I've begun watching old old Superfriends cartoons on DVD. I haven't seen these cartoons since they aired on Saturday morning in the 70's.

I'm taken aback by how pure they are. There's no "Scary Movie" element here. (That's when you are making fun of a genre while at the same time attempting to tell a story within said genre. Y'know, where the writer seems to be saying "Okay, this is ridiculous... but we're aware of it.") This is unabashed superhero stuff.

I'm not too crazy about the All-New Superfriends Hour format though. So far, Challenge of the Superfriends is my favorite incarnation, but I still have the Superpowers Show and Galactic Guardians to go through.

Challenge is my favorite - but a close second is the season that is about to be released - Each episode had multiple stories - one with the classic team + Zan & Jayna, one with two of the members teaming up, and one with a member plus a guest star (Atom, Flash, GL, Rima, etc.). Plus one or two safety tip shorts. Great stuff.

That's already out. That's the All-New Superfriends Hour... but perhaps only vol. 1 is out. I didn't like that one because all the villains were Hanna-Barbara created.

I'm looking at the Wonder Twins and thinking to myself, "Man, I would LOVE the challenge of making those characters cool in today's comics."

Challenge is just about the only Super-Friends season I've ever wanted to get on DVD. The others were okay, but this one I really enjoyed. Seeing so many actual comic book super-villains show up is what made that season for me. It was just neat to see that someone out ther knew about these characters outside of comic books. Before that, it seemed like they really didn't know about many of the characters beyond DC's main bunch of heroes.

I always loved watching the Super-Friends though, no matter what incarnation it was. It was just so exciting to me as a kid, and I did love the episodes that featured guest stars. I can remember Plastic Man, Flash and Green Arrow showing up in the very first season, if only for some really small parts. Great stuff though.

I still love the opening music and the narrators voice, in that first season. It sounded so very important and kind of like legendary the way they told it. Up until Wendy and Marvin hopped in the Batmobile.

Still fun stuff though and a big memory of my childhood.

Also Superfriends has the 2nd best Superhero theme song ever (after Superman the Movie)... hard not to get excited during those opening credits...

Ditto. Ever hear that remix someone did called "That Time Is Now..."?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCwffUO4C5E[/youtube]

My favorite iteration was when the hour had a regular adventure for the first half and a Legion of Doom for the second half. What title was that?

This was hands down my favorite cartoon of youth.

By the way, I wish the Filmation Tarzan cartoon would come out on DVD, or on reruns.

CHALLENGE OF THE SUPERFRIENDS. I get goosebumps every time I hear the theme song, especially the very end. Every time.

[youtube]http://ww.youtube.com/watch?v=TQxgy19aFxo&feature=related[/youtube]

Thanks Frank. I was suddenly a little kid sitting in front of the TV with a bowl of cereal at grandmas house on a Saturday morning.

This one, the first season, has my favorite theme:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqRxWAqnQ_g&feature=related[/youtube]

A slightly updated theme:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlquD61Raw4&feature=related[/youtube]

See?! It says right there that Aquaman is one of the world's four greatest heroes!! Show the man some RESPECT!

That's another thing I find fascinating about these shows. They elevate Aquaman to the stature of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman.

Edited to add: Not Green Lantern. Not the Flash. AQUAMAN?

Fact One: I usually hate remixes.

Fact Two: This one is AWESOME.

Michael Kohler has a website that has the "That Time Is Now" remix on it in better audio.

http://www.bluetube.com/index2.html

Fixed.

At least Robin gets a frickin' MENTION this time around.

(Sorry. Former Nightwing fanatic talking, there.)

Fixed how?

I changed "fascinating" to "bizarre".

Oh.