Chief Parker
Encyclopedia
Chief Douglas Parker is a supporting character in stories published by DC Comics
featuring Superboy
, the younger version of Superman
. He first appeared in Adventure Comics
#225 (June 1956).
, who was still a toddler at the time. The capture earned the officer a promotion to captain. He would steadily advance in the ranks, eventually becoming Smalllville Police Chief.
Chief Parker was a staunch ally of the Boy of Steel. In fact, Superboy entrusted him with a signal device linked to a lamp in the Kent home. The lamp would flicker whenever Superboy was being summoned. Professor Lewis Lang (Lana
's father) and the President of the United States
were given similar devices.
As the chief law enforcement official in Superboy's hometown, Parker often encountered the Boy of Steel's allies and enemies. He helped restore Superboy's reputation after a rash of incidents engineered by the Kryptonian
teenager Dev-Em
. He and his wife Leah briefly welcomed teenager "Marie Elkins" into their home, unaware that she was actually Duo Damsel, a member of the futuristic Legion of Super-Heroes
who was hiding from the sorcerer Mordru
. Most notably, Parker was frequently forced to contend with Superboy's most persistent enemy, the teenage scientific genius Lex Luthor
.
After the deaths of Jonathan and Martha Kent, an eighteen-year old Superboy left Smallville for Metropolis
and eventually changed his name to Superman. Parker retired from law enforcement, occasionally visiting the vacant Kent home to ensure that it did not fall into disrepair.
limited series, Superman's history was revised, such that Clark Kent did not begin his public superhero career until adulthood, and thus never operated as Superboy. While most of the Boy of Steel's supporting characters (Lana Lang, Pete Ross
, the Kents) were reinterpreted for the revised continuity, Chief Parker was not. He has made almost no comic book appearances since the conclusion of Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1986. However, it has been established that—in current continuity—Parker was indeed the Smallville Police Chief during Clark's childhood.
and the cancellation of the Adventures of Superman
television series, DC Comics (then known as National Periodical Publications) and the producers of the TV show decided to launch a new series about the hero's teenage exploits in Smallville. A pilot episode for The Adventures of Superboy
was produced in 1961. Chief Parker makes his only live-action appearance in the episode, portrayed by actor Robert Williams. The pilot was never picked up for broadcast, but can be viewed today on various Internet websites.
Other live-action series depicting a teenage Clark Kent do not include Chief Parker or the Smallville Police Department. On the 1988–1992 Superboy
television series, Clark attends college (and later works for a government agency) outside of Smallville. On the long-running Smallville
television series, the Kansas town is identified as part of the fictitious Lowell County, and law enforcement is overseen by the County Sheriff—first Ethan Miller (Mitchell Kosterman
) and later Nancy Adams (Camille Mitchell
).
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
featuring Superboy
Superboy (Kal-El)
The original Superboy is a fictional superhero who appears in DC Comics. The name of Superman as a boy, Superboy has adventures that occur in the relative past to those of Superman and take place predominantly in his hometown of Smallville...
, the younger version of Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
. He first appeared in Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
#225 (June 1956).
Pre-Crisis
Douglas Parker first encountered the future Superboy as a rookie officer on the Smallville Police Department (although Parker remained unaware of this fact). Parker apprehended the Pumpkin Gang while being secretly assisted by Clark KentClark Kent
Clark Kent is a fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Appearing regularly in stories published by DC Comics, he debuted in Action Comics #1 and serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Superman....
, who was still a toddler at the time. The capture earned the officer a promotion to captain. He would steadily advance in the ranks, eventually becoming Smalllville Police Chief.
Chief Parker was a staunch ally of the Boy of Steel. In fact, Superboy entrusted him with a signal device linked to a lamp in the Kent home. The lamp would flicker whenever Superboy was being summoned. Professor Lewis Lang (Lana
Lana Lang
Lana Lang is a fictional supporting character in DC Comics' Superman series. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist John Sikela, the character first appears in Superboy #10...
's father) and the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
were given similar devices.
As the chief law enforcement official in Superboy's hometown, Parker often encountered the Boy of Steel's allies and enemies. He helped restore Superboy's reputation after a rash of incidents engineered by the Kryptonian
Kryptonian
Kryptonians are a fictional extraterrestrial race of the DC Comics universe who hail from the planet Krypton. The term originated from the stories of DC Comics superhero, Superman...
teenager Dev-Em
Dev-Em
Dev-Em is a fictional character who appears in DC Comics. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #287 .-Pre-Crisis:In the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity, Dev-Em is a Kryptonian juvenile delinquent who took Jor-El's warnings of Krypton's impending doom seriously enough to place himself in...
. He and his wife Leah briefly welcomed teenager "Marie Elkins" into their home, unaware that she was actually Duo Damsel, a member of the futuristic Legion of Super-Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
who was hiding from the sorcerer Mordru
Mordru
Mordru is a fictional character, a supervillain in the DC Comics' main shared universe.Mordru is the most prominent Lord of Chaos who is fated to survive even after the end of the universe, although he is usually shown as a powerful wizard...
. Most notably, Parker was frequently forced to contend with Superboy's most persistent enemy, the teenage scientific genius Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
.
After the deaths of Jonathan and Martha Kent, an eighteen-year old Superboy left Smallville for Metropolis
Metropolis (comics)
Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
and eventually changed his name to Superman. Parker retired from law enforcement, occasionally visiting the vacant Kent home to ensure that it did not fall into disrepair.
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite EarthsCrisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
limited series, Superman's history was revised, such that Clark Kent did not begin his public superhero career until adulthood, and thus never operated as Superboy. While most of the Boy of Steel's supporting characters (Lana Lang, Pete Ross
Pete Ross
Peter Joseph "Pete" Ross is a fictional character who appears in the Superman comic books published by DC Comics. He was introduced in Superboy #86 .-Pre-Crisis:...
, the Kents) were reinterpreted for the revised continuity, Chief Parker was not. He has made almost no comic book appearances since the conclusion of Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1986. However, it has been established that—in current continuity—Parker was indeed the Smallville Police Chief during Clark's childhood.
In other media
Following the 1959 death of actor George ReevesGeorge Reeves
George Reeves was an American actor best known for his role as Superman in the 1950s television program Adventures of Superman....
and the cancellation of the Adventures of Superman
Adventures of Superman (TV series)
Adventures of Superman is an American television series based on comic book characters and concepts created in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The show is the first television series to feature Superman and began filming in 1951 in California...
television series, DC Comics (then known as National Periodical Publications) and the producers of the TV show decided to launch a new series about the hero's teenage exploits in Smallville. A pilot episode for The Adventures of Superboy
The Adventures of Superboy
The Adventures of Superboy was a proposed TV series that was put into production in 1961. It was meant to capitalize on the success of Adventures of Superman, which was cancelled years earlier. A revival was planned, but abandoned following the death of George Reeves, but only a pilot episode,...
was produced in 1961. Chief Parker makes his only live-action appearance in the episode, portrayed by actor Robert Williams. The pilot was never picked up for broadcast, but can be viewed today on various Internet websites.
Other live-action series depicting a teenage Clark Kent do not include Chief Parker or the Smallville Police Department. On the 1988–1992 Superboy
Superboy (TV series)
Superboy is a half-hour live-action television series based on the fictional DC Comics comic book character Kal-El's early years as Superboy. The show ran from 1988–1992 in syndication...
television series, Clark attends college (and later works for a government agency) outside of Smallville. On the long-running Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
television series, the Kansas town is identified as part of the fictitious Lowell County, and law enforcement is overseen by the County Sheriff—first Ethan Miller (Mitchell Kosterman
Mitchell Kosterman
Mitchell Arthur Edgar Kosterman is a Canadian actor.He was in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He is probably best known for his role as Sheriff Ethan Miller in Smallville.-Filmography:* John Doe as Sheriff Ash...
) and later Nancy Adams (Camille Mitchell
Camille Mitchell
Camille Mitchell is an award-winning stage and television actress. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Canada, she is the daughter of Cameron Mitchell and trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama located in London, England....
).