To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Super Powers toy line and related tie-in media, host Chris Franklin has assembled his own team of Super Friends! FW All-Star the Irredeemable Shag is joined by the Fanholes Podcast Network’s Derek William Crabbe and Harvey-Award Winning Author David Gallaher to discuss this exciting era of the DC Comics legacy across all media! In the first of this three-part weekly mini-series, the panel talks about the heart of the phenomenon: The Kenner action figure line! Plus, FW co-founder Rob Kelly waxes nostalgic on his love of the toys as well!
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Guest Links:
Derek William Crabbe’s Fanholes Podcast
David Gallaher’s Amazon Author Page
Super Powers resources:
- Super Powers Wiki
- Kenner Super Powers.com
- Action Figure Insider Super Powers Archive
- Unproduced Super Powers figures and concepts at Action Figure Insider
- Colombia’s Super Powers/Defenders of the Earth line from Gulliver
- Visit our WEBSITE: http://fireandwaterpodcast.com/
- Like our FACEBOOK page – https://www.facebook.com/FWPodcastNetwork
- Like our FACEBOOK page – https://www.facebook.com/supermatespodcast
- Support The Fire & Water Podcast Network on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fwpodcasts
- Use our HASHTAG online: #FWPodcasts
- Email us at supermatespodcast@gmail.com
Clip credits:
Music from various seasons of Super Friends/Super Powers, by Hoyt Curtain. Special hanks to Isamu Hidekai Yukinori and Xum Yukinori.
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I am geeking out hardcore about this episode. Loving it so much.
My Super Powers story is pretty basic and stretches from 1985 into 1986. I wasn’t reading too many DC books at the time but even I saw that house ad on an issue of Detective Comics my mom randomly bought me. So, between that, the rebranded Super Friends, and the 1985 Sears Wish Book that Christmas was my Super Powers Christmas. I got…
Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Flash, Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Joker, Penguin, Darkseid, Kalibak, and DeSaad for figures. I also got the Batmobile and the Supermobile, and the Hall of Justice.
I got Firestorm for my birthday. Somewhere along the line I got Hawkman and Red Tornado. Easter of 1986 I got Martian Manhunter and Dr. Fate in my basket. And right before we moved that summer I got Aquaman and Orion. Later a friend gave me Green Lantern and Green Arrow.
So I had a pretty decent collection, most of which disappeared as my toys did over the next few years. Pretty sure my mom gave them away, which is fine. I played with them pretty hardcore so they’d be in terrible shape today.
Christmas of 1986 was supposed to be a mix of Super Powers and GI Joe where I asked for Captain Marvel, Mister Freeze, Cyborg, and the Batcopter, but Sears back ordered what my mom put in for leading to a frantic trip to Lanes a few days before Christmas and it ended up being a pure GI Joe affair.
Over the years I’ve put together a pretty decent collection of figures. Rachel got me a Batmobile, because that was my favorite vehicle from the line.
I love this line so much. Everything about it makes me happy. The current McFarlane iteration is…okay…mostly but nothing beats the OG line from ‘84 to ‘86.
Looking forward to the next parts.
Christmases and birthdays were so dependent on the Sears catlalogs back in the day. We had a catalog fulfillment store here in town, and I’m pretty sure that’s where my Mom got my Batman/Robin/Batmobile combo. She probably ordered early, and thought “Oh, what the heck”. Sorry you didn’t get that Cyborg. I know the feeling!
As expected, this was a total blast to listen to (except that one guy who dropped in and said “you know” a lot).
Shag telling everyone to shut up at the top of the show made me think, ah, now they all know what I go through.
David’s info about the totally alternate set of characters was, IIRC, news to me. I knew about Captain Ray, but not the others. So this first segment was informative as well as fun.
Can’t wait for Part 2!
That one guy can’t say “you know” anymore than THIS guy. And I edited some of those out!
Yes, the “Defenders of the Earth” is something I want to see David explore in mored depth SOMEWHERE. Fascinating stuff!!!
Great episode! My origin story with SP is the same as Shag’s, where I made the choice to collect Secret Wars instead of SP.
I have since made up for it with my collection of vintage figures, reinforced with almost 100 customs including almost the entire much-wanted Legion of Doom, the core JLI team, the Teen Titans, the Crime Syndicate, the Justice Society, and a couple of JLAntartica.
Looking forward to more coverage
Shag will be happy to know he has a kindred sprit, because we’ve been roasting him pretty hard over his Secret Wars devotion!
Those customs sound awesome! I would love to see some pics! I dabbled a bit in customizing. Back in the early 90s I made an Alfred from a Luthor head and a Joker body, a Reign of the Supermen Superboy from a Dark Knight Collection Bruce Wayne, and a First Appearance Batman from a Secret Wars Wolverine.
Awesome! Customs took up a lot of time for me for a while! I kind of miss it but had to draw the line when I started pricing air compressors!
I made an Alfred as well using a Toybiz Joker with a Bob the goon head. I’ll try and figure out how to send pics. As my hobby got more expensive I bought a display case. 80s kids with money to spend are dangerous.
I’m glad I’m in good company with Shag and yes, we chose the wrong line to collect new.
1. Best figure Dr fate
2 least fave BRAINAC “you know what robots dont need? Skin
3 love the fourth world except for pushing plastic man and captain MARVEL INTO the third wave which I NEVER even saw ads for
4 best comic Green lantren how often do you get GL robin team ups
1. Hard to argue with that one!
2. I will argue with this one. That design is so cool, and genuinely frightenint! The figure was fragile though. I had two and they both broke due to the vac-metal process making the plastic weak.
3. Well, I’m just glad we got those two, no matter the wave.
4. Agreed! Last time they interacted, Dick put his yellow cape over Hal’s ring hand and kicked him in the face!
Hal “Mental note STop talking about yellow every five seconds also kill sinsestro”
Who should they have made? CATWOMAN, felix FUAST cREEPER atom and of course terra-man!
It was a lot of fun listening in on your discussion about the Super Powers action figure line. I only ever owned one of the action figures, Aquaman, but I still treasure it to this day. Besides, he was my favorite super hero of all time, so why would I need any of the others? That figure (sans trident) sits on a shelf in our bedroom, along with a few other Aquaman figures I’ve acquired over the years.
If I recall correctly, one of my younger brothers had the Flash figure. Sure, the Flash could run on water, but could he breath it? How about being able to communicate with sea life? I didn’t think so. I really think I won out over my brother on this one.
Thanks for an amazing episode. I look forward to the next.
Well, considering what network we’re on, I’m not going to argue with you. Although personally, given the hectic pace of life, I think I’d rather have the Flash’s powers! But that Aquaman figure is just beautiful. I loved the sculpted scales, and his swept back hair. One of the highlights of the line!
Did anyone else lay a piece of paper on the back of the Hall of Justice and rub a crayon over it to get a relief image of the superheroes?
Ha, YES! I did that many times. I can’t believe I forgot to bring that up. Such a wonderful Easter egg. As are the faces of DC’s big three inside the Hall. Which proves that the “DC Trinity” existed AT LEAST back into the 1980s, as far as licensors go!
I think the world knew dc’s big three before dc Did.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this podcast about the 40th Anniversary of the Super Powers Toyline and their connection to my all time favorite animated series, the SuperFriends. I am the author of the Ultimate SuperFriends Companion Books available on Amazon. I really wish I could have been a part of this podcast. I do have one major question. Aside from the intros of SuperFriends: The Legendary Super Powers Show and the Super Powers Team Galactic Guardians, where did you get the stock music cues? In my books, I have stated that I wish that Warner Bros and Water Tower Music would make and release a CD set of music from the SuperFriends from all seasons. I know I would pay good money for that kind of music in a Super Soundtrack. In my books, I point out specific scores that would be great to have on a CD. I’ve definitely have a Super Cool Super Powers collection among my many toylines that come the closest to the SuperFriends. Thanks again for this podcast and I look forward to part 2. 🙂
Hi Will! I am the proud owner, and a big fan of your books, and they were a great resource for checking facts on the next episode of this series. I’m going to link to them in the show notes. We actually podcasted together on the 50th anniversary show of John S. Drew and Dan Greenfield’s World’s Greatest Super Friends Podcast.
I have had several people reach out who wish they could have been a part of the show, and I definitely appreciate the interest. If we cover something like this in the future I’ll definitely keep you in mind!
As for the music cues, that came courtesy of Isamu Yukinori, son of our late friend Xum Yukinori, whom I believe you knew, and did some voiceover work for. I knew Xum had some Hanna Barbera music cues he used on his Done In One Wonders Podcast Wonder Show, so I reached out to Isamu, who is always quick to help out our network. Isamu told me some of the cues were actually pulled from John and Dan’s WGSF podcast, so everything comes full circle!
Uncle Chris is right, Uncle Will. Many of the stereo episode clips from the WGSF podcast (starting with Season 2) have the right track without dialogue (just music and SFX). I used Audacity to isolate the track, and used multiple clips with the same music to edit a few cues together so they have no SFX.
Always good to hear from you Will! Maybe we’ll get lucky one of these days (it seemed to happen with Hulk and Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends) and WB and WTM will release scores from the various series!
Great show.
My Super Powers figures? Darkseid, Brainiac, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Aquaman, Dr. Fate. I would later find loose figures of the Para-Demon, DeSaad, and that off-brand Riddler in a pawn shop. I hope the latter isn’t some rare treasure (not that he was in good shape) because I chopped his hair off with a hobby knife in an aborted attempt to make an Ambush Bug custom figure.
Ha, no he’s pretty common. At least if that was a Toy Biz DC Comics Super Heroes Riddler. If it was a Super Amigos Riddler made from the Green Lantern molds…yes, those are rare and pricey!
Interesting figure assortment! You had your heroes outnumbered!
Fantastic episode. I listened to it while mowing the lawn and was grinning like an idiot the whole time. Super Powers is also my favorite line of toys. And it’s probably the reason why I never really stopped buying toys.
My Super Powers story is frought with strife and plot twists. I also only became aware of them from that add on the back of DC Comics. I studied those tiny pictures forever. Wonder Woman had her lasso… but did Batman also have a bat-rope? Can’t tell from the picture. I’ll have to wait to be disappointed on that later. The issue was… my mother had decided that I was too old for toys in sixth grade. In September of 1984 I would be 15. There was no way she was going to let me openly buy them.
I started getting the figures in secret. Buying them as I rode my bike all over our Fairfax, VA area and spent my lawn mowing money between these figures and trips to the comic book store. I had to hide the figures in a shoe box under my bed. One time we went to the mall and I told my mother I would like to start collecting action figures of super heroes and could we go to the toy store. She said “Yes”. At the toy store, I found Doctor Fate and Martian Manhunter. But when I went to check out, she stopped me and asked what I thought I was doing. And she explained through gritted teeth that she was disgusted, I was too old, and to put the crap back on the shelf.
Collecting continued in secret. There was no way I could get the vehicles or playsets. And I certainly couldn’t do mail-away promos! My mother got the mail every day.
In 1988, my friends and I went to a Star Trek convention nearby. I happened to find a dealer who had the Super Powers figures. From him I completed my collection. Getting Clark Kent and Steppenwolf for $5 a piece, Shazam, Plastic Man and Mr. Miracle for $10 a piece, and Cyborg for $30. My friends were flabbergasted. They couldn’t believe I would spend THIRTY DOLLARS for one action figure. So I took quite the razzing. But I also drove us there, so they could just shut the fuck up and buckle up. And nobody touch my toys.
In 1989 at a comic convention in Philadelphia I came across a Super Powers customizer and bought Black Canary and Huntress right then and there. I couldn’t reist them! Immediate purchases. He had done up really nice card backs and everything. Whatever. I ripped those open and and put the two new figures in my old shoe box with the rest of them.
In 1992 we drove to New York City to go to a huge comic convention. I was dressed like Aquaman, with an orange t-shirt with scales hastilly drawn on. We were with a friend who was breaking into the business. He was mortified at our dress, behavior, and excitement. That’s where I found my Hall of Justice. We took pictures with me geeking out over this thing while he’s in the background trying to ignore us.
I’ve since collected all the vehicles except the Batcopter. I got several more customs, including a Black Manta, natch. I too wish the line had never ended.
Thanks for a great podcast.
Wow, great story Chuck! I’m sorry you had to be a “closeted” Super Powers fan though. That must have been rough. The most I ever got was a bit of an eyeroll when my Dad realized I was never going to completely outgrow toys. When I told him he collected knives and arrowheads, and guitars, and it was no different, he kinda got it, and has been relatively supportive ever since. My mom was always super-supportive, so I consider myself very lucky in that regard.
That $30 investment in Cyborg was certainly smart! I wish I had forgone some of my late 80s/early 90s purchases when Cyborg was still that affordable!
Great show, folx. I had several of the first and second wave of the figures. I still have my original Green Arrow (minus the bow) and Firestorm figures too. As I recall, Brainiac’s arm snapped off within a month.
Not sure if it was officially established anywhere, but I also used the Joker’s mallet as a mind-control device too.
I thought you might mention how Green Arrow ended up (logically) as the body for Kenner’s Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Amoral-Pa-Kent Robin Hood figure. And Lex Luthor was cannibalized into the Sheriff of Nottingham.
The Robin Hood connection comes up in part 3! This summer I picked up a Sheriff of Nottingham figure to stand in for Vandal Savage. No customizing neccesary!
Finally finished listening to this episode. Great job, Chris! Fun discussion with Derek, Shag, and David. #SecretWars4Ever
Thanks Ryan! Enjoy your rubbery, paint-rubbed Secret Wars figures!
All of the Super Powers figures I have I inherited from my dad. His first one was a Green Lantern figure, which he bought on a vacation with friends in Hawaii. He managed to find a Flash figure on the same trip.
From there, his Uncle Kenzo managed to find the rest of the JLA original seven, plus Hawkman, Firestorm, Green Arrow, Red Tornado, Dr. Fate, amd Plastic Man (The much requested Cyborg eluded him). Uncle Kenzo also picked up villains Lex Luthor (which had its “power action” immobilized when the green chestplate of the power suit was removed), Brainiac (whose non-power action arm easily broke off and is held in place by a gob of art gum), and Darkseid, as well as mail away for the Steppenwolf and Clark Kent figures.
Dad also had a vintage invisible jet, but lost it in a move…
http://www.fwpodcasts.com/xy/misc/SuperPowersInvisibleJet.jpg
I had two childhood Brainiacs, one that I still have, and both of them lost an arm! The current one is glued back on with 40 year-old Super Glue. That stuff really does last!
Love that Invisible Jet pic! So Super Friends-appropriate!
Thanks, It was Dad’s… posted on Facebook years ago…
I tried to make the photo appear in the comment, but the old HTML trick that allowed me to do that on Batman Family Reunion no longer seems to work…
Never had these toys other than Brainiac who I got from a gift exchange at school in 4th grade. I was a Star Wars kid through and through. But I thought these toys looked so cool and I still think that. The Dr Fate and Hawkman figures in particular look amazing! Really enjoyed this episode and all the tidbits of info and everyone’s memories.
Thanks for listening Ladybug! Those school gift exchanges helped broaden toy horizons. It’s how I got Machiste from Remco’s Warlord line, based on the DC comic. I just mixed him in with my MOTU figures.
I was 14 when these first came out, the age of being “too cool” for kid stuff, so I ignored them. When I was 18 Shell gas stations in Canada had that promotion with I think 8 figures, so I bought Superman. I totally fell for the figures, got the rest in that Shell line, then went on for the search for the rest. I was able to find most of them, at least the first two waves. I got in late, though, so I didn’t get as many as I wanted. I did see a Cyborg in 1989 at a comic store that I regret not getting (let me tell you about my Wayne Gretzky rookie card that I had but cut up for a collage – that is something I truly regret doing)
Same thing happened with the new line, I thought they were decent but ignored them until I visited a Toys R Us and saw them there. Then I got hooked again (ignored the Batman Who Laughs of course). They are hard to find up here, we only really have Walmart, GameStop and Toys R Us that I can find them at, and they tend to only carry a handful. I can’t really afford or have space for all the other lines of DC figures this is the one I have committed to for now