My Adventures With Superman SDCC 2023 Panel Recap
Look up in the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s none other than the Man of Steel himself with a new, hit cartoon. After more than twenty-three years, Superman has returned to the silver screen with a new solo cartoon, My Adventures With Superman. Premiering at midnight on July 7th, 2023, on Adult Swim, MAWS has already won over countless fans. This is in due to a combination of several factors, from The Boys‘ actor Jack Quaid’s take on Clark Kent to the show’s clear shonen anime inspirations…to the fact that Lois and Jimmy look like Luz and Gus from The Owl House. Whatever the reason, the show’s already proven to be a major hit after less than two weeks. It’s only perfect timing that the show ended up getting its own panel at San Diego Comic-Con this year.
For those who haven’t watched it yet, My Adventures With Superman is a notable departure from depictions of the Man of Tomorrow over the last decade or so. Rather than remain grounded in the gritty realism that seems to have bogged down their live-action ventures, MAWS takes a more light-hearted approach. Both in that it uses a lot of vibrant colors and exaggerated facial expressions found in shonen anime, and in the overall depiction of Metropolis.
In addition, the characterization of Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen are different from most incarnations. Lois Lane’s a tomboy and an aspiring reporter rather than the seasoned veteran, and Jimmy’s a huge conspiracy theorist. Factoring in the aforementioned dorkiness of Clark Kent, and they make for a dynamic trio.
What the Panel Focused On
The show’s panel primarily focused on showing the latest episode of the series, one which had debuted at midnight on Adult Swim. For those unable to watch it or subscribed to Max, this was a real treat. It only gets better considering how they then showed next week’s episode ahead of time. As a result, these select fans are already aware of what will happen in next week’s episode. Given how this week’s episode ended with a major wham moment, that’s a big deal.
All in all, it seems as though My Adventures With Superman might be destined for greatness. From The Owl House and The Boys fans immigrating to it by virtue of the main trio, it already has an established fandom. Meanwhile, the shonen influences bring Superman full circle, since he partially inspired Son Goku, the archetype for the modern shonen protagonist. If you haven’t watched it yet, then go see it on Adult Swim or next day on Max, formerly HBO Max. Or watch the first episode on YouTube
