Warning: SPOILERS for Girl Taking Over: A Lois Lane StoryDC Comics' latest Young Adult graphic novel Girl Taking Over: A Lois Lane Story reimagines the intrepid reporter Lois Lane as an intrepid teen intern with a lot to prove. But the heart of the story isn't Lois' burgeoning career as a reporter—it's how she embraces her own messy life, which includes frenemies, summer romance, and her own relationship to her Asian American heritage.
Readers will certainly be familiar with the general outline of Lois Lane's character; after debuting alongside Superman in Action Comics #1, she's one of the oldest characters in DC's historic roster of superheroes. That makes Lois herself an historic icon and a role model to women and girls the world over. She may be Superman's wife, but her career as an award-winning journalist makes Lois Lane a hero in her own right. No wonder the character is the next to star in a book of her own as part of DC's innovative line of Young Adult graphic novels.
Girl Taking Over Challenges Lois Lane to Embrace Joyful Chaos
This graphic novel makes even more Lois Lane history by imagining Lois as an Asian American teenager grappling with a number of "real world" problems: conniving bosses, tumultuous friendships, and, of course, racism. Girl Taking Over: A Lois Lane Story by Sarah Kuhn, Arielle Jovellanos, Olivia Pecini, and Melanie Ujimori follows a pre-college Lois as she tackles what's supposed to be an exciting summer in National City, where she'll begin her journalism career as an intern at CatCo. Lois' perfectly planned summer immediately falls apart: her roommate is an ex-friend she can't image reconciling with, and her internship goes sour after Cat Grant is fired by a dazzlingly evil (if a little flat) corporate-looking white man whose only "journalistic" goals involve making money. Add to that the pressure of being a young Asian American woman trying to prove her worth, and Lois is on the brink of a breakdown.
The joy and heroism that propels this DC Comics graphic novel is how Lois navigates the compounding mess that is her life—and even comes to embrace the mess as a sign she's truly living and not just following a predetermined "life plan." Girl Taking Over is far from a traditional superhero tale—there's not a single costume or cape in sight—but Lois proves herself a more important kind of hero by persevering through unexpected hardship and embracing a challenging path, one that makes her emotionally and professionally vulnerable. The portrayal of Lois' relationship to her mother and her childhood as a perpetually-bullied Asian American girl is the especially moving core of this book, something fans have never seen before—a true feat for a character as old as Lois Lane, and one that will make her a role model for a new generation and demographic of readers.
Lois Lane's Real Superpower Is Her Determination
This delightful and funny book—the character-acting and bright, cheerful coloring are real highlights—is perfect for Lois Lane fans of all ages and even more perfect for readers completely unfamiliar with Lois and DC's eighty-plus-year history. Lois' appeal has always been her determination and confidence (as well as her charming bull-headedness). This reimagined version of Lois Lane has all those qualities in spades; Girl Taking Over's additions to her character and background only add to the appeal. This graphic novel will make kids feel seen—particularly girls, and even-more-particularly Asian American girls. Is there anything more superheroic than that?
Check out Girl Taking Over: A Lois Lane Story, available now from DC Comics!