Monday, October 24, 2011

Manic Monday--What's In A Name?

In an Imaginary Story, Lana Lang has been stranded in the future, where she encounters Superman VI (The Undiscovered Country?), as he relates his family tree:

Wait a second...let's zoom in here:

Mrs. Lois Superman?? Mrs. Lois Superman??

OK, this was a 1962 story, so there wasn't much of a chance of her keeping the Lois Lane name.

But couldn't they come up with something better than Mrs. Lois Superman?

Mrs. Lois Kal-El...no, that's not quite right. Mrs. Lois-El? Nope...ummm...did anybody ever call Lara Mrs. Jor-El or something? Hmmm...

OK, help me out, Peanut Gallery: what would you call a super-powered Lois Lane who married Superman in 1962?

From as Lois Lane #36 (1962), as reprinted in Lois Lane #86 (1968)

8 comments:

Martin OHearn said...

Well, in 1962...

Hawkgirl was not called Mrs. Hawkman. The former Grace Kelly was not called Mrs. Grace Prince Rainier but Princess Grace. I think Superwoman or Super-Lois would have gone over well enough.

Going by the married example of Krytonian Van-Zee and Earthwoman Sylvia, they'd have been known in Kandor as Kal-El and Lois. Nothing more needed.

sean said...

Surely she would have been Lois Kent????

snell said...

I suppose it's possible the Kent name may still be used as a secret identity by Superman VI...

MOCK! said...

I just got a copy of Lois Lane #51 (I saw the cover somewhere and ordered it up...)

The cover has statues for Superman's three dead wives: Lois Superman, Lana Superman, and Lori Superman!

MOCK! said...

...and it is killing me trying to remember where I saw it previous to ordering it!!

snell said...

Good find, MOCK!

Sina said...

How and why did Lois get super-powers? From marrying Superman? Is that in the story, that she got super-powers? Or is that just inference on your part based on the "Lois Superman" name, the "super-wife" title (which could be just a reference to her character, ie: "How's your wife?", "Oh, she's super!") and the fact that she's wearing an outfit similar to Superman/Supergirl's?

'Cause otherwise I don't see any reason how or why Lois would suddenly get super-powers, nevermind as a matter of course for marrying Superman, unless it were a plot point or part of the story as such.

Yes, I know it was the era when temporary super-powers came and went with the sip of a cola or the wish of a 5th dimensional hat, but it's still never been stated that "the wife of Superman shall forever after share the same powers as he".

And if that was the case, then what would happen if they got divorced? I know, too, from the golden days of Camelot, divorce was a foreign concept, but still...you *know* that street-smart and city-slick Lois would demand her rights to freedom if the downfall of their relationship called for it, and then you'd have a pissed-off, bitter Lois who was divorced from Superman...but now with *SUPER-POWERS* as part of the pre-nup?

-3- said...

I'm with Martin - it should just be Lois.
She's ascended to that level where she no longer needs a surname for identification. It's like Tarzan & Jane. Sure, we all know she's Jane Porter, but (back when the characters were more popular) if you said the name Jane, we know who you meant. Heck - ABC even gave Lois top billing.

Of course, by Superman VI (Last Resort?)'s time, he'd surely take the Lane name himself, if still protecting the Kent identity, right?