Superman #33

Writers: Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason

Artist: Doug Mahnke

Inker: Jaime Mendoza

Colourist: Wil Quintana

Letterer: Rob Leigh

This was absolutely superb and a joy to read. It's great to have Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason back on the book; we haven't had them on the book in an official capacity since maybe #28, so they have indeed been missed. While I was apprehensive about yet another New Gods-based storyline, I liked the approach that Tomasi and Gleason took, and I'm very interested to see where it goes next. And there are few artists who impress as much as the incredible Doug Mahnke.

Apokalips is in shambles and needs a new leader. They look to Lex Luthor for leadership, which nicely ties into THE DARKSEID WAR as well as an early arc of ACTION COMICS where a group of bounty hunters hunt down Lex for fear of him ruling Apokalips in the future. As I mentioned previously, I had some apprehension towards another New Gods storyline because we've been getting quite a few of them, mostly in MISTER MIRACLE and the latest arc of HAL JORDAN AND THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS. This issue feels more earned than these other stories, mostly because it's been gestating for some time.

Tomasi and Gleason have yet again nailed the great family dynamic that made everyone fall in love with this book in the first place. Interestingly enough, Superman's desire to spend some quality time with the family becomes an integral component to the progression of the story, so it's not done here just for the frills of seeing these characters together under Tomasi and Gleason's pen.

Mahnke's art is awesome. The opening action between with Superman and Lex taking down some thugs was extremely well-handled. Mahnke has been providing art for the series since Tomasi and Gleason's break but here he's operating on another level; the story serves the art very well here.

Tomasi and Gleason are back in full force, and I wholeheartedly recommend this issue to everyone. This is the Superman that brought people back in Rebirth, and Mahnke's art is quite excellent.