I know originally captain marvel was going to be in the super friends cartoon and his foe Doctor Sivana was going to be the leader of the original legion of doom called league of Evil" that never happen due to right issues and Filmation who had their shazam and Batman cartoon in the works
I can remember watching the 70's versions of this classic cartoon. Those Saturday mornings were always a time for kids to look forward to. The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show, Sid & Marty Croft, the older classic love action shows Flipper. ♥ Those mornings were so different then than they are nowadays. Now Saturday mornings are filled with death, gloom, and misery, instead of cartoons, laughter, and fun! Now it's local news, world news, business news, and political news. All of which are full of lies, deception, and trickery. I'd rather have the 70's mornings.🌄 Waking⏰up⏰ to Flipper, the Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show, the Flintstones, the Jetsons, or anyone of those older classic cartoons over ANY of the garbage that they show now. It's no wonder kids are so violent.
Every girlfriend I've had has seen my collection and just shook their heads and asked WHY? So to all of you who have found a gal who doesn't mind or I've seen this maybe twice ALSO COLLECTS you are so VERY LUCKY.
The only qualms I have with my boyfriend collecting figures is that sometimes he should be saving money for other things. As long as he pays his bills and saves some money at the end of the month I’m perfectly alright with him buying figures. The only figures I wish he didn’t collect are funko pops because I think they’re trashy and worthless.
@@gircakes THANK YOU! LOL. I never got the Funko Pops line myself. Sadly I do own four of them. One is Ike from South Park, 2 and 3 are Chopper and BB-8(UGH!) from Star Wars, and the last came in a Bugs Bunny box set Blu-ray collection. The only one I actually display is Ike. Just because he actually looks like Ike. The action figure hobby has become a scalpers paradise now. I used to buy 10-20 a year sometimes more. Now this year, I've slowed way down, and bought 4 of them. I am surprised that some people are willing to continually spend three times the prices for these figures now that distribution is obsolete. I won't. I did that a few years back and lost my butt. I bought some of the original Black Series 6" figures that I missed out on. I got an R2-D2 for example for $90.00 + $10.00 shipping. I also got the hideous Slave Leia figures, both the 6" and 3.75" scale for $85.00. Right after I got them Hasbro announced they were banning the making of these figures and the prices shot up. Some charging $200.00+. My point? Right after I bought the R2-D2 Hasbro also announced they were Re-releasing many of the original figures again. So the R2-D2 I spent $100.00 on was now available for $19.99 albeit in a new package. I've learned one thing from all this. PATIENCE! But some want or NEED to have them now. I personally won't spend over $30.00 for a action figure anymore, unless it's a Figma, Mafex, or other imports of better quality. That's the second thing I learned. With the distribution being as weak as it is and scalpers hoarding the cases and reselling on eBay for 3-5 times their retail prices, I figured (no pun intended) that if these rip off artists were charging $70.00-$150.00 for a $20.00 figure, why support their CON? If I'm spending $70.00-$100.00 on a action figure I want a action figure that worth that kind of money. SHFiguarts, Figma, Mafex, etc are higher end collectibles. They hold their value better, they are made much better, and last longer. I buy far less than I used to, but I have a much better experience with my collection. Just a thought on how my collecting has changed over the last 12 months. Also your boyfriends are lucky, VERY lucky, to have found women like you who not only "support" their hobby, but don't condemn them as fools for indulging in it. I actually had a lady who said going out on the weekends and getting loaded is a far better way to spend time and money. I asked her, so a possible DUI, getting into an accident? Or meeting up with a guy who becomes Superman with a few shots of Liquid courage and wants to fight everyone? Her answer? At least THAT'S A MASCULINE HOBBY! We didn't last....lol. Your requests are reasonable and intelligent. If any hobby starts to become so important it takes away from life's responsibilities then it's no longer a hobby but an addiction or a obsession. Take care, enjoy life and love with your heart! Life is too short for pettiness, bitterness, and anger. Especially now, this 🌎world🌎 is insane! Have fun!
I was the perfect age for the Super Friends. A young kid when watching the mildest version (enjoying it along with Leave it to Beaver and Andy Griffith reruns), just a little older and able to handle "scarier" when they faced the more intense Legion of Doom and a fan of the New Teen Titans and Firestorm in comics when Super Powers was bringing them to life in animation and toys (making up for the cartoon being mild writing and action by comparison). Now all the decades later its the ultra-mild original run that when I catch one can make the week's troubles fade away like visiting a peaceful small hometown again.
In the comics of the era Wonder Woman could control her plane with radio control in her tiara or mind waves, so standing on her plane was kind of par for the course for the period pre-Crisis.
Another great Vid, thanks. I have so many fond memories of the Super Powers Team from my childhood. It was my introduction to Firestorm and Darkseid, 2 of the characters I love to this day and have tried to get all of their comic appearances.
"...and Hanna-Barbera re-designed a number of the villains to *reflect* the 1980s versions of the characters." He says as Mirror Master is on screen. Slick editing, Michael.
Thanks man! I was also proud of the "Superfriends wanted to grow up" while a huge monster increased in size, and "Wonder Woman was put in a corner" while she's in a prison cell.
I was staying up all night waiting for this, and BAM! yet another great video. That Professor Stein skit is straight out of Robot Chicken. =D I think the greatest thing to happen in this show was having Adam West voice Batman, with Burt Ward joining him as Robin in The New Adventures of Batman. I kinda wonder if there was an alternate reality where Christopher Reeve and Linda Carter also voiced Superman and Wonder Woman. Can't wait for part two!
Thanks so much Michael. Even though I never really latched on to the series, it really was a background to my youth. I could watch your work all day long, man it's enjoyable! Cheers, Michael.
Great video! My knowledge of the Super Friends was limited to the figures which I had a few of as a kid. This was well researched and condensed considering the amount of info. You did a good job to get that down to 13 mins guys.
Kudos once again Michael. Your knowledge about your toys and childhood loves is truly respectable. The mere mentioning of Union Terminal being the inspiration for the Hall of Justice is something that a lot of people here in Cincy don’t even know. It’s always fun to educate them and tell them when i have the chance, but you are the first “Non-Cincinnatian” aside from the DC documentaries themselves, to actually know and mention that. Awesome video as usual, even though I’m 7 years late to the party lol
I started collecting Action Figures with Super Powers figures in 1994 when my son was 4. Even though the line had ended in 1992 our local Toys R Us had quite a selection left. And, surprisingly, there were even a few Secret Wars figures left. About 2002-2004, collecting Action Figures pretty much became my hobby.
Now that is a cool story sir! I was a 70's kid, born in 67, my action figures were the classic Mego Superheroes. I had them all. Oh I wish, really wish I would still have even HALF of the figures I had back then. They were my main toys. Planet of the Apes also from Mego, as well as other shows heroes and villains. I remember the show S.W.A.T. from the 70's as well. The figures all had bullet proof vests, they came with a M-16 rifle, and a pistol. Their accessories varied a bit depending on who you bought but they were similar. But the DC/Marvel Superheroes were always number one. My favorites were Captain America and the Falcon.🕷🕸Spider-Man🕸🕷 and the Green Goblin. The Hulk and the Thing. The Lizard was awesome, as was the Human🔥Torch🔥, and the other Fantastic Four! My only issue was their logos. Many of them had stickers for their logos. Superman's {S}, 🦇🦇Batman's bat🦇🦇, Robin's ®️, Captain America's ⭐star⭐, Reed Richard's and Sue Storm's 4️⃣, and even Iron-Man his repulsor blaster was sown on to his suit but the yellow dot 🟡 inside always popped out! Once the sticker came off, especially if it landed sticky side first onto the rug, it was done for. Being a young kid, 6 or 7 years old I only had Elmer's Glue, and that never worked on those, except it ruined the suits. So most of my Mego's were missing their logos, and thanks to a neighbor girl, some of their heads too. Those days were so much fun. Far better than what kids have now. Yeah the technology is outrageously better than anything we had back then, but we also had our own forms of entertainment. Our imaginations! We created forts out in the fields/woods. In the winter we'd make snow forts/igloos.❄ We'd have our G.I.Joe figures out in the woods. Or we'd make hills and mountains out of dirt and sand for our Hot Wheels cars and trucks. Tonka trucks could move and help create your track or fort. The fact your sharing this collection with your little boy is awesome. My Dad wasn't a collector of anything like that. But I do remember him picking me up from school, and him having a sheepish look. That usually meant there was a surprise hiding somewhere in the car. 99.9% of the time it was a Mego Superhero figure. It was always fun to find a new figure. Or a replacement of one I lost or got mangled or beheaded...lol. Sharing a hobby like this is something that your son won't ever forget. Those are memories and moments that only you and your son have! And that is awesome! Take care to you and your family. God Bless you all, and thank you for sharing your experiences collecting and why it's fun and important to you.
Oh, heh, the Parademon thing--remember: this was the era of the D&D devil worship craze. References to demons and devils were being picked apart by whatever the "One Million Moms" (that website run by one middle-aged guy...) equivalent was then.
Yes! I hadn't been thinking about this in terms of your show, and as soon as I saw the video, I was excited. I'm writing this before I've watched this--there are two toy makers doing Super Powers revisits--Kotobukiya has launched a line of statues that recreate the toys (as 7" statues) with Kotobukiya's aesthetic polish, and Gentle Giant is producing a 12" (25" ?) version of the originals using blown-up molds (they lack the battle-matic moves).
I read in an article sometime in 2015 that the Wonder Twins did not necessarily have to shout/say "wonder twin powers activate" to actually activate their shape-shifting powers-- they just needed to touch each others hands to do so whereas the famous catchphrase (as te article puts it) "just became a habit of theirs".
I'm glad that you made the connection of Superman's death to Spock's death. That was not the first time "Superfriends" borrowed from the Star Trek Universe. The 1979 episode in which Superman is switched with his evil parallel counterpart, borrows heavily from the classic "Mirror, Mirror", and actually ups the ante by showing equal parts of both worlds and both Superman and his evil parallel counterpart's interaction in each other's world.
Your point overall is a good one, but "The Death of Superman" here was taken from the Silver Age, right down to the green skin from kryptonite poisoning.
Aaah...sweet Retroblasting goodness! I'm looking forward to the other vids on the Super Powers line... early toy memory was being bought Superman, Batman and Robin for my birthday. Never ever saw the show on TV, nor even on video to rent - very odd. In defence of the Kenner / Hanna Barbera disparities: Even the Mattel Secret Wars line - which was to specifically tie in with a Marvel comic series created to promote the toys - didn't get things right. Hologram shields, characters who didn't appear in the story being released, characters that did being left out. If they couldn't get it right and they were working in conjunction with each other, it must have been incredibly hard for Kenner and Hanna Barbera to do so.
I was born in 84, and I remember Challenge of the Superfriends and maybe some older seasons were ALWAYS on Cartoon Network when I was in middle school. I really didn't like the show at all. I loved Spidey and his Amazing Friends, but saw that earlier in life. I guess it just hit me at the wrong time. I did, however, love this video. Especially the Professor Stein segment. Great job!
I always thought the three comic book series made to feature the characters of each toy wave were the real marketing push. The cartoons seemed to be a happy coincidences.
love the video great job, just a memory of mine when I watched this show in the 70's & 80s there was a episode that starts off with batman's death and the rest of the superfriends are killed off one by one by the hands of lex Luther and the Legion of doom that one messed me up on a Saturday morning
Awesome video with a lot of info I never knew about! I loved the Superpowers toy line but for some reason wasn't aware that they changed the Superfriends cartoon to coincide with the toy line, so therefore I missed it! I wish I didn't, but now I can go back and watch it! Can't wait for Part 2 to hear more about my favorite action figures!! Oh and DAMN YOU RONALD!! What a douche, so funny!!!
10:28 Firestorm's mind melding transformation reminds me of Marvel's 3D Man. The main character would focus on an image on a pair of 3D glasses that would both triple his strength and combine his consciousness with that of his dead brother.
Awesome new video! The Professor Stein skit was hilarious! I always enjoy the comedy you inject in your videos. I'm glad I discovered your channel. I've been watching all of your past videos and thoroughly enjoyed them.
While I've been a fan of Marvel since I was 5. I also loved DC as well. I grew up in the 70's, a time when these two companies weren't going at each other's throats like nowadays. Both companies had great comics, both companies had cool villains and heroes. Marvel had the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Avengers,🕷🕸Spider-Man🕸🕷, the Hulk, and more. Marvel also had some of the craziest villains ever seen. These were mainly from🕷🕸Spider-Man's🕸🕷 comics, like the Lizard, Green Goblin, Electro, Shocker, Sandman, Rhino, and the Vulture. Mego had a epic lineup of some of these villains. Sadly Sandman, Vulture, Shocker, and Rhino weren't ever made. Captain America had the Red Skull, the Skrulls were also a great enemy. Marvel had a edge over DC a little, BUT 🦇🦇Batman🦇🦇 🦇&®️ ®️®️Robin®️®️ were also loaded with villains. The top guy being the 🃏🃏Joker🃏🃏, the🐧🐧Penguin🐧🐧, ❓❓Riddler❓❓, 🐈⬛🐈⬛Catwoman🐈⬛🐈⬛, and some other less popular ones. The Green Lantern was a wickedly creative hero. As was Martian Manhunter. One thing Stan Lee had said, a Superhero NEEDS to have epic villains to battle against or he is boring! He was correct. Batman didn't have super powers, the ability to fly, throw cars like toys, or could run faster than anyone ever alive. Yet he had crazy gadgets, a cool background/backstory and a Rogues Gallery of crazy villains to fight. That was area where Mego Superheroes was lacking. They had🕷🕸Spider-Man's🕸🕷 main baddies. The Lizard and the Goblin, but as far as villains went that was it for Marvel. My only gripe with Mego.
Fun Fact: Black Vulcan (a character made up for the show) was originally supposed to be the DC Comics character Black Lightning. Black Lightning's creator (Tony Isabella) had a special deal with DC that required he be paid royalties for any merchandising and appearances in other media by the character. To avoid having to pay Isabella DC had Hanna-Barbara to change the name of the character on the show to Black Vulcan and altered his appearance.
Your the family man i inspired to be I teach my Daughter to name all the members of the original Superfriends and the new members like Red tornado Captain Atom Samurai
@@kleybeenromero7991 it seems like many kids really LOVE these cartoons. I just asked MY YOUNGEST if he had any interest in watching them with me. He said I would but I've been watching them already.
Great stuff. I watched "Superfreinds" on Cartoon Network in the Mid 90's. It was mostly my introduction to characters such as Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Hawkman, and Firestorm. Everyone else I already knew like Batman, Superman, The Flash, and probably others. My favorite moment of this video had to be your "Professor Martin Stein" skit. The idea of Ronny Raymond thinking of Stein is such a dumb concept, and you made the perfect awkward scenario for him, at first I was thinking you were Clark Kent, but then you played a clip with Ronny, and then I was thinking "Oooooh, I get it". Great Vid. Will be looking forward to part 2.
The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians was the best of the series. Especially cuz of the change in art style. Wonder Woman can be seen piloting the Invisible Jet in "The Fear."
Literally the first episode of the first season of Super Friends says Wonder Woman can control the Invisible Jet with her mind. Though I only noticed that because watching this video made me want to go watch the first episode of Super Friends...
Great video as usual. I only remember the action figure line as never saw the show in the uk at the time. I think Cartoon Network showed it on uk cable/sky tv in the 90s tho.
I grew up on that show. There was one point where a local station was showing re-runs all week and ABC was showing new episodes on Saturday mornings, that was great. To me, the two best versions were Challenge of the Super Friends, the one where they fought the Legion of Doom every episode, and The Super Powers run tied into the action figures (which I had) and which had Darkseid.
About Brainiac's SP redesign-- Yes, I as a kid at age 9 back in 11985, was definitely confused with this one because I was used to seeing Brainiac as the bald green-skinned guy in 70s outfit in SF. However, I did notice in an episode of Justice League Unlimited that the design for Brainiac 5 , who became Supergirl's love-interest hence made her want to stay with him in the future timeline, was somewhat inspired by his original SF look.
Sad to say that Super Powers was never aired here in the Philippines for some reason. However, the SP toyline did make it here and was a huge hit to us kids at the time. We only found out about/watched SP via video rental shops.
I'll never not love Grundy's grab and shake attack. As much as I loved and watched this as a kid, it was Seanbaby that made me love it all over again years and years later.
very nice to learn details of the corporate politicking that was going on with favorite retro 80's shows that one is not aware of when a kid. LOL and what does that say about humanity that when little we are oblivious to the corporate politicking, but as we grow up the more we know the more we ourselves knowingly become a part of and feed that very same monster? I just subscribed by the way. Love these vids.
Nice work on this. I'm sadly too young too remember when Super Powers was in stores. I had a different DC line I think that was simply called "DC Superheroes" which by comparison isn't as good but I have fond memories of the Superman, Batman, Robin, and Riddler from it. (Even if Superman's main feature was that you could kill him with your very own Kryptonite ring. Who's idea was that? XD)
Super Powers Team was a pretty ambitious show and a pretty good attempt to the update the stale Superfriend formula, you had Batman played by Adam West, you had Firestorm and Cyborg (making him the first Teen Titan to appear on a TV show, besides Robin) as the newest members of the Justice League, you had a real Big Bad in Darkseid and many other popular comic baddies appearing. Both this and the Ruby-Sears Superman show are early attempts at what the DCAU would later succeed at!
it was meant for Saturday mornings and after school. Different time, different attitude. I remember as a kid, it was fun but I always found Spiderman and his amazing friends a bit better.
By the time the Super Powers Galactic Guardians cartoon came out I was now a high schooler. I still loved Bugs Bunny and still do today, but in 1984 I was now 17 and had found other "interests". Girls and cars. The animation style looks much better than the older Wonder Twins powers activate....form of a eagle 🦅 etc. The 70's version, the early 70's versions was my favorite next to Bugs Bunny when I was little. Any Superheroes cartoon was just about the best thing ever. I wish that the Super Powers Galactic Guardians was available to watch today. I'd be extremely interested in seeing it now. Darkseid was a wickedly bad villain. In the DC Movie Justice League War, he was incredible as was the entire movie series that DC did. Next was Justice⚖ League Throne of Atlantis. Both showed Origin stories of multiple heroes. These movies are two of the BEST ALL-TIME Animated Superheroes Movies ever produced. Marvel may have DC in their live-action movies, but DC's Animated movies 🎬 are some of the BEST all-time movies ever made! From the Motherboxes of Darkseid, Desaad, the Parademons, Shazam, and Aquaman, they all got extremely well made stories chronically explaining their beginnings. DC has had some iconic Animated films and series. Marvel also did extremely well with the Animated series X-Men,🕷🕸Spider-Man🕸🕷, and the lesser popular Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk, and Iron-Man. Later the Avengers Animated series was also amazing also having a 2 movie set as well. This is why I am puzzled at the constant DC/Marvel "wars" between fan bases. I've loved and enjoyed both for 40+ years. I can remember waiting to see Spider-Man on the Electric Company back in the early 70's. For me it's not about who is "better" or who has the "dominance", it's about enjoying the fact we have two iconic companies trying to produce and create some iconic 🎬movies🎞, 📺TV📺series, and collectibles. Do some of them fail? Yes. But the ones that don't are awesome and something we can enjoy for years to come!
Couple of fun facts: In the second volume of the Firestorm comic that began in 1982, the merging works the same way -- it can be initiated by either, independently. I've read the first 9 issues, and so far there've been no storylines that explore the possibilities offered by the downside pointed out in the video. Wonder Woman controlled the jet mentally via some manner of psychic link. Pretty silly, sure, but riding it like a skateboard definitely looked cooler than soaring through the sky in a seated position, surrounded by nothing (as it would appear to onlookers).
I do wonder how come in the very first SF season, WW was shown to have great strength and was later "depowered" in the succeeding seasons (just before Super Powers) only limited to using her bracelets, golden lasso and mental telepathy. Though during the SP runs, WW was aso shown to use her tiara as a boomerang just like how Lynda Carter did during the WW 70s run.
The mcb1 tank you have in the opener with Buck Rogers, I remember searching for the figures that were shown on the box but having zero luck. do you know what figures it was for?
I just remember the legion of doom lived in a Darth Vader helmet.
Yep and it would rise out of a swamp with some vines hanging off of it.
Lol it did look like that huh?! 😂😂
I know originally captain marvel was going to be in the super friends cartoon and his foe Doctor Sivana was going to be the leader of the original legion of doom called league of Evil" that never happen due to right issues and Filmation who had their shazam and Batman cartoon in the works
I thought the same thing when I was 10 and watching this for thr 1st time
Broken Vader should've sued for royalties
One of the best cartoons ever! Superfriends have inspired a lot of cartoons.
The Superfriends paid the way for the justice league and the brave and the bold also they both have Shazam Plastic man and Firestorm
I can remember watching the 70's versions of this classic cartoon. Those Saturday mornings were always a time for kids to look forward to. The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show, Sid & Marty Croft, the older classic love action shows Flipper. ♥ Those mornings were so different then than they are nowadays. Now Saturday mornings are filled with death, gloom, and misery, instead of cartoons, laughter, and fun! Now it's local news, world news, business news, and political news. All of which are full of lies, deception, and trickery. I'd rather have the 70's mornings.🌄 Waking⏰up⏰ to Flipper, the Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show, the Flintstones, the Jetsons, or anyone of those older classic cartoons over ANY of the garbage that they show now. It's no wonder kids are so violent.
Every girlfriend I've had has seen my collection and just shook their heads and asked WHY? So to all of you who have found a gal who doesn't mind or I've seen this maybe twice ALSO COLLECTS you are so VERY LUCKY.
The vintage toys and cartoons are super cool I think! My bf has a modest collection too 😊
Action figures are part of our America n history. Dont mess with it like Michael bay with the Transformers movies
The only qualms I have with my boyfriend collecting figures is that sometimes he should be saving money for other things. As long as he pays his bills and saves some money at the end of the month I’m perfectly alright with him buying figures.
The only figures I wish he didn’t collect are funko pops because I think they’re trashy and worthless.
@@gircakes THANK YOU! LOL. I never got the Funko Pops line myself. Sadly I do own four of them. One is Ike from South Park, 2 and 3 are Chopper and BB-8(UGH!) from Star Wars, and the last came in a Bugs Bunny box set Blu-ray collection. The only one I actually display is Ike. Just because he actually looks like Ike. The action figure hobby has become a scalpers paradise now. I used to buy 10-20 a year sometimes more. Now this year, I've slowed way down, and bought 4 of them. I am surprised that some people are willing to continually spend three times the prices for these figures now that distribution is obsolete. I won't. I did that a few years back and lost my butt. I bought some of the original Black Series 6" figures that I missed out on. I got an R2-D2 for example for $90.00 + $10.00 shipping. I also got the hideous Slave Leia figures, both the 6" and 3.75" scale for $85.00. Right after I got them Hasbro announced they were banning the making of these figures and the prices shot up. Some charging $200.00+. My point? Right after I bought the R2-D2 Hasbro also announced they were Re-releasing many of the original figures again. So the R2-D2 I spent $100.00 on was now available for $19.99 albeit in a new package. I've learned one thing from all this. PATIENCE! But some want or NEED to have them now. I personally won't spend over $30.00 for a action figure anymore, unless it's a Figma, Mafex, or other imports of better quality. That's the second thing I learned. With the distribution being as weak as it is and scalpers hoarding the cases and reselling on eBay for 3-5 times their retail prices, I figured (no pun intended) that if these rip off artists were charging $70.00-$150.00 for a $20.00 figure, why support their CON? If I'm spending $70.00-$100.00 on a action figure I want a action figure that worth that kind of money. SHFiguarts, Figma, Mafex, etc are higher end collectibles. They hold their value better, they are made much better, and last longer. I buy far less than I used to, but I have a much better experience with my collection. Just a thought on how my collecting has changed over the last 12 months. Also your boyfriends are lucky, VERY lucky, to have found women like you who not only "support" their hobby, but don't condemn them as fools for indulging in it. I actually had a lady who said going out on the weekends and getting loaded is a far better way to spend time and money. I asked her, so a possible DUI, getting into an accident? Or meeting up with a guy who becomes Superman with a few shots of Liquid courage and wants to fight everyone? Her answer? At least THAT'S A MASCULINE HOBBY! We didn't last....lol. Your requests are reasonable and intelligent. If any hobby starts to become so important it takes away from life's responsibilities then it's no longer a hobby but an addiction or a obsession. Take care, enjoy life and love with your heart! Life is too short for pettiness, bitterness, and anger. Especially now, this 🌎world🌎 is insane! Have fun!
Maybe add something girl friendly to the mix. Like a She-Ra, vintage Cat Woman or Uhura uniform.
I was the perfect age for the Super Friends. A young kid when watching the mildest version (enjoying it along with Leave it to Beaver and Andy Griffith reruns), just a little older and able to handle "scarier" when they faced the more intense Legion of Doom and a fan of the New Teen Titans and Firestorm in comics when Super Powers was bringing them to life in animation and toys (making up for the cartoon being mild writing and action by comparison). Now all the decades later its the ultra-mild original run that when I catch one can make the week's troubles fade away like visiting a peaceful small hometown again.
In the comics of the era Wonder Woman could control her plane with radio control in her tiara or mind waves, so standing on her plane was kind of par for the course for the period pre-Crisis.
Another great Vid, thanks. I have so many fond memories of the Super Powers Team from my childhood. It was my introduction to Firestorm and Darkseid, 2 of the characters I love to this day and have tried to get all of their comic appearances.
One of my Saturday morning favorites.
"...and Hanna-Barbera re-designed a number of the villains to *reflect* the 1980s versions of the characters." He says as Mirror Master is on screen. Slick editing, Michael.
Thanks man! I was also proud of the "Superfriends wanted to grow up" while a huge monster increased in size, and "Wonder Woman was put in a corner" while she's in a prison cell.
I LOVED that.
awesome fun video. I remembered the batman scarecrow episode to this day. so it did some thing right. I had a ton of super power figures.
I just found this channel, I never realized I was missing so much...time to binge watch.
The Legion of Doom rocked!!
12:34 Actually, Plastic Man did appear in an episode of the Super Friends during the 70s.
Yes. I was referring to Super Powers seasons mainly.
And his own show
I was staying up all night waiting for this, and BAM! yet another great video. That Professor Stein skit is straight out of Robot Chicken. =D
I think the greatest thing to happen in this show was having Adam West voice Batman, with Burt Ward joining him as Robin in The New Adventures of Batman. I kinda wonder if there was an alternate reality where Christopher Reeve and Linda Carter also voiced Superman and Wonder Woman. Can't wait for part two!
Appreciate it, Wilson!
Great review with SuperFriends. I cannot wait for Part 2. :)
Another great video from the RetroBlasting team. Always left wanting more though!
very well done. super powers are my favorite action figures ever made. can't wait til episode 2.
Thanks so much Michael. Even though I never really latched on to the series, it really was a background to my youth. I could watch your work all day long, man it's enjoyable! Cheers, Michael.
You're welcome zog!
I never grew up with Super Friends so thanks for the history. Looks interesting.
Also good find on the Wrath of Khan funeral scene.
Great video! My knowledge of the Super Friends was limited to the figures which I had a few of as a kid. This was well researched and condensed considering the amount of info. You did a good job to get that down to 13 mins guys.
Please keep doing what you are doing it's great and I'm always waiting for more!
Kudos once again Michael. Your knowledge about your toys and childhood loves is truly respectable. The mere mentioning of Union Terminal being the inspiration for the Hall of Justice is something that a lot of people here in Cincy don’t even know. It’s always fun to educate them and tell them when i have the chance, but you are the first “Non-Cincinnatian” aside from the DC documentaries themselves, to actually know and mention that. Awesome video as usual, even though I’m 7 years late to the party lol
great review mich. gonna have to buy these on dvd some time awesome.
Great review. Luv the attention to detail.
great review of one of my favorite cartoons of all time. Very funny firestorm bit as well. Can't wait to see part 2
I started collecting Action Figures with Super Powers figures in 1994 when my son was 4. Even though the line had ended in 1992 our local Toys R Us had quite a selection left. And, surprisingly, there were even a few Secret Wars figures left. About 2002-2004, collecting Action Figures pretty much became my hobby.
Now that is a cool story sir! I was a 70's kid, born in 67, my action figures were the classic Mego Superheroes. I had them all. Oh I wish, really wish I would still have even HALF of the figures I had back then. They were my main toys. Planet of the Apes also from Mego, as well as other shows heroes and villains. I remember the show S.W.A.T. from the 70's as well. The figures all had bullet proof vests, they came with a M-16 rifle, and a pistol. Their accessories varied a bit depending on who you bought but they were similar. But the DC/Marvel Superheroes were always number one. My favorites were Captain America and the Falcon.🕷🕸Spider-Man🕸🕷 and the Green Goblin. The Hulk and the Thing. The Lizard was awesome, as was the Human🔥Torch🔥, and the other Fantastic Four! My only issue was their logos. Many of them had stickers for their logos. Superman's {S}, 🦇🦇Batman's bat🦇🦇, Robin's ®️, Captain America's ⭐star⭐, Reed Richard's and Sue Storm's 4️⃣, and even Iron-Man his repulsor blaster was sown on to his suit but the yellow dot 🟡 inside always popped out! Once the sticker came off, especially if it landed sticky side first onto the rug, it was done for. Being a young kid, 6 or 7 years old I only had Elmer's Glue, and that never worked on those, except it ruined the suits. So most of my Mego's were missing their logos, and thanks to a neighbor girl, some of their heads too. Those days were so much fun. Far better than what kids have now. Yeah the technology is outrageously better than anything we had back then, but we also had our own forms of entertainment. Our imaginations! We created forts out in the fields/woods. In the winter we'd make snow forts/igloos.❄ We'd have our G.I.Joe figures out in the woods. Or we'd make hills and mountains out of dirt and sand for our Hot Wheels cars and trucks. Tonka trucks could move and help create your track or fort. The fact your sharing this collection with your little boy is awesome. My Dad wasn't a collector of anything like that. But I do remember him picking me up from school, and him having a sheepish look. That usually meant there was a surprise hiding somewhere in the car. 99.9% of the time it was a Mego Superhero figure. It was always fun to find a new figure. Or a replacement of one I lost or got mangled or beheaded...lol. Sharing a hobby like this is something that your son won't ever forget. Those are memories and moments that only you and your son have! And that is awesome! Take care to you and your family. God Bless you all, and thank you for sharing your experiences collecting and why it's fun and important to you.
This has to be one of my favorite RB videos! Awesome job!
thanks
Oh, heh, the Parademon thing--remember: this was the era of the D&D devil worship craze. References to demons and devils were being picked apart by whatever the "One Million Moms" (that website run by one middle-aged guy...) equivalent was then.
Yes! I hadn't been thinking about this in terms of your show, and as soon as I saw the video, I was excited. I'm writing this before I've watched this--there are two toy makers doing Super Powers revisits--Kotobukiya has launched a line of statues that recreate the toys (as 7" statues) with Kotobukiya's aesthetic polish, and Gentle Giant is producing a 12" (25" ?) version of the originals using blown-up molds (they lack the battle-matic moves).
This show was Classic. It's a really fun but kiddie show
I read in an article sometime in 2015 that the Wonder Twins did not necessarily have to shout/say "wonder twin powers activate" to actually activate their shape-shifting powers-- they just needed to touch each others hands to do so whereas the famous catchphrase (as te article puts it) "just became a habit of theirs".
I'm glad that you made the connection of Superman's death to Spock's death. That was not the first time "Superfriends" borrowed from the Star Trek Universe. The 1979 episode in which Superman is switched with his evil parallel counterpart, borrows heavily from the classic "Mirror, Mirror", and actually ups the ante by showing equal parts of both worlds and both Superman and his evil parallel counterpart's interaction in each other's world.
Your point overall is a good one, but "The Death of Superman" here was taken from the Silver Age, right down to the green skin from kryptonite poisoning.
@@wk3820 normally, if Superman's skin turned green from Kryptonite, that would mean that he was done.
It was Kirk's intention to send Spock's torpedo casing/casket into the new Genesis sun but Saavik changed the coordinates and sent it to the planet.
now i want to buy all seasons of this show in the future because of this channel.
HAHAHA - It's dated and somewhat cheesy, but it's part of our collective past.
Aaah...sweet Retroblasting goodness! I'm looking forward to the other vids on the Super Powers line... early toy memory was being bought Superman, Batman and Robin for my birthday. Never ever saw the show on TV, nor even on video to rent - very odd.
In defence of the Kenner / Hanna Barbera disparities: Even the Mattel Secret Wars line - which was to specifically tie in with a Marvel comic series created to promote the toys - didn't get things right. Hologram shields, characters who didn't appear in the story being released, characters that did being left out. If they couldn't get it right and they were working in conjunction with each other, it must have been incredibly hard for Kenner and Hanna Barbera to do so.
Superfriends was my childhood. And I was born in 2000.
classic as always
can't wait for part 2!
Thanks Phillip!
I was born in 84, and I remember Challenge of the Superfriends and maybe some older seasons were ALWAYS on Cartoon Network when I was in middle school. I really didn't like the show at all. I loved Spidey and his Amazing Friends, but saw that earlier in life. I guess it just hit me at the wrong time.
I did, however, love this video. Especially the Professor Stein segment. Great job!
Thanks!
Brilliant stuff! I've been waiting for this one for ages. Keep up the fantastic work.
Will do Scott!
Great retrospective on a show that I really enjoy watching :D Can't wait for the 2nd part :D
Thanks Tommy!
Best part of my night....new Retroblasting :D
Same
Glad we could help, Joseph! :)
I always thought the three comic book series made to feature the characters of each toy wave were the real marketing push. The cartoons seemed to be a happy coincidences.
Love your content guys, really looking forward to part 2, keep it up.
EH-NEEEEEEK-CHOCK!
Superfiends Legend of The Longest Title Imaginable for Contractual Purposes will return.... after these back to back cereal commercials!
love the video great job, just a memory of mine when I watched this show in the 70's & 80s there was a episode that starts off with batman's death and the rest of the superfriends are killed off one by one by the hands of lex Luther and the Legion of doom that one messed me up on a Saturday morning
Awesome video with a lot of info I never knew about! I loved the Superpowers toy line but for some reason wasn't aware that they changed the Superfriends cartoon to coincide with the toy line, so therefore I missed it! I wish I didn't, but now I can go back and watch it! Can't wait for Part 2 to hear more about my favorite action figures!! Oh and DAMN YOU RONALD!! What a douche, so funny!!!
10:28 Firestorm's mind melding transformation reminds me of Marvel's 3D Man. The main character would focus on an image on a pair of 3D glasses that would both triple his strength and combine his consciousness with that of his dead brother.
Amazing work guys! For years I been wondering what was the name of that Scarecrow vs Batman episode titled. Thanks!!!
Awesome new video! The Professor Stein skit was hilarious! I always enjoy the comedy you inject in your videos. I'm glad I discovered your channel. I've been watching all of your past videos and thoroughly enjoyed them.
+Kenneth Bourque thanks!!!!
love your videos! I always get excited when I see a new one get posted. keep rocking on!
Thanks Liege! Rock on!
Can't wait for part 2
To date I wonder that the reason Samurai remained there was because of Japan becoming an economical power then. Same explains the space station show.
Wonder Woman can telepathically control her jet. That was actually explained in a first season episode.
I've always been a huge Marvel fan, but the Super Powers line royally kicked Secret Wars butt! 15 or so Marvel figures vs how many total DC?
DucktorZom I Agree and I'm a Marvel Fan Too.
@@ricardoemanuel1775 same.
No hulk
No thor
No hawkeye
No cyclops
No nightcrawler
No other xmen
No members of fantastic four
Not even the human torch
While I've been a fan of Marvel since I was 5. I also loved DC as well. I grew up in the 70's, a time when these two companies weren't going at each other's throats like nowadays. Both companies had great comics, both companies had cool villains and heroes. Marvel had the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Avengers,🕷🕸Spider-Man🕸🕷, the Hulk, and more. Marvel also had some of the craziest villains ever seen. These were mainly from🕷🕸Spider-Man's🕸🕷 comics, like the Lizard, Green Goblin, Electro, Shocker, Sandman, Rhino, and the Vulture. Mego had a epic lineup of some of these villains. Sadly Sandman, Vulture, Shocker, and Rhino weren't ever made. Captain America had the Red Skull, the Skrulls were also a great enemy. Marvel had a edge over DC a little, BUT 🦇🦇Batman🦇🦇 🦇&®️ ®️®️Robin®️®️ were also loaded with villains. The top guy being the 🃏🃏Joker🃏🃏, the🐧🐧Penguin🐧🐧, ❓❓Riddler❓❓, 🐈⬛🐈⬛Catwoman🐈⬛🐈⬛, and some other less popular ones. The Green Lantern was a wickedly creative hero. As was Martian Manhunter. One thing Stan Lee had said, a Superhero NEEDS to have epic villains to battle against or he is boring! He was correct. Batman didn't have super powers, the ability to fly, throw cars like toys, or could run faster than anyone ever alive. Yet he had crazy gadgets, a cool background/backstory and a Rogues Gallery of crazy villains to fight. That was area where Mego Superheroes was lacking. They had🕷🕸Spider-Man's🕸🕷 main baddies. The Lizard and the Goblin, but as far as villains went that was it for Marvel. My only gripe with Mego.
I remember back in the 80s, I had all the action figures, and I could never figure out why only some of the action figures matched the cartoon.
Cara, seu canal é incrível! acabei de me inscrever e estou adorando !parabéns
Fun Fact: Black Vulcan (a character made up for the show) was originally supposed to be the DC Comics character Black Lightning. Black Lightning's creator (Tony Isabella) had a special deal with DC that required he be paid royalties for any merchandising and appearances in other media by the character. To avoid having to pay Isabella DC had Hanna-Barbara to change the name of the character on the show to Black Vulcan and altered his appearance.
My 15 year old walks around humming the theme and narrating the opening.
Yes. Yes. I know...
Father of the month.
I accept.
Your the family man i inspired to be I teach my Daughter to name all the members of the original Superfriends and the new members like Red tornado Captain Atom Samurai
@@kleybeenromero7991 it seems like many kids really LOVE these cartoons. I just asked MY YOUNGEST if he had any interest in watching them with me. He said I would but I've been watching them already.
Does he do it in William Woodson's voice?
If so, then epic win.
Great stuff. I watched "Superfreinds" on Cartoon Network in the Mid 90's. It was mostly my introduction to characters such as Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Hawkman, and Firestorm. Everyone else I already knew like Batman, Superman, The Flash, and probably others. My favorite moment of this video had to be your "Professor Martin Stein" skit. The idea of Ronny Raymond thinking of Stein is such a dumb concept, and you made the perfect awkward scenario for him, at first I was thinking you were Clark Kent, but then you played a clip with Ronny, and then I was thinking "Oooooh, I get it". Great Vid. Will be looking forward to part 2.
Yeah, Clark and Stein share a lot of costuming stuff - tie, glasses, coat.
***** Got that right.
The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians was the best of the series. Especially cuz of the change in art style.
Wonder Woman can be seen piloting the Invisible Jet in "The Fear."
This makes me wonder what the 10 year olds of today will be retro loving 35 years from now.
Seeing this video was the best part of my week.
Thanks! This one was a real treat...
Literally the first episode of the first season of Super Friends says Wonder Woman can control the Invisible Jet with her mind. Though I only noticed that because watching this video made me want to go watch the first episode of Super Friends...
As good as it is,I grew up with JL and JLU so that's the definitive version for me
Great video.Very informative
Great video as usual. I only remember the action figure line as never saw the show in the uk at the time. I think Cartoon Network showed it on uk cable/sky tv in the 90s tho.
This was the second time Adam took over from Orlon. He took over on the Filmation show (as did Burt Ward).
The closest I ever came to having anything near the Super Powers line, we're the Toy Biz' Batman, Joker and Mr. Freeze figures.
You guys are awesome...
1:07 first RetroBlasting video I saw... Gotta admit that opening was pretty badass.
Love those Super friends.
Awesome video!!!!
This was great,every incarnation of the superfriends/super powers cartoon fueled my love of DC,can't wait for part 2.
We're working on it this week. Shouldn't take as long as this one did, because we had new studio space issues to work out.
Nice retrospective!
ah the nostalgic, thanks for the video 👍
You're welcome!
Love it. Stoked to see Part 2!
Thanks!
I grew up on that show. There was one point where a local station was showing re-runs all week and ABC was showing new episodes on Saturday mornings, that was great.
To me, the two best versions were Challenge of the Super Friends, the one where they fought the Legion of Doom every episode, and The Super Powers run tied into the action figures (which I had) and which had Darkseid.
Great video!
About Brainiac's SP redesign-- Yes, I as a kid at age 9 back in 11985, was definitely confused with this one because I was used to seeing Brainiac as the bald green-skinned guy in 70s outfit in SF. However, I did notice in an episode of Justice League Unlimited that the design for Brainiac 5 , who became Supergirl's love-interest hence made her want to stay with him in the future timeline, was somewhat inspired by his original SF look.
I crack up every time at, "No, Ronald, no - NONONONONONONONONOOOOooo!"
Sad to say that Super Powers was never aired here in the Philippines for some reason. However, the SP toyline did make it here and was a huge hit to us kids at the time. We only found out about/watched SP via video rental shops.
I'll never not love Grundy's grab and shake attack. As much as I loved and watched this as a kid, it was Seanbaby that made me love it all over again years and years later.
LOL!! "Wonder Woman still has her Elizabeth Montgomery hairdo".
"WHAT IF HE'S GOING 80 ON A HIGHWAY?" never gets old lol
1:55 From the covers, no dialogues were added, which it is a blessing.
oh awesome. cant wait to see the next episode. many thanks. too bad secret wars toys werent of the same quality
This is a great video
very nice to learn details of the corporate politicking that was going on with favorite retro 80's shows that one is not aware of when a kid. LOL and what does that say about humanity that when little we are oblivious to the corporate politicking, but as we grow up the more we know the more we ourselves knowingly become a part of and feed that very same monster? I just subscribed by the way. Love these vids.
Nice work on this. I'm sadly too young too remember when Super Powers was in stores. I had a different DC line I think that was simply called "DC Superheroes" which by comparison isn't as good but I have fond memories of the Superman, Batman, Robin, and Riddler from it. (Even if Superman's main feature was that you could kill him with your very own Kryptonite ring. Who's idea was that? XD)
Super Powers Team was a pretty ambitious show and a pretty good attempt to the update the stale Superfriend formula, you had Batman played by Adam West, you had Firestorm and Cyborg (making him the first Teen Titan to appear on a TV show, besides Robin) as the newest members of the Justice League, you had a real Big Bad in Darkseid and many other popular comic baddies appearing. Both this and the Ruby-Sears Superman show are early attempts at what the DCAU would later succeed at!
I remember waching this growing up
your videos are awesome dude.
Much appreciated Larry!
Dude your channel is the best on TH-cam
+foch41 thanks a million
Great as always.
Appreciate it.
+RetroBlasting so what happened to part two of the star trek toys segment?
it was meant for Saturday mornings and after school. Different time, different attitude. I remember as a kid, it was fun but I always found Spiderman and his amazing friends a bit better.
By the time the Super Powers Galactic Guardians cartoon came out I was now a high schooler. I still loved Bugs Bunny and still do today, but in 1984 I was now 17 and had found other "interests". Girls and cars. The animation style looks much better than the older Wonder Twins powers activate....form of a eagle 🦅 etc. The 70's version, the early 70's versions was my favorite next to Bugs Bunny when I was little. Any Superheroes cartoon was just about the best thing ever. I wish that the Super Powers Galactic Guardians was available to watch today. I'd be extremely interested in seeing it now. Darkseid was a wickedly bad villain. In the DC Movie Justice League War, he was incredible as was the entire movie series that DC did. Next was Justice⚖ League Throne of Atlantis. Both showed Origin stories of multiple heroes. These movies are two of the BEST ALL-TIME Animated Superheroes Movies ever produced. Marvel may have DC in their live-action movies, but DC's Animated movies 🎬 are some of the BEST all-time movies ever made! From the Motherboxes of Darkseid, Desaad, the Parademons, Shazam, and Aquaman, they all got extremely well made stories chronically explaining their beginnings. DC has had some iconic Animated films and series. Marvel also did extremely well with the Animated series X-Men,🕷🕸Spider-Man🕸🕷, and the lesser popular Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk, and Iron-Man. Later the Avengers Animated series was also amazing also having a 2 movie set as well. This is why I am puzzled at the constant DC/Marvel "wars" between fan bases. I've loved and enjoyed both for 40+ years. I can remember waiting to see Spider-Man on the Electric Company back in the early 70's. For me it's not about who is "better" or who has the "dominance", it's about enjoying the fact we have two iconic companies trying to produce and create some iconic 🎬movies🎞, 📺TV📺series, and collectibles. Do some of them fail? Yes. But the ones that don't are awesome and something we can enjoy for years to come!
Couple of fun facts:
In the second volume of the Firestorm comic that began in 1982, the merging works the same way -- it can be initiated by either, independently. I've read the first 9 issues, and so far there've been no storylines that explore the possibilities offered by the downside pointed out in the video.
Wonder Woman controlled the jet mentally via some manner of psychic link. Pretty silly, sure, but riding it like a skateboard definitely looked cooler than soaring through the sky in a seated position, surrounded by nothing (as it would appear to onlookers).
I do wonder how come in the very first SF season, WW was shown to have great strength and was later "depowered" in the succeeding seasons (just before Super Powers) only limited to using her bracelets, golden lasso and mental telepathy. Though during the SP runs, WW was aso shown to use her tiara as a boomerang just like how Lynda Carter did during the WW 70s run.
The mcb1 tank you have in the opener with Buck Rogers, I remember searching for the figures that were shown on the box but having zero luck. do you know what figures it was for?
Loved it when Darkside captured Wonder Woman. But as a child, I didn't know why.
yes a new upload!