Hey kids (of all ages), it’s Saturday Morning Cartoon time again!
After getting Filmation Studios off the ground with TV cartoons in the ’60s, the DC superheroes (mostly) transitioned to Hanna-Barbera for the Super Friends dynasty of the ’70s and ’80s. We’ve covered SUPER FRIENDS, The ALL-NEW SUPER FRIENDS HOUR, CHALLENGE OF THE SUPER FRIENDS, The WORLD’S GREATEST SUPERFRIENDS, and started the ’80s with SUPERFRIENDS.
By this point, HB had enough episodes from the assorted series to package a show for syndication. ABC wasn’t crazy about filling a Saturday Morning slot with a franchise that was on every day in key markets, so they dropped the Super Friends from the ’83-’84 lineup. They were back on the network the following year. FCC rules regarding use of children’s programming as long-form toy commercials, which had been enacted back in the late sixties, were being relaxed (as demonstrated by HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE as well as G.I. JOE, etc.) and DC /Kenner had a new line of action figures to sell. So I presume ABC got the cartoon on the cheap.
SUPER FRIENDS: THE LEGENDARY SUPER POWERS SHOW added Firestorm to the line-up, and pitted the Justice League against the New God Darkseid, his minions and accomplices. (Not only was the rock-faced Big Boss badly nerfed here, but rendered mighty thirsty for Wonder Woman. Not that I blame him, but seems rather out of character.)
Adam West, star of the live-action BATMAN series from the ’60s as well as Filmation’s NEW ADVENTURES OF BATMAN animated series from the ’70s, takes over voicing the Caped Crusader in this program. Olan Soule, who had done the character starting for Filmation in the ’60s and carried-on through all the Hanna-Barbera versions to this point, became the voice of Firestorm’s brainier half. From 1984. More from the OldHorseman.
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That's Entertainment! and tagged
ABC,
Adam West,
Batman,
Darkseid,
Filmation Studios,
Firestorm,
Hanna-Barbera,
Olan Soule,
OldHorseman,
SuperFriends,
Wonder Woman |
