Superman: Secrets and Lies #1

I like the Death of Superman story (not that Superman died, just the whole story, all three parts). I read it fairly regularly. I even like the Hunter/Prey followup. Zero Hour ... meh. So I'm not anti-Jurgens. See, this is what I'm not quite getting about this New 52 thing. Why are we bringing back guys from 20-some years ago to contribute to something supposedly new and fresh for this present generation that thinks conversation is done with thumbs? I'm not saying Perez and Jurgens don't have it anymore, but if they do, they didn't share it with Superman New 52. Part of the failure with this series is Jurgens continues Perez's "what if Metropolis thought of Superman the way Gotham thinks of Batman, like HE is the problem?" But Superman is not Batman. Don't try to transplant that sentiment over here - it doesn't work. Maybe this is why Mr. Morrison's All-Star Superman gets so much love, because it doesn't try too hard to be a fresh Superman story.

Secrets and Lies, here, is just dull. Jurgens also feels the need to have Superman narrate his actions and obvious commentary. I don't need that. Granted, I, must admit, I rarely pay much attention to the artwork. No offense to the great pencillers and artists and colorists and the whole gang, I just usually read for the story and character development/moments/lah-de-dah. But even I notice what the characters are doing - I don't need stage direction telling me "I must break free from these chains and now I will punch this villain!" I can see it. The whole Daemonite thing is also a letdown: stop giving us acerbic, witty villains that take nothing seriously. I can't take Superman's turmoil seriously if he is trying to escape from Stalag 13. The "revelation of Superman's secret identity" thing could have made for an interesting, drawn out storyline, but it occurs as a backdrop to a nowhere-going combat between Superman and some girl that wants a locket and can't be touched (but she can hold a locket) and gets wrapped up quickly and obviously. Then there's another unstoppable alien who is wiping out people left and right and suddenly we're on a lesser-quality episode of Step by Step and we find out his problems and feel sorry for him and say goodbye. Blah.

At the end of this volume I suppose we have switched to the Annual (since the editorial team can't be bothered to let us know what issue we are actually reading at the time), which is a total embarrassment, not only for the way Superman looks but also for the way women are drawn (literally) in the work (why are we still doing this, people?), and the whole Daemonite nonsense twaddle bushwa. It can't really be this difficult to write Superman stories. It can't. It's been happening for 80 years. Why is The New 52 Superman so dreadful? Someone please help me understand this.