Wednesday, December 20, 2023

The All-New Super Friends Hour: The Brain Machine (1977)

 



This is the first segment of the first episode of The All-New Super Friends Hour, unlike most other Super Friends formats, this one had hour long episodes that were made up of various shorter cartoons. The first segment would be an adventure staring two members (or three in some cases as Batman and Robin would often team with another Super Friend) of the Super Friends. The second would be a morality play staring the Wonder Twins. The third would be a typical half hour Super Friends adventure. The fourth and last segment would feature one of the main Super Friends teaming up with a special DC Comics guest star. 

In this opening cartoon, an evil scientist named Doctor Cranum creates a machine that can enhance someone's mental capacities. After using this machine on himself he becomes an advanced man of the future, whose superior intellect even gives him telekinetic and telepathic abilities. He gets his idea to use to his machine to turn the whole world into a race like him. 

This is a really fun episode. It is pure delightfully corny superhero fun. Doctor Cranum is a very fun villain. I like that though he is very clearly in the wrong he views himself as benevolent and kind in this situation. His design after using the machine on himself is a lot of fun. It may not be especially original but it is a fun design that works very well. Also wonderful (pun intended) is the design of Wonder Woman after she is transformed by the machine. The way the villain uses his powers is also a lot of fun and leads to some imaginative and fun action scenes. Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman are also very well used here. 

So remember kids, "no one can force his will on others, no matter how good his intentions may be."   



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