TARZAN AND THE SUPER 7: SUPERSTRETCH
AND MICROWOMAN
(CBS, September 16, 1978-January 1, 1979)
Filmation Associates
MAIN CAST:
Ty Henderson –
Superstretch/Chris Cross
Kim Hamilton –
Microwoman/Christy Cross
For the 1977 season, Filmation paired up the
second season of Tarzan, Lord of the
Jungle with reruns of The New Adventures of Batman in a block called The Batman/Tarzan
Adventure Hour. With the show block being successful, Filmation decided to
use the two established shows as a hook to bring audiences in for some new
content.
 |
| Superstretch stretching. |
In 1978, they renamed the block Tarzan and the Super 7 (the Super
7 referencing the seven different shows that would be featured with Tarzan)
and expanded it to an hour and a half. Along with Tarzan and Batman, Filmation
included the additional segments of The
Freedom Force, Jason of Star Command, Manta and Moray, Superstretch and
Microwoman, and Web Woman. Another
segment, Sunlight and Starbright, was
planned but never produced (technically making it the Super SIX).
 |
| Microwoman and Trouble. |
Superstretch
and Microwoman focused on the first pair of married African-American crime
fighting partners on Saturday morning. Scientist Chris Cross (Ty Henderson)
discovered a formula that would allow him to stretch his body into any shape
and gave his wife, Christy (Kim Hamilton), the ability to shrink to microscopic
size. Together they fought crime as Superstretch and Microwoman, with the help
of their dog Trouble, whom Christy rode when she shrank. Unlike other superheroes,
the pair never wore costumes; although they did wear matching slacks and
sweaters that were capable of changing shape with their bodies. Most notable
was that the characters were the first African-American married couple depicted
on Saturday morning.
 |
| Promo for the segment. |
The block debuted on September 9, 1978 on CBS, but only five of the included segments aired
each week. Superstretch and Microwoman would
alternate its place with Web Woman every
Saturday beginning on the 16th. After the block’s debut, DC Comics sued Filmation for copyright
infringement, claiming Superstretch and Manta
and Moray were blatant rip-offs of their characters Plastic Man and Aquaman,
respectively. Filmation had previously produced an Aquaman cartoon in
association with DC, and was in talks to produce a Plastic Man series (made
instead by Ruby-Spears
Productions). The courts found in favor DC in both a 1980 decision and a
1986 appeal. As a result, no new segments were produced for Superstretch and had never seen release
to home media.
EPISODE GUIDE (dates are
approximate):
“Bad Things Come in Small Packages” (9/16/78) - NO SYNOPSIS AVAILABLE
“The Ringmaster” (9/30/78) -
“The Toymaker” (10/14/78) –
“Future Tense” (10/28/78) -
“Phantom in the Sewers” (11/11/78) -
“Shadow on the Swamp” (11/25/78) -
“The Great Candy Bar Caper” (12/9/78) -
“The Superstretch Bowl” (12/16/78) -
“Superstarch and Magnawoman” (12/30/78) -
“Sugar Spice” (1/13/79) -
“Gnome Man’s Land” (1/27/79) -
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