Lois Lane is now as super as Superman, but how did she get her powers? Superwoman Special #1 sets out to help explain that while establishing the new status quo for the character. Imagine being a regular human for so long, but by your side was Superman to remind you how great you can be with power, and now she has it. It’s a tricky situation, explored this week in Superwoman Special #1.
Superwoman Special #1 opens with Lois trying to write a story, but she’s having a tough time with the very first sentence. She’s got writer’s block and can’t get out of a rut. That is, until Lana Lang and Kara swoop in to get her superhero itch scratched. Soon, they’re flying off in a great double-page splash fighting crime to forget about their troubles.
This is a breezy issue, taking its time to unpack what Lois was doing before she got her powers and trying to figure out if they are prominent. The story doesn’t give us complete answers, but hints at where the powers came from and likely how she’ll lose them when a familiar threat comes knocking. As an extra-sized issue, this issue doesn’t feel like it offers enough punch per page, but it’s a nice solo issue that fills in a few gaps.
What an awesome double page spread.
Credit: DC Comics
Edwin Galmon, Laura Braga, and Nikola Cizmesija draw this issue, trading off here and there. I can’t say Lois’ facial expressions are always spot on, but the grandeur of being a hero is. Some scenes can have sparse backgrounds that don’t let your imagination hang on the panels but instead speed along, further making the issue feel less perfected.
A couple of moments don’t quite work. One involves Lois storming into an office and instead of using her words to get attention, she smashes a giant wooden desk. It doesn’t seem like something Lois would do, nor should she be angry enough to ask for help in that way. Another involves Lois revealing to Superman she has powers. While the sentiment of how she shows him is meant to mimic how he showed her, it is somewhat awkward when Clark isn’t getting it, and then they do the flying together thing.
Superwoman Special #1 is a solid entry for fans curious about Lois Lane’s transformation into a superhero, delivering engaging action and emotional depth. However, uneven pacing, art inconsistencies, and a couple of missteps in characterization keep it from soaring as high as it could.
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