After a long absence from the animated realm, Superman and his friends took to the airwaves when Hanna-Barbera acquired the DC license from Filmation in the early 1970s. It was decided to base the new cartoon on a smaller, friendlier Justice League, fighting a combination of their greatest foes, to be named the Legion of Doom.

For the first season, the Super Friends were given a set of comic sidekicks, much in the Scooby-Doo mold: Marvin, Wendy, and Wonder Dog. Later seasons would see the kids replaced by alien sidekicks Zan and Jayna, with their blue monkey pet Gleek.

This trend of creating extra characters would continue until the series' end, with sidekicks being done away with in favor of extra super heroes, like Samurai and Apache Chief.

One happy coincidence in the development of the series was that the great Alex Toth was already employed at Hanna-Barbera designing model sheets for such series as Space Ghost and the Herculoids. Toth designed a very iconic look for the heroes; clean and spare, yet instantly recognizable. It is these versions that most people today still have in their minds when the think of Superman or batman.

Super Friends didn't yield as many merchandising tie-ins as one might think. Past the usual party favors and wrapping papers, hardly any toys surfaced until the Super Powers Collection. Below are a few items that are interesting, such as the one thing no child should be without, a Super Friends lighter!


Another classic item was the lunchbox that no kid could be without at school. This lunchbox was recreated by Hallmark in 1999 as a nostalgia item, with the new art being penciled in the style of Curt Swan by the famous Kerry Gammill and inked by Murphy Andersen!

Below are some of the more important Super Friends work on the Internet. If you know any more, please write me.

Super Friends Archive-This is the oldest SF page on the web

Seanbaby's Super Friends page -Easily the most unique SF site around. A drinking game, fun comics, and all-around celebration.

Cartoon Network Homepage-The official site. Includes lots of model sheets, episode guides, and design pages.

Bob Riley's page- model sheets, episode guide, fun links.

Cartoon-O-Rama's SF Page -screen caps, other cartoon sites

Legion of Doom -hosted byLex Luthor!- Did I say Seanbaby's was the most unique site? You've got to see this to believe it.

Making the Grade- character descriptions/screen caps

Ultimate Super Friends Episode Guide!-name says it all

Rob's Superfriends Fan Page- lots of good screen caps, guides, etc.

Pazsaz Network Super Friends Page-episode capsules and cast lists

 





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