Yang & Romita, Jr. Expose Lois Lane in New "Superman" Arc "Before Truth"

[CBR News]

Gene Luen Yang & John Romita, Jr. shared details with CBR about their admiration for Lois Lane, who features heavily in the new "Superman" arc.


Full article here.

[Airtrap]

JRJR has no filter in interviews geez, i kinda want to see his M-Rated Superman book


... but yeah Lois should be running the Planet, down with Perry. That would actually be a interesting character progression for her

[misslane]

JRJR has no filter in interviews geez, i kinda want to see his M-Rated Superman book

At this point, I'm so disgusted with his commentary on Superman and his mythology, that I hope that he's off the books as soon as possible.

... but yeah Lois should be running the Planet, down with Perry. That would actually be a interesting character progression for her

Lois should not be running the Planet. For 75 years, Lois has been defined by her impulsiveness, courage, and curiosity. She is not the type to thrive behind a desk. Besides, the New 52 already tried that path for her, and it didn't work out.

[DragonPiece]

Yeah, really not a fan of anything Romita is saying in these interviews, I see what he is getting at, about Lois needing to be more independent in today's world, but he's just saying it the wrong way.

Thankfully, Gene is the writer and he really understands the characters and the first issue of his run was great. Excited for more.

[Auguste Dupin]

JRJR has no filter in interviews geez, i kinda want to see his M-Rated Superman book


... but yeah Lois should be running the Planet, down with Perry. That would actually be a interesting character progression for her

Yeah, they need to find a way to prevent him from saying anything about Lois ever.
I swear, it's like, Yang talks and he's making sense, and then he talks and you know that's every one is going to remember.
Which is a shame because what Yang says is interesting.

[Tayswift]

Yeah, really not a fan of anything Romita is saying in these interviews, I see what he is getting at, about Lois needing to be more independent in today's world, but he's just saying it the wrong way.

Thankfully, Gene is the writer and he really understands the characters and the first issue of his run was great. Excited for more.

Lois was always independent, since her creation. if Romita jr just don't like lois and clark together just say it, just don't try a fake feminism

John Romita, Jr.: I think she's annoying. [Laughs] She has the exact same hair and color as Clark Kent. I draw them in the same panel, and I'm screaming because I can't change her hair.

Honestly though, yes, she's a strong character. But if you overthink it and do the exact same thing that people want, that's bad. Now that's it's established that she's a strong character, there is nothing wrong with doing something different with her, as long as you don't tie her to the railroad tracks.

Personally, I think that she shouldn't get into any kind of romantic relationship with Clark Kent ever again. Ever. It's just too damn easy. Finding out who he is should irritate [her] to no end. I think, to make her different, you have to make her completely independent of any cliché ever written about this female character, because she's original female heroine. And there is no way of doing anything original with her unless you take what everybody else expects her to do and don't do it. If she decides to be a bitch, let her be a bitch. That's her prerogative, because Clark is a doofus. [Laughs] She should call him an "*******," when she finds out he's Superman. And there should be no romantic involvement. She should also be running the Daily Planet. In the 1940s, sure, she could have said, "Ooh. You're my big, strong superhero." But screw that. We don't do that anymore. It's time for her to say, "You lied to me, you bastard. I should have known. And how come I couldn't tell it was you with your glasses on?" [Laughs] "I'm so stupid. You look exactly the same."

this comment and mike sexton about Furiosa comic shows that comics really have a lot to change to get female characters right

[Airtrap]

Lois should not be running the Planet. For 75 years, Lois has been defined by her impulsiveness, courage, and curiosity. She is not the type to thrive behind a desk. Besides, the New 52 already tried that path for her, and it didn't work out.

I see your points and agree with most but on the other side it feels like everybody else gets new "jobs" or "upgrades" all the time, only Lois and Alfred are what they were at the beginning of the New52 it seems. The Producer job sounds good in theory, just like the Blogger one for Clark, just Lobdell did nothing with it. In short i actually like "change" in comics, when it's good obviously

[Last Son of Krypton]

Next time it would be better to interview Yang alone.

[manofsteel1979]

At this point, I'm so disgusted with his commentary on Superman and his mythology, that I hope that he's off the books as soon as possible.

I have to agree. I actually wouldn't mind seeing Kenneth Rocafort return. His art was distinctive and actually was leagues superior to the crap scripts he was getting from Lobdell. Or....better yet Nicola Scott or Dan Jurgens.

[stillanerd]

Okay, I understand the points Yang and Romita are trying to get across with Lois, that they feel she "can stand on her own as a character without the romantic involvement of Clark" or that the "underlying tension" between them is "not what defines them," but at the same time, I just get the sense that both of them, especially Romita, really missed the point by a wide margin.

Romita Jr. says Lois finding out Clark is Superman should "irritate her to no end," citing this a justification for why "[they] shouldn't get into any kind of romantic relationship with [each other] ever again." Well, guess what? That's exactly how Lois has reacted in virtually every single instance she has found out Clark was Superman. The only exceptions I can think of off the top of my head are Smallville and Man of Steel. She has essentially called Clark to carpet from keeping his identity secret from her precisely because she cares about him, and can't abide by the fact that the man she respects the most lied to her for so long. That's no guarantee she'd never forgive him, much less stop caring about him. Also his comment about how Lois should have found out about Clark being Superman "25 years ago?" Guess what? She already did! And it was the New 52 relaunch which took that knowledge away.

I'd also like to point out that one of the reasons why Lois has been such an important character is because of the romantic tension between her and Clark. It's been their history together, the contrast of personalities, and the chemistry and tension between them which has made Lois and Clark/Superman not only one of the most iconic couples in comics, but in all of literature. Her having a thing for Superman hasn't marginalized her character one bit. If anything, it's the opposite which has done so. Her being in a relationship with Jonathan Carroll (gee, whatever happened to that guy?) and followed by Superman's romance with Wonder Woman is what all but pushed her off to the sidelines in the first place during the course of the New 52. As the most important supporting character in Superman, she needed to be more involved in both Clark and Superman's life, not less.

Same goes when he talks about how Lois "should also be running the Daily Planet." Does anybody not remember what happened when DC made Lois an executive producer for the Planet's television division at the start of the New 52. Once again, it wound up marginalizing her instead of empowering her as a character, making her even less involved in the stories. What's more, Lois is not a desk jockey; she likes to go where the story is, to be on the front line where the action is, because more than anything, she wants to get the scoop which will win her another Pulitzer. She's not a woman who would be at all comfortable doing Perry White's job, not because she isn't capable of doing so, but because she'd be bored out of her mind.

[Cmbmool]

Yeah, really not a fan of anything Romita is saying in these interviews, I see what he is getting at, about Lois needing to be more independent in today's world, but he's just saying it the wrong way.

Thankfully, Gene is the writer and he really understands the characters and the first issue of his run was great. Excited for more.

Well Romita has done that OTHER RED AND BLUE WEARING Superhero. So you have to admit some time away has to be dealt with.

[Rich Johnston]

This is the Bleeding Cool theory as to why Lois did what she did.... danegeld.

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2015/06/...kent-spoilers/

[manofsteel1979]

Okay, I understand the points Yang and Romita are trying to get across with Lois, that they feel she "can stand on her own as a character without the romantic involvement of Clark" or that the "underlying tension" between them is "not what defines them," but at the same time, I just get the sense that both of them, especially Romita, really missed the point by a wide margin.

Romita Jr. says Lois finding out Clark is Superman should "irritate her to no end," citing this a justification for why "[they] shouldn't get into any kind of romantic relationship with [each other] ever again." Well, guess what? That's exactly how Lois has reacted in virtually every single instance she has found out Clark was Superman. The only exceptions I can think of off the top of my head are Smallville and Man of Steel. She has essentially called Clark to carpet from keeping his identity secret from her precisely because she cares about him, and can't abide by the fact that the man she respects the most lied to her for so long. That's no guarantee she'd never forgive him, much less stop caring about him. Also his comment about how Lois should have found out about Clark being Superman "25 years ago?" Guess what? She already did! And it was the New 52 relaunch which took that knowledge away.

I'd also like to point out that one of the reasons why Lois has been such an important character is because of the romantic tension between her and Clark. It's been their history together, the contrast of personalities, and the chemistry and tension between them which has made Lois and Clark/Superman not only one of the most iconic couples in comics, but in all of literature. Her having a thing for Superman hasn't marginalized her character one bit. If anything, it's the opposite which has done so. Her being in a relationship with Jonathan Carroll (gee, whatever happened to that guy?) and followed by Superman's romance with Wonder Woman is what all but pushed her off to the sidelines in the first place during the course of the New 52. As the most important supporting character in Superman, she needed to be more involved in both Clark and Superman's life, not less.

Same goes when he talks about how Lois "should also be running the Daily Planet." Does anybody not remember what happened when DC made Lois an executive producer for the Planet's television division at the start of the New 52. Once again, it wound up marginalizing her instead of empowering her as a character, making her even less involved in the stories. What's more, Lois is not a desk jockey; she likes to go where the story is, to be on the front line where the action is, because more than anything, she wants to get the scoop which will win her another Pulitzer. She's not a woman who would be at all comfortable doing Perry White's job, not because she isn't capable of doing so, but because she'd be bored out of her mind.

I literally yelled at the computer screen when Romita said that which I bolded. Where the hell was he? Living under a rock for 30 frickin years!!!!!????

says to self*calm down, Dave.....calm down"

As far as the rest of what you said...spot on.

[dogwelder]

Maybe JR JR is using that super humor that Seinfeld suggested he had.

[mfactor]

Put me in the group of people who have never liked Lois Lane and hope she never has a relationship with Clark. Never saw the appeal of her that would draw Superman to her. She's one character I could see being dead for a few years before being brought back. Hope she ends up with Lex. now that would b interesting