The New Super Friends: World Beneath the Ice (1978)

 

A fun episode. 

In this episode a civilization living beneath the North Pole unleashes an ice age upon the surface world. The Super Friends try to stop this from happening but they freeze all of them. Aquaman escapes and he must rescue the rest of the Super Friends. 

There is a lot to enjoy about this episode. It is great to see Aquaman take the spotlight, since he is often kept in the background. Though many have written off Aquaman as kind of a joke superhero (luckily the recent live action DC movies (including the upcoming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)), seem to be making people realize what a cool character he actually is. Here he proves why he is not just a joke. He gets some wonderful time to shine here, including some really fun action sequences. Yet though Aquaman is the main character of this episode, the rest of the Super Friends all get their time to shine as well. This is especially true in the episode's really fun action scenes. This episode also benefits from great artwork that gives a good sense of atmosphere that adds to the fun. The main villain also has a great design and a wonderful villain voice. 

I do think this episode could have benefited from a longer runtime, as certain things went by too quickly. As we don't see much of the main superheroes' personal lives in this series, it was delightful to see Aquaman in Atlantis and see some of his friends there. Unfortunately, this only lasted for a tiny bit of the runtime. They could have cut out some of Gleek the Space Monkey's terrible excuses for comic relief and given us more time in Atlantis at least. Still, these are not major complaints, and it is a good thing when a cartoon leaves you wanting more.

This is a really fun episode and a delight to fans of the series. 

The New Super Friends: The Anti-Matter Monster (1978)

 

A delightfully fun episode. 

This episode has a very simple but effective storyline. Some scientists in Gotham are experimenting with anti-matter, when a mysterious mask-wearing figure takes over the controls and unleashes an anti-matter monster upon the world. It is open to the Super Friends to stop this monster.

There is a lot to enjoy here. The episode may have a very simplistic and basic storyline, but that is part of the charm. There is something just simply satisfying about seeing superheroes fighting a giant monster and this episode provides us all the fun we could want from such a premise. It doesn't hurt that the monster has a wonderful design and the action scenes are quite well done. The climatic action scene is also a lot of fun. Not only is this monster a lot of fun, but the masked villain behind all this is also a lot of fun. The dialogue in this episode is also the wonderful type of corny superhero fun that I love so much. The dialogue between Batman and Robin reminds of the 1966 Batman TV show and movie in the best way possible and Superman and Wonder Woman, also get some of this fun dialogue. I especially love Superman as Clark Kent stating, "every nosy reporter should have x-ray vision." This episode also benefits from great detailed background work that really brings a sense of atomsphere. It is also delightful to see Superman and Wonder Woman out of their superhero identities, as that is something that isn't common enough in this show. 

As someone who can't stand Gleek the space monkey, I could have done without his "comedic" interaction with a robot though. 

If you like me, love the corny side of superheroes, this episode is a pure delight. 

The New Super Friends: Terror from the Phantom Zone (1978)

 

One of my favorite episodes. 

In this episode, three Kryptonian criminals escape from the Phantom Zone, due to the radiations of a comet. The three were originally captured by Superman and are looking for revenge on their old foe. Unfortunately the criminals have found red kryptonite and use it against Superman, making him age rapidly. Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Batman, Robin and the Wonder Twins must save the day and their good friend. 

This is a really fun episode with a lot to recommend it. With three villains that are as strong as Superman and the Man of Steel being helpless creates a real feeling of suspense. The scenes with Superman looking onward, powerless to help, have a certain emotional poignancy that makes this a unique entry in the Super Friends franchise. The fact that their goal is not destruction or taking over the world, but simply to make the most powerful of the Super Friends feel completely powerless in a way he never has before, make them some of the most engaging villains in this series. Seeing how easily they can defeat the other Super Friends, also makes this a much more unique and suspenseful episode. 

This episode also benefits from wonderful artwork. I love how the Phantom Zone is pure black and that all the characters are presented as simple outlines (the robotic sound of their voices also adds a lot to the atmosphere). I also love how this episode allows us to visit various locations allowing for more of the wonderful background art and settings that help make this series so delightful. 

This is a wonderful episode and a must see for all Super Friends fans. 

The New Super Friends: The Beasts Are Coming (1978)

 

A really fun episode.

In this episode a satellite crashes in Death Valley. There it exudes radioactive energy that causes all the nearby animals to become giant monsters. The Super Friends go to try to find a way to turn this back to normal, but the radiation may have a major effect on the superheroes as well. This shows it ugly head when the radiation turns Wonder Woman and the Wonder Twins into giant monsters too. 

This is exactly the corny superhero fun that I adore. The premise is over the top and irresistibly fun. There is something so simple but so fun about superheroes fighting giant animals and this episode delivers all the fun you could want from such a premise. The action scenes are very fun and the designs of the giant animals are simply wonderful. The climax is especially fun and provides all the wonderful corny action-packed fun one could ever want. This also works heavily because of the pure fun of seeing the rest of our heroes having to face off against a giant monstrous Wonder Woman. Adding to this is the wonderful monster designs for her and the twins. You could never ask for a better design for a giant monstrous Wonder Woman then you have here. This episode also works due to delightful characterizations of the Super Friends and great background work. Death Valley ends up being a great setting for this superhero story. Once again there is a lot of detail and effort that went into these backgrounds. This gives the episode a delightfully unique feel to it. I also love the dialogue between Batman and Robin in this episode. It reminds me of the 1966 Batman show and movie in all the best ways.

This is exactly the kind of corny fun that makes this show so enjoyable. 

The New Super Friends: Sinbad and the Space Pirates (1978)

 

A fun little superhero adventure.

In this episode an evil pirate captain, named Sinbad of course, and his crew are traveling in their flying space pirate ships and robbing various cities around the world. The Super Friends come to stop them. 

I have always liked stories where superheroes are placed up against criminals without superpowers and yet those characters can come off as legitimate threats to our heroes. This episode does a very good job at providing such a story. These space pirates are not in any way typical super villains, yet the technology they have makes them completely believable as threats to our heroes. This even allows us to have some really fun action sequences. The scenes with these pirates up against Batman and Robin and with Aquaman especially stand out. The whole episode moves at a fast speed and never once loses the viewer's interest. Besides just being a non-superpowered threat, Sinbad is a great villain in quite a few ways. He has a wonderful design and a perfect voice. He is also very smart and the ways he uses his technology to stop the super friends are delightfully clever. This episode also includes some wonderful design work, both of the various cities around the world and of the space pirate ships. I also love that this episode allows us to see Superman briefly as Clark Kent. It is rare in Super Friends to see any of the superheroes in their secret identities and even if this is only for a brief moment, it is a nice little moment. However, the best thing about this episode is that Gleek the monkey is barely in it. 

This is simply put a really fun episode. 

The New Super Friends: Battle at the Earth's Core (1978)

 

One of my favorite of The New Superfriends episodes. 

When the Wonder Twins are on a nice boat ride, something pulls them down into the Earth's core. Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Robin and Aquaman all travel there to save our heroes. 

This episode shows perfectly why, I really enjoy this show. Despite the corny dialogue this episode is just what I want in a superhero adventure. It is highly imaginative and a lot of fun. The design of the prehistoric world at the Earth's core is incredibly fun and atmospheric. Obviously a lot of work went into the artwork in this episode and shows. This is simply a beautiful looking episode. The artwork also gives a feeling of something truly other worldly and yet it is all based off of familiar parts of nature we have all seen, just used in very creative ways. The creatures our heroes meet down there are wonderfully designed and creative. This episode also moves at a very fast speed and the story is never boring for a second. At the same time, it doesn't feel rushed in any way. The story may be familar but it is a lot of fun with some delightful action. The episode also makes good use of all of the Super Friends and not one of them doesn't contribute someway to saving the day.

 It is also wonderful that there is not much of Gleek here. I have never found that space monkey either funny or charming, and he is easily my least favorite part of this show. Luckily in this episode you hardly notice that he is there and that is a wonderful thing if you ask me. 

This is an episode that shows perfectly everything that makes me a fan of this show.