Showdown

Besides the comic-book superheroics, an interesting thing about some of these old Superman cartoons is the role of the narrator. They all begin with a voiceover from an unseen narrator who introduces the general concept of Superman, of course, but I'm talking about a character as narrator. In the original "Superman" (1941), Lois Lane was the storyteller; the film we saw was or became the story she wrote as a reporter for The Daily Planet. In this one, "Showdown," Lois takes a back seat to Supes and his alter ego--or double--Clark Kent. Added here is another doppelgänger for the man of steel in the form of a crook impersonating him (as, meanwhile, his crime boss impersonates Edward G. Robinson).

The short doesn't conclude with a story by Lane, either, but with Kent waking up from a snooze. One may read this as him continuing his impersonation of not being Superman, but another way to look at it is that the entire story of doubles (Clark/Superman and two Supermans) was Clark's dream after a boring night at the opera. In this final scene, Lois says she has a story to tell him, but we never hear it. This is Clark's story.

Showdown (1942)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

A fake Superman is going around robbing various shops and people but the real one gets a chance to grab him, which leads to another criminal. This isn't the greatest cartoon ever made but it's mildly entertaining simply because it breaks free from the plot lines of previous shorts. The movie mixes it up a little bit and for that I'm extremely grateful considering the previous shorts were starting to go down the same path. What really goes against the film is that the fake Superman is about a quarter the size of the real one so when they finally reach their showdown, it's pretty disappointing because the fake guy is so small and not much of a match.

I love the Fleischer Superman cartoons. The animation is smooth and fluid with vivid colors. The distinct art-deco style, vintage science fiction imagery, and use of noirish shadows gave them a look unlike any other cartoons. The music and voice work is superb. They're fun, accessible, enduring animation classics. While this is a cartoon from Fleischer Studios' successor, Famous Studios, it still tries to maintain the Fleischer style.

In the eleventh in the series, someone disguised as Superman is committing crimes all over Metropolis. Lois and Clark are assigned to cover the opera and, while there, Lois has a run-in with the impostor. Clark wastes no time changing into his red & blues and confronting the fake. Impostor Superman leads the real Supes to his boss, who won't be taken easily. The second Superman short from Famous is their best and one of the most different in the whole series. It's the closest any of the shorts come to being a comedy. The fake Superman is very funny. An interesting note is that Jack Mercer and Jackson Beck, who voice the fake Superman and his boss respectively, also did the voices of Popeye and Bluto in Popeye cartoons.

A SUPERMAN Cartoon.

Someone, disguised as Superman, is pulling off a series of daring robberies throughout Metropolis and it's time for the real Man of Steel to force a SHOWDOWN with the Big Boss behind it all...

This was another in the series of excellent cartoons initially created by Max Fleischer for Paramount Studio. They feature great animation and taut, fast-moving plots. Meant to be shown in movie theaters, they are miles ahead of their Saturday Morning counterparts. Bud Collyer is the voice of Superman; Joan Alexander does the honors for Lois Lane.

The Boss has a great plan. Get someone dressed up as Superman to carry out various robberies.

The crook even carries out his thefts under the noses of the patrons at the opera.

Luckily Lois and Clark are there covering the opera for the newspaper.

Lois grapples with the robber and Clark goes after him as Superman.

For some reason once Superman goes after the Boss. He ceases being faster than a speeding bullet. Superman even forgets how to fly when he gets the drop.