I’ve never been entirely comfortable with Lex Luthor’s current role in the Superman titles. I grew up when he was a mad scientist with a grudge against the Man of Steel, whether it was for being the source of his hair loss, or for displacing him as the most powerful man in Metropolis.

It seems an uneasy alliance the two have formed in recent years, and I keep waiting for Luthor to return to form, diametrically opposed to Superman. I keep thinking it’s only a matter of time before Luthor betrays that truce. But even when I see them duking it out on the cover, I expect it to be a put on of some sort, and in this issue, I wasn’t disappointed.

Manipulated by the Machinist, Luthor’s Iron Man knock-off armor has been amped up with Apocalytian technology, turning him into the heir-apparent of Darkseid. But Luthor is, by his own admission, the smartest man on Earth, and has a back door to escape the enslavement that such power could bring him.

In the end, there is the promise of long-term secrets being revealed, hopefully bringing the Rebirth era to a close. I’d like to see DC get back to telling good stories again, rather than weaving an epic tapestry throughout its titles. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good feast, but there comes a time when you have say, “No more for me, thanks. I’m stuffed.”

Guillem March’s artwork reminds me of that of Mark Badger back in the 1980s. Thankfully, more detailed, but that could be a result of current technology.