Lois Lane #1 is good, really good. Written by Greg Rucka, the series is a breath of fresh air not just for the character or DC, but in comics in general. Though set in a world of capes and superpowers, Rucka keeps the debut issue of this 12-issue maxi-series grounded.

Lois Lane is a reporter, one of the best there is and this issue shows why. It takes us through her daily business as she works on assignments and stirs shit, just as a good reporter would do. She works leads. She submits articles. And, she argues and fights to get the truth out in the open. Lane does this all while balancing a life with Superman/Clark Kent.

Rucka delivers a human focus with the issue. There’s a spotlight on the world around capes in this instance and what being caught up in that might do. But, the first focus is Lois Lane and how good at her job she is. How tough and focused she is. And, her quirks (she’s a horrible speller such as myself).

There’s also a grounding in our reality. Mentions of the abuses by the occupant in the White House hit home. There are mentions of Tweets. Then there are the camps reminding you more of reality. There’s a lot of small details in the comic which will likely anger a segment of individuals but also adds depth to the comic. It makes it something we can relate to more and also connects us to this magical world better.

The only knock on the comic is the lack of a clear focus on who or what the antagonist is. Lois shakes out some leads but it’s mostly a mystery making the comic feel more like a “slice of life.” genre.

The art by Mike Perkins, along with color by Paul Mounts and letters by Simon Bowland is top notch. The art style matches Rucka’s noir-ish gritty reporter take. The characters look great and small details on every page and panel add to the story. It’s as much a visual telling as it is through the dialogue. Character movement and positioning delivers details as well as small items like a sticker. You’ll linger on pages to catch it all.

Lois Lane #1 is one of the best debuts of the year. It’s a comic that’s long overdue but better late than never. The team has shown Lois Lane is the star we always knew and most importantly, you don’t need superpowers to have strength and shape the world.

Story: Greg Rucka Art: Mike Perkins
Color: Paul Mounts Letters: Simon Bowland
Story: 9.5 Art: 9.5 Overall: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review