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Thursday, April 07, 2011

Super Powers Collection UK Edition


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These are the three VHS tapes in the UK-formatted version of Super Powers Collection, which featured the 1960s Filmation cartoons repackaged for the then-burgeoning home video market. Anyone notice anything?

F.O.A.M.er Chip Cataldo--possessor of the greatest Super Powers collection anyone has ever seen and the guy kind enough to send these pics in to the Shrine--sure did. In an email to me titled "Poor Arthur", he points out that in this UK version, Aquaman has been mercilessly cut out of the collection!

Here's the original ad that ran in America:
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On the back of each tape, there was also a piece of Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (read: awesome) stock art of the four heroes banded together in heroic solidarity, which was used as a giant standee display in video stores (also from Chip's collection):
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So some Warner UK executive actually made the conscious decision to eliminate Aquaman from the collection, and had to have the stock piece amended, removing Arthur as if he was never there, 1950's Communism-style! Aaaarggggghhhhh! What the hell do the Brits have against Aquaman?!? They have water there, right?

When applying labels to this post, I went for the "Missed Opportunity" one, but that's really not accurate: this wasn't a good chance to include Aquaman that was missed, this is...an atrocity!

Nice catch, Chip. Thanks for sending this stuff in...even though it makes me cry.

9 comments:

IADW said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
IADW said...

When I was a kid these videos were my most hired tapes! The kids section was in this mini castle and that standee was by the door. I used to ask the dude at the counter if it was for sale every time I got my tape out but no such luck. Seeing it here again though - wow - did it bring back memories.

I never hired Superboy for some reason so the other three were well trialled.

JD said...

Aquaman being cut out is really ridiculous and nonsensical, if they were unsure of sales, they could have just done a lower production run on his video.

Well, I guess Warner\DC (it IS the same company basically) is getting back to this sort of behavior now as they've canceled numerous solicited TPBs over the past year due to supposedly "low pre-orders." If a company doesn't want to sell something they really shouldn't advertise or solicit it to begin with. Now I have no idea if some TPB I order from DC will actually get released or not. :(

matthew jones said...

As a UK resident, I'd like to apologise on behalf of Warner UK and my country for Aquaman not getting his own video here. I love the Aquaman Filmation series and it's too bad it never made it to vhs here. I do own the Batman one though, and it's very entertaining.

Anonymous said...

Ok, so this is the last time I vistit the Shrine. Why? Well, because I've realized that this isn't really a blog dedicated to ANY AND ALL iterations of Aquaman, therefore focusing on the character itself, but is instead a haven for those of a certain age (no younger than 30 of course) who enjoy the nostalgia that comes with reminiscing about the Comics they read when they were kids. This is why any new development that pertains to Aquaman is barely discussed and is immediately discarted as not as worthy of attention as the "Skeates/Aparo" version of Aquaman.

This of course alienates anybody who's become a fan of Aquaman after the 70's (and maybe late 80's)

Perhaps this blog shouldnt be called the Aquaman shrine, but instead "the Good ol' days".

You will probably delete this comment, rob!, this IS in the end YOUR blog, and it is why it is so heavily focused on the past. And you have every right to do so. All i wanted to do is share with you the POV of a younger fan who finds himself, as i said, alienated due to age.

It's a good blog, just wished it was more all-encompassing.

David J. Cutler said...

TheZoner, dude, I mean no offense by this, but what on EARTH are you going on about? Every new appearance of Aquaman is reviewed here in minute detail, from brief appearances on the Young Justice cartoon, to the Tiny Titans, to Brightest Day, to any and all modern toys and merchandise. This may come as a surprise to you but Aquaman hasn't been all that popular with the comics buying public for a long time now, and most of the comics and merchandise bearing his image is at least pre-90s. The last time Aquaman was in his own title, he had a magical water hand--but for some reason you object to that being covered as well.

I really don't get your issue--it's not like new stuff isn't posted about, there just isn't much of it. Should every post every day just be rob saying "so that new series is coming in the fall, pretty cool, huh?" Because other than the writer and artist, we don't actually know anything about it. Emperor Aquaman's new costume, Brave and the Bold and Smallville appearances, random panels featuring shots from Brightest Day--can you point to something you think the shrine is ignoring? I really don't think you can.

For the record, I'm 27 and I've been reading here since I was 24. Well under 30, and not alienated. I think you need to develop a sense of history and maybe realize those links in the side bar lead to information cataloged here from all throughout Aquaman's history. The site's been around many years--maybe what you're looking for's already been covered in months past.

JD said...

Damn, Zoner! I thought I was the hothead around here! I'm well UNDER 30 and I love 60's & 70's era stuff, but rob! HAS featured Brightest Day, Flashpoint, & new Aquaman series news regularly. I love the nostalgia portion of this blog, but it has plenty of current news and information too. And having read LOTS of comments here, most people have discussed current happenings. Anyway, to each their own. ;)

Russell said...

Anyone who can visit The Shrine and still say, "..I've realized that this isn't really a blog dedicated to ANY AND ALL iterations of Aquaman..." doesn't read very well.

Don't let the door hit you on the way out. Sayonara! :-)

Shaun McLaughlin said...

Rob, this is the last time I visit the Aquaman Shrine. It seems to be a Shrine dedicated to Aquaman instead of being dedicated to Doll Man, Ma Hunkle or any of the characters in Zits -- which is a comic strip that makes a lot more sense when you have teenagers.

I just don't understand it, Rob. It seems as if you spend hours upon hours doing a blog about the stuff you're interested in. I just don't understand.