Action Comics 1 cover Superman holding carLook, up in the sky! It’s a bird. It’s plane. It’s a SHARK!? This looks like a job for Tara Reid, heroine of the comical Syfy movie franchise Sharknado.

The actress pays homage to the original superhero in Sharknado 4. Reid recreates Superman’s iconic pose as seen in his first appearance in Action Comics #1 (1938).

Sharknado 4 April Tara Reid Superman Action Comics 1

Cyborg April Origin Story

April (Reid) was mortally wounded in the Sharknado 3 cliffhanger but she survives unbeknownst to her family. April’s father, Willie (Gary Busey), uses mad science to transform her into a cyborg. She trains in secret until the sharknadoes return 5 years later. One of the sharknadoes sucks up a vintage car belonging to April’s father-in-law, Gilbert (David Hasselhoff). April swoops in and catches the car just before it lands on a small boy.

“Do you like Iron Man?” she asks to calm the child. “I’m his wife.”

The apparent reluctance to directly reference Superman is likely an effort to avoid a copyright infringement lawsuit. The scene is an accurate reproduction of the comic book cover down to the tire falling off the car as well as the cowering and panicking bystanders. One notable difference is that Superman isn’t catching the car but smashing it after rescuing Lois from kidnappers. Fortunately for Gilbert, April shows a little more restraint and gently puts the car down on the ground.