As a pop culture institution for 85 years, there have been a number of animated Superman projects. This week gives us the start of another one: The long-awaited My Adventures with Superman which drops at midnight Thursday, July 6 on Adult Swim. If you don’t have Adult Swim, it’ll be on the Max streaming service the next day.
Featuring The Boys’ Jack Quaid as Clark Kent aka Superman, Alice Lee (Heathers: The Musical) as Lois Lane, and Ishmel Shahid (Jury Duty) as Jimmy Olsen, this project gives us slightly younger versions of the iconic trio than we are used to seeing at the Daily Planet. Clark and Jimmy are best friends, Lois is not yet taken seriously as a journalist, and all three are presented as contemporaries on the ground floor of the Daily Planet. If I were to compare their interaction to any previous Superman project, I’d compare them to Clark, Chloe, and Pete in the early seasons of Smallville… except in this case, Clark is actually into Lois, where he wasn’t into Chloe in that way. They even have a Wall of Weird… err, “murder board” in their little hideaway at the Daily Planet.
Without getting into spoilers, I do have a few things that I’d like to point out in my review.
It’s fun: That’s probably my biggest takeaway. My favorite aspects of Superman & Lois, for example, are the flashbacks, where Clark and Lois are new and excited and happy and not getting irritated by their kids. The interplay here is similar, except that it’s often very fun. Sure, there’s occasional drama – when isn’t there? – but in this show, you have three lead characters who seem to genuinely enjoy being around each other.
The chemistry: Between the animation and the voice acting, you can tell that, like every other version of this story, this Clark and this Lois are very into each other. Their friendship with Jimmy and their interactions with Perry White are similar. As such, when there are complications in their relationships, the characters are visibly affected.
Characters: One thing I really like about this series is that Lois, Clark, and Jimmy are all their own complete characters. They have hobbies and interests. They don’t all fit into a box. It’s also interesting to see, say, a more sensitive side to go-getter Lois, or to notice that the way Jack Quaid voices Clark and even the way Clark moves is different from the animation and voice of Superman. That is cool. The Neckbeard Brigade might make a complaint about the characters not all being white, but this series feels like it’s going from a stance of “what if these characters were created in 2023?” Why would they have to be white? Frankly, what matters most to me is that the characters act like they do in the comics and media I’ve loved for so long; that they respect the core of what makes them what they are. Lois, a steadfast, determined journalist? Check. Clark, an awkward farmboy who wants to help people in his alter ego? Check. Jimmy, dork with a camera? Check, again. So, I’m quite good here. (Side note: Ishmel Shahid’s Jimmy might be the most involved Jimmy Olsen to the story since Michael Landes in the early episodes of Lois & Clark… possibly the most involved since Jack Larson. He’s really, really good). And hey… the show is called “My Adventures with Superman” which says to me that it’s not necessarily Clark at the center, but that Lois or even Jimmy may be the “My” here, in a “The King and I” sort of way.
The villains: One thing that I found particularly interesting here is that the villains aren’t immediately identified, leaving it to the viewer to guess who they are. As such, the new, young audience might be introduced to these characters at the same time a longtime fan is! I was a little bit disappointed, though, that one of my hunches was proven correct by the closing credits, especially since 7 episodes in, I don’t think they’ve said that particular character’s name out loud even by that point. It’s not a spoiler to say some notable DC characters and villains do show up, though.
The animation: The animation almost gives me a circa-2000 anime feel which is actually a big compliment coming from me. All of the characters are very cute, but at the same time, the movement and designs are all seamless. I love how Superman flies, for example. I’m glad it’s not, say, evoking and copying Superman: The Animated Series just like I’m glad it’s not a huge departure like The Batman (which I did like, don’t get me wrong). The opening and closing titles are also A+… stay tuned at the end of every episode for a photo that would represent something lingering from what you just watched.
Fun for all ages: I’m old enough that I was already almost finished being a teenager when the 1996 Superman animated series came out. Yet, I thoroughly enjoyed the show as much as a young person would now. My Adventures with Superman makes Superman fun for a new generation without needing to know a million things before going in.
What’s the Catch? I’ve been really glowing here. So… what don’t I like? Honestly, just one thing: I worry that with all of the recent changes to the industry, from Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO — err “Max” to budget cuts everywhere — that the lifespan of My Adventures with Superman won’t be as long as I’d like for it to be. Which would be a real shame, because this show is a winner and everyone involved did a phenomenal job.
Krypton Rating: I don’t think it would be fair to nick it because of the possibility of not going on for too long, so I’m going to give this a 10/10. Highest possible recommendation. Whether you’re 9 or 90, you’ll find this fun.