My Adventures with Superman Season 3 debuts June 13 on Adult Swim and June 14 on HBO Max.
After a two-year absence, My Adventures with Superman is back with another sweet, dramatic, jam-packed run of ten episodes of its anime-inspired take on the Man of Steel. The season starts relatively small-scale considering what’s to come, as Kara/Supergirl (voiced by Kiana Madeira) tries to acclimate to life on Earth while she and Jimmy (Ishmel Sahid) figure out their relationship dynamic. At the same time, Clark (Jack Quaid) and Lois (Alice Lee) discuss their future, with Clark starting to ponder what settling down together might look like. But then a notably powerful Cyborg Superman shows up, and things get very dangerous and very intense very quickly.
Season 3 of My Adventures is interesting as far as its source material, in that it’s borrowing heavily from the big “Death of Superman” story — specifically the “Reign of the Supermen” portion of that long-running 1990s comic book storyline, which involved several would-be Superman successors showing up at the same time. Rather than go for any sort of direct adaptation, this is more of a complete remix of that storyline, utilizing core elements and characters but making them work within the confines of the established My Adventures of Superman universe. It’s a very well done approach that manages to pay homage to its inspiration but still feels like it’s doing something different with it. If you know the comics, rather than feeling ahead of the story, you can have fun with seeing how the show will bring in — either very directly, through smaller references, or something in between — those familiar elements while providing its own interesting take that’s fully accessible for old and new fans alike.
Cyborg Superman is Hank Henshaw (Max Mittelman), the S.T.A.R. Labs employee and pilot whose previous anti-alien sentiment is only further fueled by the grievous injuries he sustained in Season 2’s big finale battle. His presence brings forth the arrival of the mysterious Superboy (Darren Criss), sporting a look that is very much in line with how he appeared in those ’90s comics, though this version of the character also pulls heavily from multiple incarnations (and the comics sure have provided plenty of Superboy possibilities). These two, along with Kara, won’t be the only folks showing up sporting their own take on Superman’s powers and his costume before the season concludes…
There are multiple layers to this storyline, and the middle of the season provides a major new obstacle for Clark to face that provides a lot of strong angst-ridden drama for much of the latter half of the season. Per usual, Quaid and Lee’s great vocal performances provide the solid emotional center to this series, with Clark and Lois’ love for each other — and how they help each other get through tough times — providing a grounding element amongst all of the bigger-than-life chaos around them.
If there’s one notable thing to lament about My Adventures of Superman Season 3, it’s that since the show has gotten so big in scope, it does feel like it’s lost a bit of the core charm of its early days and the initial focus on a more down-to-Earth Superman. This is most obvious by the complete lack of the Daily Planet as an actual location in the series at this point, where it once felt crucial. Yes, the newspaper still exists, and Lois, Clark, and Jimmy still are said to work there, but there’s no scenes actually set there anymore. It feels like things so quickly and repeatedly are “Huge Stakes!” that it’s too bad there’s not enough time to also circle back into what was once a core part of the series.
At least Cat Grant (Melanie Minichino) makes a couple of very entertaining, typically brash appearances, though Perry White has, alas, been nearly entirely pushed aside. But the early episodes of the season do have some very fun scenarios at a convention in honor of Superman and Supergirl, and an awards ceremony among other set pieces. That convention allows for several amusing comics-derived easter eggs and a previously announced quick appearance by Jessica Cruz, lightly setting up the My Adventures with Green Lantern spin-off that’s in the works… with a recognizable actress (that critics have been asked not to reveal) providing Jessica’s voice that one presumes would reprise the role going forward.
Other highlights of the season include the return of Mister Mxyzptlk (David Errigo Jr.) in an episode that both provides its own wacky diversion and allows for some introspection for our characters. There’s also a fascinating look into Krypton’s ancient history for Clark, providing a very different take on that planet than most depictions. And the “will they or won’t they?” element of Jimmy and Kara’s relationship is a fun throughline for the season, even as Jimmy makes some very foolish decisions along the way… all the better to complicate matters.
The action scenes continue to be big and bold and wear the show’s shōnen anime influences like a badge of honor. With multiple characters as powerful as Superman flying about this season — including some I’ll hold back from naming — these various red and blue-clad warriors can certainly go all out, and the show continues to be both kid-friendly but also feel appropriately epic, including in its intense fight scenes (and as an aside, the show continues to sneak in some amusing innuendo for the adults that will go over the heads of the young ones). Also appreciated is the fact that this show is not afraid to get weird, including a very random but appreciated musical number that breaks out during one of the season’s more low-key moments.
After serving as more of a devious background player in Season 2, Lex Luthor (another role for the busy Mittelman) is more centered this time, not only setting Cyborg Superman into play but having a more consequential role than even he realizes. This show’s “young tech nerd” take on Luthor has been a solid one, but it does stand out that even after being a part of the show for two full seasons now — after sitting out Season 1 — we don’t really have any sort of personal dynamic between Superman and Lex established in terms of one-on-one scenes. Hopefully My Adventures with Superman can get a fourth season so that can be remedied.
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