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Saturday, December 10, 2011

Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #29 - Nov. 1961

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Comics Weekend "The Irresistible Lois Lane!" by Robert Bernstein, Curt Swan, and Stan Kaye.

This issue of Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane has been long overdue in getting some attention from the Shrine. I mean, have you seen that cover?!?

As was the style at the time, SGLL #29 consists of multiple stories, so we have to wait all the way until the end of the book to get to the good stuff--i.e., Aquaman and other superheroes mashing all over Superman's main squeeze:
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I like how Perry White doesn't even hide the fact that he's filling his newspaper with content just to drive sales. Ever hear of a little something called The Bay of Pigs, Perry?!?

Anyway, Lois is now decked out in her finest outfit ("This number might even raise Superman's temperature!"), and goes trolling for superheroes. While walking the streets of Metropolis, she is propositioned by several men, but of course Lois has her eyes on a better target...Green Arrow, currently participating at an archery contest at the Metropolis Stadium!

Lois volunteers to be part of GA's archery demonstration, which includes one of Green Arrow's "special shafts." Ahem. Lois kisses Ollie to say thanks, and then everyone notices Green Arrow is kissing her back, quite passionately! What the what?!?
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Lois ignores Lana's bitchy comments, and moves on to another news event happening, this time involving Superman's best pal, Batman (although I'm sure, after Aquaman, this is gonna be a letdown)! After foiling some crooks, Batman gets a smooch from Lois, and reacts the same way as his fellow Justice Leaguers!

Later, outside Metropolis, the three heroes meet up:
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...see? It all makes sense! The ever-lovin' end!


The way so many crazy details are crammed into the last two pages of this story (aliens! Green K! Red K! Super-ventriloquism! Hidden crystal eyes!), that I think that writer Robert Bernstein--who had been writing Aquaman's strip in Adventure Comics for a few years before this--suddenly realized he had to somehow wrap the whole thing up and he only had two more pages left.

This story takes place before Ollie and Arthur met Dinah and Mera, respectively. Thank Rao for them!

8 comments:

Anthony said...

Ah, "Lois Lane"... more Silver Age wacky fun. :-p

>>I like how Perry White doesn't even hide the fact that he's filling his newspaper with content just to drive sales. Ever hear of a little something called The Bay of Pigs, Perry?!?<<

Since this story was published/presumably takes place in the fall, and the Bay of Pigs was in April '61, I assume Perry published it the previous spring. (Of course there's plenty of other things happening to write about... the Civil Rights Movement, perhaps?)

Interesting the only JLAers to appear in this story were all ones who appeared in Superman-related titles at the time (Aquaman and Green Arrow in "Adventure," Batman in "World's Finest").

Anthony said...

Er, make that Green Arrow (at the time) appearing in "World's Finest" (he stopped appearing in "Adventure" in 1960). Oops...

Joseph Brian Scott said...

I think you mean "Dinah", not Diana, but whatever, loved this look at vintage superherodom and your comments on it.

If it's ever decided to take another stab at the Superman mythos on tv, it would delight me to no end if it was a trenchantly observed period piece, à la "Mad Men", set in the early 60s, using these great, somewhat goofy Silver Age stories as inspiration; these things are a goldmine of genuine adventure, spectacle, and found humor. And I think if such a tv show was ever produced, there would be an incredibly...small audience for it. ;)

rob! said...

Anthony--Point taken. I just grabbed a big news story from around that time. You got me. :)

JBS--Er, yes, Dinah not Diana. I'm a little sleepy this week apparently.

Russell said...

...and just why didn't Superman call his JLA buddies to help him fight the aliens in the first place??!!?

Richard said...

That is clearly the most wasteful and inefficient way to deliver second-hand used lipstick to Superman's face. It would have been much more logical for Aquaman, Green Arrow, and Batman to each kiss Superman themselves after being kissed by Lois. Come on, you know that's what everyone wants to see.

rob! said...

Damn Comics Code!

Spectergirl said...

Hurry Up, Green Arrow! It's our turn to kiss Lois now!

Exactly what is Lois's orderly line hang up on this cover? I'm sorry but in the same situation I would be all Three Chairs No Waiting, Boys!

Switch out Batman for Hawkman and it would be a perfect weekend.

No, no Hawkman, you just leave that harness on. Good boy.