Down for the Count with DC Harris

Here it is, the debut of our new weekly column "Down for the Count with DC Harris." Every week our DC Expert will analyze the events in DC's new weekly series "Countdown". Out of respect for Mr.Harris, my comments will be posted in the response area.

Down for the Count with DC Harris

Here, in absolutely no timely fashion, is installment number one of my close look at DC's Countdown. My apologies to Cee Diddy for not having one ready immediately following the release of issue 51, sadly, finals come before even comic books for me. That aside, "so begins the end."

How do you follow up something as fantastic as 52? Many of us were wondering how we would go on without something consistently good every single week. Well, how about some Paul Dini? Fine by me.

For those poor souls who did not read 52, you probably need the massive spoiler that THE MULTIVERSE IS BACK. Sorry. But I'm really not going to wait for you to read all 52 issues. Not my fault you made the poor life choice of missing out on a book written by Geoff Johns (Infinite Crisis), Mark Waid (Kingdom Come), Grant Morrison (All Star Superman), and Greg Rucka (OMAC Project). I mean, seriously folks.

51
Joker's Daughter is, without a doubt, among the most confusing characters in DC continuity. No clear motivation, has flip-flopped from villain to hero more than Kane has from face to heel, and the misleading name of "Joker's Daughter," when she is not that at all. Enter: Jason Todd, an equally confusing character. At one time, DC eliminated the multiverse to make things less confusing. Now, it's come back, seemingly to AGAIN try to make things less confusing.

Aside from this main story, we get a glimpse at Mary Marvel, who apparently has been abandoned by the rest of the Marvel family. Perhaps for one of those, "this is for your own good" things, Billy has either taken away her powers, or changed her magic word (much as he did with Black Adam). An intriguing turn of events, indeed. And then, everyone's favorite group of villains, Flash's Rogues. I, personally, thought this little exchange that seemed pretty personal was really funny, but also extremely realistic of how these guys should be acting.

More importantly, however, a Monitor murders the Joker's Daughter very Sarah Conner-like ala Terminator 2, claiming that her death is for the good of the multiverse. To me, hearing that a death was promised in this issue concerned me, because I hate seeing great characters killed off for no reason. Here, we had a recognizable (but not necessarily useful) character killed off for a VERY good reason that actually seems like it sets the tone for this series. The explanation that Joker's Daughter is from another universe makes her seem to fit a lot better into the continuity, and Jason Todd almost dying shows what editorial has in store for him. HOPEFULLY his resurrection will get some more analysis, as Geoff Johns said that he had originally wanted the explanation to not be "punching a wall," but this exact scenario, of him being from another universe.

And let's go for a big tease of an ending, eh? What does the multiverse need to survive? Why, the biggest (pun intended) super-hero who has been missing for the last few years, of course, the Atom. I. Love. It.

Dini threw a lot in our faces in the first issue, priming a lot now. Naturally, the first issue has to set the stage. We know Darkseid plays a huge role from his opening, Jason Todd may very well get the royal treatment, Mary Marvel is clearly going on a magical journey, some villains will have some antics, and Ray Palmer is going to kick some ass. By the end of issue 51, I believe my exact feelings are, "I am a happy panda."

50
Anything with the Joker on the cover looks good to me. Now, Jimmy Olsen is not a character that many people demand to see a lot of. But, a true testament to the versatility of Jimmy is that he had a solo series longer than probably any of the other main characters in this book. And in the hands people people like Dini, Palmiotti, and Gray, I thought he really was well-established in this issue for what he always is: that nosey reporter who always gets into trouble. And using Superman's telescopic x-ray vision from space to get a story? I thought that was pretty amusing.

Jason Todd and Jimmy Olsen, some real nice work there. The line, "there's a guy in Arkham Asylum who wrote the book on crazy," was just the kind of sass a dead Robin should have. We got some more Mary Marvel foreshadowing (stay out of Gotham, eh? SOO looks like Mary's going to Gotham), and our first official cross-over from the book. If you aren't reading Justice League (DO ITTTT), you didn't pick up on it, but that scene is lifted directly out of it. So, no surprises there, but this Legion tie-in is very interesting to me.

Rogues clashing has a lot to do with what Marc Guggenheim is doing over in Flash, thankfully rescuing that title from the clutches of some tv bozos. "You both flip-flop more than a Massachusetts senator" had me laughing out loud on the train. And the Joker/Jimmy scene, very Silence of the Lambs, well...it shows just how awesome Dini has Joker's craziness down after years of work with him. But does Joker have some clue as to what's going on here? Whoo boy.

Good. Times. Two very solid issues of introducing characters and just how this thing is going to go. I don't know if they topped the first 2 issues of 52, but they brought a smile to my face, and I know I'm going to be hooked.

~DC Harris