Lana Lang
	Super-Hero Name: Insect Queen Home Planet: Earth (of the 20th century) Super-Power: Assuming insect forms & abilities Member Since: 2967

Origin | Super-Power | Personal Data | Membership Record

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After rescuing an alien visitor trapped under a fallen tree, Lana was rewarded with a ring with biogenetic powers that she later discovered could imbue her with insect-abilities. After several transformation incidents - turning into a human firefly, a grasshopper girl, and a centipede - Lana decided to use her new power to begin a career as a super-hero. Wearing a stretchable costume and a mask, the Insect Queen of Smallville began foiling crime (Superboy No. 124/1).

First Appearance (of Insect Queen): Superboy No. 124/1 (written by Otto Binder, drawn by George Papp)

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Using her alien bio-ring, Insect Queen can take on the characteristics of any species of insect - also covering all insect-like anthropods, like spiders and lobsters (Superboy No. 127). At first the ring responded to her desires of the moment, but once she decided on a super-hero career, she began to command the ring to give her specific insect-powers (124/1).

Insect Queen has turned into a human firefly, grasshopper girl, a centipede, dragonfly, ant girl, bee girl, beetle girl, moth larva, spider-girl, mosquito girl, caterpillar (Superboy No. 124/1), water-skater girl, damsel fly, lobster-girl, tent worm, queen termite, ant lioness, she-shield bug, cicada-girl, horsefly, click beetle, moth-girl (127), butterfly girl, foam bug, tent caterpillar, human fly, small-sized leaf-cutting bee, a sphinx moth (Adventure Comics No. 355/2), and a nocturnal insect that can see in the dark (370).

If Lana grows insect antennae, she can send and receive "vibratory" messages in a form of telepathy (Superboy No. 124/1).

Limitations and Weaknesses: At first Insect Queen thought she could only assume the characteristics of a particular species of insect only once (Superboy No. 124/1), but later, the alien returned to tell her that she could use each form only once each 24 hours (127).

As her power is not natural and dependant upon a device, if the bio-ring falls off her finger while in insect form, she is frozen in that form until she puts it on again (Adventure Comics No. 355/2).

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Physical Description: Lana has red hair, which she styles with bangs and the ends curled under to shoulder length. She usually wears a ribbon in her hair, tied at the top of her head in a large bow.

Personality: Being both inventive and impulsive, Lana has come up with some ingenious and, not infrequently, dangerous schemes to discover Superboy's true identity. It has taken super-thinking on the Boy of Steel's part to foil her. Deep down, Lana is a warm and generous girl who thinks of Clark Kent as her best friend.

Skills: Lana is an experienced world traveller and wilderness trekker (Superboy No. 127 and others).

Interests: Lana loves to listen to her music records. She also enjoys reading her teen magazines, such as Teenage World, and eating between-meal snacks (Superboy No. 93/2). Lana is a cheerleader for the Smallville High football team (88/2). Lana enjoys acting and takes part in school drama productions (Adventure Comics No. 315/2).

Previous Occupations: Lana is a student at Smallville High but she sometimes accompanies her father on his archaeological expeditions around the world as his assistant. Lana also co-starred with Superboy in Cosmic Studio's film "Jungle Jeopardy" (312/2).

Relationships: Lana is closest to Superboy but other Legionnaires she gets along well with include Shadow Lass, with whom she shared her bedroom when she was staying in Smallville, Mon-El, Star Boy, and Dream Girl.

Known Relatives: Professor Lewis Lang (father), mother, Professor Phineas Potter (uncle), dentist Dr. Horten (uncle)

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Application: Lana first learned about the Legion of Super-Heroes when she met Star Boy in Earth's 20th century and returned with him to 30th century Xanthu as part of a plot to make Superboy jealous (Adventure Comics No. 282/1). Later, after conquering her curiosity and going away while Superboy changed to his Clark Kent identity, the Boy of Steel rewarded her by taking her to 30th century Metropolis while he attended a Legion meeting. Taking in the sites as Insect Queen, Lana put out a flaming rocketship as a foam bug. Its passenger, Dream Girl, said that she handled the situation as well as a Legionnaire and so Lana decided to try out for the Super-Hero Club. However, she was rejected because her power is not natural but dependant on a device (Adventure Comics No. 355/2).

Induction: Lana determinedly followed a team of Legionnaires sent to Ice City even though Dream Girl warned her that changing into a moth maid would lead to tragedy. After saving four Legionnaires, including Superboy, she lost her bio-ring and grew upset at being stuck as a moth. After the ring was found in Superboy's cape pouch, Lana was returned to normal and she was made a member of the Legion Reserve for her heroism (Adventure Comics No. 355/2).

Positions Held: None

Aliases Used: None in the Legion

Career Highlights:

Adventure Comics No. 370 (July 1968) "The Devil's Jury"

When Mordru took over Smallville in the 20th century, forcing four Legionnaires - Superboy, Duo Damsel, Mon-El and Shadow Lass - into hiding, Superboy used a hypnosis machine to make them forget their memories of being Legionnaires. When the amnesia failed to wear off and Smallville was invaded by Mordru's armies, Pete Ross secretly met with Lana and told her that Clark Kent was Superboy so she could use her Insect Queen power to kidnap him in his sleep. Together they proved to him that he really was the Boy of Steel. His memory returned to him, Superboy gathered the other Legionnaires and restored their memories. Together, the six Legionnaires defeated Mordru, and Lana was hypnotized into forgetting Superboy's identity.

For more information about Lana Lang, click here.

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