Superman #655: A Review

[Uncle Mxy]

divorced the father after her child was killed in a terrorist incident.  She returned to Matropolis a changed woman, and that's when she became Clark's co-anchor at WGBS.

Matropolis:  City Of Matrimony, right?

[Sword of Superman]

Now for some reader Lana could be "the divorced one", and this is not good.  The problem started when in the Carlin era that marriage was approved... In those stories from the '90s, the first rule seemed to be "In the real world it would work this way". Yes, in the real world a beautiful, sweet and smart woman like Lana would find a husband, but Superman comics aren't real world...

I'm not sure being divorced bear all that much stigma -- or should -- but keep in mind that Lana in the Bronze Age was not only divorced, but a mother who'd lost a child.  She married in Europe, had a child, and divorced the father after her child was killed in a terrorist incident.  She returned to Matropolis a changed woman, and that's when she became Clark's co-anchor at WGBS.kdb

I totally agree with Mr. Busiek,since in my opinion you can tell every kind of story in a superhero comic book just as long is treated rightly,
and maybe i'm old fashioned for saying this,but i still believe in the educational value of this media that can help kids to undertestand better moral value and social issue.

     

[Kurt Busiek]

My problem with divorce in these comics is related to the fact that, for what I have noticed, in the US the divorce is still seen as a sort of curse

I don't think it is, not any more.  The last time I heard anything about divorce being a stigma was when Reagan was running for President, and it didn't hurt him any.

By the way, thank you for the explanation, I have appreciated it, but... Can you tell me more about those stories? I don't remember any marriage or unborn child, probably because those issues were released before 1975/76.

Actually, Lana returns to the cast in 1977, in SUPERMAN #317.  I don't remember when the details of why she came back from Europe came out, but I think it was sometime after that.

And it wasn't an unborn child, but a child that got killed.

I suppose are stories "forgotten" by authors and editors, just like that issue where Martin Pasko explained why nobody can understand the truth about Clark...

Rather than being "forgotten," that stuff was the reason she came back from Europe so different, with an altered personality and drive.  And a habit of calling everyone "luv."

kdb

[Uncle Mxy]

My problem with divorce in these comics is related to the fact that, for what I have noticed, in the US the divorce is still seen as a sort of curse

I don't think it is, not any more.  The last time I heard anything about divorce being a stigma was when Reagan was running for President, and it didn't hurt him any.

In the U.S., it used to be the case that to get a divorce, you had to admit a crime or heinous act so "fault" could be assigned.  It was kind of a bogus system in the case of mutually-agreed-upon divorce, and steps were taken to correct it.  Once "no-fault" divorce emerged as an option (with Ronald Reagan leading the way as California governor), divorce became more accepted.  There's far from universal acceptance.  Parts of the U.S. with strong religious leanings still tend to look down upon the divorced.  

BTW, the legal concept of "no-fault" divorce originated in Subjekt-17's (Earthly) homeland.  I'm sure divorce law will figure prominently in Kurt's upcoming mini-series "Jimmy Olsen Goes To Law School!".  

By the way, thank you for the explanation, I have appreciated it, but... Can you tell me more about those stories? I don't remember any marriage or unborn child, probably because those issues were released before 1975/76.

Actually, Lana returns to the cast in 1977, in SUPERMAN #317.  I don't remember when the details of why she came back from Europe came out, but I think it was sometime after that.

And it wasn't an unborn child, but a child that got killed

Here's some references to it -- Lois Lane miniseries, circa late 1986:
http://politedissent.com/archives/1280
http://politedissent.com/images/jun06/lana.html
Those damned Italian terrorists...  someone must've really hated

Rather than being "forgotten," that stuff was the reason she came back from Europe so different, with an altered personality and drive.  And a habit of calling everyone "luv."

Was there mention of it earlier?  Something gnawing in the back of my mind is thinking that there was an attempt to give Lana a kid or somesuch in the comics as part of Superman III, which would've been around 1983, but I'll be damned it I remember it.

[Super Monkey]

sheesh... I am not a big fan of the Bronze Age.

Give me Silver Age Lana Lang anyday...



P.S. They both gain super powers in this story, if you couldn't tell.


P.S.P.S Yes.. Super Powers!

[Uncle Mxy]

It's a post-Crisis pre-Byrne tale.  It should be safe to cast into total oblivion if one were so inclined, right along with Supergirl marrying Salkor.

[Great Rao]

Beppo, that's a fascinating Lois Lane cover.

I've been trying to figure out just who the artist was.  It looks like Kurt Schaffenburger drew Lois' face; Curt Swan drew Lana's face; Wayne Boring drew Superman's chest; and the rest is a complete mystery.

[Uncle Mxy]

Schaffenberger often drew Lois on Curt Swan covers.  I think the rest is Curt Swan, back when Curt would draw more like Boring with the barrel chest.