The Arctic Giant

A SUPERMAN Cartoon

A tremendous tyrannosaurus rex, discovered in Siberian snows, is put on display in Metropolis encased in a huge block of ice. A freak accident causes a thaw and the monster reawakens - with intrepid reporter Lois Lane nearby. Escaping, the dinosaur cuts a huge swath of destruction across town. With its unbelievable prehistoric strength, is even SUPERMAN any match for THE ARCTIC GIANT?

This was another in the series of excellent cartoons Max Fleischer produced for Paramount Studio. They feature great animation and taut, fast-moving plots. Meant to be shown in movie theaters, they are miles ahead of their Saturday Morning counterparts.

I love the Fleischer Superman cartoons. The animation is smooth and fluid with vivid colors. The distinct art-deco style, vintage science fiction imagery, and use of noirish shadows gave them a look unlike any other cartoons. The music and voicework is superb. They're fun, accessible, enduring animation classics.

The fourth in the Superman series begins with a Godzilla-like dinosaur being found frozen in Siberia and transported to a museum in Metropolis, where it is kept in a special refrigeration unit. Lois Lane is sent to do a story on the monster. While she's there, an incompetent guide causes an accident with the equipment. As the workers frantically try to fix the problem, the ice begins to thaw and the arctic giant begins to awaken. Of course the monster breaks free and wreaks havoc on the city. Which means our boy Superman has to stop the monster while also dealing with the damage it creates, such as when it destroys a dam or breaks a suspension bridge.

Another fantastic Superman cartoon from the Fleischer studio. Fun from beginning to end. A wild concept vividly realized with some great action and memorable eye candy. The equipment used to keep the dinosaur frozen is especially cool. I also love how Superman saved the collapsing bridge. It's a great short and one of the favorites in the series for many.

"The Arctic Giant," a 1942 Superman cartoon by the Fleischer brothers, is significant in its portrayal of a giant dinosaur on the rampage in a major city (New York--we see the "Museum of Natural Science," a dead ringer for the Museum of Natural History, and a baseball stadium that sure looks like Yankee Stadium). As such it looks forward to both THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (1953) and GODZILLA (1954). BEAST featured Ray Harryhausen's debut as a special effects director, as he animated a stop-motion dinosaur on the loose in Manhattan. Ishiro Honda's GODZILLA featured a giant dinosaur (created by an actor in a rubber dinosaur suit) looking very much like the one in this cartoon on the loose in Tokyo. As in the other Paramount Superman cartoons, the animation is absolutely breathtaking.

In my humble opinion, these Fleischer cartoons represent not only the best of the Fleischers' extensive body of work, but for me, they're the only true Superman. When I hear that wonderful theme, trumpets blaring and blazing, I sink back into being a little kid, gazing up with wonder at Superman's next big adventure, fighting this, that, or the other baddie, and saving Lois Lane, while Clark Kent always conveniently disappeared! It's a wonder he never got fired from the Daily Planet, the way he always disappeared while Lois and Jimmy were getting the big scoop and getting saved by Superman! Anyhow, the dinosaur is actually really cool in this by any standard, and it's a gem for any fan of Superman or classic cartoons!

THE ARCTIC GIANT has Superman tangling with a gargantuan dinosaur in downtown Metropolis.

Fans of the GODZILLA or BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS films will love seeing their predecessor stomp through the cityscape. Superman certainly has his hands full!

A true wham-bam, monster-on-the-loose brawl for all kids and kids at heart...