Smallville has withstood the test of time as an entertaining, nostalgic take on the Superman mythos. For 10 seasons, the audience watched the show evolve from an allegory about teenage youth and puberty to become a full-blown actor. During its original run, viewers eagerly anticipated seeing Clark Kent finally become Superman.
Naturally, when he finally became Superman in the final episode, fans who watched his journey for a decade wanted to see more. They invested so much time waiting as he was slowly built up and foreshadowed to become the Man of Steel, so it makes sense that they would want to see what the new journey looks like for Clark. This is where the digital comics of 2012-2013 come in handy. Smallville season 11 Depicts not only what the show would have looked like with an additional season, but with a focus on Clark’s first year as Superman.
10
We actually see Clarke in full costume
Smallville season 11 #1 (Chapter 1) by Bryan Q. Miller and Père Perez
One of the most disappointing moments in Smallville The story for fans is that they never got to see a full glimpse of Tom Welling in a full Superman costume before the series ended, thanks to the show’s ‘no flies, no tights’ rule. The closest the series ever comes is the final moments of the finale, but it’s only for a few seconds and only a quick glimpse of Clark unveiling his chest emblem.
Thankfully, from the start, the comic offers plenty of Clark in his Superman outfit. The first and last panels of the first issue show Clark’s full body in the suit, and he’s even flying. So if the end of Smallville Left fans want more, this is the closest that readers will get to seeing this universe’s Clark Kent draped from head to toe as Superman.
9
Introducing Hank Henshaw, the cyborg Superman
Smallville season 11 #3 (Chapter 3) by Bryan Q. Miller and Père Perez
Cyborg Superman is one of the most iconic villains in Superman’s rogues gallery, and Smallville Introduces his own version of the character through the comics. At a LexCorp press conference, Lex Luthor tells the public that because the world faces uncertainty and threats from above, there is a need for what he calls the Guardian Defense Platforms to protect the planet. The first person he launches on his mission is Hank Henshaw, whom Lex introduces at his press conference as “Our very own super man.”
The comics rely on the idea that the reader knows Hank Henshaw’s name and can meet his destined face, so each issue slowly builds sympathy for the NASA pilot, which leads to his explosion in space thanks to a radiation leak. Ultimately, the explosion is an intentional act on Lex’s part to frame SupermanBut it ruins Hank’s life, forcing his consciousness into a machine and driving him insane.
8
Superman meets (and fights) Batman
Smallville season 11 #13 (Chapter 13) by Bryan Q. Miller and Chris Cross
Despite references to the Dark Knight throughout the show, Clark never actually meets Batman in the show, and neither he nor his Bruce Wayne alter ego make an appearance on Smallville. This changes in the 13th issue of the comic series, dedicated almost entirely to a Gotham stakeout with Batman and his sidekick, Nightwing (more on her later). After discovering that a gang’s hardware connections link back to a man in Metropolis named Joe Chill—a name Batman is familiar with in almost every universe—Batman decides it’s time to go to Metropolis.
Related
of course, It wouldn’t be a Superman and Batman story without their personalities clashing long enough to force a fistfight.. But eventually, they find themselves on the same page and live up to their potential as the world’s finest.
7
Batman brings villains like Mr. Freeze and the Joker with him
Smallville season 11 #18 (Chapter 18) by Brian K. Miller and Jamal Igle
Batman and Superman first meet when the Dark Knight breaks into Stryker’s Island penitentiary looking for Bruno Manheim, who has information about Joe Chill. This immediately kicks off a fight between them, but they extend a bargaining olive branch by the time they actually confront Joe Chill. However, they are interrupted by Oswald Loomis and a familiar Batman villain in Mister Freeze. This is the first time that one of Batman’s villains enters the world of Smallville.
Superman’s own rogues have appeared in both the TV series and the comics, but this opens the door for other baddies outside of Clark’s usual villains to join the party. Freeze’s debut opens the door for additional characters to join the canon of the original series, including the Joker, who appeared in later comics.
6
Batman builds him a supersuit
Smallville season 11 #22 (Chapter 22) by Bryan Q. Miller and Kevin West
In “Chapter 19,” Loomis shoots Superman with kryptonite bullets, bringing Clark to the brink of death. Fast forward to “Chapter 21” and Clark wakes up with Lois Lane at his bedside, waiting for him to regain consciousness. Batman saves his life miraculously, bringing Supes back to his Leviathan ship hideout to nurse his wounds.
They make plans to confront Victor Fries and Loomis once again, but Bruce thinks a step ahead, taking into consideration both Clark’s injuries and his “allergy” (as he calls it) to Kryptonite. So, while Clark was unconscious and healing, Bruce is welding Superman his own anti-kryptonite supersuit. The suit proves extremely useful later when the world’s finest infiltrate Fries’ hideout and find Oswald donning a giant robot infused with kryptonite. Without the suit, Superman would be toast.
5
Wonder Woman is introduced
Smallville season 11 #56 by Bryan Q. Miller and Jorge Jimenez
The comics first showcase Diana of Themyscira’s origin stories as a child and how she met a young Steve Trevor, a boy who washed up on the shores of her island. For five years, she kept the boy’s presence on the all-female island a secret until Queen Hippolyta found them together and forced Steve to go back to America. Five years later, Diana takes steps to leave the island and, after a journey by boat, finds herself in New York City.
Related
She uses her new opportunities in the New World to become Wonder Woman. Her quick defeat of terrorists and monsters, as well as saving Senator Martha Kent’s life, eventually put her on Superman’s radar. As their alliance grew, Wonder Woman would become the last member of the Justice League.
4
John Stewart is introduced, becomes parallax
Smallville: Lantern By Bryan Q. Miller, Marcio Takara and Ig Guara
The Season 11 Comics would eventually spin off into these Smallville: Lantern digital miniseries, Allow the cannon to set its spin on the Green Lantern Corps. The series introduces John Stewart as reality’s main Green Lantern, but as such, he becomes possessed by parallax much like Hal Jordan was in the official DC Comics canon.
During this time, Clark is recruited into the Corps and gifted his own ring by Tomar-Re, which he uses to combat Detective Stewart. When Clark is able to finally remove Parallax from John’s body, a de-powered John does his best to help, using a wrecking ball in a junkyard to destroy half of his face. The rest of the Green Lanterns and Clark are later able to banish Parallax back to his dimension.
3
Tess is resurrected and becomes Watchtower
Officially digitized in Smallville season 11 #40 (Chapter 40) by Bryan Q. Miller and Jorge Jimenez
SmallvilleThe last season ends with Lex Luthor killing his rightful wife and sister, Tess Mercer. The 11th season of the comics begins six months after her death, which Lex publicly announced as a suicide. He suddenly starts having hallucinations of his sister, but soon learns that the hallucinations are more real than he is comfortable with. In death, Tess’ consciousness has merged into that of Lex himself.
Eventually, Clark and co. Learn about Tess’ whereabouts, take her from Lex’s headquarters, and be able to revive her in digital form by downloading her into their computer system as a hologram. She uses her new form and digital capabilities to take over Chloe’s role as Watchtower, overseeing the heroes’ adventures. Soon enough, her consciousness is able to be uploaded into physical form using a 3D printer, and she becomes the Red Tornado.
2
Barbara Gordon is Nightwing
Debuts as Nightwing in Smallville season 11 #13 (Chapter Thirteen), debuts as Barbara in Smallville season 11 #15 (Chapter 15) by Bryan Q. Miller and Chris Cross
The Nightwing name is most closely associated with Dick Grayson, and although the Dick of this universe appears later in the comic series, Barbara Gordon is recontextualized as not only Nightwing, but Batman’s first sidekick. When she and Batman debut together, they are a firmly established dynamic duo that have been working together for a while. She actually mentioned in Smallville season 11 #17 That Bruce might have suggested the name Batgirl to her when they first started working together, but she turned it down.
This iteration offers the best of both worlds, much like in the official DC canon. She is skilled in the combat department on the field, but there are also times when Batman orders her to watch his back from his hub as a natural oracle. However, the comic proves that even this version of Nightwing has a brighter future on the horizon…
1
Nightwing then becomes Blue Lantern
Smallville: Continuity #9 by Bryan Q. Miller, Ig Guara, Julio Ferreira, Agustin Padilla, Carrie Strachan and Saida Temofonte
In one of the more daring choices the comics make, Barbara Gordon’s Nightwing gets a major power upgrade when she becomes a Blue Lantern. When Earth is under attack from the Monitors, one of the heroes on duty protecting Earth – a Blue Lantern named Saint Walker – falls during the battle. Upon his death, his ring seeks a new owner and immediately determines Barb as worthy enough to wield its power. She then takes the opportunity to become a solo hero.
However, to ensure that Batman is not alone, Barbara finds the perfect replacement for her to send to Batman for training: her boyfriend, an acrobat who inherited a circus from his late parents named Dick Grayson. Smallville Comics have a lot of creative choices that expand upon the show’s story, but moments like this help expand and even rejuvenate classic characters in a new way.