SUPERMAN: LOIS LANE #1
Writer: Marguerite Bennett
Artist: Emanuela Lupacchino, Meghan Hetrick, Ig Guara and Diogenes Neves
Inkers: Guillermo Ortego, Hetrick, Ruy Jose and Marc Deering
Colors: Hi-Fi
Review by Suzanne Nagda
“But I suppose everyone is a bit blind about family.”
Lois Lane headlines her own book for the first time in the New 52. It’s fitting that the award-winning journalist returns to her roots–and not simply her role as Superman’s classic love interest. Marguerite Bennett reminds readers of Lois’ tenuous relationship with her family and her childhood as an Army brat. Turns out, Lois Lane and Kate Kane have more in common than you’d think.
Lois is home recovering from a coma. Her sister Lucy comes to her after a brutal home invasion. Without missing a beat, Lois is hot on the trail of the criminals who abducted Lucy’s roommate. Most people know that Lois Lane can never resist a good story. Yet the lengths she is willing to go to show her resolve and willingness to sacrifice for family. Bennett plays with the theme of nostalgia with flashbacks to Lois’ childhood games with Lucy. Then she examines the darker parts of Lois’ childhood and thoughtfully incorporates the idea that nostalgia is essentially rooted in pain. I criticized Bennett’s heavy-handed exposition in past reviews–but this time she hits all of the right beats for the character.
Did I leave out the monsters and evil scientists? This issue sprinkles in some action scenes along with the character building. My only disappointment is that the actual plot is relatively thin and straightforward. (Spoiler free, I promise!) The plot twist feels predictable–if I can figure it out then why can’t Lois Lane? Or maybe the point is for readers to learn about Lois’ blind spots as a character.
If you look at the credits, there are four artists and inkers respectively. The overall effect is a little uneven from page to page. The flashback pages are the strongest with a style that reminds me of Dustin Nguyen.
The Verdict: Tentative buy. Lois Lane is a character with a rich history deserving of her own title. This one-shot has moments of brilliance but isn’t perfect. Bennett seems to have a handle on Lois as a character and what makes her tick. I’d love to see what she can do with a consistent artistic team and more room for the plot to build.
