Ok, Countdown. Where to start.

Last year’s 52 was a triumph for DC. I was skeptical, I really was — DC continuity has always been a little rough for me to discern all the ins and outs of — but it just plain worked. An epic story that was told without DC’s Big Three of Superman Batman and Wonder Woman. A story that led up to Black Adam’s World War III attack — which was well done.

Countdown, so far, hasn’t lived up to the promise of 52. The storylines are muddled, and with all the tie-in issues out there, it can be hard to keep up with where each story is going.

The title of the series has changed from just “Countdown” to “Countdown to Final Crisis.” The DC Universe’s “Crisis” tagline being standard for a major universe-shattering event. I am hoping that this indeed the Final Crisis for the DCU. Both companies are becoming addicted to events — and the really good ones are the ones they aren’t pressing in the media. Countdown is running a distant second to the Sinestro Corps War.

Don’t jump in on issue 26. Pick up the back issues, part of my disdain for the event could be that I am tired of the big “This Will Change Everything!” events every year. Find a happy medium, and stick to it. Tell the stories inherent from the last universe-shattering event.