COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS REVIEW [PART ONE]

 

[ACT I - Things Fall Apart]

• Countdown To Infinite Crisis - "The Life & Death of Ted Kord" = This might be one of the finest single issues I've ever read, and the fact that it's a prelude to an event comic is pretty goddamn unbelievable. Geoff, Judd, and Greg crafted something truly beautiful and heartbreaking, all centered around the pride and joy of c-list comics characters: Blue Beetle. In the span of 5 sub chapters, we fall in love with Ted Kord as we watch him looked down upon and rejected by his peers, his life crumbling before his eyes. But it's this bug that sets off the powder keg, the domino train that gives the heroes of the DCU an edge against enemies closing in at all sides. Rags, Benes, Saiz, and Jimenez are at their A-Game in this, every page is immaculate. God this is so good. As for the loose ends: If Batman created Brother Mark I, then how did Checkmate + Max Lord gain control? What happened to Skeets? What is this OMAC Project? I would be confused about the kryptonite, but Winick just dealt with that in the Under The Hood arc. Did Max and Checkmate siphon funds from Kord Industries and blow up the Bug? Did he hire the Madmen to plant the tracker on Blue Beetle? Or was that Lex and the Society? Why did Luthor appear in the scarab's hologram? Who was talking to the Wizard Shazam? Many questions that I hope are answered, but for now let the Countdown begin!
• The OMAC Project #1 - "The Eye In The Sky" = 
  Greg Rucka is the man! Love the new cast, love the spy thriller vibe, and I love Sasha Bordeaux! For some strange reason I thought the kid with the red and yellow shirt who smack talked Booster was Billy Batson, but I don't think Billy's Fawcett design had that yellow stripe on the center of the shirt. Did not expect to love Jesus Saiz's art as much as I did, and Rucka's prose is so unique from what I'm used to in AoS and WW. Heartbreaking to see the aftermath of the Countdown special, but it only gets more heartbreaking from here! Is Ted's data inside the parcel sent by Sasha? Or is it his goggles?
• Superman #217 - "The Journey" = If the extent of these OMAC tie ins is that one centurion shows up, then you have lost my interest completely. I have zero cares to give about Verheiden trying to clean up Azzarello's lame "For Tomorrow" crap.
• Day of Vengeance #1 - "One Last Drink At the End Of Time" = So begins the Death of Magic! Unfortunate that such a huge event is reduced to only being 25% of the whole Countdown storyline instead of having its own spotlight and resulting status quo, but it functions well as a prime mover for this wonderful journey so I can't be mad at all given what we have down the road. Bill Willingham has some great prose, but it's no doubt bogged down by plot sluggishness paired with some of his comedic idiosyncrasies. Justiniano's art is awesome and does a great job at elevating the script. Why has Spectre declared death to magic? We just saw him separate from Hal Jordan during Green Lantern: Rebirth, could his lack of a host body leave him susceptible to seduction? What did the Heart of Darkness tell Jean Loring? How did the Spectre turn Phantom Stranger into a mouse?
• JSA #73 - Black Vengeance, Part I : "The Verdict" = Crimson Avenger returns! Loved tying in Day of Vengeance to the JSA series. We finally get an answer to who Shazam was talking to during the Countdown special, none other than Mordru! Last time we saw him was when Fate imprisoned him within the Rock of Eternity during JSA #51; will he make a return before Infinite Crisis? How did Eclipso manage to trick the Spectre? Did both of them attack Kahndaq? Will Billy fumble Courtney? And what was the verdict on Atom-Smasher's membership!?!
• JSA #74 - Black Vengeance, Part II : "The People's Heroes" = The wrath of God falls on Kahndaq! We get a nice expo dump to frame Day of Vengeance better, with Captain Marvel explaining that the hostless Spectre is vulnerable to Eclipso's manipulation, hence the magical genocide that has ensued. I personally would consider this essential reading for that event (and it's just damn good comics!). We get more retcons for Jean Loring through Carter's dialogue, character revitalization or assassination, that's for you to decide. Are Hector and Lyta trapped within the Helm of Fate? Did Spectre deflect the Thunderbolt's spell and instead send Jakeem and Johnny to the 5th Dimension? Does Power Girl truly have Kryptonian heritage?
• JSA #75 - Black Vengeance, Part III : "Sunset Over Kahndaq" = Holy mess that was beautiful. A wonderful piece on Atom-Smasher, and I'm so happy Johns got all three main artists across this run to come and do an awesome retrospective. I love Kramer and Kirk, but Sadowski was on god-mode during his sequence. His depictions of Black Adam go up there with Gary Frank and Jerry Ordway. Spectre and Eclipso get away of course, but who is Eclipso referring to when she says "Then he'll let me rest"? Is it Jean talking about Eclipso, or is it Eclipso talking about some other unknown power?