Fanboys Anonymous

Why does the Superman franchise love the letter "L" so much? It's a question that's bugged me for many years ever since I started to pay attention to just how many times the letter pops up. There's a difference between having some alliteration like Peter Parker and Reed Richards, but there's an overabundance of the L-letter in Superman to a ridiculous level. How much of an overabundance, you say? Take a look...

Lois Lane
Lucy Lane
Lana Lang
Lyla Lerrol
Luma Lynai
Lori Lemaris
Lionel Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lutessa Lena Luthor (Jesus Christ)

Lest we forget that Superman's ancestry is The House of El - meaning that everyone in his family has the attribute....

Kal-El
Jor-El
Kara Zor-El (who goes by Linda Lee)
Mon-El
Cir-El
Kon-El
Lara Lor-Van El

*extra points go to the Earth-Two Superman, who quite literally has it changed to Kal-L.

You might as well at this point

So what gives? Personally, when I see something like this, it's a detractor. I'm someone who loves puns and subtle references to meanings of names and such, but this is overkill. It's at a point where it comes off childish to me - something that comics have been fighting against since their inception. I just think it's silly and when you look back on old Superman comics that have him continually fighting apes and Lois Lane sticking a lead box on her head to prevent Superman from seeing her face, it's embarrassing for something that is actually quite an impressive and amazing mythology.