The Bulleteers (1942)
Article 5600 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 12-17-2018
Directed by Dave Fleischer and Orestes Calipini
Featuring the voices of Bud Collyer, Joan Alexander, Jackson Beck
Country: USA
What it is: Another Superman short

Criminal extortionists with a flying bullet plane threaten Metropolis with destruction if they don’t pay them. Can Superman defeat them?

I will openly confess that I’m not a big superhero fan; unless the superhero has an interesting character to go along with his superpowers, I lose interest rapidly. That’s why ultimately the Fleischer Superman shorts get a little tiresome for me; in the quest for non-stop action, personality is left on the sidelines, and the series get repetitive. This one does very little for me; though well animated and colorful, the story feels like a cross between the first Superman short and THE MECHANICAL MONSTERS, both of which were fresher and more fun. Granted, those that love superheroes will quickly forgive any shortcomings like these and enjoy them well enough, and it’s for those people these shorts were made.