El Dorado (Super Friends)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
El Dorado is a fictional Hispanic superhero featured in various incarnations of the Super Friends animated series created by Hanna-Barbera. He was voiced by Fernando Escandon.
Contents |
[edit] Character history
El Dorado was created solely for the Super Friends series and has never appeared in a DC Comic. El Dorado was one of several attempts to encourage diversity within the show. Like other ethnic characters added within the last few years of the show, he was seen as somewhat stereotypical. Another potentially offensive trait of this character is the fact that the golden city of El Dorado is actually a Colombian myth, not a Mexican one. Or better, a precolonialist myth, before both Mexico and Colombia were independent.
First appearing as minor character in the The All-New Super Friends Hour animated shorts, which aired in 1977 and later in Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show as a full-time member. Originally from Mexico, El Dorado spoke with an accent and sporadically slipped into his native language, adding words like "rapido" to normal conversation and replacing nearly every instance of "yes" with "si".
[edit] Powers
No true origin was given for El Dorado's generous number of powers, which included mind reading, casting illusions, teleportation (by wrapping himself up in his cape), and the ability to fire lasers from his eyes. It is assumed that most of his talents are given to him by the objects he wears, which may have come from the mythical city he is named after. From his set of powers, he appears to be closest to the Martian Manhunter in the comics. Knowledgeable about Mexican history, he assisted the Super Friends whenever they were forced to enter unfamiliar ruins or areas in Central America.
[edit] Trivia
- El Dorado was scheduled to be one of the few Hanna-Barbera original heroes (along with Black Vulcan and the Wonder Twins) to receive an action figure after Samurai. However, the Super Powers Collection line was canceled before the figures could be made. [1]
- A hero sharing the name El Dorado appeared in the Justice League Unlimited episode The Once and Future Thing Part 1, although the character himself was closer to Zorro.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Seanbaby's Superfriends: El Dorado (Warning, some adult language)
