Growing up with the DCAU Part 2 S:TAS

[cameronpoe1986]

Hello again......back with the next installment of your's and mine's favorite ongoing forum thread saga.......Growing up in the DCAU!

So it's 1996 and I'm in the fourth grade. B:TAS was still going strong, even though it had a title change and they only showed reruns. And then, from seemingly out of nowhere, they announce a brand new Superman cartoon being done in the same style as Batman! The thought had never occured to me as a child but once I heard the news, there was no way in the world I was going to miss it. I don't remember exactly when the three-part "Last son of Krypton" officially debuted, but I caught a saturday afternoon showing. And what did I thinK? It was great, of course! I wouldn't be writing this if I didn't like it, would I? This cartoon represented everything that was cool about Superman the same way that B:TAS represented everything cool about Batman. Superman was actually "super," Clark Kent was a dork, Lois lane was sexy, and Lex Luthor was a total badass!

It was a big relief to my fourth grade eyes that S:TAS didn't disappoint. But, having said that, I still prefer Batman. Why? It's true, Superman was more consistantly good. BUT.....the thing is, the show didn't take any risks.....at least not in the first season. With B:TAS, the creators were rather new to the whole cartoon thing, so they did things differently and took more risks. Sometimes you get a bad episode.....other times you get "Heart of Ice."
In S:TAS, Timm and Co. had gotten better at making cartoons, but they took less risks. When you do that, you strike the middle ground as being merely good. There weren't as many powerhouse episodes.....but having said all that, I still love S:TAS with all of my heart and think it's first season is one of the best first seasons around. It satisfied me at 10 yrs old, and it still satisfies me today.

Note: I didn't talk about the further seasons because I want to discuss those with TNBA, since they aired together. Which brings us to next time: Part 3 The New Adventures of Batman and Superman......

[Jeffery Duke]

Well all I remember was once BTAS hit I was on a constant flow of DC Superhero goodness. It was a seemless transfer to watching Superman, like it was still part of Batman (somehow). It was during the Superman show that I learned to love the Villain that much more. Lex and Lobo became some of my favorite characters of all time and they were led by the still glorious one, The Joker. However toward the end of the run of Superman my unbrideled hated of Big Blue was lurking up on me. But that story is for part 3 when we get into the other shows.

[The_Magick_Hat]

My memories of S:TAS are far more vague than that of B:TAS. A combination of a lot going on in my life and my own arrogance in 1996 caused me to drift a bit from the american animation viewing field for a while. At the times I did tune in, S:TAS was one of the shows I watched even though I only managed to see a few episodes. I know I liked what I saw, but again I saw too little to really hook me into it the way B:TAS used to. Looking around at places like the World's Finest website and such, I'm really kicking myself in the proverbial behind for having missed out on so much. You've no idea how happy I am for DVDs.

[Anthonynotes]

1996... I was a senior in college, and looking forward to the debut of S:TAS, being a big Superman fan and all. Watched the premiere and wasn't disappointed... liked the use of Brainiac, liked the animation style, and liked that it used some older comics' elements (Mxy's design, etc.), though think B:TAS might've made more use of older elements than Superman's show did (which seemed to make more use of the Byrne's aspects about Superman).

-B.

[Shadow09]

I've gotta say that since I wasn't huge on BTAS once this show came out.... it was a huge hit for me anyway... i'm a huge Superman fan and a loyal Smallville fan but that is beside the point.

About STAS though back in '96? wow I would have been what 13? wow that long ago... gee where does the time go. But Superman had many great qualities that sadly the Superman of JLU has forgotten:sad:

I have to say that like many great shows of its time it had flaws. But I do like how Timm and co. did like working on Superman more then on Batman as they did like the challenge that Superman presented as to Batman just fighting pyschotic maniacs and guys with two faces, as for the Man of Steel the challenge is bringing him a villain that would give him a challenge in taking down.

STAS to me was the cartoon that really brought me back to those days of being a child and having a hero to look up to, in a world that we live in now, a hero like Superman is someone we can trust and we know that he will do anything in his power to fight for Justice and to save humanity.

I didn't get a chance to catch all the episodes but thankfully DVD is here to save my day just like Superman did when I watched the show. There weren't very many episodes that struck a cord like JLU episodes did but hey I was 13 so what can you do. But by far one of my favourites and the one cartoon I think put Timm and co. on the radar and made them a hit.

Truely one of the best shows that Timm and co. have ever made.

Congrats to them for all the memories that will last a life time.

Keep it up.

[Grimlock]

I remember Last Son of Krypton first aired on a friday night, because i was at a friend's house and had to call my house and ask a family member to stick a tape in so i wouldn't miss it.

I don't even think i knew at the time that STAS was being produced by the same guys who did BTAS. But i really enjoyed that first 3-parter, it was great, and i watched every episode after that.

Man, i remember when Kids' WB did promos before the show came out and they had a sweet song in their commercial:

"Krypton guy with superpowers" was the line that referenced superman. The other parts went something like, "Kids' WB for you and me. We got bugs bunny, you know he's funny on your tv. Gonna stick a bomb in daffy's bed or drop an anvil on someone's head. You got, we got, WB got people havin' fun."

Or something along those lines.

Ah, memories...

[bskcase]

I do remember seeing the Last Son of Krypton episode on a Friday night. I was a sophomore in college and I saw it with a friend of mine.

I really liked the look and feel of the show. Althought I was a Batman fan, I thought this show would fit in nicely together. I knew eventually the 2 would meet. I just bought The World's Finest on DVD and it brought back memories.

I thought the show was good, but it could have been more bolder. A little more edgier. But I liked the sci-fi aspect of the show and the relationships between the characters. They did seem to have some fun with Superman. The Mr. Mxlyplykz episode was good.

I thougth the show ended too soon. The show really hit its stride in the second season and I always thought there was more to cover. I would have liked to seen how Superman and the public would have been after the Darkseid brainwash. Maybe having him meet Hawkgirl, John Stewart, and a few other heroes.

But then the adventures of Batman and Superman will never end.

[adoptedBatpuppy]

1996... I was a senior in college, and looking forward to the debut of S:TAS, being a big Superman fan and all. Watched the premiere and wasn't disappointed... liked the use of Brainiac, liked the animation style, and liked that it used some older comics' elements (Mxy's design, etc.), though think B:TAS might've made more use of older elements than Superman's show did (which seemed to make more use of the Byrne's aspects about Superman).

-B.
Wow! You are old! :anime: I mean that in a good way!

Anyways, when STAS premiered I wasn't even in the USA, for the first season. However I did catch the second season's original airdates beginning with two-part Jax-ur and Mala episode. I got hooked right away! With Batman it was entirely different story! :)

[Anthonynotes]

Wow! You are old! :anime: I mean that in a good way!

Anyways, when STAS premiered I wasn't even in the USA, for the first season. However I did catch the second season's original airdates beginning with two-part Jax-ur and Mala episode. I got hooked right away! With Batman it was entirely different story! :)

Yes, I'm well aware I'm older than most of the others on Toonzone these days. Thanks for reaffirming as such. ;-)

[Simpler Simon]

I have to say I wasn't a big fan of STAS during its initial run. This was of course when you could still pretty much view BTAS and STAS as two, seperate shows, and there was no compelling reason to watch one just because you watched the other. I wasn't a big Superman fan back then. Heck, you're looking at the guy who actually switched off the tv during the premiere of World's Finest (can't imagine doing that with a JLU episode today!)

So for awhile I only watched the TNBA portion of the Batman/Superman adventures. Gradually I started watching STAS, the way you tune into the last five minutes of the previous show while waiting for the next one to start. It was "Apokolips...Now!" Part 2 that finally converted me, and I began watching the Batman/Superman adventures in full.

By the time I was caught up, the show had begun winding down and WB shelved the last three episodes for the following season. That was when I moved to Canada, with no KidsWB, so it took me years before I was finally able to see those episodes.

And yeah, thats my STAS experience in a nutshell.

[Squall]

Before Superman:TAS, my only exposure to Superman had been from the Superman live-action movies with Christopher Reeve and SuperFriends. I thought Batman was cool, and that Superman was corny.

After Superman:TAS, I saw with the Darkseid story arc that Superman could be cool, and as sophisticated as Batman was. And the final fight (until JL, anyway) between Supeman and Darkseid is a moment that animation, sci-fi and superhero fans will still be talking about 30 years from now. :)

I should also mention that my love of crossovers made "World's Finest" another moment that will be long remembered, and that Superman's meeting up with other heroes (Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Dr. Fate, etc.) made me crave a Timm & Co. Justice League...

[MR.MXYZPTLK]

I actually didn't enjoy stas but watching it now I love it Don't understand why didn't make an impact on me:shrug: though I loved btas

[reflection]

I didn't realize how young Toonzone is until these threads. I thought there had to be more people who watched B:TAS in their late teens, early adulthood.

[Temple Fugate]

I didn't realize how young Toonzone is until these threads. I thought there had to be more people who watched B:TAS in their late teens, early adulthood.There are, they're just not here in the thread. The title is, after all, "Growing up with the DCAU," not "I started watching the DCAU when I was 18."

STAS came out when I was in eighth or ninth grade. I was into Batman since its premiere in '92, but wasn't so interested in Superman. I still watched almost every episode, and made sure to catch all the Batman crossovers. I think Superman's style just didn't catch my eye the way BTAS' art deco look did. My brother watched it a lot more than me, actually. Now I regret not sticking with the show, as there were quite a few good ones I missed. ("Legacy," for one) Good thing they're out on DVD now.

[Toyman]

Ah yes '96 STAS begins. I'm 14 by now and am not surprised at all by the new show, as I mentioned in part 1 of this thread I knew there was more to come. And I knew I hit the nail on the head when I read the Batman Adventures issue with guest star Supes. Once I saw that I knew his own show would be around the corner. I too feel that the show was cut short and would have liked to see the aftermath of him being brainwashed. It ended to soon but what we did get is golden.