Daken, Wolverine’s mysterious son, takes over his daddy’s comic.  Expecting to witness a train wreck, I am very pleasantly surprised.  What could have easily been a thoughtless stopgap during Dark Avengers has become a smartly written expose into the seedy mind of Daken.

Daniel Way and Marjorie Liu have joined pens to pit Daken against Bullseye.  Using his wits and powers of suggestion, Daken is weaving doubt and deceit among his team members.  With a Machiavellian flare, Daken is engaged in a battle of the minds with Bullseye and Norman Osborne.  Setting up events like chess pieces, his final play is still unknown but this arc is moving toward what should be an interesting climax.  Way and Liu are smart in their take on Daken.  Rather than the typical slash and pound, this intellectual posturing is well written and fun.

Giuseppe Camuncoli’s art is brilliant.  From Daken feigning concern, Bullseye’s rage, and Osborn’s tantrums, each expression is captured beautifully.  His battle between Daken and the Thing is of particular mention, fluid and smartly paneled.

While its nothing earth shattering, this issue is unexpectedly solid.  I am very intrigued to see how Daken’s plan works out.

3.5 out of 5

Besides a beautiful cover, this book doesn’t do much.  It’s a stopgap and not a very good one.

Here’s the backstory: Zod is leading up the military might of New Krypton, and Superman wants to keep a close eye on him.  In this issue, Superman prepares his loved ones for his decision to leave Earth and go to New Krypton.  It didn’t have the emotional punch that I believe author James Robinson hoped to deliver.  Mon-El, the Man of Steel’s buddy who was just rescued from the Phantom Zone, is dying.  The magical elixir that suddenly appears, literally, to cure Mon-El is one of the cheapest gimmicks I’ve ever seen in comics.

The art is average to goofy.  The full-page panel of Superman holding a dying Mon-El, which sets the tension for the entire issue, is piss-poor.  I was drawn to Superman’s face; he looked like he was taking a stubborn crap rather than anguishing over the impending death of a friend.

It’s sad when the six page “Origins & Omens” spread is stronger than the rest of the issue.  That’s the case here. The setup for Mon-El and his new identity is well done, leaving me wanting more.

I am looking forward to the 12-part series “Superman: World of New Krypton.”  It would have been nice if his self-titled book gave him a better send-off.

2 out of 5

After the debacle of Final Crisis, I’d enjoy any straightforward Superman story.  Right now, we are in the midst of a pretty good tale.  All the Superman titles (Action Comics, Superman, Supergirl) are weaving together for this New Krypton arc.  This issue picks up on New Krypton with Superman reacting to General Zod and his cronies being released from the Phantom Zone.  Superman’s aunt Allura is leading the Kyptonians, and she’s making some pretty ballsy moves.

The problem right now is pacing.  For example, page one shows a full panel of Superman yelling, enraged at General Zod’s release.  I turn the page expecting a fight to tell your kids about and we get a debate.  Hopefully, this story will gain momentum or it is going to lose its punch.  The conflicts are all set, we just need a good finish.

Author James Robinson juggles too many preview clips to possibly good story lines in this issue: Lex Luthor and something dark to come, Mon El and a shrinking Phantom Zone, Flamebird and Nightwing ever perched on the rooftops of Metropolis (but never doing anything).

Overall, this issue felt like a big pause in an epic story.  Not great, not necessary, but it does hint to a possibly better future.

2.5 out of 5