Superman: The Animated Series doesn’t get nearly as much love or attention as its counterpart that follows the Caped Crusader, but it deserves just as many accolades. The case can be made that Batman: The Animated Series was a better show overall, but even if that’s true then being second best to the most beloved superhero show of all time is nothing to scoff at. In fact, even though it often gets overshadowed, Superman: The Animated Series is without a doubt the best adaptation of Superman outside of comics, and maybe even in them, because it captures a very specific and essential part of Superman’s character. It knows that Superman is complex, and also very simple.
Videos by ComicBook.com
More so than any other adaptation, Superman: The Animated Series perfectly mixes the heart of classic wacky Superman adventures and the tension and impossible adversity he faces in modern comic books. Superman is the oldest comic book superhero, and thus has the longest history out of any other character. He’s lived through the relatively grounded and groundbreaking Golden Age, flown to parallel dimensions on a whim in the zany Silver Age, captured our hearts in the canon establishing Bronze Age, and continues to fight for a better tomorrow in the Modern Age. Needless to say, Superman has mingled with his fair share of genres.
Some Superman stories have a reputation for being silly and built on a single joke, while others are serious meditations on what it means to be a good person in a world that tries to force you to be anything but. Superman is corny to a fault, and also a deeply serious character. Many adaptations of Superman focus on one of these aspects and ignore the other, such as how the Superman & Lois version of Superman dealt with serious threats, or how it’s impossible to imagine the Synderverse version of Superman fighting a comic accurate Toyman. Either that, or an adaptation will mix the two and end up with tonal dissonance. Except Superman: The Animated Series, which gives equal focus to both parts of Superman and balances it beautifully.
How Does The Cartoon Give Us Both Sides of Superman?
From its very beginning, this cartoon understands that Superman is a character who can star at the center of very emotionally compelling stories, but also that he is supposed to be fun. The first several episodes depict Superman’s origin story, where we see the death of Krypton and Clark discovering he has powers that make him different. However, while there is initially drama when he discovers he’s an alien, he quickly gets over these feelings as he discovers how much fun it is to fly. Superman’s very essence in this show is built around powerful emotions being tied together by a true joy, which carries through to the rest of its episodes.
RELATED: Superman’s All-American Message Is More Important Now Than Ever
By setting the stage with Superman coming to terms with himself through an act of joy, the show opens itself up to numerous stories that can tackle serious themes, but also set the audience’s expectations that things can be lighthearted at their core. You can have one episode following Clark’s attempt to trick the fifth-dimensional imp Mr. Mxyzptlk into saying his name backwards twice to avoid any more pranks, and also one that has Darkseid brainwash the Man of Steel and use him to take over the world. Both of these episodes feel perfectly in line with the show because it set the stage with Superman being a corny and lighthearted character who deals with real emotions and personal issues.
How Does the Show Capture the Comics?
Superman: The Animated Series blends every comic book age Superman has lived through into a single solitary world. Superman faces grounded threats, such as when mobsters “kill” Clark Kent and Superman has to expose their crimes so he can safely return to his life, just as much as he faces extraplanetary threats like the space bounty hunter Lobo. Modern Superman comics are in no way afraid to explore important, resonate themes, but it’s far rarer to see one that simply has a one-and-done story where Superman faces a silly threat and stops them in a corny way.
The cartoon sees all the eras of Superman and says that they want to tackle them all. Its Superman is an endless bastion of positivity, and you know that he’ll solve whatever issue he’s facing by the end of the episode, or at least the two or three parter. It also lets Superman deal with truly harrowing situations, such as a parallel version of him seeing Lois die and teaming up with Lex Luthor to rule Metropolis. Superman deals with darkness, but always manages to throw a corny line and save the day. The show understood that Superman is at his best when you don’t ignore the inherent silliness of a man flying around in red underwear, you lean into it with as much earnestness as you can. Even in the comics it’s rare to find that kind of balance of silly and serious, and it makes Superman: The Animated series stand in a league of its own.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments!
Most Viewed
-
Hulu / 20th Television Animation
