Justice League #52

Lex is back on Earth and he just found out Superman is dead, what will he do? well if you read Action Comics 957 3 weeks ago you know he is the new Superman; what you will learn here are 2 things: Lex's motivation to become the new protector of Metropolis and how he got the deceased Clark's cape for his suit.

Lets start with the positives. Jurgens knows how to write a good Luthor, his monologue displays Lex's characteristic coldness and ruthlessness that I like about him and then surprises us with an uncharacteristic display of appreciation for the late hero that feels sincere and gives Luthor's desire to be the new Superman some needed credibility. So, if you're reading Action Comics, this issue gives some important info and is a great prologue to the new series; unfortunately that's as far as the good aspects go.

Now, the reason I gave this issue 2 stars are coincidentally 2 reasons: the wasted potential for stories involving Lex as the ruler of Apokolips and how the took the easy way out to deal with Lena betraying Lex at the beginning of Darkseid War and then proceed to use that as one of the motives to make Lex come back to Earth and become Superman that makes no sense. I'll give you the short version of these events: Lex suggests or believes that Lena (for no good reason or explanation) somehow came in contact with a motherbox that made her go insane (thus betraying him) and now is in a coma, how convenient and what a cliche way to get rid a character you don't want to deal with or have nothing planned for; on the other hand, its really hard to believe that Luthor would relinquish the opportunity to be one of the most powerfull beings in the universe just to make her sister proud...a sister that is now in a coma and probably wont be seen again for a long time