Question about superfriends villains

[Zorak Masaki]

Was the challenge of the superfriends season the first season to feature the villains from the comics, or did they ever appear earlier? While we're at it, what was the first cartoon to feature villains from the comics? Im thinking it was the filmation toons from the 60s/70s (i have seen one with green lantern vs evilstar, but im not sure about other villains).

[Antiyonder]

The Filmation cartoons were indeed the first cartoons to use existing DC villains. As for Superfriends, I don't have the episode titles with me now, but The All New Superfriends Hour had an episode with Hawkman's enemy The Ghost/Gentleman Jim Craddock as well as a similar villain to Black Manta (The Manta, who never appear in the comics).

On that note, there were some addtional Superfriends episodes airing alongside Challenge (Thouse episodes simply had the main five and the Wonder Twins). General Zod as well as Mr. Mxyzptlk made an appearance in those episodes.

[Optimus81]

Actually, I think the Mxyzptlk/Zodd episodes of Superfriends were actually after Challenge, and they were in the batch of episodes entitled "World's Greatest Superfriends," (and also the "Lost" episodes) if I'm not mistaken. That being said, I'm not sure if the Gentleman Ghost appeared in those episodes or All New Superfriends Hour.

[Blackstar]

Actually, I think the Mxyzptlk/Zodd episodes of Superfriends were actually after Challenge, and they were in the batch of episodes entitled "World's Greatest Superfriends," (and also the "Lost" episodes) if I'm not mistaken. That being said, I'm not sure if the Gentleman Ghost appeared in those episodes or All New Superfriends Hour.

It's confusing, because when World's Greatest Super Friends premiered in 1979, it was originally an hour long show, with 8 half hour installments sandwiched between 10 minute shorts (usually 2 per show), yet for some unknown reason, Boomerang only airs the half hour episodes of WGS, so it can get confusing for those of us who have never seen WGS in it's original format.

[hobbyfan]

Actually, I think the Mxyzptlk/Zodd episodes of Superfriends were actually after Challenge, and they were in the batch of episodes entitled "World's Greatest Superfriends," (and also the "Lost" episodes) if I'm not mistaken. That being said, I'm not sure if the Gentleman Ghost appeared in those episodes or All New Superfriends Hour.

Mxyzptlk made his H-B debut in one of those "lost" eps that actually aired in the 1 hr. Challenge format (1978). He would make two more appearances after that.

Jim Craddock's only appearance was indeed on All New Super Friends Hour.

[Tobias]

Mxyzptlk made his H-B debut in one of those "lost" eps that actually aired in the 1 hr. Challenge format (1978). He would make two more appearances after that.

Jim Craddock's only appearance was indeed on All New Super Friends Hour.

Mxy had quite a few appearances, actually. He showed up once in 'World's Greatest', had at least two appearances in the 7 minute shorts, then had two episodes in 'The Legendary Superpowers Show' and then had his final appearance in the final season of 'Galactic Guardians'.

[Mister Intensity]

Mxy appeared at least once every season from his initial appearance. World's Greatest original had eight half-hours combined with reruns from previous seasons. I think you are thinking of the following season's Superfriends Hour which consisted of eight new episodes of shorts paired with a rerun of one of the half hours from previous seasons, usually World's Greatest. Zod never appeared on Superfriends, although the three Phantom Zone villains that did appeared were from Superman comics of the 60's, I forgot their names. Here's an interesting fact, Those three Phantom Zone villains were the only ones, outside of the Legion of Doom members, Darkseid and his goons, and Mxy to appear more than once on Superfriends (they appeared twice, the second in a 1983 short, "Return of the Phantoms" which featured Superboy).

Mister Intensity

[Zorak Masaki]

Come to think of it, was there any reason they didnt use any actual comic villains (save for gentleman ghost) until the "challenge" season? I mean, superman and batman had a wide rogue's gallery (aquaman and WW, not as much ,admittedly) to choose from by 1973 (luthor, bizzaro, brainiac, joker, penguin, riddler, catwoman, mxypltik, etc), and it would have been more interesting than superfriends vs generic evil scientists.

[hobbyfan]

Come to think of it, was there any reason they didnt use any actual comic villains (save for gentleman ghost) until the "challenge" season? I mean, superman and batman had a wide rogue's gallery (aquaman and WW, not as much ,admittedly) to choose from by 1973 (luthor, bizzaro, brainiac, joker, penguin, riddler, catwoman, mxypltik, etc), and it would have been more interesting than superfriends vs generic evil scientists.

Catwoman, Penguin, & Joker were tied up with Filmation's New Advs. of Batman, which preceded All-New Super Friends Hour to the air by 7 months (New Advs. debuted in February '77 as a mid-season replacement). Going back to the original series (1973), even though Joker & Penguin were used in two eps of New Scooby-Doo Movies the previous season, they weren't used probably because of network and/or FCC mandates or some such. This is why the SF had a steady diet of misguided ordinary folks. Having A-list villains would mean having Wendy & Marvin in perpetual danger, and that would get old real fast.

[Blackstar]

Catwoman, Penguin, & Joker were tied up with Filmation's New Advs. of Batman, which preceded All-New Super Friends Hour to the air by 7 months (New Advs. debuted in February '77 as a mid-season replacement). Going back to the original series (1973), even though Joker & Penguin were used in two eps of New Scooby-Doo Movies the previous season, they weren't used probably because of network and/or FCC mandates or some such. This is why the SF had a steady diet of misguided ordinary folks. Having A-list villains would mean having Wendy & Marvin in perpetual danger, and that would get old real fast.

In defense of having A-List villains on the early Super Friends, the usual Wendy & Marvin fare got old pretty fast too. The Wendy & Marvin SF episodes are the only ones that I can never bring myself to watch in reruns.

[Tobias]

In defense of having A-List villains on the early Super Friends, the usual Wendy & Marvin fare got old pretty fast too. The Wendy & Marvin SF episodes are the only ones that I can never bring myself to watch in reruns.

I find it funny that The Superfriends could take down the ENTIRE Legion of Doom in one half hour, but it took them an entire hour to bring down ONE human scientist.

[Blackstar]

I find it funny that The Superfriends could take down the ENTIRE Legion of Doom in one half hour, but it took them an entire hour to bring down ONE human scientist.

:lol: It's funny because it's true.