Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane: A Reflection of the Changing Female Roles in 1960s America

Abstract

This paper is a chronological view of how the comic book character Lois Lane evolves in the 1960's. The research shows how a media image, specifically Lois Lane from the comic book medium, reflects the changing roles of women in society during the time period. The researcher analyzed 21 different issues of the comic book series Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane from its 17 years of publication, using three criteria to map the changes in Lois Lane's Character. The paper describes how movements such as, the New Left, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Women's Movement affected Lois Lane. The paper describes Lois Lane's gradual change from the private sphere and the feminine mystique into the public sphere and that of the emancipated woman.