Welcome to the thirtieth edition of Adventure(s) Time, where we examine a beloved animated series and an issue of its tie-in comic with a similar theme. This week, following a suggestion from Gravity Falls Poland via Twitter, we look at the second season debut of Superman: The Animated Series, and a related two-parter from the Superman Adventures tie-in comic. Is it possible Kal-El isn't the Last Son of Krypton after all?

RELATED: Superman: The Animated Series – When Superman Became a Batman Cosplayer

Originally airing on September 8 and 9, 1997, "Blasts From the Past" features the animated debuts of Mala and Jax-Ur, two prisoners locked inside the Phantom Zone. Written by Robert Goodman and directed by Dan Riba, the two-part "Blasts From the Past" is the first time the series brings Kryptonians into the present day, having previously relegated the alien race to Superman's backstory. The issue of Superman interacting with Kryptonians was a thorny one during this era, as DC had decreed ever since his 1980s reboot that he should remain unique as the last living Kryptonian. Course correcting from the abundant use of Kryptonian characters during the Silver Age, the more modern DC was so adamant about Superman's status as a the lone Kryptonian, even Supergirl was abandoned as a character for years (before being reborn as some form of shapeshifting protoplasm.)


View Full Article On One Page, Or Leap To A Section:


"Blasts From the Past" opens with Superman's friend Professor Hamilton discovering a hidden compartment in the ship that carried baby Kal-El to Earth. Inside that compartment is the Phantom Zone projector, a Kryptonian invention that transports prisoners into the strange void. One prisoner, Mala, declares that she's served her sentence and deserves to be free. The man responsible for sentencing her was none other than Superman's father, Jor-El, leaving his son with the burden of fulfilling his late father's responsibilities.

Deciding that Mala does deserve freedom, Superman frees her and takes Mala on as something of a sidekick. While Superman initially seems to enjoy having a companion who's his physical equal (even teaching her how our yellow sun grants Kryptonians powers), he soon discovers she's too violent and power hungry for this world. His attempt at taming her authoritarian nature backfires, when he arranges for Lois Lane to interview Mala and present her story to the world. When Lois asks Superman if Mala is his girlfriend, he makes it clear that their relationship is purely platonic, and Malaa reacts...poorly.

Page 2: [valnet-url-page page=2 paginated=0 text='The%20Problem%20with%20Mala']



Mala's already been portrayed as cartoonishly aggressive by now, so her overreaction to Superman's rejection isn't exactly a betrayal of her character, but the scene still doesn't stand up to scrutiny. For one thing, is it truly outrageous that Mala viewed Superman as a potential mate? They're the last of their species, and the reality is, if the two don't become a couple, then they really are dooming their race to extinction. Also, shouldn't this be a question that at least occurs to Superman? Perhaps he could've viewed Mala as a potential romantic partner, until she revealed herself to be too intense? That might have worked as a decent character moment, but instead, Superman seems to be treating Mala as little more than a novelty up until this point.

Regardless, Superman's rejection spurs Mala into acting against him, stealing the Phantom Zone projector from Professor Hamilton (after trying to kill Lois), and using it to release her former commanding officer, Jax-Ur. Jax-Ur, having being sentenced to a life sentence for an attempted coup, leads Mala into an extended war against the Earth, declaring it their new world to conquer. (Unfortunately, the animation in Part II isn't as sharp as the opening chapter's, so the action sequences are often somewhat bland.) This plot essentially dominates the second chapter of the story, with one scene after the next of Kryptonians causing chaos and demanding the world's governments cede authority over to them.

Intentionally or not, the sequence evokes Superman II, a movie that's maintained some cultural awareness thanks largely to Terence Stamp's portrayal of General Zod. (It's very possible the majority of people referencing "Kneel before Zod!" today have never even seen the film.) This leads to a very obvious question -- why did the producers select the more obscure Jax-Ur (conceived as a scientist in the comics) over Zod? One theory is that, pre-Superman II, Jax-Ur was actually viewed as the main villain from Krypton's past, even handing out orders to Zod on occasion. Being fans of the comics, it seems the producers wanted to keep Jax-Ur's legacy alive, while also pulling a stunt occasionally used on the previous Batman series -- that is, the merging of separate characters from the comics into one. That means we have Jax-Ur revived as the Kryptonian threat, but with a personality and look that's much closer to General Zod.

Ultimately, Superman arranges a trap that has Lois and Professor Hamilton, two of the humans terrorized by the aliens earlier in the story, sending Mala and Jax-Ur back to the Phantom Zone. This certainly wasn't an accidental plot development, although you'd think there would've been more of a consistent theme running through the episodes about mere humans finding the courage to fight against impossible odds, or Superman recognizing just how much humanity means to him. And Superman himself seems to take his loneliness in stride throughout the story. His reaction to once again becoming the last remaining Kryptonian in the closing moments amounts to him doing little more than shrugging his shoulders.

Page 3: [valnet-url-page page=3 paginated=0 text='What%27s%20Less%20%27Cruel%20%26%20Unusual%27%20Than%20the%20Phantom%20Zone%3F']



While the producers of the cartoon rarely revisited the concept of the Kryptonian fugitives, the Superman Adventures comic did make an effort to revive the villains not long after their debut. And, in the process, accidentally stumbled across a genre trope deemed so silly, the DCAU producers never wanted to touch it.

Superman Adventures #7-8 is from the book's original creative team of writer Scott McCloud and penciler Rick Burchett. It begins with Jax-Ur and Mala (mostly Jax-Ur) delivering quite the supervillain rant, only to pull out in the second page to establish the two villains are now the size of large insects.

Superman reveals to Lois that, upon reflection, he's decided the Phantom Zone is the definition of "cruel and unusual" punishment, so he's arranged for Professor Hamilton to shrink the Kryptonians until they can face trial for their crimes in America. Predictably, things go wrong when Intergang stages a breakout of their top officers at Metropolis' prison, and in the process, ends up damaging Jax-Ur and Mala's cell. Exposed to yellow sun, the two tiny terrors put up a decent showing against Superman and legend of the Metropolis PD, Inspector Dan Turpin.

Because the device had to remain in close proximity to Jax-Ur and Mala in order to work, Jax-Ur now has easy access to a shrinking ray...and as we soon learn, an enlargement ray. Deeming Mala unworthy to reach his gigantic stature, Jax-Ur is content to restore her to her normal size, while shrinking Superman down to the height of a Happy Meal toy.

And, well, there's a lot of running around and a few gags involving Superman being small enough to fit inside Lois' drawer at work, but overwhelming, this all comes across as kind of goofy and likely not as charming as the creators had hoped it would be. When the producers were developing Superman's predecessor, Batman: The Animated Series, one of the earliest rules established for the show was a ban on the standard action cartoon clichés of the time. This included shrinking the hero down to the size of a chewed-up pencil, a plot device that afflicted all of the action heroes of the previous era. Masters of the Universe, the Ninja Turtles, Spider-Man, G. I. Joe...everyone got shrunk eventually.

But not Batman. And if the producers were exercising strict oversight of these tie-in comics, probably not Superman either. Admittedly, this is no sillier than any of the other Silver Age tropes that made their way into Superman Adventures, and often Superman: The Animated Series, and as a sly nod to the shrunken citizens of the Bottled City of Kandor it likely pleased some fans. But it's a gimmick that had already been overused years before this arc was published. And it's not as if there's a fantastic story justification for this. Ultimately, Superman tricks Jax-Ur into opening wide for the shrink ray, while Dan Turpin exhibits unbelievable bravery against the gigantic alien.

Yes, that's a loving caricature of Jack Kirby assaulting a two hundred-foot Kryptonian with a machine gun. Okay, the story does have its moments. But, in the end, the only take away is that Turpin is the true hero, fighting as a mere human against the alien menace...but since Jax-Ur's bigotry against humans isn't really an element in the plot, there isn't much of a reason to care.

Page 4: [valnet-url-page page=4 paginated=0 text='Easter%20Eggs%2C%20Trivia%20and%20More']



The Wrap-Up

Design-y

The animators have given the Phantom Zone a fantastic Kirby-inspired look.

Continuity Notes

"Blasts From the Past"'s opening chapter is the episode that famously has Lois Lane making a reference to Wonder Woman, years before the character made her public debut in the early Justice League episodes.

When Professor Hamilton visits Superman's secret sanctuary in the Arctic in "Blasts From the Past"'s second chapter, he christens it a "Fortress of Solitude" for the first time in this continuity. The alien zoo Superman maintains there has its origins in the two-parter "The Main Man."

Hey, I Know that Voice

The great Ron Perlman provides the voice of Jax-Ur, while Leslie Easterbrook (best known as Officer Debbie Callahan in the Police Academy movies) is Mala. Interestingly, actress Sarah Douglas will eventually take over the role. She played Ursa in the first two Superman movies, a character that clearly inspired Mala. Oddly enough, a male Kryptonian named Mala debuted back in 1950's Superman #65.

I Love the '90s

In the Superman Adventures story, Lois asks Professor Hamilton if he can use scientific knowledge to create an easy-to-program VCR.

Battle of the Alien Invasions

The shrunken Superman arc from Adventures is straightforward action, without the benefit of the animated series' voice acting and legendary musical score. So, by default "Blasts From the Past" is an easy pick for the most entertaining of the two. That said, the two-parter is far from perfect. More than any other episodes, Superman just seems robotic during this story. Even though the plot has numerous opportunities for Superman to undergo some crisis of conscience or to reflect on the nature of his existence, nearly every moment is just a set-up for a fight scene. Is Superman lonely, living a celibate life as the last known Kryptonian? Would he be opposed to one day pursuing a relationship with Mala, if only out of a responsibility to keep his race alive?

Does Superman feel guilty for showing Mala how to use her yellow-sun powers? Did he have any doubts before revealing Mala's criminal background to the public, knowing that it could create a panic? Addressing any of these questions could've made for a far more memorable story. And perhaps the producers had this in mind, but were circumvented by a network edict for more action, less soul-searching. Regardless of the reason, the audience is left with a mostly forgettable introduction of two characters who should've played a larger role in this canon.

Thanks to Gravity Falls Poland for the suggestion. If you have any episodes of an animated series you'd like to see paired with its tie-in comic, just leave a comment or contact me on Twitter.