Superman Adventures #1(2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Superman: The Animated Adventures ran on the WB from 1996-2000. It was a spin-off of the now classic Batman: The Animated Adventures. 

Featuring the voice talents of Tim Daly as Superman/Clark Kent, Dana Delaney as Lois Lane and Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor, the series was lauded for it's sleek futuristic design and cerebral script writing. Utilizing a majority of the production staff from Batman: TAS, names such as Paul Dini, Bruce Timm and Jean MacCurdy appeared regularly in the closing credits.

This cartoon version of the Man of Steel wasn't a god among men as he was originally designed by creators Siegel and Shuster. Instead, Superman: TAS structured their Last Son of Krypton with the same limitations as developed by John Byrne in the 1987 post-Crisis reboot of Superman. Though severely hampered with the restrictions put on the character, making for more dramatic storylines, Superman rose to every challenge he faced because there was one superpower to which the hero had no weakness against: Superman's unwavering moral code!

Unlike the pre-Crisis Superman, this version of the Man of Tomorrow still had access to his adopted parents, Ma and Pa Kent. Whenever faces with a crisis of conscience, Superman could always make a quick trip to Kansas and work out his problems as Clark Kent with words of wisdom and encouragement from the Kents. Unaware that Superman has a secret identity, Clark's morality was the one thing Lex Luthor's advanced technological schemes against Superman that he could never defeat!

Just as the animated series was debuting on television, DC Comics released a monthly all ages comic book. The first issue was written by Paul Dini with art by Rick Burchett and inks by Terry Austin. The opening story titled 'Men of Steel', sees Superman on scene in Metropolis for just a few weeks. Clark Kent is also still pretty wet behind the ears in his reporter job as the Daily Planet. Luthor sees Superman as a threat to his stranglehold as the de facto ruler of Metropolis as well as a potential alien invader, operating under the guide as a heroic savior. 

The corrupt business leader has been testing out Superman's powers and weaknesses through a series of tests designed as super villains randomly attacking Metropolis. After Superman's latest encounter with terrorist John Corben, inside a suit of 'stolen' LexCorp armor, Luthor has enough data to fully active a life-sized robotic replica of the Man of Steel!

The plot of this issue's story is a partial retelling of part three of the debut episode 'The Last Son of Krypton.' Corben's theft of the LexCorp rebo-suit and Luthor's determination to make a fool of Superman are almost verbatim scenes taken from show. Only Kent's attempts at love and the revelation that Brainiac survived the destruction of Krypton are not included in this premiere issue.

DC's Superman Adventures ran for 66 issues, outpacing the TV show by a dozen stories. A year after the cancellation of the series, Superman, Batman and others would return, this time as a team. Justice League and it's spin-off series Justice League Unlimited would run for 5 seasons; ultimately pitting the Superman led Justice League against the Injustice League, headed by Lex Luthor.

The wrap-around cover is by Bruce Timm.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #16 (Book from the Year You Graduated High School) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Batman and Harley Quinn

Ty Templeton and Rick Burchett were who you wanted to be in charge of writing and art duties when the newest issue of Batman Adventures dropped. Both talents return to the Batman: The Animated Series universe in this pair of stories starring the Dark Knight and Harley Quinn!

The Joker has belittled his girlfriend for the last time! Feeling completely ignored, Harley Quinn betrays the Clown Prince of Crime to Batman, only to find that The Joker is too pre-occupied with defeating the Caped Crusader! Thus, once 'rehabilitated' by the staff at Arkham Asylum once again, Harley plans on going on her way and she winds up with her supposed BFF Poison Ivy. Sadly, this time around, Harley's role is to become the villainess' lackey! 

Enough is enough for Harley Quinn and she decides to go straight and alone. But with Poison Ivy and The Joker seeking revenge for previous double-crossing, it will take the combine efforts of Batman and Nightwing to keep the Maid of Mischief on the path of righteousness. 

The two stories reprinted in this volume are both a prequel and sequel to 2017's direct-to-DVD animated feature Batman and Harley Quinn. If you've not seen the film, you're okay as the first half of this book is a prequel. But as quite a bit of the movie is referenced in the sequel half of this book, if you haven't seen the film, YOU WILL GET LOST!

Both tales were originally published as web comics on DCComics.com. The first act is 7 chapters long and the artwork is really good up until chapter 5. At that point, the cleanliness of the art drops and everything looks like the very rough computer generated stuff of 2000's Gotham Girls. I really wonder why Burchett's work suffered. Was it due to having to rush to meet deadlines?

A team of artists and writers tackle the production of the second story. Jeff Parker and Amanda Deibert pen an awesome tale that explains some of Harley Quinn's earliest meetings with Task Force X. The art is split among some great Batman talent including Sandy Jarrell and Dario Brizuela. 

Overall, this was an enjoyable read for fans of Harley Quinn and Batman: TAS. But it really helps to have watched the Batman and Harley Quinn movie in order to get the full effect.

Worth Consuming but not without it's flaws!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.