Why some Smallville fans want to see the show in line with DC Continuity (my opinion)

In response to the discussion that Jim and Sean had in Episode 148 during their “Legion” discussion, I wanted to give my opinion on why a fan might want to see Smallville fall in line with DC continuity. I’ve talked about this in reference to Chloe (in my October 12, 2008 blog post) and how she could possibly fit into the DC Universe without compromising the character that has been solidified on the show.

My solution was simple: make Smallville a part of the DC Multiverse, allowing the introduction of original characters and recognition of the events that have sometimes stumped long-time comic book fans that could not get past the changes made by the show’s creative team simply because “that wasn’t how it really happened.”

And Sean honestly asked a good question. Why does Smallville need to be part of continuity as opposed to being considered its own work?

Let me try to answer this question the best way I know how, as someone who has watched the show from the very beginning. One of the best proponents of the show has been the re-imagining of the Superman mythology for a new generation. They introduced Clark Kent and Lex Luthor as friends, created the characters of Chloe Sullivan and Lionel Luthor—two characters who were at times more popular than some of the more established and storied characters on the show—and asked quite a few of those “what if” questions. And isn’t that the basis for the Multiverse in the first place?

It seems to me that people either like Smallville or they don’t. Those who don’t most often cite reasons like “it’s not supposed to happen that way” and “the real Clark Kent would never do that.” Exactly. As part of the Multiverse, the changes in events and the changes in Clark Kent’s (and others’) characters can be justified. It’s not like there’s not any room at the Inn.

Trust me, I would still like to see Smallville used as a jumping off point for a new movie franchise, though the reasons are completely different (the thought of Tom Welling in tights is plenty reason for me). But at the same time, movies aren’t the same as having a connection with the source material and having a hand in creating that source material. In a way, including Smallville in the Multiverse creates a sense of justification for all the people who stuck with the show for however many seasons it ends up lasting. It says that we’re thinking outside the box and coming up with new possibilities for stories. And when it comes down to it, using the show as a jumping off point for the new movie franchise can only create so many stories. Including it in the Multiverse though, would open up a whole new realm of possibilities for stories, especially since the show’s producers have taken to introducing so many new characters from the DC universe in recent years. They might not be able to swing getting a young Bruce Wayne, Hal Jordan, or Princess Diana on the show right now because of movie rights and other legal issues, but that wouldn’t be a problem if the Smallville universe was a bona fide part of the Multiverse.

Agree? Disagree? Have Comments or Questions?

By Mandy Stegall

Timestamp: Monday, January 12, 2009, 7:04 p.m.

I have a real purpose for making sure everyone knows when I’m writing this entry. A short time ago, I saw the preview on Newsarama.com for Final Crisis #6. And now all I can think is…wow, if that’s the first five pages, I’m genuinely stoked for what the rest of the issue holds. And even as I finished reading the preview, I tried in vain to click to the next page, knowing that I could click it all I wanted but would not get to see the next pages until the blessed comic book arrived in my mail box, hopefully by Friday. Let’s just hope that I have it by the time you read this, and that I haven’t lost hope and started searching around the Internet for spoilers on what happened. Yes, it has me that excited.

It’s all about the Legion right now, isn’t it?

That part about the stars aligning for Jimmy Olsen back in October was a coincidence, right? Well, it looks like it’s happened again. We just experienced the amazingness that is Geoff Johns’ “Legion” episode (no, it hasn’t actually aired at the time that I’m writing this, but come on…it’s Geoff Freaking Johns), the final issue of The Legion of Super-Heroes (issue #50) hits newsstands in a couple weeks, Adventure Comics, starring the Legion, will be dropping soon…I think you get the point.

It’s interesting to me that a team book is losing its title, but gets this kind of a push. The “Legion” episode, the re-booting of Adventure—we can even talk about Legion of 3 Worlds and all the recent appearances in Action Comics if we wanted.

Personally, I like all these pushes DC seems to be giving to its properties and how they’re stretching it beyond the comic books themselves. Even before the Smallville episode airs, there is talk about a possible Legion live-action spin-off series, which would fit in nicely should this truly be the last season of Smallville.

A Call for Suggestions

Anyone who has been reading this column from the beginning, or has at least read the introduction, knows that my love affair with comics is fairly new. Most of the trades I have are of fairly recent story arcs, with the exception of some Superman trades from around the time of Y2K.

So here’s my call: Suggest some reading to me. What are some of the definitive trades or collected editions in the DC Universe? Please, suggest anything and everything. I’m ready to broaden my horizons.

You can e-mail your suggestions, comments, or questions to me at gutterlife@gmail.com

Thanks again for reading.