Editorial Content for Lois Lane: Fallout

Lois Lane is your typical teenage army brat --- she's lived all over and has never stayed in one place for too long. That is, until her father is offered a new job that settles Lois permanently in Metropolis. She vows to make her stay in Metropolis different by keeping her head down, staying out of trouble (for once) and actually making some lasting friends (well, aside from her secretive, mysterious online maybe-more-than-a-friend she knows only by his screen name: SmallvilleGuy).

Of course, things don't really go according to plan. On her first day at Metropolis High, Lois manages to get on the wrong side of her new principal by sticking up for a girl who is being bullied by a group of unsettling gamers known as The Warheads. Though her actions may not have made her the principal's favorite, she manages to impress to editor of the Daily Planet newspaper and he offers her a job on the spot. With the help of her journalistic skills, new friends and SmallvilleGuy, Lois delves into the mystery of the Warheads who are somehow messing with a girl's mind through the immersive video game they all play.

The modern twists…make Lois Lanea more accessible character for a young adult (or adult!) audience. 

FALLOUT is definitely not the typical Lois Lane/Superman story you might be used to. Gwenda Bond, author of young adult novels BLACKWOOD and GIRL ON A WIRE, manages to bring all of these classic characters into a more contemporary setting --- and it works. The modern twists --- especially the secretive online friendship Lois has with SmallvilleGuy --- make Lois Lane a more accessible character for a young adult (or adult!) audience. It is a refreshing, modernized way to portray a Lois Lane and Clark Kent relationship that younger readers can easily relate to. The subject of bullying, both cyber- and in-person, is handled tactfully, accurately and relevantly, even with the sci-fi elements mixed in. I think that any reader who has ever had an issue with any kind of bullying will sympathize and find themselves rooting for Lois and her friends. 

I appreciated that Lois' story didn't rely heavily on romance or on the traditional Superman plot. Having her own story allowed her to become a fully-developed, believable protagonist who gets things done by relying on her own intelligence and intuition. But she isn't afraid to ask for help from the diverse cast of characters Bond created, each of whom is as developed and unique as Lois herself. All in all, Lois is a clever, determined and brave heroine who drives the story with a modern, humorous voice that makes the high school setting work well. 

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of comics or Superman --- whether in book, film, television or any other of its many forms. Young adult readers will definitely appreciate this fresh take on classic characters no matter how familiar they may already be. I hope that this continues as a series and I'm definitely interested in checking out more of Bond's work.