Consume All Media! Superman: "Jungle Drums"

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 fight mummies. This time, Joe watches Superman take on Nazis.

Superman: "Jungle Drums" - 8:03 (Available on YouTube.)

Film Info

Release date: March 26th, 1943

Studio: Paramount Pictures

Written by Jay Morton & Robert Little

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

Produced by Sam Buchwald

Directed by Dan Gordon

Writer Highlights

Jay Morton (1911-2003)

Other comic book media credits: Writing the previous Superman animated shorts Terror on the Midway (1942), Showdown (1942), Destruction, Inc. (1942), The Mummy Strikes (1943) & further Superman animated short The Underground World (1943).

Producer Highlights

Sam Buchwald (Unknown-1951)

Other comic book media credits: Previous animated Superman short Japoteurs (1942), Showdown (1942), Eleventh Hour (1942), Destruction, Inc. (1942), The Mummy Strikes (1943) & further animated Superman shorts The Underground World (1943) & Secret Agent (1943)

Director Highlights

Dan Gordon (1902-1970)

Other comic book media credits: Writing the previous Superman animated shorts The Magnetic Telescope (1942) & Terror on the Midway (1942) as well as directing Eleventh Hour (1942)

A Nazi is in disguise as an African tribal leader. It’s not a terribly great disguise because hoo boy, those are some strong KKK vibes.

He uses guns built into a temple to shoot down an American plane.

Inside the plane was our very own Lois Lane. The pilot gives her important documents to destroy, but she is captured and barely has time to hide them in the jungle. She is tortured for the whereabouts of the information, but refuses to tell. But it doesn’t really matter because one of the aboriginal tribe members finds the document and gives it to the Nazi leader.

The tribe then ties Lois to a stake and sets it on fire.

If you think it’s incredibly uncomfortable that this African tribe is working under Nazis, you’d be right!

Meanwhile, Clark Kent is searching for Lois’s missing plane and finds it. He parachutes down, sees Lois in trouble, and changes into Superman. He saves Lois and fights a couple of Nazis.

One of the Nazis accidentally falls off the temple and dies. This does not go on the kill count as he was leaping at Superman and missed.

Ever the fashion icon, Lois steals and wears the dead man’s robes. She sneaks into their radio room and starts spilling all of their secrets.

Hitler sadly listens to the news that his Nazi submarines have been destroyed based on the information given by Lois Lane. Take that, Hitler! You’re no match for… Lois Lane!

Should you watch it, though? Superman taking on the Nazis isn’t bad, but having the African tribe being duped by what very much looks like Nazis in KKK garb is not the greatest idea. Though it is hilarious seeing Hitler sulk at the end. A few years later, the Superman radio series confronted the actual KKK in “Clan of the Fiery Cross,” a story which reportedly had the real world impact of decreasing Klan membership and recruitment. Kick ass, Superman!

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

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

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