Max and Dave Fleischer, between 1941 and 1943, created 17 Superman short animated films, only a few years following Superman's first appearance in Action Comics. The first 9 films, especially, were masterpieces of stylized animation--fluid movement, graceful line work, gorgeous backgrounds, resonant colors, and rich depth. The Fleischers clearly devoted most of their efforts to the imaginative visuals. Unfortunately, Paramount ended Dave Fleischer's direct involvement after episode 9, but the quality of the animation--if not the increasingly propagandistic stories--remained high.

When Paramount took the reins of the Superman animated series, the focus shifted to World War 2, and the resulting final 8 episodes (which this DVD contains) were clearly intended as rah-rah war efforts to electrify the popular American spirit against the Axis villains. These episodes--particularly the laughable "Japoteurs," in which Clark Kent placates an irritable Asian caricature with the words "All right, little man," and the surprising "Eleventh Hour," in which Superman patriotically lays waste to Yokohama---are best viewed from a historical perspective. Fighting for truth, justice, and the American way, Superman was apparently an ideal pop icon to drop into war propaganda. I also enjoyed "Jungle Drums" for its campy depiction of Germans as overlords to drum-beating savages and for its final shot of Hitler hanging his miserable head, and "Secret Agent," the final episode, which suggested a more violent, film-noirish future to the series, though that never came to pass.

Before you invest in this disc, be sure to get your hands on the more essential original 9 episodes made by Fleischer Studios. Fox Lorber has released a separate disc that contains those episodes, which include the sensational Mechanical Monsters.

WinStar presents Superman: The Lost Episodes in full-frame transfers of the short films' original 1.33:1 theatrical presentation. In a comparison with a previously released incarnation of these shorts (the Diamond Anniversary Edition), these shorts boast richer colors and aren't quite as murky and dark. However, detail seems just a bit sharper on the older disc. Keep in mind that the source elements are antiques, and they definitely show it.

The DVD gives you two audio options: a Dolby Digital 2.0 and 5.1 tracks. Both are recorded very loud and tend toward distortion. The 2.0 track seems to be a presentation of the films' original audio elements. The 5.1 audio track, while fuller-bodied and louder, provides a schizophrenic presentation. From the center, you get the original low-fidelity audio elements, but they're augmented by distractingly full-bodied sound effects to the left and right and to the rear. Personally, I found the additional sound elements to be a negative, so I switched back to the 2.0 track. On the plus side, the 5.1 track provides much punchier bass.

Whereas my previous collection of Superman short films is a barebones release, this disc offers a few extras, a few of which are surprisingly informative.

I'm particularly impressed with the Overview section, which is exactly the kind of extra I wished for on the previous release. These 12 screens offer a relatively extensive history of the Fleischer animation studios, from concept to art design to voice acting to Dave Fleischer's departure and the series' ultimate demise.

The Feel the Sound video clip is a 1-minute montage of scenes that highlight the dubious "enhanced effects" created for this disc.

The 3-minute Restoration Demo shows before-and-after clips that highlight the restoration efforts.

You'll find more enticing extras when you access the individual short films. Each one has its own menu, offering options for Credits, Story, and History. The Credits button shows you a list of all the cast and crew involved with that episode. The Story button summarizes the episode. And the History button gives you a brief behind-the-scenes capsule that sets the scene.

Finally, you get the bonus short film Wolf Wolf, starring Mighty Mouse, a character that's an odd amalgam of Superman and Mickey Mouse.

The influence of these short Superman cartoons is evident through 60 years of superhero comics and filmed animation. Even though Dave Fleischer had left the series before these particular shorts were created, these 8 films are rich and artful relics of a bygone era. Warner's recent Batman and Superman cartoons are obvious homages to the Fleischer style, as are films such as Iron Giant. I do recommend you watch only one cartoon at a time, just as they were intended.