Editor’s Note: This article contains spoilers for the premiere of ‘My Adventures With Superman’ Season 2.
There are plenty of beloved romances in the superhero genre, but few are nearly as iconic or as generally healthy as the one between Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane. DC’s main power couple has certainly had some ups and downs in their more than 80-year history, but most modern, well-received incarnations of their story depict them as a mature, loving team that face relatable (if still often characteristically fantastical) issues without inciting as much melodrama asmany of their superpowered, crime fighting associates. Many of the best Superman stories recognize that a big part of the reason they’re such an aspirational pair is because Clark is just as much in awe of Lois’ personality and dedication to truth and justice as she is of his and his powers, andMy Adventures with Supermanis no exception. In its second season premiere,the animated comedy series continues to emphasize just how thoroughly wowed Clark (Jack Quaid) is by his spunky reporter girlfriend.
My Adventures With Superman
Clark Kent builds his secret Superman identity and embraces his role as the hero of Metropolis, while sharing adventures and falling in love with Lois, a star investigative journalist, who also takes Jimmy Olsen under her wing.
‘My Adventures with Superman’ Pays Homage to ‘Superman: The Movie’
Season 2, Episode 1, titled “More Things in Heaven and Earth,” takes place around the first Valentine’s Day Clark and Lois (Alice Lee) have had since they started dating. Although Clark is excited for the holiday, he also doesn’t want to overwhelm Lois, so he plans a simple but romantic evening for the two of them to enjoy. But his best friend Jimmy Olsen (Ishmel Sahid) and many of their colleagues at the Daily Planet feel that his plans aren’t elaborate enough. Clark defends himself, believing that what he’s come up with is pretty good and noting that he even wrote Lois a poem, which he begins to recite, thoughhe only gets through the first few words — “Can you read my mind?” — before being cut off.
Many fans of the character will recognizethe beginning of the poem as a cute reference to a famous scene from 1978’s live actionSuperman: The Movie. In that film, after debuting as Superman by saving Lois (Margot Kidder) from a helicopter accident,Clark (Christopher Reeve)arranges for Lois to interview him in his alter ego, so that he can explain his heroic intentions to the public. Although Lois does make headlines with her resulting article, the interview quickly morphs into something of a spontaneous date, with the pair playfully flirting and Lois unintentionally making several double entendres because of her stunned reaction to Superman’s handsome physique and charming persona.
Eventually, he takes her flying around the city of Metropolis with him. As he does so, Lois wonders if his powers include telepathy, meaning that he could sense how she is falling for him. Kidder provides voice over in which the character wills Clark to “read my mind.” The sequence is comically capped off with Clark bringing Lois back to her apartment before reentering it in his civilian identity as her adorkable colleague — who also has a date scheduled with her — with the contrast betweenhis bumbling delivery as Clark and confident presence as Superman highlighting Reeve’smasterful skill at portraying the various sides of the character.
In addition to being a nice bit of fan service,My Adventures with Superman’s use of the “Can you read my mind?” quote highlights how Quaid’s Clark is just as enamored with Lee’s Lois as Kidder’s Lois was with Reeve’s Superman,an endearing reminder that their relationship is based on a lot more than just hero worship on Lois’ part. Jimmy and the other reporters’ disinterested reactions to the quote (which some viewers of the film have criticized as cheesy) also amusingly emphasize that Clark’s wholesome nerdiness is a legitimate part of his personality, not just an act as it is sometimes presented as, given that he is still flustered trying to impress Lois after they’ve gotten together.
Clark Faces a Big Threat in ‘My Adventures With Superman’ Season 2 Sneak Peek
Adult Swim is commemorating an important day in the character’s history.
Lois and Clark’s Relationship Is Built on Mutual Respect
Clark’s respect for Lois is further highlighted inMy Adventures With SupermanEpisode 2, “Adventures With My Girlfriend.” After Lois discovers that her estranged father, Sam (Joel de la Fuente), is being held captive by Task Force X, his own former covert operations unit, she and Clark break into the group’s new base underneath Stryker’s Island prison to set him free. While working to escape, Clark repeatedly clashes with Sam, eventually leading to an argument between him and Lois. However,Clark clarifies that his anger at Sam is mostly because of how the latter treats Lois, rather than a grudge for Sam persecuting Clark when he was leader of Task Force X. Clark says, “You are amazing, but he makes you feel small. I can forgive a lot, but I can’t forgive him for that.” This makes Clark even more honorable and lovable than ever before while also still allowing the series to further explore his difficulties with his loved one’s family, which is a relatable and important issue even in less drastic circumstances.
In addition to Lois herself simply having a fun and lovable personality,this admiration is also partially rooted in the fact that she and Clark have similar interests and values. While she is not able to take on many supervillains one on one, Lois’ tireless work as an investigative reporter makes the world a better place by exposing corruption and pointing out people in need of help. In several iterations of the Superman mythos, this mission, which is essentially the same as his own, just with different methods, is a big part of what attracts Clark to Lois. In the live action seriesSmallville, for example, althoughErica Durance’s version of Lois is introduced in the fourth season, she and Clark (Tom Welling) remain platonic friends, even sharing a playful rivalry, for several years.
But after Lois, who had long denied any interest in journalism, begins working at the Daily Planet and Clark starts becoming a more dedicated crime fighter than he was in his adolescent years,they discover their feelings for one another, with Clark eventually revealing his secret identity to her and the pair getting engaged. Similarly, whileTyler Hoechlin’s Clark seems immediately attracted to Lois (Bitsie Tulloch) in the currently runningSuperman and Lois, flashbacks show that they don’t actually start a relationship until they’ve bonded while working on various stories together.
Lois and Clark’s relationship will almost certainly face more challenges asMy Adventures with Supermancontinues. As understandable as it is, Clark’s dislike of Sam is something they’ll have to deal with more thoroughly, especially if Lois ever wants to let her father in on Clark’s secret. And Lois’ hesitance about looking forClark’s newly discovered cousin, Kara— due to their past experiences with corrupt Kryptonians — could be an even more divisive point between them. But if the show’s early history is anything to go by,they will continue to face these and other issues with the maturity and respect that makes them such a refreshingly healthy, stable superhero couple.
New episodes ofMy Adventures With Supermanair Saturdays at 12 a.m. ET on Max in the U.S.
