There’s more Warner Bros. animated superhero action available on home video today as the company releases Batman Beyond: Season 2, Justice League Unlimited Season 1 and Krypto, the Superdog: Volume 2. Superheroes of an entirely different breed are featured in Saturday Night Live: The Best of Saturday TV Funhouse, a compilation of adult cartoons from Emmy-winning SNL writer Robert Smigel.
In Batman Beyond, an aging Bruce Wayne hands the role of Batman down to troubled teen Terry McGinnis, whose father was murdered by the new head of Wayne Enterprises. This Batman is leaner and wears a high-tech suit that is all black save for a bright red bat on the chest. The four-disc DVD set contains all 26 episodes from the second season, as well as commentary and a panel discussion with some of the show’s creators. Fans can pick it up for the list price of $44.98.
Batman is also featured in Justice League Unlimited Season 1, a four-disc set with 26 episodes for the 2001 show featuring a conglomerate of DC Comics favorites. Bonus materials include commentary by producer Bruce Timm and others on the episodes “This Little Piggy” and “The Return”; a featurette discussing the revamping of the show, new characters and a new direction; and an interactive featurette titled Themes of Justice. The set carries a suggested retail price of $44.98.
Superman’s canine pal takes center stage in Krypto, the Superdog: Volume 2. The disc contains five episodes of the Cartoon Network comedy series for younger kids. In this cartoon throwback, Kal-El’s pooch jettisons to Earth after orbiting countless years in space as a test-pilot aboard a malfunctioning rocketship built by Jor-El. Having landed, the super pup finds companionship in a young boy named Kevin Whitney and together they combat threats to the safety and well-being of the people and animals of Metropolis. The release includes an extra feature titled Power Up!, a rundown of Krypto’s Special Powers, and lists for $14.98.
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Saturday TV Funhouse features classic installments of The Ambiguously Gay Duo, The X-Presidents, Saddam and Osama and Fun with Real Audio, as well as animated appearances by Michael Jackson and Oprah. The irreverent toons were initially animated by JJ Sedelmaier Prods. and later picked up by Wachtenheim & Marianetti.
On the DVD, Smigel provides commentaries along with members of the animation teams including David Wachtenheim, Robert Marianetti and JJ Sedelmaier. Also commenting are Gay Duo voicers Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert, and many celebrities who’ve been parodied on Funhouse including Mr. T, Al Franken, Bryant Gumbel, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and James Carville. Other bonus features include original art, storyboards and more than an hour of additional, un-cut cartoons, some of which have never aired on TV. The Universal Studios Home Entertainment release lists for $19.98
Leave a Reply