The New 52 hasn’t been particularly kind to the iconic Clark Kent/Lois Lane partnership. More than just eliminating their marriage, the rebooted DC Universe has offered precious little sign they have much of a friendship at all. One benefit of Superman new status quo is that the Lois/Clark dynamic is finally at the forefront of the franchise again. In particular, Superman #43 explores the fallout of Lois finally learning Clark’s big secret (again) and what it means for the intrepid reporter to be a part of both sides of Clark’s life. The result is a strong dynamic that has precious little room to flourish before the series barrels forward again.
That’s been the problem with writer Gene Luen Yang’s approach to the series so far. The characterization for Supes and his supporting cast is very well done, but the combination of an underwhelming conflict and a one-dimensional villain drags the series down. Nothing changes this month. Hordr_Root is still a generic, faceless villain who is more a means to an end than a real character. Considering how relevant the idea of hackers using personal secrets as blackmail fodder is right now, it’s a shame Hordr_Root isn’t used to better effect.
The appeal of seeing Lois and Clark interacting on a intimate, honest level for the first time in years is real. Yang does a great job of exploring Lois’ tumultuous emotional journey as she wrestles with this secret and whether or not she can keep it in confidence. Meanwhile, the growing bond between Jimmy and Blue lends a touch of levity to an otherwise serious and emotional script. The problem is that this issue rushes forward in its attempt to showcase exactly how and why Lois outed Clark’s identity. It’s not that the reasoning is poor or even unjustified, but that the build-up is too quick.
On the plus side, Yang’s script offers a healthy blend of character interaction and action for John Romita, Jr. to tackle. Romita’s line-work is more consistent this month, even with two inkers and three colorists on board. Romita really nails the warm bond between Lois and Clark in the early pages, before everything in their world suddenly goes to hell.
