As soon as the first images of the series were revealed, it was clear that My Adventures with Superman was going to change a lot about the Man of Steel. Given the new Superman’s anime-inspired aesthetic, fans clearly weren’t in for a retread of the character’s past incarnations. This can be clearly seen in the chief villain of its first two episodes: Leslie Willis.
Unlike most of Superman’s foes, Leslie Willis aka Livewire didn’t debut in the comic books. Instead, her first appearance was in Superman: The Animated Series, with the villain later being put into the comics. My Adventures with Superman features her as the first major villain that Superman fights, though she’s quite different from past interpretations. Here’s a look back at where the electrifying villain first appeared, and how she’s handled in the new cartoon.
Superman’s Most Shocking Foe Debuted in Superman: The Animated Series
Leslie Willis fittingly debuted in the eponymous “Livewire” episode of Superman: The Animated Series. The fifth episode of the show’s second season, “Livewire” introduced a villain who would go on to vex Superman far after the cartoon had ended. In the series, Leslie Willis is a shock jockey with a radio show that was known around Metropolis for attacking and making fun of Superman. To this end, she disregarded the police’s safety concerns for a live concert during a storm, instead taking the opportunity to lambast the Man of Steel some more.
Unfortunately, a stray bolt of lightning bounced of Superman’s chest and struck Willis, who thereafter became a metahuman with electric powers. Now powerful enough to put a shock to even Superman’s system, the newly christened “Livewire” became one of Metropolis’ biggest villains. Livewire officially debuted in the comic books in Superman Adventures #5 (by Scott McCloud, Bret Blevins, Terry Austin, Marie Severin and Lois Buhalis), with this comic being a tie-in to the animated series. She wouldn’t become part of the mainstream DC comic book universe until Action Comics #835, with her debut handled by Gail Simone and artist/writer John Byrne. The latter previously rebooted Superman through his 1986 Man of Steel origin story.
In the mainstream comics, Livewire was mostly portrayed similarly to the cartoon, albeit with her metahuman electric abilities being innate. She would also be a major rival for fellow radio host Billy Batson, who was secretly the World’s Mightiest Mortal, Captain Marvel. Before the DC Universe was rebooted via the Flashpoint storyline, she actually had a change of heart and became something of an ally to Superman. The New 52 would switch up her origins a bit by updating her as a vlogger, with this somewhat more flighty persona being used in her most recent comic book appearances.
How My Adventures with Superman Reinterprets Livewire
In My Adventures with Superman, Livewire’s backstory is far removed from her usual portrayals. Instead of a shock jockey or similar media personality, she’s part of a group of hi-tech thieves looking to steal major technological hauls, including a fleet of giant robots. Superman’s debut stops this planned heist, causing Livewire to swear vengeance against him. She does so face-to-face, wearing a suit that’s empowered by a mysterious alien crystal. This allows her to emit electrical energy through the suit, which almost takes the nascent Man of Steel down until he removes said crystal. She’s thereafter taken in by the authorities, who are none other than Amanda Waller and Slade Wilson.
Beyond the electric powers, the main thing connecting this Livewire with past incarnations is her disdain for Superman and a rather unique hairstyle/hair color. She definitely feels a lot more fitting as a Superman villain this time, however, as seen in My Adventures with Superman, Clark Kent is just now learning the ropes. The upgrade from radio hack to a veritable terrorist is interesting, however, as it immediately puts her on the government’s radar. For as much as the new show offers a more down to Earth version of its title hero, it’s definitely given one of his “weaker” foes a huge upgrade. Given her defeat, however, it remains to be seen if Livewire will ever zap again in My Adventures with Superman.
My Adventures with Superman is available now to stream.