Lois, Clark and Jimmy are back for brand new adventures with Superman and this time Toonami gets the premieres so we had to bring you the scoop, courtesy of the screeners provided by Adult Swim PR. You can read my thoughts below before the one-hour premiere of My Adventures with Superman Season 2 tonight (May 25) at Midnight.
In the first season, the trio were interns finding their way in the world and constantly frustrating their boss Perry White. In Season 2, they’ll try to take the journalism world by storm as full fledged reporters that just happen to also do some super heroics on the side. At the end of the prior season, The Daily Planet purchased Jimmy Olson’s Flamebird brand which means Jimmy is now both tremendously wealthy and the head of his own video division within The Daily Planet. What will a brash young man like Jimmy do with his vast wealth? Surely nothing outlandish or irresponsible.
Following last season’s explosive finale where General Lane’s allegiances were called into question, Amanda Waller has taken the reins of Task Force X and is using more remnants of Kryptonian technology to create super soldiers capable of matching blows with the man of steel. The series continues its trend of incorporating rogues from Superman comics as well as the wider DC Universe.
As the new season begins, Clark has more puzzling visions and struggles with insecurities about his humanity as well as his developing romance with Lois. His concerns permeate through levity and thoughtful moments not leaning too hard on either side and maintaining a good balance. The populace have warmed up to the Superman but there are some among them that don’t trust an alien to protect the earth and would rather take that into their own hands.
Thus far, season two has plenty of intrigue, heart and thrilling action. The animation from Studio Mir (Voltron: Legendary Defender, Legend of Korra, X-Men ‘97) maintains its high bar from last season and sometimes exceeds it. The color palette pops, fight choreography is kinetic and well incorporated into the set pieces, and the characters are wonderfully expressive in both the calm and bombastic moments.
Lois and Clark’s dynamic continues to be a highlight. Now that she knows she’s dating Superman, Lois is even less shy about putting her life in mortal danger and Clark is the dependable lug helplessly indulging her inhibitions. Their interactions are usually fun and sweet but truly getting to know another person is complicated. They are trying to be completely honest with each other now but when it comes to Lois’ father “The General” and Clark’s Kryptonian family, there’s tension growing between them. Jack Quaid (The Boys, Star Trek: Lower Decks) and Alice Lee (Gap Year, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist) continue to be infectiously charming and do an excellent job embodying the range of emotions Lois and Clark go through. Ishmel Sahid (Jury Duty, That Girl Lay Lay) really gets to ham it up now as millionaire Jimmy Olson but his new position means he can’t always tag along with his super friends.
My Adventures with Superman has proven to be a fantastic modernization of the iconic hero and his supporting cast. It’s bright and vibrant and lacking cynicism. Getting back to basics was exactly what the character needed to feel fresh again. It’s clear that the show runners (Jake Wyatt, Josie Campbell and Brendan Clogher) understand what makes a compelling Superman story and how to get the most out of these characters with decades of history. Despite premiering exclusively in Toonami on Adult Swim (and streaming on Max), it’s a great show for the whole family and I encourage you to introduce it to viewers of all ages, especially if they love super heroes or action animation.
Check out brand new episodes of My Adventures with Superman, premiering every Saturday at Midnight on Adult Swim. ONLY Toonami. (Next day on Max)
Andrew “Sketch” Hingson is the C.O.O. at Toonamifaithful.com. Feel free to follow Sketch on all things Toonami, Adult Swim, and show predictions on Twitter @Sketch1984
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