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Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance #1 - Breaking News

2

Resist picking up this issue

DC's most famous news reporter takes her place amongst the plethora of Flashpoint offshoot titles in her very own three issue mini series. How does Ms. Lane fit into Flashpoint?

The Good

The first issue of Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance picks up where the first issue of Flashpoint: Wonder Woman and the Furies left off; with Wonder Woman's Amazons and Aquaman's Atlanteans preparing for a major battle following the tragic assassination of Diana's Mother. The fact that these books feel so connected makes the series feel consistent. Yes, I'm reading an issue about Lois Lane and yes, it aligns extremely well with the events that have taken place since the launch of the Flashpoint event. The same creative team that brought us Flashpoint: Wonder Woman and the Furies (which I absolutely adored) bring us this Lois Lane mini series. Most of the events that have already taken place in Flashpoint and in the accompanying Flashpoint mini's are addressed in this issue.

The Bad

Here we have a creative team which is given the opportunity to define Lois Lane's character--even if it is temporary. It's not every day that writers get the chance to adapt an already well established character. I was hoping for so much more not only from this book, but for Lois.

Looking first at the cover you'll notice that Lois looks like a no nonsense chick; with her pistol in one hand, she looks ready and willing to defend herself from any impending doom or threat. Even the title to the mini series, 'Lois Lane and the Resistance' only serves to reinforce this idea that Lois would be a strong and interesting character. Well, don't judge a book by it's cover because you won't find that here.

The story opens with a recap of what we saw in previously released Flashpoint titles and swiftly moves to a fashion show in Paris which Lois Lane the "serious reporter" is supposed to be covering. Within the first few pages we see a dramatic event take place and Lois is transported to "New Themyscera." Without giving away details about the story, I can't say I was at all impressed with Lois in this series. Both Lois' characterization and the way the plot unfolds feel incredibly contrived and not at all natural. Not only did it feel forced, but it wasn't very interesting either. To be honest, I could think up a dozen alternatives to the way the creative team introduced Lois' character and executed this first issue.

Unfortunately, I can't say I was a fan of the art in this first issue, either. The proportions for the characters seemed a bit off and Lois looked more like Power Girl than anything.

Jimmy Olsen was not a very believable spy for the Justice League. In fact, there was little to no setup for these characters which was very disappointing.

The Verdict

One of my big complaints about Lois' character is the fact that she usually comes across as a weak character-- and I don't know why. For someone who spends a lot of time throwing herself out of the sidelines and into the fire, Lois should be portrayed as a far more interesting and compelling character than she is. After the awesome first issue of Flashpoint: Wonder Woman and the Furies, I was expecting a little bit more from this creative team. The writers had the chance to define Lois Lane in a whole new and exciting way, and they missed their chance.