No lane to Contain Lane
On the eve of America’s birthday the first part of Lois Lane’s gritty summer crime comic, written by Greg Rucka and drawn by Mike Perkins, hit shelves.
DC is making this the summer of mystery and those who solve them. First their summer event Event Leviathan came in full force with the mystery of who is trying to bring world order by taking down superheroes. Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber are bringing an all new Jimmy Olsen comic on the 17 of July. And now Greg Rucka and Mike Perkins are giving Lois Lane the spotlight in her own 12 issue maxiseries.
The cover establishes the type of story that will be told in the next 12 issues. A dark gritty tale, involving a multiple pulitzer prize winning journalist. The cover is Lois Lane holding a paper in front of a skyline, all in black and white except for the burning ‘S’ coming through the paper. This kind of cover alerts readers, Lois Lane is no damsel in distress, if any murders happen it’s her solving the case.
Issue one is foundational but soft beginning. Nothing major happens. Lois Lane faces no real threats, the few she is easily overcomes. Clearly, Rucka is laying down the groundwork for, hopefully, something big. Hopefully, the payoff comes soon and hits hard.
The strongest point of the issue is the way Rucka explicitly lays out that Lane, a multiple Pulitzer prize winning journalist, is not taking crap from no one, no how. Lane will also do anything to find her answer for a story. Determination and persistence.
It’s quite fitting that Rucka would write a Lois Lane story. Rucka’s most notable books comic book and prose have thematic elements of dark mysteries.
Clark Kent makes a few brief appearances in the issue. Lois Lane makes it clear she is in charge and will need no help from the man of steel.
Early in the issue, there is a ‘deep throat’ moment. Lois Lane meets with someone who the reader doesn’t know yet in the bottom of a parking garage. While a nice homage in a journalist comic, it seemed a bit overplayed and cliche. Like it didn’t seem out of context for the character necessarily. It just was blatantly reminiscent of every time that exact scene has been replicated in a story regardless of the medium.
The comic ends with a press briefing. Lois Lane comes in with a wicked smirk, whipping out fact after fact that bewilders the audience. The Whitehouse spokesperson becomes agitated with Lane almost instantly, throwing her out. Due to facial expressions and appearance, it’s not that much of a stretch that the Whitehouse spokesperson more than vaguely resembles Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Even though Lane is given the boot, she still delivers the last word leaving the building with the same smirk she wore walking in.
The scene in no way moves the story forward. Though it certainly helps the reader to understand the type of journalist Lane is and should be expected to be in the rest of the maxiseries.
Out of the DC mysteries coming out this summer, Lois Lane sets itself apart by being the dark crime noir, that tackles relevant topics such as migrant border issues. Though it’s up to issue 2 to prove whether the foundation is worth the house being built.
There are still 11 more issues to unravel. Go pick up a copy at your local comic book store or via DC Universe.