Superman: The Underground World (1943) AKA Max Fleischer’s Superman – Episode 16 Director: Seymour Kneitel Studio: Famous Studios / Paramount Pictures Starring: Bud Collyer (voice of Clark Kent / Superman), Joan Alexander (voice of Lois Lane), Jackson Beck (narrator) Release Date: June 18, 1943 Runtime: 8 minutes Format: Technicolor | Mono | Sound | Animated Country: United States Language: English Genres: Animation | Superhero | Sci-Fi | Adventure | Pulp --- Summary: In The Underground World, Clark Kent and Lois Lane join Professor Henderson on a perilous expedition into a vast network of caves beneath the Earth’s surface. They soon discover a lost civilization of winged humanoid creatures guarding the entrance to a mysterious underground kingdom. When the explorers are captured, it’s up to Superman to battle lava pits, collapsing tunnels, and primitive defenses to rescue them and escape the subterranean threat. This late entry in the iconic Superman series adds a pulp sci-fi flavor to the hero’s adventures, combining exotic locales, strange creatures, and dramatic action sequences. --- Background: The Underground World is the 16th of 17 Superman animated shorts originally started by Fleischer Studios and later completed by Famous Studios after Fleischer’s dissolution. By this time, the tone of the series had shifted from urban crimefighting to more fantastical and science-fiction scenarios. These shorts were notable for their high production values, use of rotoscoping, and rich Technicolor visuals—rare for animated works at the time. The shift to underground exploration reflected the public's 1940s fascination with “Hollow Earth” theories, ancient civilizations, and serialized pulp fiction. --- Trivia: This was one of the final entries in the original Fleischer/Famous Studios Superman series. Inspired by pulp adventures like The Lost World and At the Earth’s Core. Superman’s flight and strength are animated using rotoscoping, giving realistic motion. The “Hawk Men”-like underground tribe shows early sci-fi influences in superhero animation. Bud Collyer and Joan Alexander reprised their famous roles from the Adventures of Superman radio show. Like the other entries, this short was shown in theaters before feature films. The HD versions available today are restorations sourced from original Technicolor prints, now in the public domain. --- Hashtags: #Superman #MaxFleischer #TheUndergroundWorld #1943Animation #FamousStudios #GoldenAgeCartoons #BudCollyer #LoisLane #TechnicolorAnimation #PulpAdventure #ClassicSuperhero #PublicDomainCartoon #VintageAnimation #SciFiCartoon #SupermanShorts #RotoscopeAnimation