Fullmetal Scientist
We’re back for episode three of “My Adventures with Superman”! We’ve got some new characters, plus the show continues to push our main three forward. Less of a recap this week than my assorted thoughts on what we saw this episode.
Before I start I’d like to point readers to a great podcast with one of the show runners Jake Wyatt. There are lots of promotional interviews around hyping up this new season, but this is one of the most in depth interviews I’ve heard about the show. He talks about the conception, influence, and creation. Along with giving credit to all the great collaborators he’s had. I highly recommend a listen.
Superman Homepage has another interview with Josephine Campbell airing tonight. I’m looking forward to it, their interview last season was great. She’s also writing this week’s tie-in comic.
Who is the Fullmetal Scientist?
Last week I assumed the title was referring to Luthor. After all, he ended the episode as Task Force X’s new chief scientist. If I had given it 10 seconds more thought though I would have landed on John Henry Irons. He is the character that gets the suit of armor—although Al isn’t the Fullmetal Alchemist; his brother is. Steel has been a favorite character of mine since his debut in Reign of the Supermen, so I always enjoy when he shows up. He even mentions his niece Natasha is a Flame Bro.
Like his debut in the comics Irons starts out working for Amertek, but he ends up working against them. Thomas Weston in this version is just a light weight version of Ivo from last season though. He has a pretty similar arc. Has a new technology, doesn’t listen to his advisors because he only cares about the glory, consequences. This show loves their shitty billionaires I guess.
Rather than give us a new villain directly like Parasite, this time we get Steel, possibly the Lexor suit, and the show’s take on Metallo.
Metallos
Not quite “The Metal Man” or “The Man with the Kryptonite Heart” this show’s interpretation of Metallo is an army of robots. They aren’t wildly different than the Brainiac drones or any of the Kryptonian inspired tech Livewire was dealing with last season. Definitely no T-800 influence on this one. The main difference between these robots and others we’ve seen is their unstable power core which is important for this episode and I’m betting the future of the show.
I liked the multiple Metallos and it worked for the show’s focus on technology based foes. Mechanical Monsters are perfect for Superman in a kids show because he can really let loose without hurting people. Plus there is a comic precedence for multiple Metallos.
The episode ends with Luthor in control of the Metallos and of John Henry’s Steel armor. I’m willing to bet Luthor will solve their power core problem by using Kryptonite, truly living up to being a Metallo. Not sure if we’ll get Corben though. I also bet Lex will use Steel’s armor to make a Lexo suit. Just needs a coat of paint.
Livewire is back!
I’m a big Livewire fan so it was good to see her again. I’m still enjoying this show’s interpretation of her as well. I wish she had a bit more agency here. Working for this small time character as an enforcer is below her. I hope there is more in store for her.
Superman adaptations have a history of being additive to the mythology. From Kryptonite to Perry White to flight to Kryptonian crystals and Jor-El with the S. Livewire is a great example of that. I wonder what this show will end up adding rather than adapting. Maybe the League of Lois Lanes will be the show’s lasting legacy.
Other Cyborgs
It’s clever with the show’s focus on tech-based villains to introduce interprations of three of the big cyborg characters in DC. Hank Henshaw in episode one being Cyborg Superman, the main villain of this episode Metallo (despite this version not being a cyborg—yet), and finally Silas Stone father of Cyborg from the Teen Titans and Justice League. It’s mentioned his son is young so maybe we aren’t getting that character directly, but still a mention.
Balancing character development
One of the things that showrunner Jake Wyatt mentions in the aforementioned interview is they wanted to make sure character development for Lois, Clark, and Jimmy did not suffer in season two as they expand the world. I’m glad to report so far they have been successful.
Jimmy who last episode was giving advice to Luthor; gets some advice from Irons. He’s learning what it means to be a leader in his new role running the Flamebird division of the Daily Planet. Side note: I need Jimmy’s wallpaper and Flamebird sound for my phone ASAP.
Lois and Clark both have new secrets from each other that they both want to share, but life keeps getting in the way. Lois with her job offer from rival Vicky Vale and Clark with his search for cousin Kara Zor-El. Both have the power to hurt our heroes as secrets often do. Plus we have the General who will undoubtedly cause some relationship strife.
One thing that didn’t click with me though is Clark was hard on himself for not being able to defeat the Metallos himself and destroy the power core. It really didn’t feel like a failure to me. He worked with his team. Lois, Jimmy, and Flip with their flying newsroom, Irons with his hammer, and Clark with his new power. I did like Clark’s article at the end. Clark understands he needs to work with his Superman Family to do the most good. He wouldn’t have gotten this far without Lois and Jimmy.
New Powers!?
One of the many great things about My Adventures With Superman is how the act of helping people unlocks his powers
— Truth Justice and Hope (@aboutsuperman.bsky.social) Jun 2, 2024 at 8:49 AM
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I couldn’t say it better myself. This episode has another example of that.
In the 90s the writers no longer wanted Superman’s costume to be his Kryptonian blankets. They wanted to be able to have his cape get torn up, but the costume stay in good shape as bullets bounce off his chest. They came up with an explanation that he had an aura around him that would cover his costume, but not his cape. They expanded on that with Conner/Superboy and his tactile telekinesis powers, but it wasn’t really explored as a new power for Clark. MAWS expands on this a bit. It seems he can extend that field to protect others or as he shows in the end of the episode hold in an explosion.
Two Lanes Diverged
Looks like next week we’ll get some Lois and the general drama which I’m looking forward to. Tune in again for the next thrilling episode with Superman!