NEW DEATHSTROKE

“I am the thing that keeps you up at night, the evil that haunts every dark corner of your mind…. I will never rest. And neither will you.”

Slade, Teen Titans

Apart from new interpretations of classic DC Comics characters, My Adventures With Superman has also provided us with new reimagined versions of various DC supervillains. Among these supervillains is Slade Wilson AKA Deathstroke. The character design for this version of Slade is intriguing because he not only looks younger than most versions, but he does not have an eyepatch over his right eye. Instead, his bangs cover his right eye, which could be both a homage and foreshadow of when the character loses his right eye. This version of Slade is a dangerous opponent for Superman because he combines his advanced combat skills with a mechanized suit. By himself, Slade is the deadliest assassin in the DC universe with fighting skills that rival those of Batman. When equipped with his mechanized suit, Slade is able to keep up with Superman’s speed and he is armed with energized katanas that can harm Superman. Still, as skilled and deadly as Slade is, he was only able to gain the upper hand on Superman for three reasons. First, Superman does not kill and was holding back his true strength out of fear that he may inadvertently kill Slade. Second, Superman is not yet experienced enough with using his powers in combat situations. Third, not all of Superman’s powers have awakened yet so Superman does not have all of his abilities at his disposal yet. Once his fight with Slade was putting civilians in danger, Superman ended the fight quickly so he could turn his attention to saving people. Overall, like everything else in My Adventures With Superman, this version of Slade is full of potential and I look forward to his evolution as a supervillain.

LOIS AND CLARK

“Can you read my mind? Do you know what it is that you do to me? I don’t know who you are. Just a friend from another star. Here I am, like a kid out of school. Holding hands with a god. I’m a fool. Will you look at me? Quivering. Like a little girl, shivering. You can see right through me. Can you read my mind? Can you picture the things I’m thinking of? Wondering why you are… all the wonderful things you are. You can fly. You belong in the sky. You and I… could belong to each other. If you need a friend… I’m the one to fly to. If you need to be loved… here I am. Read my mind.”

Lois Lane, Superman (1978)

The romantic relationship between Superman/Clark Kent and Lois Lane has been one of the most classic comic book love stories for over 90 years. In the new show My Adventures With Superman, we are given a new interpretation of this nearly century-old love story. In most versions, Lois Lane often falls in love with Superman while barely acknowledging Clark Kent’s existence (at least until she learns that the two are the same man). In this version, Lois Lane falls in love with Clark Kent instead while pursuing Superman in order to get interviews. Upon their very first encounter, there is an instant attraction between Lois and Clark and signs of this attraction can be seen throughout the series. The thing about this Lois Lane is that she has spent most of her life in the presence of cynics and liars, which resulted in her becoming a liar and cynic herself. As such, it was very hard for her to trust anyone. However, when she meets Clark Kent, not only did she meet someone who was attractive, but also someone who was a boy scout and straight as an arrow. Due to Clark’s noble and idealistic personality, Lois found someone she could trust and open up to. Unlike previous versions of Lois Lane, this version was able to deduce Superman’s secret identity very quickly. Upon learning that Clark had been keeping his double life as Superman a secret from her, Lois felt betrayed and the defensive barriers she erected around herself went back up. Part of why Lois felt betrayed by Clark was because she wondered if he truly loved her or if those feelings were part of his cover. It was not until Clark shielded her from lasers (not knowing if he would withstand the attack) that Lois was able to trust Clark again. In addition, the fact that Clark would protect her from harm even if he did not know if he would survive rekindled her affection for him. Shortly afterwards, they took their relationship to the next level and planned their first date. Later on, Clark went above and beyond when it came to providing gifts for Lois such as bringing her an entire garden instead of one bouquet of flowers. Overall, this version of Lois and Clark’s love story is wholesome, sweet, and relatable. Because the show was animated in a way that was similar to anime, their chemistry has a similar vibe to an anime romance. Even though it is only the first season, it does not feel as though their romance is being rushed at all. I look forward to how their relationship will evolve as the series progresses.

THE NEW JIMMY OLSEN

“Mr. Clark! I mean, Kent. Mr. Kent! Welcome back!”

Jimmy Olsen, Superman Returns

In classic Superman lore, Jimmy Olsen is a photographer at the Daily Planet who is also Superman’s best friend. The new show My Adventures With Superman maintains this theme with their version of Jimmy Olsen by making him Superman/Clark Kent’s best friend and roommate. Despite being an intern and not a full fledged photographer, Jimmy seizes every opportunity to take a picture of anything he thinks might be a worthwhile story. This version of Jimmy Olsen is also a conspiracy theorist who believes in aliens. As Clark Kent’s best friend, Jimmy is a strong supporter of Clark’s blossoming relationship with Lois Lane. Unlike previous incarnations of the character (who mostly served as side characters), this version of Jimmy Olsen is an active part of the Superman story.

THE NEW LOIS LANE

“The world has grown dark, and while we have reasons to fear we have the strength not to. There are heroes among us, to remind us that only from fear, comes courage. That only from the darkness, can we truly feel the light.”

Lois Lane, Justice League (2017)

I must say the new version of Lois Lane in My Adventures With Superman is an absolute babe. Like other incarnations of the character, she is feisty, smart, tenacious, and strong-willed. There are hints to the original character’s backstory as an army brat foreshadowed in the series. However, this version of Lois Lane is only an intern and not yet a full-fledged reporter. As such, she is eager to make a name for herself at the Daily Planet, which often gets her as well as Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen in trouble. Unlike previous versions of the character, what I like about this version of Lois Lane is that she acknowledges Clark Kent’s existence and does not regard him as a background character. In addition, she falls in love with Clark Kent instead of Superman.

THE NEW SUPERMAN

“You will give the people of Earth an ideal to strive towards. They will race behind you, they will stumble, they will fall. But in time, they will join you in the sun, Kal. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders.”

Jor-El, Man of Steel

I must say that I thoroughly like the new version of Superman in My Adventures With Superman. This Superman is a combination of various traits and references to other Superman media. For example, he is not overpowered and takes a beating often. This is a reference to Superman: The Animated Series, which also depicted a version of Superman who was not overpowered and takes a beating during his fights. This highlights that the new version of Superman is inexperienced with using his powers in combat situations. Like the show Smallville, the new version of Superman does not have all of his powers from the start. Instead, his powers gradually awaken one by one and Superman has to learn how to control his new abilities as soon as he receives them. What I like most about the new version of Superman is his personality, which is that of a lovable, sweet, dorky boy scout like the Christopher Reeve Superman. What sets the new Superman apart is the fact that he is a lovable, sweet, dorky boy scout both as Superman and as Clark Kent, which makes him more relatable and wholesome than previous Supermen. Overall, this new version of Superman is overflowing with potential and I look forward to seeing how he will develop in the future.

MY ADVENTURES WITH SUPERMAN

I discovered a new DC Comics show that is right up my alley, My Adventures With Superman. The show is animated in the anime style and revolves around Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen when they start their career at the Daily Planet as interns. In addition, it is a reimagining of how Clark Kent started his career as Superman. Despite being its own unique series, this show is a nice homage to other Superman media. Specifically, instead of the dark and brooding Superman stories we received for the last decade, this story of the Man of Steel returns to the character’s roots. Overall, I recommend this show who is a fan of both Superman and the superhero genre in general.