While I never watched Smallville, they spent ten years documenting the early years of Clark Kent, including a few surprise guest stars. Welcome to Ten Things: Ten Heroes You Probably Forgot Were On Smallville!
Whooshman-Bicarbonate Films, in conjunction with An Amateur Comics Historian and somebody to SAAAAAAVE MEEEEEEEEEEE, Presents:
TEN THINGS: HEROES YOU PROBABLY FORGOT WERE ON SMALLVILLE!
10) CYBORG
Rather than the giant explosion of the comics, this Victor Stone was injured in a car accident, after which he was used as an unwilling test subject for a less-than-ethical company called SynTechnics. I sometimes joke about how super-powers on Earth-Smallville means that you get a hoodie, and this is the reason why. Rather than the extensive plating and clearly mechanical limbs of his comics counterpart, this Vic could actually pass for human (in fact, in his first appearance, he wasn’t identified as a cyborg until he was hospitalized) other than shiny shoes and a hoodie. Unlike most of the Smallville cast, Cyborg doesn’t appear in the comic book continuation, which might be due to the untimely death of his actor, Lee Thompson Young.
9) RICK FLAG
The leader of the Suicide Squad, Rick and his team (Deadshot, Icicle, Plastique and Warp) showed up just in time to kidnap Oliver Queen to find out more information about his new Justice League. He clashed with Green Oliver over a proposed vigilante registration law, nearly killing General Sam Lane (and his daughter Lois) while trying to keep the law from being passed, because nothing says you don’t need a vigilante law like vigilantes assassinating decorated veterans.
8) HAWKMAN
Someday, someone will create a live-action take on Carter Hall that captures the majesty of a former pharaoh being reincarnated through the years to search for his true love and fight for justice with a giant mace and not look like he had a face-first collision with a goonie bird that fused to his skull.
Tragically, this is not that take.
7) BLACK CANARY
Born to a long line of police officers, Dinah Lance is a superhero legacy whose mother was a member of the legendary Justice Society. She was even trained in fighting by Wildcat, similar to her comic inspiration. Unlike in the comics, though, she’s a reporter for the Daily Planet and a staunch conservative who clashes with Lois Lane over social issues. She did flirt with Green Arrow, though, and her martial arts mastery was up to snuff for the character, though her costume only had fishnets in common with the comic version.
6) BLUE BEETLE
Despite being a prime example of what my daughter calls a “chunky boi”, this version of Jamie Reyes is relatively close to his comics incarnation. After being saved from a car accident by Booster gold, Jaime became bonded to a strange alien scarab that wasn’t entirely under his control. Appearing in the final season of the show, the comics continuation showed Blue Beetle joining a group of young heroes calling themselves The Titans, under the tutelage of JSA member Jay Garrick.
I heartily approve.
5) DOCTOR FATE
I’m not saying that’s a hidden leather hoodie under his cape, but… I’m not NOT saying it, either. Possessed decades ago by the Helmet of Nabu, Kent Nelson’s mystic life took a hard toll on his mental state. Forced to return to action to fight once more, Doctor Fate foresaw a bright future for Clark Kent and the JLA before being murdered by The Icicle.
4) MERA
Remarkably, that’s NOT Alyson Hannigan. In her sole appearance, Mera accompanied Arthur “Aquaman” Curry after having helped him track down the truth of his Atlantean origins and falling in love, helping to close out A.C’s character arc. She shares his activism, even helping him to attack “surface world” installations, and her hard water powers gave Clark/The Blur a rough time.
3) STARGIRL
Another legacy member of the Justice Society, Courtney Whitmore carries the mantle of the Star-Spangled Kid, albeit with a few extra powers attributed to her Cosmic Staff. Starting out with the JSA, she eventually joined Oliver Queen’s Justice League in the final seasons of ‘Smallville’, ending up with the Suicide Squad in the Season 11 sequel comics. Aside from her very pleather mask, she’s pretty much unchanged from the comics.
2) THE MARTIAN MANHUNTER
The last of the green Martians, J’onn J’onzz works as a homicide detective in Metropolis. Having once met Jor-El, J’onn has watched over Kal-El/Clark since he arrived on Earth, even sacrificing his own super-powers to save Clark by flying him into the sun. His powers were eventually returned by Doctor Fate, allowing him to join the Justice League and become the hero we know from the comics.
Since he’s an adult, he has a big 70s leather jacket rather than a hoodie.
1) ZATANNA
Oh how I love this woman’s eyebrows. A stage magician with real magical powers, Zatanna Zatara had limited use of those abilities until she successfully found her late father’s spellbook. She joined the Justice League during the last seasons of the show and is also an agent of the DEO in the Season 11 comics. Sadly, she doesn’t always wear her cool tuxedo costume onscreen, which seems like a missed opportunity.
This week’s topic is all me, but feel free to follow along on Twitter and suggest your own Ten Things list @MightyKingCobra! You can also check out the full Twitter archive here! As with any set of like items, these aren’t meant to be hard and fast or absolutely complete, but this one might actually be, as the show has been off the air for the better part of a decade. Either way, the comments section is below for just such an emergency, but, as always: Please, no wagering!
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