Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993-1997) – Comic References

[Silver Nemesis]

This is by far the most ambitious comic analysis project I've ever attempted, and the truth is I'll probably never finish it. But I'm going to give it a try anyway. This is my favourite superhero show of all time and it saddens me how often people dismiss it without crediting its accuracy to the comics. I figured the only way to do the series justice would be to analyse every single episode individually. So that's what I'm going to do – all 87 episodes spanning four seasons. This is an insanely huge task, and like I say, I'll probably never finish it. But I thought I'd just add to it every now and then and see how it goes. Hopefully I'll at least be able to analyse the first two seasons. I actually started working on this two years ago, so this first instalment will be a fairly substantial one to get things moving.

Some episodes won't feature any comic references beyond the basic setup and recurring characters. Obviously I won't be able to comment on those. But the plots of most episodes – particularly in seasons one and two – usually have some basis in a story, character or concept adapted from the comics.

As always, if anyone else wants to add something I've missed then please do. But I would request that you only comment on the episodes I've already analysed, as I really want to do the whole thing in chronological order. I'd prefer not to leap ahead to later episodes or seasons until I work my way up to them.

INTRODUCTION

Many critics have noted that Lois and Clark is heavily indebted to the Post-Crisis Superman comics written by John Byrne. The first season in particular drew much of its inspiration from Byrne's 1986 miniseries Superman: The Man of Steel. Byrne visited the set of the series during its early seasons and gave his thoughts on the show during an interview in 1995:

"I have seen only a couple of episodes of "L&C" this [second] season, but I enjoyed the fidelity the program showed in its first year -- especially where it picked up on specific points I had introduced, like Ma and Pa Kent still being alive, and Smallville being in Kansas."

http://www.supermanhomepage.com/comics/interviews/interviews-intro.php?topic=john-byrne

Comic writer Elliot S! Maggin commented on the show during an interview with supermanthrutheages.com:

"I know the people who put together the show did a lot of reference to my two novels.  Other than the characterization of Luthor and of Clark as the "real" person rather than Superman -- which, I understand, the folks at DC specified -- the series was pretty consistent with my ideas of the character.  I thought Dean Cain was terrific -- to my surprise and to that of the people who first cast him as a last resort."

http://site.supermanthrutheages.com/Maggin/kc-maggin-interview.php

Maggin also wrote a script for the show titled 'The Ghost of Superman-Future'. But although the story editor liked it, the script didn't fit in with the ongoing story arc at the time and was thus never produced. You can read the script here:
http://supermanthrutheages.com/esm/lnc/

Superman comic editor Mike Carlin has said that scripts for the show were sent to DC for approval and that they were usually "80% on the mark".
http://www.supermanhomepage.com/comics/interviews/interviews-intro.php?topic=mike-carlin

In 1994 a special tie-in book was produced featuring an image of Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher on the cover and titled simply Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. This book compiled reprints of several comics that had supposedly influenced the show's writers. These comics included:

•   'The Story of the Century' (Superman: The Man of Steel miniseries #2, October 1986)
•   'Tears for Titano' (Superman Annual #1, August 1987)
•   'Metropolis, 900 mi' (Superman #9, September 1987)
•   'The Name of the Game' (Superman #11, November 1987)
•   'True Love' (Action Comics #600, May 1988)
•   'Headhunter' (Adventures of Superman #445, October 1988)
•   'Homeless for the Holidays' (Adventures of Superman #462, January 1990)
•   'The Limits of Power' (Adventures of Superman #466, May 1990)
•   'Survival' (Action Comics #655, July 1990)

I don't own a copy of this collection myself, but apparently it also features an introduction by John Byrne where he discusses the relationship between the comics and the TV series.

Hopefully this should all illustrate that the makers of the TV definitely did do their research. So without further delay, let's get on with the analysis.

SEASON ONE

As I mentioned earlier, the story arcs in the first season were largely derived from John Byrne's Post-Crisis reinvention of the character. In the beginning, Clark is ignorant of his Kryptonian heritage. He gradually uncovers the truth behind his alien lineage over the course of the first season. Other story arcs include Superman's ongoing war against Lex Luthor and Lois and Clark's burgeoning friendship/romance.

'Pilot' (s1e1)

The first major character we meet in the show is Lois Lane, played here by Teri Hatcher. As in the comics, she's depicted as a headstrong investigative reporter with a competitive streak a mile long.

Lois is also portrayed as a moderately skilled fighter in this series, at least for the first two seasons. This was meant to emphasize a more contemporary slant on the character, one that would set her apart from the damsel in distress stereotype of the early comics. The Post-Crisis Lois was equally capable of handling herself in a fight.

She works at the Daily Planet under the supervision of newspaper editor Perry White, played by Lane Smith. Perry's 'southern gent' personality in this series is very much consistent with the comics. But Deborah Joy LeVine also gave him an Elvis fixation to make him more interesting. Throughout the series he's heard to say "great shades of Elvis" instead of his "great Cesar's ghost" catchphrase from the comics. Perry's Elvis catchphrase was referenced in the comics once the show became a hit, as seen in this example from The Return of Superman (1993).

Perry's wife Alice is mentioned frequently throughout the series. A running gag is that we never actually get a clear look at her, even when she appears on screen in certain episodes. We do eventually get to see what Alice looks and sounds like, but not until the final season.

And of course there's also Jimmy Olsen. In the first season Jimmy was played by Michael Landes, but in seasons 2, 3 and 4 he was played by Justin Whalin.

Also working at the Planet is Cat Grant, played by Tracy Scoggins. Cat was a regular character in the comics at the time, and she's a regular character throughout the first season of the TV show. She first appeared in 'Man O'War' (Adventures of Superman #424, January 1987). In both the comic and the TV show she first meets Clark in the Daily Planet building and is instantly attracted to him.

Lois making insinuations about Cat's journalistic methods is typical of the comics.

The Daily Planet building itself differs from the comic version insofar as the famous globe is located above the main entrance, as opposed to the roof.

Having said that, some comics – including the Superman: The Man of Steel miniseries – have also shown the Daily Planet building to have a globe suspended over the main entrance.

Metropolis in the series is on the whole very similar to the version on the printed page, with many of the individual buildings, corporations and districts being based on locations from the comics. I'll go into more detail about that with specific episodes.

Dean Cain was viewed by some as an unconventional choice for the part of Superman. He had boyish features and his eyes were brown instead of blue like the Superman in the comics. Personally I think Cain bore a strong resemblance to the Superman from the Golden Age era.

He also had a muscular build similar to the one Byrne had drawn Clark as having in the Post-Crisis comics.

One of the central ideas in the TV series is that Clark is the real person and Superman the affected persona. This contrasts against earlier screen versions, where Superman had always been the real person and Clark merely the pretence. The TV show's approach to the character is more in line with John Byrne's Post-Crisis reimagining of the Clark/Superman dynamic. Cain has said that he modelled his performance as Superman on Christopher Reeve, while he drew inspiration for his less-bumbling take on Clark from George Reeves' portrayal.

In the first episode of the series Clark goes to the Daily Planet for a job interview. But Perry turns him down the first time, only hiring him later on after he's proved his skills as a writer. The same thing happened when Clark applied for a job at the Planet in the Pre-Crisis comics. Perry initially turned him down on the basis of his lack of experience. But in both stories, Perry eventually relents and hires Clark for the post.

Jonathan and Martha Kent (played by Eddie Jones and K Callan respectively) are both recurring characters in the show. This reflected the Post-Crisis idea of having them both still alive when Clark becomes Superman. They live on the Kent Farm back in Smallville, but often travel to Metropolis to visit their boy.

Lois is shown to live in an apartment with her younger sister Lucy. Lucy was a recurring character in the first half of season 1. She disappeared during the second half of the season but reappeared in season 2 played by a different actress. In the comics Lucy was an air stewardess, but there's no reference to her being one in the TV show.

Not long after they meet, Lois and Clark accompany one another to a shindig at Lex Luthor's penthouse. Luthor is portrayed by Emmy Award-winning actor John Shea. The series presents him as a charming billionaire who is perceived by the public as a legitimate businessman and philanthropist. But in reality he is a thoroughly evil criminal mastermind who controls almost every other villain throughout the first season. This take on the character is consistent with the John Byrne Post-Crisis version, as is the notion of him having a full head of hair (though he loses that in season 2). He is shown to have a collection of weapons belonging to Alexander the Great, though his interest in this historical figure is seldom referenced beyond the pilot episode. The Luthor in the comics is also an admirer of Alexander the Great.

John Byrne has credited Marv Wolfman with coming up with the idea of Lois and Lex being romantically linked:

Marv called me to discuss something he had in mind for Luthor, a "fix" he had been working on in his head for several years [...] Then he told me his version of Luthor in exactly these words: "Outside Metropolis, on a high mountain, in his palatial Xanadu-like estate, lives Lex Luthor, the world's richest man, and his mistress, Lois Lane." He paused, for dramatic effect, I suppose, then said "See, she's drawn to power!"

http://www.byrnerobotics.com/FAQ/listing.asp?ID=2&T1=Questions+about+Comic+Book+Projects

Even though Byrne rejected the idea, he still hinted at Lex having a romantic interest in Lois in Superman: The Man of Steel. Lois's preference for Superman would give Lex even more of a reason to hate his arch nemesis; an idea that was explored in greater depth in both Lois and Clark and several later issues of the comics.

Another supporting character in this episode is Inspect Bill Henderson, played here by Mel Winkler. Winkler would later go on to voice Henderson in Superman: The Animated Series. Henderson is a recurring character in Lois and Clark, although after the pilot he is portrayed by two different actors. He first appeared in the comics in Action Comics #440 (October 1974), having originally debuted in The Adventures of Superman radio series.

Jimmy mentions S.T.A.R. Labs for the first time in this episode. S.T.A.R. Labs would be referenced several times throughout season 1. It features more prominently in the later seasons, with Superman regularly consulting the experts there for advice on all matters scientific.

As in the comics, it is Martha who makes Clark's costume for him.

The suit is a faithful and straightforward translation of the suit from the comics.

This isn't a comic influence, but it's worth mentioning there's a montage where Clark tries on several different costumes before settling on the classic suit. One of these costumes looks like a fusion of the Superman suit and Marvel Comics' Captain America costume. It bears a strong resemblance to the Super-Soldier costume worn by Clark Kent in the Amalgam Universe, as first showcased in Marvel Versus DC (1996).

There's a humorous scene in the pilot that alludes to the way Clark in the comics often changes into his Superman costume using the storage closet in the Daily Planet offices. Clark attempts something similar in the pilot but is caught loitering in the storage room by Perry, who then asks Clark when he intends to "come out of the closet".

The first time Superman appears in costume he rescues a space shuttle. This sequence was probably inspired by Clark's first public rescue in book one of Superman: The Man of Steel, which also sees him saving an experimental spacecraft.

In both stories Lois Lane is a passenger aboard the spaceship. This is where she first meets Superman.

When Superman shows up to save the shuttle, a crowd of people spot him flying overhead and call out:

"Is that a bird?"
"Is it a plane?"
"No, just a guy in a pair of tights and a cape."

This is obviously a subversive reference to the classic lines spoken in the intro to the Adventures of Superman radio series.

After Superman saves Lois's life for the first time he scoops her up in his arms and flies her over the city.

There is a memorable scene towards the end of the pilot where Superman confronts Lex Luthor at his penthouse office overlooking Metropolis. This is where war is declared between them. And although the scene is not based on any specific comic, it has been recreated in later Superman stories: most notably the third episode of Superman: The Animated Series (1996) and in the 'Fall' chapter of Superman For All Seasons (1998).

And that pretty much covers the pilot episode.

One episode down, only 86 more left to go.

[Silver Nemesis]

'Strange Visitor (From Another Planet)' (s1e2)

The villain in this episode is a paranoid government agent named Jason Trask. He is the head of a secret bureau that believes Superman is the vanguard of an alien invasion force. For this reason he is obsessed with uncovering Superman's past and destroying him once and for all. Trask was an original character created for the show, but he shares the obsessive paranoia of the Post-Crisis Emmett Vale. Like Vale, Trask is convinced there are other aliens like Superman just waiting for the signal to invade the Earth. The following comparison is from 'From Out the Green Dawn' (Man of Steel #1, October 1986).

Vale and Trask both discovered Superman's spaceship and traced its point of origin to Kansas.

In the Post-Crisis canon, Vale is the one who discovers kryptonite and is the first person to try and use it to kill Superman. Likewise Trask is the first to discover and use kryptonite in the TV series (see 'The Green, Green Glow of Home' (s1e8)).

This is the first episode to reference the name of Clark's homeworld as Krypton.

There is a scene adapted from John Byrne's Superman: The Man of Steel miniseries in this episode, where Jonathan tells Clark about the spaceship he arrived on Earth in and takes him to where he buried it near the Kent farm.

In the TV episode Clark attempts to exhume the buried ship only to discover that somebody else has already removed it. This reflects another scene from the Superman: The Man of Steel miniseries where Clark returns to Smallville after establishing himself as Superman and finds the spaceship is missing from where Jonathan had hidden it.

Another scene adapted from Superman: The Man of Steel is where Superman grants Lois her first interview. During the interview she asks him what his name is, and he replies that he's happy with the name she's already given him: Superman.

At the end of the interview, Lois says, "This is a job for Superman, right?" This is a reference to the famous line spoken many times in the comics.

The only other thing to mention about this episode is that Jimmy asks Lucy Lane out on a date. These two characters have been romantically linked in the comics for many years, but following this episode their relationship in the TV show is quickly forgotten.

'Neverending Battle' (s1e3)

It's in this episode that Clark moves into his new apartment. The address is 344 Clinton Street, which is the same address as Clark's apartment in the comics. In both the comics and in the TV show, Clark continues to live in this apartment until his eventual marriage to Lois.

This is the first episode to reference the Lexor Hotel. I'm not sure where this building originated, but the Lexor Hotel has certainly featured in a number of subsequent Superman stories such as the videogame DC Universe Online.

It may have originated in Lois and Clark and then been adapted into other mediums, but I'm not certain about that. In the Silver Age comics Lexor was the name of an alien planet where Luthor was revered as a hero.

There's a comical subplot in this episode where Lois and Clark are constantly trying to scoop one another's stories. Similar contests have taken place between them in the comics over the years. The following example is from the Superman: The Man of Steel miniseries.

Inspector Henderson appears for the second time in this episode, this time played by Brent Jennings. In all subsequent appearances he is played by Richard Belzer.

Lex Luthor references the famous lines spoken in the introduction to the Adventures of Superman radio series.

•   "Is he, for example, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound?"
•   "Yes, but how powerful? I mean, more powerful than an avalanche? More powerful than a locomotive?"
•   "Hmm. Faster than a speeding bullet."

One last thing to mention about this episode is that it marks the first appearance of Lex Luthor's right-hand man, Nigel St John, played by Tony Jay. Jay would later voice Sul-Van, Kal-El's grandfather, in Superman: The Animated Series.

'I'm Looking Through You' (s1e4)

In the opening sequence of this episode several pieces of Superman comic book art can be seen on display at a street festival. Several comic creators also make cameos in this scene, including editor Mike Carlin, writer Louise Simonson and artist Jon Bogdanove.

Superman is overwhelmed by the attention he receives from the public. The scene where the mob swarms around him is yet another scene adapted from Byrne's Superman: The Man of Steel miniseries.

As in the comic, Clark then retreats back to the Kent Farm and tells his parents what happened. He is concerned over the attention he is receiving and is frightened people will try to market him for their own personal gain. The whole experience leaves him feeling overwhelmed, and it's up to Jonathan and Martha to talk him around.

There is a subplot in this episode about a talent agent named Murray Brown who is desperate to represent Superman. Brown may have been inspired by Nick Williams from 'Superman's Phony Manager' (Action Comics #6, November 1938), a dodgy talent agent who also tried to make money off Superman's actions. The main difference between the two characters is that Williams only pretended to represent Superman as a way of making money, whereas Brown genuinely wants to represent the Man of Steel.

In both stories Clark is continually annoyed by the talent agent's persistence.

In the comic Superman sends Williams to jail, but in the TV show he allows Brown to represent him on the condition that all profits go to charity.

This episode is the first to show Superman bouncing bullets off his chest...

...crushing a criminal's gun with his bare hands...

...and smashing through a wall.

'Requiem for a Superhero' (s1e5)

This episode sees Superman fighting boxers who've been augmented with cybernetic enhancements. Superman has fought numerous cyborgs in the comics over the years, the most famous example being Metallo.

The most fearsome of these fighters in the TV episode is a boxer named Tommy Garrison. Garrison has a fair amount in common with the Post-Crisis John Corben/Metallo that debuted in 'From Out the Green Dawn' (Man of Steel #1, October 1986). The most obvious similarity is that they're both cyborgs. They also look vaguely alike and share the same obnoxious, boastful macho personality. Both Garrison and Corben set out to prove their superior strength by defeating Superman in combat.

It should be noted that the real John Corben/Metallo does show up in season 2, but Garrison is essentially a season 1 variation on the Metallo concept.

Another villain appearing in this episode is a corrupt promoter named Max Menkin. This isn't a comic reference, but Max Menkin was the villain in the Broadway musical It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman! (1966).

Lois's father, Sam Lane, makes his first appearance in this episode. In the comics Sam is a high-ranking officer in the army, but in Lois and Clark he's a physician specialising in cybernetics. He would go on to become a recurring character in seasons 3 and 4, where he would be played by a different actor. This is the only time he appears in the first two seasons.

The episode climaxes with a one-on-one fight between Superman and Tommy Garrison. Clark had been humiliated by Garrison when he'd sparred against him earlier in the episode; a scene that reflects a similar moment from 'The Man in the Public Eye!' (Superman #267, September 1973) where Clark spars against champion Jim Fawcett.

The second time he enters the ring is as Superman, and this time it's the final showdown. The climactic nature of this boxing match invites obvious comparisons with the famous Superman vs. Muhammad Ali comic from 1978.

Superman wins the fight by knocking out Garrison with an understated flick of his finger. He's done this in the comics far too many times to list. Here's an example from the Superman: The Man of Steel miniseries.

'I've Got a Crush on You' (s1e6)

Most of this episode takes place on the West River waterfront. West River is one of the three main waterways running through Metropolis in the comics.

The plot concerns Lois and Clark going undercover to work at a nightclub run by a criminal organisation. Lois has gone undercover in many professions over the years, including nightclub performer, as seen here in Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane #56 (April 1965).

Clark goes undercover using the alias Charles King. The Superman in the comics has used the similar-sounding alias of Charles Kendall. Both names share the initials C.K. (the same as Clark Kent) and the first name Charles.

Another plot in this episode sees West River being terrorised by a series of arson attacks. This may have been inspired by 'Steel' (Superman: Man of Steel #22, June 1993). Both stories revolve around street gangs armed with super weapons tearing apart areas of Metropolis and setting fire to buildings. In the comic the super weapons are called 'Toastmasters', while in Lois and Clark they are simply called 'Toasters'. This comic was written and illustrated by Louise Simonson and Jon Bogdanove respectively, both of whom made cameos in the Lois and Clark episode 'I'm Looking Through You' (s1e4).

Much of the action in this episode takes place in the Metro Club. This isn't a comic reference, but there was a deleted sequence from the feature film Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1987) which took place in the Metro Club. In the movie it was more of an eighties disco, whereas in the TV show it's an upscale nightspot showcasing live entertainment.

[Silver Nemesis]

'Smart Kids' (s1e7)

I don't have any specific references for this one. But I will make one brief comment on it. This episode is largely comedic in tone, but there's a fairly unsettling scene where Lex Luthor force-feeds a scientist drugs to deliberately cause brain damage and reduce him to the state of a vegetable. Lex then cheerfully conducts a one-sided conversation with his victim, laughing and making fun of him in a manner similar to the Joker and Rotelli in the 1989 Batman film.

This, combined with Luthor's plan to murder and dissect a group of children, demonstrates just how ruthless the character was in this show. Lois and Clark is often described as being a lighter, more comedic take on the Superman myth, but it wasn't without its moments of darkness. And John Shea's Lex Luthor was no less sadistic than his counterpart on the printed page.

'The Green, Green Glow of Home' (s1e8)

This episode marks the first appearance of green kryptonite. It is found in Smallville near where Clark's spaceship first crash landed. As this is Clark's first exposure to kryptonite, the effects are slightly different than usual. It hurts him as it ordinarily would, but it also leaves him depowered and vulnerable for a period of about 24 hours after the initial exposure. Superman is exposed to green kryptonite on one further occasion in season 1 ('The House of Luthor' (s1e21)) where it has a similar effect of leaving him powerless for a short span of time. From season 2 onwards, Clark would no longer suffer these after effects following green kryptonite exposure.

This episode marks the last appearance of Agent Trask. In the section on 'Strange Visitor (From Another Planet)' (s1e2) I compared Trask to the Post-Crisis Emmett Vale. In keeping with that analogy, Trask is the first villain to discover kryptonite and to try to use it to kill Superman.

This episode features a supporting character called Sheriff Rachel Harris. Rachel is Clark's redheaded childhood friend from Smallville. She was also his prom date and is shown to harbour romantic feelings towards him. Basically she's Lana Lang under a different name.

The real Lana Lang would eventually show up in Season 3. But this is the closest Season 1 ever got to referencing her existence.

There's a longstanding rumour that this episode was originally meant to feature a subplot about Lana Lang's wedding in Smallville, but since the rights to the character were retained by the makers of the recently cancelled Superboy (1988-92) show, the makers of Lois and Clark were unable to use her. However this rumour has never been officially confirmed

Jimmy's signal watch makes its debut in this episode.

'The Man of Steel Bars' (s1e9)

Mayor Berkowitz makes an appearance in this episode, played by Sonny Bono of all people. Berkowitz first appeared in book four of the Superman: The Man of Steel (1986) miniseries and was the mayor of Metropolis in the comics at the time this show was made.

The storyline of this episode sees Superman going to jail after Lex Luthor makes it appear as though his powers are the cause of a dangerous heat wave. This is similar to the plot of 'Endings' (Action Comics #556, June 1984), in which Vandal Savage turns public opinion against Superman by making it seem like he's responsible for unleashing prehistoric spores over Metropolis.

In both stories the police have no choice but to reluctantly arrest the Man of Steel, and Superman willingly submits himself to their custody.

He is taken before a judge to answer the charges against him. Bail is waived and Superman is released following a short period of incarceration.

Both stories end with Superman clearing his name and having the charges against him dropped. In the comic, Vandal Savage's part in the affair is made public and he is forced to flee the police. But Luthor's machinations in the TV episode remain secret.

At one point Clark pretends that he's been offered a job as editor of the Smallville Post. This newspaper exists in the comics too.

The finale of this episode takes place at a LexCorp nuclear power plant located in Hob's Bay. Hob's Bay is also an area of Metropolis in the comics and is featured many times throughout the TV show. This episode is also the first to make reference to Hob's River, which is one of the three main waterways running through Metropolis in the comics.

'Pheromone, My Lovely' (s1e10)

I haven't got any references for this one.

'Honeymoon in Metropolis' (s1e11)

I can't think of any significant comic influences on this episode either. The only thing I would say is that the scene towards the end where Superman stops a tidal wave is similar to a scene from Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man: The Battle of the Century (1976).

It's unlikely this was a deliberate reference, but I thought the two scenes were close enough that it was worth remarking upon the similarity.

Most of the episode takes place at the Lexor Hotel (see 'Neverending Battle' (s1e3)). The storyline about Lois and Clark staying at a hotel and pretending to be newlyweds was possibly inspired by the movie Superman II (1980).

'All Shook Up' (s1e12)

The plotline of this episode has been used in several Superman TV shows, including the Adventures of Superman episode 'Panic in the Skies' and the Superboy episode 'Superboy...Lost'. But since I'm examining comic influences, I'm going to compare it against 'The Menace from the Stars!' (World's Finest #68, January 1954) rather than the earlier screen versions.

The story begins with an ominous asteroid appearing in the sky above Metropolis.

Astronomers predict the asteroid will soon collide with the Earth. They request Superman's help, and so the Man of Steel goes to the Metropolis observatory to discuss the matter with them in person.

They decide on a course of action that involves Superman flying into space and manually destroying the asteroid before it can reach the Earth. In the Lois and Clark episode Superman is equipped with an extra supply of oxygen in case he is unable to hold his breath throughout the duration of his time in space. This exemplifies how the Dean Cain Superman was not as powerful as the earlier screen versions; a change which has its basis in the Post-Crisis reinvention of the character. While the Pre-Crisis Superman could seemingly hold his breath indefinitely when he went into space, the Post-Crisis version would require an additional supply of oxygen for when he could no longer hold his breath.

Returning to World's Finest #68, Superman flies into space and hurls himself at the asteroid at full speed. In the comic he succeeds in knocking it into a harmless orbit around the Earth. In the TV episode he partially damages it, but there is enough space rock remaining to threaten the Earth. And it's still heading on a collision course.

The impact of the collision sends Superman hurtling back to Earth.

In the comic he crash lands in a park, while in the TV episode he crash lands in Suicide Slum near Hob's Bay. Long time Superman readers will be familiar with these locations, as they're both areas of Metropolis in the comics.

Clark is disoriented and suffering from amnesia. He doesn't even remember that he is Superman.

His friends at the Daily Planet fill him in on his life as Clark, but he remains oblivious of his superpowered alter ego.

Eventually he recovers his memory and realises that he is Superman. In the comic he comes to this realisation on his own, while in the TV episode it is Martha and Jonathan who remind him. He then flies up into space to finish what he started. In the comic he destroys the asteroid completely, while in the TV episode he simply shoves it back into space.

One last thing to mention about this episode is that it features another reference to the famous "faster than a speeding bullet" line.

Well, that covers the first half of season one. So I'll leave it there for now.

[thecolorsblend]

Heh heh, NOW we're talking! This show takes an absolutely criminal amount of crapola from the fans. And I can somewhat understand but there's way too much good stuff here (in all seasons) to write the whole thing off.

I'll contribute when I can to "the comic's influences on the show" angle but in terms of "the show's influence on the comics", my view is that L&C launched the trend of Lois being the inspiration for Superman. It was a new thing at the time for Lois to play such a central role in defining Superman's character. A good example is 1.05- Requiem For A Superhero, where Lois, during a poker game, explains to the staffers that Superman wouldn't cheat at anything because he's above that so Clark, in spite of his frustrations, folds rather than giving in to the temptation to use x-ray vision to look at Perry's cards. Subsequent episodes would further develop the concept of Lois being an unwitting (and eventually a complicit) co-conspirator in shaping Superman. This reaches a zenith in a third (or fourth, tough to remember) episode where Lois travels to a parallel world where she single-handedly pushes that world's Clark into becoming Superman (which he hadn't done up to then). She created Superman from the ground up. It's clear that this isn't necessarily hardwired into Clark's psychology. He needs a push to openly become Superman rather than remaining an anonymous do-gooder. Lois would (however subconsciously) project her expectations onto Superman and Clark would in turn do all in his power to fulfill them.

Smallville took all of this to the next level by setting up the relationship with Lois as the purification Clark needed in his journey toward becoming Superman. Obviously Lois actively shaping the inception of Superman is Smallville's innovation but, as above, it is not without some level of precedent. And by the way, SV's Lana also eventually discovered Clark's secret (unbeknownst to Clark himself at first) and this ultimately proved to not be an altogether positive development for Clark.

By contrast, SV's Lois discovered his secret (also unbeknownst to him) and she served as one of the last pieces of the puzzle in Clark becoming Superman. She also helped SV's Clark develop the "Metropolis Clark" disguise as a klutz to serve as a mask for his true identity. So beyond Lois actively helping Clark fulfill his destiny, the showrunners intentionally set up a point/counterpoint to how Clark handled a relationship based on full disclosure with Lana vs. how he handled it with Lois (ie, one of those was positive for him, the other not so much). Lana held Clark back while Lois inspired him to new heights (at times literally so).

You could even throw in an analysis of the SV Clark's relationship (such as it was) with Alicia, which was different still from all of the above, but this thing is getting long enough as it is.

The comics would eventually run with this concept of Lois being what sustained Superman (and whose death would alternately either drive Superman into isolation in his fortress in Kingdom Come or to abandon Earth entirely in DC One Million). They obviously didn't have the luxury of L&C's influence earlier in their run but they certainly adapted it into their existing continuity as much as they could. Even Birthright showed Clark become Superman and feel at ease (in more ways than one) with his new identity after Lois accepts Superman as a friend rather than a potential threat to Earth. True, Waid somewhat downplays the moment but the significance is what it is.

As far as I know, The New 52 has pretty much wiped all or most of this stuff away but that doesn't and shouldn't diminish L&C's influence. There was a significant portion of Superman's history where Lois proved to be Superman's backbone and that all began, oddly enough, with Clark gambling in an episode of L&C.

[Silver Nemesis]

The show's influence on the comics and other adaptations is definitely something I want to cover in this thread. I've already found several comic scenes that were adapted directly from episodes of Lois and Clark, and any deeper analysis of the ways the series affected the comics is very welcome. It all helps place the show in a wider context that might make people appreciate it more. Thanks for this first contribution, colors.

I know most people on this site won't be interested in this subject, but I'm going to continue with it anyway. If nothing else it'll make a nice companion piece for the Smallville analysis thread. And it's good to have all this information stored here for posterity, just in case someone does decide to revisit the show and is interested in reading about how it relates to the wider mythology.

[gordonblu]

Actually, Silver Nemesis, you've made me want to watch Lois And Clark!

[Silver Nemesis]

I'm delighted to hear it! L&C may not have the best special effects or action scenes, but it's got some of the purest and most accurate portrayals of the Superman mythology ever committed to screen. It's a charming upbeat show that leaves you smiling at the end of every episode.

I'll try and post the analysis of the remaining episodes from season one soon. The events covered in those episodes include the destruction of Krypton, Superman vs. Bizarro, and the "death" of Lex Luthor. I'm also working on a comic analysis of The Flash (1990-91), though that one will be a lot smaller than this.

[Avilos]

Here is one for the end of the first season. The ending is different though. Lois had pretending to be in love with Lex to catch him for a crime. But most of the story appears to be about Lois and Lex's romance and Superman's dispair over it.

[Silver Nemesis]

Here is one for the end of the first season. The ending is different though. Lois had pretending to be in love with Lex to catch him for a crime. But most of the story appears to be about Lois and Lex's romance and Superman's dispair over it.

Cheers for that, Avilos! I've got a ton of references for the final two-parter of season one; probably more references than for any other single episode. But that Superman Family comic is new to me. I'll be certain to check it out before I post the references for the rest of the season.

[phantom stranger]

This is going to be a fun project to follow. I'm also a huge fan of L&C. I'd like to pitch in but my knowledge of the comics isn't as encyclopedic as it used to be. Maybe this thread will help clear up the cobwebs.