Perhaps more than any of DC’s A-List characters, Superman has struggled in the New 52. Grant Morrison’s Action Comics run was polarizing and constantly suffering from “Not as Good as All-Star Superman” Syndrome. Then there are the delays on Superman Unchained and the behind-the-scenes struggles that caused creators like Andy Diggle to cut their stories short. Superman is on better footing in 2014 between Greg Pak’s Action Comics and Charles Soule’s Superman/Wonder Woman, but the Man of Steel still lacks that big blockbuster monthly series that can compete with the likes of Scott Snyder’s Batman atop the sales charts.

For that, DC turned to one mainstay creator and one outsider. Superman #32 is the start of a run that unites writer Geoff Johns with artist John Romita, Jr. The former has been responsible for some of DC’s biggest stories in the past couple decades, while the other hasn’t drawn a single DC comic outside of some pinups and crossover material. It’s a unique combination that results in a solid first issue. The duo don’t immediately revamp or revitalize the franchise, and Action Comics yet remains the best ongoing Superman comic, but it’s a good start for what will probably become the flagship title of this line.

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