When in need of Superman, get the animated version
So, on another trip down the old series lane and I stumble across Superman, The Animated Series and boy, does it bring back memories. I still remember that episode when Darkside first went Earth-side and did the murder deed on a certain cop. It felt horrifying to the kid me and still horrifies me when I watch it years later. That was just a cheap shot and he did it out of spite and callousness. And back to the good parts, Supes sounds amazing, as does Lois Lane. This was her comment on the first news piece on a "blue angel" (Superman) who first appeared in Metropolis: "New age, granola-eating fluff piece on angels!" That's Lane at her best and I think the audience fell in love at first snark. (So much better than Smallville's although the actress there does a decent job.)
Actually, I can't really bash the aging WB turned CW show, even though I haven't watched since the 1st season and only watched the 8th because of the actor who played BSG's Crashdown also brilliantly portrayed Davis Bloom. Yeah, the season finale devestated me, not only with the ridiculously underwhelming fight scene but the 180 turn around on Davis' character. One minute it's "I save people. That's my job (as a paramedic)." and the next it's "KILLL!!!!!" Writers, ever hear of a thing called continuity?
So, overall, although the Animated series episodes are about 1/2 of the length of Smallville episodes, the villian and guest stars that pop in do so in a way that MAKES sense and isn't just random because there's actally something called attention to detail and explaining some backstory before dumping a new character onto the screen and letting them loose. Yay for cartoons that stand the test of time and are as good, if not better, when we view them again over a decade later.
And this little gem of a series unearths a couple more, so I have miles in unseen or old cartoons to revisit.
Along with Superman, the Animated Series is Batman, the Animated series - the one whose success actually spawned the creation of the Superman series. (But I always like the Superman one better. I think it was because it was less dark and such. Plus, sci-fi? I am so there!) The two series went on to merge in a hour of superheroes aired back to back in the New Batman/Superman Adventures, with the Batman series BTAS going on to The New Batman Adventures before the so-called merger. Next is Justice League and Justice League Unlimited and finally, chronologically at least, is Batman Beyond where the Dark Knight passes on his mantle.
So by the numbers:
- Batman, the Animated Series
- The New Adventures of Batman - Aired parallel to Superman, the Animated Series (Thus creating the hour block known as The New Batman/Superman Adventures, which is not an actual cross over but just that the two superheroes aired back to back and were deemed so wonderful they needed a name to confuse future viewers?)
- Justice League
- Justice League Unlimited
- Batman Beyond