The Hive Queen has arrived, and her plan is beginning to unfold. Can Superman stop the Queen before she takes over Metropolis?

Positive:

The latest addition to the Superman series brings a mysterious feel to Metropolis. The comic read in an almost noir style, and it was riveting to follow. As we are accustomed to, the initial issue in a Scott Lobdell arc always begins with a lot more questions than answers. A great amount of the book is spent setting up situations for things to come. That being said, it is impressive to see just how far these teases actually go.

Lobdell does a great job of breathing a new aspect of storytelling into his already fantastic work on Superman. There isn’t a single page that is wasted, and at every turn of the page another premonition is introduced. Readers will also be surprised to see that Hector Hammond has returned, and we are far from seeing the end of him. The repercussions of the last arc are beginning to take shape, and we are going to be welcomed by not one but two psionic beings battling the Man of Steel.

Kenneth Rocafort works magic on every page as usual; his reimagining of the Hive Queen is incredible. No longer are we introduced to a caricature version of a queen bee super villain, but instead we are greeted by a mystifyingly beautiful depiction of the character. She looks not only believable, but menacing, demanding, and down-right seductive. Rocafort truly outdid himself with this rework and it shows in every panel.

Negative:

If there is anything to be nit-picky about in this thrilling, beautiful issue, it would be the fact that Hector Hammond is back. The argument can still be made that he doesn’t belong in Metropolis, but now that we see how he fits into the Hive Queens plan, it makes sense and it is hard to scrutinize the directive.

Verdict: 5/5

This arc begins with a lot of potential and it is a great jumping on point for new readers and a great fan service to current Superman readers. This is the most exciting comic that the Superman series has had since the H’el on Earth storyline began.