Superman #663 - DC

Ok, Superman is still trying to figure out what to do about this proposed threat to mankind that Arion says that he imposes. But he's interrupted this issue by Lightray, and some of the children from New Genesis. It seems that they were off on a field trip when they all got a "summoning" of sorts, to come to Metropolis and have fun. Long story short, they make a major mess of things, and it's all Supes can do to get a handle on it. They aren't actually criminals. They're just mischievous kids. Who aren't playing in their natural element, and have no regards for safety, or boundaries, or consequences. But then Lightray comes along and offers to make the children clean up their own mess, while he allows Superman the time to figure out whatever it is that's throwing a shadow on his spirit. Which he then does. He takes some alone time with Lois, contemplates what's going on from outer-space and the moon, and talks to Lana a bit, when one of the children finds a Lex-Corp facility housing some baby Chemo's. All of this leads him to a decision that he doesn't agree with Arion. " . . . I can't give up on hope. Faced with disaster, mankind doesn't surrender. They fight, they find a way. I'll fight to the death to help find that way. But I won't quit." So that's when Arion takes off the gloves. He uses his magiks to take down Superman, and make him become his puppet. His slave. "You will be a surgical instrument. Destroying all alien intruders on earth. Cleansing the planet. Allowing nature to reassert herself." But we do find out a couple of things this issue that may throw a kink in Arion's plans. However I'm not sure how . . . yet. First, the Arion that we thought we all knew? The one who helped save the world during the Day of Vengeance? He's been a fake all along. Knowing that Arion wasn't really around, Bill Knightely, a magician from Akron, decided to fill the void and pose as him himself. It was a chance for him to prove himself. To himself and the world. But the real Arion is putting a stop to that. The second thing, and probably the most powerful, is that when Lightray heads back to New Genesis, with the children, they aren't all the real ones. They've created dupli-forms in their place. And some of them are still hiding in Metropolis. So yes Arion is a powerful magician and sage. But these kids? They're actually gods. Young and impetuous, yes! But . . still gods. So now's when the real action starts with Arion and Superman. And we'll see if Arion's predictions really come to light. A fantastic story by Kurt Busiek. And Carlos Pacheco and Jesus Merino really turn in a spectacular job on the pencils. Visually, this book, is really incredible.