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Debuting September 9, 1978...
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Think OUTSIDE the Box! For the BEST in Repro & Custom Packaging! -
Nearly everyone's favorite version. The stakes were much higher with REAL villains...even if no punches could be thrown. The Secret Origins and Death of episodes are still standouts to me...and Aquaman burying his JLA communicator millions of years in the past for Superman to find it in the present!
Chris -
Some funny Superfriends gif's in this article:
Yeah, I remember that. *Thought* My JLA batery lasts 3 million years. I only have to bury it for Superman to find it!Last edited by johnmiic; Sep 9, '13, 9:39 AM.Comment
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I will never forget. I started the first grade that year and I fondly recall that I did not have to get up at the crack of dawn. I recall Challenge of the Super Friends airing in the 9:00 timeslot. Originally preceded by Scooby Doo Where Are You? and Fangface, and later on, Scooby's All Stars.
It ran for an hour with 16 additional new episodes with Superman, Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and the Wonder Twins. I think this was done for fans who liked this version of the Super Friends and this series served as a warm up act to the Challenge of the Super Friends in the second half hour, which was the headliner. Scooby's All Stars did the same thing with new Scooby Doo episodes that year as a warm up act for the Laff a Lympics that season. I recall the premiere week having the Demons of Exxor and Wanted: The Super Friends back to back. Although I don't remember this as well, I do vaguely recall Challenge of the Super Friends being extended to 90 minutes and including reruns of the half hour episodes from 1977.
I love Challenge of the Super Friends. The late Ted Cassidy was memorable as the voices of Brainiac and Black Manta. I liked things like Captain Cold's face being blue, the Jack Nimball version of the Toyman, and the Hall of Doom resembling Darth Vader's helmet. It was this series where I was first exposed to the villains in the Legion of Doom.
Now I personally love both. I love this series and the 1978 series with the Wonder Twins and I have fond memories of watching both of them back to back. Now, if only we had a toyline that has every single one of the heroes and villains. DC Universe classics gave us everybody except the classic Scarecrow.Comment
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One more bit. That same year, I recall watching Batman and Robin battle the Riddler and Scarecrow on Challenge of the Super Friends and then flipping over to CBS to catch Tarzan and the Super 7 and sitting through episodes of Tarzan, Web Woman, Super Stretch & Micro Woman, Manta & Moray, the Freedom Force and the live action Jason of Star Command just to catch the reruns of the New Adventures of Batman to watch Filmation's versions of Batman and Robin battle the Joker, Penguin, Catwoman, Mr.Freeze, and Clayface with help from Batgirl and Bat Mite. A double dose of Batman and a double dose of the Super Friends. I really loved the year 1978!!Comment
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I did the same as Filmation 78 - Good timesComment
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How does anybody else feel about this, but I personally feel that Challenge of the Super Friends might have been even better if they could have used the Atom, Hawkgirl, and Green Arrow. Anyone agree or disagree?Comment
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I'd honestly rather have seen them over the "ethnic heroes", although I understand why they were there. They seem like stereotypes now, but back then they were a genuine attempt to give kids a diverse group of heroes to look up to. Never a bad thing.How does anybody else feel about this, but I personally feel that Challenge of the Super Friends might have been even better if they could have used the Atom, Hawkgirl, and Green Arrow. Anyone agree or disagree?
I recall seeing a later SF short where Hawkgirl reappeared, and her costume was horribly miscolored. I think she had a purple helmet?!?
ChrisComment
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While I would rather they had used the original characters, I saw Samurai as Red Tornado, Apache Chief as a reverse Atom, and El Dorado as Martian Manhunter. The powers weren't exact but somewhat analogous. But never understood the switch to Black Vulcan from Black lightning.Comment
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^I was listening to an older "Views from the Longbox" podcast interview with Gerry Conway recently, and Conway said he was involved in the early development work on Black Lightning, before Isabella. Not sure what that means, but I know Isabella has had issues with DC over ownership/participation in Black Lightning since day one.
ChrisComment
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Isabella has always seemed like a bit of a crybaby to me about various issues in different interviews I've read...
He seems to think he's been maligned on more than one occasion.Think OUTSIDE the Box! For the BEST in Repro & Custom Packaging!Comment
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