Superman 1988 Animated Series Comes to DVD

Superman 1988 Animated Series Comes to DVD

Warner Bros. Home Video has announced a November 3rd 2-disc, 13-episode DVD release of the 1988 animated "Superman" series. The series was produced by Ruby-Spears and creatively overseen by veteran writer Marv Wolfman.

News
By EdGross - Jul 31, 2009 05:07 AM EST
Filed Under: Superman

Offers up the studio: "As a 50th anniversary gift to fans, DC Comics’ Man of Steel was given a brand-new Saturday morning cartoon in 1988. The Ruby-Spears "Superman" series brought back some familiar foes and new unfriendly faces for battles against our favorite hero. In addition to the thrills of Superman’s weekly adventures, each episode includes a mini-segment – a continuing series called Superman Family Album. These featurettes tell the real story of what it was like to grow up as the most powerful boy in Smallville. Watch young Clark Kent deal with not only the normal trials and tribulations of youth and adolescence, but learning to balance them with his new found super powers.
“These celebratory episodes not only take fans through the expected, yet exhilarating, adventures of Superman, but they share the untold story of his youth,” said Amit Desai, WHV Vice President of Family, Animation & Sports Marketing. “Warner Home Video is absolutely thrilled to release Ruby-Spears Superman just in time for the holiday season.”
In the pages of Back Issue magazine, Wolfman penned his reflections of working on the show.



"I suggested the title 'The Adventures of Superman,' based on the original live-action show I had watched as a kid," Wolfman revealed. "That show was the reason I got into comics in the first place. I also suggested using the opening from the TV show (and radio show): 'Look! Up in the sky!' etc... but set to the John Williams Superman movie score. The best of all possible worlds."
To give an idea of the kind of stories he relates, Wolfman discusses the writing of the show's pilot episode. "I had a big scene at the end where Superman, using all his powers, smashes through a series of attacking giant robots, destroying them in a big scene. This was back in '88 or so and unlike these days, fighting on cartoon shows was not permitted by any of the networks. In fact, one character aggressively touching another was forbidden. S&P [Standards & Practices] said we had to change the ending. Superman, they said, can't destroy the robots because, and this is a direct quote, 'Even robots have souls.'" Yeesh!



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InSpace
InSpace - 7/31/2009, 5:30 AM
There was a Superman cartoon in '88?
answer
answer - 7/31/2009, 5:34 AM
How the hell did superman beat the robots then? Blow on them?

I remember watching a couple of episodes when I was younger! I always remember the one where he plays pin the tail on the donkey but discovers his x-ray vision!
EdGross
EdGross - 7/31/2009, 5:51 AM
This series is sometimes one of the best kept secrets of Superman -- largely forgotten, it nonetheless has some good episodes for its time and any animated show that features the John Williams Superman theme has to be commended (can't help it, I love the theme).
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 7/31/2009, 6:35 AM
I saw an episode on tv the other day! ; D

Yeah very 80's to it, very cool!
supersteveprime18
supersteveprime18 - 7/31/2009, 6:38 AM
never even heard of this series il have to watch it
comicb00kguy
comicb00kguy - 7/31/2009, 7:18 AM
So I guess Superman was supposed to sit down with the robots and work out their differences in a peaceful and constructive manner? Let Superman realize that the robots and he had a lot more in common than they thought they did? Thank God someone finally expunged those limp-wristed pansies from having anything to do with cartoons. This is how cartoons devolved to crap like My Little Pony and Richie Rich.

Still, my roommate remembers this cartoon and speaks highly of it. I'll probably check these out- if nothing else because the John Williams Superman theme is one of the great movie themes of all time and because I've always liked Marv Wolfman's stories.

SirJediFrank
SirJediFrank - 7/31/2009, 7:48 AM
Bman relax. not always we get the chance to catch any given show! why does it have to be IN TWO DISCS?? it´s only 13 episodes right?
animeex
animeex - 7/31/2009, 8:01 AM
No one knew it existed. I got it years ago on eBay form someone... Two discs. SirJedi I agree about the discs. Here they bleed it out for more money. They now try to put more extras on to explain why. I learned with my anime and found a ssite that has original dvds with up to 9 episodes per disc. All non-burned pressed dvds with some extras. It's a money thing here. Family Guy has went that route.

LethalWeapon
LethalWeapon - 7/31/2009, 9:05 AM
if you think about it, right here they made superman faster than light. he beat lightning to the airplane not thunder.
TucsonRican
TucsonRican - 7/31/2009, 9:26 AM
I seem to be the only one on this site that remember's watching this when it was aired. And I'm only 29!


They even did a General Zod episode!
thegreek
thegreek - 7/31/2009, 11:05 AM
I never heard of this cartoon....
EdGross
EdGross - 7/31/2009, 12:16 PM
In a couple of weeks I'll be presenting an interview with writer/producer Marv Wolfman about this show, so I'll have a lot of details on it.
TheDurkinKnight
TheDurkinKnight - 7/31/2009, 12:31 PM
I think I VAGUELY remember this...movie music, pretty cool. I'm sure it was a tie-in with Superman IV. There was also a Robocop cartoon at the same time
longbowhunter
longbowhunter - 7/31/2009, 12:55 PM
Hard to believe I dont recall this.
JonF
JonF - 7/31/2009, 2:19 PM
Believe it or not, this is my favorite Superman cartoon! I've been waiting 20 years for this!! It was only on the air for a short time(less than a year), but it was a perfect compliment to the Christopher Reeve Superman movies! The tone and even the music were pitch perfect! The 80's rocked!

The '96 series was too heavily influenced by Bruce Timm's and Paul Dini's styles for my tastes. This classic 1988 cartoon really succeeded in capturing the quintessential essence of each of the characters, right down to the voice characterizations! The opening was excellent!

It also included a flashback segment at the end of every episode showing Clark devloping through the years, from infancy through high school! Highly recommended - I love it! I strongly suggest everyone look it up on YouTube for a sampling! Enjoy!
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 7/31/2009, 2:45 PM
BMANHALL @ lol!!!
Scorpioxfactor
Scorpioxfactor - 7/31/2009, 3:39 PM
That was the same thing with the Superfriends. They would'n't allow the contact. So the writers had to get creative with the story and how to defeat the advesary without doing so.

Ok. I have been collecting the Superfriends DVD's that have been coming out. But, I wish there was a combined DVD collection of all the shows. The Challenge of the Superfriends was my favorite. I haven't seen a release of the Superfriends show with Marvin and Wendy. Even though that show was not publicly acclaimed, I still liked it. Also, out of all the Superfriend's releases. I still have not seen the episode where the wonder twins go camping, then end up going deep into some cavern against some vampire looking guy and the Superfriends are all turned into trolls of themselves. Now I could do some more research but maybe someone else remembers the episode I'm talking about.

One more thing. Adam West Batman. I know they have been in legal battles with one of the dead producer's wives wanting more money to release it on DVD. Does anyone know the status of that situation?
Scorpioxfactor
Scorpioxfactor - 7/31/2009, 3:41 PM
Grif, The boomerang channel is the closet we have to a comic book channel yet.
alcinde4
alcinde4 - 7/31/2009, 6:50 PM
I don't remember that series at all.
hewilldefytheirgravity
hewilldefytheirgravity - 7/31/2009, 7:45 PM
Great news! This was a really good adaptation of Superman. The art work and animation were first class. There's even an episode with Wonder Woman as a guest star. I will be getting this on release day.
EdGross
EdGross - 7/31/2009, 8:05 PM
From my understanding, 20th Century Fox owns the actual episodes of the Adam West Batman, but Warner Bros. owns Batman and apparently both studios have to reach some sort of agreement to get the series out there on DVD. Of course, what could be their reason for NOT talking about this?
BLADE4040
BLADE4040 - 7/31/2009, 9:57 PM
They should let those Adam West dvd's go for a buck per episode....lol and the Chris Reeves Superman movie's a buck fifty per episode. The only time they've gotten Superman right so far is in the cartoons...especially those 1940-50 animated series . Good animation,storyline,and if Im not mistaken actual fight scence contact. I pulled up a few old Superman toons on youtube the other day some of the stuff is pretty good.
davidcub
davidcub - 7/31/2009, 11:32 PM
My Brother and I watched this show every Saturday!!! I'll be getting it for the Wonder Woman episode alone!
JYCowboy
JYCowboy - 8/1/2009, 10:55 AM
Why does that music excite me more for a Superman program than any other? It will be a great great loss when John Williams passes.


I will be putting this in my DVD collection.
JonF
JonF - 8/5/2009, 2:33 PM
Fleischer was a master! His stuff blew my mind when I first saw it and still does today! The realism is unbelieveable! Highly recommended!! Check out the '88 series too! With Marv Wolfman, an actual comic book creator, producing I doubt anyone will be disappointed!! I've seen it, I know!
JonF
JonF - 8/5/2009, 2:36 PM
Blade4040- Reeve was perfectly cast! He can't be held accountable for the quality of the films, but the first one WAS a classic! II had its issues behind the scenes, but taken for the fun it was meant to be, it's excellent when one overlooks/forgives its obvious flaws!
part III was doomed from the start due to many factors and IV shouldn't have been made, but it isn't as bad as we all seem to remember it being!
Scorpioxfactor
Scorpioxfactor - 8/6/2009, 4:21 AM
So, Have a movie channel but charge it like pay for view?
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