This is a compilation of 17 Superman short cartoons; in the 1940s, along with showing previews of coming attractions, there would often be a short cartoon before the main feature. The classic Mickey Mouse shorts, and the Looney Toons, and other cartoons we see as classics were originally shown on the silver screen, not on television. These Superman shorts were some of those.

They were animated with a big budget, by Max Fleischer, who as I understand it was a defector from the Disney Studios, and who was a Superman fan. He wanted to put out a cartoon that did the fledgling "Man of Steel" justice, not some mediocrity that would only appeal to children. He dogged the producers until they came up with the funds he required, and then produced an initial run of 17 amazing cartoons that were released between 1941 and 1943.

These are works of art. The fluidity of the animation and the stunning backgrounds rival Disney's contemporary works (Pinocchio, Fantasia), and stand on their own as 8-minute masterpieces.

Here's a list of the 17 Episodes:

Superman
Mechanical Monsters
Billion Dollar Unlimited
Arctic Giant
Bulleteers
Magnetic Telescope
Electric Earthquake
Volcano
Terror on the Midway
Japoteurs
Showdown
Eleventh Hour
Destruction Inc
The Mummy Strikes
Jungle Drums
Underground World
Secret Agent

Superman, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White are all featured prominently in the series, along with Metropolis and the Daily Planet. Superman and Clark Kent are great--the best versions of them until Christopher Reeve donned the tights. Lois is great--just the right combination of babe, damsel in distress, and hard hitting investigative reporter. There's no Lex Luthor, but each episode has it's own unique villain.

In many ways, the villains are what make these so interesting: these were made during the height of American involvement in WWII, and as Propaganda they're very interesting to watch. The villains in about half of the episodes are either Japanese or German, and the blatant stereotyping of both races. They make great villains, but don't let your children watch these by themselves, and discuss what was happening at the time. You don't want them running around calling schoolmates "Japs" or "Krauts", hopefully.

The other villains are magicians, giant robots, criminals, mummies, mad scientists, monsters, and other classic superhero villains. They make for great fun, and I highly recommend looking these up.

The stories span the globe, covering the USA, Europe, Asia, Africa--they're a great slice of life from the point of view of 1940s Americans.

I've seen compilations at libraries before, and they've just released a "Diamond Edition" on DVD that has all 17 episodes. They really are landmarks in animation, and for Superman. Any true fan of the Big S should find these. They'd make a great gift, too, and are usually reasonably priced.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12