Every day this month will have the five goofiest moment from a five-issue stretch of a particular comic book run. Once a week it will be the ten goofiest moments of a ten-issue stretch. Here is a list of the moments featured so far.
Today we're looking at Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #105-109, written by Robert Kanigher (#105-107) and Cary Bates (#108-109), with artwork by Art Saaf, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito (#105) and Werner Roth and Vince Colletta (#106-109).
As always, this is all in good fun. I don't mean any of this as a serious criticism of the comics in question. Great comics often have goofy moments (Kirby/Lee's Fantastic Four is one of the best comic book runs of all-time and there were TONS of goofy stuff in those 100 plus issues!).
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Sexism does not look on you, Perry
In Lois Lane #105, Lois Lane wants to investigate the brand-new vigilante, Thorn (of Rose and Thorn), but the patriarchy has other ideas...
What jerks.
Oh, just get over yourself, Superman
In #107, Lois is pissed that Clark is given a better story assignment than her when they head to her alma mater for a festival (where Superman will be a guest of honor). Clark is doing a story on a scientist while Lois basically does a puff piece. When she leaves, steaming, Clark decides to, for some reason, take a shot at her in his head...
then, seven pages later, he's STILL thinking about how stupid she is!!!
What a jerk!
Kate Beaton savaged this mindset brilliantly in her recent series of Lois Lane strips on her website, especially with this strip...
It is nuts how much Beaton's take mirrors Superman's actual actions in the above issue (check all of her Lois Lane strips here).
By the way, in that story, Lois is turned into an actual snow woman. While that sure does sound goofy, strange transformations were such a common occurrence, they had to get REALLY weird for it to be worth spotlighting (luckily, one of the above transformations fits that to the tee).
Little Africa?
I know it is an actual term, but boy, Little Africa in a 1970 comic book still sounds pretty darn weird...
5. J. Jonah Jameson is right - these superheroes ARE menaces!
In Lois Lane #109, a mad scientist robs Lois Lane of the ability to feel love. She still goes on a date with Superman, but it is for less than pure reasons, as Superman discovers while he is super-snooping...
Superman handles it very maturely...
That's some crazy stuff right there.
4. I don't think you need to look at the handwriting to see something is wrong...
In Lois Lane #108, a ghost becomes obsessed with Lois Lane. He writes her a note. I love what she does with it...
It is so hilarious to see her need a handwriting expert to let her know that the threatening letter is, you know, a threatening letter! "Well, he says he wants to kill you, but his handwriting shows him to be sane, so I have no objections."
3. If we actually honored their wishes, we would never kill them no?
In Lois Lane #105, Lois takes things a little bit too seriously...
It is not even a BAD plot, just a goofy one. "Oh yeah, this crazed killer just happened to save my life so that I could owe him a favor." What's crazy is that it isn't even a plan by the convict to escape. He escapes, but it has nothing to do with his marrying Lois (it just sets up his future sacrifice for her, as he can't let his fellow bad guys kill his "wife").
2. SUPER anger issues?
In the aforementioned #108, the ghost tries to drive a wedge between Superman and Lois. He does so by making Superman see the image of his dead Kryptonian mother in Lois' eyes. And then things get REALLY weird...
I'm pretty sure it was the ghost who made him react that way (as he made Lois laugh), but a little bit too realistic there, Superman!
1. Black Like Lois
Yep, Lois Lane #106, the infamous "Black Like Me" issue, where Lois is pissed that the black people she's trying to do a story on won't give her the time of day. Logically, then, she must...
What's great is at the end of the story, Lois tries to pull a "are you a racist?" on Superman! Which is fair enough, I guess (it is weird no matter what), except that her test is "would you marry me if I were black?"
He wasn't going to marry you while you're white!!! It's like the old joke:
"Doctor, doctor, will I be able to play the violin after the operation?" "Yes, of course..." "Great! I never could before!"