Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane
Cover of Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #1, art by Curt Swan and Stan Kaye.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
ScheduleBimonthly then monthly
FormatStandard
Publication dateMarch/April 1958 –
September/October 1974
No. of issues137 plus 2 Annuals
Creative team
Written by
Penciller(s)
Inker(s)
List
Editor(s)
List

Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane is an

Superman supporting character.[3]

At the peak of its popularity in 1962, Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane was the third best-selling comic book in the United States, surpassed only by Superman and Superboy in sales.[4]

Publication history

Following a tryout in

one-panel appearance, with his costume miscolored, by the defunct Fawcett Comics' Captain Marvel, who was not yet a DC character. The letters page of #113 (October 1971) described it as "strictly a private joke" on the part of former Captain Marvel artist Schaffenberger. The story was reprinted in #104 (October 1970) with the costume coloring corrected.[12] The Catwoman made her first Silver Age appearance in #70 (November 1966).[13] In issue #80 (January 1968), Lois' fashions were updated to a more contemporary look.[14][15]

By the 1970s, the stories began to reflect growing social awareness: Lois became less fixated on romance and more on current issues. In the controversial story "I Am Curious (Black)!" in #106 (November 1970),

Rose & The Thorn" in a backup feature that ran from #105 (October 1970)[18][19] through #130 (April 1973). Editor E. Nelson Bridwell had several characters and plot concepts from Jack Kirby's "Fourth World" appear in issues #111–119 (July 1971 – February 1972).[20] Lois' sister, Lucy Lane, was believed to have died in issue #120 (March 1972) but the character was later revived.[21]

In 1974, the title ended, as Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen had earlier that year. Both would be merged into The Superman Family, which chronologically continued from the elder title, premiering with issue #164 (April–May 1974).[22] The release of the last issue of Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane was delayed for several months due to a nationwide paper shortage.[23]

Other Lois Lane titles

The character has appeared in several self-titled miniseries and one-shots including:

  • Lois Lane – a two issue limited series published in August and September 1986.[24]
  • Superman: Lois Lane – a one-shot published in June 1998 as part of the "Girlfrenzy!" Fifth-week event.[25]
  • Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance – a three-issue limited series published August 2011 – October 2011 as part of the Flashpoint crossover.[26]
  • Superman: Lois Lane #1 – a one-shot published in April 2014.[27]
  • Lois Lane – a 12-issue limited series by writer Greg Rucka and artist Mike Perkins released in July 2019.

Collected editions

  • Showcase Presents: Superman Family
    • Volume 1 includes Showcase #9, 576 pages, March 2006, 1-4012-0787-1.
    • Volume 2 includes Showcase #10 and Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #1–7, 520 pages, February 2008, 1-4012-1656-0.
    • Volume 3 includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #8–16, 576 pages, March 2009, 1-4012-2188-2.
    • Volume 4 includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #17–26, 520 pages, March 2013, 1-4012-3837-8.
  • Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane Archives Volume 1 – collects Showcase #9–10 and Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #1–8, 264 pages, January 2012, 1-4012-3315-5.
  • Superman in the Fifties – includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #8, 192 pages, October 2002, 1563898268.
  • Showcase Presents: Supergirl – includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #14, 528 pages, November 2007, 1-4012-1717-6.
  • DC's Greatest Imaginary Stories, Vol. 1 includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #19 and 51, 192 pages, September 2005, 978-1401205348
  • Superman in the Sixties – includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #20 and 42, 240 pages, October 1999, 1563895226.
  • Superman: The Bottle City of Kandor includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #21, 76, 78; 200 pages, October 2007, 978-1401214654
  • Catwoman: Nine Lives of a Feline Fatale – includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #70–71, 208 pages, July 2004, 1401202136.
  • Batman Arkham: Catwoman includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #70-71, 248 pages, September 2021, 978-1401299804
  • DC's Greatest Imaginary Stories, Vol. 2 includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #89, 144 pages, June 2010, 978-1401227258
  • Diana Prince: Wonder Woman Vol. 2 – includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #93, 176 pages, August 2008, 1401218253.
  • Superman in the Seventies – includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #106, 224 pages, November 2000, 1563896389.
  • Lois Lane: A Celebration of 75 Years – special anniversary anthology, celebrating Lois Lane' seventy-five years in comics. Includes Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane #1, 5, 16, 23, 42, 106; 384 pages, November 2013, 1401247032.

See also

References

  1. ^ Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane at the Grand Comics Database
  2. ^ Lois Lane Annual at the Grand Comics Database
  3. .
  4. ^ Miller, John Jackson (n.d.). "1962 Comic Book Sales Figures". Comichron: The Comics Chronicles. Archived from the original on October 8, 2014.
  5. . The future title Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane got a tryout in issues #9 and #10 of Showcase, when Lois Lane stepped in as the lead feature.
  6. ^ Irvine "1950s" in Dolan, p. 89: "Following her successful test run in the pages of Showcase #9 and #10, Lois Lane got her own title Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane in which Superman was ever the prankster".
  7. ^ Kurt Schaffenberger at the Grand Comics Database
  8. . [Editor Mort Weisinger] inaugurated Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane. Kurt Schaffenberger was the principal artist on this series.
  9. .
  10. .
  11. ^ Irvine "1950s" in Dolan, p. 95: "Pat Boone made his first DC appearance in Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #9 (May 1959)...Later in the year, Boone got his own series".
  12. ^ Voger p. 45: "'That was sort of an 'in' joke'. Kurt later told an interviewer. 'Mort [Weisinger] knew what I was doing. We both figured at that time that Captain Marvel was a thing of the past...He was colored differently – green instead of red, I think. But then when reprinted in a Lois Lane Annual [sic], they put the red union suit on him'".
  13. ^ Dorfman, Leo (w), Schaffenberger, Kurt (p), Schaffenberger, Kurt (i). "The Catwoman's Black Magic!" Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, no. 70 (November 1966).
  14. ^ McAvennie, Michael "1960s" in Dolan, p. 128: "She started trading in her generic blouse-and-pencil skirt combinations for a "mod" wardrobe filled with printed dresses, go-go boots, mini-skirts, and hot pants".
  15. . To signal this change, Lois literally ripped the 'Girl Friend' from the logo of Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #80, giving readers notice of a bold new direction for the heroine.
  16. ^ Kanigher, Robert (w), Roth, Werner (p), Colletta, Vince (i). "I Am Curious (Black)!" Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, no. 106 (November 1970).
  17. .
  18. ^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 141: "The second feature uncovered the roots of Rose Forrest/Thorn's identity, as told by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Ross Andru".
  19. ^ Cassell, Dewey (May 2013). "A Rose By Any Other Name...Would Be Thorn". Back Issue! (64). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 28–32.
  20. ^ Morrow, John (Spring 2005). "Opening Shot" (PDF). Jack Kirby Collector (42). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 2–3. Retrieved September 21, 2012. The Fourth World influence was brought in by E. Nelson Bridwell, DC's continuity cop.
  21. ^ Bates, Cary; Vartanoff, Irene (w), Roth, Werner (p), Colletta, Vince (i). "Who Killed Lucy Lane?" Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, no. 120 (March 1972).
  22. ^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 159: "DC's 100-page Super Spectaculars were proving popular, so DC said goodbye to Supergirl, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, and housed the characters together in Superman Family. Continuing the numbering from where Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen ended, the series featured classic reprints with new tales in the lead spot".
  23. ^ Wells, John (October 24, 1997), "'Lost' DC: 1971–1975", Comics Buyer's Guide, no. 1249, Iola, Wisconsin, p. 125, In the wake of a nationwide paper shortage, DC canceled several of its lower-selling titles in late 1973...[Supergirl #10] and three other completed comic books slated for release in November 1973 (Secret Origins #7, Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #137, and Weird Worlds #10) were put on hold until the summer of 1974.
  24. ^ Lois Lane at the Grand Comics Database
  25. ^ Superman: Lois Lane at the Grand Comics Database
  26. ^ Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance at the Grand Comics Database
  27. ^ Superman: Lois Lane at the Grand Comics Database

External links