Warning: Spoilers for Superwoman Special #1
Now that Lois Lane is officially the DC Universe’s newSuperwoman, her romance withSupermanhas been flipped on its head. As she makes her superhero debut, she’s already managed to defy expectations and rewrite Superman’s status quo. Superwoman’s reinvention of a fan-favorite Superman motif establishes her as a hero on his level and gives their usual dynamic a compelling twist.
Superwoman Special#1 by Joshua Williamson, Edwin Galmon, Laura Braga, Nikola Čižmešija, Rex Lokus, and Dave Sharpe details the origin story of howLois Lane became Superwoman. Once she’s obtained her newfound Kryptonian powers, Lois realizes she needs to tell Superman about this dramatic shift, and she chooses to do so in the most perfect way possible: by channeling her inner Superman.
Lois Lane reveals her identity as Superwoman by referencing an iconic Superman posethat longtime fans will immediately pick up on, as she puts her own unique spin on Clark Kent’s classic shirt ripping moment.
Superwoman’s Identity Reveal Is the Perfect Superman Callback
Lois Lane Reveals Her Superhero Identity in True Clark Kent Fashion
Any Superman fan will recognize the visual ofSuperman ripping his shirt opento reveal his costume beneath his Clark Kent disguise. The shirt rip debuted in 1978’sSuperman: The Movie, asChristopher Reeve’s version of Supermanpulled off the pose while running into action. Since then, this pose has become inseparable from Superman, and Lois Lane makes a callback to it here. As Clark arrives home, he sees Lois wearing a button-up and his glasses - even though she doesn’t need them. Then,Lois tosses her Clark Kent-esque disguise aside and rips her shirt open to reveal her Superwoman emblem.
Superwoman’s New All-Kryptonian Team Redefines What the DC Comics Super-Family Can Be
Superwoman just introduced a new team of Kryptonian superheroes to DC lore, with a line-up so impressive they could even put Superman to shame.
Lois tearing her shirt open isn’t the only reference she makes to a Superman film. When she tells Clark that she’s Superwoman, he doesn’t seem to entirely believe her, so she resorts to a drastic measure to convince him. Lois jumps out of a building, but instead of falling, she flies up thanks to her Kryptonian abilities. InSuperman II,Lois pulls a controversial moveas she jumps out a window in an effort to expose Clark as Superman, forcing him to fly out and catch her. This time,rather than jumping to unmask Superman, Lois jumps to prove that she’s Superwoman.
Lois Lane’s Superwoman Redefines Her Classic Relationship With Superman
Superman and Superwoman Undergo a Romantic Role Reversal
Superwoman’s twists on established Superman tropes redefine DC lore, specifically as it pertains toher and Superman’s relationship. Typically, when Superman takes Lois flying with him, he has to carry her along due to her lack of powers. That dynamic has now changed as they become equals, and Lois is able to invite Superman to fly with her instead of the other way around. By emulating Superman in her own individualized manner, Lois proves that she’s finally on his level.Superwomanis just as much a hero asSupermanis, and time will tell what other classic moments she’ll recreate.
Superwoman Special#1is available now from DC Comics.
Superman
The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.
