Review: ‘Max Fleischer’s Superman 1941-1942’

Robert Greenberger

Robert Greenberger is best known to comics fans as the editor of Who's Who In The DC Universe, Suicide Squad, and Doom Patrol. He's written and edited several Star Trek novels and is the author of The Essential Batman Encyclopedia. He's known for his work as an editor for Comics Scene, Starlog, and Weekly World News, as well as holding executive positions at both Marvel Comics and DC Comics.

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5 Responses

  1. Earl Baucom says:

    I think the "Adult Collector" warning has more to do with the WWII shorts like JAPOTEURS.

    • mike weber says:

      And "Jungle Drums", though that's also one of the ones the presents Lois as s fairly strong character in her own right…

  2. Anonymous says:

    Greenberger wrote, "The seventeen shorts, released by Paramount Pictures, were the closet anyone would come to bringing Superman to a live action feature film until Richard Donner achieved that goal in 1977 (and people have been trying to match that goal ever since)."Okay, you are placing the shorts above the SUPERMAN chapter serials, Bob; I guess I cam imderstand that. However, are you forgetting that Superman did get a live-action theatrical film (if a low-budget one) prior to 1977? It was SUPERMAN AND THE MOLE MEN (1951) starring George Reeves and Phyllis Coates; it served as the pilot for the ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN television series.I do wish that the Looney Tunes shorts–starring Bugs and Daffy, respectively–that parodied the Fleischers' toons had been included on the set as bonus features.Andrew Laubacher

  3. mike weber says:

    You don't count the 1948 serial "Superman" and the 1950 one, "Atom Man vs Superman", starring Kirk Alyn? Donner apparently considered it something of a milestone, since he had Noel Neill and Kirk Alyn in a (mostly cut) sequence in the film as Lois Lane's parents…(Alyn also played Blackhawk in a 1952 {i think} serial.)

  4. Linda Gold says:

    I didn't get to see these until I was an adult and so I clearly remember that moment. I was transfixed by the artwork. I think these may be the greatest cartoons ever done. Certainly, in my mind, they are the best superhero ones and just about the perfect superman.