Smallville 200: Season 10 Comic Book Connections Part 2 by Billy Patterson 

One of the highlights of watching Smallville is being able to see comic book characters come to life week in and week out.  The problem is for a lot of fans it’s tough to know if a certain character has its roots firmly planted within the comics or if they’re simply created for the television show.  This season promises more comic book character debuts than any other, and we’re here to help guide you a long the way.  Here’s part two of our Comic Book-to-Smallville Connections just in time for Smallville‘s 200th episode.

WARNING:  Although all of the following characters have either been announced by the CW, by the cast/creators at Comic Con, or have already appeared on the show, you should note that there may be small spoilers by reading this list.  I promise, nothing earth shattering.

General Sam Lane 

Lois Lane is one tough cookie, and judging by her dad it’s easy to see where she gets it.  He’s a tough as nails kind of dude who makes it well known that he had hoped to have a son but instead got Lois.  After Lex became president General Lane went to work for him helping him with his projects that ultimately spelled trouble for not only our world, but the entire universe.

Homework – Pick up “Superman: New Krypton Volume I” which tells the story of Project 7734, a secret government facility headed up by General Lane set up to defend earth against aliens, including any Kryptonians (sounds a lot like Lex’s 33.1 bases in Smallville doesn’t it).

Elinore (Ella) Lane

If the General is where Lois’ stubbornness and aggressiveness comes from, then she must have got her sweet and vulnerable side from her mother, Elinore Lane.  While in some older continuities she lives with her husband in a rural area of Iowa, the most common and accepted continuity is the one in which she died when Lois was very, very young.  Neither Lois, her sister Lucy, nor the General talk much about her, but in this season of Smallville we will be able to see a home movie of her played by none other than former Lois herself, Teri Hatcher.

Homework – Seeing as though she’s the dead mother of Lois, she isn’t necessarily the most exciting character to feature in a comic book and subsequently you’re not going to find a lot about her out there.  However, check out an old issue of “Superman’s Girlfriend Lois Lane” where Superman meets Lois’ parents (in this continuity, Lois’ mother was still alive) and almost ends up having to marry Lois right then and there!  Oh man…1959 was a VERY different time for comics…

Blue Beetle

Blue Beetle is pretty much the culmination every fantasy every little boy has of being a superhero when they’re a kid.  Jamie Reyes is just a normal high school kid living in Texas when he finds a blue beetle scarab.  The scarab magically latches itself into his spine and transforms him into the superhero known as Blue Beetle.  He’s good friends with Booster Gold and even gets some mentoring from Batman and Green Arrow.  Blue Beetle is supposed to make an appearance in a later episode of Smallville this season.  I can see this turning out much like Bart/Kid Flash in the earlier seasons with Clark and possibly Oliver mentoring him into becoming a great hero.

Homework – Check out “The Blue Beetle Book One: Shellshocked” to see the origins of Jamie Reyes and The Blue Beetle during the Infinite Crisis storyline.  Also, youtube “Blue Beetle first look” to see an official, completed CGI test of a live action Blue Beetle project.  Could this be a potential Smallville spin off?

Booster Gold

He’s a pinch of Han Solo, a dash of Marty McFly from Back to the Future part II, and a whole lot of ass kicking goodness.  Michael Carter was just a guy from the 25^th century who only heard about the heroes of old.  But after time traveling back to the 20^th century he used his gift of foresight (or at least his great memory of the past and things yet to come) and was able to set himself up as a mega superstar (how many heroes have their own agents?!).  Fun fact: his original name he picked for himself was Goldstar, but he was so nervous the first time he went on TV he botched it and ended up being called Booster Gold by then President Reagan.  He’s very good friends with Blue Beetle, so expect them to stick together when they show up this season on Smallville.

Homework – Check out “Boost Gold: Blue and Gold”.  It features not only a story about Booster time traveling to save his friend the Blue Beetle, but also features the origin of Booster Gold.  Double bang for your buck folks.

Isis

Isis is a tough one because there are many different versions of her.  Arguably the best known version is the one that includes high school science teacher Andrea Thomas transforming into Isis due to an Egyptian amulet.  In an odd twist, Isis was first a TV show before she was ever brought into DC comics continuity.  Another character that showed up on TV before being brought into the comics?  None other than Smallville’s Chloe Sullivan (played by Allison Mack) who just recently debuted in the pages of Superman.

Homework – Youtube search “The Secrets of Isis” which was a Saturday morning show starring Joanna Cameron as Andrea Thomas and the hero Isis, gaining her powers from the Egyptian Goddess.  My guess is since Erica Durance is playing Isis in an episode this season and she just came from Egypt that something similar will be happening with her.

Deathstroke The Terminator

This dude is bad news all around.  After being trained as a deadly, genetically engineerd assassin, he decided to take the domestic route and become a father.  However, after falling back into his old ways and having a spat with his wife (who shot him in the eye no less), he took on the mantle of Deathstroke The Terminator, including a mask that accentuated the loss of his eye.  He’s been known to tangle with the Teen Titans and it just so happens his son took up the family business of being an evil bad ass as The Ravager.  How Deathstroke will incorporate into the Smallville universe has yet to be seen, but he will appear in at least two episodes so you know that when Deathstroke comes to town, he ain’t messin’ around.

Homework – Check out the trade paperback “Deathstroke The Terminator: Full Cycle”.  Deathstroke believes his son to be dead but when someone shows up claiming to be the Ravager (his son), Deathstroke has to get to the bottom of it, and he leaves a trail of bodies in his parth.  Also, check out the Teen Titans animated series to see Death Stroke take on a young Robin.

Smallville‘s 200th episode (“Homecoming”) airs tomorrow night on The CW @ 8/7C.

Eric Goldman talks to Tom Welling about the 200th episode @ IGN.

Great DC Comics Resource here.