I am posting an oral history of that show – way more posts than I was expecting to do, but it was so fun – at http://noblemania.blogspot.com/2011/08/super-70s-and-80s-sea-world-superheroes.html.

This includes interviews with the skiers themselves (plus production staff) and loads of rare, previously unpublished candid photos.

Skier interviews begin here: http://noblemania.blogspot.com/2011/09/super-70s-and-80s-sea-world-superheroes.html.

Well, depending on who you’re sabotaging, one could make an argument that sabotage itself is good. The various Resistance groups in France during WWII who went out of their way to sabotage Nazi operations would almost certainly consider their actions to be a war of good versus evil, with them clearly on the side of good.

The problem with politics (and history) is that one man’s freedom fighter is often someone else’s terrorist.

In Northern California there was a theme park similar to Sea World called Marine World. Originally, the place was strictly animal shows (plus the ski show and an acrobat show) with some elements of a zoo/aquarium (a giraffe habitat, a shark enclosure, etc.). Their original water ski show, as I remember it, was a spoof of old detective stories and film noir. When Six Flags bought the park (circa ’99), they changed it to a Batman flavored show — based on Batman Forever, no less. That water ski show was operating until just a few years ago. I’m told that a Six Flags in Ohio also had the same show.

I’m really enjoying this site!

http://www.ep.tc/grenada/

This was done by Malcolm Ater’s Commercial Comics Company. The CIA paid him 35k. In cash.
I recognise the artist from 60′s – 70′s era Dell type stuff but don’t know exactly who it is. Jack Sparling, maybe?

I love seeing these pictures now! It would be fun to see a filming of the event for nostaglic purposes… sort of like the old Mego commercials.

Scott

I don’t remember the costumes looking so cheesy. To me, it was the real deal. Pretty amazing to see the pictures now.

I hadn’t thought of those water skiing super heroes for years! I remember my Aunt Betty Anne McCormack (we called her “Aunt BAM”) took my siter and I and two cousins to Florida, and we HAD to go to Sea World to see the water skiing super-heroes!!

Thanks for the wacky flashback, BC!

Burned into my memory is the night my family and I walked up to our local arena only to be told THE BUGS BUNNY FOLLIES was sold out! I was crushed because if my memory was right it wasn’t just any superheroes but THE Batman and Robin, Adam West and Burt Ward!! I’m thinking this was 1975 or 76…..

Not shown in the pictures are the actors playing Lois Lane and Perry White, along with several others.

Since seeing people (even in costumes) being dragged by a boat gets repetitive, part of the show actually took place on a stage. This is where the Joker would try to make Batgirl disappear (via a magician’s trick) and other such things. The Joker, as lead villian, did not do any waterskiing. The Penguin is also shown in that photo, while the Riddler and Catwoman are not shown.

There was also a BatBoat in the show, and Lois and Perry were played for comedy, being dragged behind it.

In addition, in his only live action appearance before the recent episodes of SMALLVILLE. an actor playing Green Arrow did a high dive into a bullseye. That’s him directly above the Joker.

Also note one thing in the Pyramid. All the costumes are lacking footwear. You can also see Aquaman’s wife Mera, in her only live appearance in the pyramid shot.

Oddly enough, the least used hero in the show was Superman.

Mike Curtis
Formerly of COMICS OBSCURA

Carmine Infantino takes credit for plotting Bat-Lash, the story of the first Superman movie and creating Kamandi, among other dubious claims. Can you determine the accuracy of these?

Also: Neal Adams and Roy Thomas dispute who plotted the Kree/Skrull war, which actually began before Adams took over as Avengers artist. Adams also says that he was offered any Marvel book he wanted when he took over X-Men in the late ’60s. ANY book? Even Kirby’s FF?

If there are any other claims which seem suspicious to you, please mention them too!