Superman #126

Superman #126 (1959)
by Jerry Coleman & Kurt Shaffenberger
cover by Curt Swan

I’m sure that blasting untold millions of volts into your brain won’t cause any long-lasting brain damage, Superman. It’s not like there’s anything else in the Silver Age to make question it.

That’s the cover story, but we’re mostly here for the THIRD story in the book.

We begin with Lois Lane deciding to ruin a date she promised in order to go out with Superman. Yeah it’s THAT kind of story.
We have officially crossed into the Crazy Lois era.

We get an idea of what Lois considers the worst possible date for a man.
That dress is indeed ugly, but am I the only one thinking she looks way better in the left panel than she does with her classic look?

It’s hilarious that Lois believes she has to put on this act in order to scare a date… she could just be herself and talk non-stop about marrying Superman, and he’ll dump her in no time.

After eavesdropping on the botched date, Superman decides to ask her to marry him.
That’s either because he wants to teach her a lesson or that he just realized they’re a perfect match because they’re both terrible people… honestly it’s 50-50 with those things.

After becoming engaged OFF-PANEL (!!!), Superman reveals that he’s always worn lifelike masks to protect his secret identity.
Which would honestly be a WAY better solution than the glasses.

Superman then decides to show her his TRUE face.
If you can guess what he has beneath his mask, you’ve either seen the next panel or you’re cheating.

Our you’re as insane as the writer. That works too.

Despite having been engaged for a few panels (???), only now Superman officially proposes.

Lois is taking this well.

Question for my female or gay readers… would date a guy with a face like that if he had Superman’s physique?
Because apparently nobody in Metropolis would.

As much as Lois deserves some punishment, if that was Superman’s only goal he would have stopped at her public humiliation.
I think he enjoys their relationship more when he can just torment her.

Superman is SO into this that he risks exposing is fake real identity!

Nice of the criminal to give a detailed explanation for why Superman’s face is not clearly visible.
Too bad he doesn’t explain why he’s even bothering SHOOTING AT SUPERMAN.

To be fair to Superman, he DOES realize he’s going a bit far.

The next day, she gives him a taste of his own medicine.

Now… any SANE person would call the whole thing off at this point.
But this is Silver Age Superman we’re talking about, so he turns this into an ultimatum.
Also, weird for a 50s comic to have the marriage take place anywhere but a church.

So Superman makes sure Lois is late for the wedding…

…and even attempts to gaslight her into believing she’s doing this herself!

That doesn’t work however, because Lois has already figured out the trick.

The explanation for how she deduces it is questionable at best: it’s because Superman covered his face during the shooting.
Considering that Superman can move faster than time, are we supposed to believe he needed to do THAT to protect the mask???

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Historical significance: 0/10
I’m pretty sure the plot is re-used, but that’s about it.

Silver Age-ness: 10/10
This is exactly what you’d expect from Silver Age Superman and Lois.

Does it stand the test of time? 0/10
Even the Shaffenberger artwork can’t salvage this. Props for having Lois figure out the trick on her own and even trying to throw it back at Superman… but there’s nothing contradicting the fact that, for all her talk, she’s a very shallow individual.

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What else was in Superman #126 ?

The cover story (by Binder and Boring) is about Superman losing his memory.
It includes a VERY rare instance of the “It’s a bird! It’s a plane!” introduction being used in comics.
It’s also ridiculously out of place when Superman is flying like three feet above the public, tops.

Clark Kent’s landlady paints his house without his knowledge or consent or money, something that I don’t think has ever happened to anyone in the history of renting.

But that also gives us this incredible gem of a panel, where we learn that Superman keeps in his closed robot doubles of himself and of Clark Kent. Which raises SO many questions.
Why are they HERE and not in the Fortress of Solitude, which DOES feature in the story?
Why would he EVER need to label them?
And why does he keep Kryptonite chips in his closet???

Superman is also gifted clothes from a random rich guy, something that I’m certain has never happened in the history of commerce.
My theory is that this British guy fully recognizes Superman and gives them the clothes as free advertisement.

Superman then pretends to be a British journalist (???) and gets a job at the Daily Planet.
If pop culture has taught me anything, in the 50s you could just get a job by wearing a suit and asking.

Also NOBODY recognizes him as either Clark Kent OR Superman just because he dyed his hair white and wears a monocle.

The covers scene DOES happen…

…which is a lost opportunity when THIS could have been on the cover.

Once Superman recovers his memory, he ditches the new secret identity by making Lois believe she has spoiled it.
This won’t prevent her from trying to expose him again for a billion times.

The second story (by Coleman and Boring) is about Superman pretending he’s being controlled by a magical giant clock.
Yeah I don’t get it either.

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Interesting letters: there used to be a time when Action Comics #1 wasn’t constantly reprinted.

I told you that DC can’t make up its mind whether Superman ages normally or not: notice the editor doesn’t answer the question!

Supergirl was a smash hit. We’ve very close to her becoming the backup feature on Action Comics.