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Top Ten Superman Short Films

Superman is a 40s animated short series from Fleischer Studios, and then eventually from Famous Studios. This series is known for employing realistic scenarios and action whereas its animation is truly amazing how polished and artistic it is. It unfortunately only lasted for seventeen films, but they did leave a big enough impact on the animation medium as literally every one of them is at least solid, but most are good or great. Here are my top ten picks.

10. Jungle Drums

Deep in the African jungle, Superman has to save Lois and fight the Nazis at their outpost. This was a scattershot in structure movie as it showed Superman’s origin needlessly so, but still it was a great sequence. The entire movie is very grounded in reality, subtle and featuring a particularly memorable last scene with Hitler himself.

9. The Underground World

The Underground World is by far the most fantastical short in this series which is usually more grounded in approach. It worked for me despite its rushed nature. I loved the animation, the character design of the villains was striking and the action was fine. But the entire underground world was perfectly utilized and very intriguing.

8. Volcano

Although realistic to a fault, Volcano makes use of its natural disaster premise mostly stupendously. The animation is superb and the setting is well utilized, but the character interactions are the highlight here. I found Lois unlikable, but thus genuinely interesting for wanting all the journalistic glory for herself. She’s a great character in this series.

7. The Mechanical Monsters

Superman has to defeat a mad scientist who commands a small army of robots in this second outing for the series which has too much action, but some of it was truly splendid with that X-ray moment being highly memorable and well executed. All of the characters also worked with the highlight being that mad scientist villain.

6. The Mummy Strikes

Although extremely rushed in its pace which is the problem of the entire series when you think about it, but otherwise The Mummy Strikes is one of the most intriguing Superman shorts which oozes Egyptology in its every frame. The last third is particularly memorable in its action and stellar animation.

5. The Arctic Giant

This time around Superman has to defeat a monster thawed from ice which terrorizes the city and attacks Lois. Although again short, it’s still a sweet cartoon which is particularly well animated, and a lot of fun in its monster storyline. The monster looks so much like Godzilla that it’s crazy witnessing this design in the early forties.

4. The Magnetic Telescope

A rogue scientist brings a dangerous comet on course to Earth and it is up to Superman to stop it. The villain is excellent here as is the whole comet storyline and how well animated and realistic the comet was here. I loved this animation and this more science-related approach. Thus it earns its fourth place.

3. Showdown

Superman has to capture his impostor who’s a robber stealing jewelry all over the city for his crime boss. This is the most atypical entry in the series and I loved every second of it. It’s fun throughout and it consists of many instantly recognizable action scenes from the opera sequence to the pit one to the ending. Such an amusing short.

2. Electric Earthquake

The villain in this short is a Native American who isn’t a stereotype for once and that was groundbreaking for a 40s film. He’s so calm, calculated and with a great reason for his wrongdoings. Thus, he is one of the greatest villains in this series and the short is the second best. It’s superb, realistic and oh so sophisticated.

1. Superman

I really liked the villain’s castle and weaponry, and the action is terrific here with the laser fight being so memorable. This is the first Superman short for the series, the one that started it off and the one that remains the best film. That’s because the action is simply so much fun and so well executed, the characterization is excellent and the animation is groundbreaking how polished and beautiful it is. It’s timeless after all these decades.