<span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>

Smallville is the fictional town where Superman grew up, according to the mythology of DC Comics.

Smallville is located somewhere in Kansas. It is the iconic Small Town, USA. While Superman was born on Krypton, he received his strong moral values in Smallville, raised by farmers turned (in some versions of the tale) general store owners, Jonathan and Martha Kent. Smallville also came equipped with Lana Lang, the girl next door, Pete Ross, best friend, and aimiable Police Chief Parker.

When Superman reaches adulthood, he moves to Metropolis, the iconic Big City, USA.

The Dating of Smallville

Smallville came attached to the Superboy legend. Superboy stories of the 1940s and 1950s depicted Smallville as a town with General Stores, organ grinders with their monkeys, and drivers of Model T jalopies. As time went on, Superman remained eternally 29 years old, and time marched on. While Superman's Metropolis changed with the times, Smallville remained stuck in the past, I would say circa 1928. It wasn't until the 1970s that they began to catch Smallville up. One moment Smallvile was in the same antiquated town of old, the next Superboy was getting a presentation from President Kennedy.

In the Modern Age of Comics, Smallville was updated somewhat. There was no more talk about the Kent General Store, and the automobiles were more appropriate for the times. Without any specific reference to years, jarring anachronisms are carefuly avoided. Still, the flavor of an American old-fashioned small town is maintained, and most really modern technology is still not shown, even when Clark visits his parents in the present.

This is not true of the Smallville TV show, which, not wanting to be a "period piece", appears to take place today, implying that Superman's future is in the future. Again, years are not mentioned directly, but the world of tiny cell phones and lap tops is clearly upon them.

For more on Superman's life in Smallville, see the links below.

Related Terms and Articles

• Jonathan and Martha Kent

• Superman

• Superboy

• Phantom Zone

• Krypto

• Beppo

• Lex Luthor

• Mon-El

• Bizarro

• Metropolis

• Smallville (TV Series)