Nadine Farghaly - Examining Lois Lane: The Scoop on Supermans Sweetheart

Examining Lois Lane

The Scoop on Supermans Sweetheart

Edited by Nadine Farghaly

THE SCARECROW PRESS, INC.

Lanham Toronto Plymouth, UK

2013

Published by Scarecrow Press, Inc.

A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.

4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706

www.rowman.com

10 Thornbury Road, Plymouth PL6 7PP, United Kingdom

Copyright 2013 by Scarecrow Press

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Examining Lois Lane : the scoop on Superman's sweetheart / edited by Nadine Farghaly.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-8108-9236-1 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN 978-0-8108-9237-8 (ebook)

1. Lane, Lois (Fictitious character). 2. Comic books, strips, etc.United States. 3. Women in literature. 4. Literature and societyUnited States. 5. Superman (Fictitious character). I. Farghaly, Nadine, 1981, editor of compilation.

PN6725.E9 2013

741.5'9dc23

2013017658

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

Printed in the United States of America

Eons ago when I was writing my thesis, a dear friend of mine introduced me to Smallville. I had not watched that particular incarnation of the Superman universe since it covers Clark Kents younger yearsbefore he even met Lois Lane. Nevertheless, I gave it a try and was impressed by the show, but it wasnt until Lois Lane showed up that I could truly appreciate it. Trying to procrastinate while I was supposed to work on my thesis, I played around with essay ideas.... What could I say about Lois Lane that had not been mentioned before? Surely a legend like her must have gotten as much attention as the Man of Steel himself. You can imagine how surprised I was when various academic search engines and Google revealed that I was completely wrong in my assumptions. Almost no scholarly work had been done on this remarkable character, and the one book I was able to dig up that featured her was a disappointment as well, since it was a dating and advice book for women and not an academic study about the figure of Lois Lane herself. The idea to edit a collection about this influential character came about not much later over dinner at a small Creole restaurant in Salzburg with my friend, Christiana.

Soon after, my proposed collection found a home at Scarecrow Press and my editor, Stephen Ryan, made it possible for me to realize my project. I am still amazed that he had faith and believed in me. I cannot thank him enough for his support. There are many other people I want to thank, but most of all my gratitude and love goes out to one of my best friends, Christiana Hug. A die-hard Lois Lane fan herself, without her this project would not have progressed beyond its infant stages. Additionally, I want to thank all the people who were not only wonderful peer review readers but also dear friends who supported me throughout this endeavor and never stopped believing it would be a success: Suzan Aiken, Christine Garbett, Joe Erickson, and Eden Leone. Special thanks also goes to Leslie Ormandy, James Campbell, and Hannah Priest for their hard work. A major shout-out goes to Margo Bond Collins, my newly discovered sister in research interests, whose last-minute help will not be forgotten. All my love to my grandparents, my mother, and my sisters for their incredible support and belief in me. Cheers and my love to Iris, Kathi, Moni, Simone, and all my friends who let me rant and wail to my hearts content before they tried to help me fix whatever crisis I had (whether imagined or real). I also want to thank Douglas Noverr, who answered my million queries about the publishing process and who never tired of helping me out. Last but not least, my friend Martina Kress deserves my gratitude for keeping me calm in times of panic and for doing a marvelous job as manuscript editor. I probably could have done it without your help, but the end result would have not been as nearly amazing as it is, and I would have gone insane...

My special gratitude belongs to Thomas Branch, who designed the cover art for this book free of charge. More of his beautiful artwork can be found at http://branch56.tumblr.com.

Lois Lanethose eight letters represent more than just a name, more than just an intrepid reporter who is in love with a superhero. The name Lois Lane is as widely known as that of her heroic love interest, Superman. The name represents a legend. Appearing as a fixture in Supermans life from 1938 on, even before Lex Luthor and Supergirl, she challenged, undermined, superseded, and sometimes, if necessary and convenient, aligned herself with the roles women were assigned in society. Nonetheless, she achieved what very few other female characters can claim: Lois Lane became a legend. Her personality, her determination, and her brazenness secured her a place in the hearts of millions of women around the world.

Probing the boundaries of what was supposedly seemly for women, she eventually stepped out of the Man of Steels shadow and matured into a character in her own right. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were inspired by Glenda Farrells portrayal of Torchy Blane, a female reporter who was featured in various films throughout the 1930s, and these two created a character that would not only become a strong female role model, but also an American icon. While her character was adjusted over the years, depending on who was writing the stories at the time, some elements of Loiss character have never changed; she is an unwavering and strong-willed woman who knows what she wants and does not shy away from getting it, too. Starting with the Superman graphic novels, then moving to her own series that lasted for 16 years and covers 137 issues, through radio and Broadway appearances, to various movies and TV shows, and a multitude of cultural references that are connected to her, Lois Lane never left the audiences sight. This well-beloved character not only functions as a role model for millions of women and girls, but she also reflects womens struggles in a mostly male-dominated world.

The first Action Comic marks by far more than just the first appearance of Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and the last son of Krypton. It also marks the birth of one of the best-known love triangles in human history: Lois Lane would pursue Superman and Clark Kent would pursue Lois Lane. In some incarnations Lois fell in love with Superman, in others with Clark, and in a few with both of them; and while her romantic relationship with the last Kryptonian is one of the cornerstones of her character, it is by far not the paramount one.

Over the years, the woman beside the Man of Steel had to find and fight her way through multiple feministic waves, eight decades of changing ideologies, and the constant reinvention of her character by other artists. While newer generations may think of her as just Clark Kent/Supermans wife, she has only had that title for about a decade and a half; due to