This issue has plenty of action and sharp artwork to offer, and it's bound to be of particular interest to new, younger readers. Johns bombards the title character and the reader with villain after villain, making for an exciting, fun read. Unfortunately, unless you've been following this story arc -- and the Superman titles in general -- closely, you'll have no idea what's going on or why. I'm thoroughly disappointed with the inaccessibility of this story arc, and DC's penchant to resorting to "events" to fuel readership of the Superman titles.
The Master Jailer, empowered by Manchester Black, has transformed Metropolis into the world's largest penitentiary, and the Man of Steel desperately tries to break in to put an end to the madness. But in his path is a variety of villains, some familiar -- like the Prankster, Bizarro and Neutron -- and some new, like the Puzzler. Fortunately, Superman's power knows no end, but his patience... well, that's a different matter altogether.
Why is Manchester Black so angry at the Man of Steel? Where's he getting the power to make all of these drastic changes? What's the Master Jailer's story? Are these villains his prisoners or his allies? Those questions just scratch the surface of the exposition that's left unsaid in this issue. Johns really isn't to blame; it's a problem that's characteristic of the Superman titles in general, not just this one. It robs what seems to be an exciting, powerful story of its impact, leaving the reader with little more than gratuitous violence.
Well, to be fair, the book has its strengths. Ferry's artwork is stunning. He captures the bizarre new landscape of Metropolis with seeming ease, and the action is fascinating. The Puzzler design is sleek and sexy, yet creepy in its surrealism. Both the art and script clearly demonstrate how enraged and determined the title character is as well. That anger, barely restrained, shines through.
The story reminds me of the kind of Superman story we might have seen 30 years ago. All of his greatest enemies gather. Sure, Johns some darkness and maturity to the storytelling, but all of these villains turning up at once, even in the context of the (ill-defined) story, is a bit much to swallow. I'm not entirely certain why the Golden Age Superman villain called the Puzzler needed to be remade and returned to active duty; she adds nothing to this story, anyway. And that's true of most of the baddies in this issue.
