‘My Adventures With Superman’ Recap Before Season 2

In mainstream media nowadays, there is a serious scarcity of inspiring, interesting superheroes, as cynicism and edginess have taken over the minds of fans and creators alike. The moral simplicity, high ideals, empathy, and compassion that defined the superheroes of yesteryear and the golden age have been replaced with the amoral, apathetic, grim self-projections of makers—created in such a way in a vain effort to make the characters ‘relatable’ to the audience. Even in such dreary, tedious situations, works like My Adventures with Superman exemplify the best potential of the genre by holding on to so-called old-timey ideals. The animated series has redefined the age-old saga of the Man of Steel for a new generation in such a way that it not only counters the prevalent bitterness of the genre as a whole but also acts as a blueprint for updated adaptations of iconic stories. 

The first season of My Adventures with Superman premiered last year amidst an extremely positive response from fans and critics alike, thanks to a refreshing Shounen-styled artistic approach, adept characterization of the lead trio consisting of Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen, and its embracing of the quintessential characteristics of the titular superhero. With the second season slated to release later this week, let us revisit the vital plot points from the first season, which will help viewers catch up to the storyline pretty easily.

Spoilers Ahead

A Proper Coming-of-Age Story of the Super-Trio

My Adventures with Superman season 1 does something exceptional in respect to other Superman media, which is to prioritize showcasing the growth of Clark Kent as a person along with his best friends, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. As the trio of novice reporters learns the ropes of investigative journalism, they understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses and accordingly complement each other with great teamwork. The budding romance between Clark and Lois, the troubles arising from Clark’s secret identity being discovered by Lois, and their chemistry as a whole are presented through an updated, refreshing perspective that will please both long-time fans and new viewers. Jimmy, a curious genius, has not merely been reduced to comic relief like other adaptations; instead, through his understanding and protective nature, he has proven to be a massive support to both of his friends. 

A huge part of Clark/Superman’s characterization is the way he is presented as an outsider, a quintessential immigrant figure who yearns for a sense of belonging. This aspect is handled excellently in My Adventures with Superman, as Clark struggles to balance his alien, Kryptonian heritage, and human identity. John and Martha Kent, Clark’s adoptive parents, are written as the definitive kindly couple, whose teachings and life lessons act as the foundation of Clark’s simplistic, altruistic moral foundation. A young Clark, who was afraid of his identity as a part of the aggressor alien species, manages to accept the heritage of his birth family (the House of El) thanks to the unwavering support of his parents. Through the course of the first season, Clark also gains access to his powers gradually, which he unlocks under great duress while protecting the city of Metropolis. 

Kryptonian Invasion and Task Force X

However, not everything is sunshine and rainbows over at Metropolis, as a dark past has made some of the humans extremely insecure about alien visitors. The first instance of the Kryptonian invasion of Earth began at the same time when an infant Kal El’s (Clark’s) space pod crashed near Kent Farm. Lois’ estranged father, General Sam Lane, and his colleague, Amanda Waller, had to bear witness to the tragic deaths of their comrades as the technologically advanced Kryptonians decimated human soldiers with ease. The invasion abruptly stopped but left an indelible mark on the memories of the survivors, as a contingency unit was created to prevent any such future catastrophe, with Sam and Amanda in charge of the team. The team used Kryptonian technology to create weapons of mass destruction, which were later stolen by miscreants who received powers while wielding them, becoming supervillains like Livewire, Silver Banshee, Heatwave, and Parasite-armored Professor Ivo, all of whom plunge Metropolis into peril and, at the end, get defeated by Superman. The supervillains get exploited (the modus operandi of Suicide Squad) by Amanda Waller, who uses them to capture Superman. In captivity, Superman is tortured by Amanda and Sam, who try to pry out information about the next Kryptonian invasion from him, as they consider him an alien sleeper agent.

Multiverse and Evil Supermen

The multiverse gets introduced in the very first season as well, and a parallel storyline gets integrated with the main plot, which further heightens suspicions regarding Kryptonians. As Lois, Jimmy, and Clark get introduced to the multiverse by getting entangled in the conflict between the interdimensional 4th wall-breaking imp Mr. Mxyzptlk and a League of Lois Lanes, Lois obtains an orb, which showcases the terrible predicament of earth after evil versions of Supermen invaded them as per their prime directive. Lois struggles with the suspicion that Clark too might break bad by adhering to his allegiance to his legacy, but as Clark shows his humanity by almost sacrificing himself to save the people of Metropolis, Lois’ trust in him is reaffirmed. 

After getting captured and tortured by Task Force X on the suspicion of acting as a Kryptonian agent, Clark pleads his innocence but fails to convince Sam and Amanda about his intentions. Eventually, after somehow escaping from captivity, in the finale, Clark prevents a Kryptonian invasion triggered by his space pod’s signal by using Kryptonite. Sam learns Clark’s true identity and almost kills him before Lois stops her father in his tracks, leaving him ashamed and crestfallen as he stops his relentless pursuit of Clark. On the other hand, Brainiac, the intergalactic knowledge-preserving despot, conquers Krypton with the help of Kryptonian General Zod and makes Earth his next target.

What Can We Expect From Season 2?

Even though Sam Lane has stopped hunting Clark, Amanda Waller is hell-bent on taking down the Kryptonian along with other super-beings, and she takes total control of Task Force in order to do that, throwing Sam off the team. In the second season, the struggle between the covert, dubious organization and Superman will continue, as Clark will continue to face challenges from the ones he seeks to protect. In the second season, Kal’s elder cousin, Kara Zor El, aka Supergirl, will make her appearance as well, and she will bring different dynamics to the series, which will be interesting in comparison to Clark’s connection with humanity. Brainiac’s impending attack will act as the overarching crisis, which will be addressed in the series through possible multiverse connections. Aside from all these, established connections with the DC Universe will be explored further, just like how the first season had surprising Doom Patrol character appearances in the form of Monsieur Mallah and Brain.