CD Giveaway - Sam Shrieve, "Bittersweet Lullabies"
Ends Nov 29, 2009
The current student at Berklee College of Music has a rock 'n' roll pedigree, but delivers a pleasing and diverse collection of soft pop on his debut record. Enter our contest for your chance to win!
The Twilight Saga: New Moon Prize Pack
Ends Nov 29, 2009
The second installment of the Twilight saga is hitting theaters, and we've got the stylish goodies you'll howl over!
"Gathered together from the cosmic reaches of the universe, gathered together in this great Hall of Justice, are the most powerful forces of good ever assembled."
This was the intonation that kicked off many a Saturday morning for little RJ, with my bowl of Fruit Loops and my dog-eared stack of comic books (even then I multitasked by reading while viewing television!) It was the beginning of an hour of super-powered excitement starring all my favorite heroes: Batman and Robin; Superman; Wonder Woman; and Aquaman (my own MEGO version of the character within reach so I could pick him up and "swim" him through the air whenever the inevitable fish-related solution to a problem came up).
With The All-New Super Friends Hour -- the followup to the version that included junior mascots Marvin and Wendy (and their pet, Wonderdog; I always wondered how Wonder Woman felt about having the dog named after her) -- I not only got to see the "big five" of the DC Universe, but also a number of guest stars that had heretofore been confined to the pages of Justice League of America. (And yes, I know that they had been used in short cartoons before, but I hadn't encountered them yet.) Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Atom, Green Lantern -- even Rima the Jungle Girl, for some inexplicable reason -- were brought in to flesh out the cast and keep the young viewer from realizing that all the characters were exactly the same. (In the bonus features, comic book luminary Mark Waid notes that Batman was basically "Dad in a mask," while Superman was "Dad in a cape," etc. One assumes Wonder Woman was no doubt "Dad in a corset.")
Wingless Wingman. Anyone seen my Thanagarian gear?
The series showed the clear impact of the Action for Children's Television lobbying group, with each episode including mini-segments for Arts and Crafts or a Safety message, while the new junior mascots, Zan and Jayna (and space-monkey Gleek) could be counted up for a "Wonder Twin Powers -- Activate!" morality play to warn kiddies against the perils of hitchhiking, running away, drag racing, or swimming during a shark sighting. Old timers may remember that Jayna could take on the shape of any animal, while Zan would convert into one of the many forms of water, including such things as a pair of "giant ice handcuffs."
Was it great art? Of course not. The plots were flatter than the animation, and there were enough goofs to make a drinking game around the show (although playing it with Tang only made you waterlogged, not drunk). The DC villains had yet to make an appearance, having been supplanted by the alien of the week, or a woefully misguided scientist, or an undiscovered underground civilization. It wouldn't be until Challenge of the Super Friends that the franchise would take the first step in the direction that eventually spawned Justice League Unlimited.
A Huntress. Rima demonstrates her jungle-honed ability
to follow tire tracks on a muddy road.
This two-disc set boasts a pair of bonus documentaries, both on the second platter. "One Dimensional Goodness" is a fourteen minute retrospective featuring commentary by Rich Fogel, Jerry Beck, John Semper and others, as they contrast the upheaval of real world events against the bland backdrop of the Saturday morning adventure cartoons. The feature reminds viewers that, during this particular period in television history, there were only three major networks, and they all lived in fear of complaints lest their FCC licenses be yanked away. Thus, as Alan Burnett explains, the action of the superheroes had to be stuff that couldn't inspire imitation at home by young impressionable viewers who might injure themselves in an attempt to play out what they had seen.
"Origins of the Guest Stars" is an eight minute segment with Waid, Fogel, and Stan Berkowitz discussing the reasons for bringing in the guest stars and providing a little origin of each one. I had no idea the hopes that DC had hung on Rima, the Jungle Girl during that year, and actually had the first issue of her comic. Of course, it's comics historian and trivia whiz ("What was Lana Lang's mother's maiden name?" is his trademark stumper for those who think they know Superman), Mark Waid who had the inside scoop on what went down with Rima.
The adventures may have been less than adventurous, but for the sheer nostalgia -- not to mention the history -- The All-New Super Friends Hour is a must-have item for your burgeoning DC museum room. (What, am I the only guy who has one?) My only real complaint with this set is that it divides up the complete season into two volumes, rather than combine them into a single four-disc set.
Audio is in English only, with optional subtitling in English or French.
Previews on this set include "Justice League: The New Frontier," Academy Award Animation Collection, Classic Cartoons from the Vault, Challenge of the Super Friends, and the Flat Out Ultimate Carnage videogame.
The All-New Super Friends Hour Season One - Volume One
Disc 1
Disc 2
The Brain Machine / Joy Ride / Invasion of the Earthors / The Whirlpool
Invasion of the Hydronoids / Hitchhike / City in a Bottle / Space Emergency
The Marsh Monster / Runaways / Will the World Collide? / Time Rescue
Doctor Fright / Drag Race / Day of the Plant Creatures / Fire
The Monster of Dr. Droid / Vandals / Super Friends vs. Super Friends / Energy Mass
The Secret Four / Tiger on the Loose / The Mysterious Time Creatures / The Antidote
The Enforcer / Shark / Planet of the Neanderthals / Flood of Diamonds Bonus Features
"One Dimensional Goodness: The Super Friends and the Good Old Days" (14:30)
"Origins of the Guest Stars" (8:30)
