Yes. It’s arguably something else that has basically been stolen from her history so it can be repurposed elsewhere for someone who is more of a blank slate vs allowing it to be a true part of Lois’s identity and history but that’s another rant for another time.
Can you tell it annoys me though? LOL
(Sorry still bitter after reading that Superman and Lois review because you just know that Todd Helbing can’t wait to make Lana Superwoman at some point and, yet, seemingly, he seems to not give a crap about the second title character in the show.)
Last edited by Nelliebly; 02-16-2021 at 10:33 AM.
To be fair, Lois as Superwoman wasn't really about her contribution to the world was it? From what I read, it was mostly about her coming to understand what it feels like to be Superman.
Right but that’s an inherent flaw and sexism in Morrison’s writing in All Star that has been criticized by women since the minute the book came out.
The fact that the Superwoman mantle was never explored satisfactorily in a way she deserved by writers who were interested in really doing it doesn’t change that the mantle belonged to her and that when it’s erased from her history or outright stolen from her it feels unfair.
This isn’t that far off from why some of us are so pissed off at Todd Helbing right now.
I couldn't agree with you more. This is one of the few flaws I found with All-Star Superman.
For example, in an AU fanfic story I wrote about this subject I had Lois learn a painful lesson about the importance of secret identities after scoffing at Superman suggesting she take one: Metallo targeted her parents killing her mother & badly injuring her father because he mistakenly assumed General Lane knew about his daughter and used her as a "secret weapon" to replicate Superman.
"So you've come to the end now alive but dead inside."
I’m more interested in just her overall exploration into whether she really wants the Superwoman mantle and to have those powers or whether she feels they start to detract from her work and her internal drive that has forced her to be a fighter for so long without those powers.
But, either way, I think it’s definitely something that has always deserved way more exploration than it got and yet, instead of doing that, writers (who were almost exclusively men—see a pattern here) either didn’t do anything with it or, worse, decided it was easier to just do it with ::insert female character:: who was more of a blank slate. It’s frustrating.
Indeed, the concept is ripe for deeper exploration that no one seems willing to do in official canon or semi-canon (Elseworlds). What a pity.
Edit - I think part of the problem is people tend to feel giving Lois powers for more than a quick lol story "cheapens" her somehow (the same thing applies to Mary Jane in Spider-Man) by implying you need special abilities to matter in comic books. I disagree as it simply adds another layer to an already complex and compelling character. Also, I'll concede there has likely been some sexism involved especially historically as you've stated.
Last edited by Celgress; 02-16-2021 at 06:40 PM.
"So you've come to the end now alive but dead inside."
The Ed McGuinness version is an all-time favorite