When I started reading Superman comics, circa 1957, his biological parents were named Jor-El and Lara. Later, he would be revealed to have a female cousin, Kara, daughter of Jor-El’s brother, Zor-El.

Even as a kid I was already fascinated by the history of names and their origins, and I found it very interesting that the advanced culture of Krypton had what appeared to be separate naming traditions for males and females.

At least, at first. Is it strictly coincidence that the rise of feminism and the “women’s liberation” movement in the Seventies also saw old-fashioned proprietorial attitudes being exported from Earth to Superman’s birth world? Lara became Lara Jor-El, establishing her subservience to her husband. Kara became Kara Zor-El. Seemed like maybe those middle aged White guys who were running DC were rebelling against the women’s movements. Unconsciously?

I miss the old days.