It is a safe assumption that most viewers know the story that My Adventures with Superman has to tell. Krypton will explode, Clark Kent will land in Smallville, and he will grow up and become Superman. The ultimate challenge of any Superman adaptation is to breathe fresh life into that tale. On that front, the first two episodes of My Adventures with Superman are definitely not gasping for air.
He’s Still Superman
The new series looks forward, rather than backwards. A tragic adaptation of Krypton’s demise is foregone, opting for a much simpler tone-setting sequence of Clark first discovering his powers. It plays on the common viewer’s knowledge for a moment, creating a quick subversion of expectations that ultimately culminates in the initial idea being completed. The creative team behind My Adventures with Superman surely want to convey that this is still the Superman everyone knows, but they’re going to be doing things a little differently.
Overall, the story is simple yet fun. This is to be expected of a happy-go-lucky show that is still setting itself up. Clark (Jack Quaid) and Jimmy Olson (Ishmel Sahid) begin an internship at The Daily Planet where they soon encounter Lois Lane (Alice Lee). The trio’s over eagerness immediately lands themselves in some hot water, prompting the introduction of the villain known as Livewire (Zehra Fazal). Superman’s adventures within these two short episodes are enough to capture an audience’s attention, while foreshadowing the show’s future. Which for now, is more than enough to create some returning viewers.
Superman Anime?
Studio Mir, known for their work on The Legend of Korra, takes up the task of animating My Adventures with Superman. The studio appears to be one of Warner Bros. Animation’s favorite resources, after their work on Young Justice and Harley Quinn. If any potential viewers have qualms with the animation quality present within Young Justice’s later seasons, do not worry about it too much. My Adventures with Superman features animation more comparable to Harley Quinn than that of Young Justice.
The studio chose to adopt an anime-esque artstyle of sorts. A decision that truly lends itself to the world of Superman. An overly powerful character facing off against seemingly insurmountable odds is right out of the Shonen playbook.
Superman’s action sequences aren’t the only beneficiary of Studio Mir’s artstyle. The everyday affairs of The Daily Planet, alongside the general character designs of its inhabitants, are wonderful to take in. As the title may be hinting towards, the show heavily features Lois and Jimmy. Even still, which one of them ultimately belongs to the possessive “My” in the title is currently unclear. It could just end up being Clark after all.
More to Come
My Adventures with Superman sticks its first landing. The show’s superb pacing successfully collaborates with its artstyle to constantly charm viewers. A promise of the drama to come is present at the end of the second episode, surely enough to entice fans of DC comics to return for more.
My Adventures with Superman Episodes 1 & 2: 8/10.
The first two episodes of My Adventures with Superman are available to stream on Max. New Episodes will release weekly.
