Today’s post is on Investigating
Lois Lane: The Turbulent History of the Daily Planet's Ace Reporter by Tim Hanley. It is 303 pages long and is published by Chicago Review Press.
The cover is white with Lois Land in Dark blue and the city behind her in light
blue. The intended reader is someone who likes Lois Lane, is interested in her
history and the history of comics. There is no foul language, talk of sex, and
talk of violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.
From the back of the book- In a universe full of
superheroes, Lois Lane has fought for truth and justice for over 75 years on
page and screen without a cape or tights. From her creation by Jerry Siegel and
Joe Shuster in 1938 to her forthcoming appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of
Justice in 2016, from helming her own comic book for twenty-six years to
appearing in animated serials, live-action TV shows, and full-length movies,
Lois Lane has been a paragon of journalistic integrity and the paramour of the
world's strongest superhero. But her history is one of constant tension. From
her earliest days, Lois yearned to make the front page of the Daily Planet, but
was held back by her damsel-in-distress role. When she finally became an ace
reporter, asinine lessons and her tumultuous romance with Superman dominated
her storylines for decades and relegated her journalism to the background.
Through it all, Lois remained a fearless and ambitious character, and today she
is a beloved icon and an inspiration to many. Though her history is often
troubling, Lois's journey, as revealed in Investigating Lois Lane, showcases
her ability to always escape the gendered limitations of each era and of the
superhero genre as a whole.
Review- Let me get this out of the way first, I am a
big fan of Lois Lane. She is brave, smart, and creative. She stands tall in the
face of heroes, villains, gods, and she does not back down. Lois Lane is a
wonderful character and I loved reading about her past and hope for her future.
Hanley loves her too and I think that it shows in this book. He researches so
much about her and her long story but with great respect and at times frustration
for how Lois was handled by the men in the cutting room. Hanley does not spare
them from his displeasure with how in the 1950s, Lois was infantilized, how her
core character traits where ignored and down played throughout the whole of her
history. But he also points out that Lois Lane is tougher than that and always bounces
back to be herself again. I really enjoyed the way that Hanley wrote about her
and I am going to be reading his other books on Wonder Woman and Catwoman.
If you are a fan of comics and of Lois Lane, you should read this book.
I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for
my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.
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