The Fleischer brothers, Max and Dave, had previously been responsible for Betty Boop and Popeye cartoons. When Paramount, recognizing the success of Superman on radio and in comics, approached the brothers about doing this series, they were hesitant. The legend goes that the Fleischers threw an astronomical number at Paramount for production of these shorts (just over a million dollars per episode in today’s money). The studio actually agreed and, with such a tremendous production budget, the Fleischer’s relented.
There are essentially two reasons for the greatness of this series. Firstly, the animation is stellar. It remains, to this very day, some of the best animation of all time. Secondly, they were extremely faithful to the comic books from which they came. This was admittedly easy to do, since there wasn’t yet that much continuity to draw from. Joe Shuster, Superman’s co-creator, even designed some of the model sheets. It’s interesting to note Superman’s chest shield is black with a red “S.” This is similar to the cover of Superman #1 from 1939. These cartoons played to movie theater audiences before the main feature between 1941 and 1943.
This series of animated shorts was Superman's first appearance in any film, animated or live action. In addition to these cartoons, Superman appeared in a famous radio show and two movie serials, themselves some of the best serials ever produced. These three media, along with the Superman comics that nearly ever kid in the United States read, were responsible for making Superman a household name, and later an American icon. These cartoons are also said to be the original place where Superman first gained the power of flight. Before this he could simply leap 1/8th of a mile.
The first 9 episodes were pure Fleischer. Each was directed by Dave Fleischer and the animation is amazing. The stories are simple and formulaic. A villain, monster, or catastrophe is thwarted by Superman while Lois Lane gets herself into trouble while trying to get the story. After Superman saves the day, Lois writes of the events and Clark Kent smiles or winks at the audience, while Lois criticizes him for not being around. The last 8 episodes, produced by Famous Studios with various directors, are propaganda pieces, more concerned with the events of World War II and nationalism and can be very racist and defamatory when viewed by a modern audience.
Because they fell into the public domain in the years following their release, this series has been widely distributed on VHS and DVD in varying degrees of quality. Until Warner Bros. digitally remastered and gorgeous re-release in 2009, the most well known, and best quality, release of these cartoons was done by a company called Bosko Video on VHS and later DVD.
Radio fans and budding Superman fans would have recognized Bud Collyer as Superman from the popular radio show. He had voiced Superman and his alter ego, Clark Kent, on the radio program since its start. Collyer was the first superhero actor ever to change his voice to distinguish between hero and secret identity. For Clark Kent he used a higher vocal range. When he became Superman his voice was noticably more baritone. Because of his success in the role, Collyer would continue to perform as the voice of Superman for on the radio for years to come and return decades later to the character for television cartoons in the 1960s. Collyer would find his greatest fame, during his lifetime anyway, as a gameshow host in his later life.
Joan Alexander, one of three actresses, who played Lois Lane on the radio show voiced the intrepid reporter for this series. In this series, as she would later become in the comics, Lois is headstrong, daring and fearless in her pursuit of a story, even if she falls into the role of damsel in distress. In one cartoon she is seen firing a Tommy Gun. Joan Alexander’s performance reflects this masterfully. Her vocal delivery is capable of being confident and frightened when the role calls for it.
Jackson Beck delivered two of the other major vocal performances in this series. He was the only recurring voice actor that had not initially been a part of the radio show. His biggest role in the series was as Perry White but he also provided the opening narration to all 17 cartoons. His vocal performance was so precise and his talent so tremendous that it can be a challenge to tell the narrator apart from the famed paper editor.
Jack Mercer, famous as the original voice for Popeye the Sailor, played the lead villain, the bald mad scientist in the opening short, as well as a copyboy (not meant to be Jimmy Olsen) that appeared in at least two episodes.
Every other speaking part in the series was probably a clever vocal inflection done by either Bud Collyer or Joan Alexander, though this is uncertain due to the lack of voice credit given to the actors in the series. The common practice of the day was to use two or three actors to carry multiple voice roles in any given cartoon.
Aired on September 26th, 1941. This is the most famous of the episodes, probably because it was the first. That scene of Clark entering the storeroom to transform to Superman and then fly out the window is one of the greatest sequences in superhero animation.
Voice Casting
Radio fans and budding Superman fans would have recognized Bud Collyer as Superman from the popular radio show. He had voiced Superman and his alter ego, Clark Kent, on the radio program since its start. Collyer was the first superhero actor ever to change his voice to distinguish between hero and secret identity. For Clark Kent he used a higher vocal range. When he became Superman his voice was noticably more baritone. Because of his success in the role, Collyer would continue to perform as the voice of Superman for on the radio for years to come and return decades later to the character for television cartoons in the 1960s. Collyer would find his greatest fame, during his lifetime anyway, as a gameshow host in his later life.
Jackson Beck delivered two of the other major vocal performances in this series. He was the only recurring voice actor that had not initially been a part of the radio show. His biggest role in the series was as Perry White but he also provided the opening narration to all 17 cartoons. His vocal performance was so precise and his talent so tremendous that it can be a challenge to tell the narrator apart from the famed paper editor.
Jack Mercer, famous as the original voice for Popeye the Sailor, played the lead villain, the bald mad scientist in the opening short, as well as a copyboy (not meant to be Jimmy Olsen) that appeared in at least two episodes.
Every other speaking part in the series was probably a clever vocal inflection done by either Bud Collyer or Joan Alexander, though this is uncertain due to the lack of voice credit given to the actors in the series. The common practice of the day was to use two or three actors to carry multiple voice roles in any given cartoon.
The Cartoons
Superman (also known as “The Mad Scientist”)
Note: This was the only short to be nominated for a 1941 Academy Award but it lost to Disney’s “Lend a Paw” cartoon featuring Mickey Mouse and Pluto.
Aired on November 28, 1941. This short is often cited as the best of the series and I have to agree. The scene where Clark phones in the event to Perry before entering into a phone booth to transform into Superman then launching into the sky in pursuit of a robot is the most iconic Superman sequence of ALL TIME, in animation at least. The battle between the Man of Steel and Mechanical Monsters at the villains lair is a classic scene. This is the only short that introduces and makes use of Superman’s X-ray vision.
Aired on January 9th, 1942. This third short is probably the most cartoony on a technical level, given how attention to physics and the true dynamics of movement are ignored. When the train falls from the tracks and off the cliff it moves in such an awkward way, almost as if the train is personified. Personification and awkward, unrealistic movement is a hallmark of many Fleischer cartoons. A trained eye can spot this style of movement in many of their productions. Note the villain’s car at the beginning. It is reminiscent of a Golden Age batmobile.
Aired on February 27th, 1942. This is Superman’s first battle with a true monster, an inspiration for all prehistoric monsters to follow, including Godzilla. This is the episode where Superman can be seen leaping the most.
Aired on March 27th, 1942. This episode contains the phrase “citizens of Metropolis.” It is the first episode to mention location. It also has some of the best visuals of the entire series.
Aired on April 24, 1942. This episode is first example of the Superman verses a dangerous meteor plot that has been used countless times throughout the character’s history. This plot would later resurface in the Adventures of Superman TV episode “Panic In the Sky” as well as many other Superman stories and media.
Aired on May 15, 1942. Superman vs. the Native American scientist is interesting. The Native scientist is clearly very intelligent and his underwater lair is breathtaking. The fact that this takes place in Manhattan is odd, considering previous entries mention Metropolis, but maybe Lois and Clark just went on a trip for the story.
Aired on July 10, 1942. Behind The Mechanical Monsters, this is probably the best episode of the series. The plot is fast paced, the action and sense of danger immediate. While "Mechanical Monsters" or the debut episode may be the most iconic, this seems to boil Superman down to his essence the most.
Aired on August 28, 1942. The circus setting is a great way to showcase Superman’s powers by having him face off against dangerous circus animals. Superman verses a gorilla named “Giganto” (yes, the ape's name is supposed to be Giganto though one poster labels him as "Gigantic." This encounter foreshadows (intentionally or not) his later battles in the Silver Age of comics with the giant monkey known as “Titano.”
Aired on September 18, 1942. This is the first episode to be produced by Famous Studios. This is the episode that draws the most criticism for its racist depiction of the Japanese and Japanese Americans. This is also the first episode to deal in real world terms presenting a black and white view of World War II and painting the United States as the good guys. The sequence where Superman saves the diving bomber is iconic however.
Aired on October 16, 1942. This is the simplest and most basic plot in the series, yet with heightened reality. Superman verses a gangster, a cross between Al Capone and Edward G. Robinson, is probably the purest expression of pulp this series ever attempted. The Superman imposter/hired goon is too stupid to be any real threat but the snares and traps at the gangster’s hideout are enough of a challenge for the Man of Steel to make this interesting. The Superman reveal on the roof is one of the best in the series.
Aired on November 20, 1942. Another example of nationalism and propagandic racism, this cartoon almost could have been sanctioned by the U.S. War Department. This entry presents Superman as a government stooge, imposing his will, or the will of the U.S. government on the Japanese by sabotaging the Japanese war effort. The demonization of Japanese people is horrifying This is not one of the better episodes for this reason though it is interesting to see Clark Kent and Lois Lane as reporters abroad.
Aired on December 25, 1942. This episode is interesting and plays on the fears of industrial sabotage of the time by gangsters, foreign enemies or spies. In many ways this is the most boring of all episodes. The plot is very pedestrian. The motivations of the saboteurs are not very clear either. This episode doesn’t have a lot to recommend it.
Aired on February 19, 1943. This is the most supernatural of all episodes in the series. The mummified guards that come alive and attack Lois, Dr. Wilson and Superman seem huge and imposing. They are truly hulking monsters and their white eyes always frightened me as a kid. I like that Superman saves the wrongly accused girl, Jane Hogan who was framed for the murder of Dr. Jordan. This also gives the series a sense of ancient history in that King Tush is based upon Tutankhamen, or King Tut, Pharaoh of Egypt around 1358 BC.
Aired on March 26, 1943. Despite some impressive animation, this cartoon is another example of racism and demonization, both of German and Native African people. The Nazis, in their disguise as deities, are dressed similar to the Ku Klux Klan. Even though the racism is apparent, what I really like about this one is its obvious inspiration from African art (popular in the Western art world during the first half of the 20th century), as seen in the tribal fire dance.
Aired on June 18, 1943. This is clearly the most science-fiction themed episode of the series. Up to now all episodes deal with highly advanced technology or implausible situations. Okay, so that dinosaur coming back to life after being an ice cube is impossible and those mummies are not very likely either, but this episode has an underground civilization of bird people who worship a statue of Professor Henderson’s father. It’s hard to get more implausible than that. There actually is an air of mystery and menace, a darkness to this that is comparable to an Indiana Jones story. Highly recommended.
Aired on July 30, 1943. While this entry does contain heavy propaganda, there is something about it that I find highly enjoyable. The gorgeous blonde spy on the run from Nazi saboteurs has all the makings of a good espionage thriller. Superman battling the Nazis and helping the agent get her briefcase full of enemy plans to Washington is very compelling. This is also the only entry in this series that does not feature Lois Lane at all. The ending shots of an aerial view of Washington DC is some of the most detailed animation I have ever seen.
The musical arrangement for each of the episodes by Sammy Timberg is some of the best scoring for superhero properties ever, comparable in quality only to John Williams' own Superman theme, Danny Elfman’s 1989 Batman themes, the work done by Shirley Walker on Batman: The Animated Series, and James Horner’s score for The Rocketeer film in 1991. Sammy Timberg’s sweeping and heroic instrumentals are brisk, really serving the action and mood of these cartoons.
These cartoons have never really been surpassed in terms of superhero animation. Some of the stories are weak, particularly the WWII themed ones, but this series still passes as fun entertainment. For fans of superhero fare, and general cartoon enthusiasts, these are a treasure. The closest contender to this series would be Batman: The Animated Series, done by Bruce Timm and company at Warner Bros. Animation in the early 1990’s. Serious film critics and animation buffs consistently site these shorts as some of the best animation of all time. I rate this series 3.5 out of 4 stars. It would receive a perfect score but for the racism and propaganda of many of the final 8 episodes. I would recommend that any superhero fan, any comic book fan or even any fan of animation check these out.
Note: Also, check out anything else that the Fleischer Studios produced. Their Popeye cartoons are of course great and well remembered, their Betty Boop shorts less so, but the Fleischer Brothers turned out hundreds of unique, gorgeously fluid cartoons that are worth the attention of any serious animation fan.
The Mechanical Monsters
Billion Dollar Limited
The Arctic Giant
The Bulleteers
Aired on March 27th, 1942. This episode contains the phrase “citizens of Metropolis.” It is the first episode to mention location. It also has some of the best visuals of the entire series.
The Magnetic Telescope
Electric Earthquake
Volcano
Terror on the Midway
Japoteurs
Showdown
Aired on October 16, 1942. This is the simplest and most basic plot in the series, yet with heightened reality. Superman verses a gangster, a cross between Al Capone and Edward G. Robinson, is probably the purest expression of pulp this series ever attempted. The Superman imposter/hired goon is too stupid to be any real threat but the snares and traps at the gangster’s hideout are enough of a challenge for the Man of Steel to make this interesting. The Superman reveal on the roof is one of the best in the series.
Eleventh Hour
Aired on November 20, 1942. Another example of nationalism and propagandic racism, this cartoon almost could have been sanctioned by the U.S. War Department. This entry presents Superman as a government stooge, imposing his will, or the will of the U.S. government on the Japanese by sabotaging the Japanese war effort. The demonization of Japanese people is horrifying This is not one of the better episodes for this reason though it is interesting to see Clark Kent and Lois Lane as reporters abroad.
Destruction Inc.
The Mummy Strikes
Jungle Drums
The Underground World
Secret Agent
The Score
The musical arrangement for each of the episodes by Sammy Timberg is some of the best scoring for superhero properties ever, comparable in quality only to John Williams' own Superman theme, Danny Elfman’s 1989 Batman themes, the work done by Shirley Walker on Batman: The Animated Series, and James Horner’s score for The Rocketeer film in 1991. Sammy Timberg’s sweeping and heroic instrumentals are brisk, really serving the action and mood of these cartoons.
Final Thoughts
Note: Also, check out anything else that the Fleischer Studios produced. Their Popeye cartoons are of course great and well remembered, their Betty Boop shorts less so, but the Fleischer Brothers turned out hundreds of unique, gorgeously fluid cartoons that are worth the attention of any serious animation fan.
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