Review of Stuperhero

Dumb & Dumber meets X-men in the adventures of “Stuper Heroes,” short webcast animation flicks that put a spin on the everyday respectable superhero, featuring a host of crazy characters with “stupid” powers. The site was launched in Fall 2006 by a group of friends with the writing, animation, and creative talents to bring this comic book to life. In an interview with Jazma Online, co-creator John Bellotti Jr. explains, “Robert Bellotti and Jorge Rodriguez were in Atlantic City NJ with my family. My dad, who likes to eat, was running for the free breakfast buffet. My dad never runs. Never. So Jorge was amazed and said “Wouldn’t it be funny if he could just suck all the food to his face?” Lo and behold Stuperheroes was born!”

Animated, roughly 3-minute, “Shorts” offer the kind of smartly dumb-wit, and attractive graphics that new-age pop-culture junkies revel within. A wacky list of delightfully innovative characters make-up the stuper hero team. Among the stars is “George,” the lazy boy with mighty gorilla arms who started “Stuper Heroes” to spite “Dr. Steel,” an evil anti-hero who deliberately botches George’s arm replacement surgery. “The Hype,” is a brawny former-fireman who can make any room uncomfortably warm. “Vic” is the imposing reformed-thief with very hairy arms, who can open any window with a wave of his fingers. His beloved dog “Chunky” has the power to drag any human or object no matter what their size or weight. And the lethargic retired cop Bobby is completely invincible while asleep. There is a multi-part series of shorts marking the beginning

of Stuper Heroes starring George and Dr. Steel among others. In a later short entitled “Trail of the Caffeine Crusader,” the “Hype” investigates the dealings of an evil petty thief all the while debating with character, “Daddy” whether penguins have knees. And in “Hormones Among Us,” the hormones from George’s arms begin feeding into his body and he feels compelled to attack other members of the stuper hero crew. New episodes were initially produced twice a month, but now appear on the site monthly. Also featured on the site are “Short Shorts,” roughly 30-second bits with quick “right-to-the-point” jokes.

“A Quarter Past Stupid,” in which the mayor attempts to recruit the stuper hero team to save New York City from, Hellachopper, a psychotic Vietnam War veteran provides many laughs.