These PSAs probably don’t need an introduction. They’re among the most well-known out there. Animated by legendary Disney animator Eric Goldberg under the direction of the equally legendary Richard Williams, the production value on these is through the roof. Seriously, it will most likely never happen, but imagine an entire Superman movie looking like this.
There are a few things I rarely see discussed, though. For one thing, let’s address the smoking elephant in the room: “NIck O’Teen” is no teenager, in spite of his namesake. Think of him as the “hello there, fellow kids” of supervillains. Also, what’s this guy’s deal? Is he a lobbyist for fellow supervillain and fan favorite comic book mob boss Joe Camel? Or does he just like watching kids coughing? Sick fucker.
But speaking of sick fuckers, you would think Superman would’ve taken action on his girlfriend Lois Lane’s smoking habit by now. Does she unknowingly buy her smokes from Nick O’Teen? And why doesn’t the Man of Steel send Mr. O’Teen to jail instead of just throwing the guy over buildings? Wait a minute, I’m pretty sure that would kill him. RIP Nick O’Teen, I guess. Also, I’m just going to say it: Superman’s lungs can almost certainly handle nicotine without causing them any harm (unless Lex Luthor gets truly dastardly and invents “Kryptonite Cigarettes”). He and Hellboy could share a pack together with no concerns over their health.
As an aside, it’s amusing how much Superman sounds like he’s doing an Arnold Schwarzenegger impression, although I’m pretty sure it’s just a weird coincidence, since these ads originally aired in the UK in 1980 before he became an international superstar (meaning they predate Conan the Barbarian and The Terminator). Or maybe it just means it’s Arnold Schwarzenegger who’s doing a Superman impression and not the other way around.
Have a super day, y’all!