DC Super Friends is a series of cartoon shorts based off of Fisher-Price Imaginext DC Super Friends toy line.
In Gotham City, Batman has taken up a partner in the form of Robin the Boy Wonder and their work together is shown to have an effect on crime in Gotham as the Joker is losing allies in crime. In desperation, Joker turns to the one person who can get his fortunes back in line - Lex Luthor. Meanwhile, the Justice League has recruited a new member to their team in the form of Cyborg, who acts as their troubleshooter. However, when both heroic groups learn of the formation of a Legion of Doom, can the Dynamic Duo (re: Batman) swallow his pride and ask for help?
Like the the original short that spawned this, the series is quite entertaining and has adult fans for a show aimed at 3-5 year olds.
The series can be watched here with the first episode
on the DC Kids YouTube channel.
This series provides examples of:
- Adaptational Wimp: Aquaman. Again.
- Adaptational Villainy: Catwoman is designated a bad guy here.
- Ascended Fanboy: Both Robin and Cyborg are treated as these, Cyborg more than Robin.
- The Cameo: Donna Troy, Beast Boy, Kid Flash, Starfire and Raven make a brief appearance in the end when Robin suggests he and Cyborg make their own team in the future.
- Dumb Muscle: Bane, Solomon Grundy and Bizarro. Bizarro, though, takes the cake.
- I Work Alone: Batman's real problem. Lampshaded by Wonder Woman when Luthor has him on the ropes, who tells the rest of the League that Batman isn't going to admit that he's in trouble. So the League takes it as a cue to save his bacon.
- Hawkman too, although in his case it's more Played for Laughs.
"Seriously, I could handle it." - Legion of Doom: Natch. An interesting case here, though, is that Luthor and Joker try to be the head honcho of the group and even get into an argument over its name.
- Sidekick Glass Ceiling: Cyborg, at the end, complains that he feels like he and Robin are still stuck on the bottom rungs. Robin reassures him that they're just getting experience so they can make their own team.
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Luthor recruits Captain Cold and Cheetah so they can be stand-ins for the captured Mr. Freeze and Catwoman.
- Villain Ball: The reason why the Justice League wins out in the end - the Joker just can't stand not doing theatrics and enforces a prolonged countdown, allowing Robin and Cyborg to save the day.
