This week’s batch of DVD releases is highlighted two Warner Home Video offerings of classic animated superhero action. Available for the first time on DVD, The New Adventures of Superman (1966) and The New Adventures of Batman (1977) are available as two separate, two-disc collector sets that provide nostalgic looks back at both Filmation Saturday morning cartoons based on the DC Comics franchises.
The New Adventures of Superman offers up 36 installments of the CBS cartoon series that introduced to the screen intrepid reporter Jimmy Olsen and such iconic villains as Lex Luthor and Brainiac. The 6-minute vignettes will be accompanied by a featurette titled Superman in 66, which explores how the ’60s era influenced the character of Superman and how Filmation brought that out on screen.
The New Adventures of Batman features the voices of Adam West and Burt Ward, who starred in the 1966 live-action series. The show has Batman, Robin and Batgirl battling various villains in Gotham City with the occasional help of Batmite, a dimensional imp. All 16 episodes are included, along with a doc titled Dark Versus Light’Filmation and the Batman. Through interviews with the president and publisher of DC Comics, the president of Warner Bros. Animation and others, the extra feature looks at the legacy of Filmation, its animation style and how the studio provided a lighter, more comical version of the brooding character introduced in the pages of Detective Comics. In addition, Filmation historian Michael Swanigan and Filmation founder Lou Schiemer provide commentary on two of the episodes. Each disc set retails for $26.99.
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Also available on DVD Today are the first two volumes of The Best of Casper the Friendly Ghost. These Classic Media releases each offer 12 digitally re-mastered theatrical Technicolor cartoon shorts from the 1950s. The shorts were previously released as part of the four-disc The Complete Harveytoons Collection DVD set, which came out in November of 2006. These stand-alone Casper collections list for $12.95 apiece.
Nintendo fans can also pick up The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3: The Complete Series. The three-disc set includes all 13 episodes, which have plumbers Mario and Luigi taking on the reptilian King Koopa and a host of other villains. Bonus materials include the writer’s bible, a gallery of background and concept art, and original songs from the series. The set carries a suggested retail price of $29.99.
