Viewer Log: My Adventures With Superman ep 22

Conventions are always such a hassle. 

Last time on My Adventures With Superman, the spooky season got spookier. It’s Halloween at the Kent family farm. Since defeating Brainiac, everyone has seemingly got comfortable in their new normal. Jimmy and Kara are extremely close, although Jimmy is denying his feelings for her to himself because he’s positive that she’ll move on from him eventually. Lois meanwhile got hit with her quarterlife crisis as Clark started talking about getting a farm together in a good school district. Thankfully, they all get distracted when Lois’ dad shows up, to enjoy one of Martha’s pumpkin pies, and to tell Lois that someone broke into the Pentagon and stole files on Project: Caliban, a side project under Project: Cadmus. The crew go to investigate and find just an extremely empty set of warehouses, but after chasing a two-faced deer that Kara wanted to pet, they found the secret entrance to the underground lab. Inside they find a massive cloning operation and what looked to be an attempt at replicating the biosphere of Krypton. There’s a bunch of Kryptonian plants, a Kryptonian lizard tiger, and a bulky, Tarzan style Superman clone running around. They find the grave of one Dr. George Otto Binder, who had raised the clone, B-1Z, like a son and gave B-1Z an encouraging message about how he should live life. The crew then find out the lab had been under attack by a robot and B-1Z was just defending himself. Clark is able to destroy the robot, but is injured in the process and the lab starts to flood. B-1Z saves him and wonders off into the world. He gets some candy from a trick-or-treater, and sees Superman on the big screen, which seems to encourage him. Meanwhile, we learn that Lex was the one that sent the robot and had tried to get data from Caliban for his own project. Foiled by Superman, again, he decides to grab Hank Henshaw, who’d been on life support since his plane got shot down in Brainiac’s invasion, for his new project. Enough recapping. Let’s get to it, shall we?

 

We open on Clark and Kara saving the day across Metropolis. Kara takes the lead for most of it, stopping a distracted driver from hitting a kid, and Clark warns the kid to look both ways before crossing the street, the two Supers share a high five; Kara stops a jewel thief, the Supers share a high five, the thief tries to get in on it but Kara slaps his hand away; They stop a bank robbery, Kara heat visioning their blasters into pieces, and then Kara hi fiving herself when they run away. She’s fitting well into the Supergirl role.

 

We then shift to Super-Fest, a convention both celebrating fictional superheroes as well as the two real ones of Metropolis; Superman and Supergirl. Jimmy is setting up a booth at the event. Kara is excited to help Jimmy set up his booth and announces her desire to try to rebrand herself as Power Woman to the people of Metropolis… but we see the sheer number of Supergirl merch already out there, so odds of that seem slim. Kara asks what Clark is going to be doing. He says that he’s going to introduce Kara at a Supergirl panel, but then he’s going to enjoy the con as himself, Clark Kent. Jimmy asks for a box, which Kara gives him while giving him significant eye contact. Lois gives Jimmy a knowing look, which causes him to quickly explain what’s inside. Flamebird themed holographic video phones, so the two humans can call their super pals if something goes wrong. Lois asks if these are really necessary and Jimmy asks her when they have ever gone to a large event that wasn’t attacked by supervillains. Kara says she appreciates this token of his affection, and Jimmy tries to insist it’s a platonic gift. Causing Lois to yell at him for fumbling things with Kara because he’s being a wienie. She thinks he’s going to hurt her, while Jimmy insists that he won’t trap Kara in a relationship that they know won’t work. Which causes Lois to scream, “NOBODY KNOWS THAT!” at him. But Jimmy’s in full self-pity mode. He thinks that, because she was a caged bird for most of her life, she deserves to see the world and find what makes her happy. Lois asks, “And what if that’s you, Jimmy?” but he refuses to answer that. He says that everything will stay the same, no relationships will be complicated, and everything is perfect as it is. It’s like he wants the writers to screw him over. They head to Jimmy’s booth.  

 

The booth had already been set up by Team Flamebird: Steve and the News Kid Legion. Jimmy got a booth in order to sell a line of comics, Flamebird Presents: Superman’s Pal: Jimmy Olsen. This was in fact a series from the Silver age of comics that ran from 1954-74 and were a string of comedic adventures featuring Jimmy. The comics Jimmy shows covers of are all references to real issues, just with Jimmy and Superman’s positions flipped. So, Superman is bound up in chains while Jimmy burst through a wall to save him instead of vice versa. Clark says that Jimmy is taking a lot of… creative license with their adventures, but Jimmy insists that that is what sells. Jimmy says that he’s grown accustomed to a certain lifestyle and that these comics will help him recoup the losses he made to his net worth in season 2. Lois throws a bunch of the comics at him, demanding to know why she’s the villain in these comics, and why she’s drawn with jagged teeth. Jimmy insists that people love enemies to lovers’ stories, and that metrics show that Lois, girl frenemy of Superman will be a surefire hit. I disagree with his data, but I enjoy that Gabby and Patty of the News Kids help with his visual aids. Lois is annoyed that she even has to be at this convention to write a puff piece. Cat Grant then springs in, revealing that she insisted that Perry assign Lois to cover this event, believing that if there’s a story to be had at Super-Fest, Lois will find it. Cat then pirouettes into the crowd, cackling like a crazy person.

 

Lois does a visual sweep of the Fest and spots none other than Winslow Schott! … He’s the Toyman, he was an associate of her father’s that tried to turn him in to Taskforce X last season, if the name doesn’t ring a bell. Lois, obviously still furious at this guy that betrayed her dad, grabs her emotional support Superman and drags him after Slott. They pass by some cosplayers that look suspiciously like Starfire, Raven and Beast Boy from the Teen Titans, before Clark is briefly distracted by a miniature tractor. Lois says that the tractor looks great, but they don’t have time for this.

 

Lois explains to Clark who Schott is as he reaches his Toy booth. She seems most upset about how the explosive Schott used was a teddy bear. Clark tells Lois that she should have fun… stalking this guy, but he’s has to go introduce Kara. He warns his beloved to not do anything too extreme while he’s gone. As Clark leaves, we see B-1Z is at the event in his homemade Superman suit. A photographer, who looks suspiciously like a comic accurate Jimmy Olsen, and the Teen Titans cosplayers get a photo with him, which seems to excite the big lug.

 

Back at Jimmy’s booth, Kara is trying to find ways to help Jimmy while getting as physically close to him as she can without touching him. Given the suite of Kryptonian powers, I think she could get as within a hairs breadth of actually touching him. Jimmy keeps telling her its fine, so Kara suggests that she get them hotdogs. They’re interrupted by Cat, who has noticed that Kara spends a lot of time with Jimmy and wants to know what’s up. Jimmy asks Kara to get them two single hotdogs. When Kara zooms away, Jimmy insists to Cat that nothing is going on between him and Kara. Only for her to ruin that by super speeding over with hotdogs while also carrying the two main actors from Challengers of the Unknown, the X-Files parody that they dressed up as for Halloween. Kara is super excited to show them off, making it clear that there is something going on here. Kara puts the two actors down, who grab the hotdogs and run, before taking Jimmy’s hand and asking to speak to him candidly. She says that he might not have noticed, ha, but she has romantic interest in him and wants for him to be her mate, like Clark and Lois. This gives me flashbacks to the Orville, where Bortus, one of the alien crewmen of the ship, his husband asks to “Experience the Sexual Event.” Ha. Jimmy is touched that Kara just asked him that, but insists that she shouldn’t jump into a relationship with the first person (literally) that she ever met. He tells her that Clark, Kal-El, had a chance to experience the world before he and Lois got together, and that she hasn’t. He tells her that she needs to experience more of the world before making a big decision like this. They’re interrupted by the Supergirl panel being announced. Clark, in his Superman gear, flies over and grabs Kara for the event.

 

Meanwhile, a group of thieves drive up to Metropolis First National Bank. The normal crew want to go in quick and quiet, but his hired muscle disagrees. The muscle, a Russian woman with cybernetic whips, throws a fire hydrant through the doors of the bank and stabs a bunch of cars with her whips. She insists that if she wants to be the highest paid muscle in Metropolis, she has to prove that she can party with the Man of Steel.

 

At the Fest, Superman introduces Kara Zor-El, Supergirl of Metropolis, to the event. He then hears the alarm and super speeds away to handle it. Cat, who is MC this Q and A (why would you get her to do that?) asks the first question, asking Kara about her ‘sign.’ Kara doesn’t know what that means, answering the House of El sign is “Your letter S.” Cat asks the next question, what’s her secret to her skin. Kara answers, “I wash it.” Cat laughs at that response but Kara looks like she’s uncomfortable.

 

Superman flies into the bank and asks the robbers, “Didn’t we already do this today?” before he’s grabbed by a whip and whipped into the wall. The muscle introduces herself as the Whip as the rest of the crew run away. Clark says that he doesn’t want to hurt her, and she replies she wants him to try. Before powering up her whips and revealing that she’s got a Kryptonite boosted mode. She whips the weakened Superman around and into a wall. He’s shocked to see someone with that. Whip says that she always brings the best treats to the party… and that Kryptonite is super easy to get now after Brainiac and the Metallos spread them all over the place.

 

Back at the Fest, Lois monitors Schott. She sees him sell a bear to Libby, the little girl Superman saved in season 1, before getting in his face. Schott tries to pretend he doesn’t know who she is, but Lois loudly accuses him of trying to kill her, which makes him drop the act. He claims that she and Sam ruined his life and asks her to just leave him alone so he can share a love of toys with the other Fest goers. Lois stares daggers at him for thirty seconds before announcing, “NO!”

 

At the interview, Cat is, shockingly, dominating the conversation. She asks Kara to “face the elephant in the room,” (Kara asks if she can pet it), and Cat asks what about her is unique. Cat claims that Metropolis doesn’t really need TWO superheroes, so what is it about Kara that’s different from Superman. Kara is thrown off by this question, but looks into the crowd and suggests that a girl in that group looks like she has something to say. The girl, Jessica Cruz, explains that she thinks that Supergirl is ‘brave’ that she’s a warrior that fights for people and that she wishes that she was as brave as Supergirl. Kara thanks her for saying that, and decides that she should act Brave. She flies up and tells any eligible Earthling suitors to meet her at her booth once the interview is over. Cat, and Jimmy in the crowd, are shocked by this announcement.

 

Superman is thrown around by the Whip and asks her what her plan is. The Whip has a full action plan here, she’s going to beat Superman, increasing her reputation in the criminal underworld and become the highest paid muscle in town. Just like Superman. Clark tells her that he works pro-bono… and the Whip tells him that is incredibly sad. You shouldn’t do things for free when people can pay you. She catches his leg and slams him into the ground. Clark tells her that he’s not interested in career advice from her, and she says too bad, as she’s interested in him. Clark zooms around her, and discovers that she’s got a crystal battery back on her harness, like Livewire’s suit had in the second episode, and that it’s rapidly depleting.

 

Back with Kara, her booth has a line like 100 people deep. She’s getting gifts and meeting with all sorts of people that are interested in her. One of them is a big, beefy dude that looks exactly like Jimmy. He asks her to sign a photo for his boyfriend. Jimmy, glaring from across the room, just sees “Muscle Jimmy,” talking to Kara and is immediately jealous. He’s pulled from his jealous spiral by Lex, who is examining Jimmy’s comic and being judgy. Jimmy demands to know why he’s there, and Lex reveals that he’s at the Fest also looking for new opportunities. He gives Jimmy his card and tells him to come to LexCorp’s presentation, he’ll love what Lex has to offer. Jimmy immediately throws it out.

 

Lois, meanwhile, is digging throw Schott’s supplies, looking for any toys that might actually be weapons. That’s the Toyman’s whole thing. Schott insists that he’s reformed, but Lois refuse to believe that. She sees Libby holding her bear, the same style as the bomb thrown at her, and take it, saying it’s filled with explosive… fluff as she rips its head off. Libby stars crying as her mom calls Lois a monster. And Lois is horrified to realize that she IS Villain Lois!

 

Kara’s booth is getting a lot of traffic and gifts. She gets a song from a guy, a valentine card from a ten-year-old shooting his shot, and a mime presentation. Jimmy is flustered mostly by the mime, saying that he’s “Capturing her heart from his invisible prison!” Jimmy tries to focus, but Cat appears behind, and tries to interview him, asking if he regrets letting Kara get away. Jimmy says that Kara is Supergirl, and he’s… just Superman’s pal.

 

Sidenote, Cat and the rest of the Daily Planet crew know Clark is Superman, right? Just from Jimmy insisting that they’re best friends, and yet he’s also best friends with Clark. That’s gotta trip up people that know him.

 

Whip flings Clark into a wall, saying his low income is a turnoff. Clark insists that he won’t discuss his personal finances with a supervillain. Whip says that she’s going to finish him, tangling him in her whips and strangling him… but then her Kryptonite boost runs out. Without that, her whips are just hardened metal, can’t really even annoy Superman. He quickly catches her and ties her to a traffic light outside. She asks why he is leaving when the fun is just starting. Clark bids her good day and flies away. Whip blushes to herself as she announces, “I love him,” to Superman’s back. Good thing Lois is distracted or else her Hussy Sense might have gone off and she’d have to do something about this Whip.

 

Clark returns to Jimmy’s booth and sits beside him, seeming pretty out of it. Jimmy asks what’s up and Clark says that being Superman is harder than it used to be. Being hit on by criminals will do that to a fella. Lucky that Silver Banshee is seemingly not interested in him and Livewire and Heatwave are lesbians or he’d have had to deal with this sooner. Clark hears the commotion happening around Lois and goes to check on his… overly enthusiastic love. Clark, ever the peacemaker, give Libby a new bear, apologizes for his pocket reporter and offering to pay for the damages. He also asks to buy Schott’s miniature farm set. Lois begins to apologize… but then notices that Schott’s booth has rocket launchers, a machine gun, bullets, and several other weapons hidden amongst the toys. She decides to pick on Schott some more and accuse him of not being good enough to be up to something nefarious. This thoroughly pisses off Schott, who hits a button and screams “How’s this for a threat!?” his booth transforms into robot reminiscent of but legally distinct from a Gundam. Lois shrieks, “I knew it!” B-1Z sees and prepares to leap in to help. Clark takes off his glasses and mutters, “I can’t believe I do this for free,” when something else Super speeds in, slams Toyman’s robot through a wall and outside.

 

We’re introduced to Captain Hank Henshaw, the new Superman presented by LexCorp. Lex appears and takes a mic to introduce his creation. He explains that Hank was shot down during the Brainiac invasion last year, but his will and Lex’s brilliance, he’s back, stronger than ever. He claims that with Henshaw, the people of Metropolis don’t need to rely on the generosity of aliens. As he speaks, we see Henshaw slamming Toyman’s robot into the ground over and over again before cracking the pilot window. B-1Z looks on, terrified, before slipping away. Lex notices Lois and asks for a blurb for the Planet. Lois doesn’t pay attention to him and asks Hank, “Why? What is this about?” Hank claims that his is about taking back humanity’s future.

 

The crew walk home. Kara asks if Lex is upset and built this new Superman because of something she did or screwed up. Clark tells her of course not, that Lex was like this even before they’d met. Clark says that they just need to keep working and hopefully they can change Lex’s mind, as well as anyone else who is afraid of them. Lois wonders what could have happened to make Hank agree to be Lex’s personal Superman. Jimmy says whatever the reason, they can just use real Superman and Supergirl to stop him.

 

At LexCorp, Hank gets into his repair station. Lex is amazed that Wilsom Schott gave them such an opportunity to show off Hank’s new hardware. He says they’re one step closer to wining the hearts and minds of Metropolis, Hank adding, “And saving them from Superman.” As he does, the pod removes the outer plating of his jaw, revealing a metal one underneath.

 

Okay, did anyone reading this go into this not knowing that Hank Henshaw was Cyborg Superman? Was this reveal surprising or just ‘Oh, they revealed it, neat!”

 

Alright, so that’s two more subplots to add to the pile. So, in total we have: 1. Lois is feeling anxious about moving forward with her relationship with Clark. 2. Kara is trying to take Jimmy’s advice and see more of the world and potential suitors. And 3. Jimmy having a petty, jealous freakout about Kara taking his advice. Which is especially stupid when you consider that Kara was 100% going to go on a few first dates, maybe even a second date, with some other guys before super speeding over to Jimmy and asking if that is enough experience for her to be able to say they should be together. Like, bro, grow a spine! I suppose that the fourth subplot would be Clark feeling kind of exhausted from Superheroing… but that’s less of a subplot and more of a genre convention for him. If it’s a Superman series, Clark starts to feel a bit overwhelmed on occasion. His battle with the Whip was fun, just a simple fight to keep him busy while his friends have their social plots running. The idea that Kryptonite has spread across the city isn’t great for Clark, but hey, it lets the criminals have a leg up on him on occasion and that’s just good story telling. Lois’ s stalking Winslow Schott to prove that he’s still an unconventional arms dealer is classic Lois. If you look up Obsessive in the dictionary, her picture is right there. It’s kind of funny that she was so hung up on Schott’s titular toys that she didn’t notice his booth was outfitted with actual weapons. It’s a ‘can’t see the forest for the trees’ sort of thing. Her vindication scream as the giant robot powers up is also classic her. Doesn’t matter that Lois is in danger, what matters is that she is right. Jimmy and Kara’s subplot… well, it’s a bit irritating. On the one hand, I get when Jimmy is coming from with his fear about Kara. He is a normal guy whereas Kara is someone that walks on air, they don’t exactly click on that level. And, unlike Lois, who knows that Clark has had experiences with other people and thus is completely genuine and informed on his decision to be with her, Jimmy always has that worry that this is only happening because he’s literally the first guy Kara met. It’s the sort of doubt that would eat away at a man. So, his advice that Kara try seeing other people for a bit? Good! Getting immediately jealous because the cute, friendly, and sincere blonde with superpowers is immediately getting guys lining up to meet her? Dude, what did you THINK was going to happen! For Kara’s end, I like that she is trying to do what Jimmy told her to do. It is better to get an idea of what your interests are and of other people before you rush into a long-time commitment. Mom, if you’re reading this, this isn’t an attack on you, just an acknowledgement that whirlwind romances don’t always work out as well as yours did. And Hank’s reveal was good. He comes in, shows off his costume and powers, makes it clear that he’s the Temu Superman, and everyone looks on in a mix of shock and horror at seeing him beat an old man’s giant robot. This whole reveal actually characterizes the difference between Clark and Hank exactly. Clark, had he gotten the chance to suit up and face Schott, would have tried to talk him down. Clark always tries to communicate with his villains and get them to surrender whenever he can. Hank dives right in and starts wailing on Winslow until the robot is broken. It’s brutal, efficient, and just not very Superman, other than how he uses his powers. So… ya, Subplots are set up and now we get to see what comes next. Oh, and it was good seeing more Bizarro. See you later. Have a goodnight and stay safe. 

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Bluesky: @basicssuperhero.bsky.social