85 years ago, Action Comics #1 was published, with the cover showing a man dressed in blue tights and a red cape lifting a car over his head and smashing it into a boulder. This issue introduced the world to Superman, and nearly a century later, he remains one of pop culture’s most famous superheroes, if not sits comfortably at the top of the list. And while still have a ways to go until 2023 is finished, looking over what’s happened this year so far, this has been an outstanding year for the fans of the Man of Steel.
From stellar Superman projects being shown on screens and within comic book pages, to news concerning what lays on the horizon for the Kryptonian superhero, there’s been a lot to enjoy from this corner of DC Comics media. So let’s go over why this year has been such a treat for Superman, starting with the latest opportunity for him to shine in a TV setting.
My Adventures With Superman Is Excellent
First announced in 2021, My Adventures with Superman finally debuted on Adult Swim this summer and has been met with critical acclaim. Featuring the vocal talents of Jack Quaid as Clark Kent, Alice Lee as Lois Lane and Ishmel Said as Jimmy Olsen, this is the first animated TV show to focus on Superman since Superman: The Animated Series, but it reimagines the character’s mythos through an anime-inspired lens that reimagines various villains in interesting ways, including Deathstroke, Livewire, Parasite and Mister Mxyzptlk. But don’t let its placement on the Adult Swim programming block fool you, My Adventures with Superman can be appreciated by fans of all ages. The show is already guaranteed two seasons, but assuming it maintains the current quality level, I’m crossing my fingers it’ll air for a lot longer.
Superman And Lois Season 3 Continued The Show’s Stellar Run
Another current Superman TV show airing on traditional TV and available to stream with a Max subscription is Superman & Lois, with Season 3 airing from March to June. In addition to spotlighting top-notch villains like Chad L. Coleman’s Bruno Mannheim, Dana Vaisya’s Onomatopoeia and Michael Cudlitz’s Lex Luthor (who debuted ahead of the season finale), Season 3 also delivered numerous compelling personal arcs, most notably Bits Tulloch’s Lois dealing with breast cancer. The Superman & Lois Season 3 finale’s cliffhanger seemingly set up one of Superman’s most popular storylines to be adapted in Season 4, so let’s hope the next round of episodes will be just as enjoyable to watch, if not more so, despite all the casting and budget shakeups.
The Flash Paid Tribute To Past Superman Actors
Although there weren’t any versions of Superman who played big roles in The Flash, the Man of Steel nonetheless got some attention in the Scarlet Speedster’s solo movie. In addition to Henry Cavill’s Superman briefly appearing thanks to CGI recreating the actor’s likeness, the big Speed Force sequence notably featured the George Reeves and Christopher Reeves versions of the character, with the latter being accompanied by Helen Slater’s Superman. This sequence also gave us our first taste of Nicolas Cage’s live-action Superman, who was supposed to lead the scrapped Tim Burton-helmed movie Superman Lives in the late ‘90s. I won’t lie and say that the CGI, AI and deepfaking used to make those cameos happen looked good, because frankly, there was a lot of room for improvement. However, on a nostalgic level, it was cool to see these bygone Superman eras, and in one case an era that never happened, be honored.
There’s Been A Lot Of Superman: Legacy News
Going into 2023, we knew that another Superman reboot was on the way, but now we have a much better idea of what to expect from it. Titled Superman: Legacy, this reboot will be the first movie in the new DC Universe continuity, with DC Studios co-head writing and directing. David Corenswet has been cast to play the new Superman, and along with Rachel Brosnahan being perfectly cast as Lois Lane, Legacy will include superheroes like Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Mr. Terrific and Metamorpho. Obviously it’ll be a while until the first Legacy footage arrives, but it’s still nice to have a better idea about what to expect from this movie. Who knows what other big news we’ll get about it before the year is over?
It’s Man Of Steel’s 10th Anniversary
Unfortunately for Henry Cavill fans, his tenure as Superman did not continue after Black Adam as was originally expected to happen. Still, it is fitting that this year also happens to mark a decade since Man of Steel was released. Arriving seven years after Superman Returns, this take on the Superman mythos went a darker route with exploring Clark Kent discovering his origins and embracing being a force for the greater good. Aspects of Man of Steel remain polarizing, including Clark being forced to snap General Zod’s neck, but without it, the DCEU never would have launched and we never would have gotten to see Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and their superhero cohorts active within the same cinematic continuity.
DC’s Current Superman Comics Are Great Reads
So far everything we’ve talked about has concerned Superman on screen, but let’s not forget that he’s a comic book character first and foremost. The good news is if you’re looking to get in on Superman comics, the various series under the “Dawn of DC” publication line are definitely worth checking out. This includes writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson continued run on Action Comics, this time paired with artist Rafa Sandoval, as well as writer Joshua Williamson and artist Jamal Campbell tackling the main Superman title. If you’re willing to follow along with other characters in Superman’s life, there’s also the limited series Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent, Superboy: The Man of Tomorrow and Steelworks. Longtime readers and newcomers alike will be entertained by these books, with the latter group not needing to worry about being bogged down by too much continuity and deep-cut references.
We’re still a ways off from concluding 2023, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more Superman-related news. If you’re interested in all things DC, then our upcoming DC movies and upcoming DC TV shows guides have you easily covered.
