Several months after Captain Marvel was the first comic book superhero depicted on the silver screen, Superman became the second but the first to be animated as opposed to the live action of the previous one. The voices of the leading character and female co-star Lois Lane were the same from the radio series that had already started beforehand: Bud Collyer and Joan Alexander. Collyer, especially, established how different the personalities of Clark and Supes could be by simply changing his voice when he changed to his costume. The story, about a mad scientist bent on destroying the world, is a bit cliché for today but the Max and Dave Fleischer animation is still impressive even now with the way the thing can build excitement especially when The Man of Steel tries to punch that disintegrating ray back to its source. So on that note, this first epi of the Superman cartoon series was off to a good start. P.S. You know this was an early version of Jerome Siegel & Joe Shuster's creation when Supes' origin tale says he was raised in an orphanage instead of the farm of Jonathan and Martha Kent!
36 Reviews
Take that, you big stupid city-scorching laser you! And that! Bang, zoom, pow, right in the kisser!!!
Foreverisacastironmess12314 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Wow, when I first ever saw a couple of these vintage animated Superman shorts on late night public domain TV years ago I was so struck by the rich visual design and structure of them, and I can see why this first one in particular seems to have struck a chord with a lot of people over the years. The story is a little basic, but it's a fun little scenario that serves its purpose as a kind of pilot for this seventeen episode series. There's something simple yet profoundly appealing and beautiful about the way the animation looks and moves, it's so dynamic and bright and vivid, the shadows, angles and images are so sharp and well thought out, it's like the old comics of the 40s come to life, and is a marvellous little work of art and animation. You can almost feel the love and sweat that must have been painstakingly put into it, and it was all by hand back in 1941, no computers for a long time to come. The Fleischer Studios must have had a lot depending on them making a strong impression with this first episode of a specially commissioned series and I think they put the vastly increased budget that they had to develop these shorts to excellent use, as it's some of the most fluid and clean animation I've ever seen, and not just by the standards of the time. For what it is, it's pretty flawless. It's a world apart from the trademark bizarre surrealism of a lot of the earlier Betty Boop toon shorts. I'm fascinated by all the small details that are put into every frame of it, like all the dials and lenses that are on the mad scientist's giant laser cannon. My favourite part is when Superman pushes back the laser beam and wrecks the weapon, it really spectacularly demonstrates his strength and determination. How noble of Mr Superman to also save the bad guy along with Lois at the last second as his observatory lair is exploding. Too bad about the scientist's pet crow though, after the blast it doesn't show him again, I think he may have crowed his last kaw! Some of the short is a little silly, like when the headstrong Lois Lane knocks right on the villain's front door and is promptly swept up and taken hostage, and it made me laugh how daintily Clarke Kent sneaks into the closet with the window on the door to change into Superman right in front of everybody, and sneaks back out and politely closes the door behind him! The music is nice and charming to hear in an old fashioned saving-the-day kind of way, I had no idea that the reason Superman flies is due to an idea by Max Fleischer who felt that it would be more practical and easier to animate a flying Superman instead of him leaping around like a flea everywhere, and thus a new iconic superpower was born! Nice going Max, but when you look at how natural it looks when Superman is flying, it makes you wonder why they didn't have him doing it from the very beginning.. Still pretty dang great stuff, there remains something quite special about these classics, they have a timeless sort of quality, and this short is positively a must-see for fans of the early days of animation or admirers of the Superman character, and 1941 or not, he never looked better.
The Man of Steel's Kickstarter in Film & Animation
elicopperman17 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
To this very day, Superman remains one of the most beloved superheroes in pop culture history. With countless comics, movies, TV shows, and merchandise spawned from the man of steel, this iconic symbol of peace and justice has brought hope into the lives of others in more ways than one. However, if we're to go back to the first time we saw the caped wonder fly on the big screen, it all started with his first motion picture adaptation from the Fleischer Studio in the early 1940s. Brought to life with gripping action & drama and realistic art direction, how does the original 1941 Oscar nominated animated film hold up?
The main storyline 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. When he and co-worker Lois Lane of the Daily Planet discover that an evil scientist plans to destroy civilization with a powerful laser beam, it ends up 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 this short 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 stoic albeit cliched voice acting, the film feels a lot like a radio drama brought to life through dark visual storytelling. Admittedly, the villain's outcome is very predictable given where the series would eventually go, but as a stand alone tale, it's bold and daring enough.
Arguably the best aspect of the short would have to be the animation direction, going in a more pseudo realistic approach not often seen in other Fleischer shorts (or many animated cartoons in general). In utilizing live-reference modeling as opposed to traced rotoscoping, the characters look and move very believably without coming off as uncanny. Granted, there are some questionable motion tricks that feel too squishy and bloated for their own good, like the effects animation and prop animation. Perhaps the studio had not yet felt accustomed to handling fully realistic animation. It's interesting that the villain has a cartoony vulture sidekick, almost as if the animators needed to ease into the transition. Finally, Sammy Timberg's score is the cherry on top of the suspense cake, as all the buildup to Superman's reveal and needing to save the day is elevated through gripping action and tense music. It's also an added bonus that the main Superman theme played throughout feels like an abridged version of John Williams' famous theme for the future Christopher Reeve Superman films.
As a start to the man of steel truly flying on screen, the 1941 Superman cartoon is both an impressive pilot to an inevitable superhero series, and a groundbreaking historical landmark for comic book adaptations alike. Had this series not taken off, the legacy of superhero content in film and animation truly might not have been the same. Regardless if you've seen this film or not, I would definitely recommend it either to newcomers to Superman or genuine animation aficionados that are yet to give it a go. As a staple of public domain pride, this gem of a picture deserves lots of care and attention.
The main storyline 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. When he and co-worker Lois Lane of the Daily Planet discover that an evil scientist plans to destroy civilization with a powerful laser beam, it ends up 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 this short 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 stoic albeit cliched voice acting, the film feels a lot like a radio drama brought to life through dark visual storytelling. Admittedly, the villain's outcome is very predictable given where the series would eventually go, but as a stand alone tale, it's bold and daring enough.
Arguably the best aspect of the short would have to be the animation direction, going in a more pseudo realistic approach not often seen in other Fleischer shorts (or many animated cartoons in general). In utilizing live-reference modeling as opposed to traced rotoscoping, the characters look and move very believably without coming off as uncanny. Granted, there are some questionable motion tricks that feel too squishy and bloated for their own good, like the effects animation and prop animation. Perhaps the studio had not yet felt accustomed to handling fully realistic animation. It's interesting that the villain has a cartoony vulture sidekick, almost as if the animators needed to ease into the transition. Finally, Sammy Timberg's score is the cherry on top of the suspense cake, as all the buildup to Superman's reveal and needing to save the day is elevated through gripping action and tense music. It's also an added bonus that the main Superman theme played throughout feels like an abridged version of John Williams' famous theme for the future Christopher Reeve Superman films.
As a start to the man of steel truly flying on screen, the 1941 Superman cartoon is both an impressive pilot to an inevitable superhero series, and a groundbreaking historical landmark for comic book adaptations alike. Had this series not taken off, the legacy of superhero content in film and animation truly might not have been the same. Regardless if you've seen this film or not, I would definitely recommend it either to newcomers to Superman or genuine animation aficionados that are yet to give it a go. As a staple of public domain pride, this gem of a picture deserves lots of care and attention.
Timeless Fun
Big Movie Fan21 November 2002
Sixty one years have elapsed since this first Superman cartoon was shown and it still remains as timeless as ever.
I had first seen this decades back (not in 1941 because it would be a good several years until I was born) and recently I picked up a copy from a car boot sale. I watched it and enjoyed it throughly.
The story is perfectly simple. A mad scientist has some kind of ray aimed at Metropolis and he also kidnaps Lois Lane. Superman of course comes to the rescue. There is no complex plot, just plenty of action.
Lois and Clark are not quite equals in this adventure. Nowadays in the Superman comics I think Lois and Clark are married but Lois sort of looked down on Clark in these adventures-she doesn't even let him come out on assignment with her.
Another thing I liked was the way Clark changed into Superman. He would always say, "This is a job for Superman," before heading into a storeroom and changing. Magic!
For fans of Superman (particularly younger fans), I recommend they check this out if they can get a copy.
I had first seen this decades back (not in 1941 because it would be a good several years until I was born) and recently I picked up a copy from a car boot sale. I watched it and enjoyed it throughly.
The story is perfectly simple. A mad scientist has some kind of ray aimed at Metropolis and he also kidnaps Lois Lane. Superman of course comes to the rescue. There is no complex plot, just plenty of action.
Lois and Clark are not quite equals in this adventure. Nowadays in the Superman comics I think Lois and Clark are married but Lois sort of looked down on Clark in these adventures-she doesn't even let him come out on assignment with her.
Another thing I liked was the way Clark changed into Superman. He would always say, "This is a job for Superman," before heading into a storeroom and changing. Magic!
For fans of Superman (particularly younger fans), I recommend they check this out if they can get a copy.
SUPERMAN (Various, 1941-3) **1/2
Bunuel197619 May 2007
This Max Fleischer cartoon series is also one that often crops up on TV to this day. Again it's highly entertaining but, restricted to a mere 10 minutes or less, is even more one-dimensional than the later TV series: Lois Lane's scoop-seeking obsession is especially annoying - she contrives to fall foul of the villain in every single episode (Jimmy Olsen doesn't appear at all here and Perry White's presence is peripheral at best)! Since this is a wartime product, the villains in some of the episodes are revealed as being either Japs or Nazis; in fact, the cartoons have a decidedly jingoistic tone to them. Where these excel over the TV series is in the colorful visuals (allowing for a stylized look) and the far more dynamic and elaborate action sequences: here, obviously, there's no restriction on the animators' imagination.
may seem archaic to younger viewers today, but was decades ahead of its time when released.
winner5524 November 2009
A few notes on the historical importance of the Fleischer Superman cartoons.
1. The Superman cartoons formed the first action/adventure/sci-fi cartoon series ever, thus setting the stage for all anime, Saturday morning TV action 'toons, video games and such to come.
2. The Superman series quietly helped disseminate art-deco and other modernist design styles into popular culture.
3. "The Arctic Giant" episode predates the 'giant dinosaur' film cycle by some ten years; the design of the Arctic giant itself was clearly an inspiration for Toho's Godzilla design.
4. The drawing style for the Superman comic books was rather rough, as with most action comics of the type of that era. The Superman cartoons, on the other hand, present a smooth-line style, using dark shadows for modeling. This style was to have a great impact on the "illustrated novel" comic book style that developed in the late '70s - roughly about the time the series was rediscovered by comics/cartoon fans.
5. Fleischer studios apparently simply ignored the Superman live-action serials of the time. Thus rather than pursing convoluted plots only resolved by dialog, they chose a compressed narrative style, with hardly any dialog, which emphasizes the plot as realizable only through action.
6. Because of this compressed narrative style, the Fleischer story writers were the first to be confronted with the perennial Superman dilemma - namely, how to actually threaten a character who is all-powerful and invincible at least to the extent of creating a plot-motivating conflict. They are not always successful - the episode about the escaped circus gorilla is especially unconvincing - but the effort is fascinating, especially since the comic book Superman writers would not really confront the problem until the 1970s (having used the kryptonite ploy to evade the issue for 20 years).
7. Interestingly, the Fleischer Superman series, with its stronger violence and deeper themes, and its commitment to a kind of visual realism, is clearly intended for a more mature audience than the comic books or the live-action serials - despite the fact that it appeared just as major studio cartoon workshops began resigning themselves to entertaining younger audiences.
8. "The Eleventh Hour" episode, with Superman acting as saboteur in a personal war against Japan, was released nearly 3 weeks BEFORE Pearl Harbor. The Fleischers thus had Superman join the fight against Fascism world-wide before the US was finally drawn into the battle.
9. It is true that the cartoon series defines its character and history differently than the comic book version; but this was when the Superman mythos was still in development, and the Fleischers pursued possibilities for the character the comic book writers had not yet considered (for instance, his ability to fly, his invulnerability, the curiously playful relationship between Clark and Lois - which in the cartoons has a real edge of adult romantic attraction that was unavailable to the comic book writers).
It is easy to see why the Superman series did not salvage the Fleischer studios from their ultimate dissolution - they are dark, violent snippets of science fiction drama at a time when audiences were coming to expect cartoon animals playing gags on each other. But it is more difficult to figure out why it lasted for as many episodes as it did. My guess is that the Fleischers realized they were breaking new ground, and were willing to give it as much a chance for success as possible. Unfortunately, they were literally decades ahead of their time. As a particular animated cartoon style, we would not see its like again until the Warner Bros. Batman television series of the 1990s - and by then the idiom was simply accepted as one of many available to animators and cartoon artists.
1. The Superman cartoons formed the first action/adventure/sci-fi cartoon series ever, thus setting the stage for all anime, Saturday morning TV action 'toons, video games and such to come.
2. The Superman series quietly helped disseminate art-deco and other modernist design styles into popular culture.
3. "The Arctic Giant" episode predates the 'giant dinosaur' film cycle by some ten years; the design of the Arctic giant itself was clearly an inspiration for Toho's Godzilla design.
4. The drawing style for the Superman comic books was rather rough, as with most action comics of the type of that era. The Superman cartoons, on the other hand, present a smooth-line style, using dark shadows for modeling. This style was to have a great impact on the "illustrated novel" comic book style that developed in the late '70s - roughly about the time the series was rediscovered by comics/cartoon fans.
5. Fleischer studios apparently simply ignored the Superman live-action serials of the time. Thus rather than pursing convoluted plots only resolved by dialog, they chose a compressed narrative style, with hardly any dialog, which emphasizes the plot as realizable only through action.
6. Because of this compressed narrative style, the Fleischer story writers were the first to be confronted with the perennial Superman dilemma - namely, how to actually threaten a character who is all-powerful and invincible at least to the extent of creating a plot-motivating conflict. They are not always successful - the episode about the escaped circus gorilla is especially unconvincing - but the effort is fascinating, especially since the comic book Superman writers would not really confront the problem until the 1970s (having used the kryptonite ploy to evade the issue for 20 years).
7. Interestingly, the Fleischer Superman series, with its stronger violence and deeper themes, and its commitment to a kind of visual realism, is clearly intended for a more mature audience than the comic books or the live-action serials - despite the fact that it appeared just as major studio cartoon workshops began resigning themselves to entertaining younger audiences.
8. "The Eleventh Hour" episode, with Superman acting as saboteur in a personal war against Japan, was released nearly 3 weeks BEFORE Pearl Harbor. The Fleischers thus had Superman join the fight against Fascism world-wide before the US was finally drawn into the battle.
9. It is true that the cartoon series defines its character and history differently than the comic book version; but this was when the Superman mythos was still in development, and the Fleischers pursued possibilities for the character the comic book writers had not yet considered (for instance, his ability to fly, his invulnerability, the curiously playful relationship between Clark and Lois - which in the cartoons has a real edge of adult romantic attraction that was unavailable to the comic book writers).
It is easy to see why the Superman series did not salvage the Fleischer studios from their ultimate dissolution - they are dark, violent snippets of science fiction drama at a time when audiences were coming to expect cartoon animals playing gags on each other. But it is more difficult to figure out why it lasted for as many episodes as it did. My guess is that the Fleischers realized they were breaking new ground, and were willing to give it as much a chance for success as possible. Unfortunately, they were literally decades ahead of their time. As a particular animated cartoon style, we would not see its like again until the Warner Bros. Batman television series of the 1990s - and by then the idiom was simply accepted as one of many available to animators and cartoon artists.
The Man of Metropolis Steals our Hearts
nikitalinivenko12 July 2020
Smooth, fluid animation, more impressive when you remember all of it had to be handrawn, this was the first episode in the series, and (arguably) best - though I slightly preferred the second installment "the mechanical monsters". Here Superman foils a mad scientist's death ray, a by-the-numbers template, but still decent cartoon, and the 10 minute-or-so running time is perfect for how thin and bare-bones the material is (another reviewer complained it's too short, but I wouldn't have liked it if it was twenty or thirty minutes), made 1000× better if you mute and sync it to Sufjan Stevens' "The Man of Metropolis Steals our Hearts" (legitimately, it's like a perfect music video for it).
The Finest Ingredients of Artwork, Animation, Original Musical Score & Ideal Voice Actors don't guarantee fine Recipe, unless you have Master Chefs Max and Dave Fleischer!
redryan6426 January 2008
That Arguably All-American Genre of the Super Hero was still a new and still growing staple in the Comic Books publishing field in 1941. Coincidental to the looming and rapidly gathering clouds of War. The numbers of super hero features their proliferation continued as sort of psychological protective response to the Axis threat.
Admittedly, their roots go much deeper into literary figures and the Great Depression gave them the first propagating stimulus; but it was still World War II that stimulated the colorful Magazines or Periodicals (Comic "Book" being an obvious malapropism.).
As an example, typical comics' covers of 1941-45 would feature war related illustrations that weren't related to any of the internal stories' content, except in the broadest, most general sense. Heavily symbolic illustrations on Action Comics with Superman saving a Tank crew, Detective Comics with Batman & Robin presenting a G.I. with a new rifle, USA Comics with Captain America kicking Hitler in the nuts, Whiz Comics with Captain Marvel airlifting Refugee Kids to Freedom and Marvel Mystery featuring Sub-Mariner sinking a U Boat while The Human Torch burns the wing off of a Messerschmitt.
There is little wonder that the Super-Hero would soon move off of the comics page to the daily newspaper strip, Radio Programs, Movie Serials and the Animated Cartoon Short. (Television was still off in the not too distant future.) And leading the parade was that Strange Visitor from another Planet, the Man of Steel (Himself), Superman! The first roll on the Monopoly Board landed Superman on Mutual Radio's Network in 1940. This gave the World The Adventures of Superman 15 minute daily serialized program. The cast featured Bud Collyer's multi-ranged vocals voicing both the mild mannered, high pitched Clark Kent as well as the richer, deeper and powerful Superman. Miss Joan Alexander did Lois Lane with Announcer (" .The Adventures of Syue-Puhr-Man!") Jackson Beck did Perry White. (As for Cub Reporter, Jimmy Olsen, he didn't appear until later in the decade, originating on the Radio, not in the comics, as Jimmy, the Office Boy.)
When the deal was struck between Superman's copyright owner, DC Comics/National Comics Publications and the Fleischer Brothers Animation Studios, tendering the rights to produce the first Superman animated series, the decision was made to retain the services of Mr. Collyer, Miss Alexander and Mr. Beck to reprise their voice characterizations.
So the first cartoon was on the drawing board. Not surprisingly, it would contain the obligatory origin sequence. But in dealing with this in a rapid, sort of re-cap style; Max & Dave and company avoided using-up a whole cartoon; thus allowing the story of 'The Mad Scientist' (alternate & possibly working title). As for this story it is sort of typical, but gained in status by being the first with Superman (or any other Super Hero, for that matter).
OUR STORY (at last) ..The Editorial Offices of THE METROPOLIS DAILY PLANET are inundated with reports of wanton destruction of bridges, buildings and urban infrastructure of the City. The Editor (called oddly enough, "Chief" wants Clark Kent to investigate, but spunky Lois Lane, Girl Reporter, is determined to scoop Kent, only to be taken hostage by the Evil, Mad Scientist. (Is there any other kind?) Superman shows up, saves Lois from being consumed in molten metal and apprehends the villainous (Is there any other kind?) renegade genius. Lois gets scoop and by line. Clark establishes a series long custom of winking at the audience as ironic conversation about the adventure fills the Planet's Editorial Office.
WE feel obligated to two neat, little touches that made for a much better first episode. First is the use of the Mad Doctor's pet anthropomorphic cuddly vulture. Secondly we salute the eerie, hauntingly bizarre voice of the MAD SCIENTIST; which we just discovered was provided by Mr. Jack Mercer, famous for Popeye's gravely voice.
The series hasn't a real klunker in the whole bunch; though naturally, some individual cartoons will be found to be better than others. We noticed that the shorts produced at the Fleischer Studios auspices seem superior to those made after that notorious coup-de-tat that transformed the animation house into Paramount's Famous Studios.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Warning! Achtung! Cuidado! When you get your Tape or Whole DVD Set, do not attempt to view multiple shorts, one after another. Doing your watching in this manner tends to render them seemingly repetitive, monotonous and boring even; kinda like attempting a 3 Stooges marathon of shorts featuring Joe Besser. Try instead to do your viewings interspersed with other features.
After all, this is truly " ..Truth, Justice and the American Way!"
Admittedly, their roots go much deeper into literary figures and the Great Depression gave them the first propagating stimulus; but it was still World War II that stimulated the colorful Magazines or Periodicals (Comic "Book" being an obvious malapropism.).
As an example, typical comics' covers of 1941-45 would feature war related illustrations that weren't related to any of the internal stories' content, except in the broadest, most general sense. Heavily symbolic illustrations on Action Comics with Superman saving a Tank crew, Detective Comics with Batman & Robin presenting a G.I. with a new rifle, USA Comics with Captain America kicking Hitler in the nuts, Whiz Comics with Captain Marvel airlifting Refugee Kids to Freedom and Marvel Mystery featuring Sub-Mariner sinking a U Boat while The Human Torch burns the wing off of a Messerschmitt.
There is little wonder that the Super-Hero would soon move off of the comics page to the daily newspaper strip, Radio Programs, Movie Serials and the Animated Cartoon Short. (Television was still off in the not too distant future.) And leading the parade was that Strange Visitor from another Planet, the Man of Steel (Himself), Superman! The first roll on the Monopoly Board landed Superman on Mutual Radio's Network in 1940. This gave the World The Adventures of Superman 15 minute daily serialized program. The cast featured Bud Collyer's multi-ranged vocals voicing both the mild mannered, high pitched Clark Kent as well as the richer, deeper and powerful Superman. Miss Joan Alexander did Lois Lane with Announcer (" .The Adventures of Syue-Puhr-Man!") Jackson Beck did Perry White. (As for Cub Reporter, Jimmy Olsen, he didn't appear until later in the decade, originating on the Radio, not in the comics, as Jimmy, the Office Boy.)
When the deal was struck between Superman's copyright owner, DC Comics/National Comics Publications and the Fleischer Brothers Animation Studios, tendering the rights to produce the first Superman animated series, the decision was made to retain the services of Mr. Collyer, Miss Alexander and Mr. Beck to reprise their voice characterizations.
So the first cartoon was on the drawing board. Not surprisingly, it would contain the obligatory origin sequence. But in dealing with this in a rapid, sort of re-cap style; Max & Dave and company avoided using-up a whole cartoon; thus allowing the story of 'The Mad Scientist' (alternate & possibly working title). As for this story it is sort of typical, but gained in status by being the first with Superman (or any other Super Hero, for that matter).
OUR STORY (at last) ..The Editorial Offices of THE METROPOLIS DAILY PLANET are inundated with reports of wanton destruction of bridges, buildings and urban infrastructure of the City. The Editor (called oddly enough, "Chief" wants Clark Kent to investigate, but spunky Lois Lane, Girl Reporter, is determined to scoop Kent, only to be taken hostage by the Evil, Mad Scientist. (Is there any other kind?) Superman shows up, saves Lois from being consumed in molten metal and apprehends the villainous (Is there any other kind?) renegade genius. Lois gets scoop and by line. Clark establishes a series long custom of winking at the audience as ironic conversation about the adventure fills the Planet's Editorial Office.
WE feel obligated to two neat, little touches that made for a much better first episode. First is the use of the Mad Doctor's pet anthropomorphic cuddly vulture. Secondly we salute the eerie, hauntingly bizarre voice of the MAD SCIENTIST; which we just discovered was provided by Mr. Jack Mercer, famous for Popeye's gravely voice.
The series hasn't a real klunker in the whole bunch; though naturally, some individual cartoons will be found to be better than others. We noticed that the shorts produced at the Fleischer Studios auspices seem superior to those made after that notorious coup-de-tat that transformed the animation house into Paramount's Famous Studios.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Warning! Achtung! Cuidado! When you get your Tape or Whole DVD Set, do not attempt to view multiple shorts, one after another. Doing your watching in this manner tends to render them seemingly repetitive, monotonous and boring even; kinda like attempting a 3 Stooges marathon of shorts featuring Joe Besser. Try instead to do your viewings interspersed with other features.
After all, this is truly " ..Truth, Justice and the American Way!"
In a World with ANY sense of Justice, or even a Justice . . .
pixrox16 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
. . . League, SUPERMAN would have won the highly coveted gelded statuette for Tinsel Town's best animated short of 1941, rather than that vile vermin rodent Mickey Mouse. This "upset" to Common Sense is akin to Barney the Purple Dinosaur usurping AVATAR's awards hardware. IF the corrupt corporate communists claiming to believe in "Tinkerbell" had the slightest belief in SUPERMAN, surely they would have expected to be choked to death, crushed and ripped limb from limb at the awards ceremony for their sleazy chicanery. WHAT was the entree that infamous night--Kryptonite?
Excellent
neil-47624 May 2010
Warning: Spoilers
The Mad Scientist is the first of the cartoons the Fleischer brothers animation studio made for Paramount. Released in 1941, this film has a very strong look of Shuster's art in the early strips - not surprising, as work started on the film less than two years after Superman's first appearance in Action Comics.
The film kicks off with a brief reprise of Superman's origin before introducing us to Clark Kent and Lois Lane being briefed by newspaper editor Mr White - a threatening letter (complete with inkblots!) has been received from a mad scientist - if his demands are not met by midnight, he will unleash his worst! Sniffing a scoop, Lois commandeers the story for herself and flies off (in an aeroplane! she is an accomplished pilot) to accost the scientist.
The scientist is sitting in his observatory/laboratory, his comedy crow on his shoulder, waiting for midnight to arrive, when Lois arrives. Her surreptitious sneaking into the lab is rather spoiled by the noise of her aeroplane landing and the scientist rapidly overpowers her and ties her up so that she can observe him unleashing his deadly ray on the city, where it destroys a road bridge.
It is at this point that Clark realises that "This is a job for Superman!" in the first film presentation of a well-loved cliché which is still in use today. The scientist's ray is undermining a skyscraper, but Superman saves it from toppling it over by pushing it back upright. It starts to topple the other way, but Superman pulls it back to equilibrium by heaving on the flagpole(!).
The scientist turns up the ray and it smashes Superman to the ground. He recovers himself and starts to fly up the beam, punching it out of the way with a succession of left-rights. The scientist turns up the beam even more, flooring Superman once more, but the Man of Steel again recovers himself and pursues the beam back to the barrel from which it issues, which he ties in a knot. This causes the ray gun to back up, and tremendous pressures start to blow the scientist's machinery - and the observatory - to pieces. The scientist flees, Superman unties Lois and escapes with her in the nick of time, pausing only to pick up the scientist and dump him in jail. The next edition of the Daily Planet features the scoop under Lois' byline, and Clark delivers his first ever trademark wink to camera.
Some points to note: Superman's chest insignia features a red "S" on a black background with a yellow outline for the shield. Although the opening title/origin sequence shows Superman leaping a building at a single bound, he undoubtedly flies during the body of the film (except for the transit from the observatory back to the city, which is a leap). In the opening sequence, Superman stands for Truth and Justice, but not yet The American Way. Sammy Timberg's score is somewhat dated, but still highly enjoyable, and his Superman theme is the first of a number of memorable stirring themes. Bud Collyer's vocal performance delivers its trademark drop in level during the "This is a job for Superman" speech. The effects animation is absolutely gorgeous. The comedy crow is, perhaps, a misjudgement. The Fleischers had been producing Popeye and Betty Boop cartoons for some years, and perhaps old habits died hard. Apart from this one touch, this cartoon - like all the others - is pretty straight-faced all the way through. The newspaper is the Daily Planet - the Star has already gone by now.
The fairly recent restoration makes this attractive cartoon something which bears up well to modern viewers.
The film kicks off with a brief reprise of Superman's origin before introducing us to Clark Kent and Lois Lane being briefed by newspaper editor Mr White - a threatening letter (complete with inkblots!) has been received from a mad scientist - if his demands are not met by midnight, he will unleash his worst! Sniffing a scoop, Lois commandeers the story for herself and flies off (in an aeroplane! she is an accomplished pilot) to accost the scientist.
The scientist is sitting in his observatory/laboratory, his comedy crow on his shoulder, waiting for midnight to arrive, when Lois arrives. Her surreptitious sneaking into the lab is rather spoiled by the noise of her aeroplane landing and the scientist rapidly overpowers her and ties her up so that she can observe him unleashing his deadly ray on the city, where it destroys a road bridge.
It is at this point that Clark realises that "This is a job for Superman!" in the first film presentation of a well-loved cliché which is still in use today. The scientist's ray is undermining a skyscraper, but Superman saves it from toppling it over by pushing it back upright. It starts to topple the other way, but Superman pulls it back to equilibrium by heaving on the flagpole(!).
The scientist turns up the ray and it smashes Superman to the ground. He recovers himself and starts to fly up the beam, punching it out of the way with a succession of left-rights. The scientist turns up the beam even more, flooring Superman once more, but the Man of Steel again recovers himself and pursues the beam back to the barrel from which it issues, which he ties in a knot. This causes the ray gun to back up, and tremendous pressures start to blow the scientist's machinery - and the observatory - to pieces. The scientist flees, Superman unties Lois and escapes with her in the nick of time, pausing only to pick up the scientist and dump him in jail. The next edition of the Daily Planet features the scoop under Lois' byline, and Clark delivers his first ever trademark wink to camera.
Some points to note: Superman's chest insignia features a red "S" on a black background with a yellow outline for the shield. Although the opening title/origin sequence shows Superman leaping a building at a single bound, he undoubtedly flies during the body of the film (except for the transit from the observatory back to the city, which is a leap). In the opening sequence, Superman stands for Truth and Justice, but not yet The American Way. Sammy Timberg's score is somewhat dated, but still highly enjoyable, and his Superman theme is the first of a number of memorable stirring themes. Bud Collyer's vocal performance delivers its trademark drop in level during the "This is a job for Superman" speech. The effects animation is absolutely gorgeous. The comedy crow is, perhaps, a misjudgement. The Fleischers had been producing Popeye and Betty Boop cartoons for some years, and perhaps old habits died hard. Apart from this one touch, this cartoon - like all the others - is pretty straight-faced all the way through. The newspaper is the Daily Planet - the Star has already gone by now.
The fairly recent restoration makes this attractive cartoon something which bears up well to modern viewers.
"Lois Lane" is the true star of this early . . .
oscaralbert20 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
. . . SUPERMAN outing, as the title guy merely serves as her Johnny-Come-Lately tag-along bumbling afterthought. Lois seizes the initiative as the DAILY PLANET's crack investigative reporter, out to confront the self-proclaimed "Electrothanasia" Terrorist. Flying solo in a large, clunky plane, Lois skillfully lands her crate on the Mad Scientist's rocky crag, and taxis this lumbering machine right up to his very doorstep. But Lois' misplaced confidence in a blowhard Caped Crusader dooms hundreds to their untimely deaths. First, "Superman" allows a bridge packed with people to be vaporized in Metropolis. Rubbing in salt to injury, the so-called "Man of Steel" enables the nefarious death ray wielder to decimate everyone in the DAILY PLANET's office tower (except for managing editor Perry White, who apparently went home for an early supper). This horrific disaster happens because Mr. Kent briefly steadies the tottering edifice after one corner of its foundation has been atomized, but then gets distracted and thoughtlessly leaves the whole people-packed spire to tumble while he tries to horn in on Ms. Lane's news coup! In the words of Mr. White, "With 'protectors' like 'Superman,' what city needs Public Enemies?"
Superman's First Cartoon Adventure
Ron Oliver1 April 2000
A SUPERMAN Cartoon.
A mad scientist turns his death ray on Metropolis to begin destroying bridges & buildings. Intrepid reporter Lois Lane crashes her plane directly in the madmans front yard. With Lois a prisoner & the death ray once again in operation, it looks like a job for SUPERMAN!
This was the first in a series of excellent cartoons Max Fleischer produced for Paramount Studio. They feature great animation and taut, fast-moving plots. Meant to be shown in movie theaters, they are miles ahead of their Saturday Morning counterparts.
A mad scientist turns his death ray on Metropolis to begin destroying bridges & buildings. Intrepid reporter Lois Lane crashes her plane directly in the madmans front yard. With Lois a prisoner & the death ray once again in operation, it looks like a job for SUPERMAN!
This was the first in a series of excellent cartoons Max Fleischer produced for Paramount Studio. They feature great animation and taut, fast-moving plots. Meant to be shown in movie theaters, they are miles ahead of their Saturday Morning counterparts.
The scientist never stood a chance...
paul_haakonsen6 June 2023
I sat down here in 2023 to watch the 1941 animated short "Superman" feature. I have watched this before, sometime during the 1980s, during my childhood. But it was certainly nice to sit down and watch it again.
And I have to say that "Superman" from 1941 is still as watchable today as it was back in the 1980s. So the creators really did make a quality product back in 1941. 82 years old and still holding up. That is quite an accomplishment.
The storyline in "Superman" is good, though I am amazed that they could manage to cram a cohesive storyline into a mere 10 minute animated movie. But directors Dave Fleischer and Steve Muffati pulled it off quite nicely. And it was an enjoyable story starring everyone's favorite Man of Steel.
And that bird sidekick was just a great character. It stole the show.
The art and animation in "Superman" was good. Sure, it is showing some signs of having aged 82 years, in terms of the style of art used, but there is a certain ageless and timeless charm to it in my opinion.
Definitely worth sitting down to watch, "Superman" is entertaining for children and adults alike.
My rating of this 1941 animated short story lands on a six out of ten stars.
And I have to say that "Superman" from 1941 is still as watchable today as it was back in the 1980s. So the creators really did make a quality product back in 1941. 82 years old and still holding up. That is quite an accomplishment.
The storyline in "Superman" is good, though I am amazed that they could manage to cram a cohesive storyline into a mere 10 minute animated movie. But directors Dave Fleischer and Steve Muffati pulled it off quite nicely. And it was an enjoyable story starring everyone's favorite Man of Steel.
And that bird sidekick was just a great character. It stole the show.
The art and animation in "Superman" was good. Sure, it is showing some signs of having aged 82 years, in terms of the style of art used, but there is a certain ageless and timeless charm to it in my opinion.
Definitely worth sitting down to watch, "Superman" is entertaining for children and adults alike.
My rating of this 1941 animated short story lands on a six out of ten stars.
Superman: Exactly what you'd expect
Platypuschow24 December 2017
This early Superman animated effort is truly vintage, it has that same animation and audio style as most cartoons of it's time and clearly very Warner Brothers influenced.
Less serious than most of his outings this is a 10 minute silly short seeing our hero foil the dastardly plans of an evil scientist with a death ray.
Plain, simple, harmless but hardly entertaining.
The Good:
Highly nostalgic
The Bad:
Very short
Silly
Things I Learnt From This Short:
Every mad scientist needs a crow sidekick
Less serious than most of his outings this is a 10 minute silly short seeing our hero foil the dastardly plans of an evil scientist with a death ray.
Plain, simple, harmless but hardly entertaining.
The Good:
Highly nostalgic
The Bad:
Very short
Silly
Things I Learnt From This Short:
Every mad scientist needs a crow sidekick
Simply Inspired
gothamite2728 April 2004
I have no idea why Superman's logo looks the way it does, (probably something to do with one of Joe Shuster's original drawings) but this is still excellent. There is very little dialogue in these films, and the little dialogue that is played is almost inaudible. These shorts are more for the action fan. In the beginning, Superman can only leap (leap tall buildings in a single bound as it were) but before long, the narrator reveals that flight is also one of his attributes (soar higher than any plane!). During the course of these film-noir cartoons, we see Superman battle robot jewel thieves, a dinosaur, the Japanese, and even some Nazis (Hitler himself appeared at the end of that episode)! This probably might not appeal to fans of the modern day Superman, because the guy we see here is the tough, take no prisoners hero of the golden age. Nevertheless, a great series of cartoons, and as a Superman fan, I must say, I enjoyed them.
Superman
Prismark1014 February 2021
The Fleischer brothers first Superman cartoon delves briefly into his origins in Krypton.
After that it is a story of a mad scientist using his ray gun to destroy Metropolis.
Lois Lane goes on to investigate on her own and is captured.
Superman comes to the rescue both for Lois and Metropolis.
It is a simple action cartoon with some inspired bits. The mad scientist and his bird who mimics some of his actions.
The animation style is smooth but simple. These days it will pass for basic but at the time it was Oscar nominated.
After that it is a story of a mad scientist using his ray gun to destroy Metropolis.
Lois Lane goes on to investigate on her own and is captured.
Superman comes to the rescue both for Lois and Metropolis.
It is a simple action cartoon with some inspired bits. The mad scientist and his bird who mimics some of his actions.
The animation style is smooth but simple. These days it will pass for basic but at the time it was Oscar nominated.
This Is It (the one that put Superman on the animation map)
Seamus282923 August 2008
Warning: Spoilers
When Max & Dave Fleischer expressed interest in moving Superman from the printed page to the silver screen,they spared no expense to fulfill their dream. From 1941 to 1943,the Fleischers produced 17 beautifully illustrated & animated shorts for Paramont Studios (in full Technicolor,which was very good,considering it was World War II at the time). 'Superman'(or the Mad Scientist,at it's also known as), was the first,and probably the best of the series. Metropolis is threatened by an insane scientist that he will level the city with an "Electrothenasia Ray" (obviously a fore runner to Laser). It's up to Superman to thwart his plans. Lois Lane tries to intervene,but gets captured by the Scientist (and his pet raven/crow/whatever kind of black bird that it is). When Superman shows up at his lab, the Mad Scientist turns the ray on Superman, but Superman gets his second wind & manages to bend the ray's beam,sending the energy back into the machine, causing a chain reaction of destruction. Superman manages to not only save the day,but puts the Mad Scientist in prison. Hooray for Superman!
Excellent action and fun.
Achoo4225 July 2016
One day, I was on YouTube trying to find these old Superman shorts that had been my childhood (we borrowed then from the library and watched them on VCR). And they were so fascinating I watched the entire Youtube series in a sitting. Here are my thoughts:
Highs: Animation is gorgeous. I guess the budget was higher in he 40s, because actual effort was put into every scene. Compare this to something like the 60s Spiderman or some of today's kids shows and you will see a gigantic difference. The stories are exciting and easy to follow. Lois is an intrepid character and really is the Lois we know and love today. Superman is unchanged from today, other than his lack of heat vision. The shorts are exciting throughout.
Lows: There is propaganda against the Japanese, but it was 1941! What do you expect?
Verdict: One of the best animated cartoons ever made. Do yourself a favor and try to find these.
Highs: Animation is gorgeous. I guess the budget was higher in he 40s, because actual effort was put into every scene. Compare this to something like the 60s Spiderman or some of today's kids shows and you will see a gigantic difference. The stories are exciting and easy to follow. Lois is an intrepid character and really is the Lois we know and love today. Superman is unchanged from today, other than his lack of heat vision. The shorts are exciting throughout.
Lows: There is propaganda against the Japanese, but it was 1941! What do you expect?
Verdict: One of the best animated cartoons ever made. Do yourself a favor and try to find these.
Great animated series!
Movie Nuttball3 July 2005
I thought that the Superman cartoons were awesome and the characters were really good and all had great personalities. The animation in My opinion was crisp, clean, and really clear especially for the time. Not to mention beautiful! These characters are some of the most colorful and talented ever seen in My opinion. In fact, they are like real people and you sometime forget that your are watching a animated cartoon. The things that goes on in this series' are in My opinion exciting which is what makes it great! There are so many great ones to like. If you like Superman, DC Comics and classic cartoons then I strongly recommend that you head over Amazon.com today and purchase this classic show today!
Not timeless, but ahead of it's time
betina-1895431 January 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I owned a dvd with most of these cartoons on it when i was 6 years old. I saw them, and as a kid i didn't like them. But now as a young adult, i appreciate them alot more. However i would be lying if i said these Superman shorts are timeless. If you were to compare them to later action cartoons like Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teen Titans, Avatar, or even the later Superman: The Animated Series with they're longer running time and much more developed characters, then compare the Superman shorts to the cartoons i just mentioned, then the shorts are inferior nowadays. There was even one critic on IMDB who didn't like the short running time, and lack of character development, in these cartoons. But the thing is that no one had made a real action or superhero cartoon, and the Fleischers were probably only experimenting with how action cartoons could be done. And these shorts could probably be considered an experiment of action cartoons. And no one had made action cartoons before this, so the result is pretty impressive for the time. And yeah the designs are kinda 40s, but this was popular back then. Why this didn't win the Academy Award for Best Animated Short, is beyond me. I mean the Pluto film was cute and all, but did you see this? This was far superior, and much more ahead of it's time. Anyways onto the cartoon.
The cartoon starts with the opening credits. Then an introduction to Superman and his origins with narration is showed. You know, he came from Krypton and the way he came to Earth and discovered his powers. It's the only cartoon in the series to have this narration tell his origins.
The story is very simple, it's about this evil scientist who tries to destroy cities around the world with his death ray, because people didn't take his warnings seriously. The Superhero fighting a mad scientist cliche is one that has been done to death ever since, so much that it even has been parodied. However at the time it was something new. Lois Lane wants to get the story, then flies to his hideout with her private plane, then the scientist's pet bird spots her. Btw the bird is like the only cartoony character in this cartoon, which is kinda funny. Then Lois gets captured, the death ray destroys Tower Bridge, and tries to destroy buildings in New York, and it's up to Superman to save the day.
So what do i and don't i like about this cartoon. Well the only thing i don't like is that, again, it isn't timeless, and it's dated by today's standards. But actually, that's pretty much it.
So what do i like about this cartoon?? The animation is as everyone else say, great. The rotoscoping is amazing, and the death ray is animated very detailed and beautiful. The music is also great. In fact it's my favorite Superman theme of all time. And the voice acting is top notch, even having Jack Mercer (The voice of Popeye) as the Mad Scientist. And the fact that it's the first action cartoon was pretty groundbreaking for the time.
This cartoon isn't timeless, but was groundbreaking for it's time. 10/10
The cartoon starts with the opening credits. Then an introduction to Superman and his origins with narration is showed. You know, he came from Krypton and the way he came to Earth and discovered his powers. It's the only cartoon in the series to have this narration tell his origins.
The story is very simple, it's about this evil scientist who tries to destroy cities around the world with his death ray, because people didn't take his warnings seriously. The Superhero fighting a mad scientist cliche is one that has been done to death ever since, so much that it even has been parodied. However at the time it was something new. Lois Lane wants to get the story, then flies to his hideout with her private plane, then the scientist's pet bird spots her. Btw the bird is like the only cartoony character in this cartoon, which is kinda funny. Then Lois gets captured, the death ray destroys Tower Bridge, and tries to destroy buildings in New York, and it's up to Superman to save the day.
So what do i and don't i like about this cartoon. Well the only thing i don't like is that, again, it isn't timeless, and it's dated by today's standards. But actually, that's pretty much it.
So what do i like about this cartoon?? The animation is as everyone else say, great. The rotoscoping is amazing, and the death ray is animated very detailed and beautiful. The music is also great. In fact it's my favorite Superman theme of all time. And the voice acting is top notch, even having Jack Mercer (The voice of Popeye) as the Mad Scientist. And the fact that it's the first action cartoon was pretty groundbreaking for the time.
This cartoon isn't timeless, but was groundbreaking for it's time. 10/10
Great animation but.....
13Funbags10 October 2019
The First of 17
sbibb110 July 2004
This is the first of what would turn out to be 17 Superman cartoons produced by the Fleischer brothers for Paramount Studios. This cartoon was released on September 26, 1941. The plot is as follows: An evil mad scientist threatens to attack the city at midnight. Lois Lane hops in her airplane and flies to the scientists hide out. The scientist captures her, and then procedes to attack Gotham. Blowing up a bridge, and attempting to topple the Empire State Building, until Superman arrives and saves the day.
The New York Times said of this cartoon " {this cartoon} is among the brothers' less successful efforts. The Fleischers show so little aptitude for -or interest in-realistic animation styles. Superman and Lois Lane are at their most wooden. So is the story's villain, a mad scientist. But the scientist's raven is wildly alive, like any real Fleischer creation, and the film sneaks in as many raven's-eye glimpses as possible. Heroic human figures have little to do with the grim, witty hallmarks of the Fleischers' imagination."
I must disagree with the Times' opinion. If one was to look at Superman comic strips from this point of time, one would see that the Superman of the comic books and the Superman of the cartoons, looks essentially the same. Yes, the raven is the most "cartoon" like character in the cartoon, but the film is still enjoyable, and is a snapshot of what cartoons were like right before the start of WWII.
The New York Times said of this cartoon " {this cartoon} is among the brothers' less successful efforts. The Fleischers show so little aptitude for -or interest in-realistic animation styles. Superman and Lois Lane are at their most wooden. So is the story's villain, a mad scientist. But the scientist's raven is wildly alive, like any real Fleischer creation, and the film sneaks in as many raven's-eye glimpses as possible. Heroic human figures have little to do with the grim, witty hallmarks of the Fleischers' imagination."
I must disagree with the Times' opinion. If one was to look at Superman comic strips from this point of time, one would see that the Superman of the comic books and the Superman of the cartoons, looks essentially the same. Yes, the raven is the most "cartoon" like character in the cartoon, but the film is still enjoyable, and is a snapshot of what cartoons were like right before the start of WWII.
Fleischer Studios did a decent job on a series of Superman shorts
llltdesq14 March 2001
This is the first of a series of Superman shorts done by the Fleischer Studios and the only one of the series nominated for an Oscar. The animation style is different and recognizable as Fleischer work and the cartoons hold up reasonably well, but there's nothing terrifically remarkable or special about this particular cartoon. Worth watching.
The Infant of Krypton Is Now the Man of Steel
utgard1413 December 2013
I love the Fleischer Superman cartoons. The animation is smooth and fluid with vivid colors. The distinct art-deco style, vintage science fiction imagery, and use of noirish shadows gave them a look unlike any other cartoons. The music and voice work is superb. They're fun, accessible, enduring animation classics.
This first of the Fleischer series is one of the finest animated shorts ever produced. After a brief rundown of Superman's origin, it wastes no time getting right into the plot. The Mad Scientist (voiced by Popeye's Jack Mercer) is threatening to use his death ray on the city. Newspaper editor Perry White assigns the story to his two best reporters, Clark Kent and Lois Lane. However, Lois wants to crack the story on her own so she hops in her plane and flies off. Yep, Lois Lane in this short is not only a fearless reporter but also an aviatrix! Needless to say if you are familiar with Superman at all, Lois is captured by the bad guy. It's up to Superman to save the day. But is he any match for the Mad Scientist's deadly weapon? This is a simple, fun, exciting cartoon. Some of the people today raised on "grim & gritty" comic books might scoff at certain elements, such as the Scientist's comical bird sidekick or the image of Superman punching the ray beams. Unfortunately these cynics miss the point entirely. This cartoon is pure unadulterated escapism. It's imaginative, fantastic fare for those who just want to smile for ten minutes.
This first of the Fleischer series is one of the finest animated shorts ever produced. After a brief rundown of Superman's origin, it wastes no time getting right into the plot. The Mad Scientist (voiced by Popeye's Jack Mercer) is threatening to use his death ray on the city. Newspaper editor Perry White assigns the story to his two best reporters, Clark Kent and Lois Lane. However, Lois wants to crack the story on her own so she hops in her plane and flies off. Yep, Lois Lane in this short is not only a fearless reporter but also an aviatrix! Needless to say if you are familiar with Superman at all, Lois is captured by the bad guy. It's up to Superman to save the day. But is he any match for the Mad Scientist's deadly weapon? This is a simple, fun, exciting cartoon. Some of the people today raised on "grim & gritty" comic books might scoff at certain elements, such as the Scientist's comical bird sidekick or the image of Superman punching the ray beams. Unfortunately these cynics miss the point entirely. This cartoon is pure unadulterated escapism. It's imaginative, fantastic fare for those who just want to smile for ten minutes.
Superman is the seventh of my reviews of Oscar-nominated cartoons for 1941
tonyvmonte-549737 March 2024
This is the seventh of the Oscar-nominated cartoons of 1941 I'm reviewing on this site, having previously done the same for George Pal's Rhythm in the Ranks, Friz Freleng's Rhapsody in Rivets, Walter Lantz' Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B, Rudolf Ising's The Rookie Bear, Hanna-Barbera's The Night Before Christmas, and Jack King's Truant Officer Donald. Like The Night Before Christmas, I had actually reviewed this before here under my previous username tavm. It's just as exciting as before and producer Max Fleischer and his brother Dave put together quite a fine start to the superhero cartoon series though despite Dave's director credit, the real work credit of that position should go to head animator Steve Muffati. So this historic short is highly recommended. Only three more of these nominees to go...
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