Animated World of DC Comics: The Death of Superman (2018)

 In 1993, DC Comics editor Michael Carlin green-lit a controversial storyline in which Superman was to be killed off pro tempore. The idea was that, in the face of flailing sales in the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths era, and, in a period where speculative "investors" were buying up copies of every supposedly valuable first issue they could find, thinking they could get rich, they needed to shake up the status quo.

"The Death of Superman" was indeed a hot commodity for a while. However, what those "investors" didn't realize was that these books weren't as short-printed as they were led to believe. A small thrift store in Wynantskill, for example, was able to acquire at least one copy of an early chapter in the arc, but blew customers' minds by marking up the price to an obscene $10. Today, that same issue doesn't command even half that much.

14 years later, Warner Bros. attempted its first adaptation with "Superman-Doomsday" (previously reviewed). Unfortunately, trying to cram both the "Death" arc and the subsequent "Reign of The Superman" arc, at least part of it, into a 90 minute proved problematic.

Warp ahead 11 years, and WB finally got it right.

"The Death of Superman" is a more faithful adaptation of the 1993 story, save for the adjustments to accomodate for modern technology, as smart phones weren't yet a thing back then.

Anyway, an asteroid-turned-meteor crash lands on Earth, bringing with it the monstrous Doomsday. Meanwhile, Superman (Jerry O'Connell) is struggling with his relationship with his reporter-girlfriend, Lois Lane (Rebecca Romjin, aka Mrs. Jerry O'Connell). The Man of Steel foils Bruno Manheim's assassination attempt on Mayor Booker, and suspects that Lex Luthor (Rainn Wilson, ex-The Office) might be behind it. In this continuity, Supes is estranged from Wonder Woman (Rosario Dawson). Go figure.

We're also introduced to Dr. John Henry Irons (Cress Williams, Black Lightning), who figures prominently in some mid-credits teasers for "Reign", which was released in January 2019.

Here's a trailer from DC's YouTube channel:

Rating: A-.

Coming Attractions: Hasbro plans a new Transformers series for Nickelodeon

 More than 35 years later, fans still want more Transformers.

The Hasbro franchise returns to television either this year or next year, produced through the company's eOne division, in conjunction with Nickelodeon, which successfully revived Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles a few years back. Like the Turtles, Transformers also has a comic book series licensed to Idea & Design Works (IDW), which holds the license for other Hasbro properties, such as GI Joe & My Little Pony.

Image courtesy of Hasbro, via Comic Book Resources.

The franchise was imported from Japan by Hasbro, at the time licensing the comics to Marvel, which had its own production company at the time.

There is, however, a little caution in this case. Hasbro's last two Transformers series landed at Chumptoon Network and Discovery Family (back when it was The Hub). Like CN, Nickelodeon's programmers are obsessed with certain series (i.e. SpongeBob SquarePants) that get played into the ground, and if the new Transformers does not get off to a fast start when it does debut, ViacomCBS will get raked over the coals, just like CN, for their perceived negligence.

Stay tuned.

Sunday Funnies: The weirdest golf tournament. Ever. (1985)

 As part of Miller Beer's series of all-star ads for Lite beer, Dick Butkus, Bubba Smith, Mickey Spillane, Rodney Dangerfield, Bob Uecker, and the gang are on the golf course for the first (and only) Lite Beer Open. Spillane and John Madden are the announcers.

Well, Marv Throneberry was right. They never made another golf commercial with this crew.

I wonder if Rodney's shot was inspired by Rube Goldberg.......

Tooniversary: Mumbly in Hyde & Seek (1976)

 One plot that often was used in cartoons was a riff on Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. We saw this with Sylvester & Tweety and Bugs Bunny at WB, for example.

At Hanna-Barbera, the classic novel was central to a season 1 plot of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?, but the classic was parodied 7 years later in the series finale of Mumbly.

The canine detective (Don Messick) meets Dr. Seek (Messick again), with the predictable results.

In a way, this deviated from the Droopy-inspired format, but not by much.

Rating: B.

Retro Toy Chest: Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head (1952)

 There's a reason for this next subject.

Hasbro introduced Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head in 1952 with this commercial. Sounds like Mae Questel as the voice of Hasbro, the company's namesake mascot:

Ultimately realizing that marketing a vegetable as a toy product wasn't going to work in the long term, because potatoes do tend to turn moldy & rotten, Hasbro switched things up to create the plastic figures we all know.

Now comes word that Hasbro is turning the franchise gender-neutral.

SAY WHAT??!?

In other words, the company is moving forward with this era of inclusiveness. Nearly 40 years ago, they turned GI Joe from one generic action hero figure into an entire unit of heroes, and saved that franchise brand. They're hoping lightning can strike twice. It isn't enough that Potato Head was included in Disney/Pixar's "Toy Story" series, but one wonders if they're mocking the whole inclusitivity thing.........

It Should've Been on a Saturday: Punky Brewster (1984)

 Consider the story of a orphan girl and her dog, secretly using a vacant apartment as a place to live until, eventually, another tenant takes them in.

It's not exactly Little Orphan Annie brought to life, as Annie was adopted virtually straight away by Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks, but the story of Punky Brewster illustrated just how some kids still slip through the cracks sometimes.

Penelope "Punky" Brewster (Soleil Moon Frye) is abandoned by her mother, and finds her way into that vacant apartment, but ultimately bounces back and forth between Fenster Hall, a group residence, and back to the building, where a photographer (George Gaynes, "Police Academy") takes her in, along with her dog, Brandon (named for programming director Brandon Tartikoff).

Punky Brewster was coupled with Silver Spoons at the front of NBC's Sunday lineup from 1984-6. In a rare case of network synergy, Frye & Gaynes filmed some scenes during the 1984 National League Championship Series between the San Diego Padres & Chicago Cubs.

Punky would, in fact, land a Saturday morning berth after all, as the series spun off an animated companion series in 1985, and that bounced in and out of the lineup between 1985-9, mostly in reruns after the parent series left NBC for syndication.

With the series resuming with Punky all grown up (reviewed at The Land of Whatever) on Peacock, let's take a look at how it all began, thanks to Peacock's YouTube channel:

I felt this was one of those shows that could've filled a spot on NBC's Saturday block, instead of reruns. Adding the animated series took care of that little detail.

Rating: B.

Another cast change for The Simpsons

 Pay close attention to this clip from The Simpsons. Savor it.

It was announced Monday that series regular Harry Shearer, who has been the voice of Dr. Julius Hibbert for more than 30 years, is stepping aside for veteran voice actor Kevin Michael Richardson, who has been a frequent guest on the series, among his many credits.

It runs along the same lines as Hank Azaria's decision several months back to give up his role as grocer Apu, but as of this writing, the role hasn't been recast. The idea, of course, is to match African-American characters with African-American actors, a movement that, in television, began with Azaria's decision to give up doing Apu, and Richardson is certainly familiar with the show's cast.

Richardson debuts as Dr. Hibbert on Sunday.