DC Superman Series Changes Lois Lane’s Race
Per a post on X (formerly Twitter) from series writer and producer Josie Campbell, Lois Lane is officially a Korean-American woman in the new DC animated series My Adventures with Superman. The character has historically been written as a Caucasian woman, though her race has generally had little to do with her actual character traits in most outings, making her an ideal candidate for race-swapping. The series, which recently premiered on Adult Swim, is available to stream on Max.
Lois Lane in My Adventures with Superman is already being praised as one of the best versions of the character in any medium.
My Adventures with Superman marks another in a long line of diversity and inclusivity changes that broaden the horizon and worldview of many iconic characters while also providing representation to underrepresented groups in comic book adaptations. Lois Lane’s voice actor in the series, Alice Lee, is also of Korean descent, providing a genuine and well-rounded performance to the leading woman.
The animated series follows Clark Kent as he explores his origins and comes to terms with his identity as Superman while working alongside Lois Lane as she climbs her way up the corporate ladder at the Daily Planet. The pair work alongside their friend and co-worker Jimmy Olsen, as voiced by Jury Duty‘s Ishmel Sahid. According to her social media posts, Josie Campbell felt it was important to highlight Lois Lane’s Korean heritage through a number of subtle presentational choices.
Lois Lane’s voice actor in the series, Alice Lee, is also of Korean descent, providing a genuine and well-rounded performance to the leading woman.
These choices include Lois Lane’s outfit in the fourth episode of the series, as designed by lead character designer Dou Hong, which is inspired by hanbok gala clothing closely associated with South Korean culture. The race change luckily doesn’t seem to be stirring up much vitriol with social media users, much to the surprise of some of the more open-minded fans of the series.
In the past, adding diversity to popular franchises has been known to create a great deal of controversy online. The first images of John Boyega’s Finn in Star Wars led to a great deal of discourse surrounding the casting of a black actor in the role of a stormtrooper, with franchises such as The Little Mermaid and Max’s Velma following suit in recent years. For Lois Lane’s subtle change of heritage in My Adventures with Superman, fans seem to be broadly more accepting and understanding of the change.
My Adventures with Superman, including the show’s version of Lois Lane, has been a hit with fans, bringing them an upbeat and positive Man of Steel.
This may be a sign of acceptance from the general community after having seen excellent examples of race swapping in the comic book medium, including Samuel L. Jackson‘s now iconic take on Nick Fury in the MCU, as well as Jason Momoa’s Aquaman in the DCU.
Of course, this could also come as a result of the series delicately handling the subject matter of Lois Lane’s race, as opposed to some series, such as Velma, which hinged the entire series on clumsily advertising the change.
Either way, the team behind My Adventures with Superman has taken to social media to credit and congratulate one another on their excellent work, showing solidarity with their compatriots across all departments working on the series. With Lois Lane’s Korean-American identity confirmed, this may leave room to introduce new and interesting storylines for the beloved character down the road.
