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What is with all the L.L. initials in the "Superman" universe?

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What is with all the L.L. initials in the "Superman" universe?

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Old 11-17-04, 03:40 PM
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What is with all the L.L. initials in the "Superman" universe?

1. Lex Luthor
2. Lionel Luthor
3. Lois Lane
4. Lucy Lane ("Supergirl" (1984))
5. Lana Lang
6. Lewis Lang ("Smallville: Episode 1: October 2001")
7. Linda Lee (Kara or Supergirl's alias in the 1984 "Supergirl" movie)

I mean that is just plain odd or there is rationale behind it all. It's just been on my mind for weeks since I watch "Smallville" and with the appearance of Lois, just triggered this name game. Does anyone know and can discuss?

Last edited by OldBoy; 11-17-04 at 03:44 PM.
Old 11-17-04, 03:43 PM
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Along the same lines, Superman himself is Kal-El.
Old 11-17-04, 03:45 PM
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I wondered about that even as a kid reading the comics......
Old 11-17-04, 03:58 PM
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what I have always wondered (reference to the movie) why Jor-El has the 'S' logo on his shirt. Kal-el doesn't become 'Super' until he hits earth.

Anyone?
Old 11-17-04, 04:08 PM
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Here's a post from alt.comics.superman which seems to be be pretty informative:


http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...elusplanet.net

From: Phillip Atcliffe ([email protected])
Subject: Re: names
Newsgroups: alt.comics.superman
Date: 2001-11-03 01:22:31 PST

>> does anyone know if there's any significance in the double L initials?
(Lois Lane, Lana Lang, Lex Luthor)?

> Far as I know, it started out as a coincidence and became a running joke.
> But I could be wrong.

Not much. That's pretty much what happened. Lois was first, of course;
Luthor wasn't even "Lex" to begin with, IIRC, he was Alexei, later shortened
to Lex, or just Luthor. Lana was invented in 1948 or thereabouts for the
Superboy tales; why she was also an LL, I don't know, but she was a Lois
figure for the young Clark (unrequited attraction, sometimes sidekick, tried
to expose identity) so that might have been deliberate.

And that more or less started the bandwagon. From then on, the Weisinger
(sp?) titles referred to the "importance of LL" in Supes' life on a regular
basis. There was Lori Lemaris, Lyla Lerrol (later Ler-Rol, and I suspect
that that change was the origin of the female "surname" custom on
Krypton) -- even Lara Lor-Van! Plus a host of one-shot characters who were
given an LL name to keep the "tradition" going.
Old 11-17-04, 04:10 PM
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I think it was an accident.
Old 11-17-04, 04:24 PM
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Plus, he worked at the Daily Planet.
Old 11-17-04, 05:06 PM
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Originally posted by Michael Corvin
what I have always wondered (reference to the movie) why Jor-El has the 'S' logo on his shirt. Kal-el doesn't become 'Super' until he hits earth.

Anyone?
I forgot where I watched or read it but it was supposedly the "Family Emblem/Logo/Seal" that just happened to be in the shape of an "S".
Old 11-17-04, 05:20 PM
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Originally posted by Kal-El
I forgot where I watched or read it but it was supposedly the "Family Emblem/Logo/Seal" that just happened to be in the shape of an "S".
please stick to original topic and not post another within, really not right...
Old 11-17-04, 05:28 PM
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Originally posted by scott1598
please stick to original topic and not post another within, really not right...
Just answering what was asked. Sorry.
Old 11-17-04, 05:36 PM
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Originally posted by scott1598
please stick to original topic and not post another within, really not right...
Old 11-17-04, 06:37 PM
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Originally posted by Kal-El
I forgot where I watched or read it but it was supposedly the "Family Emblem/Logo/Seal" that just happened to be in the shape of an "S".
Just happened to be in the shape of an S . . . a giant sticky celophane S that could envelope the bad guys from Krypton. Yup.
Old 11-17-04, 08:38 PM
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Comic books have historically had alliterative names.
Bruce Banner
Peter Parker
Clark Kent
David Dunn (Unbreakable)
etc.
Old 11-17-04, 09:07 PM
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If I remember correctly, I think even Superman thinks to himself about all the women in his life are LL's when Supergirl chose Linda Lee as her alter ego in the issue she was introduced.
Old 11-17-04, 09:57 PM
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Smallville has not one, but two sets of double L's!

That's fucking creepy man.
Old 11-17-04, 11:08 PM
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Originally posted by Kal-El
I forgot where I watched or read it but it was supposedly the "Family Emblem/Logo/Seal" that just happened to be in the shape of an "S".
In the movie the "S" was on the blankets and materils sent with him in the vehicle. Marth Kent used that material to make his costume using the "S" on his chest and cape in other Superman stories but I don't know if she did in the Superman movie.

Back on topic so as not to piss off scott....

Who knows why all the "LL's" in the Superman universe. Perhaps it's an in joke?
Old 11-18-04, 03:13 AM
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Originally posted by scott1598
please stick to original topic and not post another within, really not right...

Please stop posting worthless threads..... Or figure that the forum doesn't need so much clutter with various silly superman question threads. If it can be answered in this thread, more power to it.

In all seriousness. the LL's a running gag really, as explained in the earlier post. They do poke fun of it plenty of times in the comics.

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were just nutty.

Also, Superman: Birthright explained the S to some degee. Since that is the new "canon" orgin for the man of steel, I'm sticking to it.

At first Clark thought it was a family crest of some sort, but if it was more to the kyrptonians. They have it on banners in going to war. as he put it "Wars were fought over it. Entire cities were built on it. Over the course of time, it became a promise. A sign of people fighting to make a better world. A symbol of hope.

Sooooooooo... when he got back from his travels Clark got the banner that he was sent off with and made the outfit of it.

Last edited by Jackskeleton; 11-18-04 at 03:15 AM.
Old 11-18-04, 07:20 AM
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Originally posted by Jackskeleton
Or figure that the forum doesn't need so much clutter with various silly superman question threads. If it can be answered in this thread, more power to it.
Exactly. I don't think my silly question warranted a whole thread. Just thought I'd throw it in here since there would be some Superman experts browsing.
Old 11-18-04, 08:33 AM
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Double L's are simply logical
Old 11-18-04, 11:31 AM
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Stan Lee said he used to do it because he thought the names were easier to remember and just sounded good.

Peter Parker
Bruce Banner
Reed Richards
Matt Murdock
Stephen Strange
Dum Dum Dugan!
Scott Summers
Warren Worthington
Betty Brant
Robbie Robertson
J. Jonah Jameson
Otto Octavious
Sue Storm

I'm sure there are more but my tired brain can't think of them now.
Old 11-18-04, 11:34 AM
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This thread is a load of bull...
Old 11-18-04, 11:40 AM
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What about Peter Pepper?
Old 11-18-04, 12:22 PM
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Originally posted by PixyJunket
What about Peter Pepper?
Hey! Start your own thread, you don't want to send things off course in a thread that's in the wrong forum, since it's really more about comics than movies.
Old 11-18-04, 01:26 PM
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Originally posted by Jackskeleton
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were just nutty.
Holy double triple JS's Jack Skeleton!

and Matt Murdock IS DareDevil!
and Reed Richards and Sue Storm of the Fantastic Four go up against Dr. Doom
Old 11-19-04, 02:04 PM
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Originally posted by Giantrobo
In the movie the "S" was on the blankets and materils sent with him in the vehicle. Marth Kent used that material to make his costume using the "S" on his chest and cape in other Superman stories but I don't know if she did in the Superman movie.

Back on topic so as not to piss off scott....

Who knows why all the "LL's" in the Superman universe. Perhaps it's an in joke?
...and he did not become Superman until Lois gave him the name.


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