Which earlier issue did I say was my favorite? I was wrong. This issue is my favorite.

Waid finally writes the Plutonian as a character–one who talks a lot, almost too much (I’m definitely getting worried the whole thing is going to be a mind trick the Plutonian’s arch-nemesis is playing on him and it’ll all be happy and easy at the end).

But until then….

Now, the humanity Waid is adding to the Plutonian regards his response to constantly being on call. It’s that Superman problem, only in a cynical universe of saved victims (I guess that combination would make it more like Superman in Spider-Man’s world).

The issue also has an awesome cliffhanger; the last couple issues have been a lot less episodic than the first four and suit cliffhangers better.

I can’t forget Waid’s mean-spirited humor: the in-denial, cuckolded Hawkman stand-in.