Superman's Best Girlfriend?

[nightwing]

I do think Lois and Lara looked alike in some stories, but then very few artists over the years have been able to draw females in comics and have them come out looking very different.  Often they all have the same face and are only distinguished by hair color, glasses, a beauty mark, etc.  (Interestingly, Dinah Lance takes advantage of comic book truism by using a WIG for a disguise.  In the world of comics, a new hairstyle does indeed make all the difference between Woman A and Woman B).

I should interject here that Jaime Hernandez, Mike Allred and other groovy modern artists can do fantastic variations on the female face and form and have them all look beautiful yet different.  But not so much Shuster, Swan, Boring, et al.

Anyway, I was referring to a specific instance where I *think* it was actually *stated* that Lois and Lara looked alike.  Which takes us beyond the realm of speculation and into the realm of "the writer's trying to say something here." But again whatever he meant to say, I chose not to dwell on it!

I also don't want to imply that I don't have a fondness for Lara.  She's the idealized image all we boys have of our mothers; gorgeous, nurturing, kind-hearted.  And I always liked the version of the origin where she opts out of joining baby Kal in the rocket because he'll have better odds of making it to Earth without her added weight.  That's the act of a loving mother.

Anyway, I covered what I think about Kal-El's feelings for his parents, and how it shapes his character, at my fan site: http://nightwing.supermanfan.net/editorials/super-baby.htm

Finally, I agree the beautiful Susannah York did a great job in the movie, but it says something about Lara's place in the mythos that when she showed up as an advice-giving hologram in the sequel, I -- and I suspect lots of other fans -- thought it all would have had more gravitas and relevance coming from Jor-El.  I expected to Superman to say, "Yeah, that's nice mom.  Can I talk to dad, please?"

[Uncle Mxy]

I do think Lois and Lara looked alike in some stories, but then very few artists over the years have been able to draw females in comics and have them come out looking very different.  Often they all have the same face and are only distinguished by hair color, glasses, a beauty mark, etc.

It can't have helped that Lara was often drawn next to "Superman with a headband" aka Jor-El.  Usually, the hair lengths were different, but I think the resemblance really started being notice-able in the '70s.

I should interject here that Jaime Hernandez, Mike Allred and other groovy modern artists can do fantastic variations on the female face and form and have them all look beautiful yet different.  But not so much Shuster, Swan, Boring, et al.

For pre-Crisis, my gold standard for women was Garcia-Lopez.

Finally, I agree the beautiful Susannah York did a great job in the movie, but it says something about Lara's place in the mythos that when she showed up as an advice-giving hologram in the sequel, I -- and I suspect lots of other fans -- thought it all would have had more gravitas and relevance coming from Jor-El.  I expected to Superman to say, "Yeah, that's nice mom.  Can I talk to dad, please?"

At the time I first watched, I was less concerned about that than by how different she looked than in Superman I, and wondering where the heck was this going.  I think I kind of expected Superman to slowly get into an advanced stage of getting it on, only to be interrupted by Zod and friends.  Then the way-cool "Superman gets stripped of his powers scene" comes up and I think "wow".  I remember that scene, definitely.

[JulianPerez]

I should interject here that Jaime Hernandez, Mike Allred and other groovy modern artists can do fantastic variations on the female face and form and have them all look beautiful yet different.  But not so much Shuster, Swan, Boring, et al.

Allow me to add to this list Alan Davis, who is a brilliant artists simply because his characters do not share the same body type; in his Elseworld, THE NAIL, there was a splash page of all the members of the Justice League, and not only did each one have a different face, but each one had a different BODY as well (and for my money, Davis's handsome Aquaman sported the most impressive physique ), and in a group that size, that is indeed astonishing.

George Perez, at least in his in his later periods, can also be added to the list of artists who draw women idiosyncratically. Of course there is comparing his 1970s work with Jim Shooter to his visibly much more complicated, "busy" and sophisticated AVENGERS run with Busiek, naturally, but George is one of the most astonishing artists because even IN THE MIDST OF A RUN, it is possible to see his skill actually improve; his improvement is hardly gradual. For example, compare Avengers #2 ("Morgan Conquest") with AVENGERS #29 (the one where they battle Kulan Gath). In AVENGERS #2, you get a side-by-side portrait of She-Hulk with Carol Danvers, and while both are drawn well, She-Hulk has the exact same body as Carol, only a head taller. Now, get to AVENGERS #29, and the two have definite differences; She-Hulk has more muscle mass and is thicker and arguably more "ethnic" looking in body type.

Another artist who draws women as being different from one another is Don Heck. Okay, yeah, I can hear all of you out there groaning and making that face, but it is true: compare the looks of the Scarlet Witch with the Mantis in the final chapters of "Celestial Madonna." Don Heck's Mantis is clearly Oriental in features; while Dave Cockrum is an amazing artist, honest to God, guys, until I saw Heck's version of Mantis I thought she was Italian or something.

Not only can Don Heck draw women differently, he can draw women WELL; the moment he took over FLASH suddenly Iris West became the best looking woman in comics.

Anyway, I covered what I think about Kal-El's feelings for his parents, and how it shapes his character, at my fan site: http://nightwing.supermanfan.net/editorials/super-baby.htm

An insightful, accurate article that shows a true understanding of Superman. Should be required reading for any writer taking over Superman. Huzzah!