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The History of Smallville
Lana Lang  Lex Luthor  Baby  Kal-El
The Story of Superboy

Smallville Sign

Superboy Welcome to Smallville sign

The story of Smallville is really tied to the debut of Superboy in MORE FUN COMICS #101 1945. The decision was made to have Clark take on his secret identity as a teenager to create even more sales for Superman. At the time most new super heroes were not selling like the established guys like Superman. Superboy soon got his own book with Superboy #1. These issues showed the quiet small town of Superman's youth, and thus began the legend of Smallville and Superman's path to adulthood as the defender of truth, justice, and the American way. The name Smallville is first mentioned in 1949 in Superboy #2.

click for larger wallpaper image Superboy's parents progression

In 1968 the Kents regain their youth thanks to the world Thraxx in Superboy #145. Before then they were always seen as elderly. Here's what happened in the comic book. A proposed television show on a another dimensional world called Thraxx calls for Superboy's parents to be more youthful. The producer Jolax arranges for the Kents to drink a youth potion that brings them into their thirties. Unfortunately, for Jolax he learns his sponsors want a Superman show.

Still the movie Kents in 1978 appeared older, and the Kents from the Lois and Clark tv series were older but were still younger than previous Kents. It wasn't until the WB's Smallville that the Kent's looked much younger. Of course, Jonathan from Smallville could look like the Jonathan Kent from Lois and Clark in another 10 yrs or so, but probably not if John Schneider is still playing him.

The friendship between Lex Luthor and Superboy was only in the early days of comics, as Lex Luthor blames Superboy for his hair loss and becomes his sworn enemy. Lex and Clark had even went to the same school, according to Superman # 292.  For more on the origin of Lex Luthor.

In the early comic book days of Superboy, Clark wore the familiar Superman suit and fought crime while living at home with Ma and Pa Kent. In Superboy #78 the Kents move from the farm and buy a store in Smallville. The current Kents still live on the farm. Clark in the old days wore the glasses even as a youth as part of his disguise and performed the mild mannered act for the citizens of Smallville. In the 1986 revamp done by John Byrne (Man of Steel #1), he is shown as a football star. This is probably where the idea for the Smallville tv episodes of Clark's  short football career were taken from.  Here, Jonathan tells Clark of his alien origin after he is at least 18, but still in High School. Clark had already known he was stronger and had started flying the summer before to his amazement.

The Smallville series has cleverly woven elements from both the Superboy Earth One days, and in a larger portion the John Byrne retelling of the Superman story. Other elements of recent years have been added to the mix as well, like the visions Lex has of the White House. Super writer Jeph Loeb even works on Smallville as a producer.

The series has added it's own elements as well. For instance Superboy's best friend was Pete Ross, and he did find out Clark's secret. Pete was changed from white to African American. The comic book Pete was in love with Lana and didn't leave Smallville until after High School. Whereas the tv Pete has left the show at least for now.  In current DC history Pete actually became Vice-President in 2001, when Lex Luthor won the election for President of the United States.

Another change is Metropolis is usually thought of as being quite a distance away from Smallville, but on the show it appears to be only a couple of hours away. Although Kristin Kreuk looks a lot better than the comic book version, Lana is more of a redhead in the comics. Lois Lane has shown up on Smallville, and originally Clark doesn't meet her until he goes to live in Metropolis.

As always tv and movies tend to bring their own unique elements of story to the Superman myth, and in time parts of those stories may work themselves into the comics as well. Just check out the picture below from Superman/Batman #16 and tell me it doesn't remind you of John Schneider and Annette O'Toole as Ma and Pa Kent.

click for larger image
Jonathan and Martha Kent

Related Article Superman VS Superboy - how does Superman meet Superboy in Smallville after the 80's restart when Superboy no longer exists.