Comic book reviews for Lois Lane #1, Lois Lane #2, and Lois Lane #3 by Greg Rucka, Mike Perkins, Paul Monts, and Simon Bowland
Average rating: 5/5 stars
Lois Lane #1 by Greg Rucka (writer)
Art: Mike Perkins (art), Paul Monts (colors), and Simon Bowland (letters)
This opening issue reminds me what a talented writer Rucka is. He’s incredible at setting the tone of the book and the point-of-view of the character. This book is so sharp out of the gate. And of course, because this is Rucka, it’s noir with some crime and politics.
But this is also a Superman book, in that Superman is the opposite of noir. But Lois works as an investigative reporter. She’s somewhere between a Shonda Rhimes TV show and a Raymond Chandler book. Rucka’s Lois isn’t the type of person who’d be fooled by Clark Kent for two seconds, so it’s good this is set many years into Lois and Clark’s marriage. I like that Lois and Clark have an adult relationship.
Yet, they still have their secrets.
Which again, makes this book work because Superman is not noir and cannot clean up noir Lois’ loose ends. Instead, she employs the Question, and all of us who love the Question are so freaking happy about this.
There are things I’m not overly fond of — Lois’ instructions to her housekeeper to always stock the minibar. I don’t like the idea that writers and characters in noir must drink and maybe drink too much.
I’m not sure what I think about Lois being called a slut for getting caught kissing Superman in his cape and tights. Except I believe it would happen: both the photo being snapped with all of us carrying cameras and how shitty people would react.
McCarthy is too on-the-nose of a name to use.
Perkin’s art is a mix for me. It doesn’t surprise me that Rucka’s working with him given his style is similar to other artists Rucka’s worked with previously. It serves the story. However, that last page with Lois leaving the White House, it’s just a little too hour-glass sexy for me in a way the other pages aren’t.
Lois Lane #2 by Greg Rucka (writer)
Art: Mike Perkins (art), Paul Monts (colors), and Simon Bowland (letters)
Perkins’ art remains the place, in an otherwise solid book, that I find rocky. Most of the time, I have no problems with the noir feel, and even in Lois working out in her hotel room scenes, those landed as respectful portrayal. But in the opening page, we have a TV anchor in a tiny pink tank top with her boobs pushing out. Also, in the scene where Renee shouts Lois’ name, so the baddies don’t gun down Lois, Renee appears to be wearing bright red lipstick for some reason (which is a Monts’ coloring issue), but also she has an hourglass figure.
Cismale artists, I want to tell you a secret: boobs come in all different sizes, and people who have boobs come in every range of femme, masculine, and beyond, not dictated by what our style is. Genetics are funny like that. Also, our boob size doesn’t change based on the situation. What does perhaps change is the support wear of said boobs. Some of us, like myself, even have such small boobs that we don’t wear any support gear.
Lois and Clark are pretty darn cute. I like that Clark’s overprotective of her, but also he doesn’t intervene where she doesn’t want him to. The part where Lois says her relationship with Superman doesn’t work like that — she cannot just call him — was pretty fabulous.
I want a lot more of Renee and Lois’ friendship. I want to know how they started working together and how they bonded with each other. I’m not sure we’ll get that since this series is going to be only 12 issues.
It’s slightly unbelievable that one of those rich guys would flip so soon. But it furthers the plot along, and it shows just how brazen Lois has to be in her role.
Rucka’s balancing a lot with Lois getting kicked out of White House briefings, and then Perry telling her the entire Daily Planet staff has also had their access revoked, and our current real world situation where this is happening to reporters. I do wonder how much DC editorial will let Rucka get away with. I know Rucka’s come head-to-head with editorial before.
The ongoing gag of Perry giving Lois crap about how she cannot spell is pretty silly. Though I appreciated him pointing out that she must’ve disabled spellcheck, because I don’t know about you, but if I see the little squiggly red line that tells me I spelled something wrong, I immediately change it.
Lois Lane #3 by Greg Rucka (writer)
Art: Mike Perkins (art), Paul Monts (colors), and Simon Bowland (letters)
Well, I gave Superman some credit that this issue didn’t play out. Lois was 100% correct that Clark was posing for the media and the baddies after Lois; they will think twice about attacking her knowing that Superman will show up. Of course, this doesn’t make Lois feel independent, and it only adds fuel to the rumors of Lois’ “affair” with Superman.
In boob watch: there was one weird scene with Lois’ boobs.
Perkins’ art changed a lot in the closeup scenes between Lois and Superman in their private conversations. Their interactions had a softness suited for the mood.
I do love Lois flying.
Vic Sage seems to have died and come back alive again. Since Rucka killed him (from cancer) in The New 52, it will be interesting to see what he does here. Also, the Questions revealing themselves to each other seemed rather anti-climatic. Who else was going to have that technology and those methods? But who sent Charlie?
I’m not entirely sure what I thought of that ending where Lois thinks her son was Clark in the shower. Sure, he may look like his father, but…shouldn’t he have some super hearing and been like “Mom!” before she even got fully inside the bathroom.