Crisis of Infinite Episodes - Bad Days: Justice League

Its a bad day when the Justice League gets shown up by the Teen Titans.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - The Death of Superman

Superman died and it was all Firestorms fault! I guess I didn't realize that killing Superman was a recurring thing, but supposedly this episode took the lead from an out of continuity comic story - though I also picked up some serious Wrath of Khan / Search for Spock vibes, what with photon funeral, secret trance, and the recovery of the undead body,

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - The Brainchild

Brainiac the maniac made his Super Friends swan song in this epic 500th installment of the Infinite Episodes feature. Fear not. Being infinite and all, Brainiac will return in future series, potentially an infinite number of times. And even though this episode did not live up to the classic status of the previous two episodes, pitting Cyborg against Brainiac was another clever idea. At least the writers were trying by focusing on the humanity of the human machine hybrid by placing Cyborg's brain in a fully robotic body. Even though Brainiac was never really used successfully, this was still probably the redesigned versions best attempt.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - The Wild Cards

After over a decade the Joker's rights issues were resolved allowing him this single appearance in the Super Friends / Powers franchise... which really is a good thing since the series would have felt just a tad incomplete without one of DC's most iconic villains. Fitting also is the association of the Joker with the Royal Flush gang. I may be wrong but I don't think Joker was ever a member of the gang in the comics and so this was a pretty clever story point (there was a sometimes member named Wild Card in the comics who was actually GL villain Hector Hammond, but we are getting way off track). A little less expected was the relationship between the Joker and Darkseid... not exactly a match made in heaven, nor was it really needed.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - The Darkseid Deception

While "Hotshot" Steve Trevor had made a cameo last season, he was set for his first full scale appearance in this episode where he would be replaced by Darkseid in another attempt to woo Wonder "Angel" into marriage. The guy just doesn't give up. Honestly, its getting ridiculous and a little tiring that the most threatening villain on the show spends so much time trying to get married. I would think a villain would be fine with bachelorhood. More importantly, Darkseid is losing a bit of his threat level with all this failed romance. On the plus side, at least Wondy has gotten some extra screen time.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - The Bizarro Super-Powers Team

Back to Bazarowurld.And while the Bizarro episodes have been decent, I wasn't that excited to see old cube face at first, that is until Mr. Mxyzptlk appeared. That villainous combo, along with bizarified Guardians  training for duty in Metropolis turned out to be a fair enough formula. This one may not be a classic, but it was a bit of harmless fun. The real highlight was the Bizarro Mxyzptlk AKA Kltpzyxm - kind of a clever idea. I mean its no Zibarro, but for 1985 it will do. 

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - The Ghost Ship

Its clear that the Super Friends franchise was beginning to mature. Along with ditching the "Super Friends" name for something cooler on the schoolyard, Galactic Guardians, even the look of the series had adapted a less cartoony look. Galactic Guardians deserves some credit for paving the way for superhero cartoons aimed at older age groups such as Batman: The Animated Series. The inclusion of Darkseid last season was a huge step and the parademons are something that would likely never have been considered in earlier seasons. Having gone off on that tangent, this episode was a bit of a bomb.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - The Seeds of Doom

 After single handedly taking down a robot spider piloted by Lex Luthor, Cyborg the teenage tin man got invited to join the Super "Powers" team. Turns out that Cyborg missed being a normal guy but when he was called upon to defend the world against Darkseid, he decided being a member of the team wasn't so bad. At least it was better than living in Apokolips.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians

In 1985, the team was back for one last run of 10 episodes, most running 20 minutes with a couple of half length tales.This time the Super Friends were redubbed the Galactic Guardians, a bit edgier of a title, and once again the forumla was going to be remixed.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - New Teen Titans Say "No" to Drugs

The year: 1983. The message: Say 'No' to Drugs. The heroes: The New Teen Titans. While I am not sure if this 60 second anti-drug message actually aired or not, if it had it would have contained the first onscreen appearances by several Titans including Beast Boy, Raven, Starfire, Cyborg, and... The Protector?

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - New Teen Titans: Lightning Round

You can never have too much Control Freak, on the other hand, you can't have the Brain appear and not talk - his voice is the best part. And speaking of voices, sounds like Cyborg got a guest voicer this time around. Overall, this was a pretty clever and funny little short which may have been inspired by the classic Cheers episode where Cliff played Jeopardy and by luck had all his favorite categories. Thanks to Cyborg, Beast Boy was on a roll. Hopefully he didn't wager it all in the final round.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - New Teen Titans: Gamma Rays and You

After a bit of a summer hiatus, this was not the best short to get the old ball rolling again. I enjoyed Starfire's gag about super "powders," but the laughs were a bit sparse this time around. I didn't even really get the premise... something about outtakes from a PSA to warn of gamma ray exposure... This was begging for a Hulk homage. Oh well, at least I can be sure that the next time around the Titans are likely to deliver.

Watch the First Clip from Teen Titans Go!

No, this isn't your Dad's Teen Titans. Released this past weekend at Wondercon was the first clip from Teen Titans Go featuring Starfire, Beast Boy, and Cyborg loosing various appendages battling Cinderblock while Robin waited in line at a Deli. This may give a bit of an idea of the flavor to expect from the show. Enjoy:

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - New Teen Titans: Taped Before a Live Studio Audience

Gotta love those Titans. This is probably my second favorite of the New Teen Titans so far even though it sadly ended before Cyborg and Robin could reconcile their differences. I loved the jokes about creating a paradox by taping tape as well as the split up of Mas Y Menos (Nice to see them again as well). The Brain also stopped by for a quick cameo in this silly sketch. I was also happy to see Cyborg in a funnier short than his solo feature as a lifeguard. Keep 'em coming!

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - Cyborg the Lifeguard

As much as I love Cyborg, this short fell a little flat. Set up as four mini shorts of Cyborg's various failures to save a girl in a swimming pool, there were a couple funny gags, but in the end I really didn't get the point. In the end Cy got a kiss, was that what he was after all along? or was the girl ever in danger? Did he "save" the give 4 times? or was this just 4 possible outcomes and a single event? I am obviously thinking about it too much, and it was still a bit of fun, but it fell below the high bar set by previous New Teen Titans shorts like Turn Back the Clock.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - MAD Presents Teen Titanic

I thought there were a couple of really hilarious lines in this one; Raven on the ship's bow and Aqualad's trick were both classic. I also got a kick out of Robin sketching Beast Boy. Perhaps the MAD to non MAD ratio of shorts is beginning to get out of whack, but so far I haven't minded the reuse of the shorts since they have been reasonably funny. 

Watch Mumbo's Return in Leaked Teen Titans Short

Remember how DC Nation was unceremoniously removed from Cartoon Network a month ago? Well a morsel of good news is upon us as the CN Youtube channel has posted the delayed New Teen Titans: Titanimal Kingdom short featuring the return of Mumbo. This sequel to Bunny Raven is available now:

Advanced Peek at Titans Short Cyborg the Lifeguard

I do my best to keep on top of the DC Nation shorts schedule which often appears as part of CN's official schedule, but sometimes the listings change at the last minute. Up until today, the schedule listed this week's shorts as Sword of the Atom #2 and JLA (Justa Lotta Animals? Justice League of Animals?) - When the League's Away, the Pig Will Play. As of today, the JLA short has been replaced with New Teen Titans, Cyborg the Lifeguard which coincides with the brief video preview aired last week.

Onscreen History of Cyborg

 

Booyah! Victor Stone AKA Cyborg was first introduced in the pages of DC Comics Presents #26 in 1980 along with fellow New Teen Titans Raven and Starfire. After a horrific accident, Victor was fitted with experimental prosthetics to save his life becoming the part man, part machine Cyborg.

Super Friends Reborn, Online, Kinda

Fisher Price has gone above and beyond to promote their DC Super Friends line of Imaginext toys by creating an animated short titled The Joker's Playhouse. While Superman and Batman were showcased, Green Lantern, Cyborg, Hawkman, and Flash also did their best to convince kids they were toy worthy. The toys have been around for a couple years, but a new wave looks to be arriving in 2011.

The clip opens with an homage to the old Super Friends show, but Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Robin don't actually appear in the episode- but even Booster Gold got a cameo.

The heroes face off with the Joker in the Hall of Justice along with a couple of other baddies who may end up as toys including Gorilla Grodd, an "ice-sliding" Mr. Freeze, and Solomon Grundy. This is the kind of commercial you just don't mind sitting through.

Up Next: Young Justice

The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure * Super Friends * The All New Super Friends Hour * Challenge of the Super Friends * Legends of the Superheroes * The World's Greatest Super Friends * Super Friends (Shorts) * Super Friends (Lost Episodes) * Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show * The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians * Justice League of America (TV Pilot) * Justice League Unlimited on Batman Beyond * Justice League * Justice League Unlimited * Smallville * The Batman * Justice League: The New Frontier * Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths * Batman: The Brave and the Bold * Imaginext - DC Super Heroes