This issue really surprised me. Adventure has been on my pull list since its re-launch for one reason, Johns, so I strongly considered skipping this issue. After some internal debate, I decided to give the issue a shot and Im glad I did. Its rare when a single issue effectively deals with a character's present, past, and future and still has some great action; specifically a bunch of kick-ass splash pages. The scenes with Krypto were pure joy and I could actually feel Conner struggle with the black ring and grow as a character throughout the book (Freeze breath anyone). This clearly is not a must read, but in a world where most issues are only small parts of a larger story arc, this issue provided those not familiar with Superboy a chance to jump on board for a single issue and read how Conner is dealing with the Blackest Night. Its not a book that is essential to understanding the story of the Blackest Night but it still feels like it matters. This is truly a perfect tie-in and other creators should take note.