Sam Lane (comics)

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Sam Lane
Sam Lane as seen in Superman: Secret Origin #5.
Art by Gary Frank.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceSuperman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #13 (November 1959)
Created byRobert Bernstein
Kurt Schaffenberger
In-story information
Full nameSamuel Lane
Team affiliationsUnited States Army
United States Senate

Samuel Lane is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.[1] He is the father of Lucy Lane and Lois Lane and the father-in-law of Clark Kent / Superman.

Denis Arndt and Harve Presnell portrayed the character in the series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Michael Ironside in Smallville, Glenn Morshower in Supergirl, and Dylan Walsh in Superman & Lois; and Joel de la Fuente voiced him in the animated series My Adventures with Superman.

Publication history

Sam Lane, along with his wife Ella was introduced in Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #13 (November 1959) as a horse farmer in the town of Pittsdale. He was created by Robert Bernstein and Kurt Schaffenberger.

Fictional character biography

Post-Crisis

Following

General, with an awkward relationship with his daughters. It was explained that Lane had wanted his eldest child to be a boy, so had treated Lois as a surrogate son, when he was present at all. This version first appeared in The Adventures of Superman #424 (January 1987), the first retitled issue of the former Superman title. He became a more significant character following Lois' engagement to Clark Kent, being highly unimpressed with the mild-mannered reporter despite his obvious commitment to Lois.[2]

When

Imperiex War.[3]

During the fight against Imperiex, General Lane was apparently killed by an Imperiex probe, when he detonated the nuclear engine of his tank to crack the shell of the probe and give Black Lightning the chance to get through its armor.[4]

Set at Halloween, Sam Lane's ghost appeared to Lois while she was trapped in a car, enabling them to talk through their unresolved issues. The last scene of the issue showed the "ghost" leaning against a wall and watching the sunrise, suggesting that General Lane had found lasting peace. Some have also interpreted this as a sign that Sam Lane is somehow still alive.[5]

While believing that their father is dead, Lois and Lucy still grieve for their father. Lucy decides to try and honor her father's memory and give him the soldier he was denied by joining the U.S. Army. Lucy is wounded during the Amazon's attack on Washington, D.C., and is secretly rescued and brought to a secret facility. General Sam Lane finally reveals himself alive and in charge of a covert operation called

New Krypton. Lucy appears to die battling Supergirl
when her suit is ruptured but returns to life with Kryptonian Powers, ready to serve her country again.

General Lane drafts the imprisoned Lex Luthor into a secret operation against Superman and the Kryptonians of Kandor. The U.S. government believes the aliens to be a risk for world's security and begins to create countermeasures against them. Though the full implications of the operation are yet known, Lane has apparently been monitoring the activities several new superhumans that have appeared following the most recent Crisis. One of the superhumans of particular note is Icon.[6]

After Lois prepares to release a very damaging story, Sam has Lois taken into custody. The two finally meet face to face much to Lois' displeasure. Sam tells Lois the only reason he's being lenient with her is that she is his daughter. He threatens to make her disappear forever in a place where not even Superman can find her. To make his point Sam shoots Lois' laptop containing her story. He realizes that she has back up copies but he has made his point.[7]

When General Zod declares war on Earth after it is revealed Lex Luthor (through one of his robot doubles) aided Brainiac in attacking New Krypton as seen during the "War of the Supermen" storyline, Lane puts his plans into action. The imprisoned Reactron reveals that he allowed himself to be captured as part of Lane's plan. The Luthor robot tampers with Reactron's body chemistry, causing him to explode. The resulting chain reaction leads to the destruction of New Krypton and most of the remaining 100,000 Kryptonians, including Supergirl's mother Alura.[8]

Under Lane's orders, Luthor transforms the Earth's sun from yellow to red to rob the Kryptonians of their powers.

Ursa and Zod himself, begin attacking the Earth, ravaging the planet.[9] When confronted by an angered Supergirl and his daughter Lois - particularly after Lois points out to him that he has become the monster he claimed the Kryptonians were, as he is one man who destroyed a planet, while Supergirl defies his perception of her people as "rabid dogs" by sparing his life when it would have been easy for her to kill him - Lane commits suicide rather than be made accountable to an international court.[10]

The New 52

In September 2011,

Kryptonite Man released from custody, believing he is necessary to help keep Superman in check. Kryptonite Man agreed under the condition that General Sam Lane helps him locate his wife.[13] Sam Lane is also seen in the relaunched Superman comics which chronologically takes place five years later in the present day, and his relationship with Superman is not that much different, right to the point where he accuses Superman that his presence in Metropolis is what attracts all the super-powered menaces and for that reason his daughter will always be in danger even though she is now a news producer instead of a reporter.[14]

Following the death of US Senator Hume,[15] Sam Lane was chosen as his replacement and has now become a member of the US Senate.[16]

DC Rebirth

In 2016, DC Comics implemented another relaunch of its books called "DC Rebirth" which restored its continuity to a form much as it was prior to "The New 52". Sam Lane is seen conferring in a bunker under Gotham City with Amanda Waller and Hugo Strange.[17] He is later seen as the official U.S. military representative when a nationwide crisis arises. Along with others such as Mr. Bones, Steve Trevor, Waller and Father Time they try and defeat the threat with technological means. This fails with a mystically powered alternate universe Bruce Wayne crashes through the wall and brainwashes the entire group.[18]

In the "Watchmen" sequel "Doomsday Clock", Sam Lane is seen pulling his troops out of Qurac.[19]

Other versions

All-Star Superman

General Sam Lane appeared in

Stryker's Island.[20]

Flashpoint

Sam Lane appears in the alternate timeline of the

Neil Sinclair is freed from captivity and trashes the lab, Lane sacrifices himself by pulling himself and Sinclair into the Phantom Zone. The two eventually emerge from the Phantom Zone onto a far away island, and Sinclair murders Lane before leaving the island.[21]

Earth 2

In 2011, "

Red Torando online where it has the mind of Lois Lane. When a cave-in occurred, Red Tornado finds her father badly injured. In his dying breath, Sam told her that he hid the knowledge of who Superman was. Sam then died in Red Tornado's arms.[22]

In other media

Television

Film

Miscellaneous

An alternate universe incarnation of Sam Lane appears in the Justice League: Gods and Monsters prequel comic.[citation needed] This version was a war physician who died amidst a battle that Superman was involved in.

Reception

Chad Derdowski of Mania.com felt that Sam Lane would have been a formidable villain to use for a Zack Snyder Superman film, stating that "Lane would provide a little more dramatic oomph for the film, driving a wedge between the relationship of Clark Kent and Lois Lane and turning the whole thing into a family affair."[26]

References

  1. ^ The Adventures of Superman #593 (August 2001)
  2. ^ The Adventures of Superman #424. DC Comics.
  3. ^ Superman Vol. 2 #166-168. DC Comics.
  4. ^ Action Comics #781 (September 2001). DC Comics.
  5. ^ Action Comics #832 (December 2005). DC Comics.
  6. ^ Superman #688 (July 2009). DC Comics.
  7. ^ Action Comics #884 (February 2010). DC Comics.
  8. ^ Superman: War of the Supermen #1 (July 2010). DC Comics.
  9. ^ Superman: War of the Supermen #3 (July 2010). DC Comics.
  10. ^ Superman: War of the Supermen #4 (July 2010). DC Comics.
  11. ^ Action Comics (vol. 2) #1. DC Comics.
  12. ^ Action Comics (vol. 2) #4
  13. ^ Action Comics (vol. 2) Annual #1. DC Comics.
  14. ^ Superman (vol. 3) #2. DC Comics.
  15. ^ Superman (vol. 3) Annual #2. DC Comics.
  16. ^ Superman (vol. 3) #26. DC Comics.
  17. ^ Batman (vol. 3) #1-5. DC Comics.
  18. ^ Batman: The Merciless (2016). DC Comics.
  19. ^ Doomsday Clock #5. DC Comics.
  20. ^ All-Star Superman #1 (January 2006). DC Comics.
  21. ^ Flashpoint: Project Superman #1 (June 2011). DC Comics.
  22. ^ Earth 2 #17. DC Comics.
  23. ^ "Marvel | GamesRadar+". 3 March 2023.
  24. ^ "No Flash/Arrow Crossover, but Supergirl is Getting Red Tornado and General Zod (Updated)". 10 August 2015.
  25. ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (April 2, 2020). "Superman & Lois Casts Dylan Walsh as Lois' Father, General Sam Lane". TV Line.
  26. ^ Derdowski, Chad (October 7, 2010). "10 SUPERMAN Villains Snyder Could've Used". Mania.com. Archived from the original on December 13, 2014. Retrieved 2013-05-19.

External links

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