'My Adventures with Superman', a newly discovered comfort watch

Started casually watching 'My Adventures with Superman' as a palate cleanser and ended up bingeing the rest of the show because it is such a comfort watch. It's so sincere, funny, optimistic, and full of heart, and just peak Superman. With some more serious turns in the story as well, keeping things interesting.

 

One of the deviations from the classic comics that more modern stories have taken is having Lois actually be attracted to the kind, dorky, and awkward Clark right away when she first meets him, instead of her fascination being primarily focused on Superman. That's something I'm a big fan of and it's really well executed here. Their romance is really sweet and believable, and the whole dynamic and humour between Clark, Lois, and Jimmy as friends and young interns on the Daily Planet works excellently too.

 

Originally posted on Mastodon

X-Men '97 more than stuck the landing

Enjoyed the hell out of the first 2 episodes of X-Men '97. Both a love letter and a proper continuation of the 90s show, made by people who obviously love the original cartoon, but also the X-Men characters and storylines. The intro theme is back, the characters are back, most of the original cast is back, the campy dialogue and storytelling format are back too. At the same time both the animation and the way themes of prejudice are presented have been updated in a way that feels more relatable to modern audiences.


It's clear that a lot of effort and heart were put into this, and despite hitting some heavily nostalgic notes, it definitely doesn't piggyback on nostalgia alone. Bringing back old, beloved shows and franchises is always risky, and it's not going to meet everyone's expectations, but if it has to happen then the best way to go about it is with care for the original material and understanding of what made it special to those who love it.

Originally posted on Mastodon

Nine years without Sir Terry Pratchett

I've shared this image from the canceled 'Mort' Disney film by artist Tealin before, and it kinda feels right sharing it again today. The tenderness of this scene just captures the essence of the character of Death in the Discworld novels so perfectly. More on the project here.

Death is definitely one my favourite characters from the books, certainly the most fascinating and complex one. There's a lot to be said about the ingenuity and talent it takes to make the literal embodiment of the Grim Reaper feel so multifaceted, with actual humanity and empathy. A character with a lingering sense of loneliness, because he is not like everyone else, and he doesn't belong with other people but he still cares about them regardless. Who forms a special bond with cats because he longs for companionship, and who grabs the chance to bend the rules when he gets it and gives the little match girl a second chance instead of letting her die alone in the cold on the night of Hogswatch.

 

Originally posted on Mastodon.