Season 2 of Superman’s (Tim Daly) animated adventures comes to a close this week, with the two parter, Little Girl Lost, which introduces the DC Animated Universe to Kara (Nicholle Tom), better known as Supergirl.

The story aired as a whole on 2 May, 1998. The first part sees Superman rescuing the sole survivor of the Kryptonian colony known as Argo City. Backtracking his pod’s journey from Krypton, he discovers Argo City on the edge of the same system.

Bringing her back to Earth, she stays with Ma (Shelley Fabares) and Pa Kent (Mike Farrell), where she learns about her powers, how to control them, and wants to find a way to help out the planet like Clark. When she learns that Clark has a problem with the high tech, criminal organisation, Intergang, she sees an opportunity to help.

Intergang is being outfitted by help from Apokolips in the form of Granny Goodness (Ed Asner), and you know that is going to be a problem sometime very soon (probably in part II).

Kara pairs up with Jimmy Olsen (David Kaufman) to find a way into Intergang, which leads to a confrontation with Granny.

Let’s just get this out of the way, I’ve never been a fan of this outfit for Kara, the Mickey Mouse gloves, the halter top. No thanks. Still she’s a welcome addition to the show.

Part II features a bigger problem for Superman, when he is captured by Granny and her Furies and will be presented to Darkseid (Micheal Ironside), and Kara has to travel to Apokolips to save him.

I love that Supergirl has finally been introduced to the series, and I like that she’s enthusiastic and determined, if she makes a mistake or two along the way. She’s still learning her powers, and is younger than Clark, but it’s obvious that two super-powered Kryptonians are better than one.

I do like that Darkseid is now planning on destroying the Earth through a natural disaster, hiding his involvement in it so he appears to be upholding his treaty with New Genesis. He’s devious, evil, and nothing seems to be able to stop him.

Of course, he’s going to be stopped… again.

This was a great way to close out the second season.

Season three gets underway with the  episode, Where There’s Smoke, which aired on 19 September, 1998.

Superman is looking for a supervillain named Volcana (Peri Gilpin), but he may not be the only one doing so. It seems a secret organisation, run by the Director (William H. Macy) is hunting her down as well. His group, partly financed by the government, is working to acclimate special children, those with gifts that could benefit them.

Unfortunately the government are after Volcana, and are willing to exploit the connection to the Director to do it, even as Clark tracks him down for information.

Will Clark be able to save Volcana, and help her, will the Director be left alone to coach and help his charges?

This one is a fairly good episode, but feels a little week coming on the tailcoats of the close of season two.

As always, I love the voice talent that they get for these animated series. In addition to Macy, the cast is rounded out by Dennis Haysbert and Peter Gallagher.

We’re going to give the animated shows a bit of a break for awhile, when we enter the Twilight Zone next week…