Superwoman (Lois Lane)

Revision as of 16:02, 29 June 2008

Superwoman (Lois Lane)

See also: Superwoman (Kristin Wells)

Lois Lane has several times over the years operated as, or dreamed of being, a female counterpart to Superman.

In May 1943, as the result of being struck by an automobile on a Metropolis street, Lois Lane suffers a severe brain concussion and is rushed to the hospital, where "a delicate brain operation" is performed to save her life. Lying in her hospital bed, in a delirium, Lois has a startling dream. In it, an emergency transfusion of Superman’s blood restores her to full health almost instantly and transforms her into a Superwoman endowed with all the super-powers of Superman; after fashioning a sexy red-and-blue female version of Superman’s costume, Lois begins using her newly acquired powers to battle crime and injustice, ultimately rescuing Superman himself from the clutches of a maniacal renegade scientist named Dr. Skowl; and finally, the now super-alluring Lois sweeps the Man of Steel passionately off his feet and romantically overwhelms him into agreeing to marry her. Moments later, however, Lois Lane awakes with a start to discover that her delicious acquisition of super-powers was only a fantasy and that she is still in her hospital bed, recovering from the emergency surgery that has saved her life (Act No. 60: "Lois Lane--Superwoman!") (TGSB).

In another story, Superman encounters the faux-magicians Hocus (spelled in one panel as Hokus) and Pocus, whom he tricks into believing they have magical powers. After they "turn" Clark Kent into Superman to save Lois Lane's life, he is forced to play along and continue the deception. The two magicians subsequently "turn" Lois Lane into Superwoman, and Superman follows her around making her believe that she has actual superpowers. After she realizes that she doesn't know her own strength and won't be able to live a normal life (a realization engineered by Superman) she convinces Hocus and Pocus to make her normal again (S No. 45/1, Mar/Apr 1947: "Lois Lane, Superwoman!").

In May 1951, Lois gets super-powers temporarily from a vivanium machine made by Lex Luthor. She notices her powers when she rips off a steel door and holds backs a street-car. She converts herself to Superwoman (with blond hair) and meets Superman when a new press' flywheel goes haywire. As Superwoman she has trouble managing her strength, crashes a bank sign, has trouble getting a getaway car and avoiding a crash with a trolley. Later, she is manipulated by Luthor to build a better vivanium machine, and when Superman catches Luthor, she loses her powers (Act No. 156: "The Girl of Steel").

Lois Lane's imperfect Bizarro clone, Bizarro-Lois, also gets a shot at being super-powerful. As Stupor-Woman she is granted powers by Bizarro-Mr. Kltpzyxm, who is subsequently imprisoned for breaking the Bizarro Code (Adv No. 288/2, Sep 1961: "Bizarro's Secret Identity").