Last month’s ‘Superman’ #6 closed out the first story arc of the New 52 Superman. This month, a new creative team takes over the title and begins an arc that will tie even more of the New 52 Universe into a cohesive whole.

As the issue opens, Superman is battling what appears to be some sort of cybernetic being. Upon closer inspection, Supes discovers that the creature is mechanical, but he is held together by magic and runes. He’s some sort of programmed construct! Since the villain is not technically alive, Superman is free to go all out and smash it down.

After the creature it put down, it is sent to S.T.A.R. Labs for analysis. Meanwhile, a new villain Helspont is hiding in the Himalayas and commands his minions, of which the cyber-villain was one, to bring him the Kryptonian.

This issue begins to tie together some threads that have been woven into this series since issue #1 about the “horn” in the Himilayas, as well as the formerly-Wildstorm titles ‘Stormwatch’ and ‘Grifter’. If, like me, you don’t follow either of those titles, this issue does a good enough job recapping what you need to know for the story. I’ve never been into Wildstorm so I’m not sure if Helspont is a new villain or something brought over in the New 52 merger, but I like him as a Superman villain since he brings something new to the table that fans haven’t seen before.

Keith Giffen and Dan Jurgens take over writing duties on the flagship Superman title and I’m already liking the vibe as opposed to George Perez’s heavy-on-dialogue first arc. This issue is just more fun, especially in one scene with Clark Kent at the Daily Planet as he is overwhelmed by trying to follow several conversations at once. It’s fun and action-packed and that’s just what Superman needs to be.

Dan Jurgens, the guy best known for creating Booster Gold, takes over on the artwork this issue and, like Nicola Scott’s work on the last arc, this one has a definite ‘90s feel to the work. I like that the editors at DC are keeping this style of art for this title since it’s almost like DC is making up for those lame mullet-haired Superman stories of the ‘90s.

Verdict: Buy

SUPERMAN #7

Written by KEITH GIFFEN and DAN JURGENS
Art by DAN JURGENS and JESUS MERINO
Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO