Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #113

Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #113 (On Sale: July 6, 1971), has a cover by Dick Giordano.

We begin with "The Unknown Superman" drawn by Kurt Schaffenberger and reprinted from Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #49 (1964). Lois Lane receives an anonymous tip which eventually leads her to Dr. Drolc who has invented a talent-tracer machine capable of divining unknown talents. Lois tests the machine and is surprised to learn that it works.

One of the tests leads her to a Native American man named Strong Bear who has superpowers. Strong Bear and Lois fall in love, and she accepts his wedding proposal. The tribe gives Lois a ring belonging to Strong Bear. She realizes that Dr. Drolc and the men the talent tracer located all wore the same ring. When Lois breaks the ring, Strong Bear's appearance changes into a deformed blue alien. The alien reveals that he posed as Drolc and the other men to trick Lois. He is the last survivor of a race whose planet was destroyed by nuclear war. The ring allowed him to take human form and survive on Earth. His love for Lois was real, but with the ring destroyed, he dies.

Next up is "The Monster Who Loved Lois Lane" by Edmond Hamilton and Kurt Schaffenberger and is reprinted from Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #54 (1965). Lois visits the laboratory of scientist Dr. Elder who unveils a new device that penetrates the dimensional barrier, allowing exploration of alien dimensions. On the first test, a monster from the alien dimension comes to Earth. The monster, named Herko, possesses super-strength and invulnerability.

Herko is smitten with Lois. Lois leads the monster away from people, while Dr. Elder repairs the dimension device. Herko tries to protect Lois from Superman and proves equally powerful. When the repairs are finished, Lois leads Herko back to his own dimension through the portal. Herko remains heartbroken because he is separated from Lois.

That brings us to  "The Return of Lois' Monster Sweetheart" by Edmond Hamilton and Kurt Schaffenberger and is reprinted from Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #57 (1965). Lois decides to check up on Herko, the monster from another dimension who fell in love with her. Lois and Jimmy step through the dimensional portal, but an accident traps them in Herko's dimension. 

Herko resumes his crush on Lois. Lois convinces Jimmy to court Zagga, a female monster who likes Herko. Lois hopes that Herko will become jealous and marry Zagga. Her plan backfires and both Jimmy and Lois are prepared to wed monsters. Lois is saved when her makeup makes Herko sick. Zagga cares for Herko, and the two monsters are joined in marriage. Lois and Jimmy return to their own dimension when Dr. Elder reopens the portal.

Next, we have "The Girl Who Mourned for Superman" by Leo Dorfman and Kurt Schaffenberger and reprinted from Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #43 (1963). Lois Lane assists the Jimmy Olsen Fan Club in an electrical experiment. Without her knowledge, Lois is transported to a parallel world where she is captured by Lex Luthor. Luthor succeeds in killing the Superman of this world and himself in the process. Superman is subsequently replaced by a robot, then a citizen of Kandor.

Lois finally realizes she is on a different Earth when she meets the ambassador of Atlantis. On this Earth, Atlantis never sank beneath the ocean. Lois visits her counterpart but does not reveal herself. Another accidental electric shock transports her back to her own world.

We end with "Superman's Romance with Lana Lang" drawn by Curt Swan and George Klein and reprinted from Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #41 (1963). Lois and Lana learn that years ago, they were briefly merged together into a single woman, Lana Lane, by an alien pendant. Believing the merger permanent Superman proposed, but soon learned that the girls would separate and die. One girl could be saved using a magic statue, so Superman is forced to choose when the girls part. Before his choice can be announced, the girls are both saved by radiation from a meteorite. The Man of Steel refuses to reveal who he chose to save.

Edited by E. Nelson Bridwell.

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