KryptonSite's DVD Review Column #11: Max Fleischer's Superman 1941-1942
Reviewed
by Craig Byrne
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Read previous installments of the KryptonSite DVD Column:
#1 (10/08) Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 3 & Supernatural Season 3
#2 (10/08) Doctor Who: The Brain Of Morbius, Trial Of A Time Lord, & The Sarah Jane Adventures
#3 (11/08) Doctor Who: The Complete Fourth Series
#4 (11/08) Primeval: The Complete Series 1 and 2
#5 (1/09) Doctor Who: War Machines & Four To Doomsday
#6 (1/09) The All-New Superfriends Hour: Volume 2
#7 (3/09) Wonder Woman: The Animated Original Movie
#8 (3/09) Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic
#9 (3/09) Doctor Who: the Key to Time Special Edition
#10 (3/09) Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter
Max Fleischer's Superman, 1941-1942
Warner Home Video
Featuring 17 Animated Theatrical Shorts
Release Date: April 7, 2009
Touted as being produced and remastered "from superior, original vault elements," Warner Home Video's recently-released Max Fleischer's Superman, 1941-1942 contains 17 animated theatrical shorts that were first shown nearly 70 years ago. For something that looked so old, it is a marvel to see the production values of the time.
Many of these shorts had already been available on DVD in the public domain and on the 2006 Complete Superman Collection set (which is highly recommended if you don't have it). However, this is the first time these shorts and just these shorts have been put out in an authorized Warner Bros. release.
The animation in these shorts is simply ahead of its time. Fluid movements by the characters and excellent uses of shadows and shading are some of the great things done by the Fleischer studios. The short films are a little violent and might not be meant for children (as noted on the packaging), though use your own judgement before writing it off. In many ways, the animation style was superior to what was running in the comic books, especially at that time, and it also is done at values better than what we'd see in the 70's and 80's with the various Superfriends series. Although this was at a time when animation was still young, you can tell a lot of time and effort went to creating these features.
Packaging for the DVD's is classy, and I especially liked the classic DC Comics logo appearing on the front cover.
Stories in the short films aren't extremely complicated and definitely aren't the same kind of thing you'd see nowadays, but truth be told you'll be distracted enough by the great animation that story is just a minor point. I also want to point out the design of Superman's costume here - with the black behind the "S" - is similar to what was used by Darwyn Cooke in New Frontier and it is one of my favorite looks for the Man of Steel.
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