29/09/2023
Debut of the Day: On this day in 1985, the Batman’s tragic origin story is fully explored for the first time outside of DC comic books in Oscar Dufau and Alan Burnett‘s ‘The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians’ television episode “The Fear”.
Beginning in 1973, Hanna-Barbera’s animated series Super Friends marked the first time DC’s Justice League of America was adapted for animated television. The franchise produced several spin offs from 1973 to 1986, with the last show airing from 1985 to 1986 titled ‘The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians’. Lasting a total of 10 episodes in a year’s span, Hanna-Barbera collaborated with creators such as Alan Moore and Alan Burnett to bring forth the series airing on ABC's Saturday morning line up. As with most things, time brings change and many elements of the 'Super Friends' were altered. Less narration formatted the show; William Woodson was the frequent narrator in the intro and storyline, besides Ted Knight in the first show from 1973. Plus the young heroes The Wonder Twins were replaced by new heroes from DC such as Cyborg, which was this character's first appearance outside of comic books. 'The Super Powers Team' consisted of Batman (voiced by the late 1960s television ‘Batman’, Adam West) and Robin, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Lantern, Hawkman, The Flash, Samurai, Firestorm and Cyborg.
A notable aspect of this mid 80s series were more adult themes in episodes. Perhaps one of the most memorable was in October 1985 in the episode “The Fear”. The Scarecrow releases fear transmitters all over Gotham City so citizens will witness their greatest fears. When the Batman and Boy Wonder are on patrol and track down Scarecrow and his Strawmen down an alleyway, the Caped Crusader is overcome with fear, letting the god of fear escape. Later, Wonder Woman goes to the Batcave to talk to Bruce who is shaken since his encounter with Scarecrow. This is when Bruce reveals his background: Bruce Wayne was part of the wealthy Wayne Family of Gotham when he was young. One night, his mother and father, Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne, walked home from a theater. They were stopped by a mugger who tragically killed Bruce's parents in front of his eyes (scenes presented). This episode is important to Batman’s history because it revolved around the origin of the Batman, an aspect of his mythos that was not featured in full in animation or outside of comics. The theme of Batman confronting his guilt of his parents’ death thanks to Scarecrow’s fear toxins will be a reoccurring one in media for decades to come. 🦇📺
