It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s … not Henry Cavill, David Corenswet or even Tyler Hoechlin.
The new animated Adult Swim / Max series, “My Adventures With Superman,” premiering July 6 and 7 (on Adult Swim and Max, respectively) is timely in the sense that Clark Kent has dominated recent headlines — be the late Christopher Reeve’s bizarre posthumous AI “cameo” in “The Flash” that outraged fans or the news that Corenswet will succeed Cavill in the big-screen DC movies,with “Mrs. Maisel” star Rachel Bosnahan replacing Amy Adams as Lois Lane.
For better or worse, “My Adventures With Superman” is landing at peak “Superman” saturation.
The series follows Clark Kent (voiced by Jack Quaid, “The Boys”), Lois Lane (Alice Lee) and their friend Jimmy Olsen (Ishmel Sahid) as young twentysomethings coming of age.
Clark and Jimmy start work at the Daily Planet, where they meet Lois. Clark builds his secret identity as Superman and probes into his origins. Lois – a plucky, pixie-cut journalist with a nose for a scoop – rises as a star reporter and often teams up with Jimmy (as her trusty photographer). Sparks fly between Clark and Lois, even as Lois gets close to discovering Clark’s secret alter-ego.
“My Adventures With Superman” is an energetic and youthful version of the story we all know by now. It’s got all the familiar hallmarks — a joyful “first flight” sequence, when Clark launches into the air and asks, “How am I doing this? Who am I?” — and scenes where he struggles to hide his powers from the outside world with plenty of sight-gags showcasing his strong physique.
It’s nothing revolutionary, or especially clever, but it’s lighthearted and peppered with some amusing moments. Every time Clark repeats his mantra to blend in (“I’m a normal man having a normal day!”) he accidentally does something “super” to counter that, such as reflexively saving a cat or ripping the handle off of a door that he’s trying to open. The show’s animated format means there are no distractingly shoddy special effects.
“My Adventures with Superman” feels like a show that doesn’t need to exist. Hoechlin is doing a good job of embodying the character in The CW’s “Superman & Lois,” which is still currently airing (albeit, his version is a married dad), and there are plenty of recent movies on the big screen, including “Man of Steel,” two different version of “Justice League” and the upcoming “Superman: Legacy.”
So, if you’re sick of the guy, this show probably won’t rock your world enough to change your mind.
That said, if you’re not suffering from genre fatigue, “My Adventures With Superman” is a rendition that’s filled with solid writing and voice performances, a good balance of jokes and action, and none of the grim self-serious tone with which Cavill era was saddled.
It’s unlikely to knock your socks off, but it’s a pleasant enough diversion.
