Consume All Media! Superman: "Japoteurs"

Joe Heath is a big fan of comic books and watching things in order. So they made this spreadsheet containing every serial, short, film, television episode, commercial, motion comic, and web series based on a comic book. Now they're watching them all. Previously, Joe watched Superman go to the circus. This time, Joe watches Superman engage in a little racism.

Superman: "Japoteurs" - 9:06 (Available on YouTube.)

Film Info

Release date: September 18th, 1942

Studio: Paramount Pictures

Written by Bill Turner & Carl Meyer

Based on the National/DC Comics character Superman created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster

Produced by Sam Buchwald

Directed by Seymour Kneitel

Writer Highlights

Bill Turner

Other comic book media credits: Writing previous Superman animated short The Arctic Giant (1942), The Bulleteers (1942), Volcano (1942) & further Superman animated short Eleventh Hour (1942)

Carl Meyer (1894-1972)

Other comic book media credits: Writing previous Superman animated shorts The Bulleteers (1942), The Magnetic Telescope (1942), Volcano (1942) & further Superman animated shorts Eleventh Hour (1942) & Secret Agent (1943)

Producer Highlights

Sam Buchwald (Unknown-1951)

Other comic book media credits: The rest of the animated Superman shorts: Showdown (1942), Eleventh Hour (1942), Destruction, Inc. (1942), The Mummy Strikes (1943), Jungle Drums (1943), The Underground World (1943), & Secret Agent (1943)

Director Highlights

Seymour Kneitel (1908-1964)

Other comic book media credits: Writing previous Superman animated shorts Superman (1941), The Mechanical Monsters (1941), & Billion Dollar Limited (1942), & Electric Earthquake (1942) as well as directing the later Superman animated shorts The Underground World (1943) & Secret Agent (1943)

OOF.

The tenth Superman cartoon was not released under any studio name. Max and Dave Fleischer had a falling out and no longer wanted to make cartoons together. Paramount bought out the studio and continued to produce Superman cartoons without them, but still held on to a lot of the creative staff. Japoteurs was released in the transition period before they finally decided on renaming the studio Famous Studios.

Clark and Lois go to cover a story about the world’s largest bombing plane. Everyone is given a tour, but that’s not enough for Lois and she stows away on board as it’s taking off.

The plane is then hijacked by some highly stereotypical Japanese men. Lois sees this and radios out for help.

Superman flies in and saves Lois, knocks out the main hijacker, and quite literally catches the plane.

Later, Lois and Clark ride a plane at a carnival.

Should you watch it, though? Honestly, no. It’s chock full of racist caricatures. And while racism against Japanese people is not unexpected from this period of time, it doesn’t mean you have to watch it. And other than Superman catching a plane, there’s not much going on for this story anyway.

Tune in next time for another Superman cartoon: "Showdown" (Available on YouTube.)

A version of this article was previously published on The Dipp.

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