Over the years, the show existed under several titles:[3] Plotlines for the later series involved many of the familiar DC Comics super-villains, like the Joker and the Riddler, that the first incarnation of the Super Friends did not.
Instead, like the comic books, they focused on the far-fetched schemes of mad scientists and aliens, who were invariably revealed as being well-intentioned, and simply pursuing their goals through unlawful or disreputable means.
[5] The All-New Super Friends Hour departed somewhat from the previous series' formula by featuring villains using more elaborate methods to further their goals; as a rule they could not be reasoned with, requiring the heroes to use direct force to stop them.
Beginning with Challenge of the Superfriends, several of the heroes' arch-villains from the comic books (such as Lex Luthor and the Riddler) began to feature prominently in comic-style stories.
Colonel Wilcox (voiced by John Stephenson), a U.S. Army official, was a recurring character who would act as a government liaison with the Super Friends during emergencies.
Three other DC Comics superheroes were featured as guest stars during this season: Flash, Plastic Man, and Green Arrow; the latter two did not appear in any subsequent episodes of the series.
Wendy, Marvin, and Wonder Dog were dropped from this and all future TV iterations of Super Friends, and were replaced by Wonder Twins Zan and Jayna, and their pet monkey, Gleek.
Between segments there were short spots with members of the Super Friends giving basic safety lessons, providing first-aid advice, demonstrating magic tricks, creating crafts, and presenting a two-part riddle featuring the week's primary plot line.
These included The Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkman from DC Comics and three Hanna-Barbera creations to reflect diversity: Black Vulcan, Apache Chief, and Samurai.
[8] In the fall of 1979, the Super Friends returned to their prior format, bringing back the original set of five DC superheroes and Zan, Jayna, and Gleek.
There were also guest appearances from members previously depicted in Challenge of the Superfriends and the Hanna-Barbera-created hero El Dorado, who was added to the show in 1981 to provide additional cultural diversity.
Hanna-Barbera and Warner Bros. had created a syndication package of the earlier Super Friends series (co-distributed by LBS Communications); these were picked up by stations across the United States and typically broadcast on weekday afternoons.
Not wishing to compete with the syndication programming, ABC dropped the series from the 1983–1984 Saturday morning television line-up but continued to fund the production of new episodes.
The series ended August 31, 1985, and featured comic-book villains such as Brainiac, Lex Luthor, Mirror Master, Mr. Mxyzptlk, Darkseid, and his henchmen from Apokolips.
Once again headquartered at the Hall of Justice in Metropolis, the heroes battled such familiar foes as Lex Luthor, Brainiac, the Scarecrow, and recurring villain Darkseid.
Although the show failed to get picked up, a television commercial with a substance abuse theme did feature the Titans, as they would have appeared in the animated series, along with a new superhero named the Protector who would have been the replacement character for Robin.
The first use of the Super Friends name on a DC Comics publication was in Limited Collectors' Edition #C-41 (December 1975-January 1976) which reprinted stories from Justice League of America #36 and 61 and featured a new framing sequence by writer E. Nelson Bridwell and artist Alex Toth.
[15] Zan and Jayna were given back stories and secret identities as a pair of blond-haired high school kids; they were more competent heroes than their cartoon counterparts.
In 2008, DC began publishing a new Super Friends comic book starring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash (Wally West) and Green Lantern (John Stewart).
Based on the eponymous Imaginext toyline, it is aimed at children (being part of the Johnny DC imprint), with an art style reminiscent to that of Marvel's Super Hero Squad.
Young Justice was a comic series that followed the adventures of a group composed of the latest teen superheroes of the late 1990s and early 2000s, including Robin, Superboy, Impulse, and Wonder Girl.
They were responsible for restoring Titans member Cyborg to full functionality after he sustained damage to his artificial body parts during the events of the Infinite Crisis mini-series.
In Justice League of America #46 (2010) Samurai made his first appearance in the DC Universe, where he was shown as one of the heroes driven temporarily insane by Alan Scott.
The plot would see Zan and Jayna using their powers to help the Earth's famine- and drought-stricken nations after their monkey, Gleek, contracted super-rabies from severe dehydration.
"[16] At the end of "Secret Origins", the premiere three-episode arc of Justice League, Superman proposes the formation of a superhero coalition including himself, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash (Wally West), the Green Lantern (John Stewart), the Martian Manhunter, and Hawkgirl.
", Kara forms a small team of heroes that includes herself, Brainiac 5, The Dreamer, and the Martian Manhunter and directly calls them "The Super Friends".
Season 2 of Legends of Tomorrow features multiple references to Super Friends, including the villainous group being dubbed the "Legion of Doom" by Nate Heywood; in the episode "Doomworld", the new design of S.T.A.R.
In the closing moments of the crossover, the unnamed team is disrupted by the confusing sound of laughter (revealed to be an escaped Gleek, hinting at a possible future inclusion of the character and/or Wonder Twins).
& DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse, with the team consisting of Superman, Batman, Robin (Dick Grayson), Wonder Woman, and Aquaman.
The toy line based on Justice League Unlimited released a three pack of figures from characters created for Super Friends, namely Black Vulcan, Apache Chief and Samurai.