WesternAnimation
When this series came out, I didn't watch it, mostly because I didn't really have the time. But I kept hearing a lot of good things from people, so I finally sat down and binged it in a single sitting. And I thought it was.... good. Not great, but... good.
Now before you kill me, I do definitely like this series. In fact, compared to other, more recent depictions of the characters, I think this is one of the better ones. But there are a number of issues that do add up as time goes on, and prevent me from loving it the way I know others do. I guess the best way for me to put it, is that this series has a lot of different elements and pieces, and not all of them really coalesce, at least not in my opinion.
Much of the series does seem to be a throwback to settings like Superman: TAS, which is very evident in the colors, and design of the world. The best parts are definitely the three main leads, particularly the Man of Steel himself, capturing the ethos and core of the characters far better than I've seen from other works. This isn't a dark, brooding Superman like we've seen in other recent works who ponders whether he should be helping people in the first place, this is a Superman who helps people because he wants to, and because it makes him happy, and THAT'S Superman. We've also got a Lois who catches the spunky, "go get'em" attitude of her character, and a Jimmy who holds the determined, "gee whiz" core of his. These are characters that I want to watch.
I was worried at first that this animation design wouldn't work with the setting or characters, since not every source material is suited for the anime esque design. But it actually works really well here, allowing for a lot of good emotions and set pieces. And while the fast edits and movements can get a little tiresome, at least when it's played for comedy, it really works in the action scenes. Again, the designs and colors do seem to be harkening back to S:TAS, and that's always great to see; Superman stories should be a bright and colorful, something that other works seem to have failed to realize. "Anime" Superman wasn't something I would necessarily have thought of, but it turned out really good. The new designs for most of the characters are also good, offering new takes on existing characters, while still encapsulating the characters as they are.
That said, I don't think all the redesigns work, particularly when it comes to the villains. I'm of the mind that when one is redesigning an existing character (particularly a hero or a villain)that the new design should be such that the audience can see it, and immediatly be able to put together who it is without any outside explanation. Some of the villains are pretty recognizable (such as Deathstroke), but others, including major ones like Parasite and Mister Mxyzptlk, are pretty far removed, and I'm not sure I would've been able to deduce that those were the characters if I wasn't told. There's also a character in the very end (whom I won't reveal for the sake of spoilers) and the design is so radically different, that if the credits hadn't specified who they were supposed to be, I would never have put together who they were meant to be. It can honestly get really distracting.
For me, though, the part where it gets a little shaky is in the writing. There are times where it feels they're trying a bit too hard to make the audience laugh, with classic "comedy of errors" sorts of scenarios, and the "lovable, awkward guy" sorts of characters, neither of which I'm really a fan of. And I might be alone here, but I think the whole "League of Lois Lanes" is ridiculous, feeling less like DC and more like Rick and Morty. This might because it really comes out of nowhere, more than halfway into the series, and the parts it contributes to the story could've been incorporated any other way. The series also suffers from pacing issues, to the point I can't help but wonder if this narrative was written for a much. There are also times where characters seem to change their views a little too quickly, based on single events or observations. I'll also freely admit I'm not the biggest fan of Amanda Waller or Task Force X, if only because the character has become so common throughout adaptations. That being said, the plot line with the general isn't a bad one, and does ultimately lead somewhere meaningful. Some of the writing and elements of the story also feel a bit, for lack of a better word "contemporary", to the point I feel that a lot of people would watch this, and be able to say to themselves "this was written in the 2020s". Of course, that's nothing new in comic books, or comic book adaptations, so I suppose I can't begrudge them too much for it.
In spite of all these issues, I did enjoy this show, enough that I want to see where it's going. I'm not sure where the series plans on going in the long term, but it does feel like it's building towards something big. Maybe this could even mark the beginning of a new DC animated universe; I for one would love to see this Superman meeting with other characters.
WesternAnimation Justice for Superman... At Last!
Prior to watching this series, if anyone had asked my opinion of the "Man of Steel", I would have been firmly in the camp that says he's boring. Uberpowerful, nigh-invulnerable, a slew of superpowers, and a nigh unstoppable juggernaut if it weren't for the existence of glowing green rocks and a rich guy wreathed in plot armor surpassing even Ichigo Kurosaki's. Put simply: there was no tension and rarely any cause for concern. So imagine my pleasant surprise to finally be proven wrong.
Enter: The new and improved, or restored (depending on your perspective) Superman.
For starters, in most other portrayals, "Clark Kent" is just an act, a persona he adopts as a cover identity. This time, he really is Kent through and through, even when suited up. By which I mean, his personality remains the same. He really is that dorky and just that nice a guy that he constantly concerns himself with the well-being of others, even when dealing with enemies who are adamantly trying to kill him. All he wants is to do the right thing and while that's always been an intrinsic aspect of his character, rarely has it been portrayed as well or convincingly as it is here.
This new version also adds the tension that was sorely missing from previous incarnations of Superman. Prior to this series, there was almost never a need to ask: "Is he okay?" or "Will he be okay?" because we already knew the answer. Of course he is/was, he's Superman. My Adventures with Superman flips the status quo and makes its audience wonder, "How much more can this poor guy take?", "Who's gonna help him keep it together?". And fortunately, we have our answer: Lois and Jimmy both of whom are done so well that they practically warrant character reviews of their own (dang review limits).
This is the first time I've been able to enjoy any Superman series since Christopher Reeves' era. I find myself looking forward to each episode and finding what new discoveries Clark and his friends will make about his past, his still developing powers, and his place in the world. It also gives me hope that future incarnations will be written as well and be as endearing. The show has a few minor hiccups, though I feel those nitpicks can be forgiven considering the writers initially had only one season to work with.
After years of boring Supermen and evil/fascist Superman, the My Adventures take on his character is a long-awaited and desperately needed breath of fresh air.
WesternAnimation I Appreciate This Show
My Adventures with Superman is the hot new DC property and I just love it.
My favorite thing about Superman is that he's a guy with the best superpowers that wants nothing more than to help. I feel like this is the first showing of the character in a very long time that really captures that. And unlike other depictions, Superman doesn't come off as condescending or messianic, he truly is just a normal man.
Since the story follows Lois and Jimmy just as much as the man of steel, that means we get just as much Clark Kent as we do Kal-El and I've always thought that facet of the character has been underrepresented. Lois in particular is just great, she's funny, clever and quite beautiful in this rendition and it's a joy to have her onscreen.
I've seen some complaints about the show, and the ones that aren't obviously just people who watch clips out of context for outrage have some valid complaints. The show is moving a little fast and could be seen as diving into the greater DC multiverse a bit too quickly. Personally, I'm fine with it because it's a serious, unavoidable elephant in the room that the world is much bigger than Superman and it'd be a disservice to pretend otherwise for 3 seasons before introducing other things. Until the day comes when Batman and the Justice League overtake the title character, I don't think there's anything to worry about. Another issue is that all the villains are tech based instead of magic or metahumans. That's fine because the tech is obviously Kryptonian and being set up for a big reveal about Clark down the line.
As of writing, we are on episode 8 and I loved how they were able to introduce the concept of "Fear of Superman" without being too overbearing about it. So I look forward to more, I may update my thoughts once the season is all the way done.
As it stands, 8/10
WesternAnimation A Refreshing Return to Form.
Unpopular opinion time: I don't hate Man of Steel. On some level, I get what Zack Snyder was going for. He wanted to show what being Superman would be like in real life. And I actually like the Injustice games (haven't played them, but like the story). But while there's nothing inherently wrong with exploring a more tragic side to Superman or exploring what he'd be like as a villain, sometimes you just want him to return to his roots, which is exactly what My Adventures With Superman is doing: Bringing Superman back to his roots as a purely idealistic hero.
Story: We've seen this premise a hundred times already. Kal-El comes to Earth as an infant and grows up to be a superhero while working at the Daily Planet with Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. Not much to say here.
Characters: This is where MAWS shines for me as the characters are incredibly endearing.
- As mentioned, Clark Kent returns to his roots as the idealistic boy scout he usually is.
- Lois Lane in this show is a young intern instead of a reporter. She's spunky, snarky, energetic, a bit selfish at first, but ultimately well meaning. And her crush on Clark is adorable. Kinda reminds me of Adora, which makes sense as the writing team from She-Ra: Princess of Power are behind this show.
- Jimmy is now a conspiracy theorist who runs his own blog. His personality reminds me a bit of Bow, another character from SPOP.
- I really like this version of Livewire, now reimagined as a mercenary and weapons dealer. Her design's pretty cool and she's quite the badass. If Lois = Adora and Jimmy = Bow, then Livewire definitely gives off some Catra vibes.
- And last, but not least, we have Slade Wilson (aka Deathstroke) and Amanda Waller, who seem to be set up as the show's main antagonists. Slade's usually a Batman villain so pitting him against Superman would be an interesting matchup. I do wonder if we'll see more classic Superman villains like Parasite, Lex Luthor, Doomsday, Toyman, etc. It looks like Brainac will make an appearance if the flashback to Krypton's destruction is any indication.
Conclusion: My Adventures With Superman is off to a promising start and I'm looking forward to what the rest of the show brings.
WesternAnimation Okay, Try to Imagine a Show with Superman, Where - Get This - he is NOT Evil!
We've had so many edgy deconstructions of Superheroes these days that the notion of a kind, uncomplicated, straight-laced Superman who isn't a psychopath or a fascist feels fresh again. My Adventures with Superman, offers something that - for the most part - feels like it taps straight into the spirit of the comic book Silver Age.
In place of the cynicism and blood baths, we get an abundance of cute. The comics have been re-imagined in an animé style, presented with a twinkling romantic piano score, a bright and comedic tone, and where every character is now either a twink or a tomboy. The most self-serious fans of DC might not appreciate some of the show's redesigns, but I don't think the Tumblr community will ever be able to put this thing down.
Adventures with Superman is a loose retelling of the main beats of the comic mythos, picking up at the point where a humble Clark Kent has just joined the Daily Planet as an intern. Alongside him is Jimmy Olson (a wannabe photographer of alien conspiracies) and Lois Lane (a wannabe journalist). We still get all the parts with Superman biffing giant robots and cackling villains, but the joy of the series comes through watching its three heroes bounce off one another, racing to uncover the conspiracies and monsters-of-the-week with the gusto of Scooby Doo's Mystery Inc. Superman is yet another one of those monsters that the gang is trying to unmask, and although Lois and Clark instantly develop an mutual, adorable crush on one another, Clark is torn about having to lie about his true identity to a woman whose entire life is committed to uncovering dirty secrets.
As of me writing this, we are most of the way through the season, and the will-she/won't-she-find-out has given way to an arc involving a proto-suicide squad that might actually prove a genuine threat to the Son of Krypton. There has so far only been one element in this season that I've disliked, and that's where the show takes some time out do the metafictional, multiverse thing in the exact same way every damn cartoon franchise has done in the last five years. Fortunately it so far seems to have been restricted to the one episode. Maybe others don't care so much, but I could really do with no more shows trying to be the Spiderverse for another decade or so.
Adventures with Superman has been fabulous so far. If you need a break from the constant and tiring slew of self-referential, wise-arsed, and miserable side of superhero entertainment, you could do a lot worse than giving this a try.