City

Smallville #8

by Devin Grayson

The eighth book in Warner's ongoing book series of novels tying into the hot new WB Network show featuring America's favorite superhero, Superman, as a young man growing up in Smallville, Kansas.

Visiting Metropolis on their spring break, Clark and Lex find themselves hunted by kidnappers, yakuza hitmen, and a psychopathic alien-hunter. When the attackers strike, it seems the only way Clark can save Lex is to reveal his secret.

Genres: Comics, Science Fiction, Media Tie In, Young Adult, Superheroes, Aliens

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 2004

About the author

Devin Grayson is an avid gamer, former acting student, and enthusiastic reader fortunate enough to have turned a lifelong obsession with fictional characters into a dynamic writing career. She has a B.A. from Bard College, where she studied creative writing with novelist Mona Simpson. Best known for her work on the Batman titles for DC Comics, Devin has been a regular writer on Catwoman, Nightwing, and The Titans, and contributed to the award-winning No Man’s Land story arc. With the publication of Batman: Gotham Knights in March of 2000, she became the first (and, sadly, only as of 2020) female to create, launch and write an ongoing Batman title.

Additional career highlights include the launch of the critically acclaimed series Omni for Humanoids, Doctor Strange: The Fate of Dreams, an original novel featuring Marvel’s Sorcerer Supreme, and USER—a highly personal three-part, creator-owned miniseries about gender identity and online role-playing, originally published by Vertigo and newly available as a collected edition hardcover through Image. Devin is also the creator of Yelena Belova, a Marvel character staring in the upcoming MCU Black Widow movie (played by Florence Pugh), Damien Darhk, a DC character now appearing regularly in CW’s Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow (played by Neal McDonough), and Catalina Flores, a DC character recently featured as the super-villain Tarantula in The Lego Batman Movie.

Frequently cited for compelling character development and nuanced exploration of complex themes, Devin’s work has been showcased in mainstream media such as USA Today and Working Woman as well as in alternative press such as The Village Voice, The Advocate, and Curve magazine. Over the years, she has written in several different media and genres, from comic books and novels to video game scripts and short essays. She is currently working on an original graphic novel for Berger Books.

Devin lives in Northern California with her husband, step-son, devoted Early Alert Canines Diabetic Alert Dog, and somewhat less devoted cat. Openly bisexual, she is a passionate advocate for the GLBTQ community, as well as being a committed environmentalist, and a public speaker for T1 Diabetes awareness and Diabetic Alert Dogs. She is always happy to take on a new challenge, especially if it involves making some new fictional friends.

Reviews

[ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

City: Or, An Episode of Smallville

So... that felt like I was reading a generic episode of Smallville, so I guess well-done? It was a classic romper of baddies attacking Lex, Clark abandoning Lana (lol), and Clark saving the day. I was looking for some other type of event or activity to happen to make it more interesting, but it never came. It was just like any other early episode of Smallville... which is to say, generic. It needed more Chloe (sex cult A.Mack be damned!).

[Lyndsay-ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I enjoyed this books there was definitely some things that bothered me about it.
Clark is was too obsessed/infatuated with Lana and there really isn't a reason why. Her character in the tv series was kinda one note and the perfect princess routine was boring.
Clarks mindset about having to help everyone at the expense of everything is rather disturbing and really brings in to question how the Kents raised him. Clark as to keep his secrets, lie to everyone he cares about, but must live his entire life to saving and helping other people to the point it's an extreme obsession.
I did like that this was set early in the series, so the friendship between Lex and Clark was still there and really was the best part of the book.
The authors portrayal of the Yakuza is the first time I've seen them this way; incompetent idiots and the entire Yakuza has no chance against Lionel Luthor. *eye roll*

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed these Smallville novels, and I'm sad this is the last one. I'm so grateful that I was able to get all of these from Interlibrary Loan, since I've been wanting to read them for many years now.

This one wasn't my favorite, but I still liked it. As much as I loved Lex and Clark's friendship in the show, it was actually kind of weird here. I never really thought about how much older Lex is, but Clark was constantly referred to as his "sixteen year old friend" here and it was just odd. There also wasn't nearly enough Chloe and Lana, but we did get a lot of insight into Lex which was nice.

All in all, this was a fun series and I'm so glad I finally got to read them!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. It had more of Clark’s point of view then the last one and I really liked that sense he’s Obviously the reason I read these books. I’m sad that this is the last one. I wish the would have continued to write them. It would have been nice to have a few book per season to add to the story. I really really love Smallville and would love to read some more.

[Andrea Pugliese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read although a little slow to get started

[livia · Rating 3 out of 5]

a fifteen year old boy and a twenty smth rich billionaire fight the yakuza bc the rich billionaire's dad is an evil blind guy who let his son get kidnapped. needless to say this was very fun and ridiculous

[bluetyson]

isbn,original

[Victor Orozco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story. I like the idea the Clark took on a Yakuza group but I would have preferred it if he had taken on the Mafia. B-.