Fictional character biography
Lana Lang
| Insect Queen | |
|---|---|
 Lana Lang as Insect Queen. From Superboy #124 (October 1965), art by George Papp. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Superboy #124 (October 1965) |
| Created by | Otto Binder (writer), George Papp (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Lana Lang |
| Species | Human |
| Supporting character of | Superman, Superboy, Legion of Super-Heroes |
| Abilities | First: Bio-genetic ring grants ability to gain powers/bodies of insects/arachnids Second: Mystical scarab grants ability to gain powers of insects/arachnids |
The first Insect Queen was Lana Lang, Superman's love interest from his youth in Smallville, [1] who rescued an insectoid alien and received a bio-genetic ring to emulate the powers of insects or arachnids once per day in return. She briefly becomes a superhero and becomes a reserve member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, but does not maintain the identity for long. [2] [3] [4] Following the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths , which rebooted DC's continuity, Lana never became Insect Queen.
Alien version
| Insect Queen | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Superman #671 (February 2008) |
| Created by | Kurt Busiek, Peter Vale, Jesus Merino |
| In-story information | |
| Place of origin | All-Hive |
| Abilities | Flight, telepathy, can metamorphose to match a genetic template, narcotic secretion |
In the new continuity created by the events of Infinite Crisis , an insectoid alien Insect Queen is introduced in Superman #671-673 (2008). An inhabitant of the All-Hive, a civilization of giant insects where only one queen can rule, Insect Queen and her followers left to colonize another planet. Upon reaching Earth, she arranged a deal with Lex Luthor for his help in colonizing the planet and converting LexCorp workers into drones. In return, she tasked some of her followers, the Flea Circus, with helping him gather Kryptonite. [5] Following her work on the moonbase, she returns to Earth to help Luthor fulfill her end of their deal, only to learn Lana Lang took his place as CEO of LexCorp. Insect Queen kidnaps her and takes her to the moonbase, where she metamorphoses into a form combining Lana's appearance with her insectoid features. After capturing Superman during his attempt to rescue Lana, she uses her midges on him to enhance her psychic powers and uses his genetic template to create "super soldier-ants". However, Lana frees herself, rescues Superman, and traps the Insect Queen in amber. Unbeknownst to Lana, the Insect Queen injected her with a portion of her DNA.
A year later, during the events of Supergirl (vol. 5) #40 and #45-50, the Insect Queen possesses Lana Lang and metamorphoses into a black insectoid form. [6] [7] [8] Assuming control of the hospital where Lana had been taken to and taking several hospital workers, members of the Science Police, and the Guardian hostage, the Insect Queen captures Supergirl in the hopes of using Kryptonian DNA to create an army of hybrid insects. Supergirl breaks free and helps Lana expel the Insect Queen, restoring the former to her human form. [9]
