Lois Lane #2 Discussion

[Vordan]

Loved the first issue so looking forward to reading the second issue after work. I’m guessing we’re going to see Kate show up in this issue.

[kjn]

Some minor notes after reading.

Rucka kept up the thread of Lois's relation to the White House, but only as another thing for her to deal with. Instead, the main plot thing turned out to be the Question's (Renee) investigations in Moscow and the results of Lois starting to pick up the threads in the USA.

It seems that Rucka has a few beats that he returns to: the hotel where she stays in Chicago and the talk with her maid there, her conversations with Clark, and her banter with Perry White at the Daily Planet. I wouldn't be surprised if Rucka keeps up these throughout, as a way to ground Lois in the world and keep a steady beat in the storytelling.

One interesting thing is the people that are talked about. Lois calls the maid by name—Alejandra. Zatanna is mentioned in the talk show in the opening sequence. Renee Montoya—as the Question—is Lois's most important associate in this investigation. Diana is mentioned in the background, and then Perry asks Lois if Diana is her source. This is grounding Lois in a world where there are women, and plenty of them.

[Yoda]

I liked this issue a lot. Continues to be everything I wanted out of a Lois Lane book. Not sure if this is necessary, but since the title doesn't say "spoilers" I don't want the ruin anyone's experience.

spoilers:

I really enjoy the way Rucka is dealing with the kiss photo here. It is a problem they are dealing with and isn't being played out of proportion just to generate drama for them. And both Lois and Clark's reactions are true to character. It's also a pretty realistic take on how someone of Lois' stature would be treated by the media today and remains some pretty solid meta commentary on Lois' treatment by comic fans and creators. I'm assuming the other shoe of Jon will drop eventually, what with the big "status quo" change being hinted at, but if Rucka keeps handling things on Lois' end, I think it could work out ok. The mystery aspect is really intriguing. It's a ripped from the headlines type thing obviously, but it's still being filtered through the DCU lens. Showing Lois doing the leg work of the investigation was well done. Interesting to see where it all goes. The Lois/Renee team is pretty great, Lois isn't a damsel but isn't played up as a superhero either and that's fantastic. Rucka of course has always written a great Renee. Their bar meeting and the end sequence were very solid. Th banter between Renee and Lois was really well done. Establishes a solid relationship that I'm really not aware of existing before. The Lois/Diana friendship hinted at equally so. I would love for Rucka to bring Diana in a bit as well. Perry continues to be the best. Absolutely LOVED the little bit where he prints out the story to edit it on paper. Such a great little touch. Lois misspelling "the" hit a little close to home for me. I'm still caught making the occasional "hte" in my own writing.

end of spoilers

I picked up both covers again, they're both great. So far I'm liking Perkins art more on the covers than the interiors. But his work fits the tone of the book and it's got that grittiness to it that really works.

[Rakzo]

This was good. Solid writing (aside from the typical cringey Rucka buzzwords, "FAKE NEWS!" for God's sake), good characterization, entertaining dynamics, I especially like the inclusion of Renee Montoya, Rucka really knows how to portray her and her interaction with Lois is well done too.

Good art as well. Solid overall.

[K. Jones]

Super good stuff.

It didn't feel too decompressed but it definitely felt like a "keep the pieces moving" second chapter, building to something but without a lot of revelations yet. Which is fine in a thriller - I think I can feel the kernels of like, "if we go back over this issue, or "previous issues" after the next chapter, we'll see the architecture." Love that. And the very real feel of someone either gunning for journalists or gunning down people who are going to talk to journalists. Ultra relevant.

I'm loving this just being a Lois story but I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm itching to get that Question on Question interaction.

[superduperman]

Picked up the last copy at my LCS. Well, Kate didn't show up but we DID get to see Rene without the mask. This one was more enjoyable than the first. More action oriented. We're officially getting a conspiracy now. Been a while since I followed a monthly book so I had to remember what happened last time. I see they're still running with the "Lois can't spell" bit. After reading the first issue, I wasn't really looking forward to the next one but I am with this one.

[DragonPiece]

Another great issue, it makes me sad this run will probably be underrated till the trade comes out, but at least we are getting a guaranteed 12 issues.

[Vordan]

Another good one. I do like how maturely Clark and Lois are handling the fallout of the public kiss, no real drama other than Clark wanting to protect Lois. I really like the banter between Lois and Renee, and spoilers:

looks like the next issue will feature the Renee/Vic reunion if I’m reading the tease right.

end of spoilers Can’t wait for that!

[kjn]

Taking another look, I'm somewhat unsure about the direction that Rucka is choosing to direct the plot in.

If this is supposed to be a fantasy of journalism, it went in a decidedly thrilleresque or James Bond direction by the end with the assassination of Agger. And that doesn't fit, for two reasons.

One, it feels dated. If one wants to silence journalists in the Western world today, one buys their newspaper (or equivalent), or drowns them in fake news, or performs a character assassination. The story gave a nod to that journalism is a dangerous occupation with the murdered journalist in Russia, but western journalists are working in a different environment.

Second, it doesn't fit into the journalist theme. The journalist isn't here for survival, or revenge, or for solving a crime like murder. They're here to find and tell the truth. The events here muddies those waters, by making it personal for Lois.

[adkal]

One, it feels dated. If one wants to silence journalists in the Western world today, one buys their newspaper (or equivalent),

The Daily Planet currently isn't for sale - it was recently acquired by Leone (confirmed in Action 1006)

or drowns them in fake news, or performs a character assassination.

There have been allusions of this occurring over in Action (see the Mayor's comments in 1006, for example) and here. A work-in-progress, perhaps.

[Yoda]

If this is supposed to be a fantasy of journalism, it went in a decidedly thrilleresque or James Bond direction by the end with the assassination of Agger. And that doesn't fit, for two reasons.

One, it feels dated. If one wants to silence journalists in the Western world today, one buys their newspaper (or equivalent), or drowns them in fake news, or performs a character assassination. The story gave a nod to that journalism is a dangerous occupation with the murdered journalist in Russia, but western journalists are working in a different environment.

Second, it doesn't fit into the journalist theme. The journalist isn't here for survival, or revenge, or for solving a crime like murder. They're here to find and tell the truth. The events here muddies those waters, by making it personal for Lois.

Lois likely wasn't the target, Agger appeared to be. The gunman shot him immediately and didn't even aim for Lois who was directly in front of him crouched down. Lois hit him and Renee tackled him before he could go after her, if he even intended to. As Renee alludes to everyone assumes Superman is going to be there to save her, so it's possible the gunman wasn't even going after her. The gunman conveniently is still alive as well. So Lois likely will not be the target, at least initially. And it's also kind of obvious that the Russia investigation and Lois' detention center story will connect through the money trail she was working.

And this is journalism through the fantastic lens of the DCU. One where a journalist relies in part on the help of a vigilante and meets her alien husband for morning coffee. I mean, Lex Luthor until recently ran a major corporation, you think he isn't above killing a associate that was becoming a liability? Agger's division leaked finances to Lois and he was about to meet with her himself. If anything, this is a little predictable for a political/journalistic thriller. It's more House of Cards than West Wing.

The Daily Planet was just bought by Leone over in Action Comics for the very reasons you describe. Except Leone is only concerned with throwing them off the trail of her criminal organization. As the Invisible Mafia likely has nothing to do with Russian journalists or detention camp profiteering, Leone would have no problem with allowing this investigation to go forward and likely would welcome Lois Lane having her sights on some other criminal network. Leone's goal is to keep people focused on other things and let her organization operate completely anonymously.

We are also seeing the fake news allegations and character assassination angles play out through the Superman tape. That's not even subtext - we see that happen in real time on the first couple of pages.

Finally, Lois puts on an air of detachment, but I think she actually takes this stuff very personally. She's just as passionate about the truth and justice as Clark is. That's her whole thing and the reason he basically falls in love with her immediately.

[K. Jones]

Lois likely wasn't the target, Agger appeared to be. The gunman shot him immediately and didn't even aim for Lois who was directly in front of him crouched down. Lois hit him and Renee tackled him before he could go after her, if he even intended to. As Renee alludes to everyone assumes Superman is going to be there to save her, so it's possible the gunman wasn't even going after her. The gunman conveniently is still alive as well. So Lois likely will not be the target, at least initially. And it's also kind of obvious that the Russia investigation and Lois' detention center story will connect through the money trail she was working.

And this is journalism through the fantastic lens of the DCU. One where a journalist relies in part on the help of a vigilante and meets her alien husband for morning coffee. I mean, Lex Luthor until recently ran a major corporation, you think he isn't above killing a associate that was becoming a liability? Agger's division leaked finances to Lois and he was about to meet with her himself. If anything, this is a little predictable for a political/journalistic thriller. It's more House of Cards than West Wing.

The Daily Planet was just bought by Leone over in Action Comics for the very reasons you describe. Except Leone is only concerned with throwing them off the trail of her criminal organization. As the Invisible Mafia likely has nothing to do with Russian journalists or detention camp profiteering, Leone would have no problem with allowing this investigation to go forward and likely would welcome Lois Lane having her sights on some other criminal network. Leone's goal is to keep people focused on other things and let her organization operate completely anonymously.

We are also seeing the fake news allegations and character assassination angles play out through the Superman tape. That's not even subtext - we see that happen in real time on the first couple of pages.

Finally, Lois puts on an air of detachment, but I think she actually takes this stuff very personally. She's just as passionate about the truth and justice as Clark is. That's her whole thing and the reason he basically falls in love with her immediately.

More an indictment of what happens to "rats" who talk to reporters, or whistle-blowers, I'd think, or even outspoken types, or even just those that might decry or embarrass hierarchs. In spite of the Russian connection to this particular story development, I was more reminded of the whole Jamal Khashoggi situation. But it's also just a classic storytelling trope - the guy with the bad connection who might talk gets offed. Actually the entire story structure here relates incredibly well back to the film noir stuff of the 1940s, same as Lois Lane's creation. You see a bit of 1970s thriller in it, too for sure, but of course the 1970s featured a resurgence of film noir and 1940s style stories, in Hollywood with the likes of Chinatown and like everything Robert Redford was in, but also in comics, with Denny O'Neil coming in and taking Batman back to the "Dark Knight". Not every noir hero was a hard-boiled private eye. Although in this case, we obviously literally have Renee AND Vic working with our ace reporter and filling those roles.

I imagine we'll see different permutations of all of those sorts of dynamics - we'll probably get a few characters that get silenced various ways by power-structures, besides just Agger.

[JAK]

Another amazing issue. They're really knocking it out of the park with this one. I think the art is improved this time, too.

One thing I think I'm noticing that's maybe my imagination: it seems like Lois's spelling is less of a "she can't spell" and more of a "her focus is the truth of the story and the rest isn't important" kinda thing. The fact that she always gets name spellings right (because that's the truth) is a lot more "important" than something that a spell-checker could correct. That she pushes back on the spelling of "detention" not having a "u" with "well, it should" struck me as more of a hand-wave than an actual serious reply. In that context - even though it's not necessarily realistic - it gives Lois a touch of the "reckless action heroine" vibe (think "Lethal Weapon," etc), so I didn't mind it as much as I would have if it's just a "thing" to do.

[kjn]

Lois likely wasn't the target, Agger appeared to be. The gunman shot him immediately and didn't even aim for Lois who was directly in front of him crouched down. Lois hit him and Renee tackled him before he could go after her, if he even intended to. As Renee alludes to everyone assumes Superman is going to be there to save her, so it's possible the gunman wasn't even going after her. The gunman conveniently is still alive as well. So Lois likely will not be the target, at least initially. And it's also kind of obvious that the Russia investigation and Lois' detention center story will connect through the money trail she was working.

Perhaps my previous post wasn't that well worded, but the trouble with the assassination here was that it rather changes Lois's relation to the plot. Instead of a journalist out to find out and tell the truth, she becomes a witness to a murder and might have to see herself as a possible target for assassination.

If Agger had been murdered quietly (maybe to mask it as a suicide) before he even met Lois, it would arguably have served the plot as well, without confusing Lois's role in it.

[Yoda]

I suppose. But I don’t see Lois reacting that way. If anything, she’ll see it as evidence she really has them worried and work harder to find the truth. Like I said, she already takes this stuff personally. Not in the sense that she was personally the target, but she takes the corruption and coverup personally. We already saw that with her sending Renee to Russia. She didn’t even like the murdered journalist, but the idea that the government had her killed and covered it up she wasn’t going to let stand. So the shooting isn’t going to alter her perspective much. She saw taking these people down as her mission. This just reinforces that.

And again, I’d be surprised if she was the actual target. Even as a witness or target, for her, it doesn’t change her relation to the plot.

Rucka’s Adventures of Superman run actually did have her shot and she investigated it herself over the course of the run. If I recall correctly it wasn’t because she wanted revenge. She wanted the truth about what happened and she didn’t buy the cover story she was fed.