Investigating Lois Lane: The Turbulent History of the Daily Planet's Ace Reporter

(Paperback)

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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.

Reviews

"A useful history that's good at placing the character in the setting of her comic-franchise peers." New York Review of Books on Wonder Woman Unbound "A compelling and insightful consideration of a cultural icon that has endured and engaged with the culture for many decades without ever truly being known. A richly detailed, often-surprising work of comic-book scholarship." Library Journal on Wonder Woman Unbound "A lively and important examination of a key feminist icon." Booklist on Wonder Woman Unbound "A wonderful introduction to the character and history of Lois Lane, and how she has continually served as a canary in the coal mine for the treatment of women in comics in general." Kelly Sue DeConnick, writer of Bitch Planet , Captain Marvel , and Pretty Deadly "Tim Hanley finally gives the iconic, enduring first lady of DC Comics the deep exploration and historical analysis she deserves. The result is a decades-long story as absorbing and filled with twists as any of Lois's front page scoops." Gwenda Bond, author of Lois Lane: Fallout and Lois Lane: Double Down "This smart, funny, and thorough biography of the long-suffering woman behind the Man of Steel and her world-renowned multimedia career will have you rethinking damsels in distress and their central role in Western media faster than a speeding bullet. If only I'd had this book as a young journalist and Superman fan!" Anne Elizabeth Moore, author of Unmarketable and cofounder of the Ladydrawers Comics Collective

Author Bio

Tim Hanley is a comic book historian and the author of Wonder Woman Unbound: The Curious History of the World's Most Famous Heroine. His blog, Straitened Circumstances, discusses women in comics, and his column "Gendercrunching" runs monthly on Bleeding Cool. He has also contributed to several comic book sites, including DC Women Kicking Ass and Women Write About Comics.