The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians
Encyclopedia
The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians is an American
animated television series about a team of superhero
es which ran from 1985
to 1986. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera
and is based on the Justice League
and associated comic book
characters published by DC Comics
.
, the final version of Hanna-Barbera's Super Friends
premiered. The Super Friends (now called the Super Powers Team) were once again headquartered at the Hall of Justice
(which had been redesigned for this series to appear more dome-like and seemingly, larger) in Metropolis
, and battled such familiar foes as Darkseid
, Lex Luthor
, and Scarecrow
.
Amidst those changes, another change in the series was the absence of a narrator on every episode. In the original series from 1973 Ted Knight
was the program's narrator. William Woodson became the narrator beginning with 1977's All-New Super Friends Hour. Woodson would remain the voice of the series through the final episode of 1984's Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show
. Starting with this 1985 incarnation there was no narration of any of the episodes. There is a very brief voice-over by Woodson at the start of the episode, "The Bizarro
Super Powers Team", telling us about Bizarro World but afterward he isn't heard throughout the rest of the episode.
The story lines in many of the 1985 episodes were also a bit more dramatic compared to previous installments. The only episodes that featured a good dose of the old Super Friends
style and charm were "The Bizarro Super Powers Team" and "The Case of the Stolen Powers".
Except where noted as a short, each episode was 30 minutes long. The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians lasted only one season on ABC
, marking the end of Hanna-Barbera's 12-year run of the Super Friends.
In the episode titled "The Fear", Batman's origin is told for the first time outside of the actual comics. The episode was written by Alan Burnett
, later a story editor on Batman: The Animated Series
.
This series also marked the first ever appearance of Cyborg
in an animated television series.
B.J. Ward stars voicing Wonder Woman's voice with the start of the new series.
The Flash appeared only in "The Death of Superman" episode (the last to premiere), and never used his powers. El Dorado, even if he is not part of the official roster, also made a cameo in "The Death of Superman", and never used his powers or even spoke any lines.
Lex Luthor only appeared briefly at the beginning of "The Seeds of Doom". Both The Joker
and The Penguin
made their first (and only) Super Friends appearances in two different episodes. While Batman and Robin appeared in Joker's debut episode, they were not present in Penguin's.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
animated television series about a team of superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es which ran from 1985
1985 in television
The year 1985 involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1985.For the American TV schedule, see: 1985-86 United States network television schedule.-Events:*January 1 – VH1 launches in the United States....
to 1986. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
and is based on the Justice League
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
and associated comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
characters published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
.
Summary
In the fall of 19851985 in television
The year 1985 involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1985.For the American TV schedule, see: 1985-86 United States network television schedule.-Events:*January 1 – VH1 launches in the United States....
, the final version of Hanna-Barbera's Super Friends
Super Friends
Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1986 on ABC as part of its Saturday morning cartoon lineup...
premiered. The Super Friends (now called the Super Powers Team) were once again headquartered at the Hall of Justice
Hall of Justice (comics)
The Hall of Justice is the fictional headquarters of the Super Friends, in the eponymous animated series. It has subsequently been incorporated into the DC Comics main shared universe, the DC Universe as the new headquarters of the Justice League....
(which had been redesigned for this series to appear more dome-like and seemingly, larger) in Metropolis
Metropolis (comics)
Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
, and battled such familiar foes as Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
, Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
, and Scarecrow
Scarecrow (comics)
The Scarecrow is a fictional character, a supervillain, that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in World's Finest Comics #3 and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
.
Amidst those changes, another change in the series was the absence of a narrator on every episode. In the original series from 1973 Ted Knight
Ted Knight
Ted Knight was an American actor best known for playing the comedic role of Ted Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Henry Rush on Too Close for Comfort, and Judge Elihu Smails in Caddyshack.- Early years :...
was the program's narrator. William Woodson became the narrator beginning with 1977's All-New Super Friends Hour. Woodson would remain the voice of the series through the final episode of 1984's Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show
Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show
Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 1984 to 1985 on ABC...
. Starting with this 1985 incarnation there was no narration of any of the episodes. There is a very brief voice-over by Woodson at the start of the episode, "The Bizarro
Bizarro
Bizarro is a fictional character that appears in publications published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Otto Binder and artist George Papp as a "mirror image" of Superman and first appeared in Superboy #68...
Super Powers Team", telling us about Bizarro World but afterward he isn't heard throughout the rest of the episode.
The story lines in many of the 1985 episodes were also a bit more dramatic compared to previous installments. The only episodes that featured a good dose of the old Super Friends
Super Friends
Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1986 on ABC as part of its Saturday morning cartoon lineup...
style and charm were "The Bizarro Super Powers Team" and "The Case of the Stolen Powers".
Except where noted as a short, each episode was 30 minutes long. The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians lasted only one season on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, marking the end of Hanna-Barbera's 12-year run of the Super Friends.
The Super Powers Team
|
Hal Jordan Harold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker... Samurai (Super Friends) Samurai is a fictional superhero in the Super Friends cartoons created by Hanna-Barbera. His real name is Toshio Eto, and he is of Japanese descent. He was one of the later additions to the team along with other ethnically diverse heroes in an effort for the show to promote cultural diversity. His... |
In the episode titled "The Fear", Batman's origin is told for the first time outside of the actual comics. The episode was written by Alan Burnett
Alan Burnett
Alan Burnett is a television writer-producer particularly associated with DC Comics and Walt Disney television animation. He has had a hand in virtually every DC animated project since the waning years of the Super Friends, and continues to do so...
, later a story editor on Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...
.
This series also marked the first ever appearance of Cyborg
Cyborg (comics)
Cyborg is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, and first appears in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26...
in an animated television series.
B.J. Ward stars voicing Wonder Woman's voice with the start of the new series.
The Flash appeared only in "The Death of Superman" episode (the last to premiere), and never used his powers. El Dorado, even if he is not part of the official roster, also made a cameo in "The Death of Superman", and never used his powers or even spoke any lines.
New Gods of Apokolips villains
- DarkseidDarkseidDarkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
- DesaadDesaadDesaad is a fictional comic book supervillain, appearing in books published by DC Comics. He is one of the followers of Darkseid from the planet of Apokolips in Jack Kirby's Fourth World meta-series....
- KalibakKalibakKalibak is a fictional character, a deity and supervillain published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in New Gods #1 .- Fictional character biography :...
- The ParademonsParademonParademons are a fictional group of aliens in the . They are monstrous shock troops of Apokolips used by Darkseid to maintain order of the planet. The original Parademons were created by Jack Kirby in The New Gods #1 .-Fictional history:...
- Desaad
Individual villains
- Lex LuthorLex LuthorLex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
- The JokerJoker (comics)The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
- The Royal Flush GangRoyal Flush GangThe Royal Flush Gang or RFG are fictional characters in DC Comics. They first appeared in Justice League of America #43 in March 1966 under the leadership of Professor Amos Fortune.-History:...
- ScarecrowScarecrow (comics)The Scarecrow is a fictional character, a supervillain, that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in World's Finest Comics #3 and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
- BrainiacBrainiac (comics)Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
- Felix FaustFelix FaustFelix Faust is a fictional character and supervillain who appears in stories published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in 1962 as an adversary of the Justice League of America...
- The PenguinPenguin (comics)Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot III is a DC Comics supervillain and one of Batman's oldest, most persistent enemies. The Penguin was introduced by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, making his debut in Detective Comics #58 .The Penguin is a short, rotund man known for his love of birds and his...
- Mr. MxyzptlkMister MxyzptlkMr. Mxyzptlk , sometimes called Mxy, is a fictional impish supervillain who appears in DC Comics' Superman comic books.He was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and first appeared in Superman #30 . He is usually presented as a trickster, in the classical mythological sense, in that he enjoys...
- BizarroBizarroBizarro is a fictional character that appears in publications published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Otto Binder and artist George Papp as a "mirror image" of Superman and first appeared in Superboy #68...
- Mr. Kltpzyxm (Mr. Mxyzptlk Bizarro)
- BizarraBizarraBizarra is a fictional character owned by DC Comics. She is a distorted version of the superhero character Wonder Woman, based on the Superman villain Bizarro...
(Bizarro Wonder Woman) - Cyzarro (Cyborg Bizarro)
- Firezarro (Firestorm Bizarro)
Lex Luthor only appeared briefly at the beginning of "The Seeds of Doom". Both The Joker
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
and The Penguin
Penguin (comics)
Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot III is a DC Comics supervillain and one of Batman's oldest, most persistent enemies. The Penguin was introduced by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, making his debut in Detective Comics #58 .The Penguin is a short, rotund man known for his love of birds and his...
made their first (and only) Super Friends appearances in two different episodes. While Batman and Robin appeared in Joker's debut episode, they were not present in Penguin's.
Voice cast
- Jack AngelJack AngelJack Angel is an American voice actor, who has worked on many children's television series, movies and video games.-Life and career:Angel was born in Modesto, California...
- Flash/Barry Allen, HawkmanHawkmanHawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....
, Samurai - René Auberjonois - DesaadDesaadDesaad is a fictional comic book supervillain, appearing in books published by DC Comics. He is one of the followers of Darkseid from the planet of Apokolips in Jack Kirby's Fourth World meta-series....
- Joe Baker
- Steve BulenSteve BulenJames Steven Bulen , better known as Steve Bulen, is an American voice actor. He has been doing voices for many animated films and television shows for Walt Disney Animation Studios and Hanna-Barbera as well several video games and anime titles such as Doomed Megalopolis, Giant Robo, Outlaw Star,...
- William Callaway
- Peter CullenPeter CullenPeter Claver Cullen is a Canadian voice actor, known as the voice of Eeyore in the Winnie-the-Pooh franchise, Optimus Prime and Ironhide in the original Transformers series, and the narrator in both of the original American Voltron series...
- Felix FaustFelix FaustFelix Faust is a fictional character and supervillain who appears in stories published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in 1962 as an adversary of the Justice League of America... - Danny DarkDanny DarkDanny Dark was widely acknowledged in the commercial industry as the voice-over king. For nearly four decades, he embedded pop culture with memorable lines in advertisements for Budweiser , Raid Ant & Roach Killer and StarKist Tuna...
- SupermanSupermanSuperman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, BizarroBizarroBizarro is a fictional character that appears in publications published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Otto Binder and artist George Papp as a "mirror image" of Superman and first appeared in Superboy #68... - Robert DoQuiRobert DoQuiRobert DoQui was an American actor who starred in film and on television. He is best known for his role as King George in the 1973 film Coffy, starring Pam Grier, as Sgt. Warren Reed in the 1987 science fiction film RoboCop, the 1990 sequel RoboCop 2, and the 1993 sequel RoboCop 3...
- Patti Glick
- Arlene GolonkaArlene GolonkaArlene Golonka is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for playing Millie Swanson on the television comedies The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D., and often portrayed bubbly, eccentric blondes in supporting character roles on stage, film, and television.-Early years:Golonka was...
- Darryl HickmanDarryl HickmanDarryl Gerard Hickman is an American film and television actor, former television executive, and child star of the 1930s and 1940s.-Early life:...
- Jerry HouserJerry HouserJerry Houser is an American character actor and voice actor in film and television.-Career:Houser was born in Los Angeles, California. Since 1971, he has appeared in countless films, TV series, animated series, and commercials...
- Jack - Ernie HudsonErnie HudsonErnest Lee "Ernie" Hudson is an American actor known for his roles as Winston Zeddemore in the Ghostbusters film series, Sergeant Albrecht in The Crow, and Warden Leo Glynn on HBO's Oz.-Early life:...
- CyborgCyborg (comics)Cyborg is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, and first appears in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26... - Stan JonesStan JonesStan Jones is a Libertarian Party politician who has twice run unsuccessfully for the United States Senate in 2002 and 2006, and has run twice unsuccessfully for governor of Montana, in 2000 and 2004. The winner in 2000 was Republican Judy Martz, and in 2004 the winner was Democrat Brian...
- Lex LuthorLex LuthorLex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and... - Casey KasemCasey KasemKemal Amin "Casey" Kasem is an American radio personality and voice actor who is best known for being the host of the nationally syndicated Top 40 countdown show American Top 40, and for voicing Shaggy in the popular Saturday morning cartoon franchise Scooby-Doo.Kasem, along with Don Bustany and...
- RobinDick GraysonDick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940.... - Paul Kirby
- Lucy Lee
- Sidney Miller
- Haunani Minn
- Lynne MoodyLynne MoodyLynne Moody is an American actress who has made many appearances in television.Her most prominent roles include Tracy Curtis Taylor in That's My Mama from 1974–1975 and was replaced by Joan Pringle in the second season; she also played Irene Harvey in Roots, Polly Dawson in Soap, Nurse Julie...
- Robert MorseRobert MorseRobert Morse is an American actor and singer. Morse is best known for his appearances in musicals and plays on Broadway. He has also acted in movies and television shows. His best known role is that of J. Pierrepont Finch in the 1961 Broadway musical, and 1967 film How to Succeed in Business...
- PenguinPenguin (comics)Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot III is a DC Comics supervillain and one of Batman's oldest, most persistent enemies. The Penguin was introduced by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, making his debut in Detective Comics #58 .The Penguin is a short, rotund man known for his love of birds and his... - Stanley Ralph RossStanley Ralph RossStanley Ralph Ross was raised in Brooklyn New York, starting his career in advertising, then soon going to work as a writer and actor on various television shows, most notably cult-classics such as the 1960s Batman series starring Adam West and also The Monkees...
- BrainiacBrainiac (comics)Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino.... - Michael RyeMichael RyeMichael Rye is a US voice actor. He is also known as Mike Rye and sometimes used his surname at birth, Rye Billsbury...
- Green LanternHal JordanHarold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker... - Ken SansomKen SansomKenneth Sansom is an American actor and voice actor who first began acting in the early seventies. His first role was in an episode of Mayberry R.F.D., a continuation of the The Andy Griffith Show. He is best known for his role as Rabbit in The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. He also voiced...
- Andre StojkaAndre StojkaAndre Stojka is an American voice actor. He is best known for his role as Owl in Winnie-the-Pooh projects beginning with The New Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh, inheriting the role from Hal Smith. He was also the voice of the horse Starlite in all of the animated Rainbow Brite productions...
- ScarecrowScarecrow (comics)The Scarecrow is a fictional character, a supervillain, that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in World's Finest Comics #3 and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane... - Mark L. TaylorMark L. TaylorMark L. Taylor is an American actor. He was born in Syracuse, New York.Taylor has appeared in various shows such as Seinfeld, Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, Chicago Hope, Ally McBeal and Boston Legal...
- Firestorm - B.J. Ward - Wonder WomanWonder WomanWonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
- Frank WelkerFrank WelkerFranklin Wendell "Frank" Welker is an American actor who specializes in voice acting and has contributed character voices and other vocal effects to American television and motion pictures.-Acting career:...
- DarkseidDarkseidDarkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
, KalibakKalibakKalibak is a fictional character, a deity and supervillain published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in New Gods #1 .- Fictional character biography :...
, JokerJoker (comics)The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
/Ace, Mister MxyzptlkMister MxyzptlkMr. Mxyzptlk , sometimes called Mxy, is a fictional impish supervillain who appears in DC Comics' Superman comic books.He was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and first appeared in Superman #30 . He is usually presented as a trickster, in the classical mythological sense, in that he enjoys... - Adam WestAdam WestWilliam West Anderson , better known by the stage name Adam West, is an American actor best known for his lead role in the Batman TV series and the film of the same name...
- BatmanBatmanBatman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics... - Eugene Williams
Episodes
- Galactic Guardians episodes
DVD release
- Warner Home Video released The Complete Series of The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians on DVD on October 23, 2007.
| DVD Name | Ep # | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| The Complete Series | 8 | October 23, 2007 |