Laney Lan,
reporter for Shanghai Today, has
cultivated her career based on aptitude tests when she was younger, determining
journalism was a good fit for her skill sets. So she bristles at the puff
pieces she’s been assigned lately. After a man-on-the-street interview, and her
latest assignment is smart phone apps. What she really wants is to continue her
investigation into the Chinese Super-Man. After months of digging, she’s
finally getting somewhere.
But then a hot tip leads
to her ditching lunch with her mom, so she can cover Super-Man’s latest battle
with a giant robot. And this leads to ramen with Bat-Man and Super-Man. I don’t
know anything about contemporary Chinese culture, but I guess ramen is kind of
like pizza in the U.S. Everybody loves it, everybody eats it. But this
impromptu dinner leads to some potential leads regarding the Justice League of
China. The story ends with some personal revelations for Laney Lan; seeds for
later stories, no doubt.
This issue is a
stand-alone story, a brief moment between last issue’s conclusion and next
issue’s beginning. Entitled “A Day in the Life…” it’s ironically a puff piece
that Laney Lan would hate. But it serves as a palette cleanser moving forward,
and provides a little bit of insight for new readers.
The artwork from Brent
Peeples and Richard Friend is serviceable, though a bit puzzling. Laney is
portrayed constantly wearing gloves, though I’m completely confused as to why.
Not sure if it’s a fashion statement or a clue to a greater role alongside the
JLC.
Rating: 5/10