Tarzan and the Super 7
Encyclopedia
Tarzan and the Super 7, was a Saturday morning cartoon
series, produced by Filmation
and originally airing from 1978–1980 on CBS
.
The show consisted of separate installments featuring seven groups of adventurers;
The show was an updating of the Batman/Tarzan Adventure Hour
which aired on CBS Saturday mornings during the 1977–1978 television season. That series featured separate half hour episodes for each hero, with each show having its own opening and closing credits. The two series had previously run separately as Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle
(1976) and The New Adventures of Batman
(1977).
ran repeat episodes under the title Batman and the Super 7. This hour long series featured all of the original ‘Super 7’ segments except Jason of Star Command and Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle (The Tarzan show continued airing repeats on CBS as part of The Tarzan/Lone Ranger Adventure Hour
(1980–1981), later renamed The Tarzan/Lone Ranger/Zorro Adventure Hour (1981–1982)).
According to animation historian, Andy Mangels,
Saturday morning cartoon
A Saturday morning cartoon is the colloquial term for the animated television programming that has typically been scheduled on Saturday mornings on the major American television networks from the 1960s to the present; the genre's peak in popularity mostly ended in the 1990s while the popularity of...
series, produced by Filmation
Filmation
Filmation Associates was an American production company that produced animation and live action programming for television during the latter half of the 20th century. Located in Reseda, California, the animation studio was founded in 1963...
and originally airing from 1978–1980 on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
.
The show consisted of separate installments featuring seven groups of adventurers;
- Tarzan, Lord of the JungleTarzan, Lord of the JungleTarzan, Lord of the Jungle is an animated series created by the Filmation studio for CBS. There are a total of 36 episodes produced over the first four seasons....
- The New Adventures of BatmanThe New Adventures of BatmanThe New Adventures of Batman is an animated series produced by Filmation in 1977 featuring the DC Comics superheroes Batman and Robin, and Batgirl. The current distributor is Warner Bros. Television due to parent company Warner Bros's ownership of DC Comics, which publishes the Batman titles...
- The Freedom ForceThe Freedom Force (TV series)The Freedom Force is a 1978 animated television series produced by Filmation and aired on CBS as a segment of Tarzan and the Super 7. It showcased a superhero team gathered by the heroine Isis from around the world to help fight evil...
— IsisIsis (DC Comics)Isis is a DC Comics superhero, as well as a separate Egyptian goddess also living in the DC Universe. The recent superhero character is modeled closely after the main character of The Secrets of Isis, a live-action American Saturday Morning television program that served as the second half of The...
, Super-Samurai, SinbadSinbad the SailorSinbad the Sailor is a fictional sailor from Basrah, living during the Abbasid Caliphate – the hero of a story-cycle of Middle Eastern origin...
, Merlin, and HerculesHerculesHercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene... - Jason of Star CommandJason of Star CommandJason of Star Command was a live action television series by Filmation which ran between 1978 and 1979. The show revolved around the exploits of space adventurer Jason and his colleagues, including Professor E.J. Parsafoot and the pocket robot "Wiki"...
— the only live-action segment - Manta and MorayManta and MorayManta and Moray are a pair of amphibious superheroes who first appeared in a segment of the omnibus animated TV series Tarzan and the Super 7 in the 1970s....
- Superstretch and MicrowomanSuperstretch and MicrowomanSuperstretch and Microwoman are a fictional, shape-shifting, husband and wife crime-fighting team, shown as a segment of Tarzan and the Super 7. They are African-Americans....
- Web WomanWeb WomanWeb Woman is the alias of Kelly Webster, a fictional character and cartoon superheroine. She is featured on the 1978–1980 television series Tarzan and the Super 7 by Filmation. Her pending introduction prompted Marvel Comics to introduce a character called Spider-Woman to secure intellectual...
The show was an updating of the Batman/Tarzan Adventure Hour
Batman/Tarzan Adventure Hour
The Batman/Tarzan Adventure Hour is a Filmation series that ran on CBS during the 1977–1978 television season. It consisted of the second seasons of Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle and The New Adventures of Batman aired together....
which aired on CBS Saturday mornings during the 1977–1978 television season. That series featured separate half hour episodes for each hero, with each show having its own opening and closing credits. The two series had previously run separately as Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle
Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle
Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle is an animated series created by the Filmation studio for CBS. There are a total of 36 episodes produced over the first four seasons....
(1976) and The New Adventures of Batman
The New Adventures of Batman
The New Adventures of Batman is an animated series produced by Filmation in 1977 featuring the DC Comics superheroes Batman and Robin, and Batgirl. The current distributor is Warner Bros. Television due to parent company Warner Bros's ownership of DC Comics, which publishes the Batman titles...
(1977).
Batman and the Super 7
During the 1980–1981 television season, NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
ran repeat episodes under the title Batman and the Super 7. This hour long series featured all of the original ‘Super 7’ segments except Jason of Star Command and Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle (The Tarzan show continued airing repeats on CBS as part of The Tarzan/Lone Ranger Adventure Hour
The Tarzan/Lone Ranger Adventure Hour
The Tarzan / Lone Ranger adventure hour is an animated television series produced by Filmation that aired on CBS during the early 1980s....
(1980–1981), later renamed The Tarzan/Lone Ranger/Zorro Adventure Hour (1981–1982)).
DVD release
Fans of this series have been lobbying for its release on DVD. To date the only segment released in North America is the five episodes produced of The Freedom Force as well as the live-action series, Jason of Star Command. Warner Home Video has announced the Batman series for release in June 2007.- Space Sentinels & Freedom Force — The Complete Series - August 22, 2006
- Jason of Star Command — The Complete Series DVD Set - May 8, 2007
- The New Adventures of Batman — The Complete Series DVD Set - June 26, 2007
According to animation historian, Andy Mangels,
Due to lawsuits from Marvel Comics and DC Comics, Superstretch and MicroWoman, Manta & Moray and Web Woman have been withdrawn from distribution, and probably do not exist in the ER library at all. I don't think Hallmark ever transferred them. Very sad.