Review:
Superman. Supergirl. Booster Gold. The Legion of Superheroes. Doomsday. A Lois Lane and Lana Lang team-up. There is so much packed into this slim volume collecting a baker's dozen of digital chapters tying into the hit CW TV show, Smallville.
When a brash Booster Gold pops in on Clark at his civilian job, it leads to them both getting whisked to the 31st century. Booster's (stolen) Legion flight ring has enacted Protocol Six, an emergency summons to all recognized Legionnaires - Booster not being one of them, of course.
They find themselves dropped into the middle of intrigue, plots and battles between Earthgov and New Krypton. Mutual suspicions between Earthgov and the Legion complicate any peace efforts. When Supergirl, a captured prisoner and spy, is freed, Clark learns firsthand of the power of xenophobic fear of the foreigner. He is not only not revered but actively hated.
Booster fares no better. After a humiliating dressing-down by Brainiac, Booster seeks to prove his courage and heroism, but only succeeds in getting himself arrested and tortured. But, after escaping and stealing / commandeering a large frigate space vessel, his heroic efforts to save the citizens of Metropolis from certain death triggers a peaceful cooperation between all sides.
Meanwhile, Superman's battle with Doomsday, resurrected in Earthgov's near-sighted efforts to tip the conflict in their favor, leads to him nearly sacrificing himself. Only a last-minute rescue through the cooperative efforts of all the citizens of New Krypton saves him.
These chapters were published in 2013 and collected in 2014, but here in 2025 they feel spot-on, speaking as they do to the fear of others and the conflicts that can ensue when people raise the stakes rather than open their arms.
The final story, Valkyrie, sees Lois Lane and Lana Lang team up in a very different tale. Lois, on assignment as a reporter embedded with a military unit in Africa, discovers that the legendary "Angel of the Plateau" is not only real, but is... Lana Lang? With Prometheus infecting her and giving her powers, she is out to save the children and bring justice to the oppressed, caught in the middle of a regional conflict between factions and warlords. But not everyone appreciates her efforts, and John Corben, with absorbing powers of his own, is dispatched to stop her.
The stories in this little volume have several frustrating gaps and jumps. Some of them might be clear to fans with a deeper knowledge of the TV series, but not enough back story is provided for the rest of us. The visuals, especially in the Valkyrie pages, are disappointing, with stiff and amateurish postures. The result of these shortcomings in both the writing and the art leaves the reader occasionally bewildered and unimpressed.
In all, these stories contain an intriguing premise but ultimately disappoint.
Description:
The first time in print for these digital-first stories, the hit CW series Smallville continues!
Clark Kent finds himself transported to the future, where he meets the greatest heroes of the 31st Century: Booster Gold and the Legion of Super-Heroes! However, it's not a mere social call: Superman must stop war between Earth and a stunning villain! Collects issues #13-15 and SMALLVILLE SEASON ELEVEN SPECIAL #2.
Collects: Smallville Season 11 online digital chapters 41-53
Authors: by Bryan Q. Miller
Artists: Daniel Hdr, Cat Staggs
Published By: DC Comics
Published When: March 25, 2014
Parental Rating: Teen
ISBN: 978-1401246372
Pages: 160 pages
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