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{{quote| ''[[Narrator|Meanwhile, at the Hall of Justice...]]''}}
 
The show that determined more of what you (used to) know (or think) about superheroes than even the Adam West ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]''.
 
This long-running [[Hanna-Barbera]] series, which ran on ABC from 1973 to 1986, featured superheroes from [[The DCU|DC Comics]]. The core heroes were [[Superman (Comic Book)|Superman]], [[Wonder Woman]], [[Aquaman (Comic Book)|Aquaman]], [[Batman (Comic Book)|Batman]] and [[Nightwing|Robin]]. Originally, they were joined by "Junior Superfriends" Wendy, Marvin and [[Gratuitous Animal Sidekick|Wonder Dog]]. The series' first season, in 1973-4, consisted of hourlong stories, most of which concerned current issues such as energy conservation; the "criminal" was usually a [[Well-Intentioned Extremist]] with benign motives, who is usually [[Easy Evangelism|easily persuaded]] to a more reasonable stand at the end.
 
== '''Subsequent seasons could conceivably be considered separate series, not unlike ''[[Super Sentai]]'' AKA ''[[Power Rangers]]'': =='''
 
* The series was revived in 1977 as ''The All-New Superfriends Hour'', with some [[Retool|reworking]] of the concept. Most notably, the "Junior Superfriends" were replaced with the [[Voluntary Shapeshifter|shape-shifting]] [[Wonder Twins]], Zan and Jayna, and their [[Everything's Better Withwith Monkeys|monkey]], Gleek, who, unlike their predecessors, had actual semi-useful (if occasionally silly) superpowers. Episodes typically contained more action and less [[Anvilicious]] point-making and plodding stories. This and subsequent seasons included short segments on health, safety and stage magic. ''The All-New Superfriends Hour'' was divided into two parts: one half-hour episode, and another half hour of [[Three Shorts]], which typically followed a pattern: first, two of the original four heroes; then, a short spotlighting the new Wonder Twins; then, the main story with the entire team; and finally, an episode spotlighting one established hero and introducing another hero, who generally would later appear on the next series:
* ''Challenge of the Superfriends'' in 1978 had the largest cast of the various series: 11 heroes and 13 villains (see [[Heroes Unlimited]]). Three of the more notable heroes ''not'' present were the Wonder Twins and Gleek. By this time, the stories began to resemble those found in the actual comic books, although some of the heroes and villains existed only in animation, including four new "[[Captain Ethnic|Minority]]" heroes, Black Vulcan (Black), Apache Chief (Native American), El Dorado (Mexican), and Samurai (Asian). It also introduced the original [[Legion of Doom]], a group of the Superfriends' greatest enemies united to conquer the world with plans none of them could complete alone. The most fondly remembered series, it evolved as it went on. Most episodes focused on a [[MacGuffin]], and early episodes ended with a [[Villain Exit Stage Left]], as if actually capturing the Legion would end their threat, despite the fact that's ''never'' how it works in comic books (see [[Failure Is the Only Option]], [[Joker Immunity]], [[Cardboard Prison]]). Once they got over that, later episodes raised the stakes and had the Legion introduce ever greater threats, with episode titles starting to take on names like "The Final Challenge" and "Doomsday." The penultimate episode involved the Superfriends being picked off one by one by a "[[Applied Phlebotinum|Noxium Crystal]]" but ultimately being revealed as robots; the final episode ''begins'' [[After the End]], as we follow a group of [[Sufficiently Advanced Alien|Sufficiently Advanced Aliens]] as they encounter the scene and wonder what happened. It turns out the Legion fired a solar flare at Earth, and with Superman out of commission, the Superfriends activated their "global force field"; the mixture of the two bathed the earth in deadly radiation. It ultimately ends with the aliens using [[Time Travel]] to push the inevitable [[Reset Button]], ''moving the moon'' in the path of the flare (seriously). Originally was still part of an hour-long show; the episodes they ran with, which included the core five and the Wonder Twins, are now very rare and almost entirely forgotten, and the last six were out-and-out [[Missing Episode|Missing Episodes]] until a 2005 DVD release contained this entire group.
* ''World's Greatest Superfriends'', 1979: Core five members and the Wonder Twins. Only eight episodes; one [[Whole-Plot Reference]] after another. The only two exceptions are a [[Mirror Universe]] and an [[Homage]] to ''Superman The Movie''. Mostly ran with reruns originally, which helps explain it.
* From 1980-3, new episodes came in the form of shorts, which generally followed a subtle form of [[Three Shorts|A B A structure]], with A teaming one or two of the Core Five with another hero, almost always one appearing on ''Challenge'', although these shorts did introduce El Dorado, essentially a [[Token Minority]]. The second series aired in the first season not to be originally aired as an hour-long show. The third series were originally only shown abroad, as the show had been cancelled in the US, and made up another set of [[Missing Episode|Missing Episodes]] until the 1990s.
* The show was revived ''again'' in 1984 as the [[Merchandise-Driven]] ''Superfriends: The Legendary Super Powers Show,'' intended to tie in with the ''Super Powers'' toy line from Kenner. The show consisted of two 15-minute shorts, except for some two-part half-hours. It introduced Firestorm, who was so heavily spotlighted as to be accused of being a [[Marty Stu]]. This was also the series that introduced [[Darkseid]] and his fellow villainous [[New Gods]] of Apokolips to animation, a decade before ''[[Superman: theThe Animated Series]]'', although many aspects of his personality were toned down from the original, and he was given a bizarre fixation on making Wonder Woman his bride.
* ''The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians'', 1985. [[Hanna-Barbera]] gave the show a [[Retool]], eliminating all but one of the characters they created themselves (including the Wonder Twins), introducing Cyborg from the comic books (nearly twenty years before he next appeared in animation on ''[[Teen Titans (Animationanimation)|Teen Titans]]''), redoing the character designs, calling the group "The Super Powers Team" instead of the Superfriends, and adding a more [[Heroes Unlimited]] feel. The main connection to the previous series was the voices and the villains, as Darkseid was still around (now redesigned to look closer to how his creator, [[Jack Kirby]], intended). Some of the episodes were darker and more somber than prior ones. Especially the episode dealing with Batman's origin, which just may have the most powerful performance Adam West ever gave in the role.
 
And that was that, until ''[[Justice League]]'' came along. Many thanks to [https://web.archive.org/web/20080603141807/http://user1291318.sites.myregisteredsite.com/willsultimatesuperfriendsepisodeguide/index.html Will's Super Friends Episode Guide] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20080925065348/http://members.aol.com/SprFriends/index.htm Challenge of the Superfriends].
 
This show was very campy in its day, ''Challenge'' included (although the last couple of seasons began to veer away from this atmosphere), and used many of the [[Lazy Artist|worst]] [[Animation Tropes]]. Despite many of the superheroes' portrayals as rather bland, the show also had the unfortunate effect of inexplicably tainting the reputations of Aquaman and Hawkman among the general public (see [[This Looks Like a Job For Aquaman]]). Although Aquaman, especially recently, has been more of a [[King Arthur]] figure than a traditional brawler, the main problem was the show's general [[Media Watchdogs]]-induced abhorrence of violence and actual fighting. While Superman could fly, lift heavy things and melt metal things, Batman had his cool gadgets, and Wonder Woman had her invisible jet and Lasso of Truth, Aquaman could basically breathe under water and talk to animals, and Hawkman could fly ... and nothing else.
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See [http://www.seanbaby.com/super.htm Seanbaby's Super Friends Page] for a snarky and sarcastic take on the series.
{{tropenamer}}
----
== [[Trope Namer]] for: ==
 
* [[Legion of Doom]]
* [[Wonder Twin Powers]]
 
{{tropelist|Meanwhile, at the Hall of Troping...}}
 
* [[Absent-Minded Professor]]: Maximus Mole in the 1973-74 episode "The Mysterious Moles".
* [[Adaptational Weakling]]:
** [[Aquaman]]. His super strength and endurance, needed to withstand the crushing depths of the ocean, is often forgotten about by the writers (and the show's low level of violence meant it was less useful than one would expect even if they did) while his swimming is less than useful in a show where most action takes place on land. As a result his primary power in the show is his ability to talk to fish, which primarily matters [[This Looks Like a Job For Aquaman|when the writers design a plot around it]]. This version seen as having [[Ink Stain Adaptation|ruined the character's popular perception for '''two generations''']] until ''[[Batman: The Brave And The Bold]]'' and the [[Sleeper Hit]] movie became the primary version in popular consciousness.
** Many of the Legion of Doom qualify as well by virtue of the whole organization being rather ineffectual and incompetent. One can forget Sinestro is capable of slaughtering multiple Green Lanterns, or that Scarecrow forces people to experience their worst nightmares.
* [[Aliens Speaking English]]: Occurs in four 1973-74 season episodes.
* [[All There in the Manual]]: The Tv show never explained ''why'' Marvin and Wendy were there. The comics do, however: {{spoiler|Wendy's uncle was a policeman who trained and helped young [[Batman|Bruce Wayne]], and Marvin's mother was the woman whose name [[Wonder Woman]] took her civilian name from (Diana Prince).}}
* [[Amphibious Automobile]]: 1973-74 episode "The Weather Makers". The villains have a car that can operate as a speedboat.
* [[An Aesop]]: 1973-74 season episodes always had several, usually including: (1) Even in a good cause, always obey the law (2) Solve problems by thinking, not brute force (3) Protect the environment.
* [[And Knowing Is Half the Battle]]: Especially in ''All-New Super Friends'' where there are safety and health tips, a two part riddle pertaining the show's main story and simple arts and crafts projects.
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* [[Animated Series]]
* [[Art Evolution]]: The ''Galactic Guardians'' version has a significantly upgraded art style even compared to the series just one season prior.
* [[Artistic License: Biology]]: 1973-74 series episode "The Watermen''. When the title aliens extract silicon from sea water, it causes the sea water to immediately turn into [[wikipedia:Red tide|red tide]]. Just one problem: red tide is caused by microorganisms, not a lack of silicon. This is Lampshaded when Professor Matey notes that it should be impossible.
** Of course, these aliens also looked exactly like people and [[Aliens Speaking English|spoke English]], making the red tide gaffe rather minor in comparison.
* [[Aside Glance]]: Both Marvin and Wonder Dog in the 1973-74 series.
* [[As You Know]]: In the 1973-74 episode "Too Hot To Handle", Professor Von Knowalot explains basic solar system astronomy to the [[Super FriendsSuperfriends]].
* [[Badass in Distress]]: Wonder Woman tended to be kidnapped, brainwashed, or subject to the Legion of Doom's machinations more frequently than the rest of the Superfriends.
* [[Big Electric Switch]]: Superman uses one to send electricity through freon coils in the 1973-74 episode "Dr. Pelagian's War".
* [[Breaking the Fourth Wall]]: Wendy speaks to the audience in the 1973-74 episode "Dr. Pelagian's War".
* [[But What About the Astronauts?]]: A spell sending the Earth back to the Stone Age doesn't affect Skylab in space, and the astronauts help the Superfriends save the day.
* [[By the Lights of Their Eyes]]: 1973-74 episodes The Power Pirate", "The Planet Splitter" and "The Shamon U".
* [[Can't Get Away Withwith Nuthin']]: Most blatant in the original Wonder Twins solo stories where teenagers engage in some specific unacceptable activity and quickly find themselves in mortal peril because of it and the Twins have to rescue them.
* [[Canon Immigrant]]: The Wonder Twins immigrated into the mainstream DC Universe as members of the ''Justice League International'' spin-off, ''Extreme Justice''. Wendy and Marvin also appeared in a 2006 issue of ''[[Teen Titans (Comic Book)|Teen Titans]]'', one year after ''[[Crisis Crossover|Infinite Crisis]]''. {{spoiler|And then, Wonder Dog kills Marvin by mauling him to death and injures Wendy so seriously that she's left paraplegic.}}
** Apache Chief (and the rest of the ''Super Friends''-exclusive heroes) also appears in [[Captain Ersatz]] form in the DCAU, although with a [[Darker and Edgier]] backstory.
** The Wendy & Marvin in ''[[Teen Titans (Comic Book)|Teen Titans]]'' bore little resemblance to the the [[Super FriendsSuperfriends]] characters. They were fraternal twins, whereas the pair in the animated series were not related to one another.
** Wendy and Marvin later appeared in ''[[Young Justice (Animationanimation)|Young Justice]]'', appearing much closer to their original designs than they did in the comics.
** An analogue for Apache Chief/Longshadow has also been spotted in ''[[Young Justice (Animationanimation)|Young Justice]]''.
* [[Captain Ethnic]]: The Asian Samurai, the [[Department of Redundancy Department|Black]] Black Vulcan, the Native American Apache Chief, the Hispanic El Dorado.
* [[Captain Ersatz]]: They created Black Vulcan, an electrically powered black man, instead of using DC's existing electrically-powered black man, [[Black Lightning (Comic Book)|Black Lightning]]. Rumor has it that this stems from a creative rights dispute with Lightning's creator, Tony Isabella; decades later, DC refused to let Black Lightning appear as a [[Guest Star]] on ''[[Static Shock]]''. They couldn't use Black Vulcan either, so a new character, Soul Power, was created. How often do you get a [[Captain Ersatz]] ''of'' a [[Captain Ersatz]]?
** The dispute has apparently been resolved, as Black Lightning, as part of the Outsiders, has appeared on ''[[Batman: theThe Brave And The Bold (Animation)|Batman the Brave And The Bold]]''.
* [[Catch Phrase/Western Animation|Catchphrase]]
** Batman would say, "Great Gotham!"
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* [[Frickin' Laser Beams]]: 1973-74 episode "The Shamon U". One of Dr. Shamon's devices is a giant laser.
* [[Fun Personified]]: The Wonder Twins
* [[Fungus Humongous]]: 1973-74 episode "The Mysterious Moles". While exploring underground, Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog encounter a stream with giant mushrooms growing along the banks.
* [[Got Me Doing It]]: 1973-74 episode "The Balloon People". Twisty affects Dr. Noah Tall.
* [[Great Gazoo]]: Mr. Mxyzptlk
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* [[Henpecked Husband]]: 1973-74 episode "The Mysterious Moles". Maximums Mole is very weak-willed and dominated by his wife Minimus Mole.
* [[Hey, It's That Voice!]]: Casey Kasem as Robin
** In ''Superfriends: The Legendary Super Powers Show'' and ''The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians,'' [[Adam West]] reprised his role of Batman from the 60s ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]'' series.
** Voice God [[Frank Welker]] voiced [[Talking to Himself|Marvin, Wonder Dog,]] Toyman, Mxyztplk, [[Darkseid]] (who sounded exactly like [[Inspector Gadget|Dr. Claw]] and [[Transformers|Soundwave without the added effects to his voice]]), Kalibak ([[Talking to Himself|Darkseid's son]]), and [[The Joker]].
*** And his ''[[Transformers Generation One1]]'' co-star, [[Peter Cullen]], voiced Felix Faust.
** Superman is voiced by Danny Dark (who coincidentally replaced Casey Kasem as the voice-over for [[NBC]] promos by the early 1980s)
** DeSaad (Darkseid's henchman) was [[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine|Odo]] and Cyborg was [[Ghostbusters|Winston Zeddmore]].
** In ''The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians'', B.J. "[[Jana of the Jungle|Jana]]/[[G.I. Joe|Scarlett]]" Ward voiced [[Wonder Woman]].
* [[Hollywood Magnetism]]: In the 1973-74 episode "The Shamon U", a "special gold-attracting magnet" is used to pull solid gold meteors to Earth.
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* [[Impossibly Cool Clothes]]
* [[Improvised Zipline]]: Batman and Robin in the 1973-74 episode "The Shamon U".
* [[Joker Jury]]: The 1973-74 episode "The Menace of the White Dwarf" and the ''Challenge'' episode "Trial of the Superfriends".
* [[Juggling Loaded Guns|Juggling Freeze Guns]]: Marvin manages to get the Villain of the Day's freeze weapon and threatens him with it. The villain smugly tells him to fire away because he (and the audience) can clearly see ''he's holding the weapon backward''. In order to demonstrate that he was just as stupid, Zan later did the same thing with a transformation gun.
* [[Jungle Princess]]: Rima
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* [[Leotard of Power]]
* [[Limited Wardrobe]]: Applies only to Wendy and Marvin.
* [[Lost World]]: 1973-74 episode "The Mysterious Moles". Deep under the earth is the Bottomless Cave: a gigantic cavern filled with plants, lakes and dinosaurs.
* [[Meaningful Name/Western Animation|Meaningful Name]]: Many examples in the 1973-74 season.
* [[Mind Over Matter]]: In the 1973-74 episode "The Balloon People", the title characters have modest telekinetic power. When acting together, they can move a doghouse.
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* [[Never Found the Body]]: 1973-74 episode "Dr. Pelagian's War". Dr. Ansel Hillbrand died in a deep sea diving accident five years earlier but his body was never found. Guess who the [[Big Bad]] turns out to be?
* [[No Celebrities Were Harmed]]: Zan and Jayna were almost certainly modeled on Donnie and Marie Osmond, who had a popular variety show that ran from 1976-1978, as evidenced by their catch-phrase, "Spacey, Zan -- really spacey," copped from the Osmonds' "Cute, Marie -- real cute."
* [[No, Mr. Bond, I Expect You to Dine|No, Mr. Bond, I Expect You To Dine]]: Raven to Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog in the 1973-74 episode "Menace of the White Dwarf"
* [[Non-Human Sidekick]]: Wonder Dog in first season, Gleek afterward.
* [[Not Now, Kiddo]]: In the 1973-74 season the main heroes did this to Wendy and Marvin on a regular basis when the kids were trying to tell them something important.
* [[The Other Darrin]]: By The Super Powers Team, Superman and Robin were the only ones with their original voice actors.
* [[Paper-Thin Disguise]]: 1973-74 episode "The Androids". When Dr. Rebos puts on a small hat neither Batman nor Superman can recognize him.
* [[Plot Tailored to Thethe Party]]
* [[Pun-Based Title]]: 1973-74 episode "The Shamon U" (i.e. "Shame on you").
* [[Red Eyes, Take Warning]]: Raven in the 1973-74 episode "Menace of the White Dwarf".
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* [[Road Sign Reversal]]: 1973-74 episode "The Fantastic Frerps". King Plasto's diversion trick.
* [[Security Cling]]: Wonder Dog jumps into Marvin's arms in the 1973-74 episodes "The Planet Splitter", "The Baffles Puzzle" and "The Power Pirate".
* [[Shout-Out/Animation|Shout Out]]: The 1973-74 episode "Dr. Pelagian's War".
* [[Shrink Ray]]: 1973-74 episode "Gulliver's Gigantic Goof''. The villain Dr. Hiram Gulliver uses one on the Superfriends.
* [[Significant Anagram]]: King Plasto/Roy La Post in the 1973-74 episode "The Fantastic FRERPS".
* [[Silver Age]]
* [[Some Kind of Force Field]]: Happened all the time. Superman was the usual victim.
* [[Speech-Impaired Animal]]: Wonder Dog
* [[Spies in Aa Van]]: In the 1973-74 episode "The Balloon People" Dr. Noah Tall and Twisty use one to spy on the title characters.
* [[Spinning Paper]]: 1973-74 episode "The Balloon People". "Balloon People land on Earth."
* [[Spit Take]]: Dr. Rebos in the 1973-74 episode "The Androids".
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* [[The Tape Knew You Would Say That]]: Dr. Rebos in the 1973-74 season episode "The Androids".
* [[The Team Normal]]: Batman and Robin. Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog in the 1973-74 season.
* [[Temporal Paradox]] - A Grandfather Paradox in the ''Challenge of the [[Super FriendsSuperfriends]]'' episode "Secret Origins Of The Super Friends".
* [[Tempting Fate]]: Marvin in the 1973-74 episode "Too Hot to Handle"
** [[Nothing Can Stop Us Now]]: Dr. Rebos in the episode "The Androids".
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* [[This Looks Like a Job For Aquaman]]
* [[Totally Radical]]: In the first episode of the 1973-74 season, "The Power Pirate", Wendy and Marvin spoke like 60's hippies, regularly used terms like "groovy", "cool", "right on" and "far out".
* [[Tracking Device]]: 1973-74 episode "The Planet Splitter". The Super Friends put microdot homing devices on the remaining 100+ carat diamonds so they csn be tracked down after they're stolen.
* [[Trick Arrow]]: Appearing in only one episode, [[Green Arrow]] made good use of them. Even if he and everyone else had been shrunk.
* [[Underwear of Power]]
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* [[Van in Black]]: 1973-74 episode "The Balloon People". Dr. Noah Tall's spy van, the "Snoop Wagon".
* [[We Could Have Avoided All This]]: 1973-74 episodes "Too Hot To Handle", "Weather Maker" and "The Watermen".
* [[We Don't Need Roads]]: 1973-74 episode "Too Hot To Handle". The aliens have a fire truck that can convert into a rocket ship and fly.
* [[We Only Have One Chance]]: Not technically the trope namer, but might as well have been.
* [[Weather Control Machine]]: In the 1973-74 episode "The Weather Maker", an underwater nuclear powered jet engine can control the weather by changing the course of the Gulf Stream.
* [[Went to Thethe Great X In Thethe Sky]]: When Lex Luthor has Superman nearly beaten, he says that Superman will soon be going 'to that great Hall of Justice in the sky'.
* [[What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?]]: Aquaman became this to viewers.
** As well as Hawkman, whose only power (flight) wasn't even provided by his own wings.
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** As Seanbaby put it, Black Manta's superpower is that he owns a boat.
*** Better than Riddler- his power is ''giving away their plans''.
** And don't forget Zan of the Wonder Twins. Jayna's power is kind of cool: she can turn into any sort of animal from any planet. Zan turns into ''water''. And ice. And unlikely ice constructions. That's it. Congratulations, Zan, you just made Aquaman look cool by comparison.
*** And some old [[Cartoon Network]] ads lampooned this ''without'' mercy. "I could be defeated by a sponge! And it wouldn't even have to be an ''evil'' sponge!"
*** And he's another underutilization case. Just ask Marvel's Hydro-Man what you can do with that power.
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** Luthor would need help again in ''Superfriends: The Legendary Super Powers Show'' episode "No Honor Among Thieves", when Darkseid double-crossed him (after Luthor tried to double-cross Darkseid, mind you)
* [[Wonder Twin Powers]], [[Trope Namer|Name the Trope!]]
* [[You Meddling Kids]]: 1973-74 ''[[Super FriendsSuperfriends]]'' episode "The Balloon People". After Noah Tall is captured by Superman he says "I could have gotten away with it if it weren't for you, Superman."
 
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Hanna Barbera{{PAGENAME}}]]▼
[[Category:The Seventies]]
▲[[Category:Hanna Barbera]]
[[Category:Batman (Franchise)]]▼
[[Category:Saturday Morning Cartoon]]
[[Category:Superman (Franchise)]]▼
[[Category:Toonami]]
[[Category:Cartoon Network (Creator)]]▼
[[Category:Western Animation]]
[[Category:SuperfriendsBatman]]
▲[[Category:Cartoon Network (Creator)]]
[[Category:Hanna-Barbera]]
▲[[Category:Superman (Franchise)]]
▲[[Category:BatmanSuper (Franchise)Title Index]]
[[Category:Western Animation of the 1970s]]
[[Category:Western Animation of the 1980s]]
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Special:MobileDiff/582234...2031944"