We made it to a second episode! Bass, Furn, Marty I won’t just be covering classic romance comics, but more contemporary romances as well. In that spirit, we tackle – though not without some digressions – the Superman/Lois Lane/Wonder Woman relationship controversy. On what side do you fall? STRONG LANGUAGE – LISTENER DISCRETION ADVISED! ALSO, AWKWARD DATING!!!
And don’t worry, if you’re a fan of classic romance comics, Romance Comics Theater returns with 1972’s “Mini Must Go!” from Charlton’s Love and Romance #6!
Listen to Episode 2
You can play the podcast using the player above or by right-clicking “download”, choosing “Save Target/Link As”, and selecting a location on your computer to save the file (46 MB).
Or subscribe to the Lonely Hearts Podcast on iTunes!
The play’s script so you can follow along:
Further credits :
“Comic Book Romance” (Theme for Lonely Hearts Podcast) by Johnny and the Jokers.
“Here’s to the Losers” (End theme for Lonely Hearts Podcast) by James (Vic Fontaine) Darren.
Relevant teaser clip from “Superman” by Richard Donner, starring Margot Kidder.
Additional audio:
Romance Comics Theatre Music: “Isabel” by Piero Piccioni.
“Mini, Mini, Mini” by Jacques Dutronc
Bonus clips from: “Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.” by Rod Hardy, starring Davis Hasselhoff; “Pulp Fiction” by Quentin Tarantino, starring Harvey Keitel;
Thanks for leaving a comment, Lonely Hearts!
The Lonely Hearts Romance Comics Podcast 
I have been against this coupling since its inception for all the reasons you guys brought up here and have commented at length about it on my Supergirl site.
Succinctly,
1) For me, Superman *is* Clark. He is looking for the best in humanity to be with and that is Lois. That should be the end of this argument.
2) Diana is a goddess. He is a farm boy. They don’t run in the same circles. It’ll be awkward outside of their adventuring. This is best discussed by Byrne in Action Comics #600 (my review here – http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2012/08/review-action-comics-600.html) where Clark despite being physically attracted to Diana says she is simply out of his league.
3) Even the writers of the current romance have yet to convince me that these two would want to be together. She thinks he should be Superman all the time. He has a hard time with her being the Goddess of War, something he wants to end. Etc. Etc.
I feel as if DC hasn’t had a good understanding of Superman or Wonder Woman for a long time. As a result, the stories have veered mostly towards awful.
Thanks for the episode!
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I realize we were kind of preaching to the choir, but I’d love to hear from a Superman/Diana supporter.
DO THEY EXIST?!
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sure they exist and may post here.
looking for Diana perspective, that is often forgotten. She is suppossed to be her own hero and have her own love interest that is named Steve Trevor. She doesn’t care for big muscles or power, only the personality. while superman has a good personality, it’s too much like her. and he is more powerful than her, that is a big turn off. Marston created Steve so he could a normal man that dates a powerful woman and just doesn’t care she is stronger than him because he is secure of his manhood.
I feel that often people can’t stand a more powerful woman with a normal man, seems impossible that him could satisfy a woman like WW. Thi is the reason Steve was removed from her narrative.
WW dating superman make her less independent, he is more powerful, have more books and he is much more known than her. she get absorbed into his world easily.
the question who is better for superman: lois or wonder woman shouldn’t even exist.
lois probably is a better match for wonder woman than superman himself
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THAT IS AN EXCELLENT POINT! Giving Wonder Woman a “weaker” love interest who doesn’t mind that she’s a “stronger” woman is a healthy feminist statement. Coupling her with a “stronger” man than even she is doesn’t do anything.
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Nice to find this Podcast. Thought I think it is great that men are talking about the crappy relationship that is holding back Superman and Wonder Woman myths, I honestly think you guys could have handled this better. I didn’t mind the vocabulary used to describe things during this show, but honestly sometimes the words we use discussing specific topics can lead to sexism as it happened here.
i truly believe people can discuss mature context or specific topics without submitting women to the constant crap of which vagina is more worth it just like this case. Seriously gross!
Lois Lane and Wonder Woman have been under this crap for decades! I do think you all were trying to say your reasoning why you prefer Lois before Wonder Woman as Superman’s soulmate, I’m right there with you. but can we do it for more important reasons than Lois is mortal Superman can’t bang her, that’s why WW exists, fandom already has enough of that to contribute with more. I wish I could have listened to more important things about Lois and why her personality, courage, compassion, eagerness to find truth and justice to the world are the the things that made this godlike superhero fall head over heels for her! Why Superman chose her above anyone else.
Honestly I think DC already gave everyone the answer of the nonsensical question about Lois or Diana with the New 52 SMWW book. LOIS LANE. There is nothing to debate or argument, sorry smww shippers but that ship is a lost cost. Always was always will be. Clark has nothing in common with WW other than two powerful beings, geez that could be such a stress, watching same person for 24/7 at work and at home! Clark is a man who needs time to be as “human” as he can ( he might not be HUMAN but he was raised as one), enjoying the simple things in life, working as a journalist, a job that helps him being close to PEOPLE. Diana on the other hand is the GOD of WAR, she doesn’t understand humanity, she doesn’t get why Superman is Clark at the same time, is just not who she is. I don’t get, and in 20 issues of SMWW no writter has been able to explain why Superman and Wonder W are together. They are bitter all the time and act like they don’t like each other as much as DC wants fans to make us believe. 3 years of this nonsense and the relationship is going nowhere. is not even considered in other books, not in JL, not en any Superman book outside SMWW and not in WW solo book. So why this hell? Just break them up already. DC is not making money with the “Power Couple” the book is selling under Action Comics numbers and THAT is saying a LOT.
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For my part, I completely agree with you that either relationship has nothing to do with “banging”, and I think the only reason any of us went there is because we were trying to divine what was going through DC Editorial’s mind with this. That’s it’s puerile and childish. I didn’t mention Man of Steel Woman of Kleenex on purpose, because I didn’t want us to even entertain that stupid stupid idea. If any of us strayed into sexist territory, I do apologize, and hope we do better by you in the future (and also hope you’ll check out episode 1 and tell us if we did there).
As you say, there’s really no controversy here. All I hear and read is opposition to the SMWW relationship, and all the guys were quick to share the same position which led us, doubtlessly, to the beating of a dead horse. Only DC seem to think this is a good idea, and they’ve yet to show us how it could be.
And may I just say how much I HATE Wonder Woman as “Goddess of War”? She used to stand for love and peace, and now she’s just cutting limbs and heads off with a sword. I really really hate it. That’s really a corruption of her basic character.
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Thanks for your reply, I haven’t listened to the First episode yet, but I will check it out tonight! I loved romance in comics. Is too bad my favorite couples are separated by DC and Marvel, sighs I am just waiting for their inevitable reunion. I am speaking of Superman & Lois and Peter & MJ.
I think the policy from DC’s part of no hero is allowed to be married and happy has been a shot to their foot. There is no light and happiness in this NuDCU, why everything has been polluted with this edginess and darkness all the the time! I get DC wanted to refresh the universe and I am not against reboots, but why trying to “fix” something that wasn’t broken in the first place. Specifically talking about Lois & Clark marriage, the marriage wasn’t the problem, WRITERS and stories were. With editors constant interference in stories we got arcs like War of the New Krypton and its aftermath: Superman walking the Earth to find himself! Which led us to the current mess that is New 52 and its successor DCYOU. Since then Superman has received a lot of bad stories, long were the days when we can open a SM comic book and find happiness and joy reading it.
I don’t think anyone truly understand the “logic” behind SMWW, DC put them together for splashpages and nothing more. No one can make me believe those two really love each other or complement one another. They have their already existent partners created for that purpose; Lois Lane and Steve Trevor. my apologies to the Batman/Wondy shippers. And based on the comments of some artists that have worked with Superman I really think there is a lot of “Women of Kleenex” logic behind that, so I really don’t want to know for sure because EEWWW stupid, stupid idea ever and people still discussing it or considering that canon is just plain moronic. I just want DC to end that relationship for good. Superman deserves better, Diana deserves better, Lois & Steve deserves better. As you said fauxmance is a dead horse, so it would be wise for DC to bury it already because it has started to stink long ago!!
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If we’re fair to DC, they left Aquaman and Mera, and Animal Man and Ellen Baker intact at the start of the New52, but then, the former was Geoff Johns book and he’s one of the bosses and always seems to break the rules he imposes on other writers, and the latter isn’t high-profile enough to count, probably.
But it’s like all these old men at DC are tired of their own marriages and decided that the only possible “wish-fulfillment fantasy” was to be single. For my part, I miss Hawkman & Hawkwoman, and Hawkeye & Mockingbird.
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Oh yes I forgot about Mera & Aquaman but it is not clear if they are married or not, DC always referred of her as Aquaman’s consort! Fools. I think you’re right Aquaman was left “untouched” because of Geoff Jonhs and Animal Man we have to thank Morrison for that. I wish Superman, WW, Flash and rest of characters that are trapped in that policy would have creators backing them up inside DCE. After all DC is a business not a clubhouse where these old men get to decide which of their frustrations they will play out as fantasies in comic books! ENOUGH.
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