Max Fleischer's Superman: 1941-1942 DVD Review

Max Fleischer's Superman: 1941-1942 (2009)
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Synopsis: The Superman animated cartoons, commonly known as the "Fleischer Superman Cartoons" were a series of seventeen animated Technicolor short films, which were based upon the comic book character Superman. These groundbreaking theatrical shorts are the very first animated DC Comics Superman cartoons and the first cartoon entitled ?Superman? to be nominated for an Academy Award® (Short Film - Animated). Each cartoon is brimming with action and special effects, beautifully drawn and colored, braced with fabulous background paintings and brought to life with realistic movement. These animated shorts are seen as some of the finest, and certainly the most lavishly budgeted, cartoons produced during the Golden Age of animation.

Review: What do you say about the Fleischer Studios Superman cartoon? It has been a major influence on every animator since, most notably it highly influenced the cult favorite Batman: The Animated Series in both tone and design. A total of 17 cartoons were produced between 1941-1943 and released in theaters. The animation was ahead of its time, largely in part thanks to the huge budget at the time ($50,000 per short) and the technique of Rotoscoping.

This 2-disc collection has the complete collection of shorts. If you haven't seen these, you're in for a real treat. They honestly don't feel like something that could emerge from the early 1940s. They're still visionary and entertaining. The WWII progaghanda interlaced in the shorts help to date them, and also provide a great historical relic. This set is absolutely essential for any comic book fan, historian and animation collector! This set includes the new "The Man, The Myth, Superman" featurette, which has a great look at the concept of the superman.