In her performance in the new Superman flick “Man of Steel,” actress Amy Adams took audiences back to a classic Lois Lane, who is a go-getter and far from a damsel in distress. But this new movie and past media portrayals of Lane bare the question, why is she so popular in a crowd of male superheroes?
It’s simple. Lane is more than a plot device for Superman, and for the most part, she has escaped the sexism prevalent within the comic book industry.
While I commend DC Comics for their inclusion of such a strong female character in one of their most popular books, it is discouraging that this is one of the only examples of a strong female protagonist in the comic book industry.
Every since her debut in “Action Comics #1” in 1938, Lane has played an intricate part in the development of Superman’s story, which is not common among other comics. In the current continuum, Lois Lane is an army brat, Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist who has had a 75-year relationship with Clark Kent (a.k.a. Superman).
Lane’s character was designed as the female counterpart to Superman and his alter ego Kent. Her appearance and personality were based on various people including Joanne Carter, a model hired by Siegel and Shuster; Torchy Blane, a female reporter from 1930s films; and Nellie Bly, one of the first female reporters.
“Her origins are from strength, and that’s the one thing that runs through the character. They’ll put her in peril, but she always still has some level of strength,” said novelist and comic book writer Brad Meltzer.
Lane is more than just Superman’s squeeze as she has held her own over the past 75 years. She balances the Man of Steel and brings him down to size.
If Superman is a god, who better to cut him down than an investigative journalist?
She is more than just a girlfriend in the DC Universe. Lane is unlike female comic book characters of her time — even today — because she takes a leadership role both in her community and in her relationship with Kent. There aren’t any female character in DC or Marvel universes who embody this better than Lane, and — more importantly — there isn’t any other female character that has avoided being a plot device like Lane.
“Whether or not she was romantically involved with Clark Kent or Superman, Lois would still be in that story. That’s why I think women like her as a character, why they spark to her, because she has a reason to be there,” said Grace Randolph, creator and host of Beyond The Trailer and Think About The Ink at Midtown Comics in New York City, in an interview with USA Today.
Lane is a dynamic character women can look up to. She embodies the best in humanity and proves even those without powers can make a difference. She isn’t a damsel in distress but instead a serious investigative reporter who can keep with the times. This and her city girl appeal are what keep audiences interested, and she’s the “one” for Superman because she connects with him so intimately that it brings him closest to humanity.
“He was a little too much this perfect Boy Scout, and although Lois was feisty and strong she was still always the one being rescued. Not to say that she doesn’t get rescued in our movie, but she rescues him right back, in so many other ways, She saves him,” said “Man of Steel” producer Deborah Snyder in a recent interview.
Actor Henry Cavill, the new Superman in “Man of Steel,” spoke about his idea of what Lane was
to Kent.
“I think the interaction between [Lane] and Superman is that she is obviously Superman in a societal sense, and then she’s finally found this one guy who can literally sweep her off her feet,” Cavill said.
It’s not that Lane is good enough for Superman — it’s that Superman is good enough for her. Writing more characters like Lane would garner a higher female readership, strengthen story lines, sell more Superman comics and leave girls with a great role model.
Elizabeth Garcia is a 21-year-old mass communication senior from Greensboro, N.C.