Five Smallville stars will be appearing this summer at various comic/sci-fi conventions that will spotlight Superman!

Justin Hartley and Phil Morris (Martian Manhunter) will be at the Superman Celebration Event in Metropolis, Illinois on June 11-14, so get your tickets early coz that’s only three weeks away! If you want to meet them for autographs be sure to be at the Metropolis Chamber of Commerce on June 13, at 3:30p!

I wonder if Phil Morris is returning for Smallville season nine? That’s a question I’d like to ask him.

Also appearing are Noel Neill from "The Adventures of Superman", and Beverly Washburn from "Superman and the Mole Men".

Sam Witwer is still very much part of Smallville and we want to know everything he knows while a member of the cast for season eight!

Yep, Sam will be at the Screaming Tiki SuperCon in Cleveland, Ohio! This year, the event honors Superman and celebrates the 71st anniversary of the release of "Action Comics" No. 1, which introduced Superman in a story in 1938.

The Superman event will be held on July 10-12, 2009 so there’s still time to get tickets and all. SupermanLand mentioned that Michael Rosenbaum is also part of the special guest list, but his name doesn’t appear on the Screaming Tiki website, I’m not sure if Michael will be coming. BUT, Helen Slater (Supergirl and Lara-El of Smallville) is a definite yes, so that makes for quite a number of Smallville stars!

Images: Newscom

Smallville episode 8.11 "Legion"
Airdate: January 15, 2009

In the mid-season return of Smallville this Thursday, the show takes a page out of the Superman mythology by featuring three prominent members of the futuristic Legion of Superheroes. Although full of special mentions and tidbits associated with comics, the show reached out to the casual fans by explaining who the Legion members are and how they are tied to Clark Kent. Before the opening credits sang “Somebody Save Me”, the proper introductions were made. There was also more action and stunts in this episode than usual, which was a treat, although none of it was due to Clark Kent rescuing anyone. This was still an episode about Clark’s continuing quest to find his destiny, but it also offered a peek into his far-reaching influence on future heroes and generations. And it tied in nicely that someday, we are going to see Clark Kent wear glasses, and fly with a cape and in tights.

Written by DC Comics writer Geoff Johns and directed by Glen Winter, the midseason opener of Smallville is titled “Legion”:

It’s the aftermath of Doomsday’s destruction of Clark’s barn. The whole place is ransacked and Lana tearfully collects herself. Clark reminds her to take a rest but she insists that Chloe needs their help. Lana leaves for the Isis Foundation to dig up more information. Clark is suddenly confronted by this masked man dressed up as an executioner with a super-axe. He takes a swing at Clark and cuts him near the ribs! Three strangers, all with superpowers, take turns in defeating this executioner and make him disappear into thin air. We learn the villain is called Persuader, a villain from the future who can kill Kal El. He came back in time to destroy the device that can release Brainiac from being trapped inside his host’s body. The three super-beings are the Legion, alien heroes from the 31st century who came to stop Persuader from killing Clark. They introduce themselves as Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad, and were star-struck at the hero they adore. Kal El’s influence will reach far beyond his galaxy, and he will open the door for more alien beings to rally to Earth and keep the peace in the different worlds.

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Smallville returns tonight with a very special episode. DC Comics writer Geoff Johns wrote the episode “Legion” especially for Smallville. Since Geoff doesn’t normally work on Smallville, this is a treat for both the fans following the Superman comics and those following Smallville.

Saturn Girl / Imra (Alexz Johnson),  Lightning Lad / Garth (Calum Worthy), and Cosmic Boy / Rokk (Ryan Kennedy) with writer Geoff Johns. Image: © 2008 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Geoff is a fanboy of the Legion of Superheroes comics himself. As the story goes, he had an idea for this episode that he pitched to Jeph Leob, who he works with in the same office. Jeph (who formerly worked on Smallville) told the producers about Geoff’s idea and that got the ball rolling.

When Geoff Johns spoke to Superhero Profiles about his experience on Smallville, he admits “it was a special episode for me and a special time for me to do it.” So let’s hear it from the man himself, how he made “Legion” extra-special.

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This is supposed to be Smallville’s last season. Clark Kent is now in control of his destiny and changing into a Superman. His career at the Daily Planet is getting off the ground, and the Lois Lane love story is falling into place. Clark still has the barn, but with its wreckage last year, he might be forced to move to Metropolis.

What better way to end the series than to have everything in place for a segue into Superman.

And so, the ratings have gone up as fans closely follow how the young Clark Kent morph into the Man of Tomorrow. Well, now, the CW bosses are thrilled that they want one more season out of Smallville.

And it all depends on Tom Welling. Will he commit to one more year wearing red and blue plaids?

Smallville insiders hint that just might be the case. It seems Welling is nearing a deal with CW, with only a few minor details before the dots are signed.

According to a well-placed Smallville insider, Welling is nearing a deal to return for a ninth season. I’m told they’re just ironing out some minor deal points, such as should the Brinks Truck pull into the actor’s driveway, or just unload on the street. - EW.com

Image: © 2008 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Smallville episode 8.11 “Legion”
Airdate: January 15, 2009

Smallville ended 2008 with a scare. Brainiac hacked into the Fortress of Solitude and reprogrammed it into a hideout for Superman’s ultimate nemesis. Doomsday crashed Chloe and Jimmy’s wedding reception and ran off with the bride. Now Clark Kent has to save his best friend from his greatest enemy.

So who can help Clark now that the Fortress is compromised? 

Enter the Legion of Superheroes! No less than the founding Legionnaires themselves, Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad, will travel back from the distant future to help Clark defeat Doomsday. Rokk Krinn (Ryan Kennedy), Imra Ardeen (Alexz Johnson ) and Garth Ranzz (Calum Worthy) will introduce Clark to the famed Legion of Super-Heroes and to what will be Clark’s super-alter-ego.

Image: © 2008 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Smallville episode 8.11 “Legion” - trailer
Airdate: January 15, 2009

Smallville has never been as good as it is now. In its final season, the series has up the ante with formidable enemies who have compelling past, even with and especially in the absence of Lex Luthor. There is Doomsday, who lived in the human form as Davis Bloome. We can’t help but feel for him as the do-gooder paramedic struggles to contain the darkness that tries to control his being. Then there is Tess Mercer, whose loyalty to Lex Luthor is undeniable but full of mystery. Finally, Clark Kent’s most loyal friend is about to betray him. Well, not if she can help it, but Brainiac has taken over Chloe Sullivan.

But also this season, we saw Clark Kent take control of his destiny as a hero to mankind. He’s (almost) past Lana Lang and becoming comfortable friends with Lois Lane, who is slowly falling in love with CK. As Green Arrow questions his own motives for heroism, Clark takes up the mantle to lead. The saga of Kara Kent is over, but who knows maybe there will be a Supergirl spin-off.

The second half of the season will be worth watching as Smallville wraps up its run. How will this current season end? Will there be a season 9? As early as January 15, we might learn the fate of Chloe Sullivan (and later in the season, Lana Lang), and how they “disappear” from the greater Superman mythology.

The trailer of episode 8.11 “Legion”, the first episode of 2009, reveals several interesting sneaks into Clark Kent’s future role as Superman. Lana may be saying her goodbyes to Clark but she’ll take care of unfinished business. And if you think Lex Luthor is a thing of the past, think again. Before Doomsday gets to kill Superman in their future epic battle, the stage has to be set first. We will meet the future band of superheroes that Clark Kent inspired when he becomes Superman. Some of them will even be coming back to the present to lend Clark a little hand. One of them will even allude to Clark Kent’s future name.

And then there’s that blue blur in the sky…

The next episode swoops back on January 15, 2009. Will you be one of those waiting for Smallville’s return? 

Image: © 2008 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Smallville episode 8.07 “Identity“
Airdate: October 30, 2008

Clark Kent finds himself in a bind when Jimmy took a snapshot of him, that is his red-and-blue speedy blur. Jimmy’s about to go public with his career-making photograph so Clark has to find a way to protect his identity and secret. Well, he certainly found a clever way of doing it.

But I have to warn you, what you’ll see will ruin the surprise! SPOILER PIC.

Hey look, up there!
Clark: I see it! (And that’s not me.)
Jimmy: (That’s not him!)

Images: © 2008 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved

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Smallville episode 8.07 “Identity“
Airdate: October 30, 2008

Oh I love this clip! Clark gets paranoid about Jimmy’s snapshot, but Chloe tells Clark to take a leap of faith.

… To have an alias, to “give the world something they desperately need - A HERO”… I can’t wait! Will Clark listen to his best friend? Find out this Thursday!

More sneaks, spoilers and images at the Smallville season 8 episode guide.

Smallville episode 8.07 “Identity“
Airdate: October 30, 2008

Jimmy catches super-Clark rescuing Lois, and it makes for the “kind of stories that careers are made of”. Tess Mercer gets hold of it too, and that puts Clark into deeper bind. What’s the superhero going to do?

Stop the video at the 0:16 and you’ll see a silhouette of someone in black/blue and red! Is it Clark? Is it Superman?

SUSPENSE!

Smallville episode 8.07 “Identity”
Airdate: October 30, 2008

Smallville has many times said there is no wearing the cape and tights, so what’s Clark Kent going to do to escape scrutiny of his double identity? In this episode titled “identity” Clark will be forced to get creative to hide his true ‘colors’ of the red and blue. We know he’ll eventually turn into a fumbling awkward reporter with glasses and uncharacteristic shyness, so will we see Clark Kent going in that direction? We’ll find out on October 30.

The CW released the episode description (which will have spoilers) so I have it after the jump -

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