WEEKEND VIEWING: SUPER FRIENDS, DISNEY TREASURES, SONIC & MORE

[MattBrady]

by Steve Fritz

Time for another all-animated DVD section. Got a baker’s dozen of toons of various quality for your examination. Let’s not waste any time and dive right in.

THE ALL-NEW SUPER FRIENDS HOUR/Season One Volume 1 (WB) (2 DVDs)

Just to keep things clear, technically this is the second Super Friends series from 1977-9. It starred Aquaman, Batman, Robin, Superman, Wonder Woman and the Wonder Twins; and, for this set included “guest heroes” Atom, Rima, Green Lantern, Apache Chief, Hawkman/Hawkwoman, and Black Vulcan.

The series was divided into four segments. The first was a “brave/bold” team-up with two of the main Super Friends. Segment #2 was the then-required morality bit featuring the Twins. Then came the main event featuring the bulk of the Super Friends. Finally, there would be a different team-up between one of the main Super Friends and one of the guests. Inbetween would be interstitials featuring a Friend doing some kind of puzzle or activity to keep the kids glued to screen.

First the negatives. The animation is nearly some of the worst Hanna-Barbera ever did in its life. While character design wasn’t bad, character movement was as stiff as a cord of knotty pine, the vocal parts sounded mailed in and the action segments probably used as much stock footage, if not more, than Filmation in its heyday. I won’t cut into the scripting because Alan Burnett and a number of others who worked on this project do their own share of explaining what it was like working on it. They particularly have venom for Peggy Charren and her Action for Children’s Television crew for taking action-adventure to such a nadir that the heroes couldn’t even throw a punch.

Then again, what Warners does here is show the first seven episodes exactly as they were originally broadcast (sans commercials, of course) and you find out something rather surprising. Say what you will, the entire package of an episode ended up being a heck of a lot better than the sum of its parts. Some of the stories were honestly competent, if not better, than they had any right to be. Further, when you compare the series to much of the other just plain garbage that was broadcasting at that time on Saturday mornings, it’s easy to see why most toon fans remember it fondly.

In all, it’s what one person I knew would have called a rather “memorable antique.” I won’t mind putting it on my shelf with other similar oddities.

GHOST IN THE SHELL/STAND ALONE COMPLEX (Manga)
- The Laughing Man (2 DVDs)
- Individual Eleven (2 DVDs)

I don’t know if I want to keep these things or set them on fire.

What you basically have is, for lack of a better term, the “Cliff Notes” versions of Kenji Kamiyama’s 52-episode TV adaptation of Mamoru Oshii’s anime masterwork. They literally took over 1,300 (25 minutes x 52 episodes) minutes of animation and cut it down to 320. The end result is like taking Moby Dick and cutting it down to a Golden Book. The nuance, awe and menace of this ground breaking science fiction series are sorely missed.

To add insult to injury, for some reason the PTB’s felt the need to cut out the original American vocal performances and replace them with other actors. I’m sorry, as good as Alison Matthews, David Kaye and Trevor Devall may be in other roles, they don’t sound right imitating the likes of Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Richard Epcar and Crispin Freeman (as the Major, Batou and Togusa, respectively).

Even the extra disks of supplemental content can’t wash out the bad taste these two sets leave in one’s mouth. Putting it more simply, they just don’t have any soul.

HARVIE KRUMPET (MediaLink/Koch)

For true fans of animation, this is the sad, sweet claymation treat that managed to beat the mighty Pixar at the Oscars in 2003 and take a statuette home. Made by Adam Elliot it tells the tragic tale of Harvek Milos Krumpetzki, born in Poland with Tourettes Syndrome, watches his mother go mad, emigrate to Australia (where he becomes Harvey Krumpet), has a metal plate be put in his head, gets hit by lightning (turning the plate into a magnet), gets married, adopts a Thalidomide baby, and endures more than his own share of the trials and travails of being human. Still, this tale in four acts is also a tale of one who transcends his own extreme limitations by being an animal rights activist (in his own way), go about nude and in general live up to a visitation from the Greek philosopher Horace and seize his day more often than he should.

Narrated by Geoffrey Rush, it’s a wonderful little gem that somehow makes you feel a bit better about yourself after its very short 23 minute run. Elliot is possessed with a warm, wry wit too rarely seen or heard these days. If this tale isn’t enough, the disk also includes several of his earlier works where he tells the tales of several other members of the Elliot clan. At present, the man is working on a full-length feature film, Mary & Max, which if we’re lucky we’ll finally see this year.

No matter what, no true animation library is complete without this masterwork, and at the retail price of $7.00, you all have no excuse not to have it.

KANON Vol. 1 (ADV)

Made by the same people who gave you the series Air this year, Kyoto Animation, this very quiet little tale tells the tale of a boy moving to his Aunt’s house in order for relatively unknown reasons. He’s been there many times before, and it isn’t long before he’s accosted by several different girls who he had encounters with in his past. The only thing is he doesn’t remember them.

While some of the characters fit into certain anime stereotypes we’ve seen way too often before, it’s what Kyoto does with these cliches that gives the series some promise. The animation is also subtly top notch, using about every shade of white possible as we tour a town basically in a permanent winter. On the negative, it’s a hard film to follow not because the plot is so complex but rather because it’s so slow moving. I swear there are times that there’s more action in watching ice melt than scenes of our hero rummaging through his fragmented past.

So take this one for what it is. Personally, I’m giving it one more volume before I make a final decision.

SONIC UNDERGROUND (Shout Factory!) (3 DVDs/1 CD)

Of all the various shows featuring Sonic the Hedgehog, this is probably the one that came closest to really entertaining me. It sported the best animation of any of the series. It also tried to come up with a fresh (for Sonic) plot line. Yes, there were times when one probably got more laughs and thrills from some other also-rans like Biker Mice From Mars, but that how it was in those days.

What you get here is the first 20 episodes of what was originally a 40 half-hour run. The voice cast includes a number of now recognizable pros like Maurice LaMarche. It also makes one wonder what Jaleel White (yep, Urkle) would have been like if he concentrated more on v.o. work instead of other activities. The guy’s got talent.

Yes, the music is rife with all the hair band cliches that ran through rock music in the late 90s, but at times there was the occasional ditty that was eminently hum-able. As such, the inclusion of the extra CD of Sonic Underground tunes (not toons) is a nice touch. The extra content explaining the thought and time that went into the series is also better than average.

So take this bit of kid fluff for what it is. While it may not be a keeper in my library, I’m sure there are more than enough Sonic fans out there who will be glad to have it. I’m sure they’ll want the remaining 20 episodes when they come out, too.

STORM HAWKS (Sony)
- Hawks Rise Again
- Tales From The Atmos

When this series made its debut on Cartoon Network earlier this year, I had to admit I took an immediate liking to it. Yes, it was teenaged animated space opera that I had seen before, but it also had an energy and general fun feel to it that made repeat viewings all the more enjoyable.

For those not familiar, Storm Hawks is from Canada, and steals from shows such as Japan’s Last Exile and France’s Skyland. It’s set on a planet where the main transportation is flight, even when it comes to visiting the neighboring village, because ground travel is virtually impossible. Naturally, you have the evil group trying to take over the place. You also have a bunch of high spirited teens, human and alien, out to stop them. The main objective for both groups is to collect certain types of specialized crystals that do anything from power the flying vehicles to give its holder incredible mystic powers.

These disks collect ten episodes between the two of them. The nice thing is the series never gets too heavy for younger kids, but still has enough content to keep us older kids satisfied. Each disk also comes with some nice extra content explaining bits of the world and the characters who inhabit it. The character design and backdrops are also a nice hybrid of French and American styles and I find it quite pleasing to the eye. The action sequences also are better than what’s usual TV fare.

From what I understand, there will eventually be at least 52 episodes. I’m hoping so. While this series probably won’t set new standards, it’s certainly well worth checking out for pure entertainment value.

WALLACE & GROMIT: THREE AMAZING ADVENTURES (Hit)

If you never had the three original W&G shorts, you now officially have no excuse.

This set not only gives you the Oscar-winning (or at least nominated) “A Grand Day Out,” “The Wrong Trousers” and “A Close Shave” but it also includes a number of other treats. Among these little snacks are a number of 1-2 minute clips inspecting many of Wallace’s inventions as well as two more standard shorts featuring Aardman’s latest creation (and W&G spin-off) Shawn The Sheep. Series creator Nick Park also adds his own particularly dry wisdom to the proceedings in the commentary tracks.

If that isn’t enough, it’s real, real easy to get this reissue-plus for around $10. As I said before, if you are a true fan of animation, you truly have no excuse for not having this in your collection.

THE WALLFLOWER Vol. 1(ADV)

It looks like the infamous Nabeshin, aka creator and director Shinichi Watanabe (Excel Saga, Tenchi Muyo GXP and Nerima Daikon Brothers), is at it again.

This series tells the tale of four “bishi” or bishonen boys who’s matron gives them the what appears to be the nigh impossible task of turning her goth girl teenaged relation into something more, well, civilized. Yes, it’s a hybrid of Queer Eye and My Fair Lady, and will no doubt offend both the exceedingly prudish and those who live alternative life styles. Personally, I get the feeling Watanabe doesn’t give a darn about who he offends. More power to him for that.

Like past series, Watanabe also likes to throw gags at you at mach speed. The good thing here is you don’t need a knowledge of Japanese/otaku culture to get the jokes ala Bo-Bo-Bo. On the other hand, there are times when one wishes he would tone the levels of hysteria his characters achieved a notch or two. The long sequences of one character or another running around in high pitched panic eventually starts feeling like being trapped in a room with a tape loop of nails scraping on a chalkboard. There were many times I would have to hit the mute or stop button just to give my ears a rest.

So, if the previously mentioned shows are the type of things you like, you’re sure to enjoy this series as well. Me, personally? I like my sense of hearing too much and will give it a pass.

WALT DISNEY TREASURES (Disney)
-The Adventures of Oswald The Lucky Rabbit (2 DVDs)
-Donald Duck Chronicles vol. 3 (1947-50) (2 DVDs)

The annual holiday arrival of the Disney “tins” is something I always look forward to. Handsomely packaged, loaded with all manner of incredible information and, of course, a ton of rarely seen (if ever) Disney shorts and other subjects, this year the series has hit new heights with these two sets.

As expressed in past columns, Walt Disney didn’t appear out of the blue with Mickey Mouse in tow. His earliest, Kansas City-based, work has been collected by Inkwell Images (Alice In Cartoonland and Laugh-O-Grams Fairy Tales). There was also an important bridge series he did between these first ‘toons and the Mouse. Featuring a new character he created entitled Oswald The Lucky Rabbit, the series was the first animated shorts Disney produced after moving to California in the mid-20s. What’s more important than the animation though is the tale behind this series.

Disney created Oswald for producer Margaret Winkler, who at that time was the largest distributor of animation in the U.S. She in turn struck a deal with Universal, who distributed the shorts with their feature films. While Universal rejected the first toon Disney and longtime pal Ub Iwerks created in the series due to substandard production values and racy material (it seemed ol’ Ozzie was a very lucky rabbit indeed), he took off with the second short, “Trolly Troubles.” For the next year, Disney and Iwerks--along with a legendary animation crew that included Harmon-Ising, Friz Freling and a few more legends—would produce 26 shorts. As the series progressed, Iwerks’ draftsmanship and Disney’s story telling abilities improved by quantum leaps. It wasn’t long before Oswald was a lucky rabbit indeed. The only characters who were probably bigger than him in those days of the silents were Felix the Cat and Ko-Ko The Clown.

A year later, and it’s time to renew Disney’s contract. He takes the train to New York City to meet his new boss, Winkler’s new husband, Charles Mintz. Little did he know that Mintz had been busy strong arming every animator at Walt’s studio, with Iwerks being the only hold-out, to new contracts that had them work directly with him. So, when Walt thought he was going to be getting a raise, instead he not only found himself fired, but without a staff to do anything else he might have thought up…except Ub and his brother Roy Disney.

It was on the train ride back that lightning struck. Disney telegraphed Roy and Ub with an idea and character, which Iwerks immediately got to drawing. Drawing at a phenomenal 700 sketches per day, within two weeks Roy got the money and Iwerks and Walt created a still-silent short called “Plane Crazy.” It did well enough that the Disneys got the money to do two more, the second being the one where the lead character, one Mickey Mouse, would roar (actually whistle) his way into legend with “Steamboat Willie.”

As for Mintz? According to Disney anyway, the Oswald shorts he produced with the ex-Disney animators were so bad he lost the contract within a year. Universal then hired the son of an Italian immigrant named Walter Lantz, and Oswald’s luck would return, being one of the few characters to survive the transition into sound and enjoy a productive career that went well into the 1930s.

This set collects 13 of the 26 shorts Disney/Iwerks produced in the years 1927-28. While not made explicitly clear, it seems the reason the other shorts didn’t appear is due to the original masters having deteriorated to virtually unusable condition. Still, the real reason for this collection isn’t to celebrate how Disney got the shorts back into their vault (they literally traded sports announcer Al Michaels to NBC for their rights back in 2006). It’s to see how Iwerks and Disney’s ability to tell a story would progress in leaps and bounds during this year. In fact, one could say the entire second disc is a true homage to Iwerks, containing a previously released documentary on him created by his granddaughter Leslie. The collection also includes some of the pre- and post-Oswald work Iwerks did for Disney, including the aforementioned “Plane Crazy,” “Steamboat Willie” and the legendary “Skeleton Dance.”

Yes, one had to admit that the Fleischer Brothers and Otto Messmer were still the absolute best in the business, but one could also see that Iwerks and Disney were coming up fast. All one can add is to not have this set in your collection is to openly admit you don’t love golden age animation.

As for the Duck collection? Well, it isn’t hard to see why the Donald is the hardest working character in the Disney universe. Yes, Mickey is the masthead, but Donald has more emotional range. He also had a rogues gallery of side characters ranging from his three nephews (Huey, Dewey and Louie), to Chip’n Dale, not forgetting his love interest Daisy and many other memorable characters to shake his fist at. Even more amazing is just the sheer number of shorts he appeared in during this very short period, well over 30.

Another incredible collection from the Disney vault and well worth having.

WITCHBLADE Vol. 3 (FUNimation)

In the latest entry in this Top Cow/Studio Gonzo collaboration, we are introduced to two new adversaries for the latest bearer of the Witchblade. We also get some nice side stories, the top one being where Masane’s daughter Rihoko meets a bizarre stranger who has some very dark, and very critical, secrets that will effect the series.

The only lamentation is the two new enemies introduced are truly stock anime characters. The first is a real ice queen who you know is going to get hers. The second? Well anyone familiar with Neon Genesis Evangelion will recognize the spoiled super-monster in the making, right down to her twin ponytails.

Those two details aside, the series still continues to impress and hold my interest. I like how each character is now developing. Let’s get volume four out soon, shall we? I want to know how this one goes.

[Hoppy]

ACT then = 4Kids now.

[TheToileteer]

So--were Zan and Jayna modeled after Donnie and Marie Osmond, or the kids in Space Ghost (which would explain the monkey)? With a touch of Mr. Spock, of course (and in the case of their home planet, the original Star Wars).

On a somewhat related note, Wikipedia says that Wendy, Marvin, and Wonder Dog were modeled on the Scooby Doo Gang.

[sfritz]

Originally Posted by TheToileteer

So--were Zan and Jayna modeled after Donnie and Marie Osmond, or the kids in Space Ghost (which would explain the monkey)? With a touch of Mr. Spock, of course (and in the case of their home planet, the original Star Wars).

On a somewhat related note, Wikipedia says that Wendy, Marvin, and Wonder Dog were modeled on the Scooby Doo Gang.

It wouldn't suprise me on either count.

1) The Osmonds were huge at that time.
2) In the mid-70s, if H-B came up with a good idea, they would beat it to death. -s

[HighSky316]

Steve,

Kanon does start out slow, but the second volume should at least keep you going. But ADV's dubs have been topnotch the last year or two, and Kanon sounds nice so far.

[sfritz]

Originally Posted by HighSky316

Steve,

Kanon does start out slow, but the second volume should at least keep you going. But ADV's dubs have been topnotch the last year or two, and Kanon sounds nice so far.

HS - Glad to hear it. I'll be more than glad to review vol. 2 when it arrives and make an opinion then. -s

[Thephanboy]

man i grew up on the super friends....and i might be the only one that misses zane and jana...or how every u spell it. be nice to have them in the dc universe and written right

[M Intensity]

I always had a warm place in my heart for the various incarnations of Super Friends. No, it wasn't great art but it had its own goofy charm. You pretty much nailed it on the head regarding this incarnation of the series, "Say what you will, the entire package of an episode ended up being a heck of a lot better than the sum of its parts. Some of the stories were honestly competent, if not better, than they had any right to be. Further, when you compare the series to much of the other just plain garbage that was broadcasting at that time on Saturday mornings..." I seen some episodes on Boomerang fairly recently and watching the show as a whole, not just in parts, enhances the experience. Thankfully Warner is releasing it in its complete hour long form, not in its separate parts. Another thing I noticed is that the writing for the "All-New" season was better than the writing for the two Challenge of the Superfriends components from the following season (I know Challenge is one of the most popular seasons but I have both DVD sets and watching the episodes back to back, which is not the way they are meant to be seen, the formula for both parts gets tiring really quick).

I'll probably pick up the All-New set along with the Super Powers Team set which I didn't pick up when it was released.

[benavery]

I may be one of the only people in the world who has fond memories of Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog. Those episodes are the ones I've been waiting for on DVD.

Recently I discovered that in the Superfriends comic series, they did a storyline where Wendy and Marvin were replaced by Zan and Jana. It was like the missing season between the two Superfriends series or something. Interesting in that "no-one-but-a-reminiscing-fanboy-would-ever-care" kinda way.

~ Ben

[Electrohead]

Witchblade starts this Friday on IFC at 10:30 pm central time.

[M Intensity]

Originally Posted by benavery

I may be one of the only people in the world who has fond memories of Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog. Those episodes are the ones I've been waiting for on DVD.

Recently I discovered that in the Superfriends comic series, they did a storyline where Wendy and Marvin were replaced by Zan and Jana. It was like the missing season between the two Superfriends series or something. Interesting in that "no-one-but-a-reminiscing-fanboy-would-ever-care" kinda way.

~ Ben

I liked the Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog episodes. In some ways, those episodes were more faithful to the comics of the time than the later ones (Clark was a WGBS reporter, Robin was called "Teen Wonder," Wonder Woman and Aquaman used their super human strength, etc.). I do hope that the entire series eventually get released on DVD.

Maybe they'll include the "passing of the torch" comic book storyline (Super Friends 7-9) as a bonus on the, hopefully, eventual first season DVD.

[sfritz]

Originally Posted by M Intensity

I liked the Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog episodes. In some ways, those episodes were more faithful to the comics of the time than the later ones (Clark was a WGBS reporter, Robin was called "Teen Wonder," Wonder Woman and Aquaman used their super human strength, etc.). I do hope that the entire series eventually get released on DVD.

Maybe they'll include the "passing of the torch" comic book storyline (Super Friends 7-9) as a bonus on the, hopefully, eventual first season DVD.

Actually, a few of the Super Friends series are out and available, among them the Powers and Challenge. All New is only the first one that WB decided to do some press support on. Don't ask me why but I'm not complaining.

For the record, WBHV also released the Filmation Aquaman shorts a few months back, but didn't support it in spite of my promises that if they would definitely review it.

Go figure. All I can say is I'm doing my annual wrap up as you read this. There were over 1,300 animated DVDs released in 2007. You can't get them all, but I do my best to review as many that I find relevent to Newsarama as I can.

As for the Wonder Twins stuff, I think I recall an animated episode that explained their origins, why they came to Earth and how they hooked up with SF. I repeat, I think I saw it. -s

[Wellness]

Someone actually likes Sonic Underground...


...that invalidates Mr. Fritz's opinion on all future reviews.

[sfritz]

Originally Posted by Wellness

Someone actually likes Sonic Underground...


...that invalidates Mr. Fritz's opinion on all future reviews.

My opinion has been invalidated by so many people before you that it really isn't relevant any more. And I laugh every time Matt and Mike post another set of them. -s

[Jacob Gilbert]

Originally Posted by TheToileteer

So--were Zan and Jayna modeled after Donnie and Marie Osmond, or the kids in Space Ghost (which would explain the monkey)? With a touch of Mr. Spock, of course (and in the case of their home planet, the original Star Wars).

Zan & Jayna were indeed modeled in the image of Donny & Marie, whose variety coincidentally aired on the same network (ABC), on Fridays at the time. Sort of a cross between the Osmond sibs and Jan & Jace, Space Ghost's sidekicks, with Gleek as an analog for the more talented Blip. Makes ya wonder (pardon the expression) what might've happened if H-B pulled the trigger on a SF/SG crossover in those days.

Originally Posted by TheToileteer

On a somewhat related note, Wikipedia says that Wendy, Marvin, and Wonder Dog were modeled on the Scooby Doo Gang.

Not quite. It was the only way, really, that H-B could employ the "Scooby Formula" to SF without harming the core of the product, even though Batman & Robin met Scooby a year earlier.

[Jacob Gilbert]

Originally Posted by benavery

I may be one of the only people in the world who has fond memories of Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog. Those episodes are the ones I've been waiting for on DVD.

Recently I discovered that in the Superfriends comic series, they did a storyline where Wendy and Marvin were replaced by Zan and Jana. It was like the missing season between the two Superfriends series or something. Interesting in that "no-one-but-a-reminiscing-fanboy-would-ever-care" kinda way.

~ Ben

In that context, Ben, the first few issues of the SF comic would be that "lost season". Zan & Jayna debuted in issues 7-9, reprinted in the 1st SF TPB, released a few years ago. Wendy & Marvin would make a 1-shot return in the series (issue is around #21 or 22), but would not be seen again until a Cartoon Network cybercomic brought them together with the Twins in 1999.