Smallville season 5

[Cthulhudrew]

A question -- what is the official line on grown up Clark/Superman -- why is it that no one recognizes them as the same person? Is it truly just the glasses and hairstyle?

The most recent origin story of Superman, "Birthright", had it that he changes his demeanor while in Clark Kent "costume". Hair, clothes, glasses, posture. IIRC, he also took some acting courses to help with the disguise. He also supposedly keeps himself moving quickly at superspeed while in Superman costume, so that paparazzi only get blurry pictures and footage.

Speaking from personal experience, as a contact/glasses wearer, I actually no longer find it that hard to believe that the Clark Kent/Superman thing might work. You probably couldn't fool close friends very well (if they know you in both guises- so Lois, Jimmy, etc. wouldn't buy it, though they might be fooled at first), but casual observers. Maybe I'm just jaded (and living in So. Cal.), but a lot of people are either too self-absorbed or simply not attentive enough to notice. Can't tell you how many times I've had people not recognize me when I'm in my glasses. I tell them I'm Clark Kent.

And another question (spoilery) -- what's the Braniac villain like in the comics (or other sources)? Will be curious to compare to how they handle him in the show.

Brainiac in the comics- I only remember old-Pre-Crisis Brainiac. The Brainiac that John Byrne first introduced to the DCU in the post-Crisis universe was simply a weird robot with a kryptonite heart, but if I'm not mistaken, that version has been retconned into another sort of creature- not Brainiac himself.

The Brainiac I remember is an android- and I think the current one has ties to Krypton. It was an artificial intelligence that was very responsible for running the planet, and it downloaded itself into Kal-El's shuttle when the planet blew up, IIRC.

Then again, that could be the cartoon version I'm thinking of.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Brainiac was a Robot before Crisis, then he was redone as a guy from a circus mental powers act who got possessed by an alien mind that gave him true mental powers, then he was made a robot again who used to be on Krypton who I think had something to do with its destruction. Brainiac as a robot is great, as the human guy he was lame.

 

[Arnwyn]

Any one else psyched?

Nope, for the many reasons people have pointed out on this thread. I liked Seasons 1 & 2, but Seasons 3 & 4 were pretty rough.

I did enjoy episode 1 of Season 5, though. Seeing the Fortress of Solitude, Disciples of Zod (cool!), and that awesome Phantom Zone thingy was enough to keep me very happy.

 

[megamania]

I knew I should not have checked out this thread!

I don't have TV and was recently convinced to buy season 1 on DVD and only finished season 4 last week. Reading Wizard (magazine about comic stuff) I knew about Brainiac and some of the upcoming plots but .....



wahhhhh! I have 12 months to wait until season 5 comes out on DVD........wahhhhh