Random thoughts: DC 60s love interests
Much like I’ve done with Marvel, let’s take a look at the DC love interests and rank them from worst to best. The same ground rules apply:
1) I’m ONLY looking at stories published in the 1960s.
2) Civilians only: no superheroes and sidekicks, since they have an unfair advantage thanks to getting more spotlight
3) This is obviously personal preference. There’s nothing wrong with liking one of these more than I do. Unless you think 60s Lois Lane has a healthy relationship with Superman, in which case… get help. Fast.
A disclosure: I have FAR less knowledge of 60s DC when compared to 60s Marvel. It’s completely possible I’m forgetting an important character or that I’m not giving the right consideration to a specific character.
So, without further ado…
DISQUALIFIED
Hawkgirl and Mera are disqualified, which is great for me because I’ve read almost nothing of the Hawkman and Aquaman runs. Admittedly Mera is not 100% a superhero, but I don’t think she should be counted with the rest.
Obviously I can’t count any of the Legionnaires…
…and let’s face it, in the 60s the Legion love interests were either other superheroes or one-off characters.
I managed to list 15 love interests worth discussing, which is perfect because the Marvel list also included 15 characters.
#15: Doc Magnus
I’ve spent dozens of reviews highlighting he is just. The. Worst.
Poor Tina. Her love interest is a jackass that 90% of the time either ignores her or insults her!
#14: Lois Lane
Mind you, this is specifically the 1960s Lois Lane. In the 40s she was awesome, in the 50s she was (mostly) alright, and she’ll develop into a wonderful character. But… in the 60s, and particularly in her own series, SHE’S INSANE.
#13: Lucy Lane
I’m going on the assumption the she and Jimmy have some sort of kink about insulting and humiliating each other. I rank her higher than her sister since, while there are times where she seems to genuinely loathe Jimmy, at least her life doesn’t completely revolve around him.
#12: Lana Lang
In the Superboy stories she’s a slightly more complex character… but once we see her in the Superman stories, she’s ALMOST as unhinged and obsessed as Lois.
#11: Carol Ferris
For the 60s, she’s surprisingly independent… but her relationship with Hal Jordan is not exactly the healthiest. Not a bad character and at times definitely more interesting than other people higher in the list… but she loses a lot of points because she lacks consistency, plus while she’s fine on her own I really don’t see much chemistry with Hal.
#10: Steve Trevor
He does have a good chemistry with Wonder Woman…
…but he gets stuck in the dumbest plots and he can be pretty awful at times.
#9: Jerro the Merboy
From now on, the rest of the love interests are not psychopaths.
So it’s probably fitting to start with one of the least interesting characters of the Silver Age… this guy is just as boring as they come!
But he’s also one of the few on this list that doesn’t have a scheme designed to trick his love interest into marriage, so that’s something.
#8: Vicky Vale
She’s more of a 50s character, but she was around until 1964 when legendary editor Julius Schwartz dropped her from the Batman titles, together with stuff like Bat-Mite.
Admittedly I don’t know a lot about this period’s Batman, but she doesn’t make me fall asleep the second she appears so she’s automatically above Jerro.
#7: Dick Malverne
He’s pretty bland, but he does represent the wholesome atmosphere of early Supergirl stories. Too bad he gets completely dropped once she goes to college, she desperately needed a decent supporting cast in that period.
#6: Jean Loring
I haven’t read many Atom stories. But his lawyer girlfriend gets a lot of points in my book for being one of the few love interests that subverts the “marriage at all costs” trope.
Had I read more Atom it’s possible I would rank her higher, or lower if she has stupid plots.
#5: Lyla Lerrol
Superman #141 is a 1960 story, so she definitely counts!
There’s a reason why future comics will continue to mention her over and over. It’s an extremely brief romance, but her impact on the Silver Age is astounding.
Having the lowest number of appearances of any other character on this list is basically the only thing preventing her to be higher.
#4: Joan Garrick
The wife of the Golden Age Flash doesn’t show up all that often, she has a supporting role and barely any characterization. So why do I place her so high in the list?
Because when she shows up in the Silver Age, she completely subverts idea that a love interest can’t know the secret identity of the hero! She supports her husband without being a doormat, she doesn’t have any crazy schemes or fits of jealousy, and while we don’t see her private life I don’t get the feeling that her life completely revolves around the Flash.
#3: Lori Lemaris
Her first appearance is one of the best Silver Age stories, but even if she’s almost immediately taken out of the potential wives because she marries someone else… she STILL hangs around, being a friend of Superman and BOTH Lois and Lana.
Superman definitely still has a thing for her, and while she doesn’t exactly reciprocate, in the 60s she’s the only living Superman love interest that is not insane.
You dodged a bullet, Lori. Trust me.
#2: Sue Dibny
The Elongated Man serial is criminally underrated. The relationship with his wife is as realistic as the 60s get. And it’s quite modern for the times: a superhero with a public identity with a wife that supports his job and stays fiercely independent!
#1: Iris West
Iris is basically the only DC superhero love interest that is specifically in love with the secret identity but is NOT in love with the hero. She has a personality of her own, a career of her own, and she doesn’t play crazy mind games. She often criticizes Barry for not being like the Flash, sure, but that’s it… she’s interested in the Flash only because she’s a journalist and he’s news!
Not only she marries Barry (in 1966), but she continues her career… something that seemed unthinkable to the Lois Lane of the time.
To top if all off… in 1967 we find out she learned his secret identity because he talks in his sleep (!!!), but decided to keep it to herself until he was ready to share.
And after that basically nothing changed in their relationship!!!
Seriously, Iris West is the best. A fantastic inspiration for all the great civilian love interests!