Superman: Camelot Falls, Vol. 2: The Weight of the World

Camelot Falls #2

by Kurt Busiek, Carlos Pacheco (Penciller), Jesús Merino (Inker)

The epic storyline from fan-favorites Kurt Busiek, Carlos Pacheco and Jesus Merino concludes in this volume collecting SUPERMAN #662-664 and #667-668! The Man of Steel defends Metropolis from harm, but now he faces a dilemma: Are his heroics only making things worse? It all leads to a brawl between Superman and Arion of Atlantis miles beneath the Atlantic! But can Superman's Kryptonian might stand up to the magic of a sorcerer? And what will the outcome of the battle mean for the fate of the world?

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Superman, Superheroes, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics

128 pages, Hardcover

First published March 3, 2009

About the author

Kurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.

Busiek did not read comics as a youngster, as his parents disapproved of them. He began to read them regularly around the age of 14, when he picked up a copy of Daredevil #120. This was the first part of a continuity-heavy four-part story arc; Busiek was drawn to the copious history and cross-connections with other series. Throughout high school and college, he and future writer Scott McCloud practiced making comics. During this time, Busiek also had many letters published in comic book letter columns, and originated the theory that the Phoenix was a separate being who had impersonated Jean Grey, and that therefore Grey had not died—a premise which made its way from freelancer to freelancer, and which was eventually used in the comics.

During the last semester of his senior year, Busiek submitted some sample scripts to editor Dick Giordano at DC Comics. None of them sold, but they did get him invitations to pitch other material to DC editors, which led to his first professional work, a back-up story in Green Lantern #162 (Mar. 1983).

Busiek has worked on a number of different titles in his career, including Arrowsmith, The Avengers, Icon, Iron Man, The Liberty Project, Ninjak, The Power Company, Red Tornado, Shockrockets, Superman: Secret Identity, Thunderbolts, Untold Tales of Spider-Man, JLA, and the award-winning Marvels and the Homage Comics title Kurt Busiek's Astro City.

In 1997, Busiek began a stint as writer of Avengers alongside artist George Pérez. Pérez departed from the series in 2000, but Busiek continued as writer for two more years, collaborating with artists Alan Davis, Kieron Dwyer and others. Busiek's tenure culminated with the "Kang Dynasty" storyline. In 2003, Busiek re-teamed with Perez to create the JLA/Avengers limited series.

In 2003, Busiek began a new Conan series for Dark Horse Comics, which he wrote for four years.

In December 2005 Busiek signed a two-year exclusive contract with DC Comics. During DC's Infinite Crisis event, he teamed with Geoff Johns on a "One Year Later" eight-part story arc (called Up, Up and Away) that encompassed both Superman titles. In addition, he began writing the DC title Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis from issues 40-49. Busiek was the writer of Superman for two years, before followed by James Robinson starting from Superman #677. Busiek wrote a 52-issue weekly DC miniseries called Trinity, starring Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Each issue (except for issue #1) featured a 12-page main story by Busiek, with art by Mark Bagley, and a ten-page backup story co-written by Busiek and Fabian Nicieza, with art from various artists, including Tom Derenick, Mike Norton and Scott McDaniel.

Busiek's work has won him numerous awards in the comics industry, including the Harvey Award for Best Writer in 1998 and the Eisner Award for Best Writer in 1999. In 1994, with Marvels, he won Best Finite Series/Limited Series Eisner Award and the Best Continuing or Limited Series Harvey Award; as well as the Harvey Award for Best Single Issue or Story (for Marvels #4) in 1995. In 1996, with Astro City, Busiek won both the Eisner and Harvey awards for Best New Series. He won the Best Single Issue/Single Story Eisner three years in a row from 1996–1998, as well as in 2004. Busiek won the Best Continuing Series Eisner Award in 1997–1998, as well as the Best Serialized Story award in 1998. In addition, Astro City was awarded the 1996 Best Single Issue or Story Harvey Award, and the 1998 Harvey Award for Best Continuing or Limited Series.

Busiek was given the 1998 and 1999 Comics Buyer's Guide Awards for Favorite Writer, with additional nominations in 1997 and every year from 2000 to 2004. He has also received numerous Squiddy Awards, having been selected as favorite writer four years in a row from 1995 to 1998,

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poor Superman!

He has the best of intentions. He only wants to help, but anytime he neglects to rescue some puppy, stop a speeding bullet with his face or save a school bus of whiny kids from certain peril, people are quick to jump on the xenophobic bandwagon and condemn him.

Alien go home!

Send in the newly created Anti-Kryptonian (you’re not fooling anyone, read: Anti-Superman) squad…



…or the combined might of the Justice League and Justice Society.



Where’s Batman? Not to worry, he’s got something up his sleeve if Superman runs amok or gets too big for his britches.

DC, lacking Marvel’s handy mutants, plays up the Superman-is-different-from-us angle, making him a lightning rod for anti-tolerance story lines that teach the kids that hating others because they’re not like us is wrong. Sure, he could split the planet in two and just watch where you point those heat vision eyes, buddy, and, well, we think you’re swell when you rescue kittens and save our collective asses, but just don’t slip up.



And stop showing off your math skills…



Lex Luthor isn’t around to fan the flames of narrow-mindedness, so we have Arion, an all-powerful sorcerer and seer, who says that alien heroes like Superman are preventing the inevitable collapse of civilization and because of them, when the dark forces do envelope earth, billions will die instead of millions.

Now would be a good time to use you math whiz abilities, Superman!

Billions – Millions = Millions

Uh, check your math, Supes. I think you forgot to carry a one over or something.

More comic book equations: Sorcerer = magic.

Superman hates magic. It’s not on the annoyance scale of kryptonite, but it’s up there. So Superman talks to Zatanna, who does consultations in nothing but her bustier and panties, and the Phantom Stranger, who does consultations (thankfully) fully clothed, who tells him that there are many roads to the future, so just open a can of whoop-ass on Arion.

After a failed attempt to mind-control Superman and have him destroy stuff in a manifest destiny kind of way, Arion takes a page out of Lovecraft and it’s tentacle city.



Superman never loses his faith in humanity and humanity, ultimately, rally around him.

For now.

Bottom Line: Busiek’s Superman isn’t without its merits: Superman is a little more nuanced and his abilities are expanded a tad – he can tell if someone is lying by listening to his heart beat, just like Daredevil, kids.

Busiek moves along a plotline that, at first glance could have been headache inducing (for me), but, and this is where it falls short, he’s thrown in one too many subplots (New Genesis kids, the Prankster, Sirocco and something about a third Kryptonian on Earth) that would put a damper on the reading experience for the reader who wasn’t reading Superman on a regular basis when this was published. It’s a lot to squeeze into four issues and an annual.

This was volume two, and even though I never read volume one, DC does provide a little character run-down in the beginning of the book to help keep things straight, which you probably won’t need if you read volume one.

[Molly™☺ · Rating 2 out of 5]

One that tries to be epic in scale, it gets lost in its own inability to show rather than tell, and falls into the trap of pondering and pandering, only to produce the usual power punches by the end.

[Subham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good ending for a great storyline.

It deals with superman pondering over all the threats he ahs faced and whats coming and we see him dealing with Arion's proposal and its fun the way it happens, what expected choice he makes and the big battle with Arion and then mind control and going against his friends maybe? and then the final battle and revelations and Cthulus and new gods? Plus the way it ends is awesome and meanwhile with Khyber..something?

Its a great storyline and has epic moments like the moment Lightray and new gods arise and showing the threat of Arion and Superman going against magic which was awesome. the art was so good and the fight scenes, Superman saving people and everything. Its one of my fav Superman storylines for sure and Busiek excels at it.

[Sam Quixote · Rating 2 out of 5]

Superman fights Cthulu! is basically what this book is about. The 17th century sorcerer Arion has travelled to the future to warn Superman that he and all other super-powered beings will eventually cause the extinction of the human race through their meddling of humanity’s destiny. Superman is given the conundrum - continue doing what he does, saving humanity, and bring about their doom, or stop and let whatever happens, happen.

Well, if you’ve read any Superman books before this, you’ll know what Superman decides because of his character. The Weight of the World kind of treads water in this regard as Kurt Busiek more than anyone knows what Superman’s decision will be so we spend most of the book watching Superman think and fly around until the inevitable at the end which is: Superman will never let an innocent person die unless he can stop it and he believes in humanity enough to know that any peril their future holds is a challenge they are more than capable to handle.

The rest of the book is Superman fighting magic which is kind of corny to me. I know Superman is basically magic in the first place because of his powers but seeing him fight someone who casts spells, etc. doesn’t do much for me and I was pretty bored for most of the book. That said, seeing Superman hit in the face with a giant pie was pretty funny and was definitely the high point of the book.

Carlos Pacheco and Jesus Merino’s art is pretty good and their Cthulu is fine, but I really didn’t like the way they drew female characters like Power Girl and Zatanna. Both characters are ridiculously busty and wearing just crazily revealing outfits - Zatanna especially, who looks even more of a stripper than usual and Power Girl’s leotard was barely covering her crotch. That kind of art where it’s basically exploitative for guys to drool over makes reading this feel sleazier than it has to.

Busiek’s written an amazing Superman book in Secret Identity which is well worth checking out, but lightning doesn’t strike twice in Camelot Falls which is quite the tedious read.

[J.M. (Joe) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superman: Camelot Falls Vol. 2 collects issues 662-664 and 667 of Superman, as well as the Superman Annual #13. It's a really excellent storyline. Busiek's a solid writer and he spins a well-composed, solidly-paced tale that takes Superman through struggles of self-worth, of doubt, of frustration, and finally of resolution. There's not a lot of deep delving and I never really felt like Superman was truly threatened by the villains in this tale, but I enjoyed the read nonetheless. Heck. It's hard to actually write a story where Superman IS actually threatened. Often times he's his own worst enemy, and that almost happens in "Camelot Falls."

And Carlos Pacheco? He may be the best Superman artist in comics today. His illustrations are tight, his compositions and layouts are standard, they're not especially creative but they move the story right along, but most of all his Superman is drawn perfectly. His cityscapes are spot on. His faces, expressions, and body language are flawless. And they way he draws his women? Lois Lane, Lana Lang, Power Girl, and Zatanna, to name a few, appear in this GN, and they're all stunning. So, suffice to say, when you think of the icon that is Superman, just think Pacheco.

Four stars. Worth adding to your collection!

--

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hope Busiek follows up on Khyber and Arion in Trinity. That's a good thing. Not a perfect story - Superman spends too much time hemming and hawing about Arion's prophecy, even though he obviously wouldn't give up, and probably couldn't give up even if he completely believed Arion's vision of the future. Pacheco's art was mostly solid, but not nearly his best - he's got a Liefeld-pinched-mouth thing going on, and you can see a few places where the deadlines were weighing on him - surprising given how late the storyline was!

Still, I enjoy Busiek's take on Lois and Clark's relationship, the action moves convincingly and quickly, and Arion came up with some great challenges for Superman. I'm more into Superman performing super-feats - like, say, a giant whirlpool in the middle of the Atlantic (glad that Busiek then had Superman stop the cataclysmic waves that would've destroyed everything within a hundred miles of the Atlantic seaboard, because my suspension of disbelief was giving out a little bit) - rather than Superman punching out baddies.

Maybe not one of my all-time favorite Superman stories, but still a fun ride.

[John Yelverton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very strange Superman story that never really made any sense.

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superman finds that the world is set against him when the US Army sends the anti-Kryptonian Squad to bring him in after he falls foul of Atlantean mind control.

Busiek's story addresses racism and self reliance in this conclusion to an epic storyline. Again, the artwork is superb, the colouring is strong and the lettering is clear and easy to read.

[Devero · Rating 2 out of 5]

Come per la prima parte della saga, anche questa seconda parte non mi convince. Bene i disegni ma la storia è un poco scarsa. Compresa la lotta tra Superman e "Chtulhu".

[Nate Deprey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun Superman story with the interesting premise of what if the intervention of super heroes is ultimately terrible, even apocalyptic, for society. The soul searching in this collection feels real and shifts the narrative away from Superman's invulnerability, which almost always leads to boring story telling, towards a philosophical debate on the potential dangers of intervention. Those kinds of arguments are at the heart of most good science fiction and lead to one of the better Superman stories I've read in a while.

[Batsap · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually find Superman an annoying kind of guy, but he's definitely not too bad in this volume. I'd even go so far as to say it was an enjoyable read. Subjekt-17 was an interesting antagonist, Arion was funny (even if he wasn't meant to be) and Superman wasn't overly cheerful. What really made this book though was Pacheco's art. The colours used were beautiful as well.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ended up liking this story arc more than I expected. It had the potential to be "deep," and the authors took advantage of that in way that was entertaining and thought-provoking, but without being heavy-handed. The central conflict--should Superman let civilization fall so as to allow humanity as a whole to survive?--ended in an intriguing theme about perseverance. How could Superman give up and quit fighting, when that has never been in humanity's nature to do such themselves? How can he and other aliens be altering the course of humanity if they are doing what humanity itself has always done?
The ultimate villain--Khyber--beginning his plans at the very end of the graphic novel added just enough ambiguity to that positive message for there to still be open discussion. This book really is the perfect representation of fate vs. choice.
This graphic novel also did a great job of combining multiple story lines. Subjekt-17, Lana's work at LexCorp, the New Gods, and, of course, Arion, all culminate together in rather seamless storytelling.
In addition, I really liked Superman's internal monologue--he may the Man of Steel, but he is still a little bit vulnerable when it comes to being an alien on the planet he calls home. He depends on his support system--Lois, Jimmy, etc.--to stay the hero he is as much as they depend on him to fly in and save the day.
And I think, in the past, that's what I underestimated about Superman. I thought he was the true-blue, Boy Scout, never-do-anything-wrong, overpowered (and therein overrated) sort of superhero. And, in some ways, he is. But he is also very human (despite being Kryptonian). He has doubts. He feels like an outsider. He makes mistakes. But he also rises despite those doubts. He finds people who love and accept him. And he does his best to fix whatever he has broken. He has a strong connection to his family and loved ones, but he also needs time alone, to find himself and work things out in his own mind. In short, he's as relatable as he is inspiring. And I'm glad that I've finally given him a chance--and this story, like many others I've read recently--just make me eager to pick up my next Superman comic.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The follow-up to 'Camelot Falls' sees Superman struggling with the prophecy that by helping humanity he is making the forces of darkness stronger until one day they'll be powerful enough to destroy humanity altogether. As he weighs the the possibility of saving the world by giving up saving it, he is constantly needled by the Altantean sorcerer Arion, who believes that civilisation must fall and rebuild if it is to prevent being destroyed completely.

This book has everything the first part of this story should have had and yet didn't.
Here Arion becomes a present and credible threat, an actual antagonist (albeit perhaps not an entirely villainous one) to be defeated, rather than just an arrogant presence telling everyone they're doing it wrong. There's also appropriate time and consideration given to the idea that by saving humans aliens like Superman are actually preventing the species from developing properly.
Superman, appropriate to his character, gives genuine consideration to whether he's harming humanity, a dilemma underlined by the fact that when he's mind-controlled for all of two seconds, the US Government sends a highly-equipped hit-squad after him and both the JLA and JSA step in to put him down. In fact my favourite scene in the book is where Superman gives vent to his frustration that everyone is assuming he's being controlled and trying to stop him, when all he's doing is trying to track Arion down after immediately shrugging off the mind-control.

There's also a satisfying conclusion to the story in which Superman defeats Arion, using his experience and ingenuity to counter the sorcerer's advantages but also resolves his own personal ethical battle about his role in human society.

* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

After Carlos Pacheco passed away a couple of months ago, I have been meaning to go back and re-read some of his stuff. These two volumes of Superman were about a years worth of superman that he did with Avengers Forever and Arrowsmith collaborator, Kurt Busiek. The premise is an interesting one. There is a "darkness" coming, and an ancient Atlantean sorcerer warns Superman that each time the push the "darkness" back, it is going to come back stronger. Until it is strong enough to wipe out the entire human race. So in order to save the earth, Superman needs to stop fighting the darkness and let it overrun the world before it destroys it. There appears to be a lot of set up (the old Kent girlfriend coming back into his life, a couple of new villians, some Forth World kids running around) for the future of the book, but Im not sure how much of it was followed up on, since I don't believe Busiek stayed on very long after this run ended. Not much was done with them or the idea.

Summary: Interesting premise, lost in the setting up of other stories, which may or may not have seen the light of day.

[Victor · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of the same with volume one. I was more so frustrated with how goofy all of the female characters look like cartoon fetishes which was just super annoying to say the least. Also, I’ll go on record saying that the redesign of Lois was certainly… a choice. Not a fan and I failed to mention that in my review for vol. 1.

But once again we have this sort of contrived over arching plot line that ultimately ends up fizzling out with some additional elements sprinkled in that just muddy things up a bit too much. I liked the dynamic and the idea of Superman struggling with the main dilemma of is he good for humanity or holding it back. But my god was it so ham-fisted and repetitive.

Ultimately it’s not a bad read per se, but it’s overall forgetful and not a the top of my recommendations.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Camelot Falls...fell hard. I really enjoyed the first volume but the pacing is so off in this that it felt rushed and is full of plot holes. Kurt Busiek does a good job of having Superman think about the role he plays in a macro level but Arion's motivations were super odd and Subjekt-7 evolves and disappears. Its bizarre story-telling. Its not bad, just a severe drop. There is also a lot to enjoy here (Carlos Pacheco art, Busiek's Clark, involving the magical side of DC, and more). Overall, the book seems to be effected by editorial decisions because the final product seems vastly different from where it started.

[Nate]

There are parts of the “Camelot Falls” arc that I like: Superman’s speech at the end, some of the magic stuff, and the Cthulhu fight. But Busiek’s storytelling is convoluted and, in the end, predictable (we always knew what Superman would decide). He writes a good Superman but doesn’t give him the most exciting stories. I’ll stick with Secret Identity.

[Samuel Osito · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a 3.5
Improvement over the first volume in almost every way, although the story doesn’t wrap up neatly. There’s some debate and contemplation that feels a bit half baked, but the many struggles of Superman portrayed by the work serve to explain just how the world views him, and how he views it.

I think my main disappointment with this book is that it hints at a better story, but never achieves it. As it is though, it is a decent read.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Concluding Busiek’s most prominent plot as Superscam [sic] fends of fate and destiny. It is fine. But never hits the next level. I feel like I am being told it is epic more than really being struck by its grandeur.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good characterization.
Not my favorite story..yet a very good Superman story.
I was very happy with Lana Lang, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen.
I was happy with Superman, not so much Clark.

[Ricardo Noronha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the ending I was hoping for after reading Vol. 1 but a good story nonetheless.
+1 star for all the Portuguese references :)

[Javi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy entretenido y diferente, el toque mágico y fantasioso ayuda a romper la rutina de Superman.

[Jesse A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another that didnt end as strong as it started.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine. Seemed to have good bones but never truly resolved the question Arion was asking.

[mayleh · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️3.5

[Austin Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

And a strong finish, though some threads were not necessarily followed through this is still overall a strong work.

[Desmond Killian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wherein Busiek and Pacheco play second fiddle to more interesting Superman stories unfolding elsewhere. Who is Christopher Kent?!

[Nicholas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review is for both volumes of Camelot Falls.

To be honest, I was a bit disappointed by Busiek in this one. He's hands down my favorite comic writer, especially when it comes to portraying Superman. He manages to strike a tone of reverence and nobility in the character, of unassuming humility, that captures the essence of what he is. At the same time, he knows how to balance the inner turmoil that Clark faces, the dilemma of being an outsider, of carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders while simultaneously delivering fantastic and jaw-dropping action with a team of good artists - and the art certainly doesn't disappoint in Camelot Falls. What does is the plot, which all-in-all I wouldn't mind if there was a strong central theme - one which finds a new way to capture just how hard it is to be the Man of Steel, but it's just not there until late in the game, and by then there's not much time to develop it into something that we haven't really read or thought of before. Busiek has always surprised me when he pens Superman stories by getting me to think of him as I never had before, some new facet of his personality, or his struggle. Again, this was absent from this story.

In a nut-shell, a crazy Atlantean wizard dude named Arion comes with a prophecy from the future: Superman, and all Earth's heroes for that matter, are going to be the cause of the end of humanity by holding back a tide of darkness for too long, allowing it to build to an intensity and level that will not just set civilization back, but wipe it out altogether. What to do, what to do? Relax and let the darkness consume the Earth so it can start again, or keep fighting the good fight and hope for the best? There's something hopelessly Ra's al-Ghul and League of Assassins in this idea. History runs in cycles, humanity gets too corrupt and is wiped out, then we start all over again, past sins forgiven, new and fresh and all that good stuff. The idea is unoriginal and the villain is kind of uncompelling. The moral dilemma for Clark isn't that deep either. It forces him into some poignant scenes of soul searching, but ones that Lois kind of hits right on the head from the beginning. The question essentially involves a choice between giving up or continuing. The choice is obvious and there's no real development in the character that has to be done to achieve this leap of logic.

Three stars for volume two for a couple of reasons. One, with the whole prophecy issue, there are some interesting fate vs. free will themes that pop up. I may be a sucker for these types of motifs, but I thought it well-played given the nature of the plot, but not developed as well as it could have been. Two, Busiek can certainly write dialogue. He's about the only person that doesn't manage to make Clark sound hopelessly 1930s cheesy when he says stuff like, "You opened a portal in time and now I'm going to send you back to the 17th century where you came from!" Ok, a little over the top, but there are some really, really great monologues and dialogues. Particularly poignant are the scenes between Clark and newly appointed CEO of Lexcorp Lana Lang, recently divorced and far from her child, but still in love with Clark, who she's shared so much with, but can never have. These scenes are pretty heartbreakingly terrific and I give Busiek the credit he deserves for them. Nothing seems to escape Clark's notice - he hears and senses everything, and it weighs heavy on his soul, which is why he's such an endearing and appealing character. He wants to fix everything and make everyone happy, and he's awesome for trying. Busiek sums it up well. Clark: "I hear the ache in Lana's voice, and I wish I could help, wish I could fix everything. I can save the world. But there are some things even I can't do. And there's more going on, always more...And Lois...I smile at the very sound of her heartbeat and I'm about to bank over to join them, but...There's a lot to think about. The dangers that might be coming, and how best to be on guard against them. Whether I'm stopping the threat or helping cause it. How to even tell the difference. There's a lot to think about. In the meantime, though..." (and here you can tell it really sinks in and that he has to live with the fact that he can't do everything, trying to rationalize and tell himself it's not your fault, even though you can tell from the lonely art in the panel that he does blame himself) "Yes, there's a lot I can't do. A lot I'll never know. But I'll do what I can, and hope to help mankind find a way to solve their other problems, whatever comes. Whether I'm one of them or not." The words sound hopeful, and they're what we expect from Superman, but the panel subtly betrays just how heavy a burden it is to carry and how disappointed he is in himself for not being able to be not just Super, but Perfect. And that is why, thin plot and all, Busiek is awesome.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superman's up against a lot here: Subjekt-17, a Soviet guinea pig that can make Superman bleed and learn to speak Serbian in seconds; Khyber, an immortal scourge with nanobots and plans of world domination; and Arion, an Atlantean mystic from 17th century France with some very unconstructive criticism for how Superman can prevent billions from dying.
Kurt Busiek puts a lot on Superman's plate, and the build-up is a blast to read. Subjekt-17 is a chilling possibility of what Superman's time on earth could have been (another good example of this would be Mark Millar's Superman: Red Son). Two whole issues in the first volume tell a possible post-apocalyptic future in which Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Lex Luthor, and Parasite band together. Superman seems to be drawn to time travel paradoxes all the time (like in For Tomorrow or the first Superman movie), probably because he's mastered everything in Earth's physics except time travel.
On top of the big plot, sprinkled throughout the book are thoughtful responses to Superman's powers--he hones in on people's voices so talk to him while he fights Subjekt-17. And LexCorp develops spheres (that act a lot like Mr. Terrific's T-spheres) that follow Supes around during battle like helicopters covering car chases. The first volume starts out with a romantic story about Lois and Clark celebrating a special (secret) anniversary.
Unfortunately, not everything delivers. The boogeyman Khyber is a bland power-hungry villain that reminds me too much of Ra's al Ghul and Apocalypse from the X-Men. Arion, Superman's real enemy in the book, starts out as an interesting character, but by the end of the book is tired. Sure, Superman gets some uplifting dialogue about humanity's resiliency during the climactic battle, but Arion can't respond with anything compelling. And I wish the book closed up the "possible apocalyptic future" and Subjekt-17 storyline a bit more, though there are several characters that Busiek and other DC writers can return to in the future.
Carlos Pacheco's art is some of the best in his career, especially in the earlier volumes that Dave Stewart colors. His style isn't too sketchy or kinetic, and feels both polished and energetic. There were a few panel transitions that were a bit hard to follow, but all of it, especially the possible-future arc, was powerful and ominous.

Addendum: According to my sister, the Serbian that Superman speaks isn't especially grammatically correct.