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By Zoomway
Justice League Unlimited, which can be found on the Cartoon Network,
aired an episode near the end of its current season that made it clear that
Lois and Superman have something romantic going on with each other. That
might not seem earth-shattering considering the couple's nearly 70 year
history and that they are married in the comics, but it is a rare thing in
the various cartoon incarnations of Superman.
The oldest cartoons, which were made by the Fleischer studio in the
1940s, might contain an occasional wink or sly line, but nothing that could
be mistaken for a romance. The same was true of the Filmation Superman
cartoons from the 60s.
The seldom seen Ruby-Spears cartoon from 1988 patterned itself after the
first Christopher Reeve movie. Clark was a dork and Lois had a crush on
Superman. They even had the occasional noncommittal date, but nothing
terribly deep.
That brings me back to this year and Justice League Unlimited. The
segment with Lois and Superman began with Lois sliding down the handrail of
an inoperative subway station escalator. "Superman!" she called out as smoke
poured from the tunnel. "Lois Lane, Daily Planet."
Superman was amused. "Yeah, Lois, I know."
"Would you care to comment on what just happened here? I'd like an
interview," she said, and then lowered her voice. "One on one."
Captain Atom, who had been standing nearby, got the hint. "I'm pretty
sure there's something I have to do someplace."
After Captain Atom departed, Lois said, "You're late."
"I was busy."
"Like I wasn't? But I've already written the story and filed it, so now
that we're both off the clock ..."
Superman scooped her up and they began flying. "Seems like I never see
you anymore."
"It's been a while," Superman acknowledged. "That's why I'm trying to
make today special."
"Where we going?"
"You'll see," Superman said and flew her to the top of a suspended bridge
span. "What do you think?"
"A picnic? I suppose your high school sweetheart loved this kind of
cornball stuff."
"As a matter of fact, she did," he replied as he handed Lois a plate.
Lois's tone became serious. "I've been worried about you."
"It's a dangerous job, Lois, but you know I can take care of myself."
"There's more than one way to get hurt,' she said and reminded him of how
his reputation was hurt when he was under a villain's control.
"That was years ago."
"People haven't forgotten. Not everybody."
"I know."
"Do you? The way you and the League have been acting lately ..." She
paused a moment. "Look, I'm a reporter, not a public relations person, but
with all the muscle you guys throw around, you're starting to scare me."
"We've got a lot of power, but we only use it to help."
Lois wouldn't let it go, but then we knew that. "Like when you and
Captain Marvel wrecked Lexor City on national television, or maybe you mean
when you fired that giant space gun in the desert."
"We come on a little strong sometimes, put it's for people's own good,"
he insisted.
"That sounds like something Lex would say."
That struck a nerve. "Don't even joke about that. I'm nothing like Lex
Luthor."
Lois put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Of course youi're not. I'm
just saying you can't serve the public without their confidence. It's a
question of trust," she said and then kissed him. "Now what's for
dessert?"
At the end of the episode Clark finds Lois still at her computer.
"Working late?"
"Hi, Smallville. Just finishing up my Justice League story. How many L's
in ambivalent?"
"One. Is that your take on all this, Lois?"
"I've been as tough on the Justice League as anyone. Especially Superman,
but that's just because he sets such a high standard. I'm going to cut him a
break. He's only human ... you know what I mean."
Clark smiled and adjusted his glasses. "Yeah, I do."
These scenes were good because Lois asked tough questions even though she
obviously cares about Superman in a romantic way. She won't compromise who
she is or what she believes and doesn't want Superman to compromise what he
stands for.
It's too bad the voice acting doesn't have quite the depth and spirit it
could. Part of the problem is that voice actors often record their dialogue
separated from the rest of the cast and can't really play off of each other.
Otherwise it was a fairly smart bit of writing.
There was the implication that left unchecked, Clark and the Justice
League could become tyrants. That has always been a popular theme in the
comics. Absolute power corrupting absolutely. In fact, a Superman episode
from 1997 may have inspired some of the events and the romance for this
episode of JLU.
In Brave New Metropolis, Lois gets pulled into an alternate dimension.
There is no crime in that Metropolis, but that's because Superman runs a
police state with Lex Luthor at the helm.
When that world's Lois Lane was killed by Intergang, Superman became
vulnerable to Lex's suggestion of putting an end to crime by basically
instituting a totalitarian police state.
When Lex found out that Lois was alive, or at least another version of
her existed, he wanted her killed because he knew the effect she would have
on Superman. A quote from another Lex Luthor is apropos, "My talent in life
is not making money. It's not juggling companies. It's character
assessment."
Lois managed to escape, but the effort left her injured and exhausted.
She saw a dark figure approaching and pulled out a gun. "Stop, or I'll
shoot! I swear I will."
Superman stepped out of the shadows. "Lois?"
"You?" she said and fainted.
Superman flew her to safety and as he bandaged her injured leg, Lois
explained that she was from another dimension.
"Ever since you ... she died," he corrected, "I wondered if there were
other dimensions out there. Other versions of me and you."
"Hold it," Lois said. "I may be a lot like your Lois, but you're nothing
like the Superman I know. He's no tyrant."
"I had to take control. There was no other way," he said, justifying his
actions. "For too long I fooled myself into believing I was doing a simple
cleanup job. That if I did enough good, people would follow my example. I
didn't realize it was a war. You were a casualty of that war and I had to
stop it by whatever means possible."
Lois was shocked. "You did this because of me?"
"You never knew how I felt about you. I never knew until you were
gone."
Instead of a tender response, Lois slapped his face. "You could have said
something! We could have talked about it. Figured it out," she said and
turned away from him. "Now look at you. Married to Luthor."
Superman countered that he needed someone with the organizational skills
and technology and insisted if Luthor tried anything, he'd crush him.
"I hate to disillusion you, but he just tried something. He tried to kill
me."
To prove her allegations against Lex were true, Lois showed Superman the
imprisoned rebels. However, when Superman tried to confront Lex with the
evidence, Lex was waiting for him with kryptonite. Fortunately the rebels,
who had been freed by Lois, invaded the building. Lex tried to escape, but
crashed and burned.
After Lex's death, Lois accompanied Superman to STAR Labs where the
adventure began in the other universe.
"STAR Labs used to be a place of ideals and hope," Superman said, his
tone filled with regret.
Lois smiled. "It can be again."
"But will the people ever trust me again?"
"It'll take time."
Superman pulled Lois to him. "I've got the time. For them .. and for
you."
At that moment the portal activated. "Lois!" Superman called through from
the other side. "Hamilton sent me to bring you back. Hurry! There's not much
time," he said and extended his hand through the portal.
"I never thought I'd lose you twice."
Lois looked at the alternate Superman. "Will it change anything?"
"For me, but not for Metropolis. Not this time."
"Lois!"
Lois looked towards the Superman from her world and then back to the
other. She kissed him good-bye.
Superman began to fly Lois home. "So that was me?"
"Yes ... and no. It's complicated," she said and turned her face to his.
"I could explain it over dinner."
"Dinner? Aren't we getting a little personal?"
Lois smiled. "Better now than never."
This natural introduction into a relationship never really went anywhere
in the animated series, but it did employ several popular Superman themes
like the benevolent tyrant Superman, alternate dimensions and the idea that
Lois Lane is who keeps Superman honest. She's the "better angel" who tweaks
his conscience.
Even though no romance came of this episode, there was the Justice League
installment titled For the Man Who Has Everything.
This story was an adaptation of a Silver Age story in which Superman was
kept in a subconscious dream state where he was in love and happy. In truth,
however, he was under the spell of a villain's gift that kept him out of
conscious commission so that the villain could do the bad things that
villains do.
In the old comic he lived on a Krypton that was never destroyed and was
in love with a Kryptonian actress named Lyla Lerrol (another double L). In
the Justice League cartoon version, the woman was named Loana. Though you'd
have to search the credits for her name since it was never spoken in the
episode. Perhaps they meant for her to be an amalgam of Lana Lang and Lois
Lane, but dropped the name due to the fact that aside from reddish hair
color, there was nothing about her that evoked the image of Lana Lang.
The character was a reporter, she was sarcastic and was voiced by Dana
Delany, who had been Lois Lane's voice in the Superman animated series. Most
viewers just assumed it was Lois with oddly colored hair.
Aside from the leading lady, the story was pretty much the same as the
old comic. Superman lived with her and their son on a Krypton that was never
destroyed. Even the super dog Krypto lived with them.
This type of story is also typical. It's the theme of the hero longing
for a happy life, but due to his responsibilities, never being granted one.
Over time it became a stale concept and Superman was finally permitted to
have both after the Superman comic revamp in 1986.
Finally the picnics I promised
Picnics are pervasive in the Superman universe. They're cheap, yet
private, but occurring during daylight, they remain fairly innocent.
On Smallville, Lana was treated to two picnics, but didn't seem terribly
happy at either. The first was with her boyfriend Whitney. She had lost
interest in him at this point, but decided not to tell him in person. She
later sent him a Dear John videotape instead. Pass the fried chicken.
Then, almost exactly a year later, she was on a picnic with Clark. I
think their joy speaks for itself.
Lastly, Superman III, a pretty awful installment in the Superman movie
franchise. Notice the movie producers used the same kind of non-subtle
hinting that is popular on Smallville. A red high school sweater was tied
around Clark's neck with the yellow S showing in case we suddenly forgot he
was Superman.
In this movie Clark went back to Smallville and joined Lana on a picnic.
Clark removed a container from the picnic basket and proclaimed, "Great
paté!"
Lana was aghast and explained it was dog food that she had brought along
for her son's pooch. Normally people wouldn't pack dog food in a container
that other human food is packaged in, but Lana is kind of scatterbrained in
this movie and besides, they needed a punch line ... unfortunately.
Whether picnics are played for laughs or for angst, they'll always be
part of the Superman scene, but I felt the one in the Justice League cartoon
worked the best because it was about character and plot development and
offered some good insight.
And finally a big thanks to Georgia for doing the screen caps from the
cartoons and the synopses that filled in the gaps of the clips I have.
Zoom (heading for the potato salad)
Source: Original Thread
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