Superman's Best Girlfriend?

[Uncle Mxy]

I really liked pre-Crisis Superman's marriage to Linda Danvers during PAD's "Many Happy Returns" arc.

After all the LLs, there was the MM that had a crush on him -- Mary Marvel -- but I don't think that ever went anywhere.  She didn't have any fatal flaws like being his first cousin, a mermaid, a normal human he might have a hard time procreating with, from a dead planet, etc. so it would've never worked out, I'm sure.

[Captain Kal]

Well, aside from the abomination that PAD presented as the Silver Age DCU (like living in Disneyland?, pink kryptonite?), the Linda Danvers marriage wasn't too bad.

Mary Marvel had a major drawback the rest of them didn't have back then.  She was from another universe altogether.  Talk about a long-distance relationship.  Even if Superman could get over his obsession with 'LL' ladies (j/k), it doesn't look like he'd abandon his home universe and the same would go for MM.

[dto]

Captain Kal, granted that "Earth-1" variant was exaggerated to the point of parody, but with only six issues Peter David didn't have the time to be subtle, and he needed to stress the differences in this world and why his Kara Zor-El was initially such a naive innocent.  Also, remember we're learning about this world from LINDA'S skewed perspective, so the cynical comments about "Pleasantville" need to be seen in this context.

As for Superman's best girlfriend, I see nobody has mentioned Sally Selwyn.  Is this because she never knew "Jim White" was Clark Kent, let alone SUPERMAN?

I understand that there was supposed to be a story where Sally visited Metropolis and recognized Clark.  Supes tried to fool her like he did to Lois and Lana so many times before, but ultimately couldn't.  But this tale was dropped in mid-development by the Bryne reboot.   :cry:

But what would have happened if Superman revealed himself to Sally?  Would Sally be a parallel to Silver St. Cloud -- a woman who loved "Bruce Wayne" but was deathly afraid he'd be hurt or killed as Batman?  Sally disliking the fact that her "Jim" was constantly risking his life as Superman would have been an interesting reversal of Lois idolizing the Man of Steel but underappreciating Clark Kent.

[JulianPerez]

I just had a thought about how Superman's thoughts on how he might feel about his situation with women.

Though I think his characterization of Superman was off in many ways, Alan Moore's annual, "For the Man Who Has Everything" had a story where Superman was given a dream existence. He dreams himself back on Krypton (which is obvious; Superman always pined for his beloved native world, the only place he isn't lonely and feels at home), but who is he married to? Lyra Lerrol. Obviously it wasn't the TRUE Lyra, as she would be much older, however, if his great and fondest wish was marriage to Lois, wouldn't he be married to her and living on Rokyn? Or Lori Lemaris, with himself undergoing merconversion and the two living in Atlantis?

Interesting he would imagine himself, in his "fondest wish" with her.

[Gary]

If I remember right, the way Mongul described the effect of his plant thingy as feeding its victim a logical extrapolation of his heart's desire, or something to that effect. Which would mean that only the initial premise, Krypton not having been blown up, is Supey's desire. Obviously, a lot of the consequences he was shown weren't things he would desire at all, like Jor-El tarred as a crackpot and consorting with the Kryptonian equivalent of the Klan.

Of course, being married to the true Lyla wouldn't be logical or even possible due to the age difference. But it is logical that Kal would have a Kryptonian wife; the flower has to fill in the particulars of that somehow, and Supes has never really known any Kryptonian women his own age other than Kandorians and relatives like Kara.

[MatterEaterLad]

That's closer to the way I read it myself...

Of course, Kal stinks with women, isn't this thread about who *I* like the best? :lol:

[Gangbuster]

I like Lyla the best.

But I've already said that. The real reason I'm posting again is....

who is PAD? And why in the world would anyone want to be referred to as such?

"Hiya, PAD!"

[Captain Kal]

PAD is Peter A. David, the very popular writer of S.F. novels and comics.

We posters have gotten into the lazy habit over the years of just using his initials to save on our typing.

I presume you weren't kidding ...