The Adventures of Superman (1 Viewer)

[jayembee]

Criterion, Kino, VCI, MPI/Dark Sky, ShoutFactory, Arrow, TwilightTime PowerHouse, Scorpion Releasing, Imprint, Eureka, Cult Films and at least a half dozen other boutique distributors who have released many of your favorite popular and not so popular titles, superbly restored on BD, and with loads of extras. All of these labels either do the restorations themselves or farm it out to others; typically the results are excellent. All Warners would have to do is lease them the rights to do a BD edition.

I'm not sure about some of those labels, but Twilight Time very definitely did not do their own restorations. They took what was given them by the studios in question, and some of their releases were, as a result, substandard.

The issue with Warner is that they don't want outside companies (with the exception of Criterion) creating their own restorations of Warner-owned films, because they want to control how their films are presented. If they're going to insist on their own restorations, they probably don't think there's any point to not releasing them themselves. They've made exceptions -- even aside from Criterion -- but those exceptions are few and far between.

 

[BobO'Link]

An individual Blu ray release of the theatrical/pilot movie SUPERMAN & THE MOLE MEN would be a good way for Warner (or WarnerArchive) to test the BD waters

I'm not so sure... even as a kid I felt that was one of the weaker episodes. I'm a *huge* fan of the series but would be unlikely to purchase that pilot movie without the series being attached. It wouldn't surprise me at all to find there are lots of other fans who feel pretty much the same.

 

[cineescape]

I'm not so sure... even as a kid I felt that was one of the weaker episodes. I'm a *huge* fan of the series but would be unlikely to purchase that pilot movie without the series being attached. It wouldn't surprise me at all to find there are lots of other fans who feel pretty much the same.

I only recall parts of a few scenes. I remember it as especially uncomfortable to watch because you could sort of feel the fear the mole people had being so different from terrestrials, even as Superman and Lois had their backs. But that first season was very special, wasn't it?

But let's be real about the buyer habits of collectors. As it was with Kino's Columbo release, most of us will probably spring for a BD edition only if the missing scenes from the syndicated versions were restored. If not, then at least the existing footage would need to have received a serious A/V quality restoration. Criterion, VCI, Arrow, Powerhouse/Indicator and other reputable labels certainly have the expertise. But that's all up to Warners, and so things don't look very hopeful, which is sad and ironic as so many of my Warner Archive BDs and even DVDs look and sound wonderful.

 

[ponset]

Radio series Ad.

Love this photo. Says it's from 1966.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

 

[ponset]

 

[The Obsolete Man]

That Lois Lane logo says to me post-1959, since that's when the comic started. That also kind of means no George Reeves. Did these live shows continue on after his death with a different Superman and the rest of the cast?

 

[jayembee]

That Lois Lane logo says to me post-1959, since that's when the comic started.

A tad earlier than that. The first issue of Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane was released in January 1958, dated March-April. But Lois's true first comic, with the same logo, was Showcase #9, released in May 1957, dated July-August.

 

[Will Krupp]

That Lois Lane logo says to me post-1959, since that's when the comic started. That also kind of means no George Reeves. Did these live shows continue on after his death with a different Superman and the rest of the cast?

A tad earlier than that. The first issue of Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane was released in January 1958, dated March-April. But Lois's true first comic, with the same logo, was Showcase #9, released in May 1957, dated July-August.

September 2nd fell on a Monday in 1957 and wouldn't do so again until 1963. I think it's safe to assume the newspaper ad for the show at Bluefield Auditorium in West Virginia is most likely from 1957.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

Ooh, great info from both Jerry and Will. I had a nagging feeling I was slightly off about Lois's solo title and hadn't factored in Showcase.

Thanks both.

 

[ponset]

 

[ponset]

Decades ago DC Comics announced that Superman's birthday is Feb. 29th.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

 

[Desslar]

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Looks like Lois is having a bad suit day, and Jimmy is... 40?

 

[ponset]

 

[BobO'Link]

I loved those 80 page giant issues to the point that I'd forgo the regular issues to purchase one when it showed up in the spin rack.

I think I have that issue (can't easily check at the moment). I know I read it and I never got rid of comics I purchased. The "Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane" comic was a regular purchase (as was the "Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen" comic).

 

[Matt Hough]

Forgot all about the annuals I had that very one), so thanks for the memory! I always thought it was funny that the Noel Neill biography lists The Music Man as one of her screen credits (where you can barely find her among the locals) and leaves out An American in Paris where she has a speaking part and a nice scene with Gene Kelly.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

Speaking of this era's Superman, DC finally released the first of the Silver Age Superman omnibuses a couple weeks back.

Starting with Action Comics 241, which was pointed out elsewhere by comic writer and Superman historian Mark Waid, Action 241 first released on April 29, 1958, the day after the final episode of The Adventures of Superman was released to syndication on April 28, 1958, making it an interesting and fitting point for DC to consider the Silver Age to begin for Superman.

 

[RICK BOND]

Some photos of Noel and George.

 

[BobO'Link]

Noel Neill was OK as Lois but I *always* preferred Phyllis Coates:

 

[timk1041]

Noel Neill was OK as Lois but I *always* preferred Phyllis Coates:

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Wonder why she was only in the very early episodes?

 

[Capt D McMars]

Wonder why she was only in the very early episodes?