Reign of the Supermen #232: Superwoman

Source: Superman vol.1 #349 (1980)
Type: Magical creationYou won't see Supergirl Kara Zor-El in Reign, or Superwomen like Kristin Wells and Lucy Lane. Just because you wear an "S" on your chest doesn't make you a "Superman". Kara is her own heroic archetype, albeit one related to Superman's. Though she shares a point of origin and powers with Superman, I wouldn't call her an Analog. But there are female characters who DO fit my criteria, as they fill Superman's exact role in one alternate universe or other. The next three days are devoted to these.

We start our first gender-bending tale with Superman returning to Earth and wondering if he didn't accidentally punch his way into a different reality. In this brave new world, all genders are switched! The Daily Planet staff:
Penny White bosses Jenny Olsen and Louis Lane around. And where's Clara Kent when you need her?

The Justice League has also been bent:
The Flash gets to keep her name, but there's Batwoman, Black Condor and Wonder Warrior. As you can see from the cover, a Superboy in short shorts has also taken Zara's place.

Even the villains have gone to the other side:
Leslie Luthor! Toywoman! Bizaress! Oh, oh, have you spotted the CLUE?! Thanks Martin Pasko, but that was a little too easy. Superman figures it out right away, in part because Clara Kent and Superwoman aren't the same person. As if the situation's engineer didn't know about the secret identity... Well, Superman's in trouble either way because he's "not liberated enough" to punch his female self!
(However, he's not above checking out his sexy Clara self with x-ray vision.) Captured by Superwoman and her boys who believe he's a criminal, he's put to the trial via kryptonite gas. He escapes, finds Mxyzptlk - the author of all who doesn't want to be seen in drag - and gets the whole thing sorted. Superwoman is not quite erased from continuity however. Not if the new 52 Earths have anything to say about it.

But that's one for Saturday. Tomorrow: That was a Girl of Steel before the Multiverse returned...

Comments

rob! said…
That Superman cover should be part of a "It Gets Better" video.
Craig Oxbrow said…
So guys show their thighs but women still wear heels. That just seems like a half measure on the comment-on-gender-typing scale.
LiamKav said…
I wonder if in this universe men are constantly complaining that the women are covered up while the male superheroes all seem to have their skin on display, and women just tell them to shut up and stop being to up themselves?