Smallville Allusions to Superman Comic Books and Films

The TV series Smallville has been successful for years, depicting the early years of Superman as he grew up on the Kent Farm in Kansas and how he developed into the superhero we all know as an adult. But exactly how true is the TV series to the canon established in the comic books and how much is nothing more than hyperbole created to help boost the ratings? Read on for some Smallville allusions to Superman comic books/films, and decide for yourself!

While season 1 of Smallville set up the premise of the Kents finding a baby and raising it as their own flesh and blood there were some also Smallville allusions to Superman comic books in episode 6, where a psychic has a vision about Lex Luthor as president - a premise that has been explored in comic book form for years. And, of course, the entrance of Lois Lane and other familiar characters from the comic books helped the series make plenty of connections for fans.

One of the best "visits" in Smallville's allusions to Superman comic books is found in season 4, episode 5 when a young man arrives who can run, and run so fast that you can't even see him. The young Bart Allen not only is fast, he's using at least three fake names that all point back to various incarnations of the Flash! Jay Garrick, Barry Allen and Wally West are all on I.D. cards he uses when talking to Clark Kent. At the end of the episode there's a running joke about Clark and Bart becoming part of a team or maybe a league of some sort - a Smallville allusion to Superman comic books where the two superheroes are part of the Justice League!

In season 5, episode 4 a strange man who can live underwater visits Smallville - Arthur Curry appears, soon to be known as the aquatic superhero named Aquaman! But not content just with the guest appearance, this Smallville allusion to Superman comic books also includes a quip from Curry that perhaps they should form a "Junior Lifeguard Association" - the letters spell out JLA, or Justice League of America!

Finally in season 6, episode 11 we get the best Smallville allusion to Superman comic books of all - the arrival of Green Arrow, Cyborg, the young Impulse (Bart Allen) and Aquaman to help fight a plan of Lex Luthor's. Chloe, a reporter friend of Clark's, helps to coordinate the attack on the corporation and uses the nickname "Watchtower" to identify herself to the superheroes. The Watchtower is actually used in comic books as the name of the Justice League satellite!

As you can see over the years this popular series has not created their own stories using the familiar characters, but has also had many Smallville allusions to Superman comic books inserted in plenty of episodes. So if you're a true comic book fan curious as to how true the television series is to the books - now's the time to dig out those DVDs and take another look!