Insect Queen is the name of several characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
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.
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]
All incarnations of the Insect Queen can control insects and arachnids. Additionally, Lana Lang possessed the ability to transform her lower body into an insectoid form while the alien incarnation possesses wings, four arms, antennae, chitinous plates, and the ability to possess living organisms through her DNA.
An unidentified Insect Queen makes a cameo appearance in the Kite Man: Hell Yeah! episode "Portal Potty, Hell Yeah!", voiced by Rhea Seehorn.[citation needed]
