The Super Hero Squad Show

The Super Hero Squad Show is an American cartoon series by Marvel Animation. It is based on the Marvel Super Hero Squad action figure line from Hasbro, which portray the characters of the Marvel Universe in a cartoonish super-deformed-style. The series' animation is produced by Film Roman and is produced by Ingenious and Marvel Animation. A massively multiplayer online game based on the series is scheduled to be released in 2011 and it comes with new Marvel Super Heroes and Villains coming to the series coming soon.

The show's first season debuted on Teletoon in Canada on Sunday, September 13, 2009 at 8:30am (ET) as part of the network's Action Force block. The show returned on Teletoon on Sunday, February 4, 2011 at 7:00am (ET) for the debut of the second season.

The show's first season was to debut on Cartoon Network in the United States on September 19, 2009, but aired five days earlier on September 14, 2009. The second season of the series premiered on October 23, 2010 at 6:30am (ET). In the United States The Super Hero Squad Show also airs on Disney XD.

The series premiered on December 4, 2009 in Australia, on ABC3. In Australia the show is divided into series, not seasons. Series 1 is season 1. Series 2 is Season 2's episodes 1-14. Series 3 is Season 2's episodes 15-26.

The show debuted in the UK on NickToons in October 2009. The show is divided into series, in the UK, like in Australia.

Season 1
Prior to the beginning of the series, the villainous Doctor Doom, in pursuit of universal domination, attempts to acquire the limitless reality-bending power of the "Infinity Sword." He is stopped by Iron Man, but as a consequence of their battle, the sword is shattered into numerous "fractals" that rain down on Super Hero City.

Doctor Doom has forged alliances with just about every supervillain forming the Lethal Legion in order to hunt down the scattered fractals, each of which possess dangerous and different powers of their own. Doom's forces, including his two primary henchmen MODOK and Abomination, dwell in Villainville which is separated from Super Hero City by a giant wall directly seen at the start of the series premiere. Once again opposing Doom's plan is Iron Man, now leading the elite team known as the Super Hero Squad, consisting of Falcon, Hulk, Silver Surfer, Thor, and Wolverine. Marvel initially intended to put Spider-Man in the show, but Sony (the owners of Spider-Man's television rights at the time) would not let them.But he only appeared in video games except for Marvel Super Hero Squad Comic Combat.

Each squad member represents a specific factor to make an ideal team:


 * Iron Man = Technology Factor
 * Captain America = Speed Factor
 * Ms Marvel = Elemental Factor
 * Hulk = Strength Factor
 * Falcon = Speed Factor
 * Reptil = Animal Factor
 * Silver Surfer = Energy Factor
 * Spider Man = Spider Factor
 * Thor = Elemental Factor
 * Wolverine = Animal Factor

The Super Hero Squad are headquartered in the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, and are frequently aided in their defense of Super Hero City by their boss Captain America, S.H.I.E.L.D. leader Ms. Marvel, rookie "Squaddie" and Wolverine's apprentice and substitute Animal Factor Reptil, and many more of their superhero friends.

By the end of Season One, the Infinity Sword is reforged when Galactus arrives to devour the Earth. It is later revealed that the Infinity Sword can only be wielded by someone who wields The Infinity Gauntlet. Silver Surfer rejoins Galactus as his Herald and leaves the team with the Infinity Sword in his possession. As of the aftermath of the battle, Villainville is destroyed, and Doctor Doom and his henchmen are arrested.

Season 2
A second season involves having the Scarlet Witch as a replacement of the Silver Surfer and focuses on traveling to different parts of the Marvel Universe, the galaxy, different dimensions, and through time. Thanos becomes the main villain for the first half of the season, as he will seek the six Infinity Gems in order to prove his superiority to Nebula and gain supremacy over the universe. He does eventually gain all six Infinity Gems; however, the Silver Surfer (who was corrupted by the Infinity Sword) steals the Infinity Gauntlet from Thanos, takes over the universe, and Silver Surfer transforms into the Dark Surfer. The Dark Surfer replaces Thanos as the main villain of the season.

The squad factors and heroes are:
 * Iron Man = Tech Factor
 * Captain America = Speed Factor
 * Ms Marvel = Elemental Factor
 * Wolverine = Animal Factor
 * Reptil = Animal Factor
 * Falcon = Speed Factor
 * Scarlet Witch = Energy Factor
 * Spider Man = Spider Factor
 * Hulk = Strength Factor
 * Thor = Elemental Factor

Odin gives Thor a new costume made of chain armor made of metal to reflect the updated version in the Marvel Universe. This season will also feature the debuts of Firestar, Nova, Captain Marvel, the Squadron Supreme, Hercules, Zeus, Annihilus, Nebula, Nightmare, Nighthawk, and She-Hulk.

The second season premiered in the United States on October 23, 2010 on Cartoon Network, to coincide with the release of its video game follow-up Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet.

Episodes
During the first season in the opening sequence of the show, there is a running sight gag similar to The Simpsons where the Hulk picks up an Infinity Fractal and is transformed by its power into something different every episode, such as the classic grey-colored Hulk, a toddler Hulk, a disco Hulk parodying John Travolta, and a Hulk similar to Homer Simpson. This feature was removed in the second season.

Additionally, each episode's title card is an homage to a classic comic book cover as are some of the episode titles.

Production
The show's executive producers include Alan Fine, Simon Philips, and Eric Rollman, with Joe Quesada and Stan Lee as co-executive producers. Cort Lane is supervising producer. Mitch Schauer, creator of the Nickelodeon series The Angry Beavers, is the show's supervising director and character designer. Matt Wayne is the show's story-editor and head writer. Other writers include Michael Ryan, Nicole Dubuc, Atul N. Rao, Eugene Son, James Krieg, and Mark Hoffmeier. Novelty song writer, Parry Gripp composed the theme song.

DVD
Shout! Factory released The Super Hero Squad Show: Quest For The Infinity Sword, Volume 1 on July 13, 2010. The DVD included the first 7 episodes of the show, as well as never-before-seen bonus features.

On November 9, 2010 The Super Hero Squad Show: Quest For The Infinity Sword, Volume 2 was released which contains 6 more episodes of the first season as well as more bonus features.

On February 8, 2011 The Super Hero Squad Show: Quest For The Infinity Sword, Volume 3 will be released and contain the next 7 episodes of Season 1

Magna Home Entertainment released The Super Hero Squad Show: The Infinity Fractal War (Vol 1) and Titanic Team-Ups (Vol 2) on June 2, 2010 and The Lethal Legion Strikes (Vol 3) on September 8, 2010. Each DVD includes 6-7 episodes of the show, as well as character profiles. (Australian Release). The final volume of Season One - Quest for the Infinity Sword (Vol 4) is scheduled to be released on November 3, 2010 and will include the final six episodes and character profiles.

Vivendi Entertainment Canada released The Super Hero Squad Show: Hero Up, Squaddies (Volume 1) and "The Super Hero Squad Show: Titanic Team Ups (Volume 2) in Canada, they both contained five episodes each. A Volume 3 or a Volume 4 was not released. The last 16 episodes were only included in The Complete Season 1 DVD set, which contained the 1st 4 volumes. The Complete Season 1 contains Hero Up, Squaddies (Volume 1), Titanic Team Ups (Volume 2), Volume 3 and Volume 4. Volume 3 and Volume 4 are exclusive to the Complete Season 1 set.

Cast
The following have been confirmed to do voice work in this series:
 * Charlie Adler - Captain Britain, Doctor Doom, Melter, Plantman, Sabretooth, Wrecker, Super-Skrull (Season 1), Doombots, Cynthia "Coco" Von Doom, Phil Sheldon from Marvels
 * Carlos Alazraqui - Cyclops, Ringmaster, Captain Australia
 * Shawn Ashmore - Iceman
 * Laura Bailey - Firestar
 * Dee Bradley Baker - Nightcrawler, Annihilus
 * Alimi Ballard - Falcon, Thunderball
 * Ted Biaselli - Helicarrier, Loki, Mole Man, Tricephalous, Terrax, Volstagg
 * John Barrowman - Stranger
 * Steven Blum - Wolverine, Heimdall (Season 1), Zabu, Abomination, Venom, Rhino, Fin Fang Foom, Pyro, Thanos (Season 1), Redwing, Dro'ge
 * Dave Boat - Thor, Thing, Uatu, Trapster, Baron Mordo, Galactus' Mom, Captain Liechtenstein, John Porter of Damage Control, Adam Warlock
 * A. J. Buckley - Batroc the Leaper, Klaw, Toad
 * Ty Burrell - Captain Marvel
 * LeVar Burton - War Machine
 * Jim Cummings - Thanos (Season 2), Super-Skrull (Season 2), Human Torch
 * Antony Del Rio - Reptil
 * Grey DeLisle - Ms. Marvel, Enchantress, Volcana, Frigga
 * Taye Diggs - Black Panther
 * Michael Dorn - Ronan the Accuser
 * Susan Eisenberg - Power Princess
 * Robert Englund - Dormammu
 * Pat Fraley - Beta Ray Bill
 * Nika Futterman - Captain Brazil
 * Greg Grunberg - Ant-Man
 * Mark Hamill - Red Skull, Chthon
 * Jess Harnell - Odin, Crimson Dynamo, Hercules, Heimdall (Season Two)
 * Lena Headey - Black Widow, Mystique
 * Tricia Helfer - Sif
 * Cheryl Hines - Stardust
 * Lil' JJ - Luke Cage
 * Josh Keaton - Spider Man, Moon Boy
 * Rod Keller - Bucky
 * Mikey Kelley - Silver Surfer, Dark Surfer, Iron Fist
 * Tom Kenny - Iron Man, Captain America, Colossus, Juggernaut, MODOK, Fandral
 * Wayne Knight - Egghead
 * Maurice LaMarche - Magneto
 * Stan Lee - Mayor of Superhero City
 * Jane Lynch - Nebula
 * Jonathan Mankuta - Flatman, Zzzax
 * Jason Marsden - Nova
 * James Marsters - Mister Fantastic
 * Scott Menville - Quicksilver
 * Jennifer Morrison - Wasp
 * Julie Morrison - Screaming Mimi/Songbird
 * Tamera Mowry - Misty Knight
 * John O'Hurley - Grandmaster
 * Jim Parsons - Nightmare
 * Adrian Pasdar - Hawkeye
 * Kevin Michael Richardson - Nick Fury, Scorpio
 * Roger Rose - Doctor Strange, Bulldozer
 * Katee Sackhoff - She-Hulk
 * Kevin Sorbo - Ka-Zar
 * Ray Stevenson - Punisher
 * Fred Stoller - Molecule Man
 * Tara Strong - Invisible Woman, H.E.R.B.I.E., Scarlet Witch, Brynnie Bratton, Princess Anelle, Toro, Alicia Masters, Holoball
 * Cree Summer - Storm
 * George Takei - Galactus
 * Michelle Trachtenberg - Valkyrie
 * Hynden Walch - Jean Grey
 * Jim Ward - Professor X
 * Adam West - Nighthawk
 * Travis Willingham - Hulk, Human Torch, Skurge, Piledriver, Hyperion, Zeus, Balder

Crew

 * Jamie Simone - Casting and Voice Director, Sound Supervisor

Comic Books
A one-shot comic book series, based on the show as released in fall 2009. The series was a success and Marvel renewed the series in January 2010 as a ongoing series. The ongoing series doesn't only feature characters from the show, but characters outside the show.