TV My Adventures with Superman |ST| Clark, Lois, and Jimmy's Wild Internship

[WestEgg]

I watched the first two episodes and didn't see any discussion here, so I went ahead and made this thread. Superman is my favorite superhero, so I'm glad to see a new animated series for him for the first time in decades, and based on the first two episodes, I think they're on to something great with this one. They've even put out the first episode on YouTube for free, linked below, so check it out if you are interested!

Official Press Release

“My Adventures with Superman,” the newest animated series from Warner Bros. Animation and DC, is set to take flight Thursday, July 6 at midnight on Adult Swim and next day on Max. The official trailer and key art showcasing Jack Quaid as the voice of Clark Kent, Alice Lee as the voice of Lois Lane, and Ishmel Sahid as the voice of Jimmy Olsen also debuted today.

“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.

Season one will debut with two back-to-back episodes, followed by one new episode every Thursday. Encores of new episodes will air Fridays at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT on Adult Swim and Saturdays at midnight on Toonami. New episodes will also stream Fridays on Max.

Sam Register (“Teen Titans Go!”) serves as executive producer. Jake Wyatt (“Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus”) and Brendan Clogher (“Voltron: Legendary Defender”) are on board as co-executive producers and Josie Campbell (“She-Ra and the Princesses of Power”) as co-producer.

Key Art:

Character Concept Art:

Clark Kent

Lois Lane

Jimmy Olsen

Trailer:


Full First Episode:


Press Release: https://press.wbd.com/us/media-rele...-july-6-adult-swim?language_content_entity=en

 

[aus89]

Fun first couple episodes, definitely enjoying it so far. Can feel the influence of its creators' previous work - Ducktales, She-Ra, Voltron/Korra.

 

[Maronic03]

I love how unabashedly Clark and Lois are into each other as early as the first minute.

 

[Dizzle]

Haven't watched yet, but love how the art is clearly inspired by Gurihiru. Looks like Superman Smashes the Klan.

 

[oomoepoo]

Fantastic first episode. Exactly the tone I want from Superman, funny, lighthearted, none of that muted colors, emotional torture stuff from the Snyder movie. Love the dynamic between Lois, Clark and Jimmy as interns on roughly the same level. Really curious where this will go eventually

Now I just need to see Pa Kent alive to be happy.

 

[aus89]

Haven't watched yet, but love how the art is clearly inspired by Gurihiru. Looks like Superman Smashes the Klan.

Honestly looks very much like Studio MIR's style which makes sense given Gurihiru's work on the Avatar graphic novels from before SSTK (MIR were an offshoot of the studio that worked on Avatar) - per interview they were setting everything up with their art and style in mind, creating brushes/style guides etc... for them specifically. Character designs were by Dou Hong (Invincible, Young Justice)

 

[VolcanicDynamo]

I saw the first two episodes last night and was just thinking about how this show should have an ST here. Great minds think alike!

Now, I'm not exactly someone who has seen a lot of Superman material. I was a bit too young for the 90s cartoon and Smallville when they aired, never caught much Justice League, never saw the movie's and actively avoided the DCEU's version of the character. But Superman being Superman, he was always recognizable, not to mention me being a massive Wikipedia nerd and over time gaining lots of secondhand knowledge of comics and their adaptations.

In recent years, I've began loving the idea of Superman. Or perhaps I should say the ideal of Superman - the big blue boy scout, the alien who exemplifies humanity through the earnest and kind attitude he learned from his earnest and kind human parents, the incredible powers and extraordinary heroics mixed with compassion and care. This show's Superman hits all of those buttons.

Spoiler: Episode 1 and 2 Discussion

We have a kindhearted and clumsy Clark initially pitched as an extraordinary man who wants to be normal. He uses his powers to help in secret, but he wants to blend in. His Kryptonian heritage leaves him confused, frightened, even. A language he does not know, tech that endangers his parents, a traumatizing situation that leaves him questioning his very identity. Hiding his powers and his secret identity is given this personal layer for Clark this early on - if he doesn't even know who he is, then what are others going to think? But spurred on by Lois's perception of "Superman," one that matches the kindhearted values he always had, he is spurred on to learn about himself and to do the right thing in a more public way, even if he still feels that he must keep his identity a secret. What makes Superman is the powers and the values.

Lois serves as a great foil to Clark, a normal woman who wants to be extraordinary. She's a passionate and driven reporter-to-be who wants to get the truth out there and is willing to get into danger and bend the rules to find it. She's not as selfless as Clark - she wants to make it big as a reporter, and she was initially willing to trick Clark and Jimmy into helping her - but Lois cares about the news because it is important, because people deserve to know what is going on around them even if it means putting herself on the line. She is extraordinary for the same reasons Superman is - the values, even without the powers. I immediately buy their connection as friends, colleagues, and the all important romantic connection that is meant to be a highlight of the show. I'm really looking forward to them growing closer and eventually becoming a couple.

Jimmy then serves to round out the trio - a "conspiracy" theorist who is more right about the world than he knows. His sillier aspects are complimented by his emotional intelligence (immediately seeing the romantic connection between Clark and Lois) and his genuine instinct on the field. It's no wonder that he's secretly right about aliens and other meta aspects. His use of his photography (and arguably common sense) to sniff out a story is a good contrast with Lois, who builds rapport with individuals and looks for the people involved in the news. Aging up Jimmy to be on a more even footing with Clark and Lois was a good call, and I enjoy how he bounces off of the characters and is allowed to be less serious without being a joke character.

Other aspects I noticed or liked about the show's first two episodes:

• Having Clark's powers develop and grow through situations where he is determined to help people is a great way to show how it's the values that make the Superman. Love how the first episode uses this as bookends. It also means that the audience can be introduced to the powers over time, and hype moments can come from Superman gaining new powers in a tense fight or rescue situation.
• The joy of flying contrasted with Clark's identity of conflict again made for some wonderful bookends to Episode 1.
• Magical Girl transformation!!! I love it.
• We love a good meet cute, and this show delivers on that.
• I love Lois working with the Newskid Legion. It plays into her willingness to connect with people to get the news, even through unorthodox means. It's a good blend of silly but earnest and serious, a microcosm of the show's tone.
• "Flamebird" as both a reference to the "It's a bird! It's a plane!" refrain and as a deep cut reference to an identity Jimmy took in the comics is very clever.
• This show's version of Livewire is cool as hell, and I'm curious where they go with her, especially with Superman's empathy in trying to save her from her powers going haywire.
• ...holy shit, that Black Ops guy is Slade??? With Teen Titans being one of the few DC things I know really well and not just secondhand, it threw me for a loop. But I am also digging it.

I'm eager to see how these dynamics play out as the show continues across its currently announced two seasons. It also makes me want to get more into Superman and seek out comics or other adaptations that capture this vibe. Even so, it's nice to have a show that feels so close to being "my" Superman coming out at a time where I can really appreciate it.

 

[RochHoch]

Caught the first episode on Youtube.

Show is super charming. This is the Superman I want to see on the big screen: a regular guy at heart who's driven to help people on instinct alone. I really like what they're going for here

 

[aus89]

Spoiler: Episode 1 and 2 Discussion

• ...holy shit, that Black Ops guy is Slade??? With Teen Titans being one of the few DC things I know really well and not just secondhand, it threw me for a loop. But I am also digging it.

Ah didn't realise that's who that was... interesting

 

[Brofield]

God, why is it so hard to find this to stream in Canada?

On Amazon Prime it's an additional $13/month subscription to StackTV (which a big hefty fuck no), and Crave which is the hub for all HBO content in Canada only has the first two Christopher Reeves movies and DC's Krypton. Same bullshit reason I haven't been able to watch Superman & Lois yet

 

[WestEgg]

I saw the first two episodes last night and was just thinking about how this show should have an ST here. Great minds think alike!

Now, I'm not exactly someone who has seen a lot of Superman material. I was a bit too young for the 90s cartoon and Smallville when they aired, never caught much Justice League, never saw the movie's and actively avoided the DCEU's version of the character. But Superman being Superman, he was always recognizable, not to mention me being a massive Wikipedia nerd and over time gaining lots of secondhand knowledge of comics and their adaptations.

In recent years, I've began loving the idea of Superman. Or perhaps I should say the ideal of Superman - the big blue boy scout, the alien who exemplifies humanity through the earnest and kind attitude he learned from his earnest and kind human parents, the incredible powers and extraordinary heroics mixed with compassion and care. This show's Superman hits all of those buttons.

Spoiler: Episode 1 and 2 Discussion

We have a kindhearted and clumsy Clark initially pitched as an extraordinary man who wants to be normal. He uses his powers to help in secret, but he wants to blend in. His Kryptonian heritage leaves him confused, frightened, even. A language he does not know, tech that endangers his parents, a traumatizing situation that leaves him questioning his very identity. Hiding his powers and his secret identity is given this personal layer for Clark this early on - if he doesn't even know who he is, then what are others going to think? But spurred on by Lois's perception of "Superman," one that matches the kindhearted values he always had, he is spurred on to learn about himself and to do the right thing in a more public way, even if he still feels that he must keep his identity a secret. What makes Superman is the powers and the values.

Lois serves as a great foil to Clark, a normal woman who wants to be extraordinary. She's a passionate and driven reporter-to-be who wants to get the truth out there and is willing to get into danger and bend the rules to find it. She's not as selfless as Clark - she wants to make it big as a reporter, and she was initially willing to trick Clark and Jimmy into helping her - but Lois cares about the news because it is important, because people deserve to know what is going on around them even if it means putting herself on the line. She is extraordinary for the same reasons Superman is - the values, even without the powers. I immediately buy their connection as friends, colleagues, and the all important romantic connection that is meant to be a highlight of the show. I'm really looking forward to them growing closer and eventually becoming a couple.

Jimmy then serves to round out the trio - a "conspiracy" theorist who is more right about the world than he knows. His sillier aspects are complimented by his emotional intelligence (immediately seeing the romantic connection between Clark and Lois) and his genuine instinct on the field. It's no wonder that he's secretly right about aliens and other meta aspects. His use of his photography (and arguably common sense) to sniff out a story is a good contrast with Lois, who builds rapport with individuals and looks for the people involved in the news. Aging up Jimmy to be on a more even footing with Clark and Lois was a good call, and I enjoy how he bounces off of the characters and is allowed to be less serious without being a joke character.

Other aspects I noticed or liked about the show's first two episodes:

• Having Clark's powers develop and grow through situations where he is determined to help people is a great way to show how it's the values that make the Superman. Love how the first episode uses this as bookends. It also means that the audience can be introduced to the powers over time, and hype moments can come from Superman gaining new powers in a tense fight or rescue situation.
• The joy of flying contrasted with Clark's identity of conflict again made for some wonderful bookends to Episode 1.
• Magical Girl transformation!!! I love it.
• We love a good meet cute, and this show delivers on that.
• I love Lois working with the Newskid Legion. It plays into her willingness to connect with people to get the news, even through unorthodox means. It's a good blend of silly but earnest and serious, a microcosm of the show's tone.
• "Flamebird" as both a reference to the "It's a bird! It's a plane!" refrain and as a deep cut reference to an identity Jimmy took in the comics is very clever.
• This show's version of Livewire is cool as hell, and I'm curious where they go with her, especially with Superman's empathy in trying to save her from her powers going haywire.
• ...holy shit, that Black Ops guy is Slade??? With Teen Titans being one of the few DC things I know really well and not just secondhand, it threw me for a loop. But I am also digging it.

I'm eager to see how these dynamics play out as the show continues across its currently announced two seasons. It also makes me want to get more into Superman and seek out comics or other adaptations that capture this vibe. Even so, it's nice to have a show that feels so close to being "my" Superman coming out at a time where I can really appreciate it.

Ah didn't realise that's who that was... interesting

Yeah, it’s pretty interesting they are bringing in

Spoiler

Amanda Waller and Deathstroke/Slade Wilson as the antagonists, as they are typically more associated with Batman’s Rogues Gallery than Superman’s (though Live Wire is a Supes villain). Guessing it’s to help keep things lower scope as Superman is getting established. Lex Luthor will probably come into play as Superman becomes more established, and a lot of the other villains (Brainiac, Zod, Doomsday, Darkseid) are either too high stakes (honestly I’m tired of Darkseid anyway at this point), or too tied to his Kryptonian lineage that he’s still in the process of learning about.

 

[aus89]

Yeah, it’s pretty interesting they are bringing in

Spoiler

Amanda Waller and Deathstroke/Slade Wilson as the antagonists, as they are typically more associated with Batman’s Rogues Gallery than Superman’s (though Live Wire is a Supes villain). Guessing it’s to help keep things lower scope as Superman is getting established. Lex Luthor will probably come into play as Superman becomes more established, and a lot of the other villains (Brainiac, Zod, Doomsday, Darkseid) are either too high stakes (honestly I’m tired of Darkseid anyway at this point), or too tied to his Kryptonian lineage that he’s still in the process of learning about.

Yeah Lex is confirmed not appearing in this season (prob for the best) so theyre def pulling in different villains than usual til later - Theyve ordered 2 seasons so im sure the stakes will rise as the series continues

 

[VolcanicDynamo]

Yeah, it’s pretty interesting they are bringing in

Spoiler

Amanda Waller and Deathstroke/Slade Wilson as the antagonists, as they are typically more associated with Batman’s Rogues Gallery than Superman’s (though Live Wire is a Supes villain). Guessing it’s to help keep things lower scope as Superman is getting established. Lex Luthor will probably come into play as Superman becomes more established, and a lot of the other villains (Brainiac, Zod, Doomsday, Darkseid) are either too high stakes (honestly I’m tired of Darkseid anyway at this point), or too tied to his Kryptonian lineage that he’s still in the process of learning about.

Spoiler

I do admittedly find it funny that this show is fitting into DC's continued push to make the Suicide Squad A Thing We Care About (see: the critically panned movie, the better film that was a box office disappointment, spinoff TV that's apparently good, a game nobody wants, and now a freaking isekai anime???), but I'll take it in a show that's earned a lot of good will from me so far. If they're as interesting as how they've handled the rest, it'll be good and character oriented, which is all I ask.

I'm curious to see what they do for expanding the universe. Vicki Vale means they'll further establish Gotham, at the least. I'm not expecting a big universe from this show, especially with DC's plans to have new shows tying into the new movie universe, but if they can bring the same level of care and quality, I'd dig it if they didn't rush it.

Yeah Lex is confirmed not appearing in this season (prob for the best) so theyre def pulling in different villains than usual til later - Theyve ordered 2 seasons so im sure the stakes will rise as the series continues

Not having Lex in season 1 is definitely a good call. Let's build to that, get people excited as they build up this Superman and his friends.

 

[VolcanicDynamo]

Artists who worked on the show have begun sharing behind the scenes material from the first few episodes!

Kris Anka, who you might know for his character design work on Across the Spider-Verse, designed the Superman suit among other things:





Lots of gorgeous backgrounds on this show too:





EDIT: Designs for Livewire!

 

[WestEgg]

New episode is out today, and I've watched it.

Some thoughts:

• This is more something I noticed in the first two episodes, but I really like how the world of the show is just slightly futuristic, with small things like transparent computer monitors and cleaning robots mixed in with a mostly otherwise technologically current setting. It's fitting with Metropolis's moniker of "The City of Tomorrow", and the overall franchise theme of optimism and looking forward.
• There's no way Lois isn't going to figure out Clark is Superman, and it's going to be soon. I think the introduction even flat out shows this, with Jimmy and Lois being at the spaceship site.
• More build up of Deathstroke/Slade Wilson as the apparent arc villain. I'm enjoying him and the idea of him being part of government black ops, which I almost certainly imagine will go rogue at some point. He's (so far) very differently characterized than other incarnations, I'm curious to see where they end up going with him.
• Seems like small time criminals with the stolen military tech is going to be the basis for each villain of the week, given that Live Wire indicated she had told all the small time criminals about where to find it in the previous episode. I also like the idea of there being separate "work villains" within the Daily Planet for that side of the story.
• They continue to get a lot of the little details right with Superman, such as him putting the displaced cars back where they should be in the previous episode, and verbally trying to get the criminals to stand down in this one before fighting.
• They totally showed the aquarium getting frozen and the fish being okay to indicate any of the people who get frozen would be okay (assuming it was even normal ice?)
• Did they explain what caused Clark's agitation/sensations at the start of the episode that were distracting him? I may have missed it.

 

[VolcanicDynamo]

Just finished watching Episode 3. I'm really impressed with the turnaround time from love TV to Max - checked mid afternoon and it was already up. That's even faster than next day, though I guess a midnight time slot will do that to ya.

The best way to sum up my thoughts on the show so far is that it reminds me a lot of the first season of the 2010s She-Ra show. Some of that comes in shared creative talent and a similar (but not identical) anime influence. But it also shows in how, despite limitations or weaknesses, they both manage to punch above their weights in a few areas. She-Ra got better as it went on, but that first season had pretty limited animation and writing that was still getting its footing and building to the more in-depth elements yet to come. But even in those early episodes, it had killer character design, solid character writing/dynamics, and voice acting/direction that consistently elevated the material - some of the best in a western animated show. I think My Adventures with Superman is in a similar spot.

This third episode is a bit of a step down from the more lofty introduction, placing a particular focus on silly hijinx from both our heroes and villains that is funny but leaves me wanting for more depth. But the show still excels at the dynamic between its three leads, in the growing bond between Clark and Lois and how it challenges both characters in different ways - I'll discuss specifics in the spoiler. The voice acting especially sells the relationship and the antics throughout the episode. Alice Lee's portrayal of Lois in particular is fantastic, delivering the laughs in the ridiculous lengths Lois will go to get a scoop but also nailing the earnest and serious moments. But the rest of the voice acting is remarkably solid, some of the show's best aspects - Jack Quaid in particular nails both the anxious and awkward Clark and the confident front that is Superman.

Spoiler: Episode 3 Discussion

The interactions between Clark and Lois continue to a consistent highlight. They are extremely cute and this is the stuff that I crave. But I also like how clearly you can see their differences still building to shared values and becoming more like their counterpart. Lois wants to get scoops, and she'll use sneaky and reckless methods to get it, but she cares and wants to help people. She gets to become more like Superman. Meanwhile Clark remains hesitant with going after the Superman story - that is his secret - and he doesn't appreciate Lois's underhanded tactics and deception, but he also eases up on her and is willing to go along with it - even enjoying her stealing the warden's key card. She may have lied about the interview, and Superman does indeed arrive like she aimed for, but he appreciates her boldness in the face of danger and attempts to embrace a chance at an interview. A push for the truth, more like Lois.

I think the ending is the most effective part of the episode. Lois being distrustful of Superman presents a few interesting angles. Firstly, it's a fun subversion of a few of the Superman stories that I've heard, where Lois pays more attention to him than Clark. Here, Lois is all in on Clark from the start while Superman, while an important story, is still someone with a secret, a truth that needs to be uncovered. But this also presents intrigue for both Lois and Clark. Lois shows her instinct as a journalist - there's a bigger story to uncover here. Now, they could play this a lot of ways, and I'll wait to see if this is more of a comedy bit or if it's an earnest wedge between the characters. But for Clark, the big thing is that, despite Lois's assumptions, we know that Superman is completely telling the truth. He doesn't know much about himself or his powers, and he just wants to help people. The one person who inspired Clark to take up the Superman identity not believing him throws doubt into that - not to mention complicating the already difficult to maintain balance between his two identities. So playing the pull between the hero who is as earnest as he says versus the reporter to be who thinks he's full of it could be very entertaining.

Lois finding out Superman's identity is a matter of when, not if. With an upcoming episode name like "You Will Believe a Man Can Lie," you know the concept will be a focus. But I'm curious to see when they'll pull the reveal. At the end of season 1? Midway through the season? What this means for our three leads is very intriguing to me. But I don't want to set my expectations too high. Despite the Adult Swim time slot, this is an all-ages show that keeps things pretty light. I want to see the depth of these characters pushed just a bit more, and I think they can absolutely make it happen. It'll just be about the choices they make. Either way I'm on-board with the rest of the show, at least in this first season.

As for the reasoning with Superman's powers emerging, I don't think the episode explained it beyond just...him developing powers?

 

[PixelKnight]

I’ve watched the first three now, and I’m really enjoying it. Animation works really well for superheroes in general, but I like the bright colours and sweeping lines here, it feels like this is digging into the dual identity thing in interesting ways. Much like early Spider-man stories too. I think both work really well as standalone heroes to be honest, as when other characters outside their supporting cast get involved, the whole ‘dual identity’ thing that’s so important for Clark and Peter and how self-sacrificing/driven they are tends to get lost amidst the fanservice of seeing powerful characters face off and snark at each other.

In a similar way, I have little interest in the way the wider DC stories tends to drag Superman into grimdark stuff, in much the same way that I find Spider-man less interesting when its just his power set amidst a ton of other heroes, rather than Spider-man and Peter getting equal screen time. I guess the whole ‘super-teams full of conflict’ thing just interests me less than stories that really drill into what makes one character tick. Which is why I always preferred the X-men to the JL or Avengers I think, in that the core themes and concepts around prejudice and bigotry are baked in across the whole team and stories rather than being a disparate group of super friends thrown together.

 

[GenOneCam]

God, why is it so hard to find this to stream in Canada?

On Amazon Prime it's an additional $13/month subscription to StackTV (which a big hefty fuck no), and Crave which is the hub for all HBO content in Canada only has the first two Christopher Reeves movies and DC's Krypton. Same bullshit reason I haven't been able to watch Superman & Lois yet

Yeah it’s on Cartoon Network in Canada it seems, same as Harley Quinn. HQ just got added to Netflix though so maybe if you wait a few years…

 

[VolcanicDynamo]

A few more pieces of production art before the next episode airs! Gonna spoil for the sake of size.

Kris Anka is posting more character designs:

Spoiler: Jor-El

Spoiler: Intergang

Paul Reinwand has a whole thread on props made for the show. It's too long to link in its entirety but I'll post the start:



And now for some extra behind the scenes with visual development and more!

Spoiler: Visual Development

(The thread goes a little more into some of the design decisions on the apartment, but that's the main visual)

Spoiler: Backgrounds for First Three Episodes

Spoiler: Storyboards

 

[VolcanicDynamo]

Just saw Episode 4, and I really enjoyed it! My main hope after episode 3 was for the show to push the depth further with its characters. And even though it can feel a little fast paced, I'm getting what I wanted.

...and not just because this show knows its demographic. Yes, I'm a bisexual and I am looking respectfully at our two leads. Yes, I am being served lovely romance and cute moments everywhere. The magical girl influence is really enjoyable to see!

Spoiler: Episode 4 Discussion

First off, from my very light knowledge of the comics, this was a fun "tech" interpretation of the Parasite power set. I know the show has gotten some flack for focusing on tech versions of the villains, but given its seemingly Kryptonian/interstellar nature, it works well for this version of Superman, one who doesn't know his heritage and is just trying to do good.

Speaking of Supes, we're getting this really interesting interplay between the things he's sure of and not sure of. His desire to do good is resolute. Even if people question that, he still tries his best. And he's trying to figure himself out! As a reporter he's still straddling the line between sticking to the books, "playing the game" to maintain a place in the industry, and standing up against the corrupt injustices he sees around him. And with Superman, it's him balancing the questions of his alien origins with his desire to do the right thing with his powers, even when him seeming to have an ulterior motive is something constantly put onto him. Lois gets to inspire both aspects of doing good, leading to a lot of nice interplay this episode - even a near confession of his identity! We love dramatic irony!

With Lois, I like how we see her desire for the truth and how her passion can be both a hindrance and a benefit. She is so, so chomping at the bit to finally prove herself, to finally expose the injustice around her. And it means she can't "play the game" - or perhaps more accurately, does not want to. She sees the bullshit and isn't gonna out up with it, but that means she's gonna get pushback, and her being overly eager builds on that. But you really feel for Lois! She's been an intern for so long. She's so close to what she wants to do, she cares so much about the truth and justice even when others have put down her passion or don't pay her much mind, on the job or emotionally as seen with her rocky relationship with her dad. And her passion and care has an effect - it inspires Clark, and she herself puts it to use to leap into action and do what she can against the bad guys.

The emotional rapport between Clark and Lois continues to be a joy. I'm glad they didn't push the will they - won't they aspect when there was such clear chemistry between the two. Love seeing their shared values in action. And it makes the dramatic irony all the more rich! Lois feeling lied to by Clark over being Superman after him promising no more secrets, meanwhile Clark was ready to tell her before she showed a dislike for Superman and also has his own concerns about his identity as one of his main character beats! Really curious to see how this goes next episode.

I also appreciate the greater focus on Jimmy in this episode beyond just the conspiracy theorist angle. We get to see his love of and mastery of photography, his gear coming in handy and not just being played as a joke. We get to see the interrupting the couple as an unaware third wheel angle go from a silly gag to something that he recognizes and has an earnest moment of sadness over, leaving room for conflict in the same way Lois and Clark now have. I'm rooting for Jimmy to make his own mark on this world.

This show is making me fall in love with the Superman character and I can't wait to see rhe follow through.

Just as a note for folks - apparently episode 5 is being shown at San Diego Comic Con, so be careful with spoilers! I'm hoping we can keep discussion to just the publicly aired material. That'll be my goal anyway.

 

[Magic-Man]

They're so fucking cute together omg

 

[WestEgg]

I was busy this past weekend but I caught up with the most recent episode. I had actually noticed the Amazo billboards in previous episodes, though I'm more familiar with the A.M.A.Z.O. cyborg from Justice League than Dr. Ivo, who was in this episode. Anyway, I liked seeing the progression of Lois and Clark's relationship even if it's likely to run into issues now that Lois has realized Clark is Superman.

 

[VolcanicDynamo]

I was busy this past weekend but I caught up with the most recent episode. I had actually noticed the Amazo billboards in previous episodes, though I'm more familiar with the A.M.A.Z.O. cyborg from Justice League than Dr. Ivo, who was in this episode. Anyway, I liked seeing the progression of Lois and Clark's relationship even if it's likely to run into issues now that Lois has realized Clark is Superman.

I'm really curious to see how the ending of Episode 4 will play into Episode 5 and how long the conflict that will arise from it will play out.

Spoiler: Episode 5 and Beyond Speculation

My gut feeling is that the conflict between Lois and Clark won't last beyond the next episode - at most it'll maybe go into Episode 6, but this show is pretty fast paced. What I suspect is that Episode 5 will be a pretty funny romp of Lois trying to get Superman to admit he's Clark and vice versa while Clark, both as himself and as Superman, finds increasingly ridiculous ways to avoid spilling the beans. Remember, while Lois likes Clark, she doesn't care too much for Superman, and it's that conflict plus the personal baggage of his identity that takes Clark from almost telling Lois the truth to this episode's scenario.

Ultimately, I think that a heart to heart is going to be what solves the conflict. Lois has two motivations here - she's a reporter driven to uncover the truth, and she's probably hurt that Clark kept a big secret from her after their "no more secrets" talk. But while Clark is bound to make a bit of an ass of himself (that episode 5 preview shows that he isn't fully escaping those himbo allegations ), he's not keeping secrets for nothing. And in a nice subversion of the "I'm keeping my identity secret to keep the people around me safe from villains" angle, it's the fear of who he is and how he will be judged that drives that. Of course, the other angle is that Clark isn't lying about much of the things that Lois thinks he is. He doesn't know where he comes from or how he gets his powers, and his motivations are as straightforward as he says. He might even open up over the trauma he has over his alien heritage and the mysteries surrounding it. And that's where we get common ground between the two: Lois understanding why Clark was keeping the secret and vowing not to tell it to the public, but resolving to help Clark figure out the truth behind his lineage, using her desires for a selfless purpose. Meanwhile Clark gets help to learn more about himself, gets to finally be honest with Lois, and reaffirms that he really is a good person trying to do the right thing. Character continuity and character progression all in one.

 

[VolcanicDynamo]

So in an unexpected twist of fate, I got to watch this week's episode live! Won't be able to do that again any time soon.

Spoiler: Episode 5 Discussion

Alright, so we're gonna be dragging out the conflict between our leads into the next episode, then. I can dig that. Getting the characters to their low points so that the back half of the season can see them grow from it and become stronger as friends (and in the case of Clark and Lois, as a couple). Those last few scenes were pretty well done in that regard, but there are a lot of aspects that I did like.

We get an episode where Clark is almost entirely Superman, and he's shown to be a pretty dang good hero. He solves the problems in Metropolis at lightning speed, shows empathy and compassion to the armed criminals he faces, and aims to talk things out even if the villains won't pay him any heed. We even get a great moment of Superman using Heat Vision to mend an overpass, a destructive power being used in a purely restorative way. This episode establishes Clark's priories - in both good and bad ways. His excellent track record as a hero comes at the cost of neglecting his friendship with Jimmy and his budding relationship with Lois, with whom he feels that he can't fully be truthful. He cares a lot about others (to the point of pushing Lois away to keep her safe), but he shows little regard for himself, even when faced with harsher injuries and when the limits of his powers come into play. And while he recognizes the connection he has with the tech that the villains use, he's still out of the loop and is still questioned about his motivations, something that comes to bite him both when fighting Task Force X and with Lois. Now, I've never exactly been a fan of the "male hero keeps otherwise capable female lead on the sidelines to keep her safe," but I can appreciate where the show takes it. It's a stumbling block for a young hero to navigate, something that emerges from his concern for others and a lack of concern for himself. it's shown to be something that creates a rift between the characters, and given the upcoming episode preview, something that Clark will have to learn from and communicate with Lois about to make sure Jimmy is safe.

Speaking of Lois, it's easy to feel for her. Lois's entire motivation as a character is about uncovering the truth, about seeking open honesty. We know how bad that lack of communication has burned her in the past, and we see it in her actions as a journalist. So when she knows Clark isn't being honest with her about being Superman and how she's being pushed away for safety (despite proving that she's plenty capable in prior episodes), yeah, I'm not surprised that she feels extremely hurt, especially when she provided many ways for Clark to just say it. But Clark has a point, too. Clark was almost honest last episode, but Lois seems to hate Superman, least in his eyes! She goes to great and dangerous lengths for the sake of the reveal, she wants this scoop so badly. But neither side is as extreme as the other thinks. It's the assumptions and miscommunications that created this rift, and they'll need communication to fix it.

...and to save Jimmy. Poor Jimmy! We get a nice reflection of the themes of the episode with his conflict - his friends aren't communicating with him, his interests and theories are being pushed aside, and he gets some pretty toxic masculine "loner" advice from Steve. He tries so hard to believe in his friends, but he gets caught in the collateral damage of the communication breakdown, and now he's in danger that could have been avoided. I'm looking forward to seeing Jimmy further fleshed out as time passes - I think he's in an interesting spot now that we see more of his "DC in-jokes turned into conspiracy theories" proving to be true.

 

[WestEgg]

A good episode, one that is primarily focused on the characters and their personal hang ups, but also does a good job escalating the scope of the show.

Spoiler: Some thoughts and speculation from Episode 5

Lois’s frustration with Clark is tied with her journalistic need to uncover the truth, which from the last episode we can assume comes from the same place: that her father kept her Mother’s illness secret from her until it was too late, which she sees happening again with Clark keeping the truth about Superman from her on the basis of protecting her. Understandable frustration, and I feel Clark will make that connection himself soon, even if his own motivations and actions are understandable as well.

Speaking of Lois’s father, and this may have been confirmed or deconfirmed and I missed it, but I’m reasonably confident that he’s the leader of Task Force X we saw in this episode. We’ve only heard a little bit about him from Lois, but from other media we know that he’s in the military and is often distrustful of Superman. They’re clearly setting him up as someone who has a stronger moral compass than his peers, given his exchange with Amanda Waller, so he’ll certainly be the sympathetic character compared to the more obviously villainous Wilson and Waller.

Last theory, but given the strong implications that inter gang and Live Wire’s military tech are actually Kryptonian in origin, I think they are slowly setting up a Krypton related villain in the background, likely either General Zod or Brainiac. I’m kind of hoping it’s Brainiac between the two, we haven’t seen him in a while, and provides more interesting story potential compared to the idea of Zod being Superman’s dark counterpart, which we’ve seen played out quite a lot, most noteably the DCEU.

 

[WestEgg]

Spoiler: Episode 6 thoughts

Another good episode that balances character exploration with growing the world of the setting. The show hasn't really missed so far, though I do have a few nitpicks. Thoughts on this one:

• Another example of them importing villains from another facet of the DC universe with Brain and Monsieur Mallah, though in this case, they really aren't villains like their comic book counterparts. Interestingly, I knew they were Doom Patrol villains from their appearance in Teen Titans, and was going to note how they're now depicted in a relationship with one another, but as it turns out, they were always gay in the comic books. I'm glad they brought that forward for this show. I also liked that for as benevloent as they turn out to be, they're still mad scientists making mutants and black holes in their spare time.
• Project Cadmus usually is more tied to Superman, it's a more morally gray organization that isn't usually outright hostile to the Justice League, but is the paranoid contingency if the government ever needs to fight the heroes. It looks like in this setting; they've been operating for a long time, in a world assumedly without super heroes to this point, so their function has likely changed accordingly.
• Loved that Jimmy just knew Clark was Superman. And that he has a better understanding of Clark's character and personality than Lois, which makes sense due to their long friendship. I do have a nitpick that he was indignant that Clark told Lois first, not because that's an unjustified reaction, it's definitely not, but because Clark was incapable of explaining he had to because Lois literally jumped off a building. It's just a little writing thing that annoys me, since it artificially creates tension, which I'm hoping they don't bring that point back to create conflict.
• Lois is in the wrong with her anger towards Clark, but is still an understandable and good person. There's been some internet debate on the topic in the last week about her blow up at Clark, and basically, yeah, people are complicated and can be shitty for their own reasons, which doesn't make them bad people. She's still getting with Clark, the beginning shows her grabbing his hand in the ship site after which she'd know he's Superman, so I don't expect the tension to last much longer.
• That is until it's revealed that the dreaded general man is Lois's father, which I'm now 99% sure of. You don't keep what appears to be the arc antagonist unnamed for that long if its not for a reveal. The early introduction of Kryptonian technology and the Task Force X's appropriation of it actually makes them a more legitimate threat to Superman than usual. They already seem to be using red light (a traditional weakness of Superman) again him. Also whatever weird reaction Superman had in the earlier season matches his reaction to the forcefield, so it seems he was exposed to something at that time, not developing a new ability as I initially thought.
• This is probably the first episode that makes me better understand why this is an Adult Swim show rather than a Cartoon Network one. There's more of a focus both on violence and death, such as the soldier skeletons, and (continuing from last episode) more showcasing some sexy sexy shots of either Clark or Lois.

 

[VolcanicDynamo]

Saw Episode 6 last night. That was...wacky.

Spoiler: Episode 6 Discussion

MAWS has never been afraid to revamp its villains. We have Kyptonian tech fueling the bad guys, Task Force X with a younger Slade to question Superman, and the general that is very clearly Sam Lane even if they're not saying it yet as a lead antagonist. As someone who went on a Wikipedia trip after the fact, the revamp to Monsieur Mallah and the Brain from "evil mad scientists who are also gay" to "gay mad scientists who just want to find a place where they are accepted" feels the most dramatic so far. And yet, like with the other changes, it's all in service of the story. Their fancy tech and hidden secrets get to validate Jimmy's theories about the world, the connections to the military give a tangential connection to Lois through her father, and their desire for acceptance in a world that does not accept them (besides being a pretty clear analogy to the MM and the Brain being gay) is also where Clark is.

As a continuation of the conflict from last episode, I was interested in how much of the focus was on Clark. What I loved about the argument last episode is that Clark and Lois were both justified in their perspectives but both weren't completely in the right either. This episode goes to great lengths to interrogate Clark's perspective. Clark is so afraid of being rejected that he keeps his secrets (albeit very badly). The dishonesty keeps him at arms length from the people he cares about, and it's taken its toll on his relationships. But the show doesn't show Clark cruelty for this - his friends are disappointed, and Clark has to apologize, but after sharing his fears, his friends readily accept him for who he is and their bonds begin to heal. The pictures in the credits and the hand holding were lovely. Clark's last words to MM and the Brain show his perspective - the world may not be tolerant, but he's sticking around to fight for that acceptance for himself and for others. And now that he knows that has that acceptance from his friends, hopefully it will be easier to him (though this season surely will throw him some big challenges before it's through).

At the same time, the episode doesn't necessarily interrogate Lois's perspective. The focus is kept on Clark lying and how it hurts Lois and Jimmy (Clark is the one who gives the big apology for him and Lois). I think this is the big flaw with the episode - like, it kinda is messed up that Lois went to such lengths to discover Superman's identity, and given the lack of trust in Superman in moments where he actually didn't lie, I can understand why Clark would hold the secret even if it wasn't the right move. You can argue that Jimmy is in a similar boat with Flamebird. I don't have any problem with the conclusion, mind you, and I think the hate for Lois is way overblown (not to mention racist and misogynistic), but I wished that the show pushed further on Lois like it did with Clark. I think there's still a chance for this, given that the big source of her emotional baggage is one of the central villains this season, but I don't have the highest expectations.

Also, this show knows what it was doing with the shirtless Clark. I mean I was definitely looking.

From the episode preview, looks like we get one more wacky episode before things really go down.

 

[Brofield]

I'm so happy I'm finally caught up on the series and have a reliable way to watch it.

One point in particular I agree with from the most recent episode

Spoiler: Episode 6 thoughts

• Loved that Jimmy just knew Clark was Superman. And that he has a better understanding of Clark's character and personality than Lois, which makes sense due to their long friendship. I do have a nitpick that he was indignant that Clark told Lois first, not because that's an unjustified reaction, it's definitely not, but because Clark was incapable of explaining he had to because Lois literally jumped off a building. It's just a little writing thing that annoys me, since it artificially creates tension, which I'm hoping they don't bring that point back to create conflict.

I almost want that to be addressed first thing in the next episode just because it was a heat of the moment event about to hit the climax, but like...yeah, seemed like a writing weakpoint (or it just weakens Clark's character)

 

[Brofield]

Spoiler: Episode 7 discussion

 

[Magic-Man]

Can we have a lot more of Mr. Mxyzptlk in the future please and thank you.

He's such a freaking adorable asshole and I love him

 

[VolcanicDynamo]

Yo, I ended up digging that episode more than I was expecting. Color me pleasantly surprised!

Spoiler: Episode 7 Discussion

The multiverse concept has been pretty big nowadays. We've had interesting media with this (Spider-Verse films, Everything Everywhere All At Once) despite claims of multiverse fatigue from the MCU and other sources. What I find separates the former examples from the latter is how the multiverse is used to tell a story in service of character and themes. And that's something MAWS already does well! It plays fast and loose with villains and other concepts from the comics, but it does so to explore a Superman just starting out, one that lacks crucial information he normally has and instead has assumptions and partial information thrust upon him to separate him from the humanity and normalcy he craves, alongside a Lois who craves information but feels kinda like a screw up and a Jimmy whose wacky beliefs are validated through his experiences. Multiverse antagonists provide folks who know about other versions of the lead characters, those who know way more about how Superman works and who push their past experiences onto our fresh faced heroes.

Mr. Mxyzptlk telling Superman that he'll always be different and weird and alone? That hurt. Lois seeing these other successful Lois's that downplay her constantly? That hurt. The sickening effects of Kryptonite on Superman, something the audience knows pretty well but our heroes wouldn't? That really hurt. At least Jimmy gets to receive some validation from a fellow Flamebird. And now we have Lois given partial information and a shard of Kryptonite, having to live with this uncertainty. A very fitting conclusion to her arc would be her choosing to trust Clark despite not knowing everything and being fed reasons to dive into distrust. Having Jimmy always trust Clark, that's one thing (it's kinda like having Ma or PA Kent always trust Clark, important but also a given). But Lois doing so would be a big boon for him and solidify Lois's growth in one fell swoop. Can't wait to see how this season wraps up.

 

[neil]

Suitable for an 8yo? Probably not gonna watch myself but if my son liked it I’d watch it with him.

 

[VolcanicDynamo]

Suitable for an 8yo? Probably not gonna watch myself but if my son liked it I’d watch it with him.

If you think a show like Adventure Time or Steven Universe is suitable for your kid, then My Adventures with Superman would fit the bill. It may be initially airing on Adult Swim, but this is not an adult show.

 

[neil]

If you think a show like Adventure Time or Steven Universe is suitable for your kid, then My Adventures with Superman would fit the bill. It may be initially airing on Adult Swim, but this is not an adult show.

Thanks. I’ve never seen Steven Universe but Adventure Time is fine

 

[WestEgg]

Ah, looks like we’re in finale territory then. I’m not going to write out many extended thoughts on this and the previous episode other than noting I’m still enjoying the show.

Spoiler

Despite Superman being relatively underpowered so far, and having been handed a physical defeat, the writing knows that the point of Superman stories is to challenge him morally rather than physically, which is the more interesting side of things. Interested to see where this ends up going.

 

[VolcanicDynamo]

Why are they making me wait a week until the next episode? That hurt.

...but it also was probably my favorite episode so far.

Spoiler: Episode 8 Discussion

The themes set up from the beginning are coming home to roost in a satisfying way. This Superman has really pushed the idea of Clark as an outsider - his desire to help using his powers but the judgment he receives as a perceived threat and what that does to him and the ways he feels he should compensate for it. And episode 8 pushes that further into an outright immigrant analogy, especially within the context of the United States. How many times have you heard conservatives (or just outright xenophobes and racists) argue that immigrants from Latin America are stealing "our jobs"? That folks should "go back to where they came from," even when their only home has been in the United States or that they can't reasonably go back to their original homes? Or the existence of the model minority myth, and how the privileges that supposedly allows can come toppling down after even one perceived slight even if one pushed themselves to go above and beyond? These people perceive immigrants as an existential threat, regardless of what they actually do. It's a sick, repugnant stance that shows a lack of empathy to anyone who is different.

Look at what Clark faces in this episode. Vicki Vale presents Superman as ruining "Good American jobs." People say that Clark "should go back to where he came from" despite his only home being on Earth. Clark spends days solely as Superman helping people to the detriment of his health and relationships, and one accident while trying to save someone leads to people turning on him. The perception of him as a threat, someone inherently othered by factors he had no control other, and the efforts he tries to take to compensate for that, take such a toll on Clark. It's an extremely effective parallel to real-life immigrants in the United States. And sure, immigrants don't have super powers that could cause mass destruction, and there's no alternate universe baggage to push that idea like with Superman. But like this Superman, who is much more concerned with stopping accidents or saving cats from trees or reuniting a lost child with her mothers, there is nothing inherently destructive or dangerous about immigrants, and we should not assume danger from assumptions or bias.

Beyond the fantastic parallels set up, the episode in general worked really well for me. We see how far Clark pushes himself and the detrimental effects of it, we see Lois grappling with the information she knows on both angles (and the accidental miscommunication that can worsen everything), we see Jimmy standing up for his friend and using his newfound Flamebird connections to become an active participant in this episode's events, and we have a devious set of villains pushing the themes of the season. Clark is such a genuinely kind and helpful person that it takes setting him up to take him down, taking advantage of that kindness and not taking accountability for any of their actions. It's classic "optimism vs cynicism" executed very well. The "Suicide Squad" set up here (can we say suicide in a TV-PG show? I'll call them the "Unalive Alliance") made for a tense one on six battle, and seeing Clark get beat up so much (not to mention the episode 9 preview) hurt a ton.

I'm really looking forward to see how Clark and pals get out of this one. And the fact that we still get one more episode after the two parter? I'm excited to see this show stick the landing.

Not strictly related to this episode, but I'll discuss it here, too. A couple of days after watching eipside 7, my partner and I watched the Richard Donner Superman movie. While I enjoyed it, it also made me appreciate MAWS more, with its more interesting and engaging supporting cast and a Clark that doesn't feel so separate from Superman as a person.

 

[WestEgg]

I watched the new episode this morning and don't have time to write down extended thoughts unfortunately, but this was the best episode yet. They did A LOT right for the characters and the writing. I'm guessing the next episode is going to be more groundwork for the rest of the series and a bit of an epilogue to this season, but as is, that served amazingly well as a finale.

 

[Brofield]

For some reason the recent episode wasn't on my streaming service and had to look elsewhere, but it truly was an outstanding episode and while I was sorta going back and forth on "do I really enjoy this or am I just a big nerd who's overthinking if I'm the target audience?", this episode really sealed everything about it for me.

Spoiler: MAwS Episode 9

Ivo's weird little Godzilla/Alien Queen hybrid thing as Parasite was cool as hell and I loved the 'spirit bomb' vibes of everyone giving up electricity to help Superman save the city. Not me doing a lil :3 when those two lovebirds FINALLY KISSED JFC

 

[neil]

We’re really enjoying it after 2 eps. Really solid show. If I had to gripe I’d say it looks like Ben 10 sometimes, I don’t love the animation, but the writing is great.

 

[OctoSplattack]

Played catch-up with the show recently and I'm enjoying it. I was a big fan of The Adventures of Lois and Clark, so I love the romance between the two being such a key element of the show from the word "go". The pacing feels rushed at times, though, especially in regards to the Task Force X and "Superman public opinion" plotlines. I wish that the crew had gotten 13-episode seasons over its current 10-episode ones to help better expand and cement some of its ideas. Because as it is, the show has been doing its best to walk the line of doing just enough to make everything work, but unfortunately stumbles a bit onto the wrong side of it more often than I'd like.

 

[VolcanicDynamo]

I'm a little late to the party on discussing the last episode (saw it Friday afternoon), but rest assured that my partner and I have not stopped thinking about this dang show. It continues to hit all the right buttons for us and we adore Clark, Lois, Jimmy, and where this story is choosing to take them.

Spoiler: Episode 9 Discussion

First of all, props to Jack Quaid's killer performance throughout the whole episode. Clark expresses a lot of anguish, and the acting sells it perfectly. "Don't you read the paper? I'm Superman" is SO FUCKING GOOD I CAN'T

I don't have too much of a big analysis here. The show is wearing its heart on its sleeve and the thematic threads set up since the beginning are paying off - while still leaving room for that season finale, can't wait for that. I loved the extra depth given to General Sam (Lane), Lois and Jimmy rallying the people to help Superman in the final battle with Ivo, the kaiju looking Parasite, that kiss, that kiss!! Oh man, I love this show.

 

[Brofield]

...what do you mean it was only ten episodes and now I gotta wait until next summer for season 2?

God I hope they get this shit figured out in Canada so I don't have to jump through so many hoops just to watch it.

 

[VolcanicDynamo]

It's been over two weeks since the final episode of season 1 aired, and I cannot stop thinking about My Adventures with Superman. This show nailed it.

Having a short order of episodes to play around with is a serious challenge, especially with only 22 minutes per episode. You cannot waste time on extraneous elements, but you still need to flesh out the themes and the characters and the world to make the show feel satisfying. Depending on your show order, you'll have to leave room for more, but you also need your season to feel like it has an ending of its own. Some shows do this very well. Over the Garden Wall tells a tight and compact story in just ten 11 minute segments, creating impeccable atmosphere and mystery while keeping the emotional core on the two brothers leading the story. Infinity Train's seasons work perfectly as short standalone stories about people working through their flaws and their pain while still leaving room for its subsequent stories (so sad that this one got canned). Other shows stumble, coming to unsatisfying conclusions or not coming together thematically. I remember watching Book One of The Legend of Korra and thinking "That's it?" The setting felt underexplored, the resolution felt unsatisfying, and it felt like the show focused on the wrong things, and while later books apparently improved things in ways, but that start was underwhelming as both a season of a larger story and as the miniseries it aimed to be. This is more of an unpopular opinion, but I felt similarly about The Dragon Prince, a show that felt like it wanted to be grand and magical like Avatar: The Last Airbender but lacked the character depth and had much worse pacing.

I'm happy to report that My Adventures with Superman largely avoids these problems. The show is definitely fast paced, but within that pace it never loses sight of what it wants to do with the characters and themes.

Spoiler: Spoiler Filled Show Discussion

MAWS hones in on the idea of Superman as an outsider and pushes that toward an immigrant story - a man born elsewhere but whose only home is here in the United States, someone who is judged for merely existing, always questioned despite always having good intentions and always just wanting to help. A man who lacks a connection to his ancestral home (down to even thinking they were conquers), but also one who feels isolated from others, forced to hide who he is or else face judgment - the split identity as a defense mechanism. This is further emphasized in the last episode, where Clark is implied to have become a more withdrawn kid after he got his powers, a contrast with the happier kid from the start of episode 1. And despite all this pain and loneliness, a good upbringing by good parents means that he wants to help people, even if it means that he neglects his own well being. The idea of him even potentially doing bad or being tied to something bad is horrifying to Clark - even if we in the audience know that Clark isn't an Evil Superman, you feel the pain when he is accused of having an ulterior motive or seeing the AU Supermen being destructive. This is a deeply compelling take on the character and I want more media like this.

Lois steals the show as much as Clark does, and their growth and romance are the highlight, without a doubt. I almost don't have much to say on her or Jimmy despite me loving both of them. Twisting around the role in the end of "hiding a secret because revealing it could be harmful' added some great tension to the episode, and I'm glad with how she learned that the general and her dad were the same. Some fantastic foreshadowing and irony in play without feeling like the twist for the viewer is the most important thing - a twist is important for what it means to the story.

Speaking of dads, all three in this story were grand. Pa Kent, a man with a big heart and good values but who is in over his head. Sam Lane, a stern father figure hurt by trauma (my partner immediately felt the Asian dad vibes in a strong way) who really wants the best for his daughter and who still has morals. And Jor-El, someone who wants the best for his son but someone he cannot communicate with, a father forced to send his son away twice all so that his son can live. "Kal-El, my son...live." is such a powerful moment to me.

While it would have been nice to have more time with the supporting cast or maybe a touch more room to breathe, I like that My Adventures with Superman focused on what was important for its story and its themes. I was worried after episode 3 that the show might fall into a formula (baddie of the weak stopped by a new power), but instead we had a lean but effective narrative that feels satisfying as an individual season but so leaves me wanting so much more from this world and these characters. This might be premature to say, as I'll have to see how I feel about MAWS versus other media, but I think I'm a Superman fan now. Can't wait for the next season!

 

[neil]

We’re really enjoying it after 2 eps. Really solid show. If I had to gripe I’d say it looks like Ben 10 sometimes, I don’t love the animation, but the writing is great.

The animation has grown on me. Really like the character designs.

I really hope this show gets a second season!

 

[VolcanicDynamo]

The animation has grown on me. Really like the character designs.

I really hope this show gets a second season!

Season 2 is already confirmed! Another 10 episode run, presumably produced around the same time as Season 1 given some things we have seen. Even so, I hope we can go beyond that initial episode order because I love this world and its depictions of the Superman characters.

 

[Chie]

I just finished this up earlier today. Excellent show and can't wait for another season. I love how anime this thing is, parasite looking like unit 1 from evangelion was a niche touch.

Just 10 episodes is a bit short but I think they did a good job resolving things thus far. Interested to see which direction this goes in the future.

 

[Brofield]

I hope y'all don't mind the almost necro bump, but I figured anyone who really enjoyed this show, would be super excited to delve into this upcoming comic run



Clark is a teenager here so still a few years younger than he is in MAWS, but I have a feeling it's not just the art style that's gonna translate to this upcoming serial

 

[neil]

The Dragon Ball Daima thread just reminded me -

I'd like to find another good series like this one to watch with my 8yo.

Any recommendations? Ideally not subtitled, he can read them but still finds it off-putting. He's seen Avatar and a lot of the recent stuff on Netflix.

 

[robertman2]

The Dragon Ball Daima thread just reminded me -

I'd like to find another good series like this one to watch with my 8yo.

Any recommendations? Ideally not subtitled, he can read them but still finds it off-putting. He's seen Avatar and a lot of the recent stuff on Netflix.

Have you tried some of the older DCAU stuff like Batman TAS, Superman TAS and Justice League?

 

[neil]

Have you tried some of the older DCAU stuff like Batman TAS, Superman TAS and Justice League?

No... I heard Batman is good, it's never appealed to me but could give that or Supes a try. Thanks.