FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER ON DVD ON JUNE 26, 2007!
BURBANK, CA (March 20, 2007) – In 1966, Superman, Lois Lane and Perry White were animated into 36 action packed 6-minute episodes that were the forerunner shows leading into subsequent animated hero programming on CBS. In 1977, CBS aired an animation series featuring the voices of Adam West and Burt Ward as DC Comics‘ Super Heroes, Batman and Robin. Now, Warner Home Video will bring the animation back to life when they release The New Adventures of Superman and The New Adventures of Batman as two separate 2-Disc Collector sets on June 26, 2007 for $26.99 each.
The 6-minute vignettes that comprise The New Adventures of Superman depict Superman and Lois Lane in animated form for the first time since they were immortalized in the iconic Superman live-action short films of the 1940s. The series also marked the animation debut of Jimmy Olsen and classic Superman villains like Lex Luthor and Brainiac. The 2-Disc Collector set features 36 action-packed episodes with the legendary super heroes and great bonus features.
The DVD extras include:
· “Superman in 66” – In 1966 the comics industry was booming. This was also a hallmark year for Superman and an amazing year for the country. It was also the year The New Adventures of Superman debuted on CBS. This piece will explore how the 60’s era influenced the character of Superman and led to his Filmation debut on this groundbreaking show.
WHV will also be bringing you The New Adventures of Batman, the CBS animated series produced by Filmation. The show featured the voices of Adam West and Burt Ward, who starred in the live-action show Batman. Voicing the animated versions of Batman and Robin was the first time the two had reprised their famous roles since the live-action show was cancelled in 1968. In The New Adventures of Batman, Batman, Robin and Batgirl battle various villains in Gotham City and gain fandom for their heroic actions. One fan of the Dynamic Duo is Batmite, a dimensional imp who insists on helping Batman & Robin, regardless of their wishes. The 2-Disc Collector set features 16 action-packed episodes with the dynamic-duo and great bonus features.
DVD extras include:
· “Dark Versus Light – Filmation and the Batman” – 1977 marked Batman’s return to television in Filmation’s New Adventures of Batman. With interviews ranging from the President & Publisher of DC Comics to the President of Warner Bros. Animation, the legacy of Filmation, will be examined from animation style to how this core DC character was depicted in the series. Among the themes explored will be the unique split between the lighter, comedic version of Batman made popular by Filmation and the darker, brooding character seen in Detective Comics at the time.
· “Bat-Commentary” – An audio commentary from Filmation historian Michael Swanigan and Filmation founder Lou Schiemer on two of the episodes from the series. The special feature will be denoted with a selectable button indicating the respective episode from which the commentary is derived.
“The modernized versions of Superman and Batman are integral to pop culture and loved by millions, but their history is evident in The New Adventures of Superman and The New Adventures of Batman,” said Dorinda Marticorena, WHV Vice President, Kids and Sports Marketing. “We are delighted to be releasing original versions of the beloved DC Super Heroes for fans of all ages to enjoy.”
DC Comics, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world and home to such iconic characters as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Sandman. These DC Super Heroes and others have starred in comic books, movies, television series (both animated and live-action) and cyberspace, thrilling audiences of all ages for generations. DC Comics’ Web site is located at www.dccomics.com.
SUPERMAN, BATMAN and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © DC Comics.
With operations in 90 international territories Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video’s film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment.
Warner Bros. Animation has been producing award-winning original animation since 1930, when it released its first cartoon, “Sinking in the Bathtub.” Since then, Warner Bros. Animation’s characters have set the standard for innovative, quality animation. Producing for network and cable television, online, home entertainment and feature films both domestically and internationally, Warner Bros. Animation is highly respected for its creative and technical excellence, as well as maintaining the studio’s rich cartoon heritage. Warner Bros. Animation also oversees the creative use of, and production of animated programming based on classic animated characters from the Hanna-Barbera and DC Comics libraries. Warner Bros. Animation is one of the most honored animation studios in history, garnering a grand total of six Academy Awards®, 34 Emmy® Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, an Environmental Media Award, a Parents’ Choice Award, a Humanitas Award, two Prism Awards and 20 Annie Awards (honoring excellence in animation).
