References from the Smallville Comics

Between the end of season one and the end of season three, DC printed several issues of Smallville comics that tied directly into the story lines on the show; they were used to help tie up loose ends from the show, much like the Torch/Ledger, Chloe Chronicles, and Verizon Text Messages were over the show.  Additionally, Mark Verheiden while these came out was a show runner as well as writer for the actual series (penning X-Ray, Rogue, Zero, Obscura, Heat, Dichotic, Suspect, Witness, Perry, and Hereafter.)   He left in the fourth season and is currently writing for the comics --   .  Clint Carpenter wrote Precipice for Smallville and a vast majority of these comics.

A HUGE  thank you to Trev Guy from TWoP; he provide 90% of these scans and he's absolutely been a godsend when working on this page.  Thank you, Trev Guy!!!!   And another thank you to Veaglarwen of AMO for the scans from the comics of Chloe's articles. :)

Raptor,  Smallville Comic #1

Raptor was written by Mark Verheiden with special thanks to Ben Verheiden.

This is the very first story of the Smallville comics, and it's narrated by Chloe Sullivan. This is interesting as many of the Post-Crisis comics have been narrated by Lois Lane herself; additionally this technique was used on the show in Thirst (5.05).  The premise of the story is set during S2 and is not unlike many season one episodes: during a field trip, a SHS student tries to blow up a LuthorCorp archeological dig and the explosion turns him into a raptor.    Yep, everyday Smallville stuff. :)

Chloe remarks on most everything in Smallville in her voice over; she focuses in on Clark quite a bit mentioning that she knows he's hiding something, that they've known each other since eight grade (which gives her "perspective") to how he thinks and deals with things, how his trying to save Greg was a "Clarky" thing to do, and she snarks about how Clark's friendship makes "as much sense as anything else in Smallville."  She also very sweetly remarks that the only good thing to come out of the meteor shower was Clark; Chloe also shows a real sympathetic side to Greg Fox's death - while still admittedly being focused on the 'weird.' 

Also, Chloe gives a rundown on everyone (Clark, Lex, Lana, Pete) as well as the school, it's interesting that Chloe's still the 'distant' observer in most of these cases.  Additionally, there are some interesting continuity in this story - Chloe is trying to check up on Justin Gains and recounts the story of Coach Walt.  This issue also shows how to log on to the digital Wall of Weird.   And for those who are into shot composition, Chloe and Clark are shown walking in tandem several times during this comic.

Daily Planet : My Summer Vacation,  Smallville Comic #2

What I Did On My Summer Vacation was written by Clint Carpenter.  Interestingly, this piece came out the day after the season two finale, Exodus, aired.

The second of this comics was entitled "My Summer Vacation" and looks at what Chloe did at her internship at the Daily Planet that happened after Tempest/Vortex (1.21 and 2.01) and before Heat (2.02).  While we know from Heat, that Chloe claims to Clark that nothing happened and that he didn't contact her much during the break, this issue clarifies a few of those points some.  Chloe is working as a secretary of sorts for Grant McKinnon, a managing editor in the bullpen, and she has a crush a full-fledged reporter in the bullpen who looks suspiciously like a future mild mannered report sans glasses (bottom panel).  Rob, her crush, has a story about a local mobster but isn't going to get printed due to lack of fact in the actual article (which sets up why Chloe got her mad hacker skills in the first place).  Chloe uses her hacking skills, and some help from Lex and Pete, to break in and get the photographic proof for Rob's story.  And she even dons a cat suit while breaking in to bring down Hitch (the mobster-villain of the story).  She leaves her findings for Rob, anonymously, and lets Rob have the story that brings the crime lord down; of course, Rob is engaged and Chloe ends up getting Clark on the phone in the end.

What is interesting about this?  Well some reviewers talked about the team of the stories in the issue (there is another one about Clark in it) "This could have been a Lois Lane/Batman story in Action Comics."  Another cites the improbability of Chloe giving up a story, while "it stays true to the Lois Lane stories of yesteryear."  The reviewer has issues with how journalism is presented, but since the issue is consistent with the show, then it's an issue with Smallville's journalism mores in general.  

Additionally, one of the only comics about Lois as a young girl is entitled "How I Spent My Summer Vacation" and it was in The World of Metropolis #2.  In it, a 15 year old Lois (Chloe is the same age at the time) how she snuck into LuthorCorp, smuggled out information about it, and won her job at the Daily Planet.  (On the flip side, Chloe won her first job on her writing of her experience of being kidnapped and buried alive.)

Sullivan's Travels, Smallville Comic #4

 This was written by Mark Verheiden & Clint Carpenter.

This shows the start of Chloe's Daily Planet column, Sullivan's Travels; written by Mark Verheiden & Clint Carpenter.  This article was actually quoted in Exodus by Lionel Luthor for her quip about the "worst sin of age is to forget the trials of youth."  This is Chloe's first official piece ever written for the Planet -- as My Summer Vacation clarified that Chloe did little more (credited) work than sever coffee and learn new uses for her Smallville Junior Fireman's badge.

In this piece, called Introductions, Chloe takes a chance to explain how she's a Metropolis transplant going back and forth and even explains a bit more about herself.  "Mysteries hooked me and drove me to journalism to find the answers."  She talks about how Metropolis and Smallville aren't that disconnected, and about how "if only in her mind" time will tell how much so.

She also makes a quip about having power, like waking up one morning with the ability to fly.

Sojourn, Smallville Comic #5

Written by Mark Verheiden, Clint Carpenter & Jake Black.

This comic shores up where Exodus (2.23) left off; it's following "Kal" around Metropolis where he meets up with and gets involved in Intergang (which is in the comics, run by Morgan Edge whom we see in Exile)  Interestingly enough it's a hot blonde with green eyes that he hooks up with - her name is 'Chastity' and she's also got a bracelet, and tries to bed, that turns him on to Intergang.  This comic also shows him getting cozy at the Atlantis which is a set up for Exile (3.01).   There is also a cut out of this time showing the Kents coming back from the hospital.  Chloe brings Martha flowers, but realizes Lana's already there and leaves.  Lana tries to apologize but Chloe has just one questions for her "chicken" friend - "Do you love him?"  Lana says she does and Chloe leaves.

Sullivan's Travels, Smallville Comic #5

Written by Mark Verheiden, Clint Carpenter & Jake Black.  This comic came out the week before Delete where Chloe tries to use the pen name Lois Lane, claiming it as a cousin of hers what wasn't interested in journalism.  (Which is later backed up to be true.)  

This was set during Whisper and Delete (3.10 and 3.11 respectively), this part of the comic looks at Chloe's last article for the Daily Planet.  What is most interesting here is the content of the actual article of Chloe's writing.  In fact, there is a line that jumps out - not just the fact that she's uncovering real news (Biedlemen's story stealing, Ace Chemical) but in particular that "If you've paid attention - and if I've done my job correctly -- you should know who I am."  It also talks about the loyalty to farmboys, CEOs and how her stories are in Smallville -- for now.  She re-admits her dedication to the truth in an article called Full Disclosure.

What is also interesting is that this comes out in a season where the WB advertised on the idea that Clark and Lex were bounded together by fate, and while this was really shown within the series that year, Chloe was always caught in the middle of the story - much like Lois has been in every other version of the comics.

Id, Smallville Comic #6

Written by Clint Carpenter, Tom Derenick & Kano.

Clark had been driving with Pete discussing telling the secret to Lana and the differences between being an alien and a normal meteor freak when Clark spots smoke and rushes in to save the day.  We cut to the panel in the left; Chloe in the panel on the left comments that she's used to writing articles about Clark's heroics and can push one out extremely fast which is, of course, reminiscent of Lois' habitual articles on Superman; they are commonplace to her after a while.   She and Clark have talk about secrets, where Clark worries about ultimately driving her away; the reader of course knows he's talking about his own and it fits very nicely on the tail end of the conversation from Delete.   It also picks up continuity from Arrival where he talks about wanting to tell her for a very long time.

Chloe asks him to flip the question around about her, if there were anything she could do to "drive him away for good"; an interesting question on the heels of Delete and the episode Truth that shows up later in the season.   Clark very sweetly says that there isn't while they are blocked in two-shot with wedding stance ( much like in the show ) and Chloe agrees that she feels the same way.  (And Clark chooses not to even broach the subject with Lana at all.)

Sullivan's Travels, Smallville Comic #6

Written by Clint Carpenter, Tom Derenick & Kano set between Shattered and Asylum.

Chloe writes and article about deception; it starts off talking about disbelief in Santa (which makes for a great turn around in Lexmas).   My best guess is that this article comes out after Shattered but before Asylum; especially on the heals of Chloe's deleted scene with Lionel in Shattered.  Chloe's article is very interesting for Chlois on a few fronts.  The first is she uses the Talon as an example for Smallville - that they are the "b.s. capital of the world," because even their movie theatre's have a double identity.

Second is she run downs three main sets of problems.  The first is with relationships which is an obvious snark on Clana; how the perfect girl is really tarnished and still unmatchable underneath.  She snarks on Chlark too, saying that after a guy's "Super Powers" fade away then you are left with the same ordinary distrusting guys of all.  Both of those are obvious Clark references.  The second part talks about turning to work, and using those rewards as a personal success meter; but that's an obvious poke at herself given her line about whom to trust.   The third talks about dependency on family and references murder, faked personal injury, and electro-shock therapy -- obviously, Lex.

What I find the most Chloisy is the Last lines: Our scars sense the fires of deception, and if we're responsible, descent people we warn others of the heat.  That's why I write, even in the midst of an inferno, to save those who can't be heard over the roar of the flames.

Chronicle, Smallville Comic #7

Written by Clint Carpenter, Tom Derenick & Tom Grummett.

Chloe gets contacted by a ex-Navy Seal who used to work for a group that "deleted" people named Bix on her way home from the Torch one night; he hides in her car and initially Chloe thinks he's an attacker.  She literally fights him off and tries to out smart him until he mentions that Arthur Walsh sent him.

She takes him to the Kent Farm; Clark's parents are out of town.  She then fills him in on the Chronicles last year that Pete taped for her and exactly what was going on.  She then hands it over to Bix (who also looks likes a form of a mild mannered reporter we all know and love.)  Bix explains that he was a Navy Seal and when he got out, he was contacted by a group called the Deletion Force ( who show up in Cyborg and the CC3/VCs, they also seem to be Lex's bodyguards in early season 5.)   Their job was to go through and erase evidence of people.  Bix notes that sometimes they got the bad guys, but others they erased people who didn't deserve it -- like Arthur Walsh -- and Bix had major issues with it.   There is even a reference to him thinking he helped Dr. Teng (whose arc was from Resurrection - Crisis. ) Eventually he spoke up about it, but when he did he was reassigned as a guard personnel where he met Arthur who is under a daily dose of serum to keep him alive.   Bix also notes the Deletion Force's obsessions with livers - meaning that Lionel Luthor was probably running them at the time.

Bix decides to escape, and when he does Walsh sends him with a message to give to "Chloe Sullivan, Smallville High" because she would be able to help.  The message is a riddle, to make sure Chloe chooses to be involved.  Chloe at first decides to help Bix and research his story with Clark.   They find a tie in to Accelerate and talk about if they can trust him; along the way she solves the riddle that leads her to the Smallville Water Tower (Which is later seen in Forsaken.)  Clark tells her she can still turn back but Chloe says that her search for the truth is who she is.  In a shed near the water tower, Chloe finds where the Deletion force hid the original Level Three equipment that infected Earl Jenkins back in Jitters.  Clark agrees to help them and provides a distraction while Chloe gets Bix on a truck to sneak over into Mexico.

Bix kisses Chloe goodbye, and Chloe starts up her monologue again.  The end shows her opening Walsh's messages - and the end panels from this comic appear in the first CC2.

Exploit, Smallville Comic #8

Written by Clint Carpenter, Mark Warshaw, Tom Derenick & Renato Guedes.

This comic is actually a part of the CC2's.

Chloe and Pete find Donovan Jameson's secret lab in the woods, under a pond.  Jameson escorts them under ground commenting about his striving for information about meteor mutations and chastises Chloe for being so naive as to think he wouldn't after Hamilton's great strides and she and Pete see Greg Arkin, Tina Greer, and Sean Kelvin as test subjects.  Jameson locks them both in a room and they split up to find a way out. Chloe, who has tracked the murder of Sarah and the disappearance of Arthur Walsh thus far ends up looking through the room - to find video tapes and she sorts through them until she finds the incriminating evidence - Arthur's murder on tape and Jameson's confession to killing Sarah whom he had gotten a little too friendly with.  Jameson finds them, of course, and Chloe and Pete try to make their escape.  Pete gets sidelined as they are running, and it leaves Chloe to face down Jameson on her own.

At this point, she realizes that Jameson has the Jitters -- just like Earl way back when she started the case.  Chloe causes an explosion in the lab to escape Jameson; she survives it by ducking behind a metal bin just in time.  The under-water lab floods and Chloe and Pete run out just in time, the rest of the story caught in the CC2's.

Rampage,  Smallville Comic #10

Written by Clint Carpenter & Dan Thomsen.

Lex has been experimenting with the worms from Rush and his scientist does an experiment with the extracted chemicals on a monkey.  The monkey breaks loose, kills the scientist and starts running across Smallville with a syringe full of the stuff.   Chloe, who is driving across town to pick up Lana for a shopping spree, almost runs the monkey over and in return, the monkey squirts her full of Rush!compound. (Interesting to note is that the Sherriff doesn't actually listen to Chloe which later plays a part in Hidden.)  Rush!Chloe comes out (and we can tell because she looses her jacket to walk around in a tight pink tank top), picks up Lana, and brings out Rush!Lana, who is not all that dissimilar from Nicodemus!Lana.

The two go to an outlet mall where Lana fights with a woman who look oddly similar to the comic's Lana Lang over a purple shirt; Chloe admits that the only thing she likes better than a man in uniform is a man out of one (literally).  They end up faking a Chlana attraction scenario for the locals before getting in a huge fight, where Chloe talks about "fighting this injustice!" when they tow her car.  They knock over the water tower to make up for it, and find it at an Auto Shop.

The mechanic... again... looks like another version of our favorite mild mannered reporter; this time Lana flirts with him but Chloe lets it be known that she saw him first.  Lana giggles that "it never stopped [her] before."  The conversation is obviously about Clark, and Lana starts making insults about "Pretty and Popular kicks Brainy's Butt!"  The show down is Silver Age crack at it's finest, and the Rush drug wears off right before Chloe can squish Lana with a fridge.   They are confused, but collect the bug, and go outlet shopping elsewhere when Lex finally catches Chloe on her cell.

 

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