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Lara (character)

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Lara (née Lara Lor-Van) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, Lara first appeared in the Superman newspaper comic strip in 1939. Lara is the biological mother of Superman, and the wife of scientist Jor-El. Lara Lor-Van is Lara's full maiden name, as "Lor-Van" is the name of Lara's father.[1][2] Most depictions of Kryptonian culture show that Kryptonian women use their father's full name as their last names before marriage. After marriage, they usually are known simply by their first names, though various versions show they use their husband's full name or last name as their married last name.[3][4]

Lara
Lara (right) and husband Jor-El (left), as statues in Superman's Silver Age Fortress of Solitude. From DC Special Series #26, June 1981. Art by Ross Andru.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceSuperman comic strip
(January 16, 1939)
Created byJerry Siegel
Joe Shuster
In-story information
SpeciesKryptonian
Place of originKrypton
Notable aliasesLora (Golden Age/Earth-Two version)
Lara Sul-Van (Superman: The Animated Series)
Abilities
  • Genius-level intellect
  • Expertise in aerospace engineering and technology
  • Skilled martial artist and hand-to-hand combatant

Lara's role in the Superman mythos has varied over the years, with her treatment and emphasis often depending on the decade in which she was written. Golden Age and early Silver Age stories treated Lara in a lesser role compared to her husband. However, stories from the 1970s onwards depict Lara in more prominent roles; one such example is the 2004 miniseries Superman: Birthright. After constructing his Fortress of Solitude, Superman honored his deceased biological parents with a statue of Jor-El and Lara holding up a globe of Krypton.[5]

Susannah York portrays Lara in the 1978 film Superman: The Movie, the 1980 film Superman II, and the 1987 film Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.[6] Ayelet Zurer portrayed Lara in the 2013 film Man of Steel, which is set in the DC Extended Universe. Mariana Klaveno portrayed the character in the television series Superman & Lois.

Fictional character biography

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Golden and Silver Age versions

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Lara, Jor-El, and Superman. From the cover of Superman #141 (November 1960). Art by Curt Swan.

Lara's first appearance was in the Superman newspaper comic strip on January 16, 1939, where she was named Lora. Her first comic book appearance (after being mentioned in the 1942 text novel The Adventures of Superman by George Lowther, where she was named "Lara" for the first time) was in More Fun Comics #101 in January–February 1945. A 1948 retelling of Superman's origin story[7] subsequently delved into detail about Lara, though her more familiar Silver Age aspects were established starting in the late 1950s and over the next several decades.

After the establishment of DC's multiverse in the early 1960s, the Golden Age version of Superman's mother was stated as having been named "Lora", and lived on the Krypton of Earth-Two.[8][9] The Silver Age Lara, meanwhile, lived on the Krypton of Earth-One.

A definitive synopsis of the Silver Age Lara's life (summarizing the various stories revealing her history) came in the 1979 miniseries The World of Krypton (not to be confused with the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths late 1980s comic special of the same name).

As summarized in The World of Krypton (and in various other stories), Lara was a promising astronaut in Krypton's space program before it was grounded after Jax-Ur destroyed Krypton's moon Wegthor.[1][10] Eventually, Lara met scientist Jor-El, with the two having several adventures together before getting married,[3] such as a time-traveling Lois Lane attempting to seduce Jor-El after failing to marry their son in the future.[11] Some time later, Lara gave birth to the couple's only child, Kal-El.

Early in Jor-El and Lara's marriage, the couple are briefly watched by the Guardians of the Universe, who note that they would have made an excellent Green Lantern.[12]

Lara and Jor-El were shown to be practitioners of the Kryptonian martial art of "klurkor".[13]

When Krypton was about to explode, Lara and Jor-El placed their infant son into an escape rocket built by Jor-El. In most retellings, Jor-El wanted Lara to accompany their son to Earth, but Lara refused, saying their son would have a better chance of reaching Earth without her extra weight. Kal-El's spaceship then took off as Lara and Jor-El were killed in Krypton's explosion.[14]

Modern Age versions

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After the 1985-1986 miniseries Crisis on Infinite Earths and John Byrne's 1986 miniseries The Man of Steel rewrote Superman's origins, details about Lara's background and character were changed.[15] Under Byrne's version, Lara inhabited a cold, emotionally sterile Krypton where even bodily contact was forbidden. Lara's grandmother, Lady Nara, and Seyg-El, Jor-El's father, were the ones who arranged the union between them – so that they might have a child who would fill an opening in the planet's Register of Citizens when another Kryptonian died a rare and untimely death. Jor-El, however, was considered a "throwback" for actually expressing emotions toward his wife Lara, and for his favoring the less sterilized days of past Kryptonian eras. In this version of the mythos, Lara was a librarian and historian of high rank and thought it horrifying that Kal-El would be sent to a "primitive" planet such as Earth. In one story, the adult Kal (now Superman) is transported to the past and encounters his parents moments before Krypton's destruction. Lara is disgusted by what she sees and tells Kal not to approach her, finding him "repellent", even as she is ashamed of her feelings.

In the 2004 Superman miniseries Superman: Birthright, Lara, along with Krypton and Jor-El, more or less again became their Silver Age versions, though with updated touches. In this version, Lara is treated as a fully equal partner to Jor-El in constructing Kal-El's spacecraft and in designing various key components.

In the 2009 series Superman: Secret Origin by Geoff Johns, Superman is first introduced to his birth mother in his teens by the spaceship that brought him to the Earth as a baby. She is introduced to Kal-El by a hologram of Jor-El as his mother. This moment shocks Superman and brings tears to Martha Kent's eyes.

Also in 2009, Lara's own family background is described. Lara Lor-Van is born into the Labor Guild, whose members are not physically abused but have no say in the choices of their lives and who, unlike the members of other guilds, cannot change guilds. Lara became a member of her husband's Science Guild when she married him and was thereby granted all the freedoms granted to other Science Guild members. A member of Krypton's Military Guild describes this as being "raised up."

The New 52

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In September 2011, The New 52 rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, Lara is a member of Krypton's military forces. One of the most talented students on the Military Academy, Lara is both a skilled fighter and a bright scientist.

Lara appears in the "Krypton Returns" storyline. She gives her maiden name as "Lara Van-El."[16]

Other versions

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  • An alternate universe variant of Lara appears in Superman Family Adventures. This version survived Krypton's destruction by escaping into the Phantom Zone. She is eventually freed by her son and accepted into the Superman family.[17][18]
  • An alternate universe variant of Lara appears in Superman: The Last Family of Krypton. This version survived Krypton's destruction and accompanied Jor-El and Kal-El to Earth, where Jor-El sets up the corporation JorCorp while Lara establishes the self-help movement 'Raology'. More open to adapting on Earth, she arranges for Kal-El to be adopted by the Kents so that he can live a more normal life, and later has twin children, Bru-El and Valora, who possess diminished powers due to their 'stunted' genetics. Lex Luthor later transforms Bru-El into a kryptonite-powered superhuman who kills Lara.
  • An alternate universe variant of Lara appears in Superman Adventures. This version is a resident of a Kryptonian city that survived Krypton's destruction. However, after spending years drifting in space, Lara has become bitter and egotistical, abducting her universe's Superman and Supergirl and brainwashing them into being dedicated soldiers. When the 'prime' Superman arrives in this world, he joins forces with Jor-El and some of his enemies to stop Lara, at which point Jor-El destroys the city to send Superman home.[19]

In other media

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Radio

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Lara appears in The Adventures of Superman, portrayed by Agnes Moorehead.[20]

Television

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Lara and Jor-El as depicted in Superman: The Animated Series.

Films

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Video games

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References

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  1. ^ a b Superman #233 (January 1971)
  2. ^ Superman Family #192 (November–December 1978)
  3. ^ a b Superman #141 (November 1960)
  4. ^ World of Krypton #1 (July 1979)
  5. ^ Action Comics #395 (December 1970)
  6. ^ "Superman Film Series / Characters". TV Tropes. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  7. ^ Superman #53 (July–August 1948). DC Comics.
  8. ^ Superman Family #202 (July 1980). DC Comics.
  9. ^ Secret Origins #1 (April 1986). DC Comics.
  10. ^ Adventure Comics #289 (October 1961). DC Comics.
  11. ^ Binder, Otto (w), Schaffenberger, Kurt (a), Milt Snapinn (let), Weisinger, Mort (ed). "Lois Lane's Romance with Jor-El!" Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, no. 59 (August 1965). National Periodical Publications, Inc..
  12. ^ Superman #257 (October 1972). DC Comics.
  13. ^ The New Adventures of Superboy #28 (April 1982). DC Comics.
  14. ^ The World of Krypton #3 (September 1979). DC Comics.
  15. ^ Greenberger, Robert; Pasko, Martin (2010). The Essential Superman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. pp. 194–195. ISBN 978-0-345-50108-0.
  16. ^ Action Comics (vol. 2) Annual #2 (December 2013)
  17. ^ Superman: Family Adventures. DC Comics.
  18. ^ Super Powers. DC Comics.
  19. ^ Superman Adventures #30-31. DC Comics.
  20. ^ Tranberg, p. 403
  21. ^ a b c d e f "Lara Voices (Superman)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved July 14, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  22. ^ "Smallville "Lara" Image Gallery - with Helen Slater!". Kryptonsite.com. Retrieved December 25, 2010.
  23. ^ "Lara, Superman's Mom In Pilot". Archived from the original on May 14, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
  24. ^ Younis, Steve (July 14, 2024). ""My Adventures With Superman" – Season 2, Episode 9: "Pierce the Heavens, Superman!" Review". Superman Homepage. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  25. ^ Bettinger, Brendan (September 25, 2011). "Ayelet Zurer Cast as Superman's Mom in MAN OF STEEL". Collider. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  26. ^ Schaefer, Sandy (June 15, 2011). "Connie Nielsen & Harry Lennix Rumored For Man of Steel". Screen Rant. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  27. ^ "Julia Ormond Out As MAN OF STEEL's Biological Mom!!". Ain't It Cool News. September 25, 2011.
  28. ^ Luchies, Adam (July 3, 2022). "Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons Sets 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & Digital Release". Collider. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  29. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved July 14, 2024.

Further reading

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Tranberg, Charles (2005). I Love the Illusion: The Life And Career of Agnes Moorehead. Albany, Georgia, BearManor Media. ISBN 1-59393-029-1.

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