Broken Frontier

Later this month, Warner Brothers will be releasing the second volume of their Super Friends DVDs. Feeding off the success of the popular Justice League cartoon series.

I didn’t know what to expect when I popped in these DVDs. As a kid I watched a lot of cartoons, but to be quite frank, I think I only saw Super Friends a couple times. But within 2 minutes of the first episode I was magically transported to a little kid again. These cartoons are the embodiment of what I remember cartoons being like. Even as an adult I can manage to look past the ridiculous plots and campy dialogue. Those elements are present, and sometimes they’ve enough to elicit a chuckle. But the plots are still fun.

Sadly, Super Friends was created before the era of smart; more adult animation was ushered in. But that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy them. Just because they don’t offer intelligent stories that make you think doesn’t mean they’re boring. These cartoons offer simple basic plots. They remind us of a simpler time in our lives. These episodes fit right in with the great animation of the 80’s like Masters of the Universe and Transformers.

As for special features, these DVDs don’t offer anything too exciting. I was hoping for a documentary or something. There’s a fun special on the second disk with celebrities talking about their thoughts on the Super Friends. My favorite of them is Paul Dini.

These DVDs are a must for any DC or cartoon junkie. I recommend them to anyone who watched cartoons in the 80’s, even if you’ve never seen the Super Friends, and even if you’re not a big DC Comic fan. Look for these DVDs to hit shelves May 24.

- J.P. Dorigo