Animation
Blood of Zeus
Creativity abounds here, but those artistic measures can’t blur the obvious issues that families are sure to discover.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No. It’s Cartoon Network’s iteration of Superman.
Clark Kent starts an internship at the Daily Planet, and he’s hoping for a completely ordinary experience. Sure, he breaks his alarm clock every morning with his superhuman strength. Yes, his fellow intern and roommate, Jimmy Olsen, won’t stop talking about the newest conspiracy theories. And maybe his ability to fly is just a bit abnormal. But Clark believes that a normal internship is meant for him.
When he meets another intern, Lois Lane, Clark’s chances of anything ordinary disappear. Maybe it’s Clark’s massive crush on her, or maybe it’s Lois’ persuasive personality. But whatever it is—and despite opposition from their boss, Perry White—Clark and Jimmy follow Lois in search of a story that will “stop the presses.”
But in their efforts to launch their journalistic careers, Clark secretly, and unintentionally, starts his stint as Superman, too. With a mere outfit change, Superman is indistinguishable from his alter ego, Clark Kent.
Using his powers, Superman rescues Lois and Jimmy from giant robots and saves his town, Metropolis, from hidden explosives. Most of the city is ecstatic to have a hero in their midst, and Lois believes if she can meet Superman and take his photo, she’ll make the front page. But a nefarious group of villains, who claim to be good guys, search for Superman, too. And unlike Lois, their plans are not to snap his picture.
As Clark navigates his work and superhero lives, families will have to navigate the show’s violence. Although the fight scenes don’t have the same frightening effect as the live-action DC movies, characters narrowly miss shots from laser guns, and sometimes we see the physical effects of hand-to-hand combat.
Some characters refer to others as “freaks” or “dummies,” but otherwise their language remains kid friendly.
With their flashy costumes and animated personalities, it’s no wonder why superheroes often appeal to kids. Unfortunately, many superhero movies feel far too mature for younger audiences. My Adventures With Superman includes the action and fun of superhero stories without the language and overly violent content that accompany most other comic book-based media.
Intern Clark Kent just wants to make a good impression on his first day at the Daily Planet. But a highly ambitious intern, Lois Lane, convinces Clark and his friend Jimmy to investigate rumors of robots in Metropolis.
Although Clark is trying to live an ordinary life, his superhuman strength and ability to fly make him extraordinary, nonetheless. And with his roommate, Jimmy, constantly talking about the newest conspiracy theory and Lois Lane lying and undermining the will of their boss, Perry White, it doesn’t seem like Clark will get to live a normal life at all.
In several scenes, Clark, Jimmy and Lois defend themselves from peril by dodging the fists and lasers of giant robots, and some characters almost get crushed by the robots’ giant bodies. And while these moments aren’t very intense, even the superpowered Clark walks away from the violent exchange with a black eye.
A car containing a woman and her baby spins out of control and narrowly avoids a disastrous crash, and the episode’s bad guys state they have hired thieves and killers to help them.
As Clark gets dressed for the day (briefly seen without a shirt), Jimmy crudely expresses his need to use the restroom. Characters call others “dummies,” and someone utters, “What the …” before trailing off. And Clark seems to be developing a crush on Lois.
Who am I? That’s the question Clark—who knows he was adopted but is unsure where his powers came from—desperately wants to know but has been too afraid to ask. But when Lois and Jimmy start an investigation about the identity of Superman, Clark finally decides it’s time to discover where he came from.
While Clark engages in self-discovery, the villain Leslie Willis plots a nefarious plan. She fights people, knocking some of them out, and characters engage in fights involving guns, lasers and explosives. Jimmy narrowly escapes death when a laser blast flies past him, hitting a car instead, and characters narrowly avoid getting hit by a bus. In one tense fight scene, a woman suffers an intense electrical shock, and later, this same woman gets captured and tied down. There is also a frightening moment in which Clark’s mother almost falls into a large hole.
Lois is her same ambitious self, and she waltzes into a dark tunnel without a second thought. Lois’ actions later put her and Jimmy in peril. A character refers to Superman, calling him a “freak,” and we learn Lois shares romantic feelings for Clark.
Creativity abounds here, but those artistic measures can’t blur the obvious issues that families are sure to discover.
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