I figured I should chime in with my opinion on the comic series “Countdown” or as it is now titled “Countdown to Final Crisis. ” For those who are not familiar with this series, Countdown is a weekly series which is composed of 52 issues counting down to zero. Allegedly the series was supposed to serve as the spine to the D.C. comics universe. The concept of a 52 issue weekly year long comic is an encore of a previous series called 52. On the whole, Countdown has been a serious dull and uninspired comic.

Now, issue 12 continues this trend of mediocrity. It opens with a rather disappointing and unattractive cover and goes downhill from there. While the villainous character Darkseid using his eyebeams to blow things up is fun to look at, it is however uninteresting to see him blasting a chess set to pieces.

The story of the main issue intercuts between several characters who are all drawn to and teleported to the planet Apokolips, the home of Darkseid. The whole issue reeks of the author’s artificial manipulations of the characters to get them where they need to be for the final act of the series. It’s hardly enjoyable to read a story in which the author’s hand is so visible and working independent of the story and character motivations.

Highlight of Awfulness:

The single page in which the reader discovers that the all the banter between the two villains Pied Piper and Trickster was more than just homophobic back and forth. Yes, well they decided to out Pied Piper and make the character gay. Gay and Lesbian superheroes and villains seem to be the new hot thing and this feels like Countdown jumping on the bandwagon. Ideally, we’re supposed to feel some sort of poignancy from the fact that Piper is coming out now that Trickster is dead. Also notice the worst drawing of Darkseid I’ve ever seen in a mainstream comic.

There are also several other revelations within the issue besides the Pied Piper one, but I’m at the point in which I don’t really care anymore. If you’re not already reading Countdown (In which case you won’t understand what I’ve been writing about this whole time), don’t start.

Ok, that’s all I got on this one. Next time I’ll try to review something I like.

P.S. There’s a new D.C. weekly series called Trinity, which will hopefully be better. It focuses on Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman and is drawn by Mark Bagley.

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I just barely read the death of Alfred. No, don’t worry. It wasn’t in any recently released comics. It was in my Showcase Presents Batman trade paperback that I’m currently reading. I had never realized that way way way back in the 60s they bumped off Alfred. The story goes that while on a mission, he believes he needs to save Batman and Robin from danger and he rides in on a motorcycle and pushes Batman and Robin out of the way of a falling boulder. In the process of saving them he then is crushed to death by said boulder! How could they? How could they kill off Alfred? I don’t know about you, but he was always one of my favorite characters. To matters worse, they introduce the character of Aunt Harriet to replace him. yes, that Aunt Harriet: the annoying aunt from the tv series.

However, I do have two amusing things to gleen from this tragedy. After Alfred’s death Bruce Wayne sets up a charitable foundation. Was this foundation called “The Pennyworth Foundation?” No, it’s the “Alfred Foundation.” You know, like if my friend Matt died, I’d set up the “Matt Foundation” so everyone would know it’s named after him (/sarcasm).

Also, looking at the wikipedia entry on Alfred I found this:

“The Pre-Crisis comics (i.e., comics published by DC Comics between 1938 and 1986) established Alfred as a retired actor and intelligence agent who followed the deathbed wish of his dying father, Jarvis, to carry on the tradition of serving the Wayne family.”

That’s right! Jarvis! I knew all butlers were connected. Jarvis, the Avengers butler is Alfred’s dad…somehow. Apparently this is true in post-crisis continuity too. But if Jarvis is dead how can he be alive to serve the Avengers? I don’t know. Maybe they can resolve this in Final Crisis.

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