The Superwomen in Superman's Life

Looking at the history of DC, especially in the Silver Age, it seemed like Superman was running into anyone and everyone who, through magic, potions, radiations, super-science, ran around for at least one issue with Kryptonian powers and abilities, or at least powers on that level.

This post, which I hope to edit from time to time, will chronicle all of the women who have been gifted with these powers, and what became of them.

Barbara Gordon - Adventure Comics 453

Take one precocious 8 year-old girl, add one overprotective and overbearing big brother, mix with one rescue by a superhero and a wish made afterwards.

The end result? Mighty Girl! She got a quick handle on flight, and superstrength, but couldn't quite get the superbreath down. When Superboy faced her, she made another wish, and knocked him into low Earth orbit. Unfortunately, Superboy realized the source of Mighty Girl's powers and she was quickly defeated.

The existence of Mighty Girl was completely erased by the events in COIE and Zero Hour.


Batwoman (Kathy Kane) - World's Finest 90, World's Finest 117

Just as Superman had a "Supergirl trying to prove her worth," so does Batman, with Batwoman. However, twice she had her powers reach Kryptonian-level.

The first time she tracked a villian named Ethan Craig to a secret location where he stashed a pill that would give him super-powers for 24 hours. Batwoman intervened before he could take the pill, and to prevent Ethan from becoming a Super-Criminal, she eats the pill herself and becomes Super-Batwoman. To show how much like "Lois Lane" she is, she uses her powers to attempt to deduce the identities of Superman and Batman - while fighting other criminals, of course. She never finds out - and the power fades.

The Second time involved Lex Luthor. Having escaped from prison and using his criminal genius, he invents a creature that receives Kryptonian-level power from a special device Luthor wears. Once again, Batwoman intervenes when she finds the location of the machine and receives Superpowers during the fight. With her new powers, she helps Superman and Batman tackle villians of all stripes - until Luthor finds out the secret behind Batwoman's powers.

Both Batwoman and Kathy Kane were erased by the events of COIE and Zero Hour.


Gem-Girl (Claire Morton) Justice League of America 55, 56

Claire Morton was an ordinary court stenographer admiring a storefront of a jewelry store when she infused with a black rock of dark power. Overcome with evil, she steals the jewels and begins a crime spree. Encountering Wonder Woman in a museum, she uses the Lore and Mythology of various gems to nullify the magic of Wonder Woman's lasso, remove her amazon-strength, give herself the skill to defeat Wonder Woman in combat and infuse herself with Super-strength. Eventually, she and the other victims of the Dark Rock Power were captured and freed from its ill effects.

Gem-Girl's existence was erased by the events of COIE and Zero Hour. Claire Morton, however, may have lived as an ordinary woman.


Lois Lane

Superman's Girlfriend and Superman's Wife who would be his rival at work often received his powers - sometimes at levels that surpassed his. In fact, Lois has received his Kryptonian powers in every incarnation except in Smallville and in any of the movies.

Superman/Wonder Woman: Whom Gods Destroy

In this Elseworlds novel, the US and Germany are the only Superpowers left standing after World War 2. Lois Lane-Kent and Lana Lang have reconciled their differences and are the best of friends. Superman is still fighting for truth and justice, but the atrocities of Germany still linger - and they threaten that if Superman attempts to intervene, they will destroy American cities with the nuclear weapons.

Hostilities escalate further when Lana is kidnapped, and Superman is attacked by creatures that can hurt even him. Believing that the man she loves has betrayed humanity by his "inaction" of rescuing Lana and haunted by nightmares of Superman attempting to kill her, she leaves him - and is taken by the Gods. Soon, she is rejuvenated, and given strength and power equal to that of Superman. Eventually, she stands with Superman against the Gods and now acts as a guardian against further attempts by the Gods to tamper with Humanity at Superman's side.


Lucy Lane - Jimmy Olsen #67

Even Lois Lane's little sister got into the act once. While being escorted around the Fortress of Solitude by Jimmy Olsen, Lucy is bombarded by Red Kryptonite, Lucy gains all of Superman's powers. With Superpowers comes Super-publicity, and Lucy dumps Jimmy Olsen for Tycoon Howard Hume. Things are going great for Super-Lucy until Superman asks Jimmy Olsen to slip her an antidote to remove her powers. As it turns out, the exposure to the Red Kryptonite endangered Superman's Clark Kent identity as well.

Super-Lucy Lane's existence was erased by the events of COIE and Zero Hour.

Lyla: Action Comics 812 - Superman (vol 2) 203.

When Superman fell to the Bottle City of Kandor, he lost his memory. A young woman by the name of Lyla took him in, claiming to be his wife. Kandor, itself, is in chaos, and things take a turn for the worse for Kal-El when he is hit with yellow sunlight. Exhibiting the powers of Superman once more, he finds himself pained by memories and haunted by images. In his moment of weakness, Lyla reveals her true abilities and copies Superman's body cell structure; while draining his solar power reserves. She leaves the bottle city of Kandor where her powers increase even more until she is confronted by Superman, who cannot defeat her. Preus, however, follows Superman outside Kandor and attacks. Lyla sacrifices herself to stop him in the end.

Obsession (Dana Dearden):

Adventures of Superman 532 (as Dana Dearden)
Adventures of Superman 538 (as Superwoman/Obsession)
Superman: Man of Tomorrow 10 (vs Maxima)
Adventures of Superman 574 (final appearance)

Dana was a fan of mythical heroes and ancient history. When she and Jimmy witness Superman performing a rescue, she immediately became infuated with Superman and sought to become "a woman capable of loving a Superman." During a battle with Scavenger, Dana steals magical coins which bestow the holder with the powers of the Greek and Norse Gods, giving her Strength, Speed, and Power comparable to Captain Marvel.

When Superman spurns her romantic overtures, she attacks him, and in the process destroys an oil tanker, whose crew would be rescued by Superman and Obsession before she disappears. She resurfaces a year later, having little memory of her past and in the process fights Maxima for Superman's heart. Maxima defeats Obsession, who is in turn captured by Superman.

Obession returns sometime later, claiming to be Mrs. Superman. After what could be described as a Lover's Spat, Obsession and Superman team up to fight people who have taken DMN, a drug that gives people special powers but has grotesque side effects. It is during this battle that Obsession her is killed and her body taken away.


For now, I am going to try to get the minor characters moreso than the rest. I am still getting the major characters like Lois (I decide to add one less known for Ms. Lane for now) and Lana completely together - and they get his power quite a bit.

The IronKnight

Last Chronicle Update: 6-7-06

The first Super-Batwoman story can be found in SWM's ImageBank -- go to "Ace's Comics Place."

Despite their overall goofiness -- or maybe because of it -- I've always gotten a kick out of those Silver Age comics.

Sadly, every time Lois or Lana (or any other supporting character) gains super-powers, she loses them by the end of the story. Someday I might rewrite one of those old stories to rectify that flaw!

Not familiar with her, how recent is this? I am a big fan of the 50's and 60's ones where Lois and/or Lana would would gain supes powers and have a secret identity where Clark was clueless.

I really need to get off my ass and post some more comics. I have all the aforementioned books with the exception of the most recent Kandor story arc which I did not like.

Not familiar with her, how recent is this? I am a big fan of the 50's and 60's ones where Lois and/or Lana would would gain supes powers and have a secret identity where Clark was clueless.

1996.

Here she is, clocking Superman on the cover of AoS 538:

www.supermanhomepage.com/images/comic-co...1996/adv538s-tb.html

Sorry the picture is so small. Maybe someone could post a larger image?

I wish I had paid more attention to the posting abilities I had.

If I did (and realized that I cannot edit my own posts), then I would have been approaching this chronicle differently (still, not being able to edit bites... ).

So, for now, I'll taste with a few lesser known ones:

Tlaca - Best of DC #17 (reprinted issue)

Born as a royal member of the Aztec Empire, she was raised to be the fiercest warrior of the kingdom. Her most unusual ability was the power to absorb the power and abilities of those who fought Tlaca and defeated her. Upon defeating the best Aztec warriors, she was sent into the outside world and faced Supergirl. Although Tlaca's strength and power were immense, she was unable to defeat Supergirl. After 7 days of meditation, her body undergoes a transformation and she bursts from her captivity with powers that match and exceed Supergirl's own. After a fierce battle, Supergirl discovers how to neutralize Tlaca's powers and manages to imprison her.

Tlaca's existence and exploits were completely erased by the events in COIE and Zero Hour.

Lois Lane - Part 2

Action Comics 274

While attempting to create a cure for Green Kryptonite with Lois, an explosion occurs, robbing Superman of his powers. After a Superman Robot escorts both of them back to Metropolis, Lois begins exhibiting Superman's powers. Using the costume Superman once gave her, "Superwoman" jumps on the scene, stopping hurricanes and fighting crime. Revelling in her newfound powers and the turnabout in events, she decides to give Superman a taste of his own relationship medicine. Unfortunately, the whole setup was a trap devised by a self-aware (and malfunctioning) Superman Robot - who gave her superpowers to test if she would be worthy of Superman's love. Her powers soon faded as the real Superman returned from a space mission and Superman Robot Z revealed his secret and ceased to function.

The events of Action 274 were erased by COIE and Zero Hour.

Lois Lane 21

Covering an experimental rocket launch for the Daily Planet, Lois Lane and her TV rival Lana Lang find an mysterious Indian Pond that gives those who bathe in its water Superpowers. The next day, after the launch malfunctions and destroys the lake, Lois and Lana find the legends to be true and quickly don their costumes given to them by Superman. They spend most of their time trying to prove to Superman how 'Super' a wife they could be to him. Unfortunately, for both of them, the power that the lake provides only lasts for a few hours, and both return to normal.

These events were erased by COIE and Zero Hour.


Lois Lane 85 and 87

While in the bottle city of Kandor as a guest, Lois is caught in a riot and is mysteriously drugged. When she awakens, she finds herself in a lab of the Kandorian scientist Cor-Lar. Given a small flask, which Cor-Lar says "will make Lois feel better," Lois drinks its contents and immediately demonstrates super-powers inside the bottle city. After performing Super-feats, she wakes up in the middle of the night to bells ringing in her head - and no more superpowers. After getting a second dose of the serum, she heads out of the bottle city and finds that Superman has been caught in a Kryptonite trap. After rescuing him, they start marriage plans, but Lois finds herself powerless - and the ringing bells return. Cor-Lar gives her another dose of the serum, and her powers return, but another accident has made the powers permanent, but now she cannot return to Earth, or she will die. Lois eventually solves the riddle of Cor-Lar's serum, but her powers wear off - and Cor-Lar is sentenced to prison for her crimes.

The events here were also erased by COIE and Zero Hour.

Lois Lane 104

Lois, after using a magic monkey's paw to rescue Superman in secret, decides that his ego needed a knockdown, imagines using the final wish of the monkey's paw to give her superpowers greater than those of Superman. Strangely enough, none of the wishes of the monkey's paw were ever used, but Lois was given the impression that the monkey's paw never had magic powers - and subsequently threw it away.

Superman (Volume 1) 159

In an alternate universe, Krypton never exploded thanks to Jor-El's brilliant scientific devices. However, Earth would fall to the fate this Krypton would have. The Lanes of Earth launch their daughter into space by rocket, and using a special power ray, she would acquire super-powers to help her cope with Krypton's harsh environment and heavier gravity. Dubbing herself Super Maid (why? :roll: ) and taking the identity of Kandi Kan - yes, it's pronounced...Cane... :roll:... she enjoys the life that Superman would have on Earth. Uncharacteristically, Kal-El is jealous of Supermaid and her powers. But no good deed goes unpunished, as Kandi is exposed to "Earthite" and her powers transfer to Kal-El.

The events of this story were "imaginary" - however, any possibility of this story actually happening was erased by COIE and completely stamped out by Zero Hour.

Superman (Volume 2) 157

Still reeling from the effects of an unknown sickness, Superman finds himself with a crisis as Lois is about to leave him, apparently for good. As he tries to stop her from going, she punches him...hard. As he lands, she flies out the window to him. As the fight progresses, she not only demonstrates that she has his Kryptonian powers, but also the powers he had when he was a being of energy. As every conceivable method of testing Lois proves that she is indeed her, Superman finally gets the clue he needs to be able to stop the fight from continuing.

The events of this battle are still in current continuity. If you haven't read this one, I will not reveal the ending.


This will be all for now. But there are still many, many more to go.

The IronKnight

Chronicle Update: 6-16-06

Here are the covers for those stories.

Again, sorry the pictures are so small. Maybe ace, our "Silver Age Sage," could scan larger pictures for the ImageBank sometime.

For those of you who don't have microscopic vision, I've transcribed the speech and thought balloons ... I think you'll agree they add to the charm of the art!

"Princess of the Golden Sun" (SUPERMAN FAMILY 165):

www.supermanhomepage.com/images/comic-co...n-family-165-tb.html

Tlaca: "Supergirl, you've met your match -- a superior girl!"

---

"The Reversed Super-Powers" (ACTION 274)

www.supermanhomepage.com/images/comic-co...ers/1961/act274s.jpg

Superman: "Save me from that bomb, Lois!"

Lois: "Relax, "Superman" -- let Superwoman handle this emergency! [ The poor dear! What a blow to his pride, now that he's just an ordinary man and his mighty powers have been transferred to me! ]"

---

"The Battle Between Super-Lois and Super-Lana" (LOIS LANE 21)

www.supermanhomepage.com/images/comic-co...lois-lane-21-tb.html

Lois: "Superman, now that I have super-powers, you'll want me for a wife!"

Lana: "No! Me! I have super-powers, too!"

Superman: "Lois! Lana! Stop fighting! [ Both Lois and Lana have gained permanent super-powers! ]"

---

"When Lois Was More Super Than Superman!" (LOIS LANE 85)

www.supermanhomepage.com/images/comic-co...lois-lane-85-tb.html

Lois: "This kryptonite boulder can destroy you, Superman, but to me it's as harmless as a soap bubble! Because now I'm more super than you!"

Superman: "Great, Lois. Now heave that rock into space ... Then we'll start planning our wedding!"

---

"Feud of the Super-Femmes!" (LOIS LANE 87)

www.supermanhomepage/images/comic-covers...lois-lane-87-tb.html

Superman: "Super-Lois! Why are you fighting Cor-Lar? She's the one who gave you your super-powers!"

Lois: "And for that I'll kill her! KILL HER! KILL HER!"

---

"Lois Lane, the Supermaid from Earth" (SUPERMAN 159)

www.supermanhomepage.com/images/comic-co...1963/adv159s-tb.html

Supermaid: "Don't panic, people of Krypton! I can take care of this falling building with the super-powers my father gave me on Earth, before he sent me here!"

Jor-El: "Kal-El, my son, don't be jealous of Supermaid! If Krypton had exploded and I had sent you to Earth, you would be a Superman there!"

Dubbing herself Super Maid (why? :roll: )

Maybe in her secret identity she cleaned people's houses?

I'm enjoying these excursions down Memory Lane, IronKnight. Keep 'em coming!

"Feud of the Super-Femmes!" (LOIS LANE 87)

www.supermanhomepage/images/comic-covers...lois-lane-87-tb.html

Superman: "Super-Lois! Why are you fighting Cor-Lar? She's the one who gave you your super-powers!"

Lois: "And for that I'll kill her! KILL HER! KILL HER!"

Sorry -- that link should have been

www.supermanhomepage.com/images/comic-co...lois-lane-87-tb.html

Hey, admin -- how come we can't edit our own posts?

Becaues this fourm was designed to be used by Super Women and thay don't make mistakes, so hence no need for an edit button.

As I recall, Super-Maid was short for Super-Maiden.

And, once more into the breach:

Lana Lang - Superman's childhood sweetheart probably knows more about Superman's powers than just about anyone else (save for maybe, Lois) - considering that she has had his powers so much so that she should have been part Kryptonian when everything was said and done. However, with COIE and Zero Hour, the number of times Lana has ever been 'canonically' imbued with any super-powers has been slim to just about nil.

Lana on TV has never been given "Superman's" powers in any incarnation. The closest she has been to them were when she was possessed by a witch who had magic powers and at the very least could injure Clark at her strongest; and when she was a vampire and drank Clark's blood (it could have been "Down & Out - Birth of the Undead" come true, but this is "Smallville" we're talking about here).

Adventure Comics 285

After another attempt to expose Clark Kent as Superboy fails, Lana's father devises a belt with the power to control gravity. He gives Lana the belt and she finds that she can mimic Superboy's main powers. After foiling a robbery, her parents make her a costume and a lead mask (to keep Superboy from finding her secret identity...because we all know he would never look elsewhere...). Clark suspects that Lana could be this mysterious super-heroine and gives her a taste of her own medicine. Superboy, on the other hand, devises a rather easy way to find out Gravity Girl's identity - and Lana's father destroys the belt in the end.

* - Note that this story is actually a remake of a previous Lana Lang with Gravity Powers story from an earlier issue of Superboy (volume 1). This remake was also reprinted in Superboy (Volume 1) 183.

Superboy (Volume 1) 072

When Lana gets fingerprints off of Superboy, she trades him the prints for the "ability to fly" with him for a day. After hooking up a cosmic belt between them, Lana reads in Superboy's mind that her flying power could be permanent if he is still joined with her for three straight hours. As emergencies appear and Superboy and Lana rush off, Superboy tries every conceivable way to get Lana disconnected - only to have Lana find a way to help with the emergency and still be able to fly. Superboy tries one final attempt and Lana fools herself into disconnecting the belt.

Superboy (Volume 1) 143

Lana explores the pyramid that Superboy brought from Africa. When he intervenes as a jewel fires a beam of energy at Lana, Superboy's strength and invulnerabilty transfer to Lana. As time passes and Superboy is threatened by criminals, Superboy and Lana find more of his powers being transferred to her. He also quickly realizes that his life-force was drained into her as well. They return to the jewel and Superboy's powers are restored.

Lois Lane 12

Lois gets her hands on a serum that gives the person who drinks it the strength of Hercules and the invulnerability of Achilles. Lana finds the serum and drinks it herself. At any opportunity that avails itself, Lana demonstrates her newfound powers. The serum, however, did have a side-effect; it also gave the drinker a hyper-trophied musculature (ugly, grotesque, and un "lady-like"). Superman found a cure for the serum that also removed the powers that came with them (of course).

Lois Lane 26

When Lana stumbles on to Superman's secret identity, she tells him to use his super-hypnotism on her to make her forget. Instead, he confesses his love to her, marries her, and gets his hands on a rare element to complete a serum to give her (and only someone of her blood type) Super-powers. Things are looking good until criminals start using Kryptonite to weaken him, only to be saved by his wife - who is now mightier than he is because she is not affected by Kryptonite. After exposure to Red K makes Superman go on a rampage (which Lana stops), Lana decides to effectively divorce and leave to "help heal his bruised male ego." :roll:

*Note that Lana also received Super-powers in Lois Lane 21 with Lois at the lake.

Superman/Wonder Woman: Whom Gods Destroy
(Note: See Previous Entry for Lois Lane for backstory)

As Lois Lane has become as strong and powerful as Superman, her emotions of envy and betrayal fuel Lois's strength. Lana Lang, being a less brash woman, was given the powers of Oracle - absolute knowledge. This also gives her the ability to transmute herself and allows her to be with Clark when he is transformed into a centaur.

Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?

In this final Pre-crisis storyline, Superman is menaced by all of his arch-nemeses: Metallo, Toyman & Prankster, Luthor, Kryptonite Man, and Bizarro. After having his Secret Identity exposed to the world and fearing for their lives, Superman gathers all of his closest friends and family and heads to the Fortress of Solitude. On the eve of the final battle, Lana bathes in a pool of "radioactive" water (note that this is the water from the Indian Lake back in Lois Lane 21) and dons her old costume. She injures the Kryptonite Man and kills Luthor-Brainiac before being killed by Saturn Woman and Lightning Lord.

This story marks the last time that Lana would be imbued with super-powers in the DC Universe.

Susan Semple - Action Comics 163 (As "The Girl of Tomorrow")

Susan is an ordinary girl who works as a switchboard operator at the Daily Planet. When Lois visits a scientist who creates an "Evolutionizer," and turns down the scientist's offer to make her 'super-powerful' for 24 hours to test the machine, Susan finds out about it and steps right in. After stepping out of the machine, Susan finds herself shedding her "mousy" side and has powers that easily match Superman's. Unfortunately, the effects of the machine last 24 hours, at which time, the person forgets everything they did. Good thing for Clark, too, since Susan used her powers to deduce his secret - and easily for that matter.

Susan Semple - Silver Age. COIE. Zero Hour. Nuff said.


Lucy Regent - Superboy (Volume 1) 005

A young woman of Royal European blood, Lucy spent her time exercising and developed herself into a a well-conditioned athlete (at a time when women were not even given much of a chance to be one in public). After sneaking out of the royal castle of Borgonia, Lucy heads for Smallville and enrolls in Smallville High. Clark becomes enamored by Lucy's athletic and intellectual prowess, and Lucy herself gets dubbed "Super-Girl" after she mops the floor with the "Smallville Gangsters." Superboy and Super-Girl Lucy enjoy a nice time until she is caught in an assassination plot and the Evil Monacle is overthrown. Lucy returns to Borgonia and assumes the mantle of its Queen.

Although not possessing any "Super-powers," she was a very well-conditioned athlete and not afraid of using her physical skills against "physically stronger" opponents - and actually winning. That alone warrants an entry in my book.


Lahla - Action Comics 321

An alien menace tricks Superman into flying into a star system orbited by a Red Sun. What makes it even worse is the fact that the inhabitants of this planet, Thoron, are all super-powered. Lahla, seeing this alien Superman, falls in love with him, and helps him to escape. When they finally escape and Superman neutralizes the Thorones' super-abilities (save Lahla's), Superman finds himself head over heels in love with her. Lahla, however, has no interest in Superman any longer. Since finding out that outside of a Red Sun system Superman is arguably the most powerful man in the universe, she wants no part of him. She prefers men who are much weaker than her and falls in love with a more timid "Clark Kent"-like man who is about 1/2 of head shorter than she is.

Lahla and Thoron were erased with COIE and Zero Hour.

Staryl - Action Comics 289

In an attempt to fix Superman up with a "Super-Woman," Supergirl finds a woman who not only looks like Supergirl "All Grown Up," but also has all the powers of a Kryptonian. As their romance blossoms, its looks like a match made for the stars. It all turns south when they return to Earth, where the yellow sunlight harms Staryl's body like Green K does an ordinary Kryptonian.

This would mark the first and last appearance for Staryl. An alien intelligence would create a non-superpowered duplicate of her in a later issue.

Staryl and her world do not exist - COIE and Zero Hour.

Faora Hu-ul - Action Comics 471-473

Formerly a prison warden, Faora's "man-hating" led her to sadistically kill over 30 men in the prison camp she ran. However, her time in the Phantom Zone has allowed her to manifest the ability to use psychic blasts and other strange mental powers. Using these abilities, she tricks a human to free her from the Phantom Zone. Confronting Superman in combat, she uses her knowledge and abilities of advanced martial arts to defeat him. Only a clever (and pretty diabolical) plan by Superman saved Earth from being completely over-run with Kryptonian criminals, commanded by Faora.

Faora is the only Kryptonian-class opponent Superman never defeated in one-on-one combat - considering that she was weaker than he is (solar reserves and all).

Faora would serve as the template for:

- Zaora, the Pocket Universe version of her. Like all Pocket Universe Kryptonians, she would have been stronger than Superman of Earth-1.

- Mala, the female Kryptonian released from the Phantom Zone by Superman in Superman: TAS. While not the "man-hater" that Faora or Zaora would be, she is still sadistic; and finally

- Ursa, the standard by which all "Evil Superwomen" will forever be judged by. Ursa does not hate men as much as she considers them to be her toys, except for Zod.

Faora Hu-ul as depicted, does not exist because of COIE and Zero. There is, however, a Faora who works with General Zod (See Action #779)

Neolla - Action Comics 354

The last remaining Zorkian to possess a body, she remained in a state of suspended animation. The other Zorkians are little more than brains. When these brains entrap Supergirl, they force her into a test of Super-Feats. While she performs these feats, a set of machines monitor Supergirl. When the Zorkians complete their experiments, they use this knowledge to turn Neolla into a Zorkian Superwoman and attempt to finish their plan against Supergirl once and for all. Neolla, however, thwarts that plan.

Neolla and the Zorkians were erased by COIE and Zero Hour.

Until next time,

The IronKnight

And here are the covers that went with some of those stories:

SUPERBOY 72 ("The Flying Girl"):

www.supermanhomepage.com/images/comic-co.../1959/sboy72-tb.html

Superboy: "I've granted your wish, Lana! My cosmic belt transfers my powers so you can fly like me for three hours!"

Lana: "Silly Superboy! If he only knew his invention has really given me the power to fly for the rest of my life!"

---

SUPERBOY 143 ("The Big Fall"):

The entire story has been posted at "Ace's Comics Place," in SWM's imagebank.

---

LOIS LANE 12 ("Lana Lang, Girl Atlas"):

www.supermanhomepage.com/images/comic-co...lois-lane-12-tb.html

Lana: "Here's the scoop I promised you, Lois! I've become as strong as Superman!"

Lois: "Congratulations, Lana! It couldn't happen to a nicer girl ... gulp ... (except me!)"

---

ACTION 163 ("The Girl of Tomorrow"):

www.supermanhomepage.com/images/comic-co...1951/act163s-tb.html

Susan: "Wait, Superman! My ability to read minds tells me that you're Clark Kent -- so unless you agree to marry me, the whole world will learn your secret!"

---

SUPERBOY 5 ("Superboy Meets Supergirl"):

www.supermanhomepage.com/images/comic-co...s/1949/sboy5-tb.html

---

ACTION 289 ("Superman's Super-Courtship"):

scoop.diamondgalleries.com/news_images/2690_7131_1.jpg

Superman: "How fate works out! Every girl I've ever liked had had the initials "L.L." ... Lois Lane ... Lana Lang ... Lori Lemaris ... Now I'm going to marry this superwoman, whose name on her world is Luma Lynai!"

Supergirl: "I'm so happy for Superman! But how strange that the woman he is finally going to wed looks exactly as I will when I grow up!"

One correction, IronKnight -- The superwoman's name was Luma Lynai; "Staryl" was the name of her home-world. During the Silver Age, it was de rigeur for Superman's girl-friends to have the initials L.L. (or at least to have two L's somewhere in her name, like Lahla).

I'm sure I didn't give this cover a second thought when I first saw it at the age of 11 or 12, but looking at it now, I do find it kind of creepy. Here's Superman, making out with a woman who looks like an older version of Supergirl -- who's (a) a high-school student and (b) his own cousin -- while a smiling Supergirl looks on, noting the resemblance.

Keep these coming, IronKnight!

And here are some more:

Orella - Superman 180

A survivor of the planet Matrion, Orella was used her super-intellect to lure Superman to their island on Earth and trapped him within a Kryptonite barrier. After agreeing to engage her in tests of strength, Superman found himself being bested by her at every turn by her superior strength. As it would turn out, she developed a localized power transfer device that she gave to Superman as a "souvenir" earlier - one which transferred at least half of his super-energy to whomever wore the bracelet. However, upon learning this secret of Orella's powers, Superman turns the tables on her and wins.

Orella, Matrion. Silver Age. COIE. Zero Hour. Gone.



Super-Girl - Superman 123

An archaelogist finds a magic totem, who gives it to Jimmy Olsen. Under the full moon, Jimmy wishes for "a girl to appear with power equal to Superman's own and become his companion." Her first appearance is to upstage Superman while performing a rescue and quickly becomes attached to him. Unfortunately, she begins to botch rescues, reveals his secret identity, and becomes a total nuisance. She redeems herself in the end when she takes away a kryptonite boulder and is exposed to lethal amounts of the radiation. She gets back to Jimmy, who wishes her back into the totem.

This comic would serve as the "official" test for whether the public would be ready for a Super-Girl. The original release of this story featured a blond-haired Supergirl in Superman's blue costume. However, with Kara Zor-El's appearance, reprints of this story changed her to a redhead, and her costume is now orange and green. The first reprint was Superman 217.

Jenet Klyburn - Superman 304

After a strange experiment goes awry, Jenet finds herself with Super-powers. When the Power Parasite attacks Superman with a strange gem, Jenet finds herself overcome with evil emotions and attacks Superman. She is not shown using her superpowers much, except for blasting Superman with a dose of Super-breath, and soon loses her powers afterwards.

Jenet Klyburn was erased from existence by Zero Hour.


Lois Lane - Part 3

Superman 057

Finding himself in a time warp, Superman awakens in a future where everyone has Superpowers. In his travels, he finds a woman who looks just like Lois Lane. Her name is Lois 4XR, and she demonstrates that she is not only a "liberated woman of the future," but also has all of his super-powers. However, she proves to be just as insufferable and nosy has Lois Lane, and eventually Superman makes his way back to the present day.

This story was re-made in Lois Lane 28, with a few changes.

Lois Lane 036

This Lois Lane found herself getting exactly what she wanted in the end. Superman announced a breakthrough and created a serum to give Lois permanent super-powers. After getting married, Superman and Super-Lois perform rescues, go on patrol, and even have kids.

The anguish would prove to be too much for Lana, who disappears into the future, never to be seen again.

Superman Family 207

Exposed to an alien plant and a kiss from her husband Clark, Lois Lane-Kent develops super-powers, and when a window washer falls, she performs the rescue as Clark, unfortunately, has lost his powers. To confuse criminals, Lois dons her costume and joins him on patrol, making criminals believe that Superman is still "Super" while she uses her powers secretly. Unfortunately, the plant responsible for this died due to Lois' watering the plant (they die because of water) and things return to normal.

The events here were erased by COIE and Zero Hour. Not good. The costume Lois wears is also never seen again. Good.


Ellie Leeds - Superman Family 203

While laying in coma for several years, Ellie apparently hears the sound of a girl flying like "Supergirl." This rouses her from her coma, and minutes later, girl claiming to be Supergirl bursts on the scene...in front of Linda Danvers and her father. Linda changes into Supergirl and meets "Supergirl" Ellie outside. As it turns out, Ellie witnessed the landing of Supergirl's ship and was exposed to X-Kryptonite. The shock of the power surge sent her into a coma, but her body continued to receive solar energy to sustain itself. The X-Kryptonite wore off, but other specks of the rock were found. An industrial spy learns about the X-Kryptonite and steals the remaining sample and battles Supergirl, only to be defeated by simple human physiology.

(Note - One thing I always questioned about this particular comic - If Ellie Leeds continued to absorb solar radiation in the same way that Clark and Linda did, why did her powers give out so quickly? It would be expected for anyone exposed to X-Kryptonite in a short span - like the rest of the characters in this story, but Ellie should have had her powers for quite a bit longer, solar reserves being how they are)

This story no longer exists in DC continuity.


Supergirl of 500,000 - Superman Family 215-216

While in a battle with a villian by the name of Toxus, Supergirl encounters a woman with powers equal to her own. She is from a future where Toxus was taken to by Superman and her, where there is no pollution for Toxus to power up with. This Supergirl comes from under an Orange Sun that the Earth revolves around at that time. The two Supergirls immediately plan a time exchange - the future Supergirl stays to fight Toxus, and the present Supergirl goes 500,000 years into the future, where her greater power would be used to fight another time-travel villian. Both have a hard time adjusting to their respective time periods, as Future-Girl finds her powers growing far beyond anything she imagined, gaining more powerful flight and superstrength, a true invulnerability, vision powers, etc. Supergirl is also finding that while the orange sun diminishes the intensity of her powers (like invulnerability) the lighter gravity still makes her more powerful than Future-Girl would be in the era.

(Note - If I recall correctly, Luma Lynai was born from an Orange Sun in Action 289. And if I also remember correctly, Orange-Sun power beings are poisoned on Green K levels upon contact with the yellow sunlight. Now, if Superman Family 215/216 is to be believe, maybe Luma wasn't feeling 'poisoned' by the yellow sunlight, but rather her body was feeding back on all the extra power her body was processing. What I am thinking is similar to what Power Girl went through in Supergirl (V5) #1. Maybe Luma allowed Superman to dump her to assuage is fragile male ego - and fragile it was during that time period - upon perhaps realizing that she would probably be much more powerful than him when you take in to account that she was already close to his power levels under an orange sun already).

Once again, this Supergirl does not exist. Never has, and COIE/Zero Hour say "Never will!"

That's all for now. Happy Fourth everyone!


IronKnight

I found a site that provides larger images of comic-book covers:

Ellie Leeds:
www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=34673&zoom=4

The Supergirl of 500,000:
www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=36081&zoom=4

Lois 4XR:
www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=7391&zoom=4

and

www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=16511&zoom=4

Super-Lois:
www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=17218&zoom=4

(IronKnight didn't mention that at the end of this story, Lana drinks the same serum that had given Lois super-powers ... and marries a man descended from Superman and Lois.)

Super-Girl:
www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=14529&zoom=4

And now, the piece de resistance:

Orella:
www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=19516&zoom=4

Best. Cover. Ever! I date the inception of my "genre" fixation to the day I first saw this comic.

How about this one?

www.milehighcomics.com/cgi-bin/backissue...sue=83754703976%2081

Never heard of HER before. They must have gotten rid of her FAST.

Wow. I hadn't realized how long ago I had put this topic up. And how long it's been since I made any updates to it.

So, let's rectify that, shall we?

I did not include the last link because it was a usual Silver Age "Bait and Switch," and one of the worst. But, it's only fair that I include the story at this point because of it:

Tharka- Superman (Volume 1) 081

Wanting to assist Superman in a battle against a group of cunning criminals, the planet Zor sends Tharka, a woman who was born with a "mutation" that gives her powers and intelligence on the order of Superman's own, to Earth. Unfortunately, Zor is an Earth-like planet of a much smaller size and mass, so her strength and speed are reduced to that of a normal Earth woman. Superman spends the rest of the story using his powers to convince Tharka and the humans that she has powers here on Earth (much like he does with Lois, Lana, Jimmy, and a few others). They eventually solve the mission and Tharka returns to Zor on her rocketship.

This story is no longer in continuity because of COIE. Maybe it's for the best.

Lisa Jennings - Superman (Volume 3) 703, 705-708

After the New Krypton disaster (and War of the Supermen), pieces of New Krypton have been scattered throughout the world. One such piece, known as the Sunstone, was recovered by some kids and given to their teacher, Lisa. The stone begins causing some strange effects on Lisa. Now, she follows Superman on his Walk Across America, looking to cause him trouble. She also exhibits powers of her own, where it is apparent that she is not only as strong as Superman (as she is easily a match for Wonder Woman in a tussle), but she can give other humans temporary super-powers on Superman's level, AND she is clearly able to affect Superman's emotions from afar.

(Update)
At the end of Superman's Walk Across America, Lisa decides to challenge Superman to a fight by holding Lois hostage. Superman frees Lois and battles Lisa, whose powers are on par with Superman's own. Superman sends the battle to the Still Zone, a place beyond Time and Space. Lisa explains what the Sunstone did to her, and Superman counteracts its effects by projecting positive emotions like Hope, Justice, and Fairness into it. The resulting explosion knocks Lisa unconscious. Superman returns Lisa back to Earth and she eventually recovers. It is here that we learn that the Supermen of America, a team of heroes dedicated to upholding the ideals of Superman, was formed because of Superman's Walk. These heroes were given a Superman Signal Watch that Superman can use to call for assistance when needed.

It is also here that we learn that (future) Lisa Jennings leads the team.


Lucy Lane (modern era) - Supergirl (Volume 5) 35

Lucy has always been in the shadow of his big sister Lois. However, the two of them would have a falling out as Lois' stubborn streak comes to a head when she marries Clark Kent, over their father General Sam Lane's objections. At his funeral, Lucy decides to join the USAF, where she quickly works her way up through the ranks. During the Themescyrian Invasion of the US, Lucy is badly wounded by some Amazons before she is rescued by Codename: Assassin. She is taken to an underground base where she is nursed back to health and it there that she finds a surprise: Her father, General Lane, is alive and well. He also wants to use her for a special project that involves testing a new powersuit created by technology and magic.

When Lucy wears the suit, she is imbued with superpowers from a number of different alien races, including Kryptonian. She uses this suit to infiltrate New Krypton. Donning the Shield of the House of El, she goes by the name of Superwoman and becomes fast friends with Kara Zor-El/Supergirl. Political intrigue abounds when Reactron uses Gold Kryptonite and kills Zor-El. Supergirl finds that the conspiracy widens when Reactron attempts to use the same Gold Kryptonite on Superwoman and finds that it has no effect on her. Supergirl would find out the truth about Superwoman and the two of them fight. During the battle, Supergirl destroys Superwoman's powersuit and the energy released seemingly kills her.

Months later, the same energy would coalesce in a nearby forest and steal the lifeforce of a passerby, bringing Lucy back to life. However, Lucy is completely changed. The power suit she wore would mimic the DNA of the alien races only while she wore it. The explosion "blended" the DNA into Lucy's own, making her powers permanent. She would go back to working for her father, who was looking to destroy all of New Krypton. While he succeeded with the help of Lex Luthor and Brainiac, Supergirl would lead a force to Sam Lane's HQ, where he commits suicide rather than face charges. Superwoman is captured, and Dr. Light has been using a painful extraction process to remove Lucy's powers. She and Lois have had a final falling out recently. But there is a stress fracture on one of the restraints, so there is a possibility of her attempting to escape.

This story is in current continuity.

Lois Lane (Part 4):

Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane 096

Lois Lane finds a mystical mirror that leads to a mirror world called Terra. In that world Terra-Lois married Terra-Superman and had a son named Jor. Terra-Lois offers Lois a deal to "switch" places with her. Lois accepts, but soon Terra-Superman follows Terra-Lois through the mirror. Terra-Lois has the mirror smashed, leaving Lois in the Satellite fortress with Terra-Jor. Unfortunately, Terra-Jor was exposed to Gold Kryptonite, robbing him of his powers...and transferring them to Lois. Lois rebuilds the mirror, and makes Terra-Lois homesick by appealing to her motherly instincts. Soon, Terra-Lois and Terra-Superman go back through the portal as Lois returns home. Unfortunately, she loses her superpowers. Terra-Lois, however, does not gain any.

The events of LL 096 are erased by COIE and Zero Hour.

Lois Lane 134:

While working on a scoop at Superman's Fortress of Solitude, Lois is zapped by a ray from the Bottle City of Kandor. Moments later, she takes Kandor, leaving Superman a ransom note. Not only does she have super-powers, but she is also more ruthless than ever. It turns out that this was all a complicated plot by both a Lois Lane and Kal-El double who lived in Kandor (this was during the "Doubles Era" of the Superman mythos).

The events of LL 134 are erased by COIE and Zero Hour.

And here's some more:

Nova Woman/Mindy - Action Comics 568

When a Future Criminal travels back in time and is captured by Superman, he leaves a strange device behind that Jimmy Olsen acquires. When Jimmy activates the machine, he finds himself drawn to a specific place where Jimmy meets the woman of his dreams. Believing it to be a "Love Finder," he uses it on Lois, who meets a detective that makes Lois swoon in ways even Superman didn't, and then on Clark, who wonders if the machine will find a match for Clark, or Superman. They end up at a library where Clark meets Mindy, a typical mousy, glasses-wearing librarian, and Clark is suddenly hot under the collar. While the two enjoy a date, a dirigible starts to crash and Clark whisks himself away - but so has Mindy. Moments later Superman shows up...and so has a woman with superpowers like his own. When they realize that they know their alter egos, Superman and Nova Woman share a kiss that has Superman in knots. Jimmy, Lois, and Clark all go on a group date, Jimmy attacks a stalker, who turns out to be a member of the Science Police (from the same future as the criminal). The device Jimmy used was not a "Love Finder" but a "Thought Actualizer," which draws out the subconscious thoughts of the wearer and makes them real. When she takes possession of the machine, their "dates" disappear, and everyone is heartbroken.

These events were erased with Zero Hour.

[Notes: Clark's subconscious "true love" as "timid" librarian who really has super powers like his own? On the one hand, Nova Woman is somewhat based off of Wonder Woman (Most of the costume design sans cape seems to suggest this), but it looks like Superman would have fallen in love with G-Girl (from My Super Ex-Girlfriend) if Jenny weren't so mentally unstable. Or, perhaps, Hau-Chi Leung/Janet Bin (from Fly With Me).


Speaking of...

Etta Candy - Wonder Woman (Volume 1) 323

When villains steal a machine that can give anyone super-powers, Etta Candy and her boyfriend Howard are caught up in the intrigue (thanks to Howard believing that Etta Candy is Wonder Woman). While the villains fight over the right to kill "Wonder Woman," Etta and Howard escape and Howard uses the machine to imbue Etta Candy with Wonder Woman's powers. Unfortunately, the machines abilities last only for a short time.

These events were erased with Zero Hour.

Devastation - Wonder Woman (Volume 2) 143

Looking to finally reassert themselves over the Olympian Gods, the Titans have decided to take the same approach as the Olympians and created a being out of the same clay as Wonder Woman. This woman, called Devastation, was imbued with similar types of powers as Wonder Woman, but Deva's class of powers seem to put her on a level beyond Diana's. However, when Diana manages to turn the tides on Devastation, the Lasso of Truth reveals Deva to be very young girl. The two would continue to clash, and Deva even managed to turn Cassandra Sandsmark (Wonder Girl) against Diana for a time.

These events are still in continuity.

Natasha Irons (Starlight) - 52 (the series)

After Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman disappear after the battle with Superboy Prime, Lex Luthor decides to take advantage of the situation by creating "Project: Everyman," where ordinary citizens can be imbued with all kinds of superpowers. When Natasha and John Irons (Steel) have a falling out over the project, Natasha signs up, and Lex Luthor uses this as an opportunity to keep Steel from interfering with his own plans. Luthor imbues Natasha with "The Works" (superstrength, invulnerability, flight, energy projection) and makes her the leader of his own corporate superhero team (called, "Infinity, Inc"). When Natasha finally accepts the truth of Luthor's project (which was to imbue himself with powers like Superman's, but without the Kryptonite weakness), Natasha turns against him. While he takes away her powers, she does the same to him during Luthor's fight with Steel.

These events are still in continuity.


Knockout - Superboy (Volume 4) - 003

Working as a burlesque dancer in Hawaii, Knockout hears of Kon-El's arrival on the island and decides to have some fun. Knockout engages Kon-El in a battle in which she completely thrashes him in every way. Eventually, she would team up with him (and King Shark and others) to take on various menaces, under the orders of Amanda Waller. Eventually, she and Kon-El would team up again on various occasions. It would soon be revealed that she used to be one of Darkseid's furies, and she would be charged with criminal acts, only to be protected by Kon-El. She and Matrix would have a confrontation, and Matrix/Supergirl would take Kon-El's "S" shield away from him. Kon-El and Knockout would have a falling out and would battle once more, except that Superboy used her psychological weakness against her. She was taken into custody by the authorities soon afterwards.

These events are still in continuity.


Trixie - Superboy (Volume 4) - 096

The only non-powered member of a gang of teenaged thugs who terrorized an apartment complex that Kon-El lived at as its building supervisor and custodian. Originally, Trixie had Olympic-level agility and some martial arts ability. When she attempted to seduce Kon-El, their kiss changed her completely. Her agility became superhuman level, and she became strong enough to punch Kon-El and injure him. They would later find out that their kisses would boost her power and speed. She would give up the criminal life and soon returned to her hometown...of Smallville.

These events are still in continuity.


Divine - Power Girl (Volume 2) 18

While investigating recent sabotage at Starrware, Kara Zor-L fights minions sent to her by Maxwell Lord, including CRASH, a sentient robot that can adapt to it opponents by increasing its own strength and power to match. Max Lord decides to use Kara's own DNA and combines it with the CRASH system. The end result is Divine, a woman who looks like Power Girl, only with black hair. But she has all of Power Girl's powers. The two of them fight to a standstill, before Max Lord intervenes and whisks Divine away.

These events are still in current continuity.


Margot - Power Girl (Volume 2) 26

At a convention hosted by Power Girl, an alien woman named Rana holds the building they are in hostage in space, with the intention of using a machine that can copy abilities to give them to others. Power Girl is soon locked in a tussle with Rana after she gets powers equal to those of Power Girl. The tide turns when Kira and Marnie, two young fans of Power Girl, also use the machine. While not as strong as Rana, they provide enough distraction to allow Kara to defeat Rana. Marnie and Kira were sent to STAR Labs in Metropolis and the process was reversed, making them human once more.

Too bad that no one noticed Margot, Marnie's little sister, had also used the machine. Now she has Kryptonian powers - and continues to get more powerful under Earth's yellow sun.