Overview: This newly-remastered set of Max Fleischer’s treasured 17 animated Superman shorts has been meticulously restored from the original 35mm source elements to achieve the animators’ originally intended production quality.

Well known radio actors Clayton “Bud” Collyer and Joan Alexander reprized their famed The Adventures of Superman radio show roles for the Fleischer/Famous Studios animated shorts as Superman/ Clark Kent and Lois Lane, respectively.

Jackson Beck provided the voice of Perry White and the show’s primary narrator. Additional voices, many of whom had participated in the Superman radio program, were provided by Jack Mercer, Grant Richards, Julian Noa, Lee Royce, Max Smith, Sam Parker and Carl Meyer.

Blu-ray Verdict: In my humble opinion, these flashback cartoons have to be the best example of American animation and by far the best superhero cartoon series ever.

I personally grew up reading Superman comics and even though these cartoons are now 80 years old, they look like they could have been made yesterday due to the excellent restoration.

This cartoon series was the inspiration for the art of some of the more recent Batman cartoon series’ and the aforementioned restoration of these cartoons is amazing, and luckily, so too is the sound. In what I believe there have also been some added sound effects to the original soundtrack, thus ensuring that certain newer effects do indeed stand out from the original restored sound.

The main story line quickly establishes Superman’s origins of being brought to planet Earth, and then fast forwarding to his adulthood disguised as mild mannered news reporter Clark Kent. Then throughout the 17 theatrical shorts, it’s a case of most everything being a job for Superman to save the day!

While this premise sounds fairly straightforward, it all works well in comic book format, especially of yesteryear when most of them were about the big hero saving the day from complete destruction. By taking these shorts more dramatically than their usual comedic fodder, the Fleischer Studio successfully captured the right amount of tension and fear needed for the kind of heart racing suspense a superhero adventure like this would require.

Aided, in part, by the sometimes stoic, albeit cliched, voice acting, the shorts feel a lot like a radio drama brought to life through dark visual storytelling. Admittedly, the villain’s outcome each time is very predictable, given where the series would eventually go in time, but as a stand alone set of conjoined tales, it’s bold and daring enough to (still) enthrall kids to adults alike.

An excellent buy for someone who is a Superman or animation fan, Max Fleischer’s Superman 1941-1943 (created by The Fleischer Studio, run by Max Fleischer, along with his brother Dave, and who were responsible for the classic 1930’s cartoons of Betty Boop and Popeye, among others) is fabulous, and brings together all the familiar characters of the Daily Planet, Lois Lane, Clark Kent and Perry White, just as innocently drawn, as soulfully-hued in color as they once were (give or take).

EPISODES (AND PREMIERE DATE):
• Superman (Mad Scientist) – 9/26/1941
• The Mechanical Monsters – 11/28/1941
• Billion Dollar Limited – 1/9/1942
• Arctic Giant – 2/27/1942
• The Bulleteers – 3/27/1942
• The Magnetic Telescope – 4/24/1942
• Electric Earthquake – 5/15/1942
• Volcano – 7/10/1942
• Terror on the Midway – 8/28/1942
• The Japoteurs – 9/18/1942
• Showdown – 10/16/1942
• The Eleventh Hour – 11/20/1942
• Destruction, Inc. – 12/25/1942
• The Mummy Strikes – 2/19/1943
• Jungle Drums – 3/26/1943
• Underground World – 6/18/1943
• Secret Agent – 7/30/1943

Special Feature:
New Featurette – Superman: Speeding Toward Tomorrow – Superman’s exploits in the Fleischer series modernized the monomyth of the Greek godlike hero and expanded and romanticized the prevalent themes of sci-fi and fantasy. It was this combination of heartfelt storytelling, relatable heroes and amazing visuals that has endeared the Fleischer series to fans as one of the greatest superhero stories of all time.

This featurette explores the visual storytelling as the lavish animation, with special attention paid to all the atomic age technology, pushes science fiction closer to becoming a powerful social and pop culture force.

Featurette – First Flight: The Fleischer Superman Series – The Origins and Influence of This Groundbreaking Cartoon Series – A gathering of contemporary animators, comic book & animation historians, and legendary Fleischer artists examine these beloved shorts, focusing on the animation and the breakthrough techniques that created it, as well as studying the title character’s place in history.

Featurette – The Man, the Myth, Superman: Exploring the Tradition of Superman Heroes on the Page and Screen – A fascinating study of Superman-esque characters throughout history – in ancient myth, literature and film – that bring forth imaginative, super-human qualities, captivating audiences and enduring the test of time.

Warner Bros. Discovery has meticulously remastered Max Fleischer’s treasured set of 17 animated Superman shorts from the original 35mm source elements. Max Fleischer’s Superman 1941-1943 will be available to purchase Digitally on HD and on Blu-ray May 16th, 2023.

Superman made his comic book debut in 1938, appearing in Action Comics #1 (dated June 1938, but officially published on April 18, 1938), and the Man of Steel’s popularity grew with his subsequent radio program. Max Fleischer gave the world’s first Super Hero his initial animated spotlight, producing 17 theatrical animated shorts from September 1941 to July 1943 that further elevated the character’s profile, and added many significant aspects to his canon – including coining many of Superman’s patented catchphrases and attributes.

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