Insect Queen (DC Comics)

Insect Queen is the name of several fictional characters, created by the DC Comics company.

Lana Lang

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caption = Lana Lang uses her Insect Queen powers to mimic a locust.
character_name = Insect Queen
publisher = DC Comics
debut =
creators =
alter_ego = Lana Lang
full_name =
species =
homeworld =
alliances =
aliases =
supports= Superman, Superboy, Legion of Super-Heroes
powers = I: Ring gives ability to gain the powers of insects/arachnids
II:Mystical scarab gives ability to gain the powers of insects/arachnids

Earth-One

The first Insect Queen was Lana Lang, Superman's romantic interest from his youth on Smallville. In "Superboy" #124 (Oct. 1965), Lana rescues an insect-like alien trapped under a tree. In gratitude, he gives her a ring that allows her to gain the powers of insects or arachnids (by giving her lower body the form of a particular bug; each form could only be gained once per day, however.) She decides to use it to develop the costumed identity of the superheroine Insect Queen. Lana does not pursue the career for long, though she did gain reserve status in the Legion of Super-Heroes (in "Adventure Comics" #355, April 1967).

Earth-Two

The second Insect Queen was also Lana Lang, but the one from the parallel universe of Earth-2. In "Superman Family" #213 (1981), she as an adult receives a scarab found by her archeologist father in an Egyptian tomb, not realizing that it was magical. Possessed by it, Lana became a supervillainess called Insect Queen, with the ability to control and enlarge insects. She briefly worked with the Ultra-Humanite, while the latter's mind was housed within a gigantic ant, until she was saved by the Earth-2 Superman and his wife, the original Lois Lane. Later, she became an occasional superhero, aiding Superman on at least one occasion.Note that in the reality changed by the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Lana never became either Insect Queen.

New Earth

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caption =
character_name = Insect Queen
publisher = DC Comics
debut = "Superman" #617 (Feb 2008)
creators = Kurt Busiek, Peter Vale, Jesus Merino
alter_ego = unrevealed
full_name =
species =
homeworld = All-Hive
alliances =
aliases =
powers = flight, telepathy, can metamorphose to match a genetic template, narcotic secretion.|In the new continuity created by the events chronicled in "Infinite Crisis", a new Insect Queen has been introduced. She is an insectoid alien who first appears in "Superman" #671-673 (2008). In a nod towards the Silver Age continuity this alien Insect Queen has remade herself in the image of Lana Lang.

The Insect Queen comes from the All-Hive, a civilization of giant insects. Because only one Queen can rule the All-Hive, she and her followers were sent to colonize a new world, suspended in an amber-like substance.

Upon contacting Earth, she made an arrangement with Lex Luthor for assistance in colonizing Earth, including acquiring a body suitable for the planet. In return for this, she sent some of her people, the Flea Circus, to assist him in collecting Kryptonite ("Superman" #651, June 2006). She also began transforming workers on a Lexcorp moonbase into worker insects.

When Insect Queen returns for her part of the bargain, she found that Lana Lang was now CEO of Lexcorp. She kidnaps Lang and takes her to the moonbase, where she metamorphoses into a form resembling Lana, but with insect-like features, including wings, four arms, antennae and chitinous plates.

While trying to rescue Lana, Superman is captured by Insect Queen due to her midges entering his skull and enhancing her psychic abilities. She then uses his genetic template to create "super soldier-ants". However, he is freed by Lana, and traps her in her suspended animation amber before she can use her mind-control powers again.

Lonna Leing

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caption = Lonna Leing, the Insect Queen of the 30th century; art by Todd Nauck
character_name = Insect Queen
publisher = DC Comics
debut =
creators =
alter_ego = Lonna Leing
full_name =
species =
homeworld = Xanthu
alliances =
aliases =
supports= Legion of Super-Heroes
powers = Innate ability to gain the powers of insects/arachnidsThe third Insect Queen is Lonna Leing of the planet Xanthu, in the 30th century. Lonna Leing (obviously a tribute to Lana Lang) was a member of the Xanthuan hero team, the Uncanny Amazers. She first appeared in "Legion of Super-Heroes" (vol. 4) #82. Her costume is similar to the original Insect Queen, and she even has similar powers, as she is able transform her body from the waist down into an insect or arachnid's body (like an arthropodic centaur) and assume their abilities. Once she parodied Marvel Comics' Spider-Man, when she assumed the powers of a spider and fired webbing from her wrists (using his trademark hand gestures) to wrap an alien attacker.

Anti-Matter Insect Queen

The fourth Insect Queen is a former member of the Justice Underground, a team of heroes who oppose the Crime Syndicate of America in DC's Anti-Matter Universe. The Justice Underground is seen in JLA Secret Files 2004.

As the Justice Underground comprises "good twins" to Justice League villains, this Insect Queen is probably the counterpart of the Queen Bee.

External links

* [http://superman.nu/wiki/index.php/Insect_Queen Supermanica: Insect Queen]