The World's Greatest Super Friends Podcast

On September 8, 1973, the Super Friends premiered on the ABC Network.  Sixteen episodes were produced that repeated almost continuously for three years before being replaced with the All-New Super Friends Hour.  The Super Friends would continue in different iterations until 1983.  As the 50th anniversary rolls in, John and Dan decided to take a brief break from their Super Friends reviews to discuss this 50th anniversary.  They are joined by Chris Franklin from the JLUCast and Will Rogers, author of The Ultimate Super Friends Companion.

Superman "Neolithic Nightmare" JImmy Olson finds himself in an underworld where weird creatures all want to take a bite of him and it's up to Superman to rescue him. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension get back to the Hall of Justice and open another case from The Filmation Files, taking another look at Aquaman.  Joining them for this episode is Dan's son, Sam.  In it, the three discuss announcer Jackson Beck, the various creatures in the underworld, and the fear of quicksand in 60s and 70s television.  We'll be back in two weeks with our Super Friends review of the 10th episode of the second season.

"The Collector/Handicap/The Mind Maidens/Alaska Peril" Aired: November 5, 1977 Superman and Wonder Woman search the world for "The Collector" to retrieve stolen monuments.  Next, the Wonder Twins and their space monkey, Gleek, help a teen with a "Handicap" find his friend and learn that his handicap does not make him helpless.  Then the combined Justice League faces Medula and "The Mind Maidens".  Finally, Batman and Robin with special guest Apache Chief must rescue a pair a research assistants from an Abominable Snowman in "Alaska Peril". John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension are joined by Dan's son, Sam to discuss how the best team-up ever in Superman and Gleek, the problems with the main Super Friends story, and the coolness of Apache Chief. Dan references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

Aquaman "The Devil Fish" Aquaman must rescue a test pilot of a new and powerful submersible from Black Manta. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension get back to the Hall of Justice and open another case from The Filmation Files, taking another look at Aquaman.  In it, they discuss the Aquacave, the possibility that this could be a pilot for a "Sea Devils" series, and the cruelty of Aquaman.  We'll be back in two weeks with our Super Friends review of the 9th episode of the second season.

"Attack of the Giant Squid/Game of Chicken/The Water Beast/Volcano" Aired: October 29, 1977 Superman and Aquaman must stop an "Attack of the Giant Squid" on the shipping lines.  Next, the Wonder Twins and their space monkey, Gleek, find themselves tested when they try to stop two teens from engaging in a dangerous "Game of Chicken".  Them the combined Justice League faces the Manta and "The Water Beast".  Finally, Superman with special guest Samuri attempts to rescue an alien craft trapped in an active "Volcano". John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension discuss how badass Aquaman is this episode, the twist the Wonder Twin plot plays in their usually patterned story, Black Manta, and the powers set of Samuri. Dan references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

The Teen Titans "Operation Rescue" The Titans journey to a hidden civilization of mutant humanoids who are holding an exploerer and his son captive. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension get back to the Hall of Justice and open another case from The Filmation Files, taking another look at Aquaman.  This time around, the two take a look at another of the Teen Titan shorts.  In it, they discuss Titans headquarters, the sexist nature of the boys to Wonder Girl, and the nicknames they give each other.  We'll be back in two weeks with our Super Friends review of the seventh episode of the second season.

"The Invisible Menace / Initiation / Coming of the Arthropods / River of Doom" Aired: October 22, 1977 Superman and Aquaman must find a secret weapon that has been stolen by  "The Invisible Menace".  Then, those Wonder Twins, Zan and Jayna with their space monkey, Gleek, must save a young teen when his "Initiation" goes horribly wrong.  Next, the combined forces of the Justice League must face the "Coming of the Arthropods".  And finally, Wonder Woman, with special guest Riomo travels to the Amazon to rescue geologists from the "River of Doom". John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension discuss Rima being cooler than Aquaman, the influences this episode had on Superman: The Movie and the character design of the Arthropods. Dan references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

Filmation Batman 1968 Bluray The wait is finally over!  The Filmation 1968 Batman Bluray set is now available for ordering! Follow the link here to get your copy from Amazon. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension get back to the Hall of Justice and open another case from The Filmation Files, this time discussing this long awaited Bluray release.  In it, they talk about the wonderful clarity of the picture, the packaging both good and bad, and the disappointing menu.  We'll be back in two weeks with our Super Friends review of the seventh episode of the second season.

Aquaman "The Volcanic Monster" A creature of lava is created when a volcano explodes and it's up to Aquaman, Aqualad, Tusky, Storm, Imp and a fleet of sea creatures including dolphins to take the being down before it boils the ocean. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension get back to the Hall of Justice and open another case from The Filmation Files, taking another look at Aquaman.  This episode was recorded when there was news that the Filmation cartoons were being removed from HBO Max.  Since then, it appears the cartoons are still available to watch, but we still offer this love letter to these HD versions with a look at an episode that really shows how well the process works with these 60s cartoon.  We'll be back in two weeks with our Super Friends review of the seventh episode of the second season.

"The Enforcer / The Shark / Planet of the Neanderthals / Flood of Diamonds" Aired: October 15, 1977 Wonder Woman and Aquaman race to rescue an underworld civilization from "The Enforcer".  Then, those Wonder Twins, Zan and Jayna with their space monkey, Gleek, must save a pair of boys from "The Shark".  Next, the combined forces of the Justice League are catapulted into the strange "Planet of the Neanderthals".  And finally, Aquaman, with special guest Green Lantern travels to South Africa to rescue trapped miners in a "Flood of Diamonds". John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension discuss Aquaman's insecurities, the pop culture references in "Planet of the Neanderthals", and the dark rich tan of Green Lantern. Dan references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

Green Lantern "Sirena, Empress of Evil" Green Lantern must come to the aid of Kyro and test pilot Tom when their expermiental ship is brought down by Sirena, Empress of Evil.  But the whole thing is a trap for GL as she plans to attack Oa and the Guardians of the Universe John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension get back to the Hall of Justice and open another case from The Filmation Files, taking another look at Green Lantern.  In it, they discuss the Ambiguously Gay Duo, the proper name of the alien bird and the crude animation in this story.  We'll be back in two weeks with our Super Friends review of the sixth episode of the second season.

"The Monster of Dr. Droid / Vandals / Super Friends vs. Super Friends / Energy Mass" Aired: October 8, 1977 Wonder Woman and Superman team up once again to stop the rampage of "The Monster of Dr. Droid".  Next, the Wonder Twins must save a pair of teen "Vandals" who are trapped in a plummeting school elevator.  Then, the combied Justice League find themselves trapped in an underwater gladiatorial game when it's "Super Friends vs. Super Friends". Finally, Batman, Robin and special guest, the Atom, race to stop a speeding bullet train when it is taken over by an "Energy Mass". John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension discuss the stylish clothing of an android, the insecurity of Aquaman, and the goofiness of the Atom. Dan references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

The Atom "The Plant Master" A plane of professors from Ivy University is forced down on an island where experiments are being conducted on plants in a quest to take over the world. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension get back to the Hall of Justice and open another case from The Filmation Files, this time looking at the Atom.  In it, they discuss the off-model look of the Atom, the Golden Age Atom, and the well dressed Ray Palmer. We'll be back in two weeks with our Super Friends review of the fifth episode of the second season.

"Doctor Fright / Drag Race / Plant Creatures / Fire" Aired: October 1, 1977 Wonder Woman and Superman team up to stop the fear gas of "Doctor Fright".  Next, the Wonder Twins must save a group of teens when their car goes out of control during a "Drag Race".  Then, the combied Justice League must rescue Florida City from an invasion of "Plant Creatures".  Finally, Batman, Robin and special guest. Rima, must rescue a family and two escaped convicts trapped in a forest "Fire". John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension discuss the odd call of including Rima, the better than John thought "Plant Creatures" and the narc that always sells out the kids in the Wonder Twins. Dan references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

Batman and Superman on Sesame Street In 1969, Filmation's versions of Batman and Superman appeared in educational shorts for the premiere season of the program. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension get back to the Hall of Justice and open another case from The Filmation Files, this time looking at the Filmation shorts that aired on the first season of Sesame Street.  In it, they discuss the new animation used for some of the sequences, the odd choices for some of the subject matter and the possible reasoning behind being involved with the program in the first place. We'll be back in two weeks with our Super Friends review of the third episode of the second season.

"Invasion of the Hydronoids / Hitchhike / City in a Bottle / Space Emergency" Aired: September 24, 1977 Batman, Robin and Aquaman must stop an "Invasion of the Hydronoids.  Next, the Wonder Twins teach a lessson in how dangerous it is to "Hitchhile".  Then, the combied Justice League travel to another world to save a "City in a Bottle".  Finally, Wonder Woman and special guests. Hawkman and Hawkgirl, must rescue Skylab and Space Shuttle in a "Space Emergency". John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension discuss the Brave and the Bold vibe of the first story, the creepiness of the Wonder Twins story, and the differences between Filmation and Ruby Spears Hawkman, along with the introduction of Hawkgirl. Dan references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

Hawkman"A Visit to Venus" Hawkman must rescue three astronausts held captive on Venus. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension get back to the Hall of Justice and open another case from The Filmation Files. They talk about how Hawkman became cool to them as adults, Skreel - the red hawk assistant, and Hawkman's cool space craft. We'll be back in two weeks with our Super Friends review of the third episode of the second season.

"The Secret Four / Tiger on the Loose/ The Mysterious Time Creatures / The Antidote" Aired: September 17, 1977 Batman, Robin and Superman must stop The Secret Four from upsetting the world's oil supplies.  Next, the Wonder Twins teach two lessons when there's a "Tiger on the Loose".  Then, the combied Justice League takes on Dicktor and his quest to conquor time.  Finally, Wonder Woman and special guest, Apache Chief race to obtain much needed snake venom, but first they must get past the giant cobra, Katuru. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension discuss the World's Finest vibe of the opening story, the unusual choices of forms in the Wonder Twins story and the 70s porn stache of Kalmo. Dan references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

Aquaman "Trio of Terror" Aquaman and Aqualad deal with a three prong attack from The Brain, Vassa, and Black Manta. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension get back to the Hall of Justice and open another case from The Filmation Files. They talk about the need for toys based on the villain's vehicles, how cool and useful Tusky is as an animal sidekick, and the actual plot that is seen in this particular episode as opposed to the gimmick that many of these stories had. We'll be back in two weeks with our Super Friends review of the second episode of the second season.

"The Brain Machine / The Joy Ride / The Invasion of the Earthors / The Whirlpool" Aired: September 10, 1977 Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman must stop a scientist from taking over the world with his brain machine.  Next, the Wonder Twins teach two kids about the dangers of joyriding.  Then, the combied Justice League takes on the underworld meance of the Earthors.  Finally, Aquaman and special guest, Black Vulcan race to rescue an oil tanker heading towards a Whirlpool! John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension discuss the introduction of the Wonder Twins, the various story and interest segments of the new season and the fascination with magic.  Plus, they also compare the two versions of the theme song so far. John references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

Superboy "The Terrible Trio" Superboy teaches three school bullies a lesson in a very sadistic way John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension get back to the Hall of Justice and open another case from The Filmation Files. They talk about the legal wrangling when it comes to Superboy and streaming options, the sadistic bent of Superboy and the animation style used in the episode when it comes to portraying teens. We'll be back in two weeks with our Super Friends review of the first episode of the second season.

"The Water Men" Aired: December 22, 1973 The Super Friends deal with an alien race that is causing ecological damage to the area around the Great Barrier Reef with their quest to refuel their vessel John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension are joined by Chris Franklin, host of the JLUCast as they discuss the final episode of the first season of The Super Friends.  In it, they talk about the Wonder Net, the lack of story devoted to Wendy and Marvin, and the lack of scale in the animation in this particular episode. John references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

The Brady Kids "It's Greek to Me" Marlin accidently sends the Brady Kids and Diana Prince back to the ancient Greece in the time of the first Olympics.  The kids compete in the games as Marlin and Diana work out a way to get back home with the aid of Wonder Woman. Chris Franklin of the JLU Podcast, part of the Fire and Water Network, joins John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension to discuss this unlikely team-up. They talk about the 40s model Wonder Woman used in the episode, the unusual choice of Diana Prince, librarian, and what kind of animal sidekick Wonder Woman would have if Filmation made a comedy animated series for her in the Brady Kids vein.  Plus, Dan reveals his secret love for the Bradys. We'll be back in two weeks with our Super Friends review of "The Water Men", the final episode of the first season.

"The Planet Splitter" Aired: December 15, 1973 The Super Friends must stop a well intentioned scientist from trying to save the Earth by creating another disaster that could affect the Earth. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension are joined by Michael Bailey, host of the The Fortress of Baileytude as they discuss the penultimate episode of the first season of The Super Friends.  In it, they talk about the comic accuracy of the telling of the Superman origin, the casual nature of Robin's talking about his parents' death, and the drug habits of Marvin that Superman and Batman discover. John references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

Superman "The Pernicious Parasite" I.C. Harris, an expert in stealing radioactive isotopes bites off more than he can chew when he tries to steal Galaxy Four.  He becomes a being who can absorb the strength of anyone close to him, including Superman We have to thank Michael Bailey of The Fortress of Baileytude for joining us to discuss this episode he suggested. Together with John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension, they discuss the differences between Filmation and the DC Comics version of Parasite, the Boomerang and USA Network runs of the Filmation cartoons and the possibilty that Superman killed a man. We'll be back in two weeks with our Super Friends review of "The Planet Splitter".

"Gulliver's Gigantic Goof" Aired: December 8, 1973 Each of the Superfriends are being reduced in size and only one person can save them - Green Arrow. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension are back talking another episode of The Super Friends.  The discussion focuses on the first and only appearance of Green Arrow, on how this story stands out from other first season episodes, and how familiar the design of Igor the cat is. John references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

Aquaman "The Crimson Monster from the Pink Pool" It's another stop the monster episode as Aquaman, Aqualad, Tusky and pretty much the entire local sea life try to stop an acid-throwing monster from a nearby pink pool from destroying everything in its path. It may sound completely hokey, but John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension really dig this episode.  They discuss Dan's continued love for Tusky, the lack of backgrounds in this particular story, and the three basic stories one can find in this series. We'll be back in two weeks with our Super Friends review of "Gulliver's Gigantic Goof".

"The Mysterious Moles" Aired: December 1, 1973 Important research projects have been closed down and the Superfriends are called in to find and restore missing air conditioning units. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension are back talking another episode of The Super Friends.  The discussion focusses on how weak a villain the Moles are, an actual fight (of sorts) on the first season of Super Friends, and how ineffectual Superman is in this episode. John references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

Aquaman "The Sea Raiders" Aquaman has his hands full with an alien sea dragon keeping him from rescuing captured earth sea life from alien hunters. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension are back in the Hall of Justice and they're discussing this episode that was not what John expected when he read the description.  They discuss how cool Tusky was, hard water balls, and Aquaman's arsenal of technology. We'll be back in two weeks with our Super Friends review of "The Mysterious Moles".

"The Menace of the White Dwarf" Aired: November 24, 1973 The Raven has escaped from prison and swears revenge on Superman who put him there.  He obtains a collapsed white dwarf and uses it to collect items from around the country, getting the attention of the Super Friends. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension are back talking another episode of The Super Friends.  They discuss how Raven is the only true villain in the season, the amount of science featured in this episode, and Alex Toth's designs. John references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

Superman "The Iron Eater" Superman must contend with a shape-shifting iron eating monster from space. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension are back in the Hall of Justice and they're discussing this episode that moves fast, has a really rudimentary looking monster, and is still a lot of fun.  They get into discussing the 1940's radio show whose main cast and narrator return for this cartoon series, the theme song, and the logic of Filmation stories. We'll be back in two weeks with our Super Friends review of "The Menace of the White Dwarf".

"The Ultra-Beam" Aired: November 17, 1973 Hank and Ben are two men who believe the world would be better offer without gold to tempt the greed of humanity and they have devised a beam that can extract the metal from the earth which they then convert to another metal.  The problem is, this extraction is causing issues with the planet and the Super Friends are called in to investigate. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension are back talking another episode of The Super Friends.  In this episode, they discuss the lack of the use of the term alchemy in a plot that revolves around it, the odd bouncy shoes of one of the characters and the music of the first season. John references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

Aquaman "The War of the Quatix and the Bimphar" Aquaman, Aqualad, and Tusky are sent on a mission to explore an alien world.  While there, they get caught up in a war between the two indigenous races. John and Dan discuss this story that is an actual story, even if it is a short one.  They talk about the designs used for the alien world and the mission base on Earth, the sequel potential for this story, and the Star Trek like solution to the problem. We'll be back in two weeks with our Super Friends review of "The Ultra Beam".

"The Fantastic Frerps" Aired: November 10, 1973 King Plasto has plans to create a kingdom made of plastic, but to do it, he needs to steal government shipments of a special form of plastic which brings in the Super Friends to investigate. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension are back talking another episode of The Super Friends, one that John remembers fondly from his youth. In this episode, they discuss if the episode holds up to John's memories, John cosplaying as King Plasto, and the "science" of the Super Friends. John references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

The Teen Titans "The Monster Machine" A monster from the stars attacks and the Teen Titans are called in to repel it.  But it turns out there are more than one mechanical monster and they're all being guided by a super computer. John and Dan celebrate the 55th anniversary of The Teen Titans and the 40th anniversary of The New Teen Titans by taking a look at one of the three shorts Filmation produced by Filmation for the Aquaman TV show.  They discuss how the characters match with their comic book counterparts, the groovy dialogue, and why Robin is not part of the animated team. We'll be back shortly with our Super Friends review of "The Fabulous Frerps".

"The Balloon People" Aired: November 3, 1973 An alien family comes to Earth in the hopes of finding a home and starting over after watching their own world fall apart from pollution.  But a ruthless scientist will stop at nothing to capture them and learn their secrets.  The Super Friends take on the role of the guardians of the aliens, but they are more than able to take care of themselves. John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension are again at odds over the merits of this episode.  They discuss the potential for the Balloonians to become a cartoon series of its own, the fashion choices of Robin, and how a dopey lackey can ruined a potentially great villain. John references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

Green Lantern "Evil is as Evil Does" December 23, 1967 Evil Star escapes from prison and makes his way to Earth to attack Green Lantern.  But when he fails to defeat the Emerald Warrior, he travels to Oa, disables the Guardians and prepares for a final confrontation. John and Dan return to the sea to discuss the 80th anniversary of Green Lantern, the vocal talents of Paul Frees and Gerald Mohr, and the differences and similarities with issue #44 of Green Lantern. We'll be back shortly with our Super Friends review of "The Balloon People".

Aquaman "The Rampaging Reptile Men" September 9, 1967 The Reptile Men attack an Atlantean power station and retreat when Aquaman arrives.  He follows them to their under water grotto where he discovers an entire civilization. John and Dan discuss the last story in the first airing of Aquaman.  This discussion includes a look at the Aqualab, the design of the Reptile Men, and issue #35 of Aquaman from a few months earlier where the Atlanteans give up their ability to breathe underwater. Join us in a few weeks as we return with a new Super Friends review, "The Balloon People" and follow that up with a look at a Green Lantern short for our next Filmation Files.

"The Androids" Aired: October 27, 1973 A lunar mission returns to Earth, but the astronauts are missing.  The Super Friends are brought in to investigate and soon discover that the entire space program is endangered by a scientist and his army of androids.  John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension are at odds over how good this episode is. Together, they discuss how much like a Batman 66 episode this story is, how much the space program meant to us, and how the cartoon was mirroring the Superman comics of the time. John references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

The Flash "To Catch a Blue Bolt" November 25, 1967 Blue Bolt returns to Earth with thoughts of revenge against the Flash.  So he sets off on a world wind havoc tour with the Flash and Kid Flash right behind him. John and Dan discuss an episode of The Flash on his 80th anniversary.  They talk about the Speed Force, the plot holes that do not matter in what is an exciting story, and the changes in Kid Flash's costume compared to the comics of the time. Join us in a few weeks as we return with a new Super Friends review, "The Androids" and follow that up with a look at another of the Filmation Aquaman shorts.

"Too Hot to Handle" Aired: October 20, 1973 Earth's temperatures are rising causing catastrophes that the Super Friends must respond to all the while being observed by a strange little man in a fur coat.  The only way to stop it is to enlist the aid of The Flash, but even then, things escalate to the point that the Super Friends must travel to a distant world to save another world from destruction.  For John and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension this episode stands out as the best of the first season. There is much to praise from the writing, to the animation, to the limited use of Wendy and Marvin, to the early warning message of global warming.  In addition, the two discuss The Flash vs. Superman, how to pronounce robot, and how to obtain a Mego action figure with no money and no physical material. John references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

The Justice League of America "Between Two Armies" September 9, 1967 Two worlds at war with Earth in the middle of the battlefield.  It's up to the JLA to stop this from destroying the planet.   John and Dan discuss the first JLA adventure by pointing out how, save for Superman, there is something about each of the other characters that is somewhat off-model from their comic book versions, noting the voice actors for this series, and commenting on how the JLA was the weakest of the "guest hero" cartoons from Filmation. Join us in a few weeks as we return with a new Super Friends review, "Too Hot to Handle" and follow that up with a look at another of the Filmation hero shorts.

"The Shamon U" Aired: October 13, 1973 A scientist has discovered the means to mine the skies above for gold from passing meteors.  But his get rich quick scheme has a horrible after effect for the ecology of our planet and the Super Friends must stop him before it's too late.  John is making this episode sound better than what it seems in his opinion, while Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension finds some things to praise about the story.  Together, they discuss the James Bondian nature of some of these stories, the vocal talents of Shannon Farnon, and the usefulness of Aquaman in these early episodes. John references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

Aquaman "Menace of the Black Manta" September 9, 1967 We take a slight detour from our look at the Super Friends with the precursor to the series, the Filmation cartoons.  The DC Universe was covered on television from 1966-1969 on CBS television with most of the major heroes given their own venue to shine, and among them was Aquaman.   John and Dan discuss the first episode shown in his adventures.  It's completely different from their look at Filmation's Batman and that's not a bad thing.  They talk about the frenetic pace of the story, Bob Haney, the writer of the episode as well as of the comic book at the time, and how cool a villain Black Manta is. Join us in a few weeks as we return with a new Super Friends review, "The Shaman U" and follow that up with a look at one of the Filmation Justice League of America stories.

"Dr. Pelagian's War" Aired: October 6, 1973 A Nemo-esque environmentalist demands the world's industrialists change their polluting ways or face the consequences. And then it's a race against time as the Super Friends must "convince" three holdouts.  While the last episode didn't meet with Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension's approval, he has to admit that this may be the best of the first five stories and it does have a lot going for it.  Together, they discuss the origin of the name Pelagian, the darker tones this episode takes while also having some of the best humorous bits to date, the importance and strength of Aquaman in this first season, and his unexplained relationship with Pelagian. John references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

  "The Weathermaker" Aired: September 30, 1973 A series of freak weather events around the Florida panhandle keeps the Super Friends busy as they must answer a series of weather-related emergency calls.  But what is causing it?  Batman and Robin are kept on the move as they track down the perpetrator, Dr. Thinkwik.   This may turn out to be the shortest episode of the podcast.  Despite John's saying he enjoyed the story, he couldn't really explain why and Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension wasn't giving him anything to work with as he didn't care for the episode.  They do discuss the ever changing powers of Wonder Woman in the series, the tell, don't show aspect of many scenes in this first season, and they debate Wonder Dog vs. Gleek. John references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

  "Professor Goodfellow's GEEC" Aired: September 23, 1973 Professor Goodfellow has developed the means to make humanity's life so much more simpler - the GEEC - a computer system that will run the world and handle all the tasks that occupy humanity and keep them from reaching their full potential.  He offers it for free to the world when the US government passes on getting involved.  At first, it all seems fine, until a malfunction causes worldwide havoc. While Superman and Aquaman race to rescue as many people as possible, Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman must infiltrate the GEEC complex and shut the computer down. Sounds great, doesn't it?  On paper, it is a great idea, but as John is joined by 13th Dimension webmaster Dan Greenfield to discuss this episode, they discover that being a Saturday morning cartoon in the thick of Congress's crackdown on violence, the story is simplified and so much is missing.  They talk about the story ideas missing in the concept, the appearance of Plastic Man, and comment on the phenomenon of computers gone bad in the 60s and 70s. John references The Ultimate Super Friends Companion by Will Rodgers.  Check it out for yourself by purchasing a copy via Amazon.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

"The Baffles Puzzle" Aired: September 15, 1973 At first, it seems to Batman like a simple matter for the police when all the encyclopedias disappear from the library.  But when Colonel Wilcox of the Secret Department of Investigation contacts the Super Friends to prevent the stealing of French lithographs, things get serious as the scent of almonds connects the two events.  It's a race then to stop the theft of $5 million while dealing with a series of threats and trying to located the missing Junior Super Friends. John is joined by 13th Dimension webmaster Dan Greenfield to discuss this episode that sounds like it has more going for it than the pervious one.  At least, it seems that way to John.  There are many firsts for the series here, including the appearance of Clark Kent, Kryptonite, and Colonel Wilcox.  In addition, John and Dan discuss the animation choices of the episode, Wonder Woman's powers, and the cast taking on other voices.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter  

"The Power Pirate" Aired: September 8, 1973 The premiere of The World's Greatest Super Friends Podcast debuts with a look at the very first episode from 1973.  Strange power drains have the Super Friends gathered to investigate and help in rescue caused by the power failures.  What is causing it and how does Sir Cedric Cedric of Scotland Yard fit into all of this? John is joined by 13th Dimension webmaster Dan Greenfield to discuss each and every episode of The Super Friends from 1973 to its conclusion in 1985 (strangely enough 93 episodes in total).  In the premiere podcast, the two discuss the voice actors involved in the show, the tonal shift of Olan Soule and Casey Kasum in playing Batman and Robin compared to their run on Filmation's 68 Batman show, and the iconic theme song that still gets the heart racing with it plays.   Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.   Links 13th Dimension Website Facebook page Twitter