Countdown 51

From the backlog. This was a 2007 freebie that introduced Countdown, which was the lead-in series for Final Crisis. If only it really had been final.

Title: Countdown
Issue: 51
Date: 2007
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Paul Dini
Penciler: Jesus Saiz
Inker: Jimmy Palmiotti
Colorist: Tom Chu
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Editor: Jeanine Schaefer, Mike Marts

The Countdown series starts at #51 and counts backwards. Get it? This is the freebie version of the first issue (#51) and boy am I glad I didn't pay money for this.

We get things started with some impaled bodies right off the bat. Once the reader's attention has been gotten, it's revealed that Darkseid is the villain of the moment. He proceeds to use several sentences to say nothing.

But we quickly segue to... Duela (Dent), the Joker's Daughter? REALLY? Okay, awesomeness points for the writers being quite possibly the only people besides me who even remember this character. She attempts to kidnap a pop star and has the attempt thwarted by the Red Hood. She throws a slinky at him. That proves to be about as effective as one might imagine, but they exchange some (un)pleasantries and she makes her escape via the rooftops. I guess that would be called a draw.

Next up is Mary Batson, who has lost her powers. Moving on.

Trickster and Heat Wave are... I wasn't really sure what the point of that scene was. They're either planning to attack the Flash or not. Pied Piper eavesdrops. Still nothing happening. This is becoming a theme.

Back to Duela, who is killed off in short order by a dude in Monitor gear (I think) who is out to wipe out dimensional anomalies. And when he reports back to base, it looks like Ray Palmer may be next on the list.

Wow, this was supposed to get people to want to read a year-long weekly series? Really? Besides the return of Duela, there was nothing in here to care about. And I only care about Duela because I remember the obscure Batgirl story that introduced her ("I'm Duela Dent. I'm Two-Face's daughter. I was always a disappointment to him. I'm just trying to win his approval." "Disappointment? He was hoping for a boy?" "No, he was hoping for twins." :) ).

Oh, and then they killed her.

But hey, keep in mind that back in 2007, this was the lead-in to a HUGE crossover event that would change the DC Universe FOREVER.

Oh, wait.

Rating: 3.5/10