Paul Cornell’s run on Action Comics has been fantastically fun, so far. It’s managed to turn Lex Luthor into a character you care about rather than a two-dimensional villain and plot device. This annual serves as an interlude to the main story of Lex’s hunt for a Black Lantern ring; it features two stories, each set in Luthor’s past. The first involves Darkseid and is drawn by Marco Rudy, and for the first time reading this run, it was disappointing; the idea of a relationship between Lex and Darkseid from the past seems plausible and engaging, but Cornell doesn’t quite pull it off – Rudy’s artwork, meanwhile, is fantastic. The second story does much the same as the first, it places Lex alongside another villain he’s had little-to-no interaction with in the past: Ra’s al Ghul. The two work well together, but Ed Benes’ art doesn’t fit well with the story, which is a shame. The story does get bonus points, however, for offering a slight explanation for Lex’s insanity.