Counting to None...Countdown Issue 28

Chief Writer-Paul Dini

Writer-Sean Mckeever

Artist-Keith Giffen (Breakdowns), Carlos Magno (Pencils)

Inker-Rodney Ramos

DC's Countdown has received a fair amount of critcism since launching. Their second weekly book in two years (The first being the epochal 52) it's building the foundation for next year's epic story Final Crisis, which, frankly, seems to be part of the problem. Where 52 was the after effects of a story, Countdown is nothing but the build up to a story and that, combined with the interminable tie ins has led to the book's negative reception. Which is something of a shame as, at it's halfway point, there are some genuinely intriguing character beats.

Issue 27 actually demonstrates this pretty well, with a couple of the plots really starting to kick off. The destruction of the city of Bludhaven provides the backdrop for Buddy Blank and co opens the issue and hints at something more in the works for this intrepid little group of misfits. There's an interesting sense with this version of Blank that he's a little too well equipped, a little too prepared and combined with the apocalyptic nature of the setting (And the appearance of Darkseid) this makes for a fun start. However, the real meat of the story arrives in two other plots.

First off, tthe war on Earth-8 comes to a surprising (apparent) conclusion as, sick and tired of being pursued across the worlds by Monarch (And possibly by being stuck on Earth-8, which is apparently home to supervillains who are trapped in the early '90s) offers to join up and in doing so, seemingly, does something pretty permenant to another character. Meanwhile back on our Earth, Trickster and Pied Piper start to get answers aboutt where the supervillains are being taken and the only thing they like less than what they hear is who they hear it from...

There's a real sense with this issue of plots finally starting to move and crucially, come together. From the hapless sort-of villains to the super bleak SF of Earth-8 there's a real feeling of something awful slouching towards issue 1, of a real darkness ahead for everyone. Whether it's the 'rendition' of the supervillains or Mary Marvel (Who makes a brief appearance in this issue, just long enough to beat down Shadowpact) the DC universe is getting darker and the story is moving closer to the next phase. That was the real problem with Countdown prior to this, the sense of it treading water and that, thankfully, has been well and truly conquered. There are still weak spots (Lord Havoc and the Extremists? Honestly?) but overall, this is a series which is finally, FINALLY hitting its stride. If you've given up, now's a good time to check back in with it.