Investigating Lois Lane

February 1, 2016

Comic book historian Hanley has written a great follow-up to 2014's Wonder Woman Unbound in this exploration of the history and development (or lack thereof) of Lois Lane. Though Lane is best known as the perennial love interest of Superman, Hanley puts her in the center of the story, examining the history of the character in detail, from her first appearance in the early years of the comic in 1938 to the present day. Lane, like many other female comic characters, has had a complicated path, swinging wildly from self-reliant heroine to swooning arm candy. Hanley uses Lane to introduce readers to a broader history of female characters in graphic novels from the 1930s golden age through today, including television and film adaptations. The author writes from a fan's perspective but never allows partisanship to prevent him from pointing out problems. VERDICT An excellent entry in the history of graphic novels, this work should appeal to a wide range of readers including fans of Superman and DC Comics, as well as historians of popular culture.--Hanna Clutterbuck, Harvard Univ. Lib., Cambridge, MA

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