How Superman Comic Books and Films Have Influenced Smallville

As a die-hard comic book fan, Smallville has impressed me. For the last seven years, the show has done what many who follow sci-fi and fantasy thought was impossible; breathed life back into the failing Superman franchise. A new take on a classic story with fresh actors and stories has transformed a 70-year-old tale into one that is not only intriguing, but also engaging for comic fans and regular viewers alike. How was this done? By focusing more on characterization and plot than on random heroes and super powers. While we see many super feats throughout the seasons, the producers have stated time and again that they have a strict "no tights, no flights" policy to help keep the show grounded. So with these limitations, how do the writers keep the more die-hard fans of the show engaged? Why, with Smallville allusions to Superman comic books and cameos, of course!

According to the Internet Movie Data Base (www.imdb.com), several super heroes have recently graced the Smallville set. The writers moved slowly, and cautiously, in terms of introducing heroes. Some were shown without costume, while others had their appearances altered drastically. In 2004 the episode "Velocity" aired, in which a character named Bart Allen could move with super speed that outmatched even Superman's. While there have been multiple Flashes in the comics (Starting with Jay Garrick in the 1940s) this Flash was Bart Allen, the youngest and, until last year, the latest Flash to speed through the comics.