Martha Kent
Martha Kent is a female comic character who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Pre-Crisis
Golden Age
Martha Kent
Silver Age
Martha Clark
She and Jonathan travelled to the Smallville Orphanage where they decided to help adopt a child. This saw them taking in a ginger-haired Allen Greene where he revealed to the Kents that he was actually an alien named Vidal. He asked them to keep his secret and was actually part of the Intergalactic Patrol who wanted to assess the Kents as fit parents for Superboy. Vidal confirmed that the Kents were indeed ideal adoptive parents for Superboy and with his mission complete he left Earth to re-join the patrol. (Adventure Comics v1 #260)
One day, her old friend Lisa Warren was driving up to the Kent Farm in Smallville with her daughter to visit Martha. However, on that night was a terrible storm that caused Mrs. Warren's car to tumble over a cliff edge. Her daughter Kathy was saved by Superboy but he was unable to stop the car from falling over but Lisa had managed to survive. She was taken to hospital where her injuries meant she had to stay there for sometime. Lisa then asked Martha to care for her daughter until her husband returned from his engineering job in South America. As a result, the Kent household had Kathy Warren stay with them where Martha told the young girl to treat Clark Kent as if he was her older brother. During this time, the sad Kathy was cheered up by Clark who was secretly Superboy with one of his adventures bringing an alien device to the house. The machines core flew away where it approached Kathy who touched it after which it exploded. Kathy was unharmed but experienced a marked rise in intelligence as the alien device had given her a super-intellect where she deduced Superboy's true identity as well as made a number of inventions. The girl's intelligence though made her a target of the Truhl's who were enemies of Superboy that pirated scientific knowledge. To stop them, she used a weapon to knock out the aliens allowing for Superboy to send them away but a shock from her device caused the loss of her super-intellect and the memories of Clark's true nature. Afterwards, her father arrived were he took Kathy and his wife Lisa back to their home but thanked the Kent's for looking after them. (Superboy v1 #176)
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Martha Kent
Her grandmother was said to had immigrated to America from Germany. When Martha was born, her grandmother helped her embrace her heritage and taught her to cook apple pie. (Superman: Secret Origin v1 #1)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
In one version of history, Martha and Jonathan Kent died as the result of a car accident on the night of Clark's senior prom. (Action Comics v2 #17) Her death was revealed to have been caused by the actions of Doctor Manhattan, who in the past caused Alan Scott to be killed and thus prevented the Justice Society of America from existing. Clark thus never became a superhero as a kid. Inspired by Superman's words to be a hero however, Manhattan undid his alterations. This caused Alan Scott to survive and the JSA to exist, in-turn inspiring Clark to take up the mantle of Superboy as a kid and save his parents from being killed. (Doomsday Clock v1 #12)
During Clark's childhood, Martha was diagnosed with cancer, and underwent chemotherapy for the affliction; Clark was not told until well into her treatment, when a playground fight resulted in her wig being knocked off. Eventually, however, her cancer went into remission and she managed a full recovery. (Action Comics 2022 Annual v1 #1)
Overview
Personality and attributes
One of her old friends was Lisa Warren who had a blonde-haired daughter named Kathy Warren. (Superboy v1 #176)
Powers and abilities
Notes
- Martha Kent was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster where she made her first appearance in Superman v1 #1 (June, 1939).
- In Superman Family v1 #192, a computer simulation indicated a possible life where Krypton exploded early. The projections showed that a young Lara was sent to Earth where she was adopted by Henry Clark and Ella Clark with her becoming the adoptive younger sister to Martha Clark.
Alternate Versions
- In Justice League v2 #24 (2013), an alternate version of Martha Kent appeared to be an inhabitant of the newly formed Earth-3 in the restored Multiverse.
In other media
Television
- In Smallville, the character made a regular appearance on the television series where she was portrayed by actor Annette O'Toole. She later adopted the guise of the Red Queen who opposed the actions of Checkmate.
- In Legion of Super-Heroes, Ma Kent made a number of appearances in the animated series starting with the pilot episode "Man of Tomorrow" where she was voiced by actor Jennifer Hale. She was managing the household on the farm in Smallvile whilst her adoptive son Clark Kent was getting ready to start studies in Metropolis though he joined the Legion of Super-Heroes for adventures in the future. In "Fear Factory", Quavermass 12 used a projection of Martha in an effort to stop Superman from destroying its central core but the Kryptonian did not fall for the deception.
Films
- In Superman, Martha Kent appeared in the setting of the 1978 live-action film where she was portrayed by actress Phyllis Thaxter.
- In Superman III, Martha Kent was referenced in the setting of the 1983 live-action film. Lana Lang had indicated that she had at some point died.
- In Superman Returns, Martha Kent appeared in the setting of the 2006 live-action film where she was portrayed by actress Eva Marie Saint.
- In the DC Extended Universe, Martha Kent made a number of appearances in the shared continuity setting.
- In Man of Steel, Martha Kent made her first appearance in the live-action film where she was portrayed by actor Diane Lane.
- In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Martha Kent returned in the live-action sequel where she was once more portrayed by actor Diane Lane.
Video games
- In DC Universe Online, Martha Kent appeared in the setting of the MMORPG video game where she was voiced by actress Diane Perella.
Appearances
- Action Comics v1: (1939)
- Superboy v1:
- Adventure Comics v1:
- Superman v1:
External Links
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