Customer Reviews

Music of DC Comics: 75th Anniversary Collection

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In 75 years, DC characters have inspired an impressive collection of music, from jingles to symphonic suites, and it seems very appropriate that a compilation should be offered...but be aware, before you purchase this, that for unexplained reasons (copyrights, I suspect), some very familiar tunes are not included in the collection!

The disc begins, appropriately with Sammy Timberg's march, which opened the Max Fleischer/Paramount Superman cartoons of the early 1940s. But the 3-note fanfare and bouncy (uncredited) theme of the Kirk Alyn "Adventures of Superman" movie serials is not included, and, more surprisingly, Leon Klatzkin's famous theme music for George Reeves' "The Adventures of Superman" TV series is missing, as well (As a baby boomer who grew up on this, leaving it out is simply unforgivable!)

It is fun listening to the cheesy verbal introductions of the various animated DC series of the 60s and 70s, as well as the catchy jingles (with vocal accompanists harmonizing unforgettable lyrics like "It's Superman, Super, Super, Superman!"), and the Adam West "Batman" TV series gets an expanded version of the theme song everybody was humming in the mid-1960s. But the Man of Steel's ill-fated foray on the Broadway stage, "It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman!", is ignored, despite introducing a hit pop tune ("You've Got Possibilities").

Happily, John Williams' brilliant theme for the Christopher Reeve "Superman" film is included (although the hit single, "Can You Read My Mind?" is left out). The three original Reeve sequels offered, fundamentally, variations of the Williams' score, but 2006's "Superman Returns" also introduced beautiful original music (by John Ottman) to supplement Williams' score, but none of it is available, here.

Danny Elfman's startling, evocative theme for the Tim Burton/Michael Keaton "Batman" film is included ("Batman Returns", the Burton/Keaton sequel, would use the same theme music), but the disappointing Joel Schumacher sequels did offer Elliot Goldenthal's vaulting operatic scores, which have been completely ignored.

I was also disappointed that Danny Elfman's terrific theme for "The Flash" TV series isn't offered, nor any music from Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" sequel, "The Dark Knight", nor most of the themes of the 'direct-to-DVD' offerings, nor any music from DC's non-mainstream heroes ("Watchmen", "Jonah Hex", etc). A true celebration should include many of the omitted selections!

"Music of DC Comics: 75th Anniversary Collection" deserves four stars, for what is offered, but loses a five-star recommendation, for what is missing...Is a sequel in the works?

Produced in celebration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of DC Comics, this CD includes themes songs and introductions from both live action and animated films and television programming based on characters created by or (as is the case with Captain Marvel and Plastic Man) now owned by DC. The majority of the 31 tracks should appeal to older fans who may have seen these in their initial release/airing (I especially enjoyed the material from my childhood in the late 1970s and 1980s), while the inclusion of an extended suite from _Batman Beyond_, a 24-second piece from _Smallville_, and two themes from DC's recent animated direct-to-DVD films is disappointing, especially when (as other reviewers have observed) so much else is missing (like the the _Adventures of Superman_ intro and the remainder of the _Super Friends_ themes, as well the other animated Batman themes and Superman intros). This could have easily been a multi-CD set, and, hopefully, Warner Bros. will consider an updated version to commemorate DC's 80th anniversary in 2015.

Have to essentially agree with Benjamin Burgraff's review. They could easily have expanded this collection into a 2-CD set. So many movies and TV series based on DC Comics characters didn't make the cut for this album. For the record, to the best of my recollection, here's what's missing:

Columbia Pictures movie serials: THE VIGILANTE (1947); CONGO BILL (1948); SUPERMAN (1948); BATMAN AND ROBIN (1949); ATOM MAN VS. SUPERMAN (1950); BLACKHAWK (1952)

Broadway musical: IT'S A BIRD, IT'S A PLANE, IT'S SUPERMAN (1966)

TV series: THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (1952-1958); SUPERPUP (1958 unsold pilot); SUPERBOY (1961 unsold pilot); SWAMP THING (1990 DiC Entertainment cartoon series); THE FLASH (1990 TV series); BIRDS OF PREY (2002 TV series)

Movies: SUPERMAN II (1980); SWAMP THING (1982); SUPERMAN III (1983); SUPERGIRL (1984); SUPERMAN IV: THE QUEST FOR PEACE (1987); THE RETURN OF SWAMP THING (1989); BATMAN RETURNS (1992); BATMAN FOREVER (1995); BATMAN AND ROBIN (1997); V FOR VENDETTA (2005); SUPERMAN RETURNS (2006); THE DARK KNIGHT (2008); WATCHMEN (2009); JONAH HEX (2010)

Filmation animated cartoons: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF BATMAN (1977); SHAZAM! (1981-1982 - Part of the KID SUPER POWER HOUR with SHAZAM!, not to be confused with the live-action series)

Various incarnations of Hanna-Barbera's long-running SuperFriends TV cartoon franchise: CHALLENGE OF THE SUPER FRIENDS (1978-1979); THE WORLD'S GREATEST SUPER FRIENDS (1979-1980); SUPER FRIENDS: THE LEGENDARY SUPER POWERS SHOW (1984-1985); THE SUPER POWERS TEAM: GALACTIC GUARDIANS (1985-1986); also the 1988 Ruby-Spears animated SUPERMAN cartoon.

WB animated TV series: BATMAN (1992-1995); SUPERMAN (1996-2000); THE NEW BATMAN/SUPERMAN ADVENTURES (1997-2000); JUSTICE LEAGUE (2001-2004 - Similar, but a more orchestral score version of the same melody used for the later Justice League Unlimited theme); TEEN TITANS (2003-2006); THE BATMAN (2004-2008); LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES (2006-2007); YOUNG JUSTICE (2010)

WB animated movies: BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM (1993); BATMAN & MR. FREEZE: SUBZERO (1998); BATMAN BEYOND: RETURN OF THE JOKER (2000); BATMAN: MYSTERY OF THE BATWOMAN (2003); TEEN TITANS: TROUBLE IN TOKYO (2006); SUPERMAN: BRAINIAC ATTACKS (2006); SUPERMAN: DOOMSDAY (2007); JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE NEW FRONTIER (2008); BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHT (2008); SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES (2009); JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS (2010); SUPERMAN/BATMAN: APOCALYPSE (2010); SUPERMAN/SHAZAM!: THE RETURN OF BLACK ADAM (2010) [It should be noted that many of these have had their own soundtrack score releases on CD, however.]

Whew! That's a lot! (And I have the nagging feeling I must have missed at least a variation or two of the Super Friends cartoon.) Definitely enough to fill up another collection (or two). So buy this CD already, and let's hope they do a follow-up collection.

When it comes to releasing movie soundtracks on CD, no one would dare think of leaving the sound effects over the scores. But when it comes to television, that's okay. It basically comes down to being cheap. I'm referring to the tracks from the 60's and 70's (most notably music attributed to John Gart). Not wanting to spend the money for the rights to these clean tracks, the producers use what's available (which is usually off of a DVD or VHS). It's just another proof that the CD industry considers television music the ghetto of soundtracks.
On a positive note, the tracks from the last 20 years are of good quality. If you buy this CD for any reason, that would be it.

Like many, I believe this should've been a two disc or even three to four disc collection.

Yet what it does have is very good, in some instances.

For example we do get the original "Superman March" from the Fleischer Superman cartoons. What we don't get is the at least two altered versions of this theme. One version recounts Superman growing up in an orphanage, while the other compares Superman's powers to forces of nature.

Most of the music in this collection suffers from too much narration. For example I wish they had used the end title theme to "New Adventures Of Superman" because it's a great rocking instrumental but they used the beginning title theme which is laden with narration.

Also, when it comes to Smallville I would've liked to have the theme song "Save Me" as opposed to Season 8's end titles theme.

There are also many songs that reference Superman that should have been considered, such as "I Am Superman", "Sunshine Superman", and "Kryptonite".

Now onto the Batman section!

It's nice to have music from the 1943 serial on here. Though an episode from the radio shows for characters like Superman, Batman, and Blue Beetle would've been a nice disc. Especially if they collected key episodes, like the introduction of Kryptonite into the Superman mythos.

There's three key problems with the Batman section. Number one there's none of the great music by Shirley Walker did for the 1990s Animated Series. Two, there's none of the hits off any of the 1990s Batman films like "Gotham City", "Kiss From A Rose", or even "Bat-Dance!". Then number three is how they treated the 1960s TV Show.

You do NOT get the original theme song from the TV show. Nor do you get any other music from the show or based on the show, like classic tracks off the album "Jan And Dean Meet Batman" which has two awesome songs "The Batman" and "The Joker Is Wild". They even skipped the Marketts hit version of the Batman theme too.

Now you do get two themes from the Super Friends franchise. Yet the best one, "Challenge Of The Superfiends" is missing. Considering that was the intregal show and theme that had the legion Of Doom, not having that theme is a dissappointment.

Next we have a variety of songs not included. We get the 1960s cartoon themes for Justice League (not the 1990s/2000s series though except for the Unlimited theme), Flash (but not the 1990s live action theme), Teen Titans (but not the 2000s show theme), we get one Shazam theme (there were two-one was live action and the other was animation), one Swamp Thing theme (none from the two films or the short lived cartoon which actually had two variant themes!), and only one song from Legends Of The Superheroes (we don't get Mordru singing...just like we don't get Batman singing from the episode "This Little Piggy" of Justice League Unlimited, or any songs from "Mayhem Of The Music Meister" from Batman The Brave And The Bold! Or even Harley Quinn singing in that one episode of the 1990s Batman series! Or that one love song from the 1966 Batman movie!).

Also missing are the themes to the Ruby-Spears Superman and the theme from the Bruce Timm Superman series too.

So yes, they easily could've made a huge collectors set with everything on it. Though what this set does give is a good beginning for the DC music collector.

It's worth the buy just to get the "Superman March", "Lois & Clark Theme", and the Superman and Batman movie themes (by John Williams and Danny Elfman respectively) all on one CD.

Many have already given accurate reviews of this rather disappointing effort; the sound effects, narrations, poor sound quality (digitally remastered is obviously being used in its broadest sense), with many of the older selections sounding like they were taken from their original tapes. I got my copy comparatively cheap and feel ok indulging in some of this nostalgia (particularly the vintage work of narrators Jackson Beck and Ted Knight). At its current price, this release is no value. I'm not sure what the DC powers were trying to accomplish with this cheesy project; what would have been a more appropriate creative tribute is a 2-cd release that gave listeners/collectors, along with these themes, some of the original music cues for the programs (especially the older shows).

Remember when you were young, and when you wanted to record a theme song, you held a tape recorder up to the TV speaker? Well those days are back! Rather than being the "music" of the DC comics series, it is literally the theme songs exactly as you heard it on the TV show. Voiceovers and sound effects are included. It's a shame, since there have been other CD releases featuring the theme songs of such shows as "Lois and Clark", with only the music. (Many of these shows feature the theme without voiceovers or sound effects during the end credits - why weren't those used?) For the tracks featuring themes from the filmation cartoon shows, they sound the same as they did on their recent DVD releases, flat and serviceable for TV, but lacking any real dynamic range.

Also how could they make a CD release of DC shows, and manage not to include the theme song to the greatest of DC's animated shows, "Batman: The Animated Series"?

Once you read the list of tracks on this CD, you pretty much know in advance whether or not you're going to like it. I first discovered The Music of DC Comics CD in a retail store, read the track listing, and although I thought of a few pieces I wished were there but weren't, instantly knew I would love this album. What you get is an epic sampling of very cool music and narration spanning almost 75 years. I can't begin to communicate how much I love having this ear candy on CD to listen to while driving. In my 46 years of super hero fandom and music collecting, this is simply one of the most fun compilations of any type I have ever owned. If you're reading this, you know you love many of these tracks and are dying to hear others for the first time.

I'm certain the people who put this album together are devastated that so many have expressed disappointment that every single opening and closing theme from every single DC Comics radio show, movie, and TV show have not been included with this release. Um...ah...well, you get 31 killer tracks for a very reasonable price! Yes, I would have paid more for "everything", but why say a big glass is half empty when you've got a medium-sized glass that's full to the brim? I do hope a volume two is in the works and will look forward to it, but I'm extremely pleased with this great celebratory treasury.

Happy 75th Anniversary!

Just recive this CD today. Great stuff that brings back memories, I hope they make another one in the Future.

Here we have a CD featuring 31 themes from movies or tv shows based on DC comics. It is arranged by character starting with seven Superman/Superboy themes, then seven Batman themes, followed by Justice League/Super Friends themes, and so on. It is a fun CD for fans of these shows/movies, although "Molossus From Batman Begins" is too long and repetitive. As several other reviewers have mentioned, there are several other themes that could have been included, but the one I miss the most is "Teen Titans" by Puffy AmiYumi.