Created By: Jake Wyatt
Starring: Jack Quaid, Alice Lee, Ishmel Sahid
Plot Summary: “My Adventures with Superman” is a serialized coming-of-age story catching up with twenty-somethings Clark Kent, the bright and driven Lois Lane, and their best friend Jimmy Olsen as they begin to discover who they are and everything they can accomplish together as an investigative reporting team at the Daily Planet. The story follows Clark as he builds his secret identity as Superman and explores his own mysterious origins. Lois, on her way to becoming a star reporter, teams up with photographer Jimmy Olsen to break the stories that matter. All the while, Clark and Lois are falling in love… as Lois gets closer and closer to uncovering his secret identity! Our trio share adventures, take down bad guys, stumble over secrets, and discover what it means to be heroes in their own right.
Superhero fatigue is really getting me down as of late. For every brilliant Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse, you have a slew of, shall we say, middling efforts. However, Warner Bros has produced what is easily my favorite animated superhero show in decades. My Adventures with Superman is a breath of fresh air to the genre. While yes, Snyder’s take on the Kryptonian hero has its contingent of fans, personally, I never was fully onboard with that characterization. Wisely, this version takes measures in stripping away the dark and brooding demigod a la Man of Steel.
What we get is a colorful and hopeful incarnation which feels more in line with the original source material. This is evident from the very first few minutes which feature a young Clark Kent, bathed in sunshine on his farm in Smallville. We instantly understand this iteration of the character, and we are on board with his adventures. The genius thing is that while yes, Clark Kent/Superman is a big focus, this is more of an ensemble piece. The trio consisting of Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane and Clark sleuthing, fighting villains and just bantering is really a lot of fun.
The first episode is so effortless in how it presents what feels like a very real and lived in world. After the prologue of young Clark, we fast forward to the present. A now adult Clark is being totally adorkable as he fumbles around awkwardly, getting ready for his new job at The Daily Planet. The twist is that this painfully mundane daily routine is hilariously skewed with things like Clark accidentally breaking his alarm or ripping off a door handle. This is such a fantastic bit of writing, not least of all because of the “heavy lifting” it’s doing story-wise. Not only does this introduction to adult Clark set the tone of fun, it goes deeper. This material is funny in how it’s relatable to a degree but also a glimpse into what a day-to-day might be like for a nearly all-powerful alien passing as a human. Using Clark as a POV character is also a way to introduce important players in a way that feels organic and not clunky. It’s smart that, apart from a short introduction to young Superman, this largely doesn’t feel like it needs to bog itself down with an origin story.
Then we have the two equally supporting characters, Lois Lane (Alice Lee) and Jimmy Olsen (Ishmel Sahid). Both are very likable and interesting takes on these iconic characters, and thankfully, they never get overbearing or annoying. One of the biggest issues with the new Velma series is that they took an insufferable character and never cared enough to further her growth. Yet, fairly early on Lois Lane realizes how she has conned Clark into going along with a scheme of hers. She regrets it, and it makes you feel like she is learning from her flaws, even this early on in the series. Olsen on the other hand is hilarious, and him being a modern vlogger, and semi-conspiracy theory guy could have been cringe, but it’s handled extremely well.
The chemistry between all three is great, and a lot of credit has to go to the voice cast. Jack Quaid does a really great job at the dual role of Clark Kent and Superman. There is something that is gentle and at times commanding, which is perfect for the man of steel. Alice Lee is peppy and endearing as Lois Lane, and like Quaid, she nails the spirit of the character. Ishmel Sahid, like his co-stars, is so effortlessly charming and likable as Jimmy Olsen. I will even go out on a limb and say this is my favorite version of the character to date.
Rounding out the smart writing and amazing voice-talent is the visual style of the series. This show gets a lot of respect for the fact that this was given an anime style, which in a big way makes for a good entry point for those new to anime. The backgrounds and details in every frame of this show are awe-inspiring, and it further adds to the rich world this show crafts.
My Adventures with Superman is bold, funny and action-packed! It’s the perfect Superman show, and hopefully it will be lovingly embraced by fans.
My Adventures with Superman will debut on July 6th at midnight on Adult Swim, next day on Max. New episodes debut every Thursday.
My Adventures with Superman is bold, funny and action-packed! It’s the perfect Superman show, and hopefully it will be lovingly embraced by fans.
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GVN Rating 10
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Big film nerd and TCM Obsessed. Author of The Ultimate Guide to Strange Cinema from Schiffer Publishing. Resume includes: AMC’s The Bite, Scream Magazine etc. Love all kinds of movies and television and have interviewed a wide range of actors, writers, producers and directors. I currently am a regular co-host on the podcast The Humanoids from the Deep Dive and have a second book in the works from Bear Manor.