This November, Smallville Season 11 will come to an end with the print issue numbered 19, the final chapter of the Olympus arc. But fear not because Smallville will live on as a series of mini-series. Kind of a mouthful, huh? The series will remain digital first with a monthly print collection. However, in December you will not see Smallville Season 11 #20 at your comic shop, but Smallville: Alien #1. This trend will continue with a new #1 with each subsequent arc.
Series writer Bryan Q. Miller, who also wrote for the TV show, explains to TV Guide that this is to "get the casual or first-time reader a little more up to speed in each of those No. 1 issues. Not that we don't already do that to an extent, but [now] the first 20-30 pages of each arc will be more about setting up the status quo for the miniseries, rather than jumping right into things. It's a way to help welcome more people into the Smallville universe that we've been expanding on since the television series ended."
Translation: Smallville won't come to an end until it's planned conclusion, but #1's boost sales. The fact of the matter is that most digital first series don't do as well in print, barring Injustice: Gods Among Us. It's a shame, but it's the truth. I wish every fan of Smallville/ Superman would read these comics and some are surprised to hear it exists when I tell them.
Alien, the first mini-series, will take place in Russia as a Monitor falls to Earth. In Smallville lore, Monitors were responsible for the destruction of Earth 2 and are the harbingers of an upcoming Crisis. Clark and Lex will race against the clock to recover the Monitor for their own ends. The Rocket Red Brigade will also appear. This arc will kick off November 15 digitally. My best guess is that the print issue will hit the second week of December.
Side stories will continue during the off-weeks digitally and still be published in print as Smallville Specials. The next one is titled "Titans" and will see Conner Kent, Mia Dearden/ Speedy, Blue Beetle, and Zan and Jayna form a team. Its first chapter will debut October 4 digitally.
For your viewing pleasure, here is Cat Staggs' gorgeous cover for Smallville: Alien #1.
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