Summary

  • Lois Lane sees through Clark Kent's perspective in the story "Glasses" from Mysteries of Love in Space #1, and discovers the loneliness he feels trying to fit into a world he wasn't made for.
  • Clark Kent made himself smaller to use his strength and heart for others, desperate to ensure no one else would feel left behind the way he has his entire life.
  • Lois realizes that Clark needs someone to share his secret with, someone who can understand his burdens and guilt.

Few people truly love and understand humanity like Superman – gifted with extraordinary abilities, he chooses to split his time between a civilian life and saving the planet time after time. Lois Lane knows him better than anyone, and when she directed her investigative skills toward Clark's life, she saw exactly what turned him into the brave, selfless man he is.

Mysteries of Love in Space #1 contains the story "Glasses" – by Jeff Loveness, Tom Grummett, and Cam Smith – which depicts Clark Kent through Lois Lane's perspective, as she does her best to see through his. Lois puts on Superman's glasses, to speak, as she recalls the earlier days of their work together and their relationship.

Mysteries of Love in Space #1, s with Lois Lane and Clark Kent as Lois ponders Superman's loneliness.

What Lois finds is loneliness on a scale no one else could have known, as he tried to fit in with a world that he wasn't made for. Lois poses the idea that Clark "needed someone to save [him]" from the burden that he'd carried for so long.

Superman Wants To Be Part Of Humanity

Mysteries of Love in Space #1, Clark Kent embraces a scared child and Lois Lane watches him work on a Daily Planet article.

Mysteries of Love in Space #1 was published on January 30, 2019 by DC Comics.

Not only does Lois' realization lift her anger over Clark's secrecy, it emphasizes the tragic circumstances it took to create Superman. As Lois goes back over their time together, she begins examining what made her stop seeing him as the cowardly man at the Daily Planet. The iration came from watching as Clark "looked people in the eye and saw their pain" in a way she could not. As she looks at all those moments through his eyes, she realizes how deeply lonely he must have felt for each one. He was split in two - acting as Clark Kent, the reporter, and Superman, with no one to really see him.

For so long, Clark believed himself to be the last of his kind. When he finally revealed his identity to Lois, her first reaction was anger instead of understanding, further setting Clark apart from the world and people he loved so much about. After putting her own hurt aside, Lois sees just how far Clark went to be "one of [them]". He made himself smaller, so he would always use his strength and heart for those who needed it most, ensuring no one else would need to feel left behind. Superman doesn't falter from this, even at his lowest, at his loneliest, remaining determined to keep anyone else from experiencing the same thing.

Superman Needs Saving Too

Mysteries of Love in Space #1, Superman reads Lois Lane's "Glasses" op-ed and tells her that he felt so alone.

Lois realizes that the thing he needs most, and the thing she can give him, is someone to share the secret. For all of his gifts, that's one he couldn't give to himself. Even after sharing his identity, he keeps the worst days to himself, not sharing the burdens or guilt he carries. "Glasses" is Lois' gift to him, letting him know that he is seen even on those bad days. Upon receiving it, Clark tearfully confirms that he was "so alone" just as she suspected. It was both incredible loneliness and love that forged Superman, proving even Earth's most caring hero longs to be understood.