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Smallville Connections In Man Of Steel (Spoilers)

Are you a Smallville fan who saw some familiar faces in Man Of Steel? You didn’t imagine things…

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If you’re like us, you probably went to a late showing of Man Of Steel at midnight last night, and the whole movie is probably settling in. Being that this is KryptonSite, of course, you were probably excited by some appearances and connections to Smallville characters and actors within!

“What?” you ask. “I didn’t see any!”

There probably were more than you realized. Here are a few (warning: spoilers):

– The biggest and most obvious, of course, is that Amy Adams plays Lois Lane. She appeared in the first season episode “Craving” as a girl who could lose weight with Kryptonite diet shakes that make her a bit violent and very, very hungry. Definitely an upgrade of a role for her, no?

– Not more than a minute after we hear the words “This is Dr. Emil Hamilton,” we see Dr. Emil Hamilton… no, not just Richard Schiff, who plays the role in the movie, but also Alessandro Juliani, who played Dr. Emil in several episodes of Smallville. For me, this was the most amusing connection. Why yes, yes it was Dr. Emil Hamilton!

– That guy that Lois gives information to who has the blog, “Glen Woodburn,” is played by Chad Krowchuck. Not only did he date Allison Mack in real life for several years; he was also in the Season 3 episode “Forever” as “Wendell.”

– Characters like Pete Ross and Lana Lang are seen and/or referenced. Thanks to an IMDb listing (we warned you about those), it was thought for all this time that “Whitney Fordman” would be in the movie also, but no: the character in the film, according to the credits, is “Whitney Fordham.” At one point they even make reference to “the Fordham boy.”

Mackenzie Gray plays Jax-Ur, but on Smallville, he played a Lex Luthor clone, in the Season 10 premiere “Lazarus.”

– There is no Chloe Sullivan in the Man Of Steel world, but Smallville has a “Sullivan’s Truck And Tractor Repair” in the movie.

– Blink and you’d probably miss Tahmoh Penikett, who played two different characters on Smallville. Way back in Season 3 he was living dead kid “Vince Davis” in “Resurrection,” and then he played super-soldier Wes Keenan in a recurring part in Season 6. Penikett has made a habit of appearing in DC adaptations, having also appeared in Human Target and Arrow.

Ian Tracey played bad guy Lincoln Cole in the Season 5 Smallville episode “Mercy.” Here, he is “Ludlow.” (We don’t remember who Ludlow was, either.)

– “Lexcorp” logos are seen in more than one place in Metropolis.

– Smallville has an “Ezra’s Mail Depot.” A reference to Ezra Small?

– The first time we hear the name “Superman” in the movie, does the guy saying it look familiar? He should. He’s played by David Paetkau, who played an abused football player in Season 1’s “Hothead” and then came back years later to play Dan Turpin in “Bulletproof.”

Surely there might be more, so if you find any, leave them in the comments section below. And if you’ve seen Man Of Steel and want to come talk about it with other fans, come by our MOS forum!

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42 Comments

42 Comments

  1. Eddie

    June 14, 2013 at 9:28 am

    Hey caught all of the Smallville connections and was just amused by all that was in there.

  2. Blake

    June 14, 2013 at 9:37 am

    DR. HAMILTON…. in smallville… he played the guy that was observing the radar beacons on the ship they found in the ice!!!!!!

  3. Blake

    June 14, 2013 at 9:38 am

    NEVER MIND -.- i overlooked that one because there wasnt a photo lol ADD MORE PHOTOS just to help make the connection for people thank you !!!! … again sorry about that :/

    • Craig Byrne

      June 14, 2013 at 8:14 pm

      It’s hard to add photos right now since the movie just came out… so there are no still shots of, say, Dr. Emil in Man Of Steel. I figured people would remember what he looks like.

  4. Kal

    June 14, 2013 at 9:48 am

    I swear that one of the military techs was none other than the guy who played Emil Hamilton in the last couple seasons of Smallville. Anyone else catch that, or was I imagining things?

  5. Farhan

    June 14, 2013 at 11:12 am

    Tahmoh Penikett who played Wes Keenan in Season 6 episode 21 he was the Jed Eubanks in Man of Steel. So thats 5 people!

  6. Starsaber

    June 14, 2013 at 8:02 pm

    Ludlow was the semi driver that Clark confronted at the diner. I recognized him from his role in Sanctuary, but I shouldn’t be surprised he was in Smallville too.

  7. Jorell

    June 14, 2013 at 10:26 pm

    I got the biggest kick out of seeing Alessandro Juliani in the film. It was awesome seeing the two Hamilton’s together briefly.

  8. Natalie

    June 15, 2013 at 7:28 pm

    There’s also the girl who sold Lois candies for Valentine’s Day in Persuasion (Season 9) and who blew Kryptonite fairy dust onto Clark. In ‘Man of Steel’, Lois interviewed her while trying to track down the mysterious man who saved her.

  9. Nathan James

    June 16, 2013 at 3:04 am

    When Zod throws a truck at Clark, the truck says ‘lexcorp’ on it.

  10. Derek B. Gayle

    June 16, 2013 at 12:32 pm

    Worth noting that Mackenzie Gray was in Smallville even before the season 10 role–he was the evil doctor in “Cyborg” back in season 5.

  11. Vergon6

    June 16, 2013 at 3:38 pm

    Good catch Derek, I had forgotten about that. David Lewis, the guy who played the crazy Jeweler in “Committed” is listed as Major Paramore. He was looking over a solider’s shoulder I think for a few seconds in one of the scenes when Zod announces himself I believe. But I definitely saw him.

    http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0507082/?ref_=tt_cl_t8

  12. Jenna

    June 16, 2013 at 3:53 pm

    In the part of Man of Steel where Superman leaves the bar/ dinner he is working at the girl on the steps when he leaves is Susan Capra (s?), Not Suzanne her twin sister who is passing out name tags, From the episode of Smallville where Lois and Clark go back for their five year reunion. She is the girl that greets them at the door. You only see her for three seconds in Smallville but I have watched the Smallville series 10 times ( I know I am a loser but I can’t get enough)

  13. Dan

    June 16, 2013 at 5:44 pm

    All great little nods, enjoyed seeing all of them.

    though I dont get the logic behind the whole changing Whitney Forman to Fordham. Wa he supposed to even be the same character??

    • Craig Byrne

      June 16, 2013 at 7:30 pm

      I don’t think so… or rather, they might not have had the permissions to use him. Whitney Fordman was a character created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar for Smallville. There might be licensing issues preventing him from being used in another media without their permission.

      • Dan

        June 23, 2013 at 3:40 pm

        Wow thanks for the reply and info Craig.

        And I gotta thank you for everything you’ve done with the site and everything Smallville related over the years.

        It all made watching the show and being a fan an even better experience ; )

        .

  14. Marlin Gramenz

    June 17, 2013 at 11:45 am

    This may just be some fan’s rumor, but I heard someone say that they saw “Wayne Tech” on the satellite orbiting earth, or something along those lines. It’s not a seasons 1-10 connection, but it’s interesting nevertheless! I don’t know if it’s correct, but I’m looking for that when I see Man Of Steel a second time! :)

  15. MovieNut

    June 18, 2013 at 10:48 am

    For an instant, one of the Canadian soldiers (the Caucasian one) in the bar could be seen. He was played by an actor who played one of Lex Luthor’s more senior bodyguards for several episodes of “Smallville”‘s 7th Season.

  16. michael

    June 18, 2013 at 2:15 pm

    The moment that stood out for me was when Clark had the confrontation with the truck driver in the bar, after which he comes out to find his truck has been amusingly smashed up.

    It seemed very similar to a scene in Smallville where Clark has a confrontation with the Jocks at the school dance or something, and they come outside to find that their trucks have all been stacked on top of one another.

  17. Jeff Wagner

    June 19, 2013 at 9:17 am

    I wish they would bring back Smallville or at least make some movies, I have all 10 seasons and some how it still just doesn’t seem like enough stories when it comes to Clark Kent and Superman, Please if anyone who has the ability to make the show happen again, do it for the love of Zod err I mean God or Superman, Tom Welling if your listening, come back and bring your sister Kara, Lana, Lois and Lex, lets have some more fun eh!

    • Dan

      July 9, 2013 at 5:51 am

      Sounds like you need to be reading the Smallville Season 11 comic

  18. supermanvrszod

    June 24, 2013 at 11:40 am

    Shelby (clarks dog in smallville) has a different name in man of steel why change the name?is Shelby not in the comics?

    • Dan

      July 8, 2013 at 7:27 pm

      Shelby was created just for Smallville the same way the dogs the Kents had in MOS were created just for that.

      It would have been weird and confusing for Man of Steal to use characters and events that only existed in Smallville.

  19. Gensael

    June 27, 2013 at 4:39 pm

    The more I think about it, the more I realize there were even more nods to Smallville (tv show). How about the bus going off the bridge into the water? Looks exactly like Lex going off the bridge in his Porsche.. and whos there to save them? Clark.

  20. Brittany

    June 28, 2013 at 4:55 am

    Great article! I recognized so many actors from Smallville. Couldn’t believe how many Easter Eggs were in the film.

    By the way, the episode Chad Krowchuck appears in, Forever, is actually in Season 4.

  21. Lily

    July 1, 2013 at 4:50 am

    The waitress in the cafe was the ‘fairy’ in season 9’s episode ‘Persuasion’ who gives Lois the kryptonite-infected chocolate. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1924001/?ref_=tt_cl_t11

  22. zernan

    July 3, 2013 at 12:24 pm

    in an episode in smallville wherein jor-el went to earth and was known as the drifter named “joe”.. in man of steel, clark was known as “joe” also..

  23. Kevin

    July 3, 2013 at 6:56 pm

    In the diner scence sitting at the bar are two soldiers talking. They played 2 of Lex’s security guards in the first 2 to 3 seasons of Smallville. The African American soldier played Lex’s security guard Darius in Smallville.

  24. Kevin

    July 5, 2013 at 6:22 am

    I also noticed (don’t remember where exactly) a shop called CASSIDY’S or something like that which may or may not be a reference to Cassidy Freeman

  25. Genevieve

    July 5, 2013 at 10:21 pm

    There’s a scene where Superman is fighting the Kryptonians in Smallville and you see the Smallville water tower, it’s the same tower from the TV show Smallville and a nod to Warner Bros. I don’t believe you mentioned that one, Craig.

  26. Sierra O'Loughlin

    October 13, 2013 at 1:28 am

    After seeing the obvious connections to Smallville (I only caught five: Amy Adams, Mackenzie Gray, Alessandro Juiliani, David Paetkau, and Tahmoh Penikett) I looked it up on imdb and went through every actor in the cast of 112. There were 22 actors TOTAL who had been on Smallville at some point in the series’s run. I was ecstatic and decided it was most definitely a nod to our favorite show and not a largely Canadian casting pool. ;)

    Also worth noting: Aaron Smolinski played a communications officer in MOS. Aaron played Baby Clark Kent in 1978’s Superman: The Movie and “Boy at Phone Booth” in Superman 3.

    I do have the list of actors and which episode they were in if anyone’s interested.

    That is all. :D

  27. Yiliang

    October 17, 2013 at 12:27 pm

    Clark’s first save was for a vehicle that ran off the bridge and into the water, same as his first save in Smallville for Lex in the series premiere.

    Superman’s took off on his first flight in the same manner as Kal did in the Season 4 premiere of Smallville.

    The tornado Jonathan Kent dies in in Man of Steel is a reference to the season 1 finale of Smallville.

    Superman’s first physical confrontation with Zod is the same manner as Clark did with the Zod-possessed Lex, flying through the fields of Smallville, grappling with each other in the season 6 premiere.

  28. Baltazar

    December 2, 2013 at 5:29 pm

    The actor who plays a role in the episode “prototype”. as the prototype jejeje, appears n Man Of Steele in a scene where lois is asking questions to witness of strange events

  29. Grant

    December 8, 2013 at 11:47 am

    I believe the jocks heckling Clark in front of Sullivan’s are wearing letterman jackets from Smallville highschool

  30. jordan

    December 9, 2013 at 2:31 pm

    The kryptonian in the movie that discovers the codex is in kals cells was one of lexs security guys in season 6. He was not bald and also played lexs clone in season 10..I hate when they use the same person for two different characters in the small ville series..they did it with the guy who played wes Keenan. And the kid who played in season 3 when the football coach burned his arm ..played a cop in one of the last seasons.. also noticed the two boys from Tim the tool man Taylor in smalville??

  31. Brandon

    January 27, 2014 at 11:32 pm

    In MOS, the same crescendo plays when the priest says ”sometimes, you have to take a leap of faith” as what plays when Clark flies in VR on Smallville.

  32. BlackGoku

    March 5, 2014 at 11:14 pm

    So how many Smallville alum were in the “Man of Steel” movie?

    1. Mackenzie Gray played a clone of Lex, season 10, episode premiere “Lazarus” on Smallville but as Kryptonian Jax-Ur.
    2. Alessandro Juliani played Dr. Emil Hamilton season 8, 9 & 10 (14 separate episodes) on Smallville but a military tech sergeant at ice station in the film.
    3. Amy Adams played Jodi Melville season 1 episode 7, “Craving” girl in Smallville but as Lois Lane in the film.
    4. Kwesi Ameyaw played Dairus (1 of Lex’s security guards) season 3, on Smallville but a soldier at the dinner.
    5. Mike Dopud played George (another 1 of Lex’s security guards) season 6, on Smallville but a soldier at the dinner.
    6. Chad Krowchuck season 3, episode “Forever” as “Wendell on Smallville but Glen Woodburn the blogger.
    7. Tahmoh Penikett played two different characters on Smallville. Back in Season 3, he was living dead kid “Vince Davis” in “Resurrection,” and then played super-soldier “Wes Keenan” in a recurring part in Season 6.
    8. Ian Tracey played Lincoln Cole in the season 5, episode “Mercy” on Smallville but bully trucker in the film.
    9. David Paetkau played two characters on Smallville, an abused football player in season 1′s, “Hothead” then in season 8, played officer Danny Turpin in “Bulletproof.”
    10. David Lewis played two characters on Smallville, as Dr. Marcus season 3, episode “Calling” and Macy the crazy jeweler in season 8, episode “Committed” but Major Laramore in the film.
    11. Carmen Lavigne played the Valentine fairy in season 9, episode “Persuasion” played but was Chrissy the waitress in the film.
    12. Some said they saw Hilary Jardine form Smallville season 10, episode “Homecoming” as well but this has been unverified as of yet.

    So there you have it, a complete on set cast of Smallville alum who had a part in the “Man of Steel” movie 2013. If any has more I may have missed please share and update…

    Thx
    B.K. aka BlackGoku…

  33. SmallVilleLovEr

    April 17, 2015 at 8:38 pm

    Did anyone notice that on the Smallville water tower the name of the town is written EXACTLY in the same font and style as the Smallville tv show title? It basically IS tje Smallville from the shows title sequence. Crazy cool

  34. Cedric Taylor

    March 31, 2016 at 7:24 am

    Another nugget when young Clark in MOS looks back over his shoulder while on the bus, when he’s about to save the kids.

    That style and look looks like the Smallville farm boy. Looks like the kid had a Tom Welling vibe

  35. Doug Masters

    November 27, 2016 at 7:17 pm

    This one I feel is one BIG one people miss Jimmy Olsen is played by Michael Cassidy who also played Grant Gabriel / Julian Luthor who also worked at The Daily Planet

    • Craig Byrne

      January 8, 2017 at 12:28 am

      That was for Batman v Superman, and the Man of Steel article was written 3 years before that came out.

  36. D

    February 9, 2017 at 9:25 am

    Did no one notice that the Kryptonian who drew blood from Superman on Zod’s ship in MOS is the evil Lex clone in one episode of Smalllville season 10??!?

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Smallville

More Smallville Funkos Are Coming – Pre-Order Now!

New Smallville Funko figures are on the way for three characters.

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Here’s some holiday cheer we weren’t expecting to see: Funko has announced three more Smallville POP!s, with two based on Season 10 elements and one based on Season 8.

Clark’s red leather jacket from Season 10 gets the spotlight in one of them, showing off the outfit/”costume” worn by the Blur (Tom Welling) in the final season. Next, we’ve got a “Kara Kent” looking very Supergirly as she looked in the Season 10 episode “Supergirl.”

And then there’s Doomsday… Max?!? We have no idea what “Doomsday Max” means. It sounds like a bad name for a soda or a streaming service. But it is based on the Season 8 take on Doomsday, and it’s too bad it doesn’t come as part of a 2-pack with a Davis Bloome.

We’re assuming these will be out in 2025 sometime; updates will come when and if they become available. Any and all new Smallville merch is always welcome, especially considering the recent resurgence of excitement around the series. And in success, who could be next? Lana? More Justice Leaguers? Tess? Dr. Emil? Lionel? The Kents? John Jones? Pete? Amy Adams eating a deer? Anything’s possible… though a Chloe Funko POP! would surprise us at this point due to the actress’ real-life situations.

UPDATE: Pre-order links are now here! Order through KryptonSite’s links and help support this site!

CLARK KENT (SEASON 10 JACKET)

 

KARA (SEASON 10 “SUPERGIRL”)

DOOMSDAY “MAX”

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Lois & Clark

The Many Deaths of Superman!

Russ Dimino explores the many deaths of Superman in TV, movies, comics and animation from the modern era, all the way through the Superman & Lois finale.

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It was the superhero storyline that made headlines. In 1992 DC killed off their flagship hero in “The Death of Superman,” a sprawling saga that sent shockwaves through the comic book community. Superman #75 by Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding chronicled the climax of a brutal battle that had played out over several preceding issues, with Superman fighting a rampaging monster called Doomsday. Eager fans lined up around the block at comic shops in hopes of purchasing the black bagged issue where Superman met his match. Some envisioned the limited-edition comic putting their kids through college. Many just wanted to know how the Man of Steel could possibly die. Everyone felt like they were experiencing a piece of history.

You can’t keep a good hero dead for long, especially when they’re a comic company’s cash cow. In the months that followed, four ersatz Supermen appeared on the scene, each teasing the possibility that they were somehow a reincarnated version of the original. These newcomers included John Henry Irons and his suit of steel armor; a Kryptonian artificial intelligence known as The Eradicator; a super-powered cyborg with dubious intentions; and a teenage clone who didn’t appreciate being called Superboy.

Ultimately, none of the members of this super-powered quartet proved to be the real deal. Superman did eventually return to life, resurrected by some advanced technology in the Fortress of Solitude and sporting a new shoulder-length hairdo. (Artist Dan Jurgens has repeatedly insisted it was NOT a mullet.)

The storyline has remained a fan favorite for decades and has inspired or been adapted into novels, video games, trading cards, action figures and more. It should come as no surprise that it has influenced many of the Superman movies and TV shows that have followed in the years since 1992. Let’s take a look at some of these projects. We’ll even tell you where you can watch most of them, but keep in mind that these streaming services are subject to change!

“LOIS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN” (TV SERIES)

SUMMARY: Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain brought the super-couple into the 1990s in this “love triangle with two people.” The series focused less on action and adventure and more on romance and reporting as Lois Lane and Clark Kent’s careers at the Daily Planet were front and center.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: Somewhat surprisingly considering the show was a contemporary of the “Death of Superman” comics, they never attempted to incorporate any of that storyline. (Doomsday surely would’ve killed ABC’s budget long before he killed the Man of Steel.) However, a New Krypton storyline late in the series did have Dean Cain sporting a black suit that was reminiscent of what Superman briefly wore post-resurrection in the comics.

WHERE TO WATCH: All four seasons are included with a Max subscription, and they are also free to watch on Tubi! For the black suit episodes, check out the season three finale “Big Girls Don’t Fly” and the season four premiere “Lord of the Flys.”

“STEEL” (FILM)

SUMMARY: When a weapons designer learns that his inventions have fallen into the wrong hands, he dons a suit of armor to fight back against corruption and make the world safe again. No, we’re not talking about “Iron Man.” A decade before Robert Downey Jr. suited up as Tony Stark, Shaquille O’Neal played John Henry Irons, a character from the Reign of the Supermen comics who took the idea of a “Man of Steel” quite literally.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: Beyond the name of the character and the concept of a steel super-suit, essentially none. Any ties to Superman or his supporting cast are noticeably absent from this flick.

WHERE TO WATCH: It’s not currently included on any streaming services, but can be rented or purchased on Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, etc.

“SUPERMAN LIVES” (CANCELED FILM)

SUMMARY: A film that never quite took flight, “Superman Lives” (originally titled “Superman Reborn”) was an attempt to bring the Superman franchise back to life beyond the Christopher Reeve movies by adapting the death and resurrection of the Man of Steel.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: The script, which went through multiple drafts by writers including Kevin Smith, Dan Gilroy, and Wesley Strick, loosely followed the Death of Superman arc in that Superman would die fighting Doomsday (with Brainiac and Lex Luthor pulling strings behind the scenes) and then come back to life via Kryptonian tech. Tim Burton was set to direct, Nicolas Cage was signed on to play Superman and even did some costume tests, and other names circulating were Sandra Bullock for Lois Lane and Chris Rock for Jimmy Olsen. Burton wanted Christopher Walken for Brainiac. Producer Jon Peters famously insisted that Superman should fight a giant spider in the last act of the film.

WHERE TO WATCH: You can’t, because the project (appropriately?) died in pre-production, but there is a great documentary called “The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened?” which can be found on YouTube. And if you want a glimpse of what Nic Cage’s Superman might have been like, he has a cameo in the movie “The Flash,” which is available on Max. And yes, Jon Peters got his wish.

“JUSTICE LEAGUE” / “JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED” (ANIMATED SERIES)

SUMMARY: Spinning out of the world of “Batman: The Animated Series” and “Superman: The Animated Series,” Bruce Timm and co. brought together the most powerful members of DC’s catalog of characters for large-scale adventures too big for any one hero to handle.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: Interestingly, “JL” did a storyline where Superman died and they did a Doomsday storyline but they were not one and the same. In the two-part “Hereafter,” Superman is believed to be killed by a group of villains (don’t worry, he’s actually just time-displaced), and a mourning Metropolis holds a funeral and erects a memorial to him not unlike the “Funeral for a Friend” comics that followed Superman #75. Then in part one of “A Better World,” Doomsday arrives on Earth, but is lobotomized by a more ruthless Superman from an alternate universe. (There was a lot going on.) Doomsday returned once more in the follow-up series “Justice League Unlimited,” slugging it out with Superman inside of a volcano after being restored to full power in the episode “The Doomsday Sanction.”

WHERE TO WATCH: All seasons of “Justice League” and “Justice League Unlimited” are on Max.

“SUPERMAN: DOOMSDAY” (ANIMATED FILM)

SUMMARY: One of DC’s first forays into the world of Direct-to-DVD animated films was this attempt at adapting the Death of Superman story.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: Although the broad strokes were there, the 77-minute runtime meant that the story was quite condensed. Superman (voiced by Adam Baldwin) is killed by Doomsday, but instead of four newcomers taking up the mantle, he’s replaced by a solitary clone created by Lex Luthor. When the clone turns out to be missing the Man of Steel’s morality, the real Superman returns from the grave to reclaim the cape.

WHERE TO WATCH: It’s not currently included on any streaming services, but can be rented or purchased on Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, etc.

“SMALLVILLE” (TV SERIES)

SUMMARY: These are the tales of a young Clark Kent (Tom Welling), coming of age while coming to terms with his burgeoning super powers. Despite being set in a decidedly pre-Superman era (flights and tights strictly off limits), many members of the Man of Steel’s future rogues gallery show up in some way, shape or form throughout the course of the show’s decade-long run.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: Doomsday is the primary antagonist of the show’s eighth season, but with a twist: he isn’t always a monster. In his humanoid form, Davis Bloome (Sam Witwer) is a paramedic for Metropolis General Hospital with a soft spot for gal pal Chloe Sullivan. Although Doomsday doesn’t succeed in killing Superm— uhh, we mean, the Red-Blue Blur… Davis does kill someone close to Clark, and the monstrous side of his persona is buried underground for a presumable rematch in the future.

WHERE TO WATCH: All ten seasons of Smallville are on Hulu. For some prominent Doomsday-centric episodes, check out the season eight episodes “Bride,” “Infamous,” “Eternal,” and “Doomsday.” (For bonus points, season ten has a Superboy that’s at least somewhat inspired by the Reign of the Supermen comics. Check out the episode “Scion.”)

“BATMAN v SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE” / “JUSTICE LEAGUE” (FILMS)

SUMMARY: Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) attempts to resurrect the late General Zod using Kryptonian technology, only to wind up unleashing a mindless monstrosity that begins destroying Metropolis. Despite the best efforts of not-quite-superfriends Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman (Henry Cavill), Superman dies felling the beast in the final act of “Batman v Superman.” The heroes of the nascent Justice League revive him to help stop a coming invasion in the follow-up film.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: The death storyline feels almost like an afterthought here, being tacked onto an already overstuffed “Batman v Superman.” His resurrection in “Justice League” comes from a combination of a Mother Box, a Kryptonian ship, and the Flash’s lightning rather than the Fortress of Solitude. Depending on which version of “Justice League” you’re watching, Superman may come back wearing a black suit like he did during the Reign of the Supermen comics, or he might come back with an odd-looking upper lip.

WHERE TO WATCH: Both movies are included with Max. (Actually, there are THREE versions of “Justice League” on there, but that could be another whole article. “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” is the version recommended by the author of this column… although that may not reflect the thoughts and opinions of KryptonSite as a whole!)

“THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN” / “REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN” (ANIMATED FILMS)

SUMMARY: In order to right the wrongs of the first animated movie adaptation, DC attempted a more faithful retelling spread out over two films instead of just one.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: Probably the most faithful page-to-screen translation of the comic book storyline that we’re likely to get. Although a few liberties are taken in order to align this film with some of the other DC animated outings (Superman is in his “New 52” costume, and the Justice League features a more contemporary roster than the original storyline, just as a couple of examples), the meat and potatoes are here and die-hard fans are sure to eat them up. “Reign” even gives us all four of the stand-in Supermen: John Henry “Steel” Irons (voiced by “Black Lightning” star Cress Williams), The Eradicator (Charles Halford from “Constantine”), the Cyborg Superman (“Better Call Saul” alum Patrick Fabian), and don’t-call-me-Superboy (Cameron Monaghan of “Gotham” fame).

WHERE TO WATCH: “Death of…” is included on Max. “Reign of…” is not, but can be rented or purchased on Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, etc. Some platforms also offer the two movies edited together into one long super-movie as “The Death and Return of Superman.”

“TITANS” (TV SERIES)

SUMMARY: Not to be confused with the zany kids’ show, this more mature version of the teen heroes has a level of violence and swearing that would never fly on Cartoon Network. (Robin defiantly exclaims “F*** Batman!” in the first episode.)

COMICS CONNECTIONS: Although we don’t get a Doomsday storyline here, we do get a Superboy that’s very comic-accurate to the one that was introduced during the Reign of the Supermen. Conner (Joshua Orpin), a clone who shares some of Superman’s DNA, escapes from CADMUS Labs in search of answers about how he came to be. But there’s not just Kryptonian chromosomes in the mix… the other half of those helixes belong to Lex Luthor.

WHERE TO WATCH: The whole series is on Max. For Superboy’s introductory ep, check out season two, episode six, “Conner.”

“KRYPTON” (TV SERIES)

SUMMARY: If you thought “Smallville” was a deep dive into Superman’s past, you ain’t seen nothing yet. “Krypton” chronicled the Man of Steel’s homeworld well before it exploded, giving us new insight into the House of El with a focus on Kal-El’s grandfather, Seg-El.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: Kryptonian soldier Dax-Baron (Staz Nair) is subjected to repeated deaths and resurrections to evolve into what is easily the best-looking live action Doomsday in any media. (And no, we don’t mean he’s winning any beauty contests!)

WHERE TO WATCH: The two-season run of Krypton is available for free on Tubi. Be sure to check out the episodes “The Phantom Zone,” “Ghost in the Fire,” “In Zod We Trust,” and “Zods and Monsters” for plenty of Doomsday content.

“CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS” (CW TV CROSSOVER)

SUMMARY: Cameos aplenty in this 2019 crossover of the various CW “Arrowverse” shows, including “Supergirl,” “Batwoman,” “The Flash,” “Arrow,” and “Legends of Tomorrow,” which saw heroes from every corner of the DC multiverse come together to save all of reality.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: While on Argo, Lois (Bitsie Tulloch) refers to Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) having faced off with Doomsday. And on an alternate Earth’s version of Metropolis, we see Lois crying over Superman’s dead body while his cape flies like a memorial flag in a recreation of the final page of Superman #75.

WHERE TO WATCH: Frustratingly, the shows that comprise the Crisis crossover are not all on a single streaming service. For the moments we mentioned here, check out “Supergirl,” season 5, episode 9 on Netflix, and “Batwoman” season 1, episode 9 on Max. (For bonus points, Tyler Hoechlin wore a black Superman suit in the “Elseworlds” crossover the year prior; see “Arrow,” season 7, episode 9, and “Supergirl,” season 4, episode 9, both on Netflix. Whew!)

“SUPERMAN & LOIS” (TV SERIES)

SUMMARY: A married Lois and Clark return to Smallville, Kansas to raise their twin sons Jordan (Alexander Garfin) and Jonathan (Jordan Elsass in seasons one and two, Michael Bishop in three and four). But maintaining a secret identity in a rural setting isn’t as easy as one might think, and balancing super heroics with family time turns out to be super-complicated. The Kent Family’s safety is further threatened by the return of an old enemy with a long-standing grudge when Lex Luthor is released from prison.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: The show had been teasing a “Death of Superman” payoff since the beginning. John Henry Irons was a main character from season one, and Bizarro’s arrival in season two was a direct homage to Doomsday’s debut. Heck, the show even did their version of The Eradicator, and one of the Kent sons could’ve easily become a new Superboy… in fact, the Jonathan of an alternate Earth had a costume much like the one worn by the Conner Kent Superboy of the comics, complete with a “Death of Superman”-style “S.” As season three came to a close, Lex Luthor repeatedly resurrected Bizarro to force him to mutate into a Doomsday-like form. With the premiere of season four, the Bizarro/Doomsday creature did indeed kill Superman in a fight scene that pushed the limits of what could be shown on the CW. Clark’s revival a few episodes later was made possible due to a heroic sacrifice by Sam Lane that could only be described as heartbreaking.

But the series had one last surprise in store that few fans could’ve seen coming. Superman died again (is that overkill…?) in a flash-forward in the series finale. This time it wasn’t Doomsday, kryptonite, or a supervillain that did him in. Predeceased by Lois, Clark passed away quietly at home with his super-powered sons by his bedside. This was a first for any adaptation of the Superman mythology, as no other version has ever given his story such a definitive conclusion. The closest thing we can think of is Alan Moore’s classic “Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow?” comic book. But, as Mr. Moore famously said, that was an imaginary story… aren’t they all?

WHERE TO WATCH: All ten episodes of the show’s final season are currently available for free on the CW app and CWTV.com. You can catch up on the three previous seasons on Max.

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Smallville

Alaina Huffman Added to the Salute to Smallville 2025 Guest List!

Alaina Huffman (Black Canary) will be at the Salute to Smallville 2025 convention.

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Today, Creation Entertainment revealed that Alaina Huffman (Dinah Lance, the Black Canary) has been added to their second “Salute to Smallville” convention happening in Chicago in September 2025. This will offer fans the opportunity to meet her and purchase autograph and photo opportunities, as well as hearing stories from her in dedicated panels.

You can read more about Salute to Smallville 2025 here.

DISCLAIMER: KryptonSite’s Craig Byrne was involved with the making of Creation’s Salute to Smallville convention and served as a co-host/emcee with Derek Russell at the 2024 event.

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