Superman: The Animated Series

Episode 1 2 3

The Last Son of Krypton

 

The opening episode revolves around the planetary genocide of Krypton, thanks to ineffectual leadership and their overreliance on technology, AI to be specific.  Brainiac to be even more specific.  The changes made in this origin story are subtle to the outside observer but also brilliant.   Looking at the original Superman film which is the most influential version of the character in modern day, we get great creative differences in the animated series. 

 

The origin story of the film is a scientist named Jor’El sends his only son away on a spacecraft as the planet Krypton explodes.  Krypton is a crystal based technology, there’s a ton of slow moving Zod origin story jammed in there.  Marlon Brando plays Jor’El and talks a lot.  The animated series has a more traditionally looking advanced technology.  In the cartoon Jor’El is pleading with the council (much like the film) about Krypton’s pending destruction.  They refer to their super computer Brainiac who says it's nothing to worry about and Jor’El is laughed out of the room.  Jor’El discovers Brainiac is lying and actually saving himself instead of the people of Kypton because his programing has basically turned into Skynet.  

 

This is a major deviation from the comic and a brilliant one. Brainiac hasn’t received a film adaptation to-date, in the comic he’s a robot who shrinks cities for some strange reason.  Tying him to the destruction of Krypton sets him up as one of Superman’s biggest rogues.   The layers of meaning behind his character add so much weight to the story.  Krypton’s arrogance in their technology instead of cold hard facts, their unwillingness to entertain other possibilities, the bureaucracy of the council is their downfall.  Krypton the planet may have been destroyed but the civilization could have survived.  A very viable message in these modern times.  It could apply to climate change, AI, world leaders, any call of pending doom.  A solid message in 1996, a solid message in the 2020s.  

 

Ultimately the only person to escape the planet is Jor’El’s son.  He crash-lands on earth and is adopted by American farmer’s Jonathan and Martha Kent.  They raise him with good old Middle American values and he grows up to be Clark Kent reporter for the daily planet.  All of this is concrete Superman backstory that no creator should alter.  

 

While in Metropolis he dawns clothes similar to his Kryptonian heritage and starts helping people.  The giant S on his chest in conjunction with his powers causes people to name him Superman.  His heroic deeds bring him in conflict with his greatest villain Lex Luthor.  

 

This version of Lex Luthor more resembles his 1980s reimagining.  Instead of a mad scientist, he’s a corporate business mogul.  A true reflection of 1980s corporate greed which hasn’t diminished in 40 years.  He’s built the city of Metropolis through his business enterprises via cutthroat practices both legal and illegal.  Brilliantly voiced by Clancy Brown, this Lex Luthor is the pinnacle interpretation of the character.  

 

Luthor arranges the presentation of a super powered suit which gets stolen by John Corben, Superman stops him.  Corben would later go on to become Metallo.  The introduction episode of the series establishes three major villains and plays out like a feature film.  The character of Superman had so much hype around him, the premiere aired in a primetime Friday evening slot on 9/6/1996.  Follow-up episodes aired on Saturday morning, but the premiere was marketed as a major event.  Batman can never make that claim, Batman: the Animated Series was successful enough during its run and briefly aired in a primetime slot on Sundays in conjunction with its Saturday airings, but it was not its premier episode, also the BtAS ratings couldn’t garner a permanent stay in primetime.  

 

We meet Clark Kent/Superman, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Perry White, Ma and Pa Kent in this three-episode arc.  It is a great foundation for the future of the series.  The show even makes a callback to Batman when Martha Kent refers to him as “that freak in Gotham.”  It gave viewers hope of a crossover but only time would tell.  At this point we were getting new stories focused on DC’s biggest character.  The DCAU wouldn’t truly expand into what it became until after Superman’s first season. This introduction even tops Batman’s because the creators never truly gave Batman an origin episode.  They just jumped right into him being an established vigilante.  Perhaps Batman’s overall story telling is superior for that reason.  Not everything needs a ground-up story from episode one.  Superman required that though.  The animation isn’t as amazing as BtAS’ On Leather Wings but the first episode story is superior.

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com