Superman - The Animated Series, Volume One (DC Comics Classic Collection)

Comment: Another great Warner Brothers treatment of a DC character. Like the animated Batman series that preceded it, these cartoons pack a lot of story and action into 22 minutes, and the show runners don't shy away from presenting an episode in two or even three parts when they feel the story warrants it. Standout episodes include "The Last Son of Krypton" (a three-part telling of the origin story), "The Way of All Flesh" (introducing Metallo), "Blasts from the Past" (Superman releases two criminals from the Phantom Zone), and "Speed Demons" (guest-starring the Flash).

Comment: I watched the animated BATMAN with my daughter when she was a small child, when it was coming out for the first time. I recently watched the Justice League cartoons that were done by largely the same people. I should have watched SUPERMAN before watching JUSTICE LEAGUE and JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED, and so should you if you haven't seen them all yet. SUPERMAN, like BATMAN, is not at all a bad show. It is, in fact, a very decent one. The problem is that the Justice League shows are extraordinary and they make all of the others look weak in comparison. On the other hand, watching SUPERMAN after JUSTICE LEAGUE really brings how brilliant the latter truly was and how much both the writing and the animation techniques improved as they worked on it.

Still, SUPERMAN is all in all a pretty decent cartoon series. While the writing isn't nearly as strong or as innovative as the writing on JUSTICE LEAGUE would be, it was still quite above normal for children's programming and the voice talent, like all of the DC cartoon shows, is top notch. It is all quite watchable, but I never, ever got the sense that I was watching something remarkable as I did with JL.

I also did not care much for the general "dumbbing down" of the DC stories. And some of the revisions of traditional DC storylines were unnecessary and arbitrary. For instance, they do a Green Lantern origins episode in Season Three, several traditional elements are changed. Abin Sur is shown as having been pursued by Sinestro, whereas in most origins stories Abin Sur is deeply upset at the death of his colleague. And Sinestro is shown already a fully blown bad guy upon the selection of the earthling Green Lantern for Section 2814. The successor of Abin Sur is in this version Kyle Raynor, while there is a bizarre nod to the original Green Lantern, Hal Jordan in the episode. Why Kyle Raynor instead of Hal Jordan? Perhaps because Jordan's back story as a test pilot is too well established, while it was easier to work with Raynor? It was all just odd and I'm confused at nearly all of the narrative choices in this particular episode. But the same kind of oddness afflicts several episodes. Not to beat too often on the same drum, but these kinds of changes were much better handled in the later JL series.

I don't recommend skipping this episode, but I definitely recommend watching the three DC series in the order that they were made, BATMAN, then SUPERMAN, and then JUSTICE LEAGUE. While the first two series are of a similar quality, the third grew into something truly special.

Comment: Finally the Animated series comes to DVD. Fans won't be disappointed. Great for any serious Superman collector to add to their collection!

Comment: I like the longer stories better than those in the '69 shorts. What I do not like, is a Superman who has trouble lifting a train. I don't want my boy to grow up thinking that Superman is weaker than Wonder Woman and can't even lift a train. Come on D.C. this is insane. Get some men to write your Superman stories and come out with some good ones. Or better yet, just use these stories but use Superman in them, not just some guy in a red cape.

Comment: I read rave reviews on other websites about this series. I found it to be extremely childish (of course) and the animation is a little stiff. If you have young children who love Superman this is a good choice. If not, stick to the live action films.