Smallville has withstood the test of time as an entertaining, nostalgic take on the Superman mythos. For 10 seasons, audiences watched the show evolve from an allegory about teenage adolescence and puberty to becoming a full-blown actioner. During its original run, viewers eagerly anticipated seeing Clark Kent finally become Superman.

Naturally, when he finally does become Superman in the final episode, fans who watched his journey for a decade wanted to see more. They had invested so much time waiting as he was slowly built and foreshadowed to become the Man of Steel, so it makes sense that they would want to see what that new journey looks like for Clark. This is where the digital comics of 2012-2013 come in handy. Smallville Season 11 depicts not only what the show would have looked like with an additional season, but with a focus on Clark's first year as Superman.

10 We Actually SEE Clark in Full Costume

Smallville Season 11 #1 (Chapter 1) by Bryan Q. Miller and Père Perez

One of the most disappointing moments in Smallville history for fans is that they never got to see a full glimpse of Tom Welling in a full Superman costume before the series ended, thanks to the show's "no flights, no tights" rule. The closest the series ever comes is the final moments of the finale, but it's only for a few seconds and only a quick glimpse of Clark unveiling his chest emblem.

Thankfully, from the very beginning, the comic offers plenty of Clark in his Superman outfit. The first and last s of the first issue show Clark's full body in the suit, and he's even flying. So if the ending of Smallville left fans wanting more, this is the closest that readers will get to seeing that universe's Clark Kent draped from head to toe as Superman.

9 Introduces Hank Henshaw, the Cyborg Superman

Smallville Season 11 #3 (Chapter 3) by Bryan Q. Miller and Père Perez

Cyborg Superman is one of the most iconic villains in Superman's rogues' gallery, and Smallville introduces its own version of the character through the comics. At a LexCorp press conference, Lex Luthor tells the public that, because the world faces uncertainty and threats from above, there's a need for what he calls the Guardian Defense Platforms to protect the planet. The first person he launches on his mission is Hank Henshaw, whom Lex introduces at his press conference as "our very own super man."

The comics bank on the idea that the reader knows Hank Henshaw's name and can guess his inevitable face, so each issue slowly builds sympathy for the NASA pilot, leading to his explosion in space thanks to a radiation leak. Ultimately, the explosion is an intentional act on Lex's part to frame Superman, but it ruins Hank's life, forcing his consciousness into a machine and driving him mad.

8 Superman Meets (and Fights) Batman

Smallville Season 11 #13 (Chapter 13) by Bryan Q. Miller and Chris Cross

Despite making references to the Dark Knight throughout the show, Clark never actually meets Batman on the show, and neither he nor his Bruce Wayne alter ego makes an appearance on Smallville. That changes in the comic series' 13th issue, dedicated almost entirely to a Gotham stakeout with Batman and his sidekick, Nightwing (more on her later). After discovering that a gang's hardware connections link back to a man in Metropolis named Joe Chill - a name that Batman is familiar with in virtually every universe - Batman decides it's time to go to Metropolis.

Of course, it wouldn't be a Superman and Batman story without their personalities clashing long enough to force themselves into a fistfight. But eventually, they find themselves on the same page and live up to their potential as the World's Finest.

7 Batman Brings Villains Like Mr. Freeze & The Joker With Him

Smallville Season 11 #18 (Chapter 18) by Bryan Q. Miller and Jamal Igle

Batman and Superman first meet when the Dark Knight breaks into Stryker's Island Penitentiary looking for Bruno Manheim, who has information about Joe Chill. This immediately kicks off a fight between them, but they extend a bargaining olive branch by the time they actually confront Joe Chill. However, they are interrupted by Oswald Loomis and a familiar Batman villain in Mister Freeze. This marks the first time that one of Batman's villains enters the world of Smallville.

Superman's own rogues have appeared throughout both the television series and the comics, but this opens the door for other baddies outside of Clark's usual villains to the party. Freeze's debut opens the door for additional characters to the canon of the original series, including the Joker, who appears in later comics.

6 Batman Builds Him a Supersuit

Smallville Season 11 #22 (Chapter 22) by Bryan Q. Miller and Kevin West

In "Chapter 19," Loomis shoots Superman with Kryptonite bullets, and it brings Clark to the brink of death. Fast-forward to "Chapter 21" and Clark wakes up with Lois Lane by his bedside, waiting for him to regain consciousness. Batman miraculously saves his life, bringing Supes back to his Leviathan ship hideout to nurse his wounds.

They make plans to confront Victor Fries and Loomis once more, but Bruce thinks a step ahead, taking into consideration both Clark's injuries and his "allergy" (as he calls it) to Kryptonite. So, while Clark was unconscious and healing, Bruce was welding Superman his own anti-Kryptonite supersuit. The suit proves wholly useful later when the World's Finest infiltrate Fries' hideout and find Oswald donning a giant robot infused with Kryptonite. Without the suit, Superman would have been toast.

5 Wonder Woman is Introduced

Smallville Season 11 #56 by Bryan Q. Miller and Jorge Jimenez

The comics first showcase Diana of Themyscira's origin stories as a child and how she met a young Steve Trevor, a boy who washed up on the shores of her island. For five years, she kept the boy's presence on the all-woman island a secret until Queen Hippolyta found them together and forced Steve to go back to America. Another five years later, Diana takes steps to leave the island and, after a journey by boat, finds herself in New York City.

She uses her new opportunities in the New World to become Wonder Woman. Her swift defeats of terrorists and monsters, as well as saving Senator Martha Kent's life, eventually puts her on Superman's radar. As their bond grew, Wonder Woman would become the latest member of the Justice League.

4 John Stewart is Introduced, Becomes Parallax

Smallville: Lantern by Bryan Q. Miller, Marcio Takara, and Ig Guara

The Season 11 comics would eventually spin off into the Smallville: Lantern digital miniseries, allowing the canon to put its spin on the Green Lantern Corps. The series introduces John Stewart as this reality's main Green Lantern, but as such, he becomes possessed by Parallax much like Hal Jordan was in the official DC Comics canon.

During this time, Clark is recruited into the Corps and gifted his own ring by Tomar-Re, which he uses to combat Detective Stewart. When Clark is able to finally remove Parallax from John's body, a de-powered John does his best to help, using a wrecking ball in a junkyard to destroy half of its face. The rest of the Green Lanterns and Clark are later able to banish Parallax back to its dimension.

3 Tess is Resurrected and Becomes Watchtower

Officially Digitized in Smallville Season 11 #40 (Chapter 40) by Bryan Q. Miller and Jorge Jimenez

Smallville's final season ends with Lex Luthor killing his right-hand woman and sister, Tess Mercer. The 11th season comics start off six months after her death, which Lex publicly announced as a suicide. He suddenly starts having hallucinations of his sister, but soon learns these hallucinations are more real than he's comfortable with. In death, Tess' consciousness has merged into that of Lex himself.

Eventually, Clark and co. learn about Tess' whereabouts, take her from Lex's headquarters, and are able to revive her in digital form by ing her into their computer system as a hologram. She uses her new form and digital capabilities to take over Chloe's role as Watchtower, overseeing the adventures of the heroes. Soon enough, her consciousness is able to be ed into physical form using a 3D printer, and she becomes the Red Tornado.

2 Barbara Gordon is Nightwing

Debuts as Nightwing in Smallville Season 11 #13 (Chapter Thirteen), Debuts as Barbara in Smallville Season 11 #15 (Chapter 15) by Bryan Q. Miller and Chris Cross

The Nightwing name is most closely associated with Dick Grayson, and while this universe's Dick does appear in the comic series later on, Barbara Gordon is recontextualized as not only Nightwing, but Batman's first sidekick. When she and Batman debut together, they are a firmly established Dynamic Duo who have been working together for a while. She actually mentions in Smallville Season 11 #17 that Bruce may have suggested the name Batgirl to her when they first started working together, but she refused it.

This iteration offers the best of both worlds, much like in the official DC canon. She's skilled in the combat department on the field, but there are also times when Batman orders her to watch his back from his hub like a natural Oracle. Still, though, the comic proves that even this version of Nightwing has a brighter future on the horizon...

1 Nightwing then Becomes Blue Lantern

Smallville: Continuity #9 by Bryan Q. Miller, Ig Guara, Julio Ferreira, Agustin Padilla, Carrie Strachan, and Saida Temofonte

In one of the more daring choices that the comics make, Barbara Gordon's Nightwing gets a major power upgrade when she becomes a Blue Lantern. When the Earth is under attack from the Monitors, one of the heroes on duty protecting the Earth - a Blue Lantern named Saint Walker - falls during the battle. Upon his death, his ring seeks a new owner and immediately determines Barb as worthy enough to wield its power. She then uses the opportunity to embark on becoming a solo hero.

However, to ensure that Batman isn't alone, Barbara finds the perfect replacement for her to send to Batman for training: her boyfriend, an acrobat who inherited a circus from his late parents named Dick Grayson. Smallville's comics have a lot of creative choices that expand on the lore of the show, but moments like this help expand, and even revamp classic characters in a new way.