Superfriends: Rest In Peace Talkback

[Mattashell]

All this week (Mon-Thu) Cartoon Network is showing a "preview" of Boomerang including Hanna-Barbera's Superfriends at 1:30 AM and again at 5:30 AM. Tonight's episode was Rest In Peace

Rest In Peace:

When the Legion of Doom obtains an element that produces the weaknesses of all the Superfriends, The Superfriends hide in space and let the Legion of Doom kill their robot doubles. When They think The Superfriends are dead, they throw the device away and the Superfriends save the day once again.

I'm rating the ep on camp and humor content, but rate it however you please. Personally this is not as hysterical as the early Filmation DC shows or the infamous "Wendy and Marvin" season, but it's still pretty darned fun.

[DarkLantern]

This was one of my all-time favorite Legion of Doom episodes -- probably because this thirteen year old was amazed to see the Superfriends actually be killed. Of course, the murders were faked. But the season redeemed itself when they killed off the Superfriends (and the rest of the planet, the following week in "History of Doom"...

The Dark Lantern

[Squall]

As is typical of Superfriends episodes, this was bad. Train wreck bad. People who complain about Justice League should watch Superfriends first; then they'll know how good we've got it now! :D

Gobble up! This episode's a Turkey.

The fact that Lex Luthor, even under the assumption that the Superfriends were dead, would just THROW AWAY a device that would guarantee victory was laughable. I screamed out at the TV "What the...?!?" when I saw that. :rolleyes: And the Superfriends expected him to do this? I think they just got really lucky...

The Superfriends were also cowards. They were quick to go into hiding once they thought the Legion of Doom had an advantage over them! "Let Earth's citizens take care of themselves. We're leaving!" :mad:

Why didn't Sinestro just drill down under the Hall of Justice himself to obtain the Superfriends' death device?

Why didn't the Supefriends shoot this device off into space in the first place when they obtained it?

And why... Oh, forget it. Again, I could go on all day. My point is: Thank God we have Justice League now! Justice League is what Superfriends had the potential to be, but clearly never came close to.

And you know what's really scary? These Boomerang Preview episodes are some of the best episodes Superfriends had to offer! :eek: It only goes downhill from here, folks. Really. :p

[strikerowen]

Having grown up watching the Challenge of the Superfriends, the Legion of Doom sounds more like a campy group of villains. Today, mentioned the Legion of Doom and you get the ill-fated Philadelphia Flyers group.

To the ones who are used to the JL series, it's best to watch the old Superfriends cartoons just to get a comparison. The created characters for the show (Apache Chief, Giganta, Samarai, Black Vulcan) even make the show cheesier, not to mention having the Riddler instead of the Joker in the Legion of Doom.

That and the SuperFriends ep where they use a time machine were classic where the bad guys try to get a step up on the good guys.

Luthor sounds more like a senior citizen in the 70s rather than the rogue executive in the WB series--the anti Bruce Wayne as I see him.

It's better to see the oldschool Superfriends mocked as a bunch of has beens as seen on the Cartoon Network shorts! :D though you would have to see several to both to compare them fairly...

Batman died on December 1978? Interesting! :D

When I see that Hall of Doom fly, it reminds me of Darth Vader!

Justice League makes the Superfriends look pale.

Flash: Should we call ourselves "Super Friends"?

Superman: More like a... Justice League...

Poetic!

[TheScarecrow]

As far as the Superfriends goes, this was actually a decent episode. Not great, or even good, by any means. But good enough to be better then the first two eps that been shown this week.

'Batman' was killed at a movie theater in Gotham, just like Thomas and Martha were (well okay, they were bumped off at Crime Alley near the theater, but work with me here people). Hmmm... not sure if the Superfriends writers wanted to make that connection or not, but it sure was interesting.

The explanation for how the Superfriends survived was really stupid of course, and so was Luthor throwing that thing away when he could've used it to take over the world, but its the freaking Superfriends, so what can you do?

[Toddman]

Originally posted by strikerowen

To the ones who are used to the JL series, it's best to watch the old Superfriends cartoons just to get a comparison. The created characters for the show (Apache Chief, Giganta, Samarai, Black Vulcan) even make the show cheesier, not to mention having the Riddler instead of the Joker in the Legion of Doom.



For the record, Giganta originally appeared in the comics. She did undergo a few alterations in "Superfriends" though. In the comics, she was a Wonder Woman villain, but in SF Apache Chief was her foe. And that explains why she could become a 50 ft giant, just like the Chief. In the comics she was super strong only. However, her name, appearance and personality were the same as her comic book counterpart.

Interestingly enough, having just picked up the most recent WW: Secret Files & Origins, it looks like the comic book version of Giganta can now grow to giant sizes as well. And I think that is the COOLEST! I'm used to the Bruce Timm animated series influencing the comic books, but the Superfriends? I guess you can't beat nostalgia.

Toddman

[Mister Intensity]

In the original and current comic books, Giganta is a gorilla who has been mutated into a human being. (Justice League spoiler) I am almost positive that the lady scientist in The Brave and the Bold who was in love with Grodd was probably put in the plot to invoke memories of "Giganta" to long time fans.

Superfriends: Rest in Peace was a nice episode but something else that bugged me besides Luthor throwing away the element was why couldn't he let Bizzaro open the box since he is as powerful as Superman, only with less cunning.

December 1978 is a reference to the original airdate of the episode. Episodes actually aired on schedule back then.

Mister Intensity

[Red]

5 stars is all I have to say

[JohnStewart-GL]

i gave it 4 stars because its as good as it got for this show.
I mean throwing it away was dumb. i would figure Luthor would of kept it as a souvenier.
Pretty much another corny episode

[Apache Chief]

Who gets rid of the crystal at the end and saves the day? That's right...you know who...

[Toddman]

Originally posted by Apache Chief
Who gets rid of the crystal at the end and saves the day? That's right...you know who...

Not only that, but apparently the Chief was so proud of what he did that he brought his "sewer-suit" with him so he could show it off after the Superfriends revealed their clever deception and beat up the Legion.

Toddman

[JusticeLeagueLegion]

Originally posted by Toddman


Not only that, but apparently the Chief was so proud of what he did that he brought his "sewer-suit" with him so he could show it off after the Superfriends revealed their clever deception and beat up the Legion.

Toddman

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!

That's pretty funny...I noticed that too...the last scene wasn't really much of a fight scene...just a bunch a people argueing. Really pathetic actually.

[Buddy Lee]

I ask all of you pretentious cafe latte drinking critics to take the Superfriends as what it was meant to be. As a child of the 70's, it pains me to read these posts by kids trashing these old episodes. As an artist, I was inspired by these very same cartoons you are denigrating. These were Saturday morning cartoons that had to abide by a number of censorship issues to be viewed on Saturday mornings on a major televison network. I know I will get ripped for my defense of what for me are cherished childhood memories. I only hope that you will just give it a little more respect than what I have read thus far.

[Spider]

Buddy Lee,

I can't comment intelligently on the similarities or differences between the intricacies of the Superfriends and Justice League, but seeing the smiles of my children yesterday and this morning (we taped "Fairy Tale of Doom" and watched it more than once) while enjoying the episode is something I'll cherish for years to come--their childhood memories. So you're not alone. :)

[JusticeLeagueLegion]

Originally posted by Buddy Lee
I ask all of you pretentious cafe latte drinking critics to take the Superfriends as what it was meant to be. As a child of the 70's, it pains me to read these posts by kids trashing these old episodes. As an artist, I was inspired by these very same cartoons you are denigrating. These were Saturday morning cartoons that had to abide by a number of censorship issues to be viewed on Saturday mornings on a major televison network. I know I will get ripped for my defense of what for me are cherished childhood memories. I only hope that you will just give it a little more respect than what I have read thus far.

If you thought I was dissing Superfriends or something I wasn't. I love the Superfriends, what can I say? I just make fun of rediculous parts in the episodes sometimes...but I still love them.

[Toddman]

Originally posted by Buddy Lee
I ask all of you pretentious cafe latte drinking critics to take the Superfriends as what it was meant to be. As a child of the 70's, it pains me to read these posts by kids trashing these old episodes. As an artist, I was inspired by these very same cartoons you are denigrating. These were Saturday morning cartoons that had to abide by a number of censorship issues to be viewed on Saturday mornings on a major televison network. I know I will get ripped for my defense of what for me are cherished childhood memories. I only hope that you will just give it a little more respect than what I have read thus far.

No real disrespect intended. I'm about the same age as you, BL, and the Superfriends were the reason I got up on Saturday mornings to watch any cartoons at all. The show also inspired me as a budding young elementary school-age artist. It wasn't until Spider-Man and the Hulk hit the airwaves in 1982 or so that I realized what super-hero cartoons should be like.

I still enjoy poking fun at SF, though. It's hard not to.

But I'm w/you in as much as some of the "kids" out here for some reason think that Superfriends was supposed to be campy and stupid. Or that thet era of animation was incapable of producing anything else. That's just not true.

But you must admit, now that we are in our late 20's, the writers back then must have thought that we kids were really, really, really stupid.

Toddman

[Buddy Lee]

I agree with you, Toddman. All of the Superfriend episodes have some obvious flaws. But, most of the people on this forum keep comparing these episodes to what they are seeing on "Justice League". I just think that is an unfair comparison and that these episodes just deserve more appreciation. I have a sense of humor about these episodes just like anyone else. But, the continued "dissing" of these episodes began to hurt after awhile.

[DarkLantern]

Originally posted by JusticeLeagueLegion


If you thought I was dissing Superfriends or something I wasn't. I love the Superfriends, what can I say? I just make fun of rediculous parts in the episodes sometimes...but I still love them.


Originally posted by Toddman

No real disrespect intended. I'm about the same age as you, BL, and the Superfriends were the reason I got up on Saturday mornings to watch any cartoons at all.

...I still enjoy poking fun at SF, though. It's hard not to.

But I'm w/you in as much as some of the "kids" out here for some reason think that Superfriends was supposed to be campy and stupid. Or that thet era of animation was incapable of producing anything else. That's just not true.



Anyone who’s read the “Double Takes” section on the World’s Finest Page knows that I am one of the most prominent nitpickers of the Justice League series, but I love the show to pieces. I feel the same way about the SuperFriends as well. I’ve stated before that I wouldn’t be the comic book fan I am today if it wasn’t for that show. I discovered later that a lot of those episodes were actually intended to be corny and camp, and I wouldn’t have them any other way.

It was indeed a thrill to catch these Challenge Episodes again, and they now rest on my Justice League tape between “The Brave and the Bold Pt II” and “Fury Pt I”.

The Dark Lantern

----

“This is the end of an era.”
“The end of *your* era, maybe.”