In our next “Versus” match, we have a couple of first girlfriends to heroes! We have in one corner, Lana Lang, first girlfriend to Clark Kent/Superman. And in the other corner, we have Gwen Stacy, first girlfriend to Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Which first girlfriend do you think would help mold the super heroes we have today? Who would win? We will let you decide. Here is a little something about each character:
LANA LANG
Lana Lang is a 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 one of many Superman characters with the alliterative initials “LL”, the most notable other examples being Superman’s principal love interest Lois Lane and nemesis, 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, 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.
The original Lana Lang was played by Diane Sherry in Superman, The Movie. Lana has also been featured in most other media adaptations of Superboy media, typically as a teenager. These portrayals include both the Adventures of Superboy television series, where she is portrayed by Stacy Haiduk, and the WB/CW television series Smallville, 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 on Smallville).
GWEN STACY
Gwendolyn Maxine “Gwen” Stacy is a character who appears in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character in those featuring Spider-Man. A college student, Gwen was originally the first true love of Peter Parker before she was murdered by his nemesis, Norman Osborn. Spider-Man writers and fans alike often debate whether Peter’s “one true love” is Gwen Stacy, or his subsequent love interest, Mary Jane Watson, though stories written long after her death indicate that Gwen still holds a special place in his heart.
The character has been portrayed by Bryce Dallas Howard in the 2007 film, Spider-Man 3, and by Emma Stone as Peter Parker’s friend and love interest in the 2012 reboot film The Amazing Spider-Man, and the sequel The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
In The Amazing Spider-Man #121 (June 1973), by writer Gerry Conway and penciller Gil Kane, inked by John Romita Sr and Tony Mortellaro, the Green Goblin (Norman Osborn, who has identified Peter Parker as Spider-Man) holds Gwen Stacy captive on a tower of the George Washington Bridge. Spider-Man arrives to fight the Green Goblin. When the Goblin throws Gwen Stacy off the bridge, Spider-Man catches her by her leg with a string of web. He initially thinks he has saved her. After he pulls her back onto the bridge, he realizes she has already died. Devastatingly, the whiplash from Spider-man’s webbing is what actually killed her. In shock and anger, Spider-Man nearly kills the Green Goblin in retaliation, but in the end chooses not to do so. But despite his restraint, the Green Goblin seemingly dies anyway when he is impaled by his own goblin glider while attempting to kill Spider-Man. Norman Osborn would not return for nearly three hundred issues. Peter is left wondering if Gwen was dead before the fall or if his attempt to save her by breaking her fall snapped her neck.
With that all said, who would you like to see win this battle of the first girlfriends? Would it be Lana, or would it be Gwen? We want you, the fans, to decide which of these two women should win! Vote now! Make a difference!
Reeve was incredible in the role, portraying Clark as a wimpy, fainting small town everyman, every bit mild-mannered. But then he would change that completely, and with such simple effects as deepening his voice, standing straight, and showing some backbone (as well as parting his hair on the other side), he became Superman. He was also the first actor to honestly convey the idea that this man isn’t human, but an alien who, while having grown up on Earth, isn’t truly one of us. While the film series became a little sillier with every entry, Reeve always played the role as though it were Hamlet or King Richard, selling his lines and never seeming condescending of the material.
As Superman, Henry Cavill becomes the third British actor to play the lead role of a comic book superhero (once again, Christian Bale is Batman and Andrew Garfield is the new Spider-Man). He also becomes the first non-American to play Superman. Although he’s turned it around big time, the critics who once felt sorry for him now have the knives out, saying a Brit shouldn’t be playing the all-American Clark Kent and his stars and stripes hero alter-ego.
But Henry is unfazed. He explains: “He is from the planet Krypton. He doesn’t have to be an American,” Henry says. “If we were really true to the story, I would be an invulnerable alien. But I’m not, I’m an actor. Superman is an American icon. Whether it’s an American role or not, I can’t be sure... Superman stands for something very universal. He was certainly raised in America but he himself is not necessarily an American, because he’s come from a place very far away... He is very different and therefore all the more beautiful when he tries to do so much for all of us, who are totally different from him.”
General Dru-Zod is a general in the Kryptonian Army. However, Zod had ambitions to take over the planet Krypton and had little respect for the Kryptonian Council, and as such was banished to the Phantom Zone. For this reason he survived the planet's destruction.
Khan Noonien Singh, commonly shortened to Khan, is a fictional villain in the Star Trek science fiction franchise. The character first appeared in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Space Seed" (1967), and was portrayed by Ricardo Montalbán who reprised his role in the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. In the 2013 film Star Trek Into Darkness, he is played by Benedict Cumberbatch.
The character once controlled more than a quarter of the Earth during the Eugenics Wars of the 1990s. After being revived from suspended animation in 2267 by the crew of the USS Enterprise, Khan attempts to capture the starship, but is thwarted by James T. Kirk and exiled on Ceti Alpha V to create a new society with his people. In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, set fifteen years after "Space Seed", Khan escapes his exile and sets out to exact revenge upon Kirk.
The June solicitations for DC Comics are beginning to roll out and with it come the revelations that Wonder Woman and Superman will be getting some new outfits this summer (via HitFix and Nerdist). Wonder Woman’s new outfit appears to feature retractable blades in her gauntlets, as well as a fully-covered body suit, while Superman appears to be ditching his cape entirely and going back to a 1940s inspired “S” insignia.
The actors, who previously played Superman and Supergirl respectively, join the CBS project.
Fans of the DC Universe can get excited because DC Collectibles just unveiled their August 2015 collectibles, including that beautiful Batgirl of Burnside statue! From bombshells to Batman and action figures to police badges, this selection is certainly chock-full of the collectibles that Gotham (and we) deserve! Continue reading
Mehcad Brooks (“Necessary Roughness,” “True Blood,” “Desperate Housewives”) has been cast as James Olsen on CBS’ “Supergirl” TV series, from Warner Bros. TV and Berlanti Productions (“Arrow,” “The Flash”). He is joining actress Melissa Benoist, who plays Kara Zor-El. Continue reading
At the BAFTA Tea Party, Henry Cavill was asked several times about Warner Bros. Pictures’ Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, coming to theaters on March 25, 2016. Speaking to The Daily Mail (via Henry Cavill News), Cavill was asked what we can expect from the anticipated movie. Continue reading