Showdown

I know this is cruel, but the biggest thing that jumped out at me while I watched this cartoon was Jimmy Olsen's face. I kept thinking 'Oh, my....what horrible accident happened to make Jimmy THAT hideous?!'. At least I assume that was Jimmy--he was the office assistant and seemed to act a bit like Jimmy!! Let me explain further. In the Fleischer Brothers Superman cartoons, unlike other Fleischer shorts like Popeye and Betty Boop, the characters look more like real people. So, when in the middle of the cartoon a freakish and hideous character who looks like a cartoon imp appears, it just seems weirdly out of place! Okay, I've finished my rant about ugly Jimmy. I promise.

As for the rest of the cartoon, it's pretty good stuff. A local baddie is having his dopey assistant run about town committing crimes while dressed up as Superman. Apparently, the town is full of idiots, as they soon believe Superman has turned bad--even though this incarnation of the 'hero' cannot fly, stop bullets or do anything very super. So, it's up to the real guy to capture the two baddies and restore America's faith in its heroes. What a guy! Overall, this was enjoyable (apart from Jimmy) and well done. Worth your time and a decent installment in the series.