Exclusive: Lana Lang Makes Her Smallville Season 11 Comic Book Debut

She's back! Four years after last appearing on TV, Lana Lang returns to Smallville — in comic-book form. Clark Kent's first love shows up in a new arc of DC Comics digital series Smallville Season 11 on Friday, April 5.

The character — Clark Kent's first true love — last appeared in 2009, during the eighth season of the TV series. Shortly after gaining super powers (courtesy a special suit developed by Lex Luthor) she saved Metropolis by absorbing a kryptonite bomb, which essentially made her toxic to Clark. She then flew off into the proverbial sunset and out of his life. (The role was played by Kristin Kreuk, now starring in The CW's Beauty and the Beast.)

"Since then Clark has not only gotten over Lana, but he has moved on with his life. He got engaged to Lois Lane and became Superman," says Season 11 writer Bryan Q. Miller (also a veteran of the TV show's writing staff). "A lot has happened in Lana's absence."

When we catch-up with her in Season 11 she has taken a superhero alias in a crusade against African warlords. Lois goes on assignment to the Congo for the Daily Planet to investigate this mysterious vigilante, the so-called Angel of the Plateau. Given their shared romantic connections to Clark, "there's some understandable awkwardness between the two," when they reconnect in Africa, Miller says. "But they also wind up in the thick of things fairly quickly. There's some catch-up and some action and some girl power and it's a good time." Miller also teases that "we will see a villain from Smallville days past" in the second chapter.

Digital chapters of Smallville Season 11 are released each Friday (and later collected in printed editions). "Valkyrie," takes place simultaneous to this spring's main arc, "Argo," an adventure beginning April 12 that sends Superman and Booster Gold into the 31st Century to see the Legion of Superheroes. "Valkyrie" chapters will come out during breaks from "Argo." Artist Cat Staggs, who has been drawing the digital covers for the series, will handle the interior art for "Valkyrie" as well.

Smallville Season 11 is available for download at readdcentertainment.com, the iBookstore, Nook Store and Kindle Store. For an exclusive first look at the first chapter of "Valkyrie," click here.

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