This feels like a plot pushed to its conclusion a few issues early – one where all the unfinished setup needed to be rushed into brute-force exposition. I wonder, is this because of the upcoming change in creative teams (again)?

Regardless. Jurgens draws Superman pretty well, and writes him okay. The strongest part of this issue, mostly, is the Clark Kent-oriented interlude; but it, too, feels like it’s more plot and character development crammed into far less time than originally intended.

There’s no question for me that this book is ailing a bit, and I tend to be kinder to it than most, I think: but I wonder if DC shouldn’t let a creative team ride a little longer than they have been. Short of a shockingly fresh or masterful take on the Man of Steel, I think leaving someone like Jurgens, who definitely knows what he’s doing, to work out the kinks a little is probably their best bet for making this book something other than mediocre.

But what do I know? I just read them.