Lana Lang
Encyclopedia
Lana Lang is a fictional supporting character
in DC Comics
' Superman
series. Created by writer Bill Finger
and artist John Sikela, the character first appears
in Superboy #10 (September/October 1950). Across decades of Superman comics and adaptations into other media, Lana has most consistently been depicted as Superman
's teenage romantic interest growing up in Smallville; as an adult, she is a distant friend of Superman in his civilian identity as Clark Kent
.
Lana is also one of many Superman characters with the alliterative
initials "LL", the most notable other examples being Superman's principal love interest Lois Lane
and archnemesis, Lex Luthor
. In the Silver Age
, she regularly appeared in comic books depicting the adventures of Superman's teenaged self, Superboy
, and also appeared as an adult in numerous Superman titles, vying with Lois Lane for his attention. In modern
revisions to DC Comics continuity
, she and Clark are shown to have remained close friends since their teenage years. The precise story varies across differing revisions of Superman's origin story
. For example, in Superman: Secret Origin
(2009-10), Lana becomes privy to Clark's unusual abilities at an early age and becomes his earliest confidant outside of his parents and the futuristic Legion of Super-Heroes
.
Lana has been featured in most other media adaptations of Superboy media, typically as a teenager. These portrayals include both the Adventures of Superboy
television series (1988-92), where she is portrayed by Stacy Haiduk
, and the WB
/UPN
television series Smallville
(2001-11), in which she is played by Kristin Kreuk
. Lana appears in all 100 episodes of Adventures of Superboy, and in Smallville is teenage Clark Kent
's primary romantic interest throughout the show's first seven seasons. She has also appeared in many adaptations of Superman stories, although her role is generally smaller. In the 1983 film
Superman III
, she is played by Annette O'Toole
(who would later portray Martha Kent in Smallville).
. In the Silver Age
stories, Lana often behaved like a younger version of Lois, spending much of her time trying to prove that Superboy and Clark Kent were one and the same.
At one point, Lana once rescued an insect-like alien
trapped by a fallen tree in Smallville. In gratitude, the alien gave her a "bio-genetic" ring which allowed Lana to gain insect (and insect-like, such as arachnid
s) characteristics. Lana created a yellow honeybee-like costume and mask, and took the name "Insect Queen", under which identity Lana had several adventures.
Lana also had various adventures with Superboy, and several with the futuristic superhero team the Legion of Super-Heroes
. Also appearing in some Silver Age stories was Lana's uncle, Professor Potter
, an eccentric inventor.
After Clark and Lana graduated from high school, Lana went to college, and eventually became a television reporter; as an adult, she became a rival to Lois Lane for Superman's romantic affection in various 1960s stories, often appearing in the title Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane.
During the 1970s and early 1980s, Lana became an anchorwoman for WGBS-TV's evening news in Metropolis
, as a co-anchor to Clark Kent. Her attraction to Superman during this time had also died off, leaving Superman to Lois. Lana later became romantically linked to the alien super-hero Vartox
. Eventually, she and Clark Kent became romantically involved in stories prior to the Crisis on Infinite Earths
.
system DC had in place, Lana Lang was also shown in several stories to have had an Earth-Two
counterpart (Earth-Two at the time the home of the Justice Society of America
and DC's Golden Age
versions of its characters, versus its mainstream universe of "Earth-One"). The Earth-Two Lana Lang was introduced in Superman Family
#203 (September–October 1980). In this story, set in the early 1950s, Lana Lang joins the Daily Star staff as a television critic. She relates to Clark Kent that she and her family left Smallville when she was very young, explaining why they hadn't met during their youth unlike the Earth-One versions.
Later, she became an Insect Queen like her Earth-One counterpart; in this case, Lana had received a mystic amulet from her archaeologist father, said amulet having been created to allow a Pharaoh
to control and divert the locust
hordes that threatened ancient Egypt
. Unfortunately, the charm associated with the amulet was set to be energized by the sound of approaching insect wings; by unfortunate coincidence, the sound of Superman's super-speed flying was similar enough to activate the spell. Lana was thus compelled to create a Chitin
ous golden-brown costume (woven by silkworms under her control) and adopt a villainous alter ego, the Insect Queen. After an initial clash with Superman, the Insect Queen fell under the mental influence of Superman's enemy, the Ultra-Humanite
, who kept her under the spell's compulsion and prevented her from reverting to normal. Earth-Two's Superman was able to locate an antidote
to the spell, which Lois Lane used to remove the compulsion (Superman Family #213, December 1981), letting Lana break free of Ultra's influence and making her able to use the amulet's power at her own discretion. The Earth-2 Insect Queen would later use her abilities to aid Superman in times of need. This version of Lana Lang phased out of existence during the Crisis on Infinite Earths
.
was written, various aspects of Lana's history were retcon
ned, starting with comics writer John Byrne's miniseries The Man of Steel
, which was designed to rewrite Superman's origin from scratch. In the post-Crisis version of events, Lana was a childhood friend of Clark, with a certain degree of romantic tension in the air as Lana had long pined after Clark, who had loved her only platonically in return.
After they graduated from high school Clark took Lana on a private walk, saying that he had to tell her something important, which Lana honestly expected to be a marriage proposal. He then divulged to her that he had superpowers, displayed by flying her around the world, before explaining that he felt he had to leave Smallville to help humanity as a whole. Kissing her goodbye "like a brother," Lana was left in considerable shock, not only over the revelation of Clark's superpowers, but also over the final realization that he held no reciprocal romantic feelings towards her, leaving Lana heartbroken and alone. When Lana finally aired her grievance with him years later, Clark felt very badly over how he had hurt her.
When Clark appeared in public as Superman some years later, the lonely and depressed Lana deduced his true identity and became something of a stalker
, to the extent that Lex Luthor
noticed the frequency with which she appeared in the vicinity of the hero and actually had her torture
d in an attempt to gain whatever inside knowledge of Superman she might have. However, Lana bravely kept Clark's identity a secret and upon his rescuing her their relationship became more healthy once again, albeit still at a distance. Unlike the pre-Crisis Earth-One continuity, Lana did not go on to have a journalistic career, compete with Lois for Superman's affections, nor play a significant role in Clark's life in Metropolis.
Lana's relationship with Clark is again altered in 2003's Superman: Birthright
limited series
by Mark Waid
, which again revises Superman's origins. This storyline, which takes some inspiration from the TV show Smallville (such as the appearance of Ma and Pa Kent), also shows Clark and Lana to have had a mutual romantic relationship during their youth. At the start of the storyline, Lana has already left Smallville prior to Clark's return from his world journey. Upon his arrival home, a disappointed Clark is told that Lana left some time prior and has not been heard from since. Following this storyline, there is never again made mention of her past history regarding Clark or Superman.
Lana's "Birthright" history has been yet again re-made following the events of the Infinite Crisis
, which has revived Clark's pre-Crisis Superboy alter-ego. In this new history, Lana had a deep romantic relationship with Clark, that was often interrupted by her two obnoxious brothers (which she lacked in previous versions). The full extent of her history and her connection to Superboy/Clark has not yet been fully disclosed. Again, her previous history has not been mentioned since this revision.
Years later, the post-Crisis Lana eventually married Pete Ross
. The two settled into a quiet life in Smallville, where they had a son they named after their mutual friend, Clark, after Lana asked Clark to save the baby's life when a car accident caused him to be born eight weeks premature; although Clark's efforts to take him to receive care were interrupted by the attack of the Brainiac
-controlled Doomsday
, Brainiac's subsequent attempts to use the baby's DNA
to create a new body for himself brought the baby to full term. Pete began a career in politics that got him elected to the Senate
. In 2000, Senator Ross became Lex Luthor's vice presidential
running mate in Luthor's bid to become President
, and after the two won, Lana moved to Washington, D.C.
Eventually, Luthor was forced from his office, and Pete Ross became President (and Lana the First Lady
). As she and Pete began to drift apart, Lana began to subtly attempt to regain Clark's affections, much to the anger of his (now) wife Lois Lane. Pete and Lana briefly reunited after Superman saved them from being killed by the villainous Ruin in Adventures of Superman.
In Superman
#654, Perry White
reported that Lana had become CEO
of Lexcorp
following the ousting of founder Lex Luthor. In Superman/Batman
#49, it is revealed that she sold Kryptonite
to the government to prevent Lexcorp from going under, and had caches of Kryptonite placed all over the planet, as a last-ditch defense if Superman should ever go rogue. When Superman and Batman come to remove the Kryptonite, Lana refuses to hand it over, and pushes a button which turns the caches into "dirty bomb
s" which spread Kryptonite molecules through the entire planet, forcing all Kryptonian
s to vacate. However, Toyman uses special nanobots to remove all of the Kryptonite molecules, undoing the damage. Superman meets with Lana again, with Lana telling him she was left with no choice. Superman responds by telling her that, while he does sometimes wonder what things would have been like if he had married her rather than Lois, there is a reason he is with Lois instead of her: Lois would never have pushed the button. After Superman flies off, someone is shown watching Lana crying on a screen, saying to her "you did perfect". Superman/Batman
#63 suggests that this was Gorilla Grodd
.
She later tries to help Superman, facing the time-traveling strongman Atlas
, by sending the Luthor Squad. This act activates a dormant program inside the Lexcorp mainframes, an holographic version of Luthor. The holographic copy of Luthor informs Lana that by helping Superman she has violated the Lexcorp standard contract of employment ("very, very fine print"), that forbids Lexcorp employers to use Lexcorp resources for helping Kryptonians, under the penalty of termination. Lana is given five minutes to leave the building, or she will be shot to death.
New Supergirl
writer Sterling Gates
tells Newsarama
"We're integrating Supergirl's book more into the Superman universe, and that includes having a supporting cast that overlaps with that world. I'm very interested in tying her back in to Metropolis and making sure that her world is a part of the Superman universe. Cat Grant
will be a regular supporting cast member, as will Lana Lang."
Lana takes it upon herself to reach out to Supergirl. She offers her advice and friendship. Around the same time, Perry White
has been actively pursuing Lana to take over the Business section of the Daily Planet
, a position which Lana was afraid to accept, following her bad experience with Lexcorp. Eventually, Lana and Supergirl decide together that Lana will accept the position, and that Supergirl will take on the secret identity of Linda Lang, niece of Lana Lang. Lana now lives in Metropolis with Supergirl, and is working as the editor of the Business section of the Daily Planet.
She briefly returns to Smallville to attend Jonathan Kent's funeral. However, unable to muster enough resolve to patch up things with Clark, Lana leaves before giving him her condolences.
While attending a student journalism award ceremony with Jimmy Olsen and Cat Grant, Lana suddenly collapses, with blood pouring out her nose.; She receives a call from her doctor telling her that he has "bad news" for her. Following another collapse, Lana is taken to hospital and operated on. She apparently dies on the operating table, but her body is later encased in a cocoon by black insect-like creatures, which then starts to crack open. The hospital is soon engulfed by a gigantic cocoon-like structure, and a number of workers as well as the Science Police
and the Guardian
are taken hostage by an army of giant insects. Supergirl is soon captured and awakens bound and gagged at the feet of Lana, who is now possessed by the Insect Queen. The Queen reveals to Supergirl that during her last encounter with Lana, she injected her with a portion of her DNA and has been slowly taking control of her body for the past year, with the ultimate goal of capturing a Kryptonian to use as a template for an army of hybird insects. Supergirl breaks free and is able to expel the Queen from Lana's body with help from Kryptonian technology, and Lana returns to her normal state. While recovering, Lana is visited by Supergirl, who tells her she can no longer be a part of her family due to her lies about her condition. Lana and "Linda" have since reconciled and are currently living in the Hammersmith tower building in Metropolis.
's classic miniseries Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
, Lana is an overweight, middle-aged woman, and The Daily Planet
s managing editor. Over the course of the story, she becomes Batman
's most outspoken supporter, appearing in a series of TV debates in which she and others argue over his methods and influence.
, Lana is re-imagined as Lana Lazarenko. Lana who grew up in the Ukraine
along with a young Superman. She becomes a tour guide in a Superman museum and occasionally accompanies Superman to public events.
, Lana is a doctor at a research facility dedicated to studying metahumans in the belief that they are alien invaders, although she secretly helps smuggle various heroes out of the facility to hide with the Kents (who in this reality never found Kal-El's ship)
In the failed 1961 TV pilot The Adventures of Superboy, Lana Lang made her first live-action appearance, portrayed by Bunny Henning, alongside Johnny Rockwell
as Superboy.
Beginning in 1966
, Lana appeared in The Adventures of Superboy segments that were featured in the animated series The New Adventures of Superman and other series. She was voiced by Janet Waldo
.
, Lana was played by Annette O'Toole
. In an interview for the documentary Look Up In The Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman, O'Toole states that the producers of Smallville (where she plays Clark's own adoptive mother, Martha Kent) were not aware that she had appeared in Superman III until after she was cast in the TV series. In Superman III, Lana is a divorcee with a son named Ricky. Lana's former boyfriend Brad, a former jock
and Clark's childhood bully, is now a security guard and is still vying for her attention.
television series, Lana was played by Stacy Haiduk
. In this version, she was a lifelong friend of Clark, who accompanied him to Shuster University (named after Superman's co-creator) and later the Bureau for Extra-Normal Matters, where she and Clark investigated all of the unusual incidents that took place in Capitol City, Florida.
animated Saturday morning television series produced by Ruby-Spears Productions
and had a 13-episode run. It's also notable for being the first appearance of the Superman mythos following John Byrne's major relaunch of the character from 1986. The final four minutes of each Superman episode were devoted to a brief snapshot from the "Superman Family Album." These biographical segments deviated from the contemporary comics to have Clark have his powers fully developed since infancy as opposed to developing as he matured. These stories depicted the Smallville misadventures of the young Kryptonian
immigrant as he faces typical childhood trials with his first day at school, an overnight scouting campout, getting a driver's license, his first date, and more. Lana was featured in some of these "Superman Family Album" flashback segments, but never appeared during the regular episode story segment.
, where she was played by Emily Procter
(best known as Calleigh Duquesne
in TV's CSI: Miami
). Lana's appearance was in an episode set in an alternate universe
where Lois had vanished on a trip in the Amazon before Clark's arrival in Metropolis and a blonde Lana was engaged to Clark, encouraging him to keep his abilities secret, constantly telling him that he would be locked up and sent to a government laboratory if people knew what he was capable of. When the mainstream universe's Lois persuaded that world's Clark to become Superman to battle the villain Tempus
, Lana ended their relationship.
followed the "post-Crisis" comics, with Lana being the first person Clark confided in about his superpowers. The young Lana was voiced by Kelley Schmidt, and the adult version by Joely Fisher
. She mentioned she had a crush on him since the age of three. Lana, as an adult, appeared in later episodes as a world-famous fashion designer and still retained romantic feelings for her old friend (it is mentioned that they used to date).
Adult Lana first appears in "My Girl", already having deduced Superman's identity, when her relationship with Lex Luthor breaks off after she tries to pass information on to Clark about Luthor's plots. She later plays a prominent role in "Obsession" and a cameo in the ending of the episode "The Late Mr. Kent", providing a cover story for Clark's reappearance after he was presumed dead after an attempt on his life.
in "For The Man Who Has Everything", under the name of Loana. In this dreamworld, they both live on Krypton, along with Jor-El
, and have a son named Van-El.
, Lana, played by Kristin Kreuk
, is again the love interest of the young Clark Kent
. In a marked contrast to the redhead Lana Lang who appears in the Superman comic books, Kreuk is a brunette with an olive complexion. Lana is said to be descended on her mother's side from a French witch
, Countess Marguerite Isobel Theroux, whose vengeful spirit returns to possess her in a story line taking up much of season 4.
In Smallville, Lana and Clark's relationship is depicted (at least initially) as the complete reverse of the post-Crisis version, whereby it was "Clark who long pined over Lana without the other really knowing." This initial scenario also incorporated elements of the 1978 movie continuity by introducing the character of Whitney Fordman, Lana's quarterback boyfriend and Clark's antagonist at the beginning of the series. Following Whitney's departure at the end of the first season, their relationship varied over the next few years, Clark occasionally attempting to date Lana before his fears over her reaction to his secret caused him to retreat, these fears made even worse since he blames himself for the death of Lana's parents in the same meteor shower that brought him to Smallville. Although the two begin dating at the end of Season Four after Clark's powers are taken from him by Jor-El
as punishment for disobeying him, he begins to draw back after he regains his abilities because he is afraid of hurting her if they are intimate.
Although he reveals his secret in the mid-season finale of Season Five, he turns back time and erases this confession when Lana is killed in an accident, subsequently breaking up with her after his father's death- due to Jor-El saving his life at the beginning of the season, the life of someone he loved was taken in his place- because he feels guilty about lying to her. Although Lana goes on to date and marry Lex Luthor after discovering that she is apparently pregnant, the two divorce when Lana learns that Lex faked her pregnancy to get her to marry him, Lana once again dating Clark after he admits his secret to her. Although they are involved for most of Season Seven, Lana's attempts to plan to take down Lex while spying on him without Clark's knowledge, along with such factors as her spending two weeks involved with Clark's Phantom Zone
duplicate
without realising the difference or being attacked and sent into a coma by the machinations of Brainiac, culminate in Lana leaving him at the end of the season.
Lana returned in Season Eight after acquiring superpowers which equally matched that of Clark due to a special suit developed by Lex Luthor. Both Clark and Lana worked together to save people but it takes a twist when one of Lana's powers involved having the ability to drain power from kryptonite, resulting in her being constantly 'irradiated' by kryptonite, weakening Clark when he got close to her. Lex Luthor, as a last attempt for revenge, threatens to blow up the entire Daily Planet building with kryptonite explosives unless Lana drained all the radiation from them, leaving her a walking piece of kryptonite. She and Clark share a kiss before they decide she has to absorb the kryptonite from the bomb. Later at the barn, Clark heart broken attempts to kiss Lana despite his agony, and as he does green veins crawl up his face, showing that he is dying from the intimate exposure. Lana breaks off the kiss, not being able to stand the pain it was causing Clark, and she runs off with tears to go on her own quest. Clark is left on his knees devastated.
episode "The Battle of the Superheroes!", an episode that pays tribute to a number of Silver Age Superman stories. In a scene that directly homages the cover to Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane #26, Lana and a Red Kryptonite-infected Superman are shown relaxing together on a beach while a stunned Lois watches them in horror.
video game, voiced by Lorrie Singer.
Supporting character
A supporting character is a character of a book, play, video game, movie, television or radio show or other form of storytelling usually used to give added dimension to a main character, by adding a relationship with this character...
in DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
' Superman
Superman (comic book)
Superman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character Superman began as one of several anthology features in the National Periodical Publications comic book Action Comics #1 in June 1938...
series. Created by writer Bill Finger
Bill Finger
William "Bill" Finger was an American comic strip and comic book writer best known as the uncredited co-creator, with Bob Kane, of the DC Comics character Batman, as well as the co-architect of the series' development...
and artist John Sikela, the character first appears
First appearance
In comic books and other stories with a long history, first appearance refers to the first occurrence to feature a fictional character.-Monetary value of first appearance issues:...
in Superboy #10 (September/October 1950). Across decades of Superman comics and adaptations into other media, Lana has most consistently been depicted as Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
's teenage romantic interest growing up in Smallville; as an adult, she is a distant friend of Superman in his civilian identity as Clark Kent
Clark Kent
Clark Kent is a fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Appearing regularly in stories published by DC Comics, he debuted in Action Comics #1 and serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Superman....
.
Lana is also one of many Superman characters with the alliterative
Alliteration
In language, alliteration refers to the repetition of a particular sound in the first syllables of Three or more words or phrases. Alliteration has historically developed largely through poetry, in which it more narrowly refers to the repetition of a consonant in any syllables that, according to...
initials "LL", the most notable other examples being Superman's principal love interest Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
and archnemesis, Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
. In the Silver Age
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
, she regularly appeared in comic books depicting the adventures of Superman's teenaged self, Superboy
Superboy (Kal-El)
The original Superboy is a fictional superhero who appears in DC Comics. The name of Superman as a boy, Superboy has adventures that occur in the relative past to those of Superman and take place predominantly in his hometown of Smallville...
, and also appeared as an adult in numerous Superman titles, vying with Lois Lane for his attention. In modern
Modern Age of Comic Books
The Modern Age of Comic Books is an informal name for the period in the history of mainstream American comic books generally considered to last from the mid-1980s until present day...
revisions to DC Comics continuity
Continuity (fiction)
In fiction, continuity is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer over some period of time...
, she and Clark are shown to have remained close friends since their teenage years. The precise story varies across differing revisions of Superman's origin story
Origin of Superman
The origin of Superman is the story that relates Superman's arrival on Earth and the beginnings of his career as a superhero. The story has been through many revisions through decades of publication in comic books and radio, television and film adaptations....
. For example, in Superman: Secret Origin
Superman: Secret Origin
Superman: Secret Origin was a six-issue monthly American comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Gary Frank starring the DC Comics superhero Superman...
(2009-10), Lana becomes privy to Clark's unusual abilities at an early age and becomes his earliest confidant outside of his parents and the futuristic Legion of Super-Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
.
Lana has been featured in most other media adaptations of Superboy media, typically as a teenager. These portrayals include both the Adventures of Superboy
Superboy (TV series)
Superboy is a half-hour live-action television series based on the fictional DC Comics comic book character Kal-El's early years as Superboy. The show ran from 1988–1992 in syndication...
television series (1988-92), where she is portrayed by Stacy Haiduk
Stacy Haiduk
Stacy Haiduk is an American actress. She is known for playing Lana Lang on Superboy from 1988 to 1992, Katherine Hitchcock on season 1 of seaQuest DSV from 1993 to 1994, Hannah Nichols on All My Children from 2007 to 2008, and the dual roles of Patty Williams and Dr...
, and the WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
/UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
television series Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
(2001-11), in which she is played by Kristin Kreuk
Kristin Kreuk
Kristin Laura Kreuk is a Canadian actress and producer, known for her portrayal of Lana Lang in the American television series Smallville. She was also a regular cast member on the Canadian teen drama Edgemont, and has starred in movies such as Eurotrip and Street Fighter: The Legend of...
. Lana appears in all 100 episodes of Adventures of Superboy, and in Smallville is teenage Clark Kent
Clark Kent (Smallville)
Clark Kent is a fictional character on the television series Smallville. The character of Clark Kent, first created for comic books by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938 as the alternate identity of Superman, was adapted to television in 2001 by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar—this is the fourth...
's primary romantic interest throughout the show's first seven seasons. She has also appeared in many adaptations of Superman stories, although her role is generally smaller. In the 1983 film
1983 in film
-Events:*February 11 - The Rolling Stones concert film Let's Spend the Night Together opens in New York*May 25 - Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, the final film in the original Star Wars trilogy, is released. Like the previous films, it goes on to become the top grossing picture of...
Superman III
Superman III
Superman III is a 1983 superhero film and the third film in the Superman film series based upon the long-running DC Comics superhero. Christopher Reeve, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure and Margot Kidder are joined by new cast members Annette O'Toole, Annie Ross, Pamela Stephenson, Robert Vaughn and...
, she is played by Annette O'Toole
Annette O'Toole
Annette O'Toole is an American actress, dancer, and singer-songwriter. She is most recently known for portraying Martha Kent, the mother of Clark Kent on the television series Smallville.-Early life and career:...
(who would later portray Martha Kent in Smallville).
Earth-One version
In the original Superboy stories, Lana was the girl who lived next door to the Kent family in Smallville, and was a romantic interest of SuperboySuperboy (Kal-El)
The original Superboy is a fictional superhero who appears in DC Comics. The name of Superman as a boy, Superboy has adventures that occur in the relative past to those of Superman and take place predominantly in his hometown of Smallville...
. In the Silver Age
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
stories, Lana often behaved like a younger version of Lois, spending much of her time trying to prove that Superboy and Clark Kent were one and the same.
At one point, Lana once rescued an insect-like alien
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
trapped by a fallen tree in Smallville. In gratitude, the alien gave her a "bio-genetic" ring which allowed Lana to gain insect (and insect-like, such as arachnid
Arachnid
Arachnids are a class of joint-legged invertebrate animals in the subphylum Chelicerata. All arachnids have eight legs, although in some species the front pair may convert to a sensory function. The term is derived from the Greek words , meaning "spider".Almost all extant arachnids are terrestrial...
s) characteristics. Lana created a yellow honeybee-like costume and mask, and took the name "Insect Queen", under which identity Lana had several adventures.
Lana also had various adventures with Superboy, and several with the futuristic superhero team the Legion of Super-Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
. Also appearing in some Silver Age stories was Lana's uncle, Professor Potter
Professor Potter
Professor Phineas Potter is a supporting character in stories published by DC Comics featuring Superman and several related characters, most notably Jimmy Olsen...
, an eccentric inventor.
After Clark and Lana graduated from high school, Lana went to college, and eventually became a television reporter; as an adult, she became a rival to Lois Lane for Superman's romantic affection in various 1960s stories, often appearing in the title Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane.
During the 1970s and early 1980s, Lana became an anchorwoman for WGBS-TV's evening news in Metropolis
Metropolis (comics)
Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
, as a co-anchor to Clark Kent. Her attraction to Superman during this time had also died off, leaving Superman to Lois. Lana later became romantically linked to the alien super-hero Vartox
Vartox
Vartox is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Superman vol. 1 #281, , he was created by Cary Bates and Curt Swan...
. Eventually, she and Clark Kent became romantically involved in stories prior to the Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
.
Earth-Two version
In the early 1980s, with the use of the multiverseMultiverse (DC Comics)
The DC Multiverse is a fictional continuity construct that exists in stories published by comic book company DC Comics. The DC Multiverse consists of numerous worlds, most of them outside DC's main continuity, allowing writers the creative freedom to explore alternative versions of characters and...
system DC had in place, Lana Lang was also shown in several stories to have had an Earth-Two
Earth-Two
Earth-Two is a fictional universe appearing in American comic book stories published by DC Comics. First appearing in The Flash #123 , Earth-Two was created to explain how Silver-Age versions of characters such as the Flash could appear in stories with their Golden Age counterparts...
counterpart (Earth-Two at the time the home of the Justice Society of America
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
and DC's Golden Age
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
versions of its characters, versus its mainstream universe of "Earth-One"). The Earth-Two Lana Lang was introduced in Superman Family
Superman Family
Superman Family was a DC Comics comic book series which ran from 1974 to 1982 featuring stories starring supporting characters in the Superman comics...
#203 (September–October 1980). In this story, set in the early 1950s, Lana Lang joins the Daily Star staff as a television critic. She relates to Clark Kent that she and her family left Smallville when she was very young, explaining why they hadn't met during their youth unlike the Earth-One versions.
Later, she became an Insect Queen like her Earth-One counterpart; in this case, Lana had received a mystic amulet from her archaeologist father, said amulet having been created to allow a Pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
to control and divert the locust
Locust
Locusts are the swarming phase of short-horned grasshoppers of the family Acrididae. These are species that can breed rapidly under suitable conditions and subsequently become gregarious and migratory...
hordes that threatened ancient Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. Unfortunately, the charm associated with the amulet was set to be energized by the sound of approaching insect wings; by unfortunate coincidence, the sound of Superman's super-speed flying was similar enough to activate the spell. Lana was thus compelled to create a Chitin
Chitin
Chitin n is a long-chain polymer of a N-acetylglucosamine, a derivative of glucose, and is found in many places throughout the natural world...
ous golden-brown costume (woven by silkworms under her control) and adopt a villainous alter ego, the Insect Queen. After an initial clash with Superman, the Insect Queen fell under the mental influence of Superman's enemy, the Ultra-Humanite
Ultra-Humanite
The Ultra-Humanite is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #13 , and was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster...
, who kept her under the spell's compulsion and prevented her from reverting to normal. Earth-Two's Superman was able to locate an antidote
Antidote
An antidote is a substance which can counteract a form of poisoning. The term ultimately derives from the Greek αντιδιδοναι antididonai, "given against"....
to the spell, which Lois Lane used to remove the compulsion (Superman Family #213, December 1981), letting Lana break free of Ultra's influence and making her able to use the amulet's power at her own discretion. The Earth-2 Insect Queen would later use her abilities to aid Superman in times of need. This version of Lana Lang phased out of existence during the Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
.
Modern Age
After the 1985-1986 miniseries Crisis on Infinite EarthsCrisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
was written, various aspects of Lana's history were retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
ned, starting with comics writer John Byrne's miniseries The Man of Steel
The Man of Steel (comic book)
The Man of Steel is a six-issue comic book limited series released in 1986 by DC Comics, several months after the twelve-issue limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths completed. The Man of Steel was written and penciled by John Byrne and inked by Dick Giordano.-Overview:The mini-series was...
, which was designed to rewrite Superman's origin from scratch. In the post-Crisis version of events, Lana was a childhood friend of Clark, with a certain degree of romantic tension in the air as Lana had long pined after Clark, who had loved her only platonically in return.
After they graduated from high school Clark took Lana on a private walk, saying that he had to tell her something important, which Lana honestly expected to be a marriage proposal. He then divulged to her that he had superpowers, displayed by flying her around the world, before explaining that he felt he had to leave Smallville to help humanity as a whole. Kissing her goodbye "like a brother," Lana was left in considerable shock, not only over the revelation of Clark's superpowers, but also over the final realization that he held no reciprocal romantic feelings towards her, leaving Lana heartbroken and alone. When Lana finally aired her grievance with him years later, Clark felt very badly over how he had hurt her.
When Clark appeared in public as Superman some years later, the lonely and depressed Lana deduced his true identity and became something of a stalker
Stalking
Stalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted and obsessive attention by an individual or group to another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person and/or monitoring them via the internet...
, to the extent that Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
noticed the frequency with which she appeared in the vicinity of the hero and actually had her torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
d in an attempt to gain whatever inside knowledge of Superman she might have. However, Lana bravely kept Clark's identity a secret and upon his rescuing her their relationship became more healthy once again, albeit still at a distance. Unlike the pre-Crisis Earth-One continuity, Lana did not go on to have a journalistic career, compete with Lois for Superman's affections, nor play a significant role in Clark's life in Metropolis.
Lana's relationship with Clark is again altered in 2003's Superman: Birthright
Superman: Birthright
Superman: Birthright is a twelve-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics in 2003 and 2004, written by Mark Waid and drawn by Leinil Francis Yu....
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
by Mark Waid
Mark Waid
Mark Waid is an American comic book writer. He is well known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America...
, which again revises Superman's origins. This storyline, which takes some inspiration from the TV show Smallville (such as the appearance of Ma and Pa Kent), also shows Clark and Lana to have had a mutual romantic relationship during their youth. At the start of the storyline, Lana has already left Smallville prior to Clark's return from his world journey. Upon his arrival home, a disappointed Clark is told that Lana left some time prior and has not been heard from since. Following this storyline, there is never again made mention of her past history regarding Clark or Superman.
Lana's "Birthright" history has been yet again re-made following the events of the Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
, which has revived Clark's pre-Crisis Superboy alter-ego. In this new history, Lana had a deep romantic relationship with Clark, that was often interrupted by her two obnoxious brothers (which she lacked in previous versions). The full extent of her history and her connection to Superboy/Clark has not yet been fully disclosed. Again, her previous history has not been mentioned since this revision.
Years later, the post-Crisis Lana eventually married Pete Ross
Pete Ross
Peter Joseph "Pete" Ross is a fictional character who appears in the Superman comic books published by DC Comics. He was introduced in Superboy #86 .-Pre-Crisis:...
. The two settled into a quiet life in Smallville, where they had a son they named after their mutual friend, Clark, after Lana asked Clark to save the baby's life when a car accident caused him to be born eight weeks premature; although Clark's efforts to take him to receive care were interrupted by the attack of the Brainiac
Brainiac (comics)
Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
-controlled Doomsday
Doomsday (comics)
Doomsday is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Superman: The Man of Steel #18 , and was created by writer-artist Dan Jurgens. IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked Doomsday as #46...
, Brainiac's subsequent attempts to use the baby's DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
to create a new body for himself brought the baby to full term. Pete began a career in politics that got him elected to the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. In 2000, Senator Ross became Lex Luthor's vice presidential
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
running mate in Luthor's bid to become President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, and after the two won, Lana moved to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Eventually, Luthor was forced from his office, and Pete Ross became President (and Lana the First Lady
First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
). As she and Pete began to drift apart, Lana began to subtly attempt to regain Clark's affections, much to the anger of his (now) wife Lois Lane. Pete and Lana briefly reunited after Superman saved them from being killed by the villainous Ruin in Adventures of Superman.
In Superman
Superman (comic book)
Superman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character Superman began as one of several anthology features in the National Periodical Publications comic book Action Comics #1 in June 1938...
#654, Perry White
Perry White
Perry White is a fictional character who appears in the Superman comics. White is the Editor-in-Chief of the Metropolis newspaper the Daily Planet.White maintains very high ethical and journalistic standards...
reported that Lana had become CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Lexcorp
LexCorp
LexCorp is the fictional company founded by Lex Luthor in the popular DC Comics Superman series. It made its first proper appearance in John Byrne's The Man of Steel miniseries, which established the post-Crisis Superman setting...
following the ousting of founder Lex Luthor. In Superman/Batman
Superman/Batman
Superman/Batman was a monthly comic book series published by DC Comics that features the publisher's two most popular characters: Batman and Superman...
#49, it is revealed that she sold Kryptonite
Kryptonite
Kryptonite is a fictional material from the Superman mythos —the ore form of a radioactive element from Superman's home planet of Krypton. It is famous for being the ultimate physical weakness of Superman, and the word kryptonite has since become synonymous with an Achilles' heel —the one weakness...
to the government to prevent Lexcorp from going under, and had caches of Kryptonite placed all over the planet, as a last-ditch defense if Superman should ever go rogue. When Superman and Batman come to remove the Kryptonite, Lana refuses to hand it over, and pushes a button which turns the caches into "dirty bomb
Dirty bomb
A dirty bomb is a speculative radiological weapon that combines radioactive material with conventional explosives. The purpose of the weapon is to contaminate the area around the explosion with radioactive material, hence the attribute "dirty"....
s" which spread Kryptonite molecules through the entire planet, forcing all Kryptonian
Kryptonian
Kryptonians are a fictional extraterrestrial race of the DC Comics universe who hail from the planet Krypton. The term originated from the stories of DC Comics superhero, Superman...
s to vacate. However, Toyman uses special nanobots to remove all of the Kryptonite molecules, undoing the damage. Superman meets with Lana again, with Lana telling him she was left with no choice. Superman responds by telling her that, while he does sometimes wonder what things would have been like if he had married her rather than Lois, there is a reason he is with Lois instead of her: Lois would never have pushed the button. After Superman flies off, someone is shown watching Lana crying on a screen, saying to her "you did perfect". Superman/Batman
Superman/Batman
Superman/Batman was a monthly comic book series published by DC Comics that features the publisher's two most popular characters: Batman and Superman...
#63 suggests that this was Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd is a supervillain appearing in DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash. He debuted in Flash v.1 #106 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino....
.
She later tries to help Superman, facing the time-traveling strongman Atlas
Atlas (DC Comics)
Atlas is the name of several fictional characters, comic book superheroes and deities published by DC Comics. Jack Kirby's Atlas debuted in 1st Issue Special #1, , and was created by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
, by sending the Luthor Squad. This act activates a dormant program inside the Lexcorp mainframes, an holographic version of Luthor. The holographic copy of Luthor informs Lana that by helping Superman she has violated the Lexcorp standard contract of employment ("very, very fine print"), that forbids Lexcorp employers to use Lexcorp resources for helping Kryptonians, under the penalty of termination. Lana is given five minutes to leave the building, or she will be shot to death.
New Supergirl
Supergirl
Supergirl is a female counterpart to the DC Comics Superman. As his cousin, she shares his super powers and vulnerability to Kryptonite. She was created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino in 1959. She first appeared in the Action Comics comic book series and later branched out...
writer Sterling Gates
Sterling Gates
Sterling Gates is an American comic book writer currently working for DC Comics.-Early life:Sterling Gates was a comic fan from a young age...
tells Newsarama
Newsarama
Newsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews and essays about the American comic book industry.-History:Newsarama began in Summer 1995 as a series of Internet forum postings on the Prodigy comic-book message boards by fan Mike Doran. In these short messages. Doran shared...
"We're integrating Supergirl's book more into the Superman universe, and that includes having a supporting cast that overlaps with that world. I'm very interested in tying her back in to Metropolis and making sure that her world is a part of the Superman universe. Cat Grant
Cat Grant
Catherine "Cat" Jane Grant is a fictional DC Comics character appearing in Superman comics. She first appeared in Adventures of Superman #424 as a gossip columnist for the Daily Planet...
will be a regular supporting cast member, as will Lana Lang."
Lana takes it upon herself to reach out to Supergirl. She offers her advice and friendship. Around the same time, Perry White
Perry White
Perry White is a fictional character who appears in the Superman comics. White is the Editor-in-Chief of the Metropolis newspaper the Daily Planet.White maintains very high ethical and journalistic standards...
has been actively pursuing Lana to take over the Business section of the Daily Planet
Daily Planet
The Daily Planet is a fictional broadsheet newspaper in the , appearing mostly in the stories of Superman. The building's original features were based upon the AT&T Huron Road Building in Cleveland, Ohio...
, a position which Lana was afraid to accept, following her bad experience with Lexcorp. Eventually, Lana and Supergirl decide together that Lana will accept the position, and that Supergirl will take on the secret identity of Linda Lang, niece of Lana Lang. Lana now lives in Metropolis with Supergirl, and is working as the editor of the Business section of the Daily Planet.
She briefly returns to Smallville to attend Jonathan Kent's funeral. However, unable to muster enough resolve to patch up things with Clark, Lana leaves before giving him her condolences.
While attending a student journalism award ceremony with Jimmy Olsen and Cat Grant, Lana suddenly collapses, with blood pouring out her nose.; She receives a call from her doctor telling her that he has "bad news" for her. Following another collapse, Lana is taken to hospital and operated on. She apparently dies on the operating table, but her body is later encased in a cocoon by black insect-like creatures, which then starts to crack open. The hospital is soon engulfed by a gigantic cocoon-like structure, and a number of workers as well as the Science Police
Science Police
Science Police is a fictional law enforcement agency in the . They were referred to as "World-Wide Police" in their first appearance in the 30th century. They were featured in a four issue limited series titled Legion Science Police. In the 30th and 31st centuries, the Science Police serves the...
and the Guardian
Guardian (comics)
Guardian, in comics, may refer to:* Guardian , the alias of Jim Harper, a costumed hero* Guardian , the alias of James Hudson, a superhero...
are taken hostage by an army of giant insects. Supergirl is soon captured and awakens bound and gagged at the feet of Lana, who is now possessed by the Insect Queen. The Queen reveals to Supergirl that during her last encounter with Lana, she injected her with a portion of her DNA and has been slowly taking control of her body for the past year, with the ultimate goal of capturing a Kryptonian to use as a template for an army of hybird insects. Supergirl breaks free and is able to expel the Queen from Lana's body with help from Kryptonian technology, and Lana returns to her normal state. While recovering, Lana is visited by Supergirl, who tells her she can no longer be a part of her family due to her lies about her condition. Lana and "Linda" have since reconciled and are currently living in the Hammersmith tower building in Metropolis.
Dark Knight Lana Lang
In Frank MillerFrank Miller (comics)
Frank Miller is an American comic book artist, writer and film director best known for his dark, film noir-style comic book stories and graphic novels Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300...
's classic miniseries Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is a four-issue comic book limited series written and drawn by Frank Miller, originally published by DC Comics under the title Batman: The Dark Knight in 1986. When the issues were released in a collected edition later that year, the story title for the first issue...
, Lana is an overweight, middle-aged woman, and The Daily Planet
Daily Planet
The Daily Planet is a fictional broadsheet newspaper in the , appearing mostly in the stories of Superman. The building's original features were based upon the AT&T Huron Road Building in Cleveland, Ohio...
s managing editor. Over the course of the story, she becomes Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
's most outspoken supporter, appearing in a series of TV debates in which she and others argue over his methods and influence.
Superman: Red Son
In Superman Red Son by Mark MillarMark Millar
Mark Millar is a Scottish comic book writer, known for his work on books such as The Authority, The Ultimates, Marvel Knights Spider-Man, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Civil War, Wanted, and Kick-Ass, the latter two of which have been adapted into feature films...
, Lana is re-imagined as Lana Lazarenko. Lana who grew up in the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
along with a young Superman. She becomes a tour guide in a Superman museum and occasionally accompanies Superman to public events.
JLA: The Nail
In JLA: The NailJLA: The Nail
JLA: The Nail is a three-issue comic book mini-series published in the United States by DC Comics. It is a self-contained story by Alan Davis which stands outside of the mainstream continuity of the DC Universe....
, Lana is a doctor at a research facility dedicated to studying metahumans in the belief that they are alien invaders, although she secretly helps smuggle various heroes out of the facility to hide with the Kents (who in this reality never found Kal-El's ship)
The Adventures of Superboy
Johnny Rockwell
Johnny Rockwell is an American actor. He was the first actor to play the role of Superboy, in the pilot for the proposed series The Adventures of Superboy .-Superboy pilot:...
as Superboy.
Beginning in 1966
1966 in television
The year 1966 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1966.For the American TV schedule, see: 1966-67 American network television schedule.-Events:...
, Lana appeared in The Adventures of Superboy segments that were featured in the animated series The New Adventures of Superman and other series. She was voiced by Janet Waldo
Janet Waldo
Janet Waldo is an American actress and voice artist with a career encompassing radio, television, animation and live-action films. She is best known in animation for voicing Judy Jetson, Penelope Pitstop and Josie McCoy in Josie and the Pussycats...
.
Superman: The Movie
In Richard Donner's Superman in 1978, Lana Lang had a brief appearance in a scene at Smallville High. She was shown to be a cheerleader at the school with a fairly obvious crush on Clark, even though her current boyfriend was a football player named Brad. She was portrayed by Diane Sherry.Superman III
In the 1983 movie Superman IIISuperman III
Superman III is a 1983 superhero film and the third film in the Superman film series based upon the long-running DC Comics superhero. Christopher Reeve, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure and Margot Kidder are joined by new cast members Annette O'Toole, Annie Ross, Pamela Stephenson, Robert Vaughn and...
, Lana was played by Annette O'Toole
Annette O'Toole
Annette O'Toole is an American actress, dancer, and singer-songwriter. She is most recently known for portraying Martha Kent, the mother of Clark Kent on the television series Smallville.-Early life and career:...
. In an interview for the documentary Look Up In The Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman, O'Toole states that the producers of Smallville (where she plays Clark's own adoptive mother, Martha Kent) were not aware that she had appeared in Superman III until after she was cast in the TV series. In Superman III, Lana is a divorcee with a son named Ricky. Lana's former boyfriend Brad, a former jock
Jock (subculture)
The term jock, when used primarily in the United States, refers to the classic stereotype of a male athlete. It is generally a negative stereotype, and is attributed mostly to high school and college athletics participants who form a distinct youth subculture. In sociology, the jock is thought to...
and Clark's childhood bully, is now a security guard and is still vying for her attention.
Superboy (TV series)
In the late 1980s-early 1990s SuperboySuperboy (TV series)
Superboy is a half-hour live-action television series based on the fictional DC Comics comic book character Kal-El's early years as Superboy. The show ran from 1988–1992 in syndication...
television series, Lana was played by Stacy Haiduk
Stacy Haiduk
Stacy Haiduk is an American actress. She is known for playing Lana Lang on Superboy from 1988 to 1992, Katherine Hitchcock on season 1 of seaQuest DSV from 1993 to 1994, Hannah Nichols on All My Children from 2007 to 2008, and the dual roles of Patty Williams and Dr...
. In this version, she was a lifelong friend of Clark, who accompanied him to Shuster University (named after Superman's co-creator) and later the Bureau for Extra-Normal Matters, where she and Clark investigated all of the unusual incidents that took place in Capitol City, Florida.
Superman (1988 TV series)
Lana also appeared in the Superman 19881988 in television
The year 1988 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1988.For the American TV schedule, see: 1988-89 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:...
animated Saturday morning television series produced by Ruby-Spears Productions
Ruby-Spears Productions
Ruby-Spears Productions is a Burbank, California-based entertainment production company that specializes in animation...
and had a 13-episode run. It's also notable for being the first appearance of the Superman mythos following John Byrne's major relaunch of the character from 1986. The final four minutes of each Superman episode were devoted to a brief snapshot from the "Superman Family Album." These biographical segments deviated from the contemporary comics to have Clark have his powers fully developed since infancy as opposed to developing as he matured. These stories depicted the Smallville misadventures of the young Kryptonian
Krypton (comics)
Krypton is a fictional planet in the DC Comics universe, and the native world of the super-heroes Superman and, in some tellings, Supergirl and Krypto the Superdog. Krypton has been portrayed consistently as having been destroyed just after Superman's flight from the planet, with exact details of...
immigrant as he faces typical childhood trials with his first day at school, an overnight scouting campout, getting a driver's license, his first date, and more. Lana was featured in some of these "Superman Family Album" flashback segments, but never appeared during the regular episode story segment.
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lana made one appearance in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanLois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman was a live-action American television series based on the Superman comic books...
, where she was played by Emily Procter
Emily Procter
-External links:...
(best known as Calleigh Duquesne
Calleigh Duquesne
Detective Calleigh Duquesne is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Miami, portrayed by Emily Procter.- Background :Calleigh is a ballistics specialist originally from Louisiana. She is fluent in Spanish and has a bachelor's degree in physics from Tulane University...
in TV's CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation....
). Lana's appearance was in an episode set in an alternate universe
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
where Lois had vanished on a trip in the Amazon before Clark's arrival in Metropolis and a blonde Lana was engaged to Clark, encouraging him to keep his abilities secret, constantly telling him that he would be locked up and sent to a government laboratory if people knew what he was capable of. When the mainstream universe's Lois persuaded that world's Clark to become Superman to battle the villain Tempus
Tempus
Tempus is a Latin word meaning time and a Finnish, Swedish and German word meaning grammatical tense. It may also refer to:*Tempus Publishing, a UK publishing company*Tempus Sport, a British motorsport team...
, Lana ended their relationship.
Superman: The Animated Series
The pilot episode of Superman: The Animated SeriesSuperman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series starring DC Comics' flagship character, Superman. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on The WB from September 6, 1996 to February 12, 2000. Warner Bros...
followed the "post-Crisis" comics, with Lana being the first person Clark confided in about his superpowers. The young Lana was voiced by Kelley Schmidt, and the adult version by Joely Fisher
Joely Fisher
Joely Fisher is an American actress best known for her work on television as Paige Clark on Ellen as well as Joy Stark in the Fox sitcom Til Death, and also on stage and in films.-Background:...
. She mentioned she had a crush on him since the age of three. Lana, as an adult, appeared in later episodes as a world-famous fashion designer and still retained romantic feelings for her old friend (it is mentioned that they used to date).
Adult Lana first appears in "My Girl", already having deduced Superman's identity, when her relationship with Lex Luthor breaks off after she tries to pass information on to Clark about Luthor's plots. She later plays a prominent role in "Obsession" and a cameo in the ending of the episode "The Late Mr. Kent", providing a cover story for Clark's reappearance after he was presumed dead after an attempt on his life.
Justice League
Lana appears in a cameo in the episode "Hereafter", at Superman's funeral. She also makes an appearance (as a combination of Lois and Lana) as Superman's wife in the dream induced by MongulMongul
Mongul is the name of two fictional characters that appear in comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the character debuted in DC Comics Presents #27 and was created by writer Len Wein and artist Jim Starlin. The second version first appears in Showcase '95 #85 and was created by...
in "For The Man Who Has Everything", under the name of Loana. In this dreamworld, they both live on Krypton, along with Jor-El
Jor-El
Jor-El is a fictional character, an extraterrestrial in the . He was created by the writer Jerry Siegel and the artist Joe Shuster, and he first appeared in a newspaper comic strip in 1939 as Superman's biological father....
, and have a son named Van-El.
Smallville
In the 2000s television series SmallvilleSmallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
, Lana, played by Kristin Kreuk
Kristin Kreuk
Kristin Laura Kreuk is a Canadian actress and producer, known for her portrayal of Lana Lang in the American television series Smallville. She was also a regular cast member on the Canadian teen drama Edgemont, and has starred in movies such as Eurotrip and Street Fighter: The Legend of...
, is again the love interest of the young Clark Kent
Clark Kent (Smallville)
Clark Kent is a fictional character on the television series Smallville. The character of Clark Kent, first created for comic books by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938 as the alternate identity of Superman, was adapted to television in 2001 by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar—this is the fourth...
. In a marked contrast to the redhead Lana Lang who appears in the Superman comic books, Kreuk is a brunette with an olive complexion. Lana is said to be descended on her mother's side from a French witch
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
, Countess Marguerite Isobel Theroux, whose vengeful spirit returns to possess her in a story line taking up much of season 4.
In Smallville, Lana and Clark's relationship is depicted (at least initially) as the complete reverse of the post-Crisis version, whereby it was "Clark who long pined over Lana without the other really knowing." This initial scenario also incorporated elements of the 1978 movie continuity by introducing the character of Whitney Fordman, Lana's quarterback boyfriend and Clark's antagonist at the beginning of the series. Following Whitney's departure at the end of the first season, their relationship varied over the next few years, Clark occasionally attempting to date Lana before his fears over her reaction to his secret caused him to retreat, these fears made even worse since he blames himself for the death of Lana's parents in the same meteor shower that brought him to Smallville. Although the two begin dating at the end of Season Four after Clark's powers are taken from him by Jor-El
Jor-El
Jor-El is a fictional character, an extraterrestrial in the . He was created by the writer Jerry Siegel and the artist Joe Shuster, and he first appeared in a newspaper comic strip in 1939 as Superman's biological father....
as punishment for disobeying him, he begins to draw back after he regains his abilities because he is afraid of hurting her if they are intimate.
Although he reveals his secret in the mid-season finale of Season Five, he turns back time and erases this confession when Lana is killed in an accident, subsequently breaking up with her after his father's death- due to Jor-El saving his life at the beginning of the season, the life of someone he loved was taken in his place- because he feels guilty about lying to her. Although Lana goes on to date and marry Lex Luthor after discovering that she is apparently pregnant, the two divorce when Lana learns that Lex faked her pregnancy to get her to marry him, Lana once again dating Clark after he admits his secret to her. Although they are involved for most of Season Seven, Lana's attempts to plan to take down Lex while spying on him without Clark's knowledge, along with such factors as her spending two weeks involved with Clark's Phantom Zone
Phantom Zone
The Phantom Zone is a fictional prison dimension featured in the Superman comic books and related media published by DC Comics. It first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 , and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp...
duplicate
Bizarro
Bizarro is a fictional character that appears in publications published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Otto Binder and artist George Papp as a "mirror image" of Superman and first appeared in Superboy #68...
without realising the difference or being attacked and sent into a coma by the machinations of Brainiac, culminate in Lana leaving him at the end of the season.
Lana returned in Season Eight after acquiring superpowers which equally matched that of Clark due to a special suit developed by Lex Luthor. Both Clark and Lana worked together to save people but it takes a twist when one of Lana's powers involved having the ability to drain power from kryptonite, resulting in her being constantly 'irradiated' by kryptonite, weakening Clark when he got close to her. Lex Luthor, as a last attempt for revenge, threatens to blow up the entire Daily Planet building with kryptonite explosives unless Lana drained all the radiation from them, leaving her a walking piece of kryptonite. She and Clark share a kiss before they decide she has to absorb the kryptonite from the bomb. Later at the barn, Clark heart broken attempts to kiss Lana despite his agony, and as he does green veins crawl up his face, showing that he is dying from the intimate exposure. Lana breaks off the kiss, not being able to stand the pain it was causing Clark, and she runs off with tears to go on her own quest. Clark is left on his knees devastated.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Lana makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
episode "The Battle of the Superheroes!", an episode that pays tribute to a number of Silver Age Superman stories. In a scene that directly homages the cover to Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane #26, Lana and a Red Kryptonite-infected Superman are shown relaxing together on a beach while a stunned Lois watches them in horror.
DC Universe Online
Lana appears in the DC Universe OnlineDC Universe Online
DC Universe Online or DCUO is an MMORPG by Sony Online Entertainment – Austin. Jim Lee serves as the game's Executive Creative Director, along with Carlos D'Anda, JJ Kirby, Oliver Nome, Eddie Nuñez, Livio Ramondelli, and Michael Lopez...
video game, voiced by Lorrie Singer.
External links
- Lana Lang: Honorary Legionnaires - Hero History Hero History at Major Spoilers
- Lana Lang profile at the Smallville Wiki