Robert Kirkman’s Invincible comics and Prime Video’s faithful adaptation of the same name are a rich reimagining of Superman’s origin story and his role in the world, both embracing Silver Age plotlines and subverting the genre with heavy drama and hyperviolent fights. The cheerful silliness of Adult Swim’s My Adventures with Superman might seem extremely different at first glance, but the show actually embraces many of the same plot points and storytelling techniques. The result is something even more brilliantly subversive, a fresh take on the world’s greatest superhero that still maintains the warmth and positivity of classic Superman stories. My Adventures with Superman season 3 premieres on June 13, ramping up the stakes and the battles in a way that makes it a must-watch show for fans of Invincible or other action-packed superhero shows.
Showrunners Jake Wyatt and Brendan Clogher made their version of Kryptonians far more akin to Invincible’s tyrannical Viltrumites. Clark Kent (Jack Quaid) had to truly reckon with the horror of the Kryptonian Empire in season 2 when his cousin Kara (Kiana Madeira) arrived with the Kryptonian artificial intelligence Brainiac (Michael Emerson), who had been traveling the galaxy eradicating civilizations that refused Kryptonian rule. Brainiac sees Superman’s desire to protect the world rather than conquer it as a sign of unacceptable weakness and a betrayal of what his people stand for.
Even though Superman spends most of his time doing good, the people of Earth are understandably very afraid of having a being with that power and history living in their midst. After working with Amanda Waller (Debra Wilson) as part of Task Force X in season 2, Lex Luthor (Max Mittelman) has taken the lead of the anti-Superman coalition in season 3 and turned the badly injured pilot Hank Henshaw (also Mittelman) into Cyborg Superman. Chris Parnell continues to deliver the show’s best performance as the snide and mercurial Slade Wilson, who is very nervous about how little control Lex has over his powerful creation. This Luthor is arrogant and reckless, but he’s motivated by fear rather than ambition. The dark circles under his eyes that show Luthor hasn’t been sleeping well make him feel more like Invincible’s Cecil Stedman than a true supervillain. He’s a normal man willing to go to extremes to protect Earth from existential threats, even if he might make things worse in the process.
Like Invincible, My Adventures with Superman intersperses its heavier plot-driven episodes with gags that don’t always hit. An extensive parody of Star Trek: The Next Generation in Invincible season 4 felt like a waste of time, and a running joke about Jimmy Olsen’s (Ishmel Sahid) misadventures using a dating app for super scientists similarly overstays its welcome. Jimmy’s relationship with Kara has potential for real character growth, but the showrunners use repetitive humor to put off having them kiss or at least discuss their mutual insecurities.
The humor may be hit or miss, but where both My Adventures with Superman and Invincible really shine is the high-stakes action. Season 3 of My Adventures with Superman tackles Reign of the Supermen, a controversial ‘90s comic arc that saw numerous would-be successors to the Man of Steel fighting it out after Superman’s death. Wyatt and Clogher play with the concept of the death of Superman, an innovation that allows them to remix the story, reimagine the nature of key players, and change the order of events to make the plot more emotionally resonant and coherent than it was in the comics. And it does all this with just 10 20-minute episodes, some of which are devoted to silly palate cleansers like the return of the trickster Mister Mxyzptlk (David Errigo Jr.).
The threats Superman and his allies face are truly apocalyptic, fusing elements of The Terminator with Dragon Ball Z, which has always been the show’s biggest cultural touchstone. Superman, Lois Lane (Alice Lee), Jimmy, and Kara get a glimpse of their possible futures, which makes them confront who they want to be and what they are willing to do to secure a better tomorrow. My Adventures with Superman’s fights might not involve pulling out intestines or coating heroes in the blood of innocent bystanders, but Warner Bros. Animation still makes you feel every blow and demonstrates just how much carnage this season’s villains will cause if Superman fails. The music is stirring and the fusion of the visual styles of Western superhero battles with shonen anime provides the opportunity to take wild creative swings with what the villains are capable of.
James Gunn’s Superman argues that Clark Kent is punk rock, not because he’s edgy or guarded, but because he’s willing to see the best in people. By that definition, My Adventures with Superman is extremely punk rock. Without the shock value of gore and death, the creators of My Adventures with Superman are still delivering a superhero show that’s constantly surprising, deeply satisfying, and a joy to watch.
My Adventures with Superman premieres at midnight June 13 on Adult Swim. New episodes air weekly on Saturday through Aug. 15.
