My Adventures with Superman employs the same tactic that X-Men ’97 used for Wolverine, and the DC series is better off for it. I am a huge fan of My Adventures with Superman. As someone who grew up watching Tom Welling’s Smallville, Superman is a character near and dear to my heart. That said, I was not much of a fan of how the DCEU’s movies portrayed Clark Kent, even though I liked Henry Cavill’s casting in the role. Thankfully, My Adventures with Superman does a lot of what I wanted to see with the hero.

The new Superman series feels like a breath of fresh air — and one that the character desperately needed after years of controversies. My Adventures with Superman season 2 is continuing all the right things season 1 did, with entertaining and dynamic action, compelling characters, and a hopeful tone that is really what Superman is all about. The animated series is also once again showing that it has its focus very clear, and Marvel Studios’ successful X-Men ’97 used that same idea for how it handled Wolverine — which is perfect.

My Adventures With Superman Lets Characters Who Don’t Get As Much Spotlight In The DC Limelight

The Show’s Title Makes That Clear

Yes, Superman is DC’s most famous hero — slightly above Batman or just about tied — but the character is not as prominent in My Adventures with Superman as he is in other Superman projects. That could confuse some. However, as the animated series’ title clearly states, while the show does feature the Man of Steel, My Adventures with Superman is not solely focused on showing Clark Kent’s exploits once he suits up. Instead, the series has plenty of fun slice-of-life situations with Clark and the show’s entertaining roster of characters, which makes the series feel fresh.

I do love seeing Superman shine and some good old-fashioned fight sequences with the Man of Steel, but My Adventures with Superman does a wonderful job of saving the hero’s costumed exploits for when they are absolutely necessary. This allows the show to go deeper with Clark’s two closest friends, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. I love how we get to see both how the duo interacts with Clark in different ways, but also how the two characters have their own goals and individual stories that get to shine without Superman being the focus of them every time.

My Adventures With Superman Mirrors What Works Best About X-Men ’97’s Wolverine Treatment

Logan’s Appearances Were Used Effectively

Before the release of My Adventures with Superman season 2, Marvel Studios’ X-Men ’97 was the superhero animated series that dominated the world. It is easy to see why, as the X-Men series made the most of its roster. One of the things I loved the most about X-Men ’97 was how it understood that all of the team’s members were important, something that Fox’s various X-Men films failed to grasp. As such, Wolverine played a much smaller role in the animated series than Hugh Jackman in Fox’s X-Men movies.

That decision allowed other characters to shine, just like My Adventures with Superman does by moving the Man of Steel to the background a lot of the time. That said, Wolverine was still able to light up the screen in X-Men ’97 when he was spotlighted. The character had plenty of exciting fight scenes and lines that were singled out by fans as some of the show’s most remarkable. I think that My Adventures with Superman does the same for the Man of Steel, with Jack Quaid’s Superman still getting to be a badass when he is let loose.

My Adventures With Superman Makes The DC Hero’s Story Better By Not Focusing Solely On Him

The Series Has Great World-Building

By not putting all of its chips on Superman, the animated series actually ends up making Clark’s story better. The character becomes more well-rounded by having the DC series firmly establish the world he lives in, with multiple threats coming up and Clark Kent’s work life and friends being as important to the overall plot of My Adventures with Superman as his Man of Steel adventures. The series does a great job with its world-building.

My Adventures with Superman is slowly creating a world filled with danger for Clark. Given the mysterious nature of Amanda Waller’s plans and the alien enemies Superman will face, it makes sense that the trio of leads’ work at the Daily Planet is given great focus. There, the series allows multiple characters besides Superman to shine while Clark pieces together clues that will help him as Superman. My Adventures with Superman strikes the perfect balance between letting Superman shine while giving other characters their deserved time in the sun, just like X-Men ’97 handled Wolverine, and I love it.

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  My Adventures With Superman

  My Adventures with Superman is an animated action-adventure superhero series that follows the Man of Steel in an all-new origin story. Focusing on the light-hearted side of DC’s hero, the series follows Clark Kent’s journey of self-discovery of what it means to be a hero while trying to blend in with society. With his best friend and his crush, Lois Lane, the trio will strike out to cover the most significant stories – all while trying to keep the city of Metropolis safe from giant robots and super-powered villains.

  Cast

  Jack Quaid
  , Alice Lee
  , Ishmel Sahid
  , Kari Wahlgren

  Release Date

  
  July 6, 2023
  

  Seasons

  1

  Streaming Service(s)

  Max

  Franchise(s)

  Superman
  , DC Universe

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  X-Men ’97

  X-Men ’97 is the direct continuation of the popular 1990s animated series X-Men: The Animated Series. Taking up where the third season left off, Marvel’s revival brings back famous mutants such as Wolverine, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Cyclops, Beast, Magneto, and Nightcrawler, who fight villains like Mr. Sinister, the Sentinels, and the Hellfire Club.

  Cast

  Jennifer Hale
  , Chris Potter
  , Alison Sealy-Smith
  , Lenore Zann
  , Cal Dodd
  , Catherine Disher
  , Adrian Hough
  , Ray Chase
  , Chris Britton
  , George Buza

  Release Date

  
  March 20, 2024
  

  Seasons

  1

  Streaming Service(s)

  Disney+

  Franchise(s)

  X-Men