DC Comics Countdown - The First 6!

DC Comics Presents

COUNTDOWN

Written By: Paul Dini (HW)

with Many Others

Today we're taking a look at DC's first 6 issues of "Countdown", their newest weekly series that tackles the entire DC universe and no doubt will bring us to the next "Crisis" to plague the companies books. So far I would give the series a 7.0, I'll give my break down at the end. For now let's go through issue by issue.

51 - 50 The first issue didn't really impress me, but I had to give it the benefit of the doubt since 52's (DC's last weekly series that just concluded) first issue didn't wow me either I let it slide and gave them to the next issue. Also Kubert should not do large team shots. Not a single hero looks interesting or detailed but at least they didn't get George "My style hasn't changed in twenty years" Perez to do it. The story was a little confusing it felt like I had missed something in-between 52 and Countdown . Issue Fifty was better, since the writing is changing from book to book with only Dini to map everything out I think it'll make for a lot of So-So issues. But anything with the Joker, that's handled by someone who knows the Joker is good. Also Jimmy Olsen has Elongated Man's powers? Or possibly Plastic Man's who knows they haven't said yet. We also get the established pacing of the Flash's Rouges, The Monitor's, The Anomaly's, Olsen and Mary Marvel. The books tell part of each story and then moves on to the next. The back of the book is the History of the Multi-verse as told by the Monitors. Kurbert's Joker Cover is awesome, if they put that on a shirt or poster I'm all over it, simply Bad Ass!

49-48 The story picks up and we find out that Duela Dent the Joker's Daughter from another Universe was not suppose to be killed by the Monitor, none of them have names and they all call each other brother and sister which gets creepy after a while. Overall this issue was lack luster. 48 was actually pretty good. As you can see Lightray one of the New Gods dies, and Superman pretty much shits his pants. He actually asks Jimmy, "How can a God die?" like Jimmy's going to be, "Well you see Clark once a life ends..." Also they explain why Superman wasn't there to stop it. Please writers you don't need to write "convenient" story's on why Superman wasn't there. He's in like 5 books at once just read an issue of Superman and say he was there. Also I think we'd let it slide since it's Superman, not "Everywhere at Once Man." Jimmy apparently has the Flash's powers in this issue as he saves a group of people. Then the dying New God zaps him and I'm thinking he's given him his powers but we'll see. I think the fact the Jimmy's got two different powers might be why he has to Die. Cover was horrible again, it looks like Superman's looking into a reflection rather than a dead body in a hole. Two different perspectives happening on the same piece of art? I would say so. I thought his Dad taught art? I guess natural talent wins every time.
47-46 Not only is this one of the best covers ever, but it's also one of the sexist. Again give me a shirt, a poster a statue and a wall paper pronto! In this issue Black Adam has his powers back and gives them all to Mary Marvel! What? Yeah you read that right. Teth Adam is no longer Black Adam. Too bad the art inside isn't as good as the Cover. I don't know why DC has there most mediocre artist draw there biggest books. That was always the problem with 52 you'd get a decent artist then 7 issue of "Meh." 46 introduces us to Forerunner the weapon of the Monitors, I almost typed Guardians since they seem to be a mixture of the Guardians and Marvel's Watchers. Forerunner hands Jason Todd and Donna Troy there asses, which sucks because I was actually starting to like Jason Todd's character even if they made him way to chatty. But no he wasn't as cool as when he kidnapped the Joker and was beating the hell out of him.

I'm not super impressed by this book yet, it hasn't earned my money and I might not get it anymore. The writings a little inconsistent from story to story and they keep trying to recap what happened in the last issue. The pacing is slow on some parts like the Monitors and the Rouges which stinks because I like the story I just wish they'd have learned from 52 and realize that not every character has to be in the book each week. The covers are 50/50 right now, if Bene's hadn't done the last 2 I would probably say they were mediocre at best. If you want to read these books you'll have to track down the single issues since DC's dumb and won't Trade Paper Back them until the series is over thinking that people will still even want the trades when its over. Probably ever comic store on the planet has enough back issues of the book so it shouldn't be too hard to get it and catch up on the looming disaster that you can't get a feel for yet. DC's trying a little to hard to give you that feeling of what's going to happen next rather than writing a good story that just naturally does it. Hopefully that won't force feed it as much in the coming issues. For more Wallpaper goodness check out DC's homepage.