The Wonder Twins are a pair of twins, Zan and Jayna, teenage alien superheroes who were sidekicks to the Super Friends in the Hanna-Barbera animated television series of the same name. In the 1990s, these characters were heavily revamped by DC Comics for modern audiences. DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... In comic books, first appearance refers to first comic book to feature a character. ... This article is about the Hanna-Barbera television series. ... Extreme Justice #0. ... E. Nelson Bridwell was a writer for Mad magazine and for DC Comics. ... This article is about the Hanna-Barbera television series. ... For the animated television series, see Justice League (TV series) or Justice League Unlimited. ... Young Justice was a DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes. ... For other uses, see Superhero (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Sidekick (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Hanna-Barbera television series. ... Cartoon Network Studios, formerly known as Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ... An animated series or cartoon series is a television series produced by means of animation. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ... DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ...

Character history

The pair made their debut in The All-New Super Friends Hour. Zan and Jayna are siblings from the planet Exxor (also spelled Exor) who were being informally trained by the superheroes. Unlike their predecessors, Wendy Harris and Marvin White, this pair was able to participate in combat with abilities of their own. Their powers were activated when the twins made physical contact together with the spoken command, "Wonder Twin powers, activate!". (In the comics, it was revealed that this phrase was unnecessary, just a habit of theirs.) They bear a strong resemblance to Donny and Marie Osmond, who had a hit TV show at the time of their first appearances. Their appearance is somewhat reminiscent of Vulcans from Star Trek, with pointed ears and similar haircuts. As they were about to transform, they would each announce their intended form. For example, Zan would announce, "Form of a glacier!" The All-New Super Friends Hour is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 1977 to 1978. ... Wendy Harris was half of the pair of Marvin & Wendy, two teen-age sidekicks of the Super Friends who, along with Marvins pet dog Wonderdog, first appeared in the 1973 Super Friends cartoon. ... Marvin White was half of the pair of Marvin & Wendy, two teen-age sidekicks of the Super Friends who, along with Marvins pet dog Wonderdog, first appeared in the 1973 Super Friends cartoon. ... Donny & Marie was a variety show which aired on ABC from 1976 to 1979. ... It has been suggested that Tplana-hath be merged into this article or section. ... The current Star Trek franchise logo Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment series and media franchise. ... This article is about the geological formation. ...

The Wonder Twins as they appeared in The All-New Super Friends Hour, Challenge of the Super Friends, The World's Greatest Super Friends, and Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show

Their powers were as followed: Image File history File links Wonder_Twins. ... Image File history File links Wonder_Twins. ... The All-New Super Friends Hour is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 1977 to 1978. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The Worlds Greatest Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 1979 to 1980. ...

• Zan can transform into any form of water, including liquid, mist, steam, or, perhaps most usefully, any kind of functioning ice structure. Also, at one time, he changed into a gelatinous form. By combining with already-existing water, Zan could also increase his mass or volume in the water form chosen. In addition, he could transform himself into weather patterns involving water, such as a blizzard, a monsoon, or a typhoon.

• Jayna can transform into any animal, whether real, mythological, indigenous to Earth or to some other planet, like Beast Boy. She did need to know the name of the animal in order to assume its form, as she would turn into whatever animal she named.

In addition, they had a pet Space Monkey called Gleek who had a useful prehensile tail and whose body could act as a conduit for the twins to activate their powers should they be out of reach. Gleek also served as a courier when the twins needed to travel: Jayna would typically transform into a large eagle, and Zan would transform into (plain) water, "jumping" into a bucket which Gleek conveniently would be holding. (This led to the joke by some fans that Gleek's superpower was to make a bucket appear and disappear at will. See hammerspace.) Beast Boy (real name Garfield Mark Gar Logan) is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe, a shapeshifting superhero who is a former member of the Doom Patrol and member of the Teen Titans. ... In the animated series Super Friends, Gleek is a blue monkey, and pet of Zan and Jena, the two Wonder Twins. ... Genera Several, see below. ... Examples of Hammerspace pictured in a WikiWorld cartoon Hammerspace is a fan-envisioned extradimensional, instantly accessible storage area in fiction, which is used to explain how animated, comic and game characters can produce objects out of thin air. ...

These characters were derided by serious comic book fans as condescending intrusions in the show. Others noted that at least the characters were occasionally an asset to the main characters in combat compared to their predecessors. Regardless, the Wonder Twins were usually liked by the younger viewers, who found the twin characters less intimidating and easier to relate to, as the twins were novices who made mistakes, etc., yet the twins had powers which invited the viewers' imaginations. A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ...

The characters were introduced in the Super Friends comic (where they were far more competent, often being the key to solving major situations) and were ignored once the series was cancelled. Jayna's powers in the Super Friends comic book were shown to be more extensive, allowing her to transform into even mythical creatures. Similarly, Zan was able to transform into anything tangentially related to water or ice, including a Frost giant. In Norse mythology, Jotuns, Jötunn or Jotnar of Utgard, Jötunnheim were the race of Gods called giants (thurs), separated into categories such as frost giants (rime giants, hrimthurs), fire giants, sea giants and storm giants. ...

Super Friends version

According to the Super Friends comic book, Zan and Jayna are mutants, evolutionary throwbacks to an ancient race of Exxorian shapeshifters. Their parents died when they were still babies (during a plague), and, because of their origin, no Exxorians wanted to adopt them. They ended up adopted by the owner of a Space Circus, who only wanted to use them as sideshow freaks. Fortunately, the circus's clown was a kind man and raised them. He also gave them Gleek as a pet. Eventually, as teens, the pair escaped the circus and hid on a planet where a space villain called Grax (an enemy of Superman) had set his headquarters. Spying on him, they learned that Grax was planning to destroy the Earth using hidden superbombs. The twins decided to travel to Earth and warn the Justice League; that was how they came to replace Wendy and Marvin (who were planning on retiring as heroes anyway) as their sidekicks. The heroes also arranged for the kids to live with an old scientist called Professor Carter Nichols, and they even took secret identities as John and Joanna Fleming. "Johan" and "Johanna" were supposedly transfer students from Esko, Sweden, disguised with blonde hair (Zan wore a wig, while Jayna used her powers to transform into a human to change her hair color and ear shape), to allow them to attend Gotham City High School. // Marvel Comics In Marvel comic books, particularly those of the X-Men franchise, a mutant is a human being who is born with genetic modifications that allow for abilities not possessed by regular humans. ... Look up plague in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Circus (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Sideshow (disambiguation). ... Superman is a fictional character and comic book superhero , originally created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian artist Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics. ... For the animated television series, see Justice League (TV series) or Justice League Unlimited. ... This article is about the fictional place. ...

Extreme Justice version

The new, revamped Wonder Twins. Art by Todd Nauck.

In the 1990s they were introduced into the main DC Universe in the series Extreme Justice. The series retconned their origin so that they are slaves of an alien villain, later rescued by the Justice League. In Extreme Justice #9 (Oct. 1995), unable to speak English, they accidentally attack some civilians and the Justice League. They join Captain Atom's team in issue #16. They had far greater powers than their cartoon counterparts. During their fight with the JLA, Zan became an ice golem, a water monster, and a demonic-looking whirlpool; while Jayna became a griffin, a werewolf, and a sea serpent. Although rarely seen today, this version of the Wonder Twins is still part of the current DC Universe. Later they appeared in Young Justice #49–51, wearing uniforms which resembled t-shirts and jeans, to help avenge the murder of Empress's parents. Apparently, the Wonder Twins enjoy the taste of CDs, as they ate several of Wonder Girl's favorite discs. Image File history File links WonderTwins_New. ... Image File history File links WonderTwins_New. ... Todd Nauck (born March 16, 1971 in Texas) is an American comic book artist and writer. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ... Cover to the History of the DC Universe trade paperback. ... Extreme Justice #0. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Captain Atom is a fictional comic book superhero. ... For other uses, see Golem (disambiguation). ... Saltstraumen whirlpool A whirlpool in a glass of water A whirlpool is a large, swirling body of water produced by ocean tides. ... For other uses, see Griffin (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Werewolf (disambiguation). ... Cover to the History of the DC Universe trade paperback. ... Young Justice was a DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes. ... Empress (Anita Fite) is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Comics universe. ... Cassandra Sandsmark is the current Wonder Girl, a superheroine from DC Comics. ...

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Image File history File links Broom_icon. ...

Other media

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E! Online reported in 2002 that Warner Bros. was considering a live action Wonder Twins movie. Image File history File links Wikitext. ... E! (Entertainment Television) is an American cable television and direct broadcast satellite network. ...

This prompted videogame webcomic Penny Arcade to parody at their abilities ^[1] ...

The Wonder Twins have been parodied on animated comedy shows such as Family Guy, Dexter's Laboratory, That '70s Show, Celebrity Deathmatch, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, South Park, Attack of the Show, and Robot Chicken. Family Guy is an Emmy Award-winning American animated television series about a dysfunctional family in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island. ... Dexters Laboratory (Dexters Lab for short) is an American animated television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky. ... That 70s Show is an American television sitcom that centers on the lives of a group of teenagers living in Point Place, Wisconsin, a fictional suburb of either Kenosha or Green Bay[1] from May 17, 1976 to December 31, 1979. ... Celebrity Deathmatch is a claymation parody television show that pits celebrities against each other in a wrestling ring, almost always ending in the losers gruesome death. ... Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law was a comedic American animated television series created by Williams Street that airs on Cartoon Network during its Adult Swim late night programming block. ... This article is about the TV series. ... Sarah Lane is hott! Attack of the Show! (previously named The Screen Savers) is a live gaming and entertainment television program shown on G4 in the United States, G4techTV in Canada, and the HOW TO Channel in Australia. ... Robot Chicken is an Emmy Award-Winning American stop motion animated television series produced by Stoopid Monkey, ShadowMachine Films, Williams Street, and Sony Pictures Digital, currently airing in the US as a part of Cartoon Networks Adult Swim line-up, in the United Kingdom and Ireland as part of...

In 1999 South Park parodied them on their Halloween special "Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery". At one point, when it appears that a superheroes help is needed, all members of the band Korn touch hands, Shout their names and yell "forms of Corn". They each transform into a different product of Corn, including: Popcorn and Corn On The Cob. When they return to their human form seconds later they are asked how that was useful, to which one of them says "Nothing. It's just fun to do" This article is about the year. ... This article is about the TV series. ... This article is about the holiday. ... Korns Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery is episode 3. ... This article is about the band. ... For other uses, see Popcorn (disambiguation). ...

In 2002, a series of Wonder Twins shorts appeared on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, produced by J.J. Sedelmaier Productions, who also produced the Harvey Birdman series. The shorts portrayed the Wonder Twins and Gleek as naïve and ineffectual, usually resulting in a dark-humored outcome. For example, in one short, the Wonder Twins attempt to save a camper from a bear. Jayna transforms into a gopher and digs a trench, while Zan transforms into water, forming a moat. Their plan fails when the bear simply steps over the moat and mauls the camper. At the camper's funeral, the grieving mother chastises the trio (parodying a similar scene from the film Jaws), saying that even she knows "a one-inch deep gopher moat won't contain a bear." In another, Zan becomes an ice bridge to save teenagers from falling into a pit, but as it is made of ice and has no rails, the teenagers fall off him. These shorts are parodies of segments during the Super Friends animated series in which the teens acted completely on their own in dealing with minor problems, usually involving some danger encountered in the life of an average teen, such as speeding. Cartoon Network has also made several commercials parodying the Super Friends. One such commercial made fun of the ineffectiveness of Zan's powers wherein he says "I could get beaten by a sponge... it wouldn't even have to be an evil sponge!" Also see: 2002 (number). ... For Cartoon Network outside of the United States, see Cartoon Network around the world. ... Adult Swim is the name for an adult-oriented television programming network. ... For other uses, see Bear (disambiguation). ... Look up gopher, gofer in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... It has been suggested that Orca (Jaws boat) be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see Sponge (disambiguation). ...

On an episode of Justice League, statues of them are seen briefly (then smashed) in the background of the episode "Injustice For All".

On the TV series Justice League Unlimited, two characters called Downpour and Shifter have appeared. They are members of the Ultimen, a group of superheroes created by the government. The group is a pastiche of the heroes that were created for Super Friends, with Downpour and Shifter specifically a pastiche of the Wonder Twins. Justice League Unlimited (or JLU) was the name of an American animated television series that was produced by and aired on Cartoon Network. ... Downpour is a fictional superhero featured in the animated series, Justice League Unlimited, and is a member of the Ultimen. ... Shifter is a fictional character, a former superhero featured in the animated series, Justice League Unlimited. ... The Ultimen are a fictional superhero group featured in the animated series Justice League Unlimited. ... The word pastiche describes a literary or other artistic genre. ...

An episode of Family Guy involved Jayna and Peter, whose employment history apparently includes a stint as a Wonder Twin. In order to get to a fire, Jayna forms into a hawk. However, Peter forms into Jayna's tampon and "plays the waiting game" in her purse. In an earlier episode, Peter and Brian attempt to activate Wonder Twins powers from toy rings they found in a box of Frankenberry breakfast cereal. Fast Times at Buddy Cianci Jr. ... Family Guy is an Emmy Award-winning American animated television series about a dysfunctional family in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island. ... Peter Löwenbräu Griffin is the protagonist in the American animated television series Family Guy. ... Genera Accipiter Micronisus Melierax Urotriorchis Erythrotriorchis The term hawk refers to birds of prey in any of three senses: Strictly, to mean any of the species in the bird sub-family Accipitrinae in the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis, and Megatriorchis. ... For the commune of Réunion, see Le Tampon. ... “A Fish Out of Water” is an episode of Family Guy that first aired September 19, 2001. ... Brian Griffin is a fictional character on the FOX animated television series Family Guy, and is voiced by show creator, Seth MacFarlane. ... Franken Berry is one of a line of monster-themed breakfast cereals produced by General Mills. ...

In the animated show Fairly Odd Parents, the superheroes, Mighty Mom and Dyno Dad have Wonder Twin-like powers. The joke is that while the mom became a strong animal, the Dad turned into a bucket of water, and merely fell on the ground. The Fairly OddParents is one of the most popular cartoons on Nickelodeon The Fairly OddParents is an animated series created by Butch Hartman and was first aired in March 30, 2001. ...

In the animated show Spongebob Squarepants, the wonder twins are parodied often by Mermaidman and Barnacleboy, who in one episode used doughnuts instead of rings and say,"Mermaidman and Barnacleboy...unite!". In other episodes however, they only parody their phrase when they activate their powers. This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ...

In an episode of Saturday Night Live, a TV Funhouse cartoon shows Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein as having powers similar to the Wonder Twins. This article is about the American television series. ... TV Funhouse is the title of a recurring skit on NBCs Saturday Night Live featuring cartoons created by longtime SNL writer Robert Smigel, as well as a short-lived spinoff series that ran on Comedy Central. ... Osama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Laden (Arabic: ‎; born March 10, 1957[1]), most often mentioned as Osama bin Laden or Usama bin Laden, is a Saudi Arabian militant Islamist and is widely believed to be one of the founders of the organization called al-Qaeda. ... Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was the fifth President of Iraq and Chairman of the Iraqi Revolutionary Command Council from 1979 until his overthrow by US forces in 2003. ...

The Wonder Twins are parodied in Heavy.com's on-going animated series Superficial Friends. The clips feature celebrities Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen playing shape-shifting twins. In an unrelated segment of an episode of Adult Swim's Robot Chicken, entitled "A Day in the Life of the Olsen Twins", the Olsens are also portrayed as having Wonder Twin-like superpowers. In yet another unrelated story, Celebrity Deathmatch featured the Olsen Twins using Wonder Twin-like powers when fighting Jack and Kelly Osbourne. Heavy. ... Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Fuller Olsen (born June 13, 1986) are twin American actresses who have appeared in television and films since the age of 3 months. ... Robot Chicken is an Emmy Award-Winning American stop motion animated television series produced by Stoopid Monkey, ShadowMachine Films, Williams Street, and Sony Pictures Digital, currently airing in the US as a part of Cartoon Networks Adult Swim line-up, in the United Kingdom and Ireland as part of... Celebrity Deathmatch is a claymation parody television show that pits celebrities against each other in a wrestling ring, almost always ending in the losers gruesome death. ... Jack Joseph Osbourne (born November 8, 1985 in London, England) is the son of music legend Ozzy Osbourne and music manager Sharon Osbourne, which also makes him the grandson of Don Arden. ... Kelly Michelle Lee Osbourne (born 27 October 1984) is an English television personality, singer, actress and fashion designer. ...

In Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, one segment showed Zan as bath water while Wonder Woman was taking a bath. For other uses, see Wonder Woman (disambiguation). ...

An entry on the online humor site McSweeney's Internet Tendency purported to show excerpts from Zan's journal, lamenting his lack of respect from the Super Friends. In one entry, Zan exacts revenge by appearing as a large wet spot on the Flash's tights while he's giving a speech. McSweeneys is a quarterly literary journal and publishing house founded and edited by Dave Eggers, author of You Shall Know Our Velocity and A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. ... The Flash. ...

Scrubs made at least two references: In one episode Sarah Chalke's character Elliot is recalling playing with her younger brother as the Twins, as Dr. Cox and Turk listen on. In another episode when JD is asked to be Carla and Turk's Best Man, Elliot asks JD if this is his best day ever. Going into flashback mode, JD daydreams of the time he found 2 secret decoder rings from the same box of cereal. Back in real-time JD and Turk touch rings while yelling 'Activate!'. JD then calls out, 'Form of an ice menorah!" (My Porcelain God Season 3 Episode 13) This article is about the US sitcom. ... Sarah Chalke (born August 27, 1976 in Ottawa, Ontario) is a Canadian television and movie actress best known for portraying Dr. Elliot Reid on the NBC sitcom Scrubs and also for portraying the second Becky Conner-Healy on ABCs Roseanne. ... My Porcelain God is the 59th episode of the American sitcom Scrubs. ...

American Pop Punk band Motion City Soundtrack make reference to the Wondertwins in a song entitled "It Had to be You", track number three on their 2007 release Even If It Kills Me. The second half of the first verse talks of a "certain sense of synergy", described as "a kind of macabre and somber Wondertwin type of harmony". Motion City Soundtrack is an American pop punk band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. ... Even If It Kills Me is the upcoming album by the pop-punk band Motion City Soundtrack. ...

MovieWeb has reported that Jake Gyllenhaal and Maggie Gyllenhaal might have cameos of the twins in the live-action Justice League of America film. Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal[1] (born December 19, 1980) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor. ... Maggie Ruth Gyllenhaal (born November 16, 1977) is an American actress. ...

References

1. ^ Ryan, Joal "Wonder Twins Movie Activates!", Eonline.com, 8 June 2002. Retrieved 16 July 2006.

External links

• Seanbaby's Wonder Twins page
• Personal Journal of Zan