Susie Tompkins

Revision as of 20:40, 26 July 2006

Lois Lane's eight-year-old niece (Act No. 59, Apr 1943: "Cinderella -- a la Superman"; Act No. 68, Jan 1944: "Superman Meets Susie!"), a freckle-faced youngster with an overactive imagination who is forever making mischief by concocting tall tales (other appearances include S No. 40, May/Jun 1946: "The Mxyztplk - Susie Alliance"; S No. 95, Feb. 1955: "Susie's Enchanted Isle"). Her hair, which is sometimes red (Act No. 59, Apr 1943: “Cinderella--a la Superman!”; and others) and sometimes brown (Act No. 68, Jan 1944: “Superman Meets Susie!”; S No. 40/1, May/Jun 1946: “The Mxyztplk-Susie Alliance!”), is usually worn in pig- tails (Act No. 68, Jan 1944: “Superman Meets Susie!”; and others), although not always (Act No. 59, Apr 1943: “Cinderella -- a la Superman!”).

Susie, whom Lois Lane once describes as “my sister’s little girl,” lives somewhere out in “the country” and occasionally comes to Metropolis to visit her Aunt Lois (Act No. 68, Jan 1944: “Superman Meets Susie!”; and others). The name of Susie’s mother is never stated in the chronicles, but she is evidently married (Act No. 59, Apr 1943: “Cinderella- -a la Superman!”) to a man named Tompkins (Act No. 98, Jul 1946: “Starring Susie!”) and is therefore not to be identified with Lois Lane’s unmarried sister, Lucy Lane (S No. 147/1, Aug 1961: “The Great Mento!”; and others).

The texts describe Susie as “Lois Lane’s problem- niece” (Act No. 98, Jul 1946: “Starring Susie!”), “Lois Lane’s ultra-imaginative niece” (S No. 47/2, Jul/Aug 1947: “Susie Reforms!”), “Lois Lane’s ever-fibbing niece” (S No.95/1, Feb 1955: “Susie’s Enchanted Isle”), and as “the girl who loves to tell whoppers” (S No. 40/1, May/Jun 1946: “The Mxyztplk-Susie Alliance!”). Susie has an incurable penchant for “causing trouble by telling wild stories” (S No. 47/2, Jul/Aug 1947: “Susie Reforms!”), concocted with the aid of what Mr. Mxyztplk has admiringly referred to as her “marvelous imagination.”

“Some people can take a dash of imagination or leave it alone,” notes Superman No.40/1, “, but with Susie, one little touch goes right to her head, and grows and grows and grows!” (May /Jun 1946: “The Mxyztplk-Susie Alliance!”).

In April 1943, after reluctantly agreeing to baby-sit with Susie as a favor to Lois Lane, Clark Kent dozes off on a couch while reading the youngster the story of Cinderella. “As Clark Kent drifts into dreamland,” notes the text, “his mind is assaulted by a weird phantasmagoria. . . . And so begins one of the strangest dreams in all history!”

The dream is a retelling of “Cinderella,” with Superman playing the role of the fairy godmother, using his super-powers instead of magic to perform the traditional magic feats.

“I had the funniest dream,” remarks Kent to Lois Lane after he has finally beenjolted awake. “I dreamt I was back in the days of Cinderella... that I was Superman... and that I aided her instead of the fairy godmother coming to her help.

“The only thing funny about your dream,” replies Lois sarcastically, “was the possibility of your being Superman!” (Act No. 59: “Cinderella--a la Superman!”).(TGSB)

Susie Tompkins has appeared in the following Chronicles

• Act No.59, Apr 1943: "Cinderella -- a la Superman"
• Act No.68, Jan 1944: "Superman Meets Susie"
• S No.40, May-Jun 1946: "The Mxyztplk-Susie Alliance"
• Act No.98, Jul 1946: "Starring Susie"
• S No.47, Jul-Aug 1947: "Susie Reforms"
• S No.95, Feb 1955: "Susie's Enchanted Isle"