Lois Lane, to me, is supposed to be the hero for little girls to look up to. She is supposed to be a strong, independent female journalist, with strong skills in sleuthing. And, I suppose she had to start somewhere, but this story, of where she started being interested in journalism just felt off to me. There was nothing of the future Lois here, nothing at all.

This was a fun quick read about the young life of Lois Lane! There really isn’t much going on in this novel except Lois Lane getting confidence within herself and wanting to pursue her dreams! I also love the beautiful artwork in this novel! Thus, this was a fun read with Lois Lane as the heroine!

The art was great - I loved the bright colors - but the story was boring. It seemed a little young for its reading level, and Lois was a brat. I didn't like it.

Lois Lane is one of my favorite characters in the DC world, but I found this graphic to be definitely different than what I was expecting. It wasn't the Lois I assumed she would be in her younger years to create the reporter she is known for today. I would still add to my classroom library due to the colorful illustrations and I think my students would enjoy this title.

Hello, hi, I hope everyone is doing well!

It has been an extremely busy week already. I have done a lot of reading, a lot of catching up on my Youtube watch list, and a lot of random adult stuff. In the midst of all of that I picked up a new to me graphic novel to read! I have been reading a lot of the DC graphic novels and I remembered that this one came out a while ago, I honestly did not know much about it before going in but I was still excited to give it a try! So I hoped over to Hoopla and used one of my borrows for the month to grab this graphic novel and give it a try.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Lois and her best friend are planning to have the best summer and that includes completing the #friendshipchallenge and becoming Vidme stars. The first step in this plan is to sign up for the town bike race together but when they get to the local bike shop, the owner is talking about the fireworks being missing. The two friends only have a limited amount of time to solve the missing fireworks mystery, win the bike race, complete their friendship challenge, and become Vidme stars before one of them heads to summer camp. Will they be up to the task or will things quickly fall apart?

This was a really cute graphic novel. The illustrations were all fun and bright! I particularly loved the inserts between the chapters, they were cute, colorful, and fun. Additionally, I loved Lois’ pet cat (who was definitely one of my favorite characters of this graphic novel). Overall, this was just a really fun middle grade graphic novel read and I look forward to seeing what might come next from a middle school aged Lois Lane!

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

This was a cute, quick read. I think Lois tended to freak out over things but other than that is was pretty enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you DC Entertainment and NetGalley for sharing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I loved this comic so much. A young Lois Lane finding her way and getting into mischief was so much fun and the friendship center theme was beautiful. I look forward to more!

This book gets 3/5 stars. I enjoyed it but I can say that I was not the target audience. I did not like how Lois did not really listen to her best friend and only did what she wanted to do. I also think the ending wrapped up to quickly.

Fun perspective for a superhero book. Great for read aloud and discussions. Great graphic novel to add to the shelf.

I expected the wrong things from Grace Ellis and Brittney Williams' Lois Lane and the Friendship Challenge. I wanted a story about a young Lois, a loyal and determined friend who was dedicated to getting to the heart of any story. I wanted to understand better who the grown-up Lois Lane (who I’m currently adoring in the Lois Lane: Enemy of the People series by Greg Rucka and Mike Perkins) was as a kid. I wanted to see Brittney Williams’ clean, powerful, expressive art, and how her bright, warm style would inform the character I love so much. What I got, however, was something very different. That’s not entirely the book’s fault; those expectations were born of an understanding and love of a character who this book showed in a very different light.

Before this starts sounding like I'm about to write an an entire article bashing this comic, here's the truth: if this were a book about Goldie Vance at 13 years old. If it had been “Character Name Here” and the Friendship Challenge, I would have loved it. But by putting Lois Lane’s name on the cover of the book, my expectations were set for a very specific kind of story.

Instead of a Lois who was deeply involved in getting to the truth of any story, no matter how painful it might be, I got a Lois who was obsessed with becoming famous on VidMe (lawyer-friendly YouTube) through a video contest. Instead of a Lois who was sharply aware of everything around her (except for the resemblance between Clark Kent and Superman, but that’s a whole other thing, and before anyone makes a glasses joke, just take a look at Orphan Black to see why the disguise works), I got a Lois who was completely unaware of how her jealousy was wrecking her relationship with her best friend. And instead of a cool mystery that Lois was going to solve, I got a story about a girl who was nervous about her best friend going away to camp (and Ellis and Williams together do a fantastic job of conveying how terrified Lois is).

There are some stolen fireworks and a side story about how the local bike race is going to be “fixed” in favor of one of two warring bike shops that eventually figure into the story, but they felt almost tertiary to the plot: Kristen was going away for camp, and Lois was panicked over it. Even Lois’ desire to figure out who stole the fireworks isn’t about understanding what happened, it’s about proving that Izzy, the new girl in town, is up to no good and therefore Kristen, Lois’ best friend, shouldn’t spend time with her. The eventual revelation that the mystery was set up specifically for Lois to solve feels strange; but there’s nothing that indicated to me that Lois would want to solve a mystery.

Separately, there was almost nothing in this book that set the story in the DC Universe. There were no superheroes, no supervillains, no wild antics, no Jimmy Olsen turning into a turtle. One of the bike shops has a weird level of high tech bike improvement capabilities, but that’s it. Superhero worlds are based on having big stakes and big risks; Lois Lane and the Friendship Challenge doesn’t have either one. Even winning the Friendship Challenge just makes one Internet-famous.

DC has been creating a more robust series of middle grade and young adult titles over the past several years. DC Super Hero Girls, both the series by Shea Fontana and the one by Lauren Faust, have been popular and exciting, combining superhero elements with kid-friendly stories that focus on laughter, friendship, and appropriate-level stakes. Novels like Diana and the Island of No Return have offered images of superheroes before they were superpowered. Young Adult graphic novels like Teen Titans: Raven, The Oracle Code, Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass, and the upcoming Teen Titans: Beast Boy all offer fascinating examples of kid-friendly superhero stories without requiring a background in the DC Universe. Up until the huge round of layoffs that DC announced, I would have said (and have said) that if DC wanted to create a new generation of fans for their universe, this was exactly how they needed to do it - by showcasing the characters they have been developing for over 80 years in a way which can be read and understood by a general audience.

But Lois Lane offers none of that. Lois has always been superhero-adjacent; she’s most well known for her relationship with Superman, of course. In the Golden and Silver ages of comics, she spent a lot of time as a damsel in distress. But my first Lois happened with the Lois and Clark TV show, and right up until she started eating frogs (if you don’t know, don’t even ask), she was a take-no-prisoners, powerful-in-her-own-right, smart and assertive reporter with a passionate devotion to the truth. Lois Lane has appeared in both of the DC Super Hero Girls series, and both have held to this portrayal of Lois; she’s smart, she’s unrelenting, and she’s passionate. She believes that people should know the truth, even when it hurts.

Grace Ellis’ Lois is none of those things. I wanted to like this Lois. I was cool with her wanting to be a famous vlogger; this would be a great modern take on the hard hitting news reporter. I understood why 13 year olds get jealous and do really stupid stuff in order to avoid things that scare them. But while Lois’ determined nature is on full display throughout this book, she also verges into behavior that is downright mean. She is blind to any potential truth other than the idea that Kristen’s new friend is there to ruin the town’s bike race. She cuts Kristen off every time Kristen tries to talk about how she wants to spend this day with Lois because she’s leaving for camp soon. And in a choice I just don’t understand, she decides that the right thing to do is to create a fake review of the camp to convince Kristen’s parents not to let her go. (Why this even begins to work, given that Lois’ costume is a trench coat and fake mustache, absolutely boggles me, both as a writer and a reader.) Lois isn’t looking for the truth; she’s trying to prove that she’s right.

Eventually, after a weird ending with a clearly illegal bike winning the race, someone points out that Lois did eventually untangle the mystery, even accidentally, and that she might enjoy doing that again in the future. I could read this as the moment that sets Lois on the path that will turn her into a stubborn, outspoken reporter who needs to get the story at any cost. But it was too late to save the story for me, and not elegant enough to be handled as a moment if I had bought into the premise of the book.

Throughout the book, Brittney Williams’ art shone, as it always does. She’s my favorite comic artist working in this round, cartoonish style. I first saw her work in Goldie Vance and then followed her to Patsy Walker, aka Hellcat and Rainbow Brite. Her name on this book was one of the reasons I picked it up, and I don’t regret reading it. That said, while I won’t dissuade anyone from reading it, I’m unlikely to recommend it.

I wanted something different than what this book had to give me. I’m not sure whether that was the book’s fault or mine. Either way, it was an unsavory pairing.

I received an advanced copy of Lois Lane and the Friendship Challenge through Netgalley, though I will share my honest thoughts on this graphic novel. The book is a good length, and has beautiful illustrations. I like Lois' character along with the others, but it's a little immature and young. To be fair it is for third through seventh graders, so that makes sense. The book does have great themes and lessons throughout - especially about friendship. 

You can get your copy now - it came out August 11th. If you have a young reader, I believe they would enjoy this a lot. 3 out of 5 stars.

Lois Lane is one of my favorite characters in DC Comics, so I was really excited to pick this one up!

Lasting Impressions

I want to take a moment to gush about the art. THE ART. Oh my word, I loved it. It's so bright and colorful, and the characters are so expressive! The outfits are super fun. I loved looking at each panel and page, soaking in the details. Brittany Williams totally outdid herself here.

In this brand new Lois Lane story, we see her as a young teen who is excited and anxious to spend the best last few days with her friend before her friend goes to summer camp... but at the same time she's really preoccupies with going viral on social media. I really liked seeing these dual goals from Lois, since they are pretty relevant today, but I had a hard time enjoying her growth and journey as she learns to not be so focused on what others think of her. She comes off as insensitive and uncaring, and at one point starts bullying a person who is new in her neighborhood. I'm used to a Lois Lane who is inquisitive and resourceful, always looking for justice instead of just someone to blame. It was hard to match these two characters up as the same person. Lois eventually learns to listen to those around her and she becomes less judgmental. In the end, I liked seeing that growth and getting a peak of the Lois Lane I'm more used to seeing in other stories.

The other characters in the story, including Lois's best friend Kristen, a college girl named Henri, and new friend Isabella are the best. Even when Lois doesn't treat them the best, they try and help her through her issues—though sometimes they stand their ground and tell Lois what's what. These friendships are so positive, and I really loved that part of the novel.

Quick Thoughts
-The big fluffy cat is so cute and funny!

Overall Feelings

This is a fun graphic novel with lively, beautiful art and interesting themes that will feel relevant and relatable to young readers.

I think this book will have a lot of appeal to teens at my library that enjoy Guts and Real Friends. I really enjoy the art style, but the characters and story was lacking for me.

I think this will do well, but there was nothing about it that really stood out to me.

Great book for any kids library. Yet, couldn't help but find Lois to be unlikable. She didn't start off as a great friend and it took a bit for the reader to build that relationship with her. I am taking that into consideration though for her 'aha' type moment near the closure of the book. While I enjoyed this one, it wasn't a favorite. It could have a great tie for a kiddo who is struggling with bullying or having trouble making friends.

I hate to give a 'yeah, no' to something about Lois Lane, but, "Yeah, No."

I think what they were trying to do was have a story where 'Lois goes through some stuff and starts as a different person, but then slowly finds her future self' thing. But, instead, to me, Lois just felt entirely out of character for 99.9% of the book (basically until the last panel).

Her BFF Kristen is going to sleep away camp after a bike race and some fireworks. Lois wants to do a #friendshipchallenge for some YouTube equivalent. Then someone steals the fireworks and Kristen suggests that they try to solve the mystery. Lois instead jumps to conclusions and blames a newbie in town, Izzy.

Henri, a college student intern at the local paper tries to help guide Lois during the book, and then it eventually all comes to a head, and it's all very messy.

Oh, and then at the end they gave Izzy a last name that made me go, "What? C'mon now". Is this supposed to be a series? I guess if it's being read by little kids you may as well change everything in insane ways, but, it's still sad as hell to me that DC did this to a character that I so love (c'mon, I loved her through freaking the clone frog stuff. And thought I wouldn't have to go through something quite as bad as that with her character ever again).

I was given this ARC by Netgalley on behalf of DC Entertainment

This one was hard to enjoy. Lois comes across as obnoxious and exhausting. I know it's supposed to be earnestness, but it crosses over the line for me. There are some good friendship issues to address, though, thanks to Lois - listening, bossiness, the give-and-take required in good friendships, etc. I enjoyed the things Lois learns about journalism in this - like let the facts drive the story rather than decide for yourself what the story is and try to make the facts fit. My favorite character was the mentor/journalist Henrietta ("Henri"). She was fantastic and really helped make the story more enjoyable.

Kids who love graphic novels and DC stories will want to pick this one up. And I think there's a lot here to talk about, especially with Lois and the friendship issues, if they can get past Lois' abrasiveness. For readers looking for more Lois stories, I HIGHLY recommend the Lois Lane series for teens by Gwenda Bond.

I have very mixed feelings about this one. I think it will circulate well at my library, but I felt the story was quite weak. Lois Lane was a rather unlikable character and while it does seem like there is an attempt to show growth for her, I don't feel like it was fully realized. Illustrations-excellent as expected from DC Comics.

I received an electronic ARC from DC Entertainment through NetGalley.
The artwork is the only redeeming area of this book. I was looking forward to reading this one and sharing it with middle grade readers. However, the message about listening to and supporting friends gets paid lip service toward the end. Lois Lane is portrayed as a self-focused, selfish young girl who completely ignores everyone else unless she needs them to do something for her. The dialogue is focused on her needs and wants and she misses all social cues from her best friend and from others. The character expression are the best part of the book. They portray the gamut of emotions and hurts felt as readers move through the book.

I thought this was an okay graphic novel. The story it told wasn’t that strong, nor were many of the characters. It was kind of hard to imagine Lois Lane was ever like this as a teen, and the mystery to be solved had a rough time carrying the weight of this tale. The ending was alright, and I will admit it had a pretty good message attached to it. Not everyone may enjoy this graphic novel, but some readers might.

This is a cute friendship story that also serves up a possible way that the intrepid reporter Lois Lane might have been inspired to go into journalism, at age 13. Lois as seen here is very very energetic and impulsive, but her interest is in becoming a popular "MeVid" (like YouTube, haha, get it) star. right before her best friend Kristen is going to go away to camp, they stumble upon a mystery: who stole the fireworks for the town's annual fireworks display, that is always one of the girls' friendship rituals? There's also a citywide bike race that they both end up signing up for, though Lois somewhat reluctantly. (A funny gag is that she is always huffing and puffing and slowly riding her bike around, with her cat in a basket on it, so there's no way she would want to RACE a bike.) As shenanigans ensue, you see that Kristen just wants to spend time with Lois, but Lois gets too wrapped up in the mystery and then gets jealous when Kristen befriends a new girl, Izzy. Their older friend, maybe high school or college age?, Henri, works for the local paper and it's through her that the spark is lit in Lois to switch from "detecting" to investigative journalism. It's a little bit farfetched, and I thought Lois acted pretty immaturely for a 13 year old, but, what do I know really about 13 year olds. ;-) It's a cute small-town story of friendship and jealousy. I read this via a digital edition from NetGalley.com