The New Adventures of Superman (1966 – 1970) – Review

By the late 60s Superman hadn’t been seen in animated form since the Fleischer brothers had immortalized him in their theatrically released Superman short films back in the 1940s – unless you count those brief animated flying sequences in the Kirk Alyn Superman serials – but this outing was from Filmation studios and would be aimed at kids and the Saturday morning cartoon crowd.

The animation in The New Adventures of Superman is emblematic of 1960s television cartoons and the people at Filmation who due to budgetary limitations were forced to rely on very limited animation techniques, characterized by repetitive motions and static backgrounds, which can feel jarring to those accustomed to fluid and dynamic visuals. However, the simplicity of the art style does have a certain nostalgic charm, harkening back to a time when the medium was still evolving, and who doesn’t mind donning a pair of Nostalgia Glasses one and awhile? The character designs were fairly faithful to the characters’ comic book origins, maintaining the iconic look of Superman, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. And such lines as and such lines as “Up, up, and away!” and “This is a job for Superman!” were borrowed from the comics and radio shows in an attempt to keep fans of the character happy.

Note: This show came into being when DC Comics approached Filmation in the hope of creating a broader “superhero morning initiative” for Saturday mornings so as to compete with what Hanna-Barbera was offering the kiddies.

Each episode ran for about six minutes, necessitating extremely concise storytelling, but this brevity often resulted in simplistic plots with villains being introduced, causing trouble and then being defeated within the span of a few minutes, leaving little room for character development or intricate narratives. While this can be seen as a limitation, it also made the show accessible to its young target demographic with short attention spans, that it provided clear moral lessons in easily digestible stories was just a bonus. The storytelling in this show was simple and straightforward, often to a fault, with its six to seven-minute running time severely limiting character development and plot complexity. To pull this off the stories were often formulaic, revolving around Superman thwarting various villains with ease, which also resulted in fairly repetitive plots. That said, this adaptation of the Man of Steel provided enough action to keep kids glued to their television screens between bites of cereal, such as great clashes with iconic supervillains.

Superman vs Brainiac.

Stray Observations:

• Say what you will about the limited animation, this was the first animated television series based on DC Comics. So Filmation gets credit for that.
• Jackson Beck’s version of Perry White’s voice is an obvious impression of Edward G. Robinson, but why a gangster’s voice for the Daily Planet editor was picked I’ll never understand.
• Ted Knight narrated this cartoon and he would go on to star as an anchor personality on the Mary Tyler Moore Show.
• Shortly after this show’s cancellation, rival animation house Hanna-Barbera would secure the rights from DC Comics who when on to create the Super Friends.
• Superman has a battle with a double in this series, something that happens on a fairly routine basis for our hero, and it even made it into the live-action movie Superman III.

Superman’s Standard Identity Crisis.

If the animation may have been a tad “lazy” the voice acting was more than competent, with Bud Collyer and Joan Alexander reprising their roles as Superman and Lois Lane from the 1940s radio show and animated shorts. Collyer’s portrayal of Clark Kent and Superman added a layer of authenticity and continuity for fans familiar with his earlier work. However, other voice actors sometimes delivered performances that were either too over-the-top or too flat, detracting from the overall experience.  On the plus side, the music, composed by John Gart, was one of the stronger elements of the series and it had a heroic and adventurous tone that fit well with the character of Superman. As for the sound design, plots weren’t the only repetitive element as a limited selection of sound effects and background music tended to make things a little monotonous over multiple episodes.

Speaking of repetition, how many times can you arrest Lex Luthor?

This show also fell victim to the ire of the group known as “Action for Children’s Television” who were dedicated to improving the quality of television programming offered to children, and by that, I mean they wanted the airways scrubbed clean of any type of violence that could scar the kiddies. This group was upset by Superman throwing punches and other action-related violence, which they found quite objectionable, “Won’t someone think of the children!” With the likes of the network’s self-governing body of “Broadcast Standards and Practices” future cartoons would de-emphasize such comic book violence which resulted in superhero cartoons like The Super Friends not allowing Batman and Robin to punch anyone.

“What am I supposed to use, harsh language?”

It should be noted that The New Adventures of Superman also played a crucial role in popularizing the superhero genre on television as it paved the way for future animated series featuring iconic heroes and demonstrated the viability of superhero cartoons as a staple of children’s programming. The series also reinforced Superman’s status as a cultural icon, introducing him to a new generation of fans during the 1960s and 1970s. Would shows like the aforementioned Super Friends exist if not for this incarnation, let alone the super popular Superman: The Animated Series from Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett?

How Superman vs Brainiac would look years later.

Of course, despite this show’s pioneering status, the series is not without its criticisms. The lack of nuanced storytelling and character development can make it feel shallow by today’s standards and the repetitive nature of the episodes and the limited animation can also detract from the overall viewing experience. Additionally, some of the content and portrayals may feel outdated and out of touch with modern sensibilities regarding diversity and representation.

This show did have the ginger demographic covered.

In conclusion, The New Adventures of Superman was a product of its time, reflecting both the limitations and the creative spirit of 1960s television animation. And while it may not hold up to contemporary standards of storytelling and animation, it remains an important piece of superhero history and a fun trip for fans of Superman. This cartoon offers a nostalgic glimpse into the early days of superhero cartoons, serving as a reminder of the Man of Steel’s enduring appeal and the evolution of animated storytelling.