Back in the late 90s to 2000s, I always enjoying some superhero contents, whether be movies or even the shows, the latter of which is gonna be the main subject in a mini review. While I enjoy Marvel with some familiar names (Spider-Man comes to my obvious mind), but DC is no stranger to give us some best shows from the past decades, whether be live action shows or becoming a game changer in the 90s to giving us some best superhero shows like Batman: The Animated Series or even the other side, Superman: The Animated Series, though im surprised that there’s no “Wonder Woman The Animates Series”, aw well, maybe its just a dream.
But in case for the latter, during the success of Batman TAS, Bruce Timm decided to make an animated show in a similar as Batman, this time with the strange visitor from different planet himself, Superman. While the show is a success, they both have a mix of old school and new school in a modern (aka in the 90s) of our main superhero and they both lasted three seasons. However, Kal-El didn’t give a second chance whereas Batman got himself a follow up with “The New Batman Adventures”, but Kal did have a collaboration with the Cape Crusader with The New Batman/Superman Adventures, but its more like a package show that its borrowed from two shows. That is until both Batman and Superman do not only working together, but also got themselves a new group heroes known as “Justice League”, as well as the follow up “Unlimited”. But as time went on, Batman and Superman are always got some shows ranging from good to either passable. But in today’s review, I decided to go the most recent show with our familiar Boy Scout.
“My Adventures with Superman” is a recent animated show that was created by Jake Wyatt, Brendan Clougher and Josie Campbell.
The show was first announced in 2021 that its going to be Superman with two seasons and planning to be airing on Cartoon Network and later on to Max, even though it took a drastic development to production until we got the announcement 2 years later and the show is finally aired and released.
I’ve never done a review of the shows in either live-action or cartoon/anime, but I decided to give it a shot for my curiosity based on the amount of attention on the internet in the middle of summer of 2023. Is the show worth it to give a shot modern shot of Superman?
Lets find out.
For started, the best way to describing the show is like the mix of Superman TAS, and maybe even Smallville and Superman and Lois, its a regular life with superhero with Clark Kent in double life from trying to be in normal life to forced himself to be save everyone in Metropolis as Superman, while trying to knowing who he is behind his secret, while working with Daily Planet with his partners Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen.
Its a pretty standard plot, but again, it does get interesting where Clark is gotta know what and who he has since his childhood when he was adopted by Kent Family. Its a promising plot that Clark is gotta learn not just who he is from his past, but also learning how he’s gonna be a hero in Metropolis without putting lives in risk, as well as struggle himself to living in double life in secret behind Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. Even though i can’t help but reminded me of Super-Man, its mainly the plot element of struggle of living double life both normal and superhero without exposing their secret identity from his friend and lover. But the downside about the life is that part of his revealing secret identity is brought up too soon in the first half of the season 1, which maybe they could’ve save it for either in second half or maybe in the second season, im just saying, but revealing his identity is too soon. Though at the same time to figuring out who he is, but also has to dealing with Task Force X when they’re trying to going after Superman from the secret past, while also unusually using a group villains when they fought Superman before, which is a nice inclusion for the plot that whether of not if Superman is either a savior and menace of Metropolis, even though we all know Superman is meant to be the savior of the city than the opposite (either that or it could be like worse like when Cavill’s Superman literally broke Zod’s neck in a final battle, that could be worse to have a mixed reputation…! But I digress).
However, despite the promising plot, but my problem of this show is the pacing could be all over, I mean I know it cares about action scenes of Superman dealing with InterGang, Livewire, Parasite, Task Force X, but the pacing is kinda ruining some parts, but I give appreciation from the writing from standard and yet nice written. Plus, its also pretty funny as heck that it does made me laugh from either the timing or even out of nowhere.
Of course, the biggest point of this show is the animation and I will say, the animation itself is pretty good. Unlike the darker modern hero take in DC, which they may look cool, but could be boring or exaggeratedly dumb. But this one is more lighter and a nicely done. The animation is done by the Korean company “Studio Mir”. If the name may not sounds familiar, they’re the same guys who gave us “The Legend of Korra”, three direct-to-videos Mortal Kombat movies and even other DC contents. They decided to make if Superman goes into anime based on the animation design and the presentation they gave, and I will say, I like what they give, it looks pretty good for the character designs, they’re not like the old school designs (which I always love that one), but more modern remake with some futuristic design, I maybe give an appreciation designs like Superman, Livewire, Parasite (especially when he grows from the amount of absorbing energy, it made him look like an evil version of Evengalion) and maybe even Mister Mxyzptlk. But some that im may not be a fan like Silver Banshee.
Of course, the action scenes are no stranger to be the highlight, the action scenes are pretty good too from Superman figures out the pattern to fight strong as he can, but of course, they never made Superman being typically overpowered, they made him nowhere perfect nor even stronger, cause like I always, Superman is more like a new hero in Metropolis that he’s gotta learn to be a hero with special powers and saving his friends and people in the city, making him being limited that sometimes he’s strong to fight back, but other times losing it. Though one weird part of one scene (even if I maybe agree) is when he went to the secret basement next to Kent’s home, after he wants to know to his actual father Jor-El, it goes into a magical girl like transformation how Clark got himself a Superman outfit, pretty odd and kinda dumb, but hey his suit is not bad, that is unless Martha Kent give Kal-El a last second by giving him a trunk and belt to perfectly fit for him, nice touch, Martha.
Unfortunately, based on it presentation that I love, one downside about this show is the placement of the broadcast. Remember when I mentioned before the development that they’re originally planned to be airing on Cartoon Network? Well, they pretty much changed the plan to putting Superman in Adult Swim. Yeah, this is not the right station to broadcasting the show in mature themed block, if you compare to say “Harley Quinn”, like this show is insanely overt-the-top with blood and gore, sex and foulest written dialogue, but at least Harley Quinn is actually pretty good (maybe il review her show with the first season in my future) and a perfect reason why its on Adult Swim, but here with Superman, its not the right place, which its more to be made gear towards teens or young adults of this show, cause we don’t see blood, gore, sexing or whatever it has compare to Harley Quinn.
One more note, the show has a fun Easter Eggs moment, though I won’t tell about, which il let you guys see it if you got it on Max or bought this show digitally.
As for the characters, its no stranger that they’re completely different compare to what we used to before, but I will say, I enjoy the revision of the characters.
For Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman (voiced by Jack Quaid), while he remains much like we all know, but in this show, he’s depicted as humble, kind, kinda shy and struggle to live in double life, he’s more like a young adult version of this show, which I like of his role, rather than being overly acknowledge, overpowered and gentle, he’s sorta like a new kid trying to live normal, but realizing he’s not like Earthlings that he’s gotta learn who he is. Plus, il give a credit of Quaid’s voice performance of Superman, he did a good job of his role to making him kind, strong, humble and probably nice fitting for him.
Then we have Lois Lane (voiced by Alice Lee), man, where do I begin with her? As you may surprised, she’s pretty different than before. Whereas older days Lois Lane is a straight lady who likes to have a chemistry with Clark, though surprised and kinda didn’t acknowledging about Superman. But here, they made her the most tomboyish role for being feisty, driven, smart and lovable, I like this version of Lois Lane, since she’s got the energy, has a good heart with Clark when they work together in Daily Planet. I guess its not hard to see why she got so much attention from either the teaser or even when the show started, but I can't blame the internet how memorable she is, especially Lee kicks ass of her performance.
After that, we have Jimmy Olsen (voiced by Ishmel Sahid), like always, he’s Clark’s best pal in Daily Planet, aside of changing him being black for obvious notice. At first, I thought he’s gonna be an annoying character based on his obsession of his “quest” of finding cryptids like Bigfoot and other creatures, but once he witnessed Superman, the cryptid mind is kinda thrown out to making him got a lot of attention. Of course, he’s also being a social media personality about crypid subjects and even talking about Superman. But in fairness, aside cryptids, I find him fun, which he does making me chuckle of his humors, even if he could be annoying to disturbing Clark and Lois’s build up relationship. But to be fair, Ishmel did a nice and funny job of his performance with his voice delivery from reading Flamebird to his reaction.
As for the rest of the characters, they’re all fine and maybe memorable, even if some that we like to see more for plot convenient, but only left out after one episode.
There’s Perry White (voiced by Darrell Brown) is a no-nonsense boss of Daily Planet that he only cares to journalism for the news without time wasting to our heroes (Jeez, over-ordering much, at least he’s not as mean as Jonah Jameson for slandering Superman, but I digress), the Kent Family, Martha (voiced by Kari Wahlgren, aka Haruko Haruhara from FLCL) and Jonathan (voiced by Reid Scott, aka Dr. Dan Lewis from Venom movies), these adoptable family members are giving us the origin how they adopted Kal-El as their son as Clark. Though they did show something to our main hero, but they have a very minimal appearance like in the first two episodes til the last one, Flip Johnson (voiced by Azuri Hardy-Jones) who’s the leader of Newskid Legion, which im assuming they’re overly inspired to be like Daily Planet.
As for the villains, they’re mixed, some are fascinating, but some would’ve been better, with as I said, some showed in one episode.
There’s Livewire (voiced Zehra Fazal, aka Talia al Ghul in Catwoman Hunted) who’s the first villain where Superman is facing against, and she has electric power from an alien crystal (How did she got one? Well, you thoughts are good as mine due to pacing), Intergang has Silver Banshee (voiced by Catherine Taber), Mist (voiced by Lucas Grabeel) and Rough House (voiced by Vincent Tong), they’re the small group for attempt to stealing Task Force X for their plans of bank robbery, Parasite (voiced by Jake Green) is a one helluva evil rich man for using monster outfit for his power hungry energy for his ego (talk about being a supervillain version of Elon Musk, eh?), Task Force X has The General (voiced by Joel de la Fuente) is… Well, the general of TFX regarding to finding out about Superman’s past, Amanda Waller (voiced by Debra Wilson) is no stranger that she’s the leader of TFX for her harsh order to the villains (much like when she brought us Suicide Squad), Slade Wilson (voiced by Chris Parnel) is TFX’s mercenary who;… Just there as their henchman. Last but definitely not the least, Mister Mxyzptlk (voiced by David Errigo Jr.), he’s an annoying little pest to annoy Superman, mainly for stealing artifact that he’s looking for when he came from Fifth Dimension, at least the design of Mxy looks cute, too bad he appeared one episode.
The characters are great, but its no stranger the three main characters are the main focus, while some, despite they are good, but didn’t the development, because again, pacing issues.
But overall, despite some flaws like pacing problem to more focus of actions, lackluster character developments (for some) due to same issue and misplacement of this show into Adult Swim, it is a fun show with great action, nice story, pretty funny, some great characters and well-done animation from Studio Mir.
This is the show that you definitely check out, I know we’ve done DC movies in a dark tone that its been baffled, but with this one, its good to going into lighter tone with Superman with a mix of old school and modern take parts. It may not be perfect, but its still a fun show that you should check out if you’re lucky to either watch it on streaming (Like Max if you’re in America) or even bought it digitally (the latter of which that we don’t have Max in Canada. Aw well.). As im writing this, they’re currently producing the second season, we’ll see how it goes, if its good, maybe they could make a third season, just wondering.
So this ends of my mini review, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.
Thanks for reading, and im Anthony, signing out.
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