- Title: Superman: The Animated Series – Mxyzpixilated
- wiki: link
Today’s Throwback Tuesday takes us back to the animated streets of Metropolis and a hero who can leap buildings in a single bound. “Mxyzpixilated” offers the first five trips to Metropolis of the Fifth-Dimensional Imp Mr. Mxyzptlk. The classic character has been annoying Superman for years in various forms since his first appearance in comics back in 1944. The casing of Gilbert Gottfried as the annoying creature who Superman (Tim Daly) can only get rid of by having Mr. Mxyzptlk say or spell his name backwards is perfect casting. The character’s first and fifth visits take up the bulk of the episode with shorter visits in-between as Superman thwarts him at every turn.
Several classic Mr. Mxyzptlk tropes are put into play her from turning characters into animals to tricking Superman into making a public blunder. At the same time we see multiple ways Superman thinks up to trick the imp into being sent back home to the Fifth Dimension for three months at a time. The animated design of the character, based on the Golden Age version of a simple suit, is one of the few underwhelming aspects of this version of the character who becomes increasingly frustrated by being beaten by the Man of Steel over and over again. “Mxyzpixilated” does offer glimpses into Mr. Mxyzptlk’s home dimension, his workshop, and his girlfriend Gsptlsnz (Sandra Bernhard) who quickly grows tired of her lover’s latest obsession.
