WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #1!Absolute Superman has officially arrived, bringing major changes to the Man of Steel, including a fresh origin, costume, and core identity. Alongside this new Kal-El, the Absolute Universe’s Lois Lane makes her debut—but the two are far from lovebirds, as DC introduces Lane as Superman’s latest villain. Could this hint at a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers dynamic on the horizon?

There’s an undeniable poetry to Kal and Lois being cuffed together, symbolizing that their lives are destined to intersect.

The Man of Steel and his origins may be the focus of Jason Aaron, Rafa Sandoval, Ulises Arreola, and Becca Carey’s Absolute Superman #1, but it’s the surprising debut of Lois Lane that delivers the issue’s most shocking twist.

DC reimagines the iconic Daily Planet Editor-in-Chief as an agent of the Lazarus Corps Force—a militant global police force enforcing a mysterious entity's laws and overseeing forced labor under the guise of peacekeeping. This twisted version of Lois Lane immediately casts her in a villainous light, completely redefining her relationship with Superman in DC lore.

Absolute Lois Lane Is an Agent of the Lazarus Corps Force–& She Just Arrested Superman

“Move and I Fry Your Face! ‘Superman!’” – Lois Lane in Absolute Superman #1

Lane’s debut takes her new villain status even further, making her a direct enemy of Superman as she becomes the very agent who apprehends him after he intervenes when the task force of Peacemakers begins using violence against townspeople, putting innocent lives at risk. Instead of their usual meet-cute, Lois and Clark encounter each other on opposite sides of the law, with Lane’s first words to Kal-El being, “This is Agent Lane! Suspect in custody! Move and I fry your face! ‘Superman!’” as she slaps a power-suppressing cuff onto the Man of Steel, its twin attached to her own wrist.

There’s an undeniable poetry to Kal and Lois being cuffed together, symbolizing that no matter the universe, their origins, or the drastic shifts in their identities, their lives are destined to intersect. While Lane may stand as Superman’s enemy for much of the series, Aaron masterfully hints at the tantalizing possibility of an enemies-to-lovers arc. Hence, the two may one day be able to look back at Lois's “Move and I fry your face! ‘Superman!’” with laughter and chagrin rather than the animosity it was spoken with at the time.

The Absolute Universe Takes Lois Lane’s Badassery to New Heights

Lois Lane Could Be Superman's Most Formidable Villain Yet

While there’s no denying that Lois Lane of Earth-Prime is a badass, the Absolute version has proven her badassery reaches new heights—even if she’s unfortunately on the opposite side of good. Not only is she the one who apprehends Superman, but she also appears earlier in the issue, before her identity is revealed, in a scene where the Lazarus Corps Force observes the Man of Steel on tablets as they close in on his location. Lois stands out among the agents by being the first to notice that Superman’s suit appears sentient, earning praise from her commander. This shows that Absolute Lois Lane is just as sharp-eyed and intelligent as her Earth-Prime counterpart, spelling trouble for Superman if she remains his enemy.

Absolute Superman #1 is available now from DC Comics!