While we are all used to seeing crossovers and intertwining timelines in TV, movies and comics these days, 46 years ago Hanna-Barbera brought together our favorite DC heroes in what for a lot of people was their first crossover - Super Friends.
Over 9 seasons the show evolved and made Saturday mornings exciting for children all around the world, 20 years before the concept of a live-action shared universe would be accepted by pop culture.
As comic fans, TV fans and movie fans - we owe a lot to the animated antics of the Super Friends.
For a more in-depth look at Super Friends, please check out our article in the news section of the app, or alternatively copy this link: SUPER FRIENDS -- The Original Shared Universe
All 9 seasons of Super Friends are available to watch right now on DC Universe
That’s a nifty, well researched article. I like the mention of the Super Powers toyline too. Super Powers is grand and always worth a mention.
To offer contrast, the Filmation DC shows were the first TV based DC shared universe. Superman starred in The New Adventures of Superman and he was also the leader of the Justice League of America in their short segments, which also starred The Atom, The Flash (who wore yellow gloves for some reason), Green Lantern and Hawkman. All of these characters also had their own starring material in The Superman/Aquaman Adventure Hour and The Batman/Superman Hour programs.
Superboy and the Teen Titans were also featured on those hour long shows, which were thankfully free of the goofy, created for the show(s) sidekicks that would come along under Hanna-Barbera’s stewardship.
As the article points out, in the long run, Hanna-Barbera did end up introducing more comic based heroes and villains in the Super Friends. The concept of a team of DC heroes was the basis of the show, and not in-between material as it had been with the Filmation Justice League.
Point being, Filmation started the idea of a shared DC animated universe, but Hanna-Barbera ran the idea in for substantially more creative touchdowns with Super Friends under its various monikers. The best of which is unequivocally The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians, due to absolutely zero annoying, goofy and pointless sidekicks, better character designs and as the article points out, Ernie Hudson of Ghostbusters fame voicing Cyborg and Adam West reprising the role of Batman.
I’m late for this party, but “Better late than never”. I remember the Super Friends on Saturday mornings. I’d wake right up as early as possible. In my family, the earliest to rise chose the channels. I especially liked the sound-effects. As far as DC went, I was hooked. Everybody’s fave (Superman) made each episode worthwhile. Oh! Let’s not forget the Wonder-Twins. They were always awesome.
Thanks for this thread. It takes me WAY back.
