TV Animated Superheroes (Page 1)

This release collects together all 13 episodes from the 1978 animated series of The Fantastic Four, over two discs, amounting to a collective running time of 4 hours, 57 minutes. The Fantastic Four is one of Marvel Comics's most enduring team of super heroes. After a mission into space goes awry, the four become bombarded with radiation. The leader, brilliant scientist Reed Richards becomes Mr Fantastic, who can stretch his body like rubber to incredible lengths. His wife, Sue Richards becomes the Invisible Girl, also capable of creating protective force fields. Ben Grimm becomes the orange, stone-like Thing, with outstanding strength. H.E.R.B.I.E. is a robot created by Reed who can analyse situations in mere seconds.

In A Monster Among Us, an alien spacecraft crash-lands on Earth, and the FF must prevent the armed forces killing its inquisitive occupant; in The Menace of Magneto, a man who can manipulate metal arrives at the FF HQ to announce that he will be their new leader, but Reed Richards has a trick up his sleeve; in The Phantom of Film City, the FF appear in a Hollywood film for charity, but they are plagued by a phantom who wants to destroy them; in Medusa and the Inhumans, the FF happen across a city of people with special powers who want to rule the human race; in The Diamond of Doom, the queen of a far land uses a large diamond to control her people; in The Mole Man, a ridiculed scientist hijacks the world's power plants; in The Olympics of Space, the Thing is abducted as a champion for an alien race; in The Fantastic Four Meet Doctor Doom, the ruler of Latvaria takes on the FF in his bid to take over the world; in The Frightful Four, four super villains combine to ridicule the FF; in Calamity on the Campus, a scientist's disgruntled assistant uses a mental control helmet to send an android after the FF; in The Impossible Man, a trio of crooks con a shape-changing alien in to helping them rob banks; in The Final Victory of Doctor Doom, DD goes another round with the FF in a battle of intelligence; and in Blastaar, the Living Bomb-Burst, the FF discover the Negative Zone and bring back a dangerous cocoon.

Anyone who has even a passing knowledge of the Fantastic Four will realise that Sue's brother, the Human Torch, is conspicuous by his absence. At the time this series was being developed, the Human Torch had been optioned for a film which never materialised. Therefore, Marvel character creator Stan Lee, who wrote every story here (and the teleplay for more than half), was obliged to come up with a replacement. The stand-in was H.E.R.B.I.E. the robot, who begins to grate from almost the first moment he appears. As the Thing and the Torch spend most of their time arguing, the robot does the same - at least up to the point when we're constantly reminded that they love each other really.

It's pitched at a very young audience, and the stories are basic, but it possesses a definite charm - particularly the grumpy quips of the Thing. A welcome addition to the prolific Marvel animated serial release schedule.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2010)

Doctor Bruce Banner is a military research scientist. Whilst conducting an experiment from a desert bunker, he notices with horror that a young man has unwittingly strayed on to the test site. To avert a disaster he races outside to escort the stranger to safety, but gets caught himself in the blast when an impatient colleague sets the machine in motion. Banner is bombarded with gamma radiation, which periodically changes him into a large and powerful green-skinned Hulk. The man who Banner saved becomes his only friend, and the protector of his secret, as the Hulk becomes feared and persecuted like Frankenstein's monster...

Collected together on official DVD for the first time comes The Incredible Hulk: The Complete Series. This animated show from 1966 hits the shelves as a two-disc set, incorporating thirteen episodes each split into three digestible segments, with an over-all running time of 4 hours and 12 minutes.

Doc Bruce Banner,
Belted by gamma rays,
Turned into the Hulk.
Ain't he unglamo-rays!
Wreckin' the town
With the power of a bull,
Ain't no monster clown
Who is that lovable?
It's ever lovin' Hulk! HULK!! HULK!!

I realise this series is primarily aimed at a young audience, but the theme song is sickly sweet to the point of being twee. Whereas the well-remembered Original Spider-Man tune from the same period fits the generally light-hearted mood of the piece, silly lyrics like this are a million miles removed from a character building weapons who changes into a rampaging beast that everyone is afraid of or wants to kill.

The animation is pretty basic - crude even - incorporating plenty of static scenes wherein zooming-in is utilised for close-ups and dramatic effect. Cut-out figures are also used, which glide across a backdrop as if on ice skates. The pictures we are shown are literally straight out of the earliest Hulk comics, and that is in no way detrimental because we are presented with the classic artwork of Jack Kirby. I have to say that I grew increasingly attached to this quaint little series through each additional episode I viewed. There is even a poignant moment at the end of the final episode when the Hulk feels dejected by the way people see him, and his only friend Rick tells him he saved everyone. He's a hero.

The rogues gallery of villains include, The Leader, The Chameleon, The Toadman, The Space Phantom, The Metal Master, Tyranus, Boomerang, and The Ring Master. General 'Thunderbolt' Ross is the regular anti-hero, perpetually hateful and always arguing, very much in the vein of newspaper publisher J. Jonah Jameson from Spider-Man. One episode features The Avengers, so we get guest appearances from the likes of Iron Man, Thor, Giant Man, and Wasp. In conclusion, this is an enjoyable little series, with each story split into mini-cliff-hangers, and will be of interest to followers of the Hulk character or the prolific Marvel output as a whole.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2010)

Released by Clear Vision, from the bottomless vaults of Marvel, comes The Incredible Hulk: The Complete Series, from 1982. It incorporates 13 episodes spread over two discs, with a total running time of 5 hours and 6 minutes.

Episodes consist of: Tomb of the Unknown Hulk; Prisoner of the Monster; Origin of the Hulk; When Monsters Meet; The Cyclops Project; Bruce Banner Unmasked; The Creature and the Cavegirl. It Lives! It Grows! It Destroys!; The Incredible Shrinking Hulk; Punks on Wheels; Enter: She Hulk; The Boy Who Saw Tomorrow; and The Hulk Destroys Bruce Banner.

For anyone who has been struck by gamma rays and spent fifty years in a cave going green at the gills, The Hulk is a simple-minded but immensely powerful creature that scientist Bruce Banner turns into when he becomes upset or angry. The quirky attraction to this representation of the comic character is the narration by none other than Hulk (and most other marvel costumed heroes) creator, Stan Lee. You just can't knock his enthusiasm. He sounds like he's having the time of his life.

The theme tune and incidental music is infinitely more suited to the immense power and anger of the character than the 1960s series. The animation is very much of its time, as you would expect, but I must say that the sixties series has more heart. This one seems somehow larger than life, and aimed at an even younger audience. Although the Hulk himself acts and speaks more realistically ("Hulk smash!!") in this than the original, the characters are not so well refined. Banner's only real friend, Rick, acts like one of the Scooby-Doo gang.

Perhaps I'm being too harsh, but with a format which is perhaps one of the least sustainable in the Marvel canon, the artwork and storylines need to be significantly more compelling. Having said that, the series did begin to grow on me, with some of Stan the Man's exuberance rubbing off.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2010)

Released by Clear Vision, from the extensive archives of Marvel, comes The Incredible Hulk and She-Hulk, the 1990s animated series. Here we have the complete second series; eight episodes on a single disc, with a total running time of 2 hours, 50 minutes.

In Hulk of a Different Colour, the Leader convinces the Grey Hulk that he can remove Doctor Banner from his genetic make-up, but is only intent on tapping his gamma energy; in Down Memory Lane, She-Hulk begins to lose her strength from burning the candle at both ends; in Mind Over Anti-Matter, a creature from another dimension possesses Bruce Banner, creating Dark Hulk, and She-Hulk and Doctor Strange take a journey through his mind to revive the dormant Green and Grey Hulks; in They Call Me Mr Fix It, a woman crime boss has the power to make men fall in love with her, but when she kidnaps Banner the She-Hulk and Grey Hulk muscle in as new crime lords; in Fashion Warriors, the Leader and the Abomination try to hold celebrities hostage at a fashion show; in Hollywood Rocks, Doctor Doom steals Banner's new machine and uses it to send the Hulk in to space and onto an asteroid headed for the sun; in The Lost Village, the Hulks help protect a mythical and hidden city from a violent outcast; and in Mission Incredible, a deep sea symbiotic life-form takes over a number of people in order to infiltrate a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility with an unstable gamma core.

Having not received series one for review, I can't really comment on the early episodes, and a rather confused and chaotic update at the start of this disc doesn't really help. Nevertheless, it seems that in this updated take on the popular comic characters, Bruce Banner's alter ego is known by both Betty Ross (his love interest) and her father, General Ross - although they have very different and perhaps predictable opinions of the scientist. Banner's cousin has had to be bombarded with gamma rays in order to save her life. It leaves her green-skinned but strong and sexy. Contrary to Banner's constant battle to rid himself of the Hulk, the sassy She-Hulk revels in her new look and abilities. In a failed experiment to separate Banner from the Hulk, the rather more coherent but eminently dislikable Grey Hulk is formed. Now, each time Bruce Banner's anger, pain or anxiety is released we witness a constantly raging internal struggle between the Green and Grey Hulks, and whoever gains the upper hand at that moment is the one we see take form.

This is by far the best animated series of The Incredible Hulk I've come across. The She-Hulk is fun and funny, the Green Hulk lovable, and the Grey Hulk no-nonsense and somewhat tiresome as he should be. Fortunately, this series is action-packed, with interesting storylines. It is enjoyable without ever playing down to a young audience. Consequentially, there are no cringe-worthy moments I can recall. A success by any reckoning.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2010)

Tony Stark is seventeen and already well-established as Iron Man. In less than a year he will take control of his missing father’s company, Stark Enterprises. In the meantime, Obadiah Stane is acting chairman, and will stop at nothing to win the board’s approval and discredit Tony’s name. The company is the largest supplier of military weaponry; however, Justin Hammer’s company is a deadly rival, hell bent on usurping that supremacy. Both men are determined to defeat Iron Man and obtain the powerful armour...

This Clear Vision release from the prolific and extensive animated vaults of Marvel comprises the first thirteen episodes of Season 2, over two DVD discs, with a total running time of 4 hours, 51 minutes.

Although I love the Iron Man of the live action films and Avengers Assemble, and am a Marvel characters fan in general, the animated serials of the 1960s and 1990s did little for me. As I haven’t seen Season 1 of these Armoured Adventures, I wondered how these new episodes would come across for the casual viewer. Initially, the idea of a young Tony Stark being Iron man already and yet still attending high school although he is a genius far beyond the capacity of his fellow students, seems somewhat ridiculous. You realise pretty early on that it’s simply used as a means to an end. However, once you get used to the idea you soon realise this series has heart.

I watched all thirteen episodes with great interest, and the entire concept grew on me pretty quickly. Yes, he has help from War Machine and Pepper, but I think what really makes this work is that Iron Man is always on the back foot, fighting against almost impossible odds. He spends the majority of episodes being beaten-up and thrown around like an empty beer can.

Hammer has stolen some of his files and has built his own robots with the intention of taking out Iron Man and ultimately selling them to the military. So this is a race against time to make it to his eighteenth birthday before his identity is discovered, and in the meantime steal back his designs. Along the way, there is The Spider, Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. and Doctor Doom to contend with.

An enjoyable bunch of episodes, with a catchy rock-oriented theme tune.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2013)

The Justice League, adapted from the DC Comics adventures, follows a group of superheroes based on a space station as they fight against evil from the Earth and beyond. Here we have three episodes from the Unlimited series...

In Initiation, Green Arrow is invited to join the Justice League but gracefully refuses. The Green Lantern, Supergirl and Captain Atom (please!) agree to drop him off after they have helped with a reported nuclear accident. They are turned away by the military, but Green Arrow discovers there is a nuclear-powered robot on the rampage and only he can get close enough to pierce its weakness.

In Hawk and Dove, two sets of warring factions in a country are further divided when one side is given an unstoppable robot by a mysterious shape-shifting character. Recognising a symbol on the robot's armour, Wonder Woman visits the individual who created her own suit. He tells her he made the robot for Aries, and that he leaves a small weakness in each of his creations. Justice League members Hawk and Dove try to convince the warring leaders to talk peace, but Aries has taken over one of their identities. It takes Dove to realise the robot is fuelled by hatred and prejudice.

In Kid Stuff, Morgane LeFay shows her young son Mordred the Amulet of First Power, with which he will one day claim his kingdom. But the impatient youth snatches the amulet and uses it to banish all adults. Consequently, Batman, Wonder Woman and countless others find themselves deposited in a shadow realm. The only way to get back is to allow Morgane to turn them into children.

I'm sorry to say that, whilst the animation remains good, this new Unlimited version of Justice League has gone right down hill. When I reviewed some of the original Justice League show it concentrated on the main characters of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash and the Green Lantern. Now we not only have a cast of thousands (superhero overkill), but the entire format seems to be aimed at young kids who they would have you believe care nothing about characterisation or good storytelling, only whizzes and bangs. Furthermore, is three episodes amounting to seventy minutes good value for money? Probably not.

Extras consist of: Justice League Watchtower Database (spoken information on Green Arrow, Supergirl, Captain Atom, Hawk and Dove); Save Gorilla City (help Flash catch an armoured van by using arrow keys on your remote - which didn't work on mine); Rate a new cartoon called Keeping Up With the Joneses; and a short trailer for Tom & Jerry Blast Off to Mars.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2005)

Finally, via Clear Vision, we have the very welcome first time on DVD release of the original Spider-Man animated series from 1967. Stan Lee's inventive and most prestigious early output at Marvel Comics means that not only did he create some of the best and most famous superheroes - including Spider-Man - but that he made certain they had an abundance of colourful villains with which to do battle. Spider-Man possesses more than most. So our colourful line-up of social outcasts include Dr Octopus, the Lizard, Electro, Mysterio, Scorpion, Sandman, and the Green Goblin. All are loud and over-expressive like the moustache-tweaking "I shall rule the world!" megalomaniacs of old.

The animation is rudimentary by today's standards. Most of New York's Manhattan skyline is not fully realised, with the non-specific or irrelevant buildings sufficing as a few basic lines. On at least one occasion the spider is absent from the chest of Spider-Man's costume, and several short sequences are re-used; particularly those where he is swinging or wall-crawling his way across town. However, the show is quirky without playing-down to young viewers, and the small handful of characters are well-realised. J. Jonah Jameson, the Daily Bugle's self-centred publisher is gloriously annoying in his hatred for all that is Spider-Man ("A menace to society!"), and his sweet secretary Betty Brant is the perfect target for his bluster. Peter Parker does a Batman and lowers his tones whilst in costume, but is true to the original comics with his insecure teenage wise-cracking.

In this first volume there are six twenty-minute episodes, each (aside from one) split up into two separate tales - with a total running time of around two hours. Effectively then, these are bite-sized mini-episodes, so don't expect a cast of thousands or any sort of development. For the purposes of character background we only see the teenage Peter Parker working at the Daily Bugle as a freelance photographer; which is a great way of having him privy to breaking news. Cracking on with the relevant story means that Spider-Man can fashion his web into virtually anything, and they even work under water.

This original colour series featuring Marvel's flagship character carries a great deal of nostalgia. I remember watching TV reruns of this when I was of primary school age. It has a Scooby-Doo feel to it, and string quartet or brass incidental music which makes it quaint rather than dated. You can't help but love it. Besides, who hasn't heard of that famous theme tune?:

Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can.
Spins a web any size, catches thieves just like flies...

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2009)

"Walloping web-snappers!" Spidey is back for another round of stories from the original 1967 animated series. In this second volume there are seven episodes, all bar one of which is split into two separate ten-minute tales.

Returning for a second outing is Electro (who escapes from prison during an electrical storm), Mysterio, and Parafino (who fashions famous henchmen from wax and brings them to life). A well-known Marvel villain makes his first appearance here in the form of the Rhino (the only double-length episode on this disc). All of the others are much lesser-known master criminals from the early days.

Dr Magneto is very possibly a precursor to the principle X-Men bad guy Magneto, and the Hunter an early version of Kraven the Hunter. It's good to see something different to the half-expected costumed maniacs too; here we meet Doctor Noah Boddy (yes, he's invisible), the Sinister Prime Minister (aren't they all?), Ms Trubble (a bookseller who can conjure mythical beasts), a master magician, the Fifth Avenue Phantom, and others.

Again, we have a hugely enjoyable and fun viewing experience (see review of Volume 1 for more details) with a healthy running time of 2 hours 26 minutes. You'll love every episode - I did. Go buy.

On a final note, did you know that the lyrics to the Spider-Man song were written by Paul Francis Webster (I kid you not!) All I can say is thanks to the Web(mei)ster.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2009)

Spider-Man, Spider-Man. Carries on doing what a spider can, in this new collection of episodes from the 1960s animated series. He spins a web any size, then has some chips just like fries (I made that last bit up).

Volume 3 incorporates chapters 14a to 20b, seven 20-minute episodes with each split into two separate stories. So that's just under three hours of web-swinging action spread over two discs. These make up the final tales of Season One. Some of the classic villains return in the form of Dr Octopus, the Vulture, Electro, the Rhino and the Green Goblin. We have a second crime spree from the Human Fly, and some more bizarre criminals such as the Fiddler and Doctor Von Schlick (who can control oil) make a first appearance.

The same standard of fun is maintained, although this series sticks solidly to a set format. A crime takes place, Spider-Man has a run-in with the villain who then gets away, Peter Parker overhears useful information from the newspaper offices of the Daily Bugle, Spider-Man tracks down the guilty party and webs them up for the police. Similarly, the more you watch these episode the more you notice repeat sequences of Spider-Man swinging through the city. Incidental music is much repeated too, and publisher J. Jonah. Jameson continually accuses Spider-Man of everything that happens, even though in every story he is proved wrong.

Yes, Original Spider-Man has its faults, but it's quaint and you can't help but love it.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2009)

Everyone's friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man returns for another round of animated adventures from the original 1960s series. This time it's Volume 1 of Season 2, incorporating six 20-minute episodes:

The Origin of Spider-Man is a self-explanatory episode showing, very briefly, how the shy student obtained his powers. King Pinned has our webbed wonder up against Fisk, the Kingpin of crime. Swing City has the Master Technician take over a energy plant and use it to lift Manhattan Island into the air, and threaten to drop it (like you do). Criminals in the Clouds pitches Spider-Man against the Sky Master, who has kidnapped an American football prodigy. Menace From the Bottom of the World has the webhead follow a disappearing bank to a subterranean city. And in Diamond Dust, SM goes up against a master jewel thief. There is a definite tendency towards more conventional super-villains here, rather than costumed super-powered rogues.

I thoroughly enjoyed the nostalgia of Season 1, after fondly remembering the reruns from my youth. However, these episodes are not split in two like before, and consequentially they are far too long for the content. Far, far too long. Because the stories are still written for a ten minute segment, a huge amount of padding is necessary to make up the episode running times. As a result there are tedious extended sequences featuring our hero swinging his way across town, accompanied by loud jazzy music. The same animated short scenes are repeated, so that our web-shooter appears to pass the same landmarks or even go back the way he has just come, in an attempt to 'rush' to a crime scene. Did I mention that he swings a lot?!

This sudden lack of attention to detail reduces this release to standard fair. Take my advice, go and buy Season 1 instead.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2009)

Spider-Man, Spider-Man continues doing what a spider can... in this new collection of episodes from Season 2 of the original series incorporating six 20-minute stories with an accumulative running time of 2 hrs 4 mins.

If the first season was tightly-scripted and action-packed, then season 2 just kept getting increasingly weird. Gone are the standard criminals and costumed super villains, to be replaced with mole men, giant insects, sorcerers, sentient plants, crazy magicians, cats and gold cities in the sky. It kind of makes you wonder what the writers might have put in their tea (allegedly!).

In Spider-Man Battles the Molemen, much of the animation from the first volume story is re-used as the same story of buildings being taken below ground and somebody controlling subterranean dwellers is rehashed in a drawn-out tale of too much swinging. In Phantom from the Depths of Time, a small island appears to be lost in time. However, the giant insects and prehistoric creatures are actually robots controlled by an individual who is using the indigenous people as slaves. In The Evil Sorcerer, an academic tutor from the museum is fired for his obsession of an old sorcerer called Kotep. To prove himself he manages to bring Kotep back, but it is a mistake that Spider-Man has to clean up by going head to head in a battle to stop a demon horde.

In Vine, a pod is discovered in the loft of a house, and when subjected to light, grows increasingly large, rampaging through the town on its way to the heart of New York. In Pardon Presents, the evil magician returns, this time using a giant shadow cat to do his bidding, including hypnotising a room full of dignitaries. Finally, in Cloud City of Gold, Peter Parker is on a light aircraft which becomes lost and damaged in a storm. It crashes on a strange land in the cloud with an ancient city of gold. Of the three other men, no one questions the fact that Peter Parker goes missing and Spider-Man shows up to help them.

I know the Spider-Man comics have done the Savage Land stories, but I consider these tales to be far too outré for the character. Nevertheless, they remained in the minds of a generation.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2010)

Here we go for another bunch of episodes from the original Spider-Man animated series, with the theme tune you just can't get out of your head. This time it's Season 3 - Volume 1 and, unlike Season 2, we return to the first year format of two individual story segments in each episode. So we effectively get 12 tales over a running time of 2 hours and 5 minutes. This ensures that the the plots are tighter and more concise, doing away with the need for the endless time wasting swinging we had in Season 2.

In The Winged Thing, the flying Vulture attempts to instill fear into the city's inhabitants; in Conner's Reptiles, Spider-Man tries to help Dr Conner who has changed into the man-sized Lizard; in Trouble With Snow, a snowman is struck by a live electric cable, comes alive, grows larger with each snowfall and terrorises the city; In Spider-Man Vs Desperado, a wannabe cowboy on a mechanical flying horse, robs banks; In Sky Harbor, a zeppelin aircraft carrier with first world war planes firing lasers holds the skies to ransom; in The Big Brainwasher, the Kingpin ropes an oblivious Mary Jane into his scheme to bring city officials under his control. It's a joy to see MJ dancing like she's covered in insects. In The Vanishing Doctor Vespasian, a scientist uses invisibility to steal some priceless jewels; in The Scourge of the Scarf, a master thief uses a hypnotic projector to send the city to sleep while he robs every theatre on Broadway of its takings; in Super Swami, the magician returns to cause havoc in New York with realistic illusions; in The Birth of Micro Man, Spider-Man gets miniaturised in his bid to recapture an escaped criminal scientist; in Knight Must Fall, a knight in shining armour, riding a motorcycle steed, prevents a robbery, only to steal the money himself; and in The Devious Dr Dumpty, a gang uses gas-filled inflatables to steal gems.

The weirdness of season 2 is reigned back in with the return of some established Spidey enemies, such as the Lizard, the Vulture and the Kingpin, but not quite to the extent of Season 1. Still, it's a welcome return to a semblance of normality. These were simpler times, so don't expect intricate story arcs or complicated plots. The 1996 Spider-Man series was a work of art compared with this, but I still hold fond memories of the reruns.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2010)

This release incorporates the final seven episodes of the original Spider-Man animated series. The running time is 2 hours, 25 minutes. One of the episodes is split into two separate tales. Those of you who have read my reviews of the previous releases in this particular series will remember my preference for the split episodes, because generally the brief plots can't sustain a 20 minute time slot. Shorter and punchier tales are the order of the day. Season 1 was in this format, and Volume 1 of season 3 returned to it. However, the stories here are a little stronger, but negated by returning villains for the pure and simple purpose of re-using much of the same animation that has been seen before. There doesn't appear to have been any remastering conducted on the picture and sound, and in Up From Nowhere there is a dark shadow across the print which to all intents and purposes resembles the ear piece from a pair of glasses.

In Up From Nowhere, Dr Atlantean uses alternative technology to threaten the world above the ocean depths and trap New York within a bubble; in Rollarama, SM enters a realm of sentient plants in a bid to stop a destructive growing tumbleweed (yes, really!); in Rhino, the human battering ram steals gold to fashion a statue of himself (I'm certain this episode has already been included in a previous release); in The Madness of Mysterio, the ex-movie special effects and stuntman attempts to defeat SM by means of post hypnotic suggestion; in Revolt in the Fifth Dimension, SM protects the data from an entire alien library from an evil force (this is arguably the best of the bunch here); in Specialists and Slaves, SM is sent on a diversion so that the Radiation Specialist (I'm sure he was called something else last time) can return to take over New York's only experimental nuclear reactor; in Down to Earth, Peter Parker travels to the North Pole to investigate the landing of a meteor from space, only to be confronted as SM with a primitive tribe, fantastical creatures and an active volcano; and in Trip to Tomorrow, SM regales a young boy with tales of his escapades.

This series holds fond memories for me from when I was young, but the central storylines are pretty basic and sometimes... just out there mad as a box of frogs. I would say that it just about outstayed it welcome. Whilst the 1990s animated Spider-Man lasted significantly longer, it had much more intricate and interwoven plots. One more point about the Original Spider-Man: why did almost all the villains have green faces?

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2010)

For the first time on DVD comes this animated Spider-Man 5000 series, which was first broadcast in the 1980s. What we get is the first seven episodes over one disc, with an accumulative running time of 2 hours, 33 minutes.

In Bubble, Bubble, Oil and Trouble - Doctor Octopus creates a powerful diamond saw, and plans to steal the world's oil from tankers. In Doctor Doom, Master of the World - Doom hijacks the president's plane, and hypnotises the world's leaders. In Lizards, Lizards, Everywhere - the Lizard attempts to turn New York into a jungle overrun by reptiles. In Curiosity Killed the Spider-Man - a talented cat burglar steals the Maltese Mouse diamond. In The Sandman is Coming - the Sandman steals radioactive soils samples returned from Mars, in order to make himself stronger. In When Magneto Speaks... People Listen - Magneto holds the world to ransom by controlling all the Earth's satellites. In The Pied Piper of New York Town - Mysterio hypnotises the people of New York into attacking Spider-Man.

Both storytelling and animation quality had moved on in leaps and bounds from the quaint Original Spider-Man from the sixties, which ultimately outstayed its welcome. For a start, in Spider-Man 5000 (thus titled only for the DVD releases) there are only occasional repeated sequences. This is much more the uncertain Peter Parker that we know and love from the comics. He suffers from all the problems that come with being a teenager: school, allergies, girlfriends - all conspire to further complicate his role as a superhero. Things constantly go wrong in his battles - as they would - and this further grounds the show in the presence of exaggerated storylines. The quirkiness is thankfully present and correct, and some of the humour and quips are the best to ever be spoken by the web-slinger.

The plots and artwork have been dutifully adapted from the newspaper sketches of John Romita Sr., and the great Stan Lee's creative invention means that this was one of the strongest Spider-Man double-acts - a good basis on which to launch an animated series to a young (and often older, too) audience. SM has had some of the most fascinating villains devised to fight over the years; many are on show here, including Doctor Octopus, Doctor Doom, the Lizard, the Black Cat, the Sandman, and Mysterio. Fan opinion is divided on this series, but I think it has a lot to offer. I'm sure a video of the first three episodes was released in the past; I possessed it once, but it seems to have grown legs and wandered off somewhere. So it's nice to have the opportunity to view them again.

There are 26 episodes in this animated series, so it looks as though we're going to have them released over four volumes. This doesn't reach the heights of the SM series from the '90s, but it has historical value and is still well worth a look.

And now the bad news... It's time to name and shame. Clear Vision has been releasing some top quality animation sets from the Marvel vaults. However, the print of this series suffers from intermittent colour and contrast faults. No attempt has been made to correct them, and Episode 4 (the worst suffering) practically flashes like a beacon. Come on, this is basic stuff, and can only tell the buying public that Clear Vision doesn't care about its content. It makes you start crawling the walls! So, an enjoyable series marred by non-attention to detail, forcing me to drop a point.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2010)

Following hot on  the heels of Volume 1 comes the second volume of this Spider-Man  animated series from the eighties, containing a further six episodes  with an overall running time of 2 hours, 11 minutes. For more  information on the series itself please refer to my recent review of  Volume 1. I would say that this is an encouraging progression from  The Original Spider-Man series from the sixties, but if this is a  somewhat more realistic Peter Parker, it is also a more naive one -  often having to rely on his ingenuity to escape from a situation he  has blindly strolled into.

In The Doctor Prescribes Doom,  Doctor Doom replaces the leaders of the United Nations Security  Council with facsimiles; in Carnival of Crime, the Ring Leader  hypnotises witnesses into believing SM is responsible for a string of  robberies; in Revenge of the Green Goblin, the Goblin attempts to  reveal SM's secret identity to the world; in Triangle of Evil, the  Stuntman lures SM into a public competition as a distraction to pull  off some robberies; in A-B-C's of D-O-O-M, Doctor Doom teams up with Goron in another attempt to take over the world; and in The  Sidewinder Strikes!, the cowboy and his robot horse plan to steal a  pair of priceless spurs at a rodeo event.

This is an enjoyable  series, with stand-alone episodes - although I have to report that  the colour fluctuation is back, only not quite as severe this time.  Perhaps it was a sign of the times or the target audience, but it  wasn't until the nineties series that we were treated to progressive  storylines, and the Saga of Marvel's favourite character got turned  up to eleven.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2010) 

Next up is Volume  3 of this Marvel animated series Spider-Man from the  1980s. Titled Spider-Man 5000 for the purposes of the DVD  releases, it incorporates six episodes on a single disc, with a  collected running time of 2 hours and 12 minutes.

In The  Hunter and The Hunted, Kraven is hired to bring back the last  sabre-tooth tiger from the Savage Lands, and Kazar comes to New York  in search of the stolen animal; in The Incredible Shrinking  Spider-Man, the Gadgeteer steals a new miniaturising ray machine; in The Unfathomable Professor Gizmo, SM is tricked into raising an  ancient galleon loaded with gold; in Cannon of Doom, we learn of Doom's origin, and see him attempt to drill into the Earth's core to  create earthquakes which will destroy New York; in The Capture of  Captain America, SM inadvertently gets in the way when the Cap is  fighting the Red Skull, and consequentially CA is captured and SM is hounded as a traitor; in The Doom Report, a rebel from Latvaria escapes the tyranny of Doom, causing the super villain to retaliate  with a weather-controlling machine.

I'm sure these Marvel  animated releases are multiplying while I'm looking the other way! This is a simple but enjoyable retelling of the Spider-Man comics character, and confirms, after watching Spider-Man And His Amazing Friends, that our friendly neighbourhood webslinger should always  swing alone. I'm also happy to report that, whether by accident or  design, the colour and contrast fluctuation, so prevalent in Volumes  1 and 2, is absent here. The forthcoming Volume 4 should see the  final seven episodes.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2010)  

Volume 4 of Spider-Man 5000 sees the release of the final seven episodes of this animated series from the 1980s. The total running time is 2 hours 33 minutes over a single disc.

In The Web of Nephillia, a woman manages to obtain a sample of Spider-Man's blood and mix it into a serum with a powerful spider to turn her scientist husband into a Man Spider for her own selfish objectives; in Countdown to Doom, Doctor Doom (again!) uses an orbiting laser to trigger volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, in order to move the Earth away from the sun; in Arsenic and Aunt May, the Chameleon uses hypnotising gas in an attempt to have Aunt May kill Spider-Man; in The Vulture has Landed, the Vulture steals plans for an invisibility paint to cover his theft of priceless stones; in Wrath of the Sub-Mariner, Prince Namor's young cousin falls ill from pollutants in the water, so he teams with Spider-Man to take on the culprits, the Kingpin, Hammerhead and Silvermane; in The Return of Kingpin, Spider-Man is approached by an agent, but is ultimately used as a distraction for robberies by the Kingpin; and in Under the Wizard's Spell, the benevolent Medusa is controlled by an electrical collar fitted by the Wizard to turn her to crime.

In one episode there are some minor picture shaking issues in a couple of scenes, but on the whole this has been an enjoyable series. Although Doctor Doom has perhaps been over-used, the stories are close in content and style to the older comics (indeed, the animation is adapted from the newspaper sketches of comics legend John Romita Sr.), and a definite progression from the Original Spider-Man series of the 1960s. The pinnacle of the Marvel Spider-man shows was the 1990s series, which I would highly recommend. Spider-Man was perhaps the first superhero to come with baggage, which is undoubtedly what makes him appeal to so many people.

When will Marvel's well of animation run dry? Never, I hope.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2010) 

Brainiac, the composite of all knowledge on the planet Krypton, decides to dispute Jor-El's scientific findings that the increasing seismic activity will cause the planet's destruction. While Brainiac uploads itself to a mobile satellite, Jor-El places his infant son Kal-El in a lifeboat escape pod and fires it off to Earth as a mighty earthquake signals the end. From then on it's the standard Superman backstory (Smallville, Lana Lang, Metropolis, Daily Planet, Lois Lane, etc.) until the super-powered benign alien goes up against the ultimate battlesuit engineered by Lex Corp...

Superman The Last Son Of Krypton is an hour-long animated feature produced by the same team who won an Emmy award for the Batman animated series. On first viewing that's surprising because this isn't a patch on Batman. Only on reflection does it become apparent that it's the concept itself which is at fault.

Whereas the majority of Batman action takes place at night in the grand but sinister setting of Gotham City and features a host of mentally-deranged psychotic villains which counter Bruce Wayne's own unbalanced mental state, in Superman everything is too bright and happy, and the idea of somebody flying around in bright blue and red spandex would be open to extensive ridicule, no matter how powerful he was. The costume of Batman is designed to instil fear in the hearts of the criminal fraternity, giving him an advantage for those vital first few seconds. The main difference here is that Batman is human; he can be hurt or killed, and relies on his money, ingenuity and physical prowess.

When a character like Superman is impervious to practically anything unless the plot demands someone wave a chunk of green rock in his face, then you have no depth and so grow bored with proceedings. There is a nice reference to "that nut in Gotham City" but the truth is this DVD will only appeal to a very young audience.

Extras include the interesting but short Portrait of a Hero: How to Draw Superman, demonstrated by character designer James Tucker; Superman: Family, Friends & Foes, a low-down of the characters using clips; Escape From Planet Krypton, a game which stubbornly refused to work properly on my machine; and Trailers for other Warner animated shows, one example of which (Batman: The Mystery of the Batwoman) was more entertaining than the entire Superman feature. 

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2004) 

From the prolific vaults of Marvel, via Clear vision, comes yet another animated series, this time in the form of the complete 1966 The Mighty Thor. For anyone who doesn’t know, this features the superhero adventures, on Earth and beyond, of the Norse God of Thunder - the son of the all-powerful Odin of Asgaard - and his war hammer. In this version of the myth, Thor has a human alta ego, Doctor Don Blake, who has fallen in love with his nurse but fears to tell her. There are 13 episodes over 2 discs, with a total running time of 3 hours and 55 minutes.

In Trapped By Loki, Thor’s treacherous half-brother seeks his revenge; in Chained Evil, Loki attempts to separate Thor from his hammer; in The Enchantress and the Executioner, Odin is unhappy that Thor has lost his heart to a mortal and - through Loki - sends the Enchantress to deal with the woman; in The Absorbing Man, Loki gives a powerful convict powers of absorbing strength in order to combat Thor; in To Kill a Thunder God, the Destroyer is released by Loki’s treachery, leaving Thor to rely on his wits rather than brute strength; in The Grey Gargoyle, a chemical accident enables a scientist to turn people to stone.

In Mysterious Mister Hyde, Thor combats the strength and villainy of the dark Hyde; in Every Hand Against Him, Loki combines Thor’s foes against him to kidnap Jane, his mortal love; in The Tomorrow Man, a man from the future steals a present day bomb, but is followed to another time by Thor; in Enter Hercules, while Thor is in trouble with Odin, Hercules attempts to win the heart of Jane; in The Mighty Pluto, Hercules accepts a role in the movies, but it is trap by the Nether World God, Pluto - only Thor can help him; and in, Molto the Lava Man, Thor and the superhero Avengers prevent a destructive invasion by subterranean creatures.

As with the 1960s Incredible Hulk animated series, Thor opens with an incredibly twee theme song, which seems totally unsuited to the character. The storylines are in complete contrast to the accompanying pictures in terms of attention to detail. Aside from the frankly annoying diminishing returns fact that Loki is responsible for practically everything detrimental to Thor (and that the all-wise, all-knowing Odin forgets his treachery every episode and wipes the slate clean), much of the recurring themes are straight out of the Viking sagas, which lends the concept a great deal of weight. Even his mystic hammer is periodically referred to by its Nordic name, Mjolnir. However, the animation is very basic and, like Hulk and the Original Spider-Man from the same period, are simple depictions of the classic Jack Kirby comic illustrations. Furthermore, as much of the artwork is reused, it means that inconsistencies arise which conflict with the plot - such as seeing Thor with his hammer even when the plot suggests he doesn’t have it.

These are enjoyable nostalgic cartoons, which are entertaining without being particularly spectacular.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2011)