Radio Drama Review: The Adventures of Superman (Episodes 1-27)

I've been a fan of Superman for as long as I can remember. Some incarnations of the character and his adventures work better than others.

Superman on Radio collects the first 27 episodes of The Adventures of Superman radio show first broadcast in 1940. It's available on Cassette, CDs, and Digital Downloads both paid and free.

The Good

Bud Collyer. Bud Collyer portrayed both Clark Kent and Superman. He was the first to give both characters different voices. He portrayed both characters as intelligent, ambitious, heroes--a huge departure from the weak milksop of the comics and later adaptions. Clark Kent was as much the hero and as impressive as Superman, which made the adventures much more fun.

Lois Lane. Most portrayals of Lois Lane either make her a sappy, love struck accessory whose only contribution is getting into trouble so Superman has someone to save, or a feminazi who is such an obnoxious, irritating witch the viewer has no idea why Superman has any interest in her. This version of Lois Lane is strong while still being feminine. She is capable but not overbearing. She is a perfect match for Superman and someone listeners are rooting for.

Realistic Adventures. The first episode begins on Krypton, but beginning with the second, the adventures deal with problems that were a concern in that world--sabotage, kidnapping, extortion, etc.

The Bad

The Final Story. The final story goes into juvenile silliness. It involves an atomic beam machine, some nonsense sci-fi MacGuffin. It's a shame the producers changed tracks from the exciting, real-world problems to this silly work of fiction. The sense of danger and peril that made these shows so exciting was lost.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

The first 21 episodes are sheer perfection.

Overall

Superman on Radio is a wonderful collection of some of the best Superman stories ever told. The voice acting is excellent, the adventures deal with serious real-world dangers, and the villains are interesting characters that actually pose a threat. The portrayal of Clark, Lois, Perry White, and Superman are all spot on and as interesting as any version. The only downside is the last story that moves into silly sci-fi gimmicks. Otherwise this is pure perfection and entertainment. I give it 4.5 out of 5 microphones.

    

Radio Drama Review - The Shadow: Partners of Peril

I'm huge fan of pulp fiction and old time radio dramas. It's really sad how little new material is produced from each of these genres. Recently, Audible released a new performance of an old classic.

The Shadow: Partners of Peril is a 2017 full-cast production of the original pulp fiction story from 1935. It's available as an Audiobook.

Overview

The Shadow is a mysterious figure who fights crime and has a network of informants to help. The very first Batman story, The Case of the Chemical Syndicate in Detective Comics 27 is nearly identical in plot to this story and many think Bill Finger, one of Batman's creators, was heavily inspired by it (or maybe blatantly stole it).

The Good

Performance and Production. Audible Studios did a great job to provide a fine cast and fitting music. Every part of this production was really well done.

Breakneck pace. Pulp fiction is known for it's breakneck pace, especially series like The Shadow and The Spider. This story begins with a murder and doesn't let off the throttle until the very end, several bodies later.

Fun. Pulp fiction and old-time radio have a real sense of fun, and this production captured it perfectly.

The Bad

Slightly Melodramatic Performances. The voice actors all added an air of melodrama to their performances, probably trying to evoke the 1930s or add a nostalgic air. Whatever their reason, it distracted from the seriousness of the story.

Typical Story Problems with Pulp Fiction. Pulp fiction was written very quickly which gave it a lot of fun energy and power, but it also resulted in some ludicrous story plots and twists. If you think very hard about the story, you'll see a quite a few problems. It moves quickly enough that it's easy to get lost in the action and ignore it.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the actors and actresses had played their roles a little more straight and not so melodramatic. Old time radio was serious. The melodrama is a result of age, not a deliberate act.

Overall

The Shadow: Partners of Peril is a well-produced adaption of a classic Shadow story. The actors and producers perfectly capture the feel of pulp fiction and old-time radio. Fans will be overjoyed while modern audiences unfamiliar with those genres may find it dated, slow, and contrived. I give it 3.5 out of 5 microphones.