians" September 16, 1978
Captain Cold recruits the Fearians (inhibitants of Venus) to help the Legion of Doom take over the world and destroy the Super Friends. The Fearians say that the Legion has to make the environment suitable for Fearian life-forms first so, Captain Cold freezes the world and when Flash defrosts it, great quantities of steam making the temperature higher, Black Manta sets fire to an island and when Aquaman uses a great tidal wive to put out the flames, the water floods inlands, making more plants grow and finally, Sinestro sends comets to the Earth and when Green Lantern moves the earth out of its usual orbit place to save it, the temperature rises even higher. The Fearians can now enter Earth.
3 "The World’s Deadliest Game" September 23, 1978
Brainiac uses a cloaking device to make the Earth look to disappear and when Hawkman, Wonder Woman and Black Vulcan are in space trying to find the earth, Toyman sends a phony distress message that leads them to his sinister planet of toy traps while The Riddler uses his super-riddles to lead the other Super Friends on a wild goose-chase that sends them to their doom.
4 "The Time Trap" September 30, 1978
Gorilla Grodd invents a time conveyor to allow anyone to travel through time. Black Manta and Giganta trap Aquaman and Apache Chief in 70,000,000 B.C and rob the diamond mines of South Africa, Sinestro and Captain Cold trap Green Lantern and Samurai in 500 A.D and rob King Arthur while Grodd and Solomon Grundy trap Batman and Robin in Ancient Rome and rob Caesar, the emperor; framing the Superfriends for all fo these crimes.
5 "Trial of the Super Friends" October 7, 1978
Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern guard the liquid light in the Astro Chemical Research Plant. Cheetah secretly steals Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth, Brainiac steals Green Lantern's power ring and Scarecrow steals Batman and Robin's utility belts. The villains escape and the Hall of Doom puts the four heroes on a kangaroo trial and Sinestro uses the power devices stolen by the three villains as proof to prove the Super Friends are guilty. Brainiac punishes them by making them fight his android duplicates of them.
6 "Monolith Of Evil" October 14, 1978
Solomon Grundy convinces the Legion of Doom to find a "Monolith of Evil" which gives them tremendous power. The Riddler tricks the Super Friends into "helping" them retrieve it.
7 "The Giants Of Doom" October 21, 1978
Bizzaro creates a "giant ray" that turns himself, Sinestro, Toyman and Captain Cold into giants and each of them take over a continent in the world.
8 "Secret Origins of the Super Friends" October 28, 1978
Lex Luthor proposes to the Legion of Doom to travel back in time and prevent the strongest Superfriends: Superman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman from existing. Cheetah cheats in a tournament and becomes Wonder Woman, Lex Luthor becomes Green Lantern and the Legion of Doom alter baby Kal-El's spaceship away from Earth. The other Super Friends also travel back in time and rectify Luthor's meddling.
9 "Revenge On Gorilla City" November 4, 1978
Gorilla Grodd uses Brainiac's brain-wave amplifiers which can control anyone in a 100-mile radius and uses it to take over Gorilla City (a society of super-intelligent apes).
10 "Swamp of the Living Dead" November 11, 1978
The Legion of Doom makes a deal with an old swamp sorceress and her demon - An equivalent amount of the power of good in exchange for an equivalent amount of the power of evil. In order to gain that power of evil, the Legion decides to give the demon the Super Friends as the power of good.
11 "Conquerors of the Future" November 18, 1978
The Legion of Doom travels far into the future to finally conquer the universe.
12 "The Final Challenge" November 25, 1978
Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Black Manta, Cheetah, Scarecrow, Riddler, Batman, Apache Chief, Bizzaro and Superman are sent to another universe to engage in a series of contests and the losers will be eliminated while the other Super Friends and Legion of Doom team up to search for their missing colleagues.
13 "Fairy Tale Of Doom" December 2, 1978 Toyman develops a device that can project anyone into the pages of a storybook. He forces Hawkman to chase him into Jack and the Beanstalk, Cheetah forces Wonder Woman to chase her into Alice in Wonderland and Brainiac forces Superman to chase him into Gulliver's Travels and the three villains trap the three Super Friends in the three treacherous fairy tales.
14 "Doomsday" December 9, 1978
The Legion of Doom deserts Sinestro, Black Manta and Cheetah after a failed mission and the three villains decide to "punish" the Legion of Doom for betrayal.
15 "Super Friends: Rest in Peace" December 16, 1978
The Legion of Doom uses a crystal called "Noxium" to kill all of the Super Friends.
16 "History Of Doom" December 23, 1978
In an unexplained catastrophe, the Superfriends have failed and Earth is now devoid of life. Three mystical individuals visit the now-ruined Hall of Justice and see a recording from a weakened Superman, last survivor of the Superfriends, showing how the Legion of Doom were formed, and how the earth was destroyed. The three extraterrestrials see if there is a way to undo everything and give good another chance.
—The companion to "Secret Origins of the Superfriends", showing the origins of several of the Legion of Doom, like the old giant comic book I had. Also shows clips of earlier episodes: "Giants of Doom" and "Revenge on Gorilla City"
1 "Rokan: Enemy from Space" September 9, 1978
From the edge of the Milky Way, a winged creature named Rokan speeds toward Earth. Superman confronts the beast and realizes it’s Rokan, a beast from Krypton which was thought to be extinct and since Rokan is from Krypton she has the exact same powers as Superman. Escaping, the creature wreaks Havoc on Earth. The Super Friends attempt stop to stop Rokan by chasing her and her babies away with Kryptonite.
2 "The Demons of Exxor" September 16, 1978
The Wonder Twins agree to help Exxor defeat Darkon, a conqueror who has taken over Exxor and made its inhabitants his slaves. With the Wonder Twins captured by Darkon, Batman & Robin must free the twin heroes as the other Super Friends tackle Darkon and his troopers.
3 "Battle at the Earth’s Core" September 23, 1978
While sailing with Captain Pierre Marcel, the Wonder Twins and Gleek get sucked in a whirlpool. After receiving a distress call from the Wonder Twins, the rest of the Super Friends search for the twins only to get pulled in the whirlpool themselves. They emerge in a Wonder Land that is below the Earth’s crust. The Super Friends must now search for the Wonder Twins and rescue them.
—I hated the way the subterranean world was destroyed by the ocean pouring in from above. A similar thing happened on a Godzilla cartoon episode this same season, with a sort of air bubble under the sea. The tar creature and some other villains from this season would be shown on the following season's opening.
4 "Sinbad and the Space Pirates" September 30, 1978
Traveling from space, three pirate ships make their way towards Earth and start stealing treasures.
5 "The Pied Piper from Space" October 7, 1978
Traveling from a distant corner of the universe, a fleet of unidentified ships head towards Earth to hypnotize all children (including the Wonder Twins) and gather them to Monument Valley, AZ. Superman and Wonder Woman get trapped inside the space craft as it heads to the Anti-Matter Universe. The Super Friends must now rescue the cargo of children and the Wonder Twins from slavery by an evil genius on the Planet Nofan and bring them safely home to Earth.
—Like last season's "Mind Maidens" redone with children being hypnotized instead of women. One of the children's name is "Eric", which was the first time I saw someone with my name in a cartoon.
6 "Attack of the Vampire" October 14, 1978
In the remote heights of Transylvania's alps, Dracula awakes after a 100-year sleep. Dracula starts havoc by releasing a strange glowing powder that turns people into vampires. Superman runs into Dracula, and gets turned into a vampire. The Wonder Twins get turned into vampires and are turning nearly everyone else into vampires as well.
7 "The Beasts Are Coming" October 21, 1978
After an experimental satellite from Kennedy Space Center falls back to Earth it breaks releasing deadly radioactive energy, which turns earth creatures and Wonder Woman and the Wonder Twins, into huge beasts.
8 "Terror from the Phantom Zone" October 28, 1978
Three Kryptonian villains from the Phantom Zone escape and expose Superman to Red Kryptonite causing him to age rapidly. The only possible antidote for his rapid aging is Blue Kryptonite, which is harmful to Bizarro, and so may have an opposite effect on Superman.
9 "The Anti-Matter Monster" November 4, 1978
The Super Friends have to stop an energy draining monster which exists on computer tape and can appear anywhere at anytime. Wonder Woman and Superman, during one scene, go undercover as a science expert and Clark Kent, in an attempt to learn how the energy creature can be destroyed.
—My favorite of this batch (and one of my favorites of all the half hour episodes), for the strong mystery element and how the creature fools everyone by suddenly appearing and disappearing, and other sudden new revelations in the plot (even as we ourselves see what's going on), like the control tapes being switched, the computer stolen, and the monster program being run from right under their noses (Batman: "Great Gotham! The portable Bat-scope indicates the creature is being controlled by something in this area!"). And at the bottom of it all is a shadowy masked figure! (Whom Gleek first encounters, feet first then looking up to the creepy hooded face, in the darkened research plant; Scooby Doo-like). They deduce it's one of the four scientists, but then the culprit calls on the phone when all four of them are in the room. (Wonder Woman: "Great Hera! If all of the scientists are here, then who's on the telephone?"). This as well as Batman and Robin's dialogue reminds me a lot of Dynamic Scooby Doo Affair, including the way they piece things together and ask yet unanswerable questions, involving "whoever he is...", and Robin's "Holy..." statements. (e.g. "Holy microwaves; why would anybody want to turn loose an energy monster?" Superman: "I don't know, Robin...", and then devises a plan). While finding the computer, they also discover from notes left with it that a trap has been set for Superman, but they can't alert him because the antimatter is scrambling their radios. They can't shut down the computer either because the circuits are fused. The Dynamic Duo then has to Batboot-jet over to Superman, already tangling with the creature. The exposed culprit realizes the jig is up and makes a break for it, and the Duo pursues in the Batmobile.
The layered plot buildup also reminds me of my favorite episodes from the first season such as Fantastic Frerps. The Twins and even Gleek here fill in nicely for Marvin, Wendy and Wonder Dog, going back and forth between the Hall of Justice and the plant, with the clues they've found and getting confronted by the culprit. (Zan running a tape Gleek found at the plant and they brought back to the Justice League computer: "Jupiters! If that's the control tape for the antimatter, then what's on the computer at the research center?") It's all mind work (even for them), just like that first season. (The only time they use their powers is to turn into a kangaroo, with Zan as ice cubes to fit in the pouch with Gleek, just to dodge an antimatter ray; which was totally lame, as in the time it took to observe the threat, decide and transform, they could have just ran as normal humans. So the previous juniors could have just as well played the parts in this story. This really is like a lost story from the first season!) At one point, the senior Superfriends have to split up, to power plants all over the earth, to wait for the monster to appear at one of them.
Along with Clark Kent, Wonder Woman disguises as a government scientist (you would think they would just have her as her alter identity Diana Prince, who had varying government jobs).
The plot-establishing sequence of the story is very similar to the classic Jonny Quest's own "The Energy Creature". The difference was that that one really was an accident.
Superman, flying over the ocean all the way to Turkey with the creature's glow in view: "Great Scott! That energy monster is so bright, I can see it over the horizon!")
The black lady scientist is basically the same character (though with a less "black" voice) as the one in the Universe of Evil the following season, who asks Superman to return to clean up that universe. (If she had been the culprit in this story, then that would make for a good continuity, as it would make sense that a "good" version of her would appear in the other universe).
The monster uses the same vocal effect as the "Sea-going Ghost" from Scooby. It resembles a bit a cross between a giant Lokar, from Space Ghost, and the Moon Monster from Scooby, this same season.
One silly mistake, the computer counting down the monster's final appearance is supposed to be counting down "less than an hour", and is first shown going from 59:02 to 58:00, then 58:59... and then the last seconds is again at 59:04, and counts down to 59:00 after which the monster activates.
10 "World Beneath the Ice" November 11, 1978
The Super Friends must stop the plans of a conqueror named Torhana who seeks vengeance on the people of the surface world by freezing oceans and continents and people.
This is one of the few episodes in the series that features Aquaman at his usual base of operations in the comic books: the undersea city of Atlantis.
11 "Invasion of the Brain Creatures" November 18, 1978
Batman, Superman and later Wonder Woman, Robin, and Aquaman become possessed by brain creatures.
12 "The Incredible Space Circus" November 25, 1978
A crooked space circus proprietor, Zarnum, uses a device to turn protected animals that have been illegally captured into beasts to boost attendance at his space circus. He uses the device to change Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and the Wonder Twins into space creatures.
13 "Batman: Dead or Alive" December 2, 1978
Batman and Robin head off to a planet named Texarkana after receiving a distress alert that a local villain, The Capricorn Kid, is terrorizing the planet. After defeating the Kid and putting him in jail the Kid vows revenge. He and his group of outlaws travel to Earth, break into the Hall of Justice, and plot their revenge on all the Super Friends. The Kid's group successfully places each of the Super Friends in dangerous situations and they deliberately force Batman and Robin into freeing each person...but the catch is that each trap is timed and the object of the game is to free all the Super Friends from the various traps before it's too late. In a show-down Batman and the Kid meet up in an old-fashioned shoot out.
14 "Battle of the Gods" December 9, 1978
Wonder Woman gets a telepathic message from Aphrodite to help save the planet from a disturbance. Afterward all of the Super Friends show up and an envious Hera gets into an argument with Aphrodite on Mount Olympus which triggers the wrath of Zeus. Zeus then creates a contest in which each of the Super Friends must do battle with mythological demons in an effort to prove they are worthy of Aphrodite's praise. Batman and Robin must battle a Sphinx and solve its riddle, Aquaman has to fight a demon that protects the golden fleece, Superman battles a minotaur, and Wonder Woman has to battle Medusa. The Wonder Twins see Medusa in the shadows, mistaking her for Wonder Woman and turn to stone.
15 "Journey Through Inner Space" December 16, 1978
Aquaman is exposed to a radioactive substance that turns him into a prehistoric sea creature from which he evolved. In order to cure him, Superman and Wonder Woman, inside the Super Mobile, are shrunk down to microscopic size and sent within the creature's veins to attempt to give it another dose of radiation in the hopes that it will reverse the effects of the radiation and return Aquaman to normal. In the meantime the rest of the Super Friends have to do whatever they can to limit the creature's destructive nature all over the city.
16 "The Rise and Fall of the Super Friends" December 23, 1978
The Super Friends are visited by Mister Mxyzptlk who comes complete with a script for a movie that he wants the Super Friends to star in. The imp uses his 5th dimensional mind control to cause the Super Friends to act out the script...but Superman is not affected by the mind control but he nonetheless goes along with everything in an elaborate plot to trick Mxyzptlk.
NOTE: In one scene, a zombie Lois Lane shows up in a wedding dress wearing a kryptonite wedding ring.
1 "Rub Three Times for Disaster" September 22, 1979
Kareem Azaar is a ruthless thief on the Planet Zaghdad who has stolen the Magic Lamp of Olam, which contains the power of an evil genie. Kareem uses the Genie's power to take over the planet and banish the Sultan into the world of the Genie's lamp. When the Super Friends arrive to do battle, Superman and the Wonder Twins wind up in the lamp.
2 "Lex Luthor Strikes Back" September 29, 1979
Lex Luthor uses a projector ray (reverse camera) to disguise himself as Lois Lane in order to escape prison. He (with his assistant Orville Gump) aligns himself with evil sun creatures. They aid Luthor in capturing the Super Friends and placing them in death traps. The demons then change the color of the sun from yellow to red which cause Superman's powers to vanish. However, the sun creatures double-cross Luthor and he is trapped in a fire, so he has no choice but to free the Super Friends in an effort to save himself and Earth.
NOTE: Orville Gump is based on Otis, the character played by Ned Beatty in the 1978 Superman movie.
—Also, the Twins are written out of the story by having them visit their home planet, and so only appear at the very beginning and end.
3 "Space Knights of Camelon" October 6, 1979
While protecting a prehistoric planet from a meteor, Superman ends up hit by the meteor's nuclear core, crash lands on the medieval planet of Camelon, and loses his memory. A bunch of rebels led by Logan take him in as their black knight in a plan to overthrow King Arthur 7.
4 "The Lord of Middle Earth" October 13, 1979
What starts off as a camping trip for the Wonder Twins turns into a nightmarish adventure in Middle Earth when the Super Friends must battle a black magic sorcerer named Mal Havok who has taken over the troll kingdom. Mal Havoc uses his magic to turn the Super Friends into trolls. With their powers reduced, Batman and Wonder Woman accompany the troll king on a mission to free Middle Earth of the evil sorcerer.
—Superman was conveniently kept out of this one.
5 "Universe of Evil" October 20, 1979
In a parallel universe, the Super Friends are super villains, the Super Enemies. Mount Vesuvius is a focal point that links the two universes - in one universe, the good Superman tries to stop the eruption, while his evil counterpart is causing the same disaster in his own reality. Vesuvius explodes, causing the two Supermen to exchange universes. While Superman has to fight his evil comrades and find a way back to his own world, his evil counterpart battles the real heroes and begins his plan to conquer the Earth.
—I always wanted to see a sequel, to fulfill the promise Superman made (to the black lady in the lab) to return with the other Superfriends to the negative universe, where we would perhaps see the "good counterparts to the Legion of Doom.
I read that this Universe of Evil is represented by "Earth 3" in the DC multiverse. Also, it looks like the 2010 DTV "Crisis on Two Earths" is exactly the premise I Was looking for.
6 "Terror at 20,000 Fathoms" October 27, 1979
The evil Captain Nimoy plots to use nuclear warhead missiles to sink continents below the sea where he plans to rule. Nimoy is aided by an android duplicate of Batman to help him out, but with Superman and Wonder Woman away on a space mission, the Super Friends are aided by Superman's tiny Kandorian friends from the bottle city of Kandor.
7 "The Super Friends Meet Frankenstein" November 3, 1979
When a descendant of the original Dr. Frankenstein abducts and steals the powers of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman and transfers them into his latest creation, it's up to Robin to stop the Super-Monster. He transfers the remaining powers into himself, then manages to restore the Super Friends power.
8 "The Planet of Oz" November 10, 1979
A tornado transports the Hall of Justice to the Land of Oz where Mister Mxyzptlk, who has once again escaped from the 5th Dimension, informs the Super Friends that they must find The Wizard to get home. Along the way they encounter the Wicked Witch of the Worst Kind in a gingerbread house who turns Superman into the Tin Man, Wonder Woman into the Cowardly Lion and Aquaman into the Scarecrow.
With so many mini episodes, the last batch I had never seen, and the others had not seen in years (and would surface mixed in with everything else on the new Batman-Superman cable TV package of the '90s), I had saved the text from Will's Superfriends Page for reference (and got the final two seasons after that as well), which was the best one, and is now completely gone from the Web (not even in the Internet Archive; and Rob's separate page as well. Hope it's OK with them to host this part of it, and with my own comments added in places, at least until they [ever?] get theirs back up).
These seasons are generally a continuation of "All New Superfriends Hour" without the half hour "core Superfriends" episode; i.e. it's only the shorts, in pretty much the same order: the first episode is two of the regular Suprfriends; the middle one is the Wonder Twins (with the exception of most of the second season, though there are still six total), except now some of the senior Superfriends come to help them out, and the final one is one regular with one of the other members. This is followed a bit more consistently in the third season, and in the first two, both first and last episode will have some of the regulars with others like Samurai.
You could just as well stick the total 24 episodes of the 1978 non-Legion of Doom episodes plus "World's Greatest" into the 22 shows ('80: eight + '81: six + '83 eight) of these seasons (with two left over), and create 22 additional programs of the All New Superfriends Hour.
[Will's overview]: As the Super Friends entered the 1980's on Saturday mornings, their adventures were reduced down to 7 minutes a piece. So for the next couple of years, viewers would be treated to 3 new episodes weekly. In these shorts, we would gradually see almost every Super Hero who has appeared on the Super Friends between 1977 and the 80's appear in various team ups. Occassionally, a DC Villain, namely a couple of former members of the Legion of Doom would resurface to menace our heroes. Most of the time, the middle short would feature the Wonder Twins teamed up with one or two of their Super mentors. There were actually three seasons of these shorts.
1980 SHORTS (DVD Title: Season 5 "A DANGEROUS FATE"):
1 BIGFOOT:
Cast: Batman, Robin, Apache Chief
Plot: Apache Chief and a tribe of Super powered indians are captured by alien creatures resembling the lengendary Bigfoot. Batman and Robin try to help but are also captured, after they escape and defeat the creatures, the Super Friends learn that they were merely trying to seek information to repair their spacecraft. Superman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman have cameos.
ICE DEMON:
Cast: Superman, Wonder Twins
Plot: While on a skiing vacation, the Wonder Twins literally bump into a pair of wreckless teenagers and wind up in an ice cave inhabited by an ice demon. Luckily, Clark Kent and Lois Lane are nearby, and only Superman can save everybody.
MAKEUP MONSTER:
Cast: Batman, Robin, Flash
Plot: A disgruntled make up man on the set of a movie discovers a formula that allows him to make himself up into any powerful monster he chooses. With the formula, he wrecks the movie studio and only the Super Friends dare to challenge him.
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2 JOURNEY INTO BLACKNESS:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Samurai
Plot: Superman spots a black hole approaching Earth and tries to get rid of it, but he is pulled into it since it's absorbed Kryptonite. Batman and Samurai try to stop it but are also pulled in. Our three heroes wind up on a planet in the center of the black hole and have to battle a creature made of infinite energy.
WILL'S COMMENT: This is the first of a few episodes where Batman appears without Robin at his side.
CYCLE GANG:
Cast: Wonder Woman, Wonder Twins
Plot: The Wonder Twins try to rescue a boy and his grandfather when their car is about to fall off a cliff, but their rescue is hindered by a troublesome cycle gang who caused the car to wind up there. Luckily, Wonder Woman is nearby and ready to give a hand.
DIVE TO DISASTER:
Cast: Aquaman, Black Vulcan
Plot: A navy submarine is speeding out of control. Aquaman and Black Vulcan respond to the call, but in addition to trying to stop the sub, our heroes have to deal with a leak of radiation that mutates the sea creatures into giant monsters. Superman and Wonder Woman have cameos.
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3 YUNA THE TERRIBLE:
Cast: Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Apache Chief
Plot: The Super Friends battle Yuna the Terrible, a female barbarian and her male warriors that a group of archaeologists accidentally released from a tomb in Stonehenge. Superman has a brief cameo.
ROCK AND ROLL SPACE BANDITS:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Wonder Twins
Plot: When the Super Friends are temporarily imobilized in space, the Wonder Twins are left to contend with alien invaders called the Rock and Roll Space bandits who use their electric guitars to hypnotize people and cause destruction.
ELEVATOR TO NOWHERE:
Cast: Wonder Woman, Atom
Plot: Wonder Woman and the Atom are summoned to the lab of Dr. Wells for something urgent, but our heroes are tricked by the evil scientist who has decided to use them as unexpected test subjects for his time machine, which takes them into various time periods. [Including 70,000,000 BC, same as in a Challenge of the Superfriends episode]
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4 ONE SMALL STEP FOR MARS:
Cast: Superman, Green Lantern
Plot: Superman and Green Lantern deal with three renegade aliens from Mars who have come to Earth to cause trouble and steal aircraft to invade their home planet. Batman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman have cameos.
HAUNTED HOUSE:
Cast: Batman, Robin, Wonder Twins
Plot: The Wonder Twins enter an old haunted house to find two missing teens, but they are all captured by an old caretaker who thinks everyone is out to get him. Luckily, Batman and Robin are nearby.
THE INCREDIBLE CRUDE OIL MONSTER:
Cast: Aquaman, Hawkman, Hawkgirl
Plot: The Super Friends contend with a monster made of crude oil that was created when an oil clean up invention is washed overboard and blended with crude oil.
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5 THE VOODOO VAMPIRE:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Black Vulcan
Plot: The Super Friends deal with Vampirus, the Voodoo Vampire from Africa who rises from her coffin and seeks victims. Batman and Robin are turned into voodoo vampires who in turn, do the same thing to Superman and Aquaman, leaving only Wonder Woman and Black Vulcan to stop them.
INVASION OF THE GLEEKS:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Wonder Twins
Plot: The Super Friends and Wonder Twins deal with an army of evil Exxorian monkeys who have arrived on Earth to conquer and destroy the Super Friends as well as put Gleek under their power. Only the leader speaks in human English.
MXYZPTLK STRIKES AGAIN:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin, Aquaman, Green Lantern
Plot: In a rather comical episode, Mr. Mxyzptlk returns to pester the Super Friends with his magical typewriter in which he can put them into any story he chooses.
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6 THE MAN IN THE MOON:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Apache Chief, Atom
Plot: The Super Friends contend with a moon creature that's bigger than the Earth, using the Atom's knowledge of atomic energy, Apache Chief is able to increase his power a thousand times so he can fight the moon creature.
ETB comment: This is where it starts to get bizarre. A creature has been living in the moon all this time?
CIRCUS OF HORRORS:
Cast: Superman, Wonder Woman, Wonder Twins
Plot: The Super Friends and Wonder Twins find themselves dealing with a circus being
taken over by evil animals, namely, the leader being a talking female tiger, an elephant,
and a polar bear. Batman and Robinonly have a brief cameo.
Superman and Wonder Woman get turned into Super Lion and Wonder Zebra (?!!!!)
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 RIDDLES:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman
Plot: The Super Friends are menaced by the Riddler who sprays them with Stupid Spray, which will cause their intelligence to regress to 2 year old level unless the Super Friends can solve the Riddler's clues [which thus become harder as time progresses].
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7 TERMITES FROM VENUS:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin, Samurai
Plot: The Super Friends deal with alien termites from Venus who wind upon Earth and begin eating away at the planet.
ERUPTION:
Cast: Batman. Robin Wonder Twins
Plot: When a volcano erupts near a small town, Batman and Robin aid the Wonder Twins in rescuing the townspeople.
RETURN OF ATLANTIS:
Cast: Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Rima
Plot: When the lost city of Atlantis arises, Aquaman is captured by Ocina and her warriors who plan to conquer the Earth, but they have to battle another female army, Wonder Woman and Rima and the Amazons of Paradise Island.
WILL'S COMMENT: This is the last appearance of Rima the Jungle Girl.
ROB'S COMMENT: NOTE: In this episode Atlantis is not Aquaman's home world. Also Rima's voice is different from her other 2 episodes.
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8 THE KILLER MACHINES:
Cast: Batman, Robin, Black Vulcan
Plot: The Super Friends battle ROMAK, a self thinking computer who is able to control all electronic devices, including the Hall of Justice computers, the Batmobile, and even Batman and Robin's utility belt devices.
WILL'S COMMENT: Great episode for Batman and Robin since they are pretty much gadget heroes on Super Friends.
GARDEN OF DOOM:
Cast: Wonder Woman, Wonder Twins
Plot: The Wonder Twins are accidentally shrunk into a vegetable garden by a shrinking ray being tested by a pair of scientists in the greenhouse at Metroplis University. With the Twins facing all sorts of dangers, only Wonder Woman stands a chance of saving them.
REVENGE OF BIZARRO:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Hawkman, Hawkgirl
Plot: Bizarro decides to get revenge on the Super Friends by turning the other heroes into Bizarros who think with a BIzarro brain and he exposes Superman to Red Kryptonite, which causes him to grow extra arms and legs. Superman's only chance is to expose Bizarro to his weakness, Blue Kryptonite.
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SUPER FRIENDS: THE SHORTS PART TWO (DVD Title: Season 6 "LEGACY OF SUPER POWERS")
[Will's overview]:
The year 1981 was a rather odd year for the Super Friends. In 1981, an animator's strike
occurred, which delayed many cartoon premieres. Oddly enough though, there were some new
episodes of the Super Friends, but not as many as before. This was the first year that the
Super Friends, which had always been an hour long show, suddenly was reduced down to a 30
minute show, only consisting of these new shorts, and eventually melting in with the reruns
of the past.
There was one new addition to the Super Friends. El Dorado, the Spanish Super Hero with a
cool costume and a super cool red cape that almost puts Superman's cape to shame.
Unfortunately, he only appeared in two episodes this season.
SUPER FRIENDS: THE SHORTS 1981
1 OUTLAWS OF ORION:
Cast: Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern
Plot: The Super Friends are captured by a pair of ruthless bounty hunters from the planet Orion where they plan to collect the reward for capturing the heroes dead or alive.
THREE WISHES:
Cast: Superman, Wonder Twins
Plot: The Wonder Twins accidentally release an evil space genie out of a bottle in the Hall of Justice. Despite Jayna's protests, Zan makes wishes. The genie grants them, but it always has negative outcomes. One in particular puts the Twins in so much danger, that only Superman can save them.
WILL'S COMMENT: This is the only other time [beside "The Demons of Exxor"] we see the Wonder Twins on Exxor, even if it's the Desert of Death. Funny how Jayna protested Zan's wishes, but yet she was the one who unknowingly made the third wish.
ETB COMMENT: The whole premise of the genie is like a repeat of two-seasons-ago's "Rub Three Times For Disaster". We also see Superman actually punching characters (perhaps the first time ever in the Superfriends run; first one of the dragon sharks on Exxor, then the genie himself).
SCORPIO:
Cast: Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Flash
Plot: The Super Friends battle Scorpio, a giant mutant insect being who steals a growth ray from a scientist and plans to use it to turn all insects into giants so they can take over the world with Scorpio as the ruler.
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2 MXYZPTLK'S FLICK:
Cast: Batman, Robin, Wonder Twins
Plot: When Batman and Robin take the Wonder Twins to a drive in 3D movie, they are suddenly pulled into the picture where Mr. Mxyzptlk is back to menace the heroes with his magical VCR and movie camera which can control the Super Friends actions and dialogues. And he can replay the heroes' actions his way.
WILL'S COMMENT: I think back to the Planet of Oz when Myxztplk put Superman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman in Oz. Now he toys with the other half of the core group, the Dynamic Duo and the Twins. This is also the first time that Superman did not need to be in a Mxyzpltk story.
SINK HOLE:
Cast: Superman, Wonder Woman. Atom
Plot: The Super Friends respond to sink hole problems in a small mining town, which the culprit is a mechanical giant snake that is eating the ground and turning the dirt into diamonds. The snake is being controlled by a Texas villain called Diamond Jack.
ALIEN MUMMY:
Cast: Superman, Wonder Woman, El Dorado
Plot: El Dorado accompanies an arcaeologist group to the Aztec Pyramids where our new hero chases off some alien invaders and incures the wrath of an alien mummy who had been awakened and was planning to take over the world. Luckily, El Dorado gets help from Superman and Wonder Woman in combatting the alien mummy.
WILL'S COMMENT: This marks the first appearance of El Dorado.
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3 EVIL FROM KRYPTON:
Cast: Superman, Aquaman, Green Lantern
Plot: Superman suddenly loses his powers when the sun is turned red. The Super Friends discover that the red sun was caused by something from Superman's Fortress of Solitude where Zycree, another Kryptonian villain has escaped the Phantom Zone and is planning revenge on Superman forputting him there.
WILL'S COMMENT: This is an excellent Justice League team up episode. 1981 was the release of SUPERMAN II and I think that Zycree is actually General Zod with a different name.
ROB'S COMMENT: I also liked the tribute to SUPERMAN II.
THE CREATURE FROM THE DUMP:
Cast: Batman, Robin, Wonder Twins
Plot: The Wonder Twins respond to an environmental alert whern they discover some chemicals mixed in a junkyard have created a junk monster. Batman and Robin help them battle it but Batman is infected by the creature and is changed into a Bat junk monster. Robin and the Twins work feverishly on an antidote that will return Batman to normal.
WILL'S COMMENT: This is a lame episode due to Batman's mutation into a junk monster.
ETB comment: I agree. It's funny how it starts out as a normal Wonder Twins "lesson to kids in trouble" story, but then takes this wild turn (with no real explanation as to why those chemicals would bring trash to life), and now we're dealing with a Superfriend being turned into a monster, like one of the old half hour episodes. (Also, this is like a repeat of the crude oil monster we just saw last season).
AIRCRAFT TERROR:
Cast: Batman. Robin, Wonder Twins
Plot: During a thunderstorm, a freak strike of lightning changes an airplane into a winged monster that changes all aircraft into flying beasts as well. Batman and Robin take on the problem with a little help from the Wonder Twins. But even the Bat Jet is turned into a giant bat.
ETB comment: to me, another silly one, like the above!
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4 LAVA MEN:
Cast: Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman
Plot: The Super Friends battle Soloran, king of the Lava Men who come out of a volcano and decide to conquer the Earth by burning it.
BIZAROWURLD:
Cast: Superman, Black Vulcan
Plot: Superman and Black Vulcan are lured to Bizarroworld where Bizarro plans to toy with them on his baackwards planet.
WILL'S COMMENT: Another great episode showcasing Bizarro. I especially liked the exposure to Red Kryptonite turning Superman into a skinny wimp that Rob once called the Alfred E. Neuman Superman.
THE WARLORD'S AMULET:
Cast: Batman, Robin, Samurai
Plot: The Super Friends journey to Japan, Samurai's homeland to battle a Warlord who through a time corridor escapes the 13th century and plans to conquer modern Japan with the help of an amulet that keeps his Demon Warriors alive.
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5 THE IRON CYCLOPS:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Black Vulcan, Atom
Plot: The Super Friends contend with the Iron Cyclops who is stealing the Earth's gravity. While Batman tries to keep the Hall of Justice on the ground, Superman, Black Vulcan, and the Atom journey into space to stop this new menace.
PALETTE'S PERILS:
Cast: Wonder Woman, El Dorado
Plot: Wonder Woman and El Dorado find themselves battling monsters who are committing thefts. They ultimately discover an evil artist named John Palette, who paints pictures of monsters and uses an electronic device to bring the monsters to life to steal.
COLOSSUSS:
Cast: Superman, Apache Chief
Plot: Superman and Apache Chief have one colossal adventure when they must battle Colossuss, a cosmic giant whose presence endangers the solar system.
WILL'S COMMENT: This is the only other time I've seen Apache Chief use his powers to make himself bigger than the whole planet by crying out Eneck Chok over and over again.
ETB's comment: another wild one, where this guy is so big a single hair is bigger than the Earth.
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6 STOWAWAYS FROM SPACE:
Cast: Superman, Wonder Twins
Plot: Superman and the Wonder Twins contend with an alien who stows away in an unmanned space ship and can create images of itself and plans to take over the world.
THE SCARAGHOSTA SEA:
Cast: Batman, Robin, Aquaman
Plot: Batman and Robin are joined by Aquaman to go under the sea to a ships' graveyard and search for Dr. Gibbs and her young assistant after their minisub was pulled into a giant whirlpool and who have been taken hostage by Keilhaul Kelley and his pirate ghosts who plan to use Dr. Gibbs's mini sub to go to the Earth's surface.
ETB comment: Like "Battle at the Earth’s Core" (and a similar Godzilla episode from the same season), but this time, without destroying the undersea world. They ride back up a waterfall from the subterranean "sky" to return to the surface.
THE WITCH'S ARCADE:
Cast: Wonder Woman. Wonder Twins
Plot: The Wonder Twins are lured into a seaside arcade where the witch who runs it has devices that shrink the Twins and pulls them into the games. Wonder Woman is alerted, but she too is shrunk and they must all get out of the games and take on the old witch in order to regain their normal size.
WILL'S COMMENT: I felt this plot was recycled from Garden of Doom. Wonder Woman and the Wonder Twins getting shrunk and having to interact with something that is now bigger than them.
ETB comment: this one the most had the feel of several "Scary Scooby Funnies" episodes from the same season (the shorts that aired along with Richie Rich); particularly the ones where they are in a carnival or circus. It used several of the same score pieces used by that series. (Most notably the one when where Gleek is rolling on the pinball).
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The only 1982 Superfriends production (the actual copyright reads "Super Heroes") was this 1 minute Post Cereals promotion:
http://youtu.be/0i-mT-IsRTk
Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and Robin; same voices, but different design (more like comic books, prefiguring three seasons later), and these weird villains. It was a "create a villain" contest.
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SUPER FRIENDS: THE SHORTS PART THREE: "The LOST EPISODES" 1983
[Will's overview]
The years 1982 and 1983 were not very good years for the Super Friends. Our heroes
continued to run as a 30 minute program in 1982 starting off the Saturday morning lineup
with reruns titled the Best of the Super Friends. If I can recall, it was most of the 30
minute episodes featuring the core group. Unfortunately in 1983, the Super Friends was
wrongfully removed from Saturday mornings entirely. That year, the only places where you
could see the Super Friends were in syndicated channels weekday afternoons.
However, unbeknownst to any of us at the time, Hanna Barbera did produce a third set of 7 minute shorts. They actually aired in other countries that year, but not in America since our heores lost the coin toss in favor of cutesy shows like the Monchichis, Rubik the Amazing Cube, and the Littles. When the Super Friends returned the following year as the Legendary Super Powers Show, three of these lost episodes aired as part of that series. When the Super Friends returned to syndication in the 1990's in the form of the Superman/Batman Adventures package, these lost episodes were part of this show and we were finally exposed to Super Friends adventures we'd never seen before.
Looking at them as an adult, I noticed some episodes were really great like seeing the entire Legion of Doom reuniting in one episode or seeing the Wonder Twins finally getting to work with other Justice Leaguers, something that never happened before [ETB edit; actually, the previous two seasons started this]. Unfortunately, there were also episodes that were not so good and at which to me, indicated that the Super Friends was becoming a tired series that needed changes or to be cancelled. In closing, I feel that the lost season has the biggest mix and good and bad episodes.
1983 (The Lost Episodes)
1 MXYZPTLK'S REVENGE:
Cast: Superman, Batman
Plot: Superman and Batman are pulled into the fifth dimension on Mr. Mxyzptlk's world where they are subject to his hijinks and saying his name backwards will not work.
WILL'S COMMENT: I love this episode because of the situation and this is a World's Finest team up. Superman and Batman and no other heroes.
ROLLER COASTER:
Cast: Atom, Wonder Twins
Plot: When a club has a pledge ride a condemned roller coaster for an initiation, the ride begins falling apart. The Wonder Twins need the help of the tiny Atom to shut off the ride and get the pledge down safely.
ONCE UPON A POLTERGEIST:
Cast: Batman, Robin, Apache Chief
Plot: The Super Friends respond to an emergency when the Wayne Building begins shaking in Gotham City, yet there is no earthquake. During the investigation, Apache Chief ultimately discovers that the cause of the building's rumblings is the spirit of a Mohawk Indian who is lost in another dimension and accidentally thinks the Wayne Building was built on their burial site.
WILL'S COMMENT: These three episodes aired in 1984 as part of the Legendary Super Powers Show.
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2 WARPLAND:
Cast: Superman, Batman
Plot: Superman and Batman speed to try to stop a meteor from hitting Metropolis, but they go so fast, they wind up entering another dimension where they are captured by animals called Super Zoons who feel they will function better as one of them.
ETB comment: like a rehash of "Circus of Horrors"
TWO GLEEKS ARE DEADLIER THAN ONE:
Cast: Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Wonder Twins
Plot: When Wonder Woman and Green Lantern announce a meeting of all the Super Friends at the Hall of Justice, the Wonder Twins are assigned guard duty, but their pet, Gleek is abducted by Grodd the Gorilla and Giganta who replace him with an evil android who enters the Hall of Justice and disentigrates all the Super Friends or does he?
WILL'S COMMENT: The bad news is, it's another story about that stupid monkey. But what makes this episode so good are the following: The Wonder Twins working with Green Lantern, all the Super Friends making cameos (even though they were all androids) and seeing former Legion of Doom members Grodd and Giganta again.
BULGOR THE BEHEMOTH:
Cast: Superman, Apache Chief
Plot: A freak thunderstorm strikes the typewriter of a TV writer who is typing out an episode of a TV character he created. The writer is changed into Bulgor the Behemoth, his TV character, who seems invincible to Superman and Apache Chief who ultimately realize that the monster is merely a man who is unconsciously acting out his own fanatasies.
WILL'S COMMENT: This is one of these episodes to me that indicated the Super Friends becoming a tired series.
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3 THE KRYPTON SYNDROME:
Cast: Superman
Plot: While on a space mission in his Supermobile, Superman is pulled into a black hole with a time wp and returns to his home planet Krypton and prevents it from exploding, yet Superman does not realize the consequences of his actions affecting the present time on Earth.
WILL'S COMMENT: Great episode showcasing Superman. Wonder Woman and Robin have cameos.
ROB'S COMMENTS: This episode reminded me of the paperback comic "Superman's World Of Krypton" because it retells the story where Superman goes back in time to meet Jor-El on Krypton. Also my favorite part of this episode is where Robin from the alter-present tells Superman that the Legion of Doom destroyed the Super Friends, and enslaved the Earth.
INVASION OF THE SPACE DOLLS:
Cast: Batman, Robin, Wonder Twins
Plot: Alien space dolls are taking over the planet when they disguise themsleves as toys. They immoblize Batman and Robin and take over the Hall of Justice leaving the Wonder Twins to tangle with them.
TERROR ON THE TITANIC:
Cast: Aquaman, Black Vulcan
Plot: A pair of divers discover the sunken Titanic, but a strange mutant algae causes the ship to come to life as a monster and only Aquaman and Black Vulcan stand any chance of stopping it.
ETB comment: another inanimate object comes to life story, like right out of the previous two seasons!
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4 THE REVENGE OF DOOM:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman
Plot: The Legion of Doom reunites to start a new crimewave. They temporarily capture Batman and Robin and they use Lex Luthor's crystalizing ray to turn Superman and Wonder Woman into crystal statues. But these things don't stop our four resourceful heroes who still manage to turn thier situations to their advantage.
WILL'S COMMENT: This is one the best episodes if not the best episode of the lost season. All 13 villains reunite again, but only Lex Luthor, Sinestro, and Solomon Grundy have speaking lines. On the downside, I felt it was too bad that the other Super Friends were not part of this episode. But still seeing the whole Legion of Doom together again was a real super treat.
ETB comment: wholeheartedly agree. "Challenge of the Superfriends" continues! (for a bit! It really was like a 17th episode [albeit compactified] of that series!) I couldn't wait to finally see this season, just for this episode!
A PINT OF LIFE:
Cast: Aquaman, Wonder Twins
Plot: A young boy is in an accident and needs a blood transfusion for an operation, but only his father, an archaeology professor, who is currently in the Amazon jungle, is the only person with the boy's same rare blood type. The Wonder Twins call Aquaman for help in finding him.
WILL'S COMMENT: Aside from the 30 minute episodes, this is the only one where the Wonder Twins share an adventure with Aquaman.
DAY OF THE DINOSAURS:
Cast: Wonder Woman, Samurai
Plot: A sink hole causes the Hall of Justice to fall into the center of the Earth where Wonder Woman and Samurai wind up in the middle of a war between two underground civilizations. The high tech Volti and the primitiveSlorums.
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5 RETURN OF THE PHANTOMS:
Cast: Superman, Green Lantern, Superboy
Plot: A space time traveler accidentally frees Logar, Hol, and Romlok from the Phantom Zone. The three villains force the traveler to take them back in time where they plan to destroy Superman as a boy so that he can never put them in the Phantom Zone.
WILL'S COMMENT: Great episode featuring Superboy. Funny thing is Logar, Hol, and Romlok look totally different from their last appearances (Terror from the Phantom Zone), but the three original voice overs are still there. [Hol has same voice as Lex Luthor].
ETB comment: Superboy is voiced by Jerry Dexter. Like Krypton Syndrome, we have the time travel oddity of Superman going back into time to meet his younger self.
BULLY FOR YOU:
Cast: Batman, Robin, Wonder Twins
Plot: While Batman and Robin are training the Wonder Twins, they respond to a rescue call. During the rescue, Batman loses his utility belt, which is found by a frustrated high school sophomore who decides to use the utlilty belt and Bat devices to stand up to a couple of seniors giving him a hard time at school.
SUPERCLONES:
Cast: Aquaman. El Dorado
Plot: Brainiac manages to acquire living cells from Aquaman and El Dorado's skins and uses them to create evil superclones of the heroes. After the clones capture the real heroes, they committ a crime and allow themselves to be caught and put on trial so they can incriminate the Super Friends and ruin their good name. Only the real Aquaman and El Dorado can triumph over Brainiac.
WILL'S COMMENT: A great team up featuring Aquaman and El Dorado together. This is the last time we see Brainiac in his original form. The rest of the Super Friends have cameos.
ROB'S COMMENT: The voice for Brainiac is the same voice in Lengendary & Super Powers Team.
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6 PRISONERS OF SLEEP:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman
Plot: When a strange device is found in a coal mine, Superman and Batman investigate and by opening it, they accidentally release an untouchable spirit called Sleep, Demon of the Dream World, who puts our heroes to sleep where they suddenly encounter death traps in their unconsciousness. Wonder Woman goes into the dream world after them to get them out relying only on a coal miner to use the magic lasso to wake them up.
AN UNEXPECTED TREASURE:
Cast: Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Wonder Twins
Plot: A couple of kids riding their bikes accidentally discover an alien ship on Government property. When they enter it, the ship takes off on auto pilot. The Wonder Twins try to get the kids out before the ship returns to its own world, but the need help from Hawkman and Hawkgirl.
THE MALUSIAN BLOB:
Cast: Batman, Robin, Black Vulcan
Plot: An alien organism consisitng of waste from the planet Malusia wonders into the Earth's orbit. When the canister is accidentally opened, the organism winds up on Earth and despite the Super Friends's efforts, it seems unstoppable. Ultimately, Batman learns that common table sugar will destroy it.
WILL'S COMMENT: I felt this was yet another lame episode. The Malusian Blob sounds like Bizarro on Prozac when it growls.
ROB'S COMMENT: I agree with Will, plus the fact that Blob stories were done to death in horror flicks.
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7 ATTACK OF THE CATS:
Cast: Batman, Robin, EL Dorado
Plot: The Super Friends search for two scientists who have been accidentally turned into cat creatures as the result of an experiment gone wrong. Their job is even more complicated when Robin is scratched and turned into a cat creature.
WILL'S COMMENT: Finally, a team up with El Dorado working with Batman and Robin.
ONE SMALL STEP FOR SUPERMAN:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Wonder Twins
Plot: A small boy runs from a bear and takes a fall. When he wakes up and learns that his dog is [presumably] dead, he also discovers he can't walk. Yet the doctors find nothing wrong with his legs. Neither can Batman's Batcomputer in the Batcave. Feeling that the paralysis is in the boy's mind, Superman is contacted and an exciting action set up is staged to get the boy walking again.
VIDEO VICTIMS:
Cast: Superman, Wonder Woman, Samurai
Plot: Bizarro uses a video game he invented to toy around with the Super Friends by zapping them into his video game.
WILL'S COMMENT: This episode was perfect during the Pac Man era. It even had the sound effects from the Pac Man cartoon series.
ETB comment: this was another one I couldn't wait to see, from this review. (The "Pac Man" sound effect being the pellot-eating sound when the Bizarro "Pac Man" chases them in the maze game). Bizarro's voice sounds weird; —like him on Prozac moreso than the blob of the other episode. The name "Bizarro #1" is used once toward the beginning, and the other Bizarro's are all numbered. This name is what would be used in his sole remaining appearance in two seasons, when the character would also be changed.
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8 PLAYGROUND OF DOOM:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin
Plot: The Super Friends have to contend with three giant alien space children who consider the Earth one big playground and the people and vehicles as toys.
WILL'S COMMENT: I found this episode to be very lame. One of the worst. It seems that the writers were running out of ideas.
ROB'S COMMENT: Again I agree with Will on this. Besides I've seen this plot done so many times in sci fi cartoons. (Example, in a Space Ghost & Herculoids team-up cartoon.)
SPACE RACERS:
Cast: Wonder Woman, Flash, Wonder Twins
Plot: While patroling space, the Wonder Twins have to contend with a couple of space punks who are racing too fast in space. Zan and Jayna even get separated briefly, so they need the help of Wonder Woman and the Flash.
WILL'S COMMENT: This is the only episode where the Wonder Twins get to work with the Flash. The story was definitely his speed. Pardon the pun. This story is your typical speeding drivers and police chases only put into outer space.
THE RECRUITER:
Cast: Superman, Wonder Woman
Plot: Superman and Wonder Woman are captured by an alien who captures and recruits powerful beings all over the Galaxy to play an illegal sport called Spaceball. But our two heroes make a plan with the other creatures and promote teamwork to get out of their situation and make everyone winners.
[Will's overview]:
In the year 1984, a toy company called Kenner produced what has got to be one of the best
toylines ever regarding the DC Super Heroes. Super Powers was a toyline where the action
figures had power action and contained a mini comic book and a file card as well. Superman,
Batman, Robin, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman were in the lineup. Also for the first time ever,
there were figures of Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkman. The villains consisted of Lex
Luthor, a new Brainiac, Joker, and Penguin. There were vehicles of the Supermobile and the
Batmobile and the Super Friends' headquarters the Hall of Justice was made into a playset.
Super Powers was so successful that several comic book mini series were spawned and in
1984, it caused a resurge of popularity with the Super Friends. Hanna Barbera made new
episodes for two more years which not only kept to tradition, but tied into the Super
Powers toyline as well. ABC corrected their goof of the previous year and returned the
Super Friends to its 8:00 slot on Saturday mornings
This series premiered in the fall of 1984 as a 30 minute series that treated us to 2 episodes weekly. Occasionally, both episodes would be a full half hour 2 parter. This series introduces Firestorm as a new member. We also get to see him in his two secret identities quite a bit. Ronald Raymond and Prof. Stein. Olan Soule (formerly Batman) voiced over Prof. Stein in this one season when Adam West took over as Batman. Other than Darkseid, only Kalibak and Desaad followed their master to animation.
For some odd reason, despite his appearance in the intro riding his seahorse, Aquaman does not appear in any episodes of this series. Then again, neither do Flash or Hawkman. Green Lantern is only reduced to one cameo. And of course, Shannon Farnon left the series, so Wonder Woman receives a new make over and a new voice over. While other books say that BJ Ward is the voice for both super power seasons, Shannon Farnon was replaced by Connie Cawlfield voicing Wonder Woman for The Lengendary Super Powers Show.
1 THE BRIDE OF DARKSEID 1&2:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Black Vulcan, Firestorm (debut)
PLOT The Super Friends are amazed at the sudden appearance of Firestorm, a new Super Hero on the block and his incredible powers. They invite Firestorm to join their team and he is very ecstatic about being a Super Friend. His first mission is to help them rescue Wonder Woman who has been abducted by a dangerous new enemy. Darkseid, the ruler of Apokolips, who not only wants to conquer the Earth, but also wants to make Wonder Woman his bride. The rescue may not be so easy since Darkseid has Wonder Woman under the control of Desaad's mind probe and the Super Friends and Firestorm may be walking into a trap.
WILL'S COMMENT: This is a great episode debuting Firestorm. Ironically, he would be made into a Super Powers figure the following year along with Darkseid, Kalibak, and Desaad.
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2 THE WRATH OF BRAINIAC:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Firestorm
Plot: Darkseid joins forces with Brainiac and uses his Omega Beams to fully charge Brainiac's android duplicates of Superman and Wonder Woman to capture the Super Friends.
REFLECTION IN CRIME:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin, Samurai, Firestorm
Plot: The Super Friends contend with the Mirror Master, who uses a special device to trap our heroes in the dimension behind the mirrors.
WILL'S COMMENT: Great episode, but one problem. Where was the Flash? Mirror Master is one of his foes.
ETB comment: made a great companion to the 13 Ghosts of Scooby (next season) episode "Reflections in a Ghoulish Eye"
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3 NO HONOR AMONG THIEVES:
Cast: Superman, Wonder Woman, El Dorado, Firestorm
Plot: Lex Luthor invents a power transfuser to transfer the Super Friends' powers to himself. He teams with Darkseid to set the trap. Having obtained their powers, Luthor tries to conquer Darkseid, but the ruler of Apokolips is ready for him and exposes him to Kryptonite dust. Luthor has no choice but to get the Super Friends back and restore their powers and he learns the hard way that there's no honor among thieves.
WILL'S COMMENT: This is the one and only episode where Luthor wears his green power suit. Why he never wore it again is beyond me.
ROB'S COMMENT TO WILL: "Hey Will! The reason why is simple! Are you forgetting what Firestorm did to Luthor's suit at the end of this episode?" LOL!
MR. MXYZPTLK AND THE MAGIC LAMP:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Apache Chief, Firestorm
Plot: The Super Friends are totally baffled at how Benny the Bungler, an incompetent crook is suddenly pulling off super crimes after stealing Aladdin's Lamp. They are unaware that Mr. Mxyzptlk is back and is toying with everyone again by pretending to be a genie using his magic to make Benny look good.
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4 CASE OF THE SHRINKING SUPER FRIENDS:
Cast: Robin, Wonder Twins Firestorm, w/ cameos by Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Black
Vulcan, Green Lantern.
Plot: When the senior heroes are called away on a space mission to save a dying planet from destruction, the teenage Super Friends are left to guard the Hall of Justice. But our young heroes have quite an adventure when Lex Luthor uses his contractor ray to shrink the Hall of Justice and the teen Super Friends down to size.
WILL'S COMMENT: I found this episode to worthy of a Teen Titans story. This is the only cameo appearance that Green Lantern makes in this series.
ETB comment: considering this was the year after a failed Teen Titans proposal by HB, they should have used them instead of the Wonder Twins (who I feel should have been given a rest by now. Their heyday was clearly over). They could have replaced Zan and Jayna with perhaps Changeling (looked far different than today's "Beast Boy" version of him) and Wonder Girl or something.
MASK OF MYSTERY:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Firestorm
Plot: The Super Friends discover a super hero wannabe named Captain Mystery who wants to be a Super Friend, but he just doesn't have what it takes to fight crime effectively, yet his clumsiness actually saves our heroes from a trap that Lex Luthor sets for them when he steals the computer disk that will access their computers.
ETB comment: They really should have brought back Marvin White for this one. Sidney Wanamaker was almost him, even down to the kid super suit and cape complete with "M" logo, and even the hair color! They could have framed it as him missing being a junior Superfriend, and wanting to get back into the business. (Again, would have liked to see the earlier juniors revived for a bit instead of the Wonder Twins).
WILL'S COMMENT: I was surprised that Aquaman didn't appear when the Super Friends were trapped at sea. The ocean is his element.
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5 DARKSEID'S GOLDEN TRAP 1&2:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman Black Vulcan, El Dorado, Firestorm
Plot: When they learn that the only known existing chunk of Gold Kryptonite is being auctioned off at the Intergalactic Underworld auction, Wonder Woman, Black Vulcan, and Firestorm go undercover and bid against Darkseid for the rock, but their cover is blown and they are captured. Superman, Batman, and El Dorado begin a space journey to find their missing friends. Luckily, with his telepathic sense, El Dorado gets information from Kalibak's brain while participating in events on the Moon of Games. But our heroes have to proceed with caution now that Darkseid has the Gold Kryptonite [which will destroy Superman's powers forever if he comes within 20 feet of it!]
ETB comment: Just like the Legion with the Noxium crystal, this guy ain't playing! Plot thwarted in a similar fashion!
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6 ISLAND OF THE DINOSOIDS:
Cast: Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Apache Chief, Ronald Raymond, Prof. Martin Stein
Plot: When the Batplane crashes on an island, Batman and Prof. Stein disappear along with the professor's omnicaster. The Super Friends arrive later and encounter Dr. Korwin, who's Genetto Beam changes animals into their dinsoaur counterprats. It turns out that Dr. Korwin was accidentally changed into a reptile man called a dinosoid and he has done the same thing to Batman and the professor.
WILL'S COMMENT: Great episode with dialogue between the two Batman voice overs past and present.
UNCLE MXYZPTLK:
Cast: Superman, Samuaraui, Firestorm, Wonder Twins
Plot: It's a quiet day when the Wonder Twins bring a red rock to the Hall of Justice that turns out to be Red Kryptonite which changes Superman into a little Super Brat. Mr. Mxyzptlk takes advantage of the situation and reenters Earth to be the spoiling uncle and use Super Brat to annoy the Super Friends.
ETB comment: I like the way the Wonder Twins and Gleek were changed into toy soldiers, with Gleek doing back flips with cymbals! Made it worth them being in this season. (This sequence used a bit of rare old score from Johnny Quest, that sounded like a Superfriends cue with its marching style rhythm. It could also be heard on Secret Squirrel and some others from that era).
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7 CASE OF THE DREADFUL DOLLS:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, El Dorado, Firestorm
Plot: The villainous Dollmaker uses Magic Mud to make golden dolls of the Super Friends and is able to control their minds and actions and one by one, he makes them all committ crimes. Only El Dorado can save everybody before Dollmaker can make a doll of him.
ROYAL RUSE:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Firestorm
Plot: The Super Friends respond to an emergency on Tyron 7, a planet that Darkseid has enslaved and plans to use to test his latest weapon which will banish a planet into the negative universe.
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8 VILLAGE OF THE LOST SOULS:
Cast: Wonder Woman, Apache Chief, Wonder Twins
Plot: When Apache Chief takes the Wonder Twins on a nature hike, they all wind up in an adventure in the small town of Buzzard's Roost where the people are all under some sort of trance. When the Twins are captured, Wonder Woman joins Apache Chief and discovers that Brainiac is the culprit who controls the townspeople's minds.
CURATOR:
Cast: Superman, Samurai, Firestorm, w/ cameos by Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Black
Vulcan, Apache Chief, El Dorado
Plot: Superman, Samurai, and Firestorm journey to a planet where Romlar, curator of the Galactic Museum is stealing people and monuments from all over the galaxy and putting them in suspended animation for prosperity, including the Hall of Justice and the other Super Friends.
[Will's overview]:
This was not only the second season of Super Powers cartoons but it was also the last and
final version of the Super Friends as well. In a technical sense, the Super Powers Team is
not really the Super Friends and could be considered a series by itself because Hanna
Barbera changed the animation and character designs so that the heroes and villains had the
appearances of the comic books of the 80's as well as the way they look on the toy
packages. Also, Hanna Barbera eliminated most of the characters they created for the Super
Friends (except Samurai, who stayed on as a supportive player). The Super Powers Team would
primarily consist of Super Heroes who were all in the DC Universe. Once again, Superman,
Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman and Firestorm were the leads along with their newest member,
Cyborg who in the comics is a member of the New Teen Titans along with Robin.
Almost everybody who appears in the group photo in the intro gets a chance to appear and use their powers with the exception of one. Surprisingly, the Flash only appeared in one episode and he didn't get to use his super speed. Aquaman, Green Lantern, Hawkman, and Samurai were lucky to appear in one episode each and use their powers. The only continuity the Super Powers Team had to the old Super Friends show were their continuous battles wih Darkseid, who is determined to conquer Earth and make Wonder Woman his bride. Our heroes also continue to battle their arch foes as well.
Other than that, the only other continuities from the Super Friends is the voice cast, (exept B.J. Ward Replaces Connie Cawlfield as the voice of Wonder Woman), and the background music. Second to Challenge of the Super Friends, the Super Powers Team has got to be the next best installment since it is close to the comic books and there are no teen tag alongs or cutsey cartoon comic reliefs. Plus the animation is high tech and there is more characterization in the storylines. The new character designs were really good, though I always wondered why Superman's hair was colored dark blue. The Super Powers Team aired in the middle of the Saturday morning lineup and consisted mostly of full 30 minute episodes, except for 4 episodes that were 15 minutes long. Altogether, there were 10 episodes.
THE SUPER POWERS TEAM: GALACTIC GUARDIANS 1985:
(1) THE SEEDS OF DOOM:
Cast: Superman, Wonder Woman, Firestorm, Cyborg (debut)w/ cameos by Batman, Robin, Aquaman, Hawkman, Samurai
Plot: Cyborg uses his metallic powers to single handedly apprehend Lex Luthor. The Super Powers Team is so impressed, they invite him to join the team, but Cyborg declines. Firestorm, who would like have someone his own age on the team learns about Cyborg, how he came to be and that he only wants to be left alone. The metallic hero reluctantly winds up working with the Super Powers Team when they discover giant seed pods that Darkseid's Parademons have placed all over the Earth. The seeds will sprout and crack the Earth's crust and eventually will change Earth into a second Apokolips. To stop Darkseid's plan, Cyborg reluctantly accompanies Wonder Woman and Firestorm to Apokolips to find the source of the seeds and destroy them. In the end, Cyborg finally joins the team.
WILL'S COMMENT: The plot of this episode was taken from a Super Powers comic book miniseries. Great episode that introduces Cyborg.
2(A)THE GHOST SHIP:
Cast: Superman, Firestorm, Cyborg
Plot: While being pursued by Darkseid in space, Superman, Firestorm, and Cyborg take shelter in a gigantic space ship. They discover a female being who seems to cast her image all over. She is a princess who uses holograms to scare pirates away. Her planet was destroyed and she keeps the population of her people in her locket. Darkseid learns of this and plans to steal the locket. Superman's powers are cut in half due to the orange sun in the galaxy they are in.
2(B)THE BIZARRO SUPER POWERS TEAM:
Cast: Wonder Woman, Firestorm, Cyborg
Plot: Bizarro #1 decides that Bizarroworld needs more heroes than just Bizarro Supermen so he takes a duplicator ray to Earth and finding the right three heroes, he makes Bizarro duplicates of Wonder Woman, Firestorm, and Cyborg. All Bizarro #1 wants to do is take them back to protect Bizarroworld, but Mr. Mxyzptlk has other plans when he arrives on Earth and wants to have fun. He insists that before Bizarro #1 takes them back, they need training as Super Heroes and with their backwards minds, they wreak havoc on Earth. The Super Powers Team realizes that they will have to get rid of the imp in order for the Bizarros to go home.
WILL'S COMMENT: This is a good comical episode. Danny Dark, who usually voices Superman voices Bizarro #1. Unlike the evil Bizarro of the Super Friends, Bizarro #1 is a much more likeable villain.
ROB'S COMMENT: I liked this episode, but I felt that Superman should have also been in it.
ETB comment: I originally thought this was a totally different character; like a sort of duplicate of the "original" Bizarro (I had gotten the impression that it was from him spinning off a numbered series of clones with this new one as the first, but I had never seen "Video Victims" where the "#1" name was used on the "old" Bizarro once). This smiling, light natured looking/sounding character just wasn't the same as the earlier one.
(3) THE DARKSEID DECEPTION:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Firestorm, Cyborg
Plot: The Super Powers Team has to search for Col. Steve Trevor, Wonder Woman's love interest who vanishes, but he shortly reappears and returns to Earth with no one knowing that Col. Trevor has been captured and replaced by Darkseid who uses a molecular reconfigurator to impersonate Col. Trevor. The masquerade is to get a hold of the TC7 satellite, which Darksied plans to use as part of his plan to mutate the Earth and take it over. As a bonus, Darkseid also abducts Wonder Woman. So our heroes have two people to rescue and a satellite to retrieve.
(4) THE FEAR:
Cast: Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, w/ cameos by Superman, Green Lantern, Samurai
Plot: The Scarecrow is plaguing Gotham City with his fear transmitters, but he has to contend with Batman and Robin, Gotham's Guardians. Batman has always been known as the man with no fear, but when he chases the Scarecrow into a certain alley, he is paralyzed with terror. The alley is none other than Crime Alley where years ago, Bruce Wayne witnessed the murder of his parents and guided his destination to becoming Batman. The Scarecrow plans to take advantage of this and captures Robin and Wonder Woman and uses them as bait to set a trap for Batman. The Caped Crusader now has to not only battle the Scarecrow, but his own fear as well.
WILL'S COMMENT: This is another top favorite episode of mine. It is a superb showcase for Batman. In this one and only episode, we see Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, (whom we never saw on the Super Friends) as well as Alfred and Commissioner Gordon and Professor Jonathan Crane (sans Scarecrow costume). For those of us who only remember Adam West who portrayed Batman in a campy matter on live TV, West delivers an excellent portrayal of the Caped Crusader coping with his one and only fear, of Crime Alley. For an extra bonus, Batman's origin is told in this episode.
ROB'S COMMENT: I noticed that in this episode Batman is labled as "The Man With No Fear!" Now I don't have a problem with this, but I felt DC Comics slightly stole this line Marvel Comics character DAREDEVIL who was labled as "The Man Without Fear!" in their comics. I'm guessing that DC used the minor changing of words to avoid a copyright lawsuit or maybe the whole thing was just a coincidence. Either way, I find it interesting.
(5) THE WILD CARDS:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Firestorm, Cyborg
Plot: A new villain called Ace recruits four young thieves and turns them into Super Villains called the Royal Flush Gang. With their new powers, they are able to capture Superman, Wonder Woman, and Firestorm. Ace is in cohoots with Darkseid, and things really get wild when Batman, Robin, and Cyborg raid their hideout. Batman also discovers that Ace is really his arch foe, the Joker, a rather unliely foe to team up with Darkseid.
ETB comment: After 13 years, and the first time since the Scooby Doo appearance, Joker returns to an HB production.
6(A) BRAINCHILD:
Cast: Superman, Firestorm, Cyborg, w/ cameo by Green Lantern
Plot: While attending a science fair with Ronald Raymond (Firestorm) Cyborg is captured by robots and is taken to a starship owned by Brainiac who uses Cyborg as his latest experiment. When Superman and Firestorm arrive, they have to battle a giant robot that Brainiac built to destroy them and Brainiac has transferred Cyborg's mind into the robot.
6 (B) CASE OF THE STOLEN POWERS:
Cast: Superman, Wonder Woman, Firestorm, w/ cameos by Aquaman, Hawkman, Samurai
Plot: Felix Faust uses his magic to steal Superman's powers to transfer them to himself. But his cellmate, the Penguin jumps in the way and acquires them for himself. While the Penguin keeps the Super Powers Team busy with his super powered crime wave, Felix Faust conjures up spirits to capture the bird and get the Man of Steel's powers for himself.
WILL'S COMMENT: As with the episode, Reflection in Crime that featured Mirror Master without the Flash, I was disappointed that Batman and Robin were not there to take on the Penguin even if he did have Super Powers.
ETB comment: As with The Wild Cards, the Penguin appears in an HB production for the first time since Scooby. I was satisfied enough to not even pay attention to the fact that Batman was not used; but of course that would have been better. Check out Faust's beastly looking cave!
(7) THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN:
Cast: Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Firestorm, Cyborg, w/ cameos by Robin, Aquaman,
Flash, Hawkman, Samurai, El Dorado, and Superman
Plot: The entire Super Powers Team as well as the entire world gathers to grieve over the tragic death of their most powerful hero. Superman has died due to an over exposure to Kryptonite while on a space mission. Firestorm, who was with Superman at the time is hardest hit and most vulnerable. Darkseid captures him and forces the details behind Superman's demise. Meanwhile, some of the heroes journey to the Fortress of Solitude to sort through Superman's things and they learn from one of the robot guards about a Kryptonian trance and that Superman may still be alive, which is great news considering Darkseid has taken over the Hall of Justice and has captured the rest of the Super Powers Team.
WILL'S COMMENT: This is another excellent episode. It brings the entire Super Powers team together. This is the only episode where the Flash appears. Even though he is not part of this series, El Dorado also makes a small cameo appearance. Luckily, Superman turns up alive and well at the end. I personally felt that this should have been the final episode of the series, but it wasn't.
ETB comment: Wikipedia lists it as the last, dated November 6, 1985, and Escape from Space City dated October 30, 1985. Don't know which one is right, and the DVD has Space City as the last as well.
(8) ESCAPE FROM SPACE CITY:
Cast: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Firestorm, Samurai, Aquaman
Plot: Darkseid sees great opportunity to take over Star City, the first city in space built by Japanese billionaire Industrialist Dr. Moko. When Batman, Samurai, and Firestorm journey up to the city, they and Moko's daughter are unaware that Moko has been captured and replaced by a robot duplicate. Meanwhile, Superman and Wonder Woman join Aquaman* who has found an odd island which is not only Darkseid's base of operations, but a trap set for them. Batman, Samurai, Firestorm, and Moko's daughter are forced to flee through Star City with the robot workers being contolled by Kalibak and Desaad. Their only chance is to cut off the power and black out the city.
WILL'S COMMENT: With this episode, the Super Powers Team comes to a close as does the entire run of the Super Friends altogether.
ETB comment: we also draw to a close the entire "Pre-Crisis" period of the DC multiverse!
*[Almost strange seeing Aquaman get so much screen time and using his powers in this season].
