Since 1973, Alex Toth's rendering of the JLA had dominated Saturday morning television. In fact, Hanna-Barbera's animated "Super Friends" proved so successful that DC brought the concept full circle, adapting the show into a comic. Scribe E. Nelson Bridwell and artist Ric Estrada crafted the inaugural issue, pitting "the most powerful forces of good ever assembled" against a band of self-proclaimed, "Super Foes." Although not considered DC canon, "Super Friends" enjoyed nearly a five year run in comics form, lasting for 47 issues.
The team started as Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and Robin, Aquaman, Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog. There was a storyline in issue 7 which lasted 3 issues where the Wonder Twins (Zan, Jayna, Gleek) came to Earth to warn Earth's heroes of an impending threat by the name of Grax. This storyline included the entire Justice League and the Global Guardians. At the end of the story (Issue 9) Wendy and Marvin had captured Grax and The Super Friends said that they completed their training and were ready to become full fledged super heroes. Both kids said they were going to college and Zan and Jayna asked if the Super Friends would train them and they agreed. Many issues had morals for the Wonder Twins to learn. Issue 10 showed us that an old friend of Superman and Batman, Professor Carter Nicholls agreed to be the Guardian of Zan and Jayna and he came up with alter egos and a European Country that they came from. Also we met a group of alien heroes who tracked a beautiful woman to earth. The twins learned a valuable lesson that the monsters were the heroes and the beauty was the evil one.
Many heroes guest starred as well as supporting characters from the Super Friends individual books. Solovar and King Vulko were in issue 11 and the SF battled the Kingslayer. In issue 12 TNT and Dynamite guest starred and their were brief visits to Atlantis and the Bottled City of Kandor. Several villains such as Grax, Overlord, and Menagerie Man made multiple appearances. The Super Friends also battled villains from other heroes' Rogues Gallery such as : (Mirror Master-23 )Flash Villain, Flash Villain (Weather Wizard-37), Atom Villain (Chronos-22), WW and Flash villains(Giganta and Grodd-30). Many other guest stars included Mera and Aqualad (issues 25 and 27), Jimmy Olsen (28), Black Orchid (31), Scarecrow (32), Hawkman (33), Plastic Man (36), Supergirl (37), Topo (38), Green Fury (42-44, 47) and the Global Guardians (45-46).
When DC expanded their books to 25 pages, in SF there were rotating solo stories beginning with issue 35. The Wonder Twins, Jack O Lantern, and the Seraph rotated solo back-up stories with Plastic Man joining the rotation in issues 44 and 46. Issue 47 ended the run with a full length adventure guest starring the Green Fury and a trip to Brazil, ending in a death of someone the Green Fury new. The Super Friends went to Exxor in issues 21 and 46 and to Atlantis in issue 27 and Gorilla City in Issue 30. All in all it was a very fun run. The JLA Satellite was used several times (2, 3 7-9,16) and old JLA villains made appearances.
Felix Faust (28), Kanjar Ro, Queen Bee (45-46) along with Sinestro, Hector Hammond and World Beater (45-46)
Collected Editions
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