In the end, I was left with a fairly bad taste in my mouth. A good event in 52 was a bit soiled by these mostly-inferior supplements. Despite DCs admonitions that these four books would provide further information that was important to grasping the larger picture of World War III, it sits there looking like one big oops, we forgot to wrap up some of these issues in 52. One wonders what it could have been if they had tightened it up and given us one single book, with a single writer, a single art team, and a lot more care.

Maybe a new Justice Society of America doesn't really need to be anything special.

Countdown to Final Crisis #1Posted: Thursday, April 24, 2008By: Jim Beard Paul DiniTom Derenick (p), Wayne Faucher (i)DC Comics Counting down the Top Oneerrcounting down Oneummoh, hell, heres the One Thing You Need to Know about Countdown #1!

Major Tom to Ground Control: Send me up Countdown #1. Let's get it done. Not because I'm excited to read it but because I've got something kind of special planned for the review...see ya then, friends.

Major Tom to Ground Control: Send me up a few more homages like Atom's trip through Jimmy, a la The Brave & the Bold #115, circa 1974. Goofy stuff like that, coupled with the fun art of Freddie Williams II makes this book a bit more palatable. Like Giant Turtle Boy Jimmy Olsen! Oh, boy, this is gonna be good.

Major Tom to Ground Control: Send up some of those special Countdown shoes, the ones that allow you to stand on the sides of a giant globe, thousands of feet above the streets, and make it look like a walk in the park. Boy, Superman's gonna be pissed when he sees all those muddy footprints

(Extra credit to those of you who recognize the title of count #4)

Major Tom to Ground Control: We just saw Green Lantern zip by, sweating bullets and with the most ghastly pallor. He got a flu shot this year, right? Control? Control?

Major Tom to Ground Control: "And the wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round"

Major Tom to Ground Control: Send me up a new spell-check! This one wanted me to change "McGuffin" to "McDuffie." Dwayne, get out of my computer!

Major Tom to that Mr. Wanty Bastard... wait, isn't that like talking to yourself?

Major Tom to Ground Control: Send up a new one-shot or Special with Bruce Timm art, and a new mini-series or ongoing with Scott Kolins art! That's called having your cake and shoving it down your pie-hole!

Major Tom to Ground Control: the announced plans for Final Crisis #0, the Final Crisis miniseries, the Final Crisis Specials, and the next weekly, Trinity, all sound pretty good. I'm excited. Breeng eet awn.

Major Tom to Ground Control: Send me up some more news of the possibility of Busiek and Bagley on the next DC weekly! Them's some good storytellers there!

Major Tom to Ground Control: Cyborg Superman's origin is way too complicated. I bet the Six Million Dollar Man could kick his butt.

Major Tom to Ground Control: .*crackle*(static)s alive(static)

Major Tom to Ground Control: Dont send me up any more covers like this weeks. Misleading, empty, and means absolutely nothing. Cool image regardless? Matter of opinion, I guess, but you have to admit that even as symbolism its kind of lame.

Major Tom to Ground Control: Send up some more Pete Woods art! He can make just about anything look purdy!

Major Tom to Ground Control: send me this weeks issue of Countdown to Mystery, as it shows what happened to Eclipso after Mary gave her the bums rush. It also has some of the most gigantic breasts ever drawn in a comic book ever.

Major Tom to Ground Control: Send up another issue by Palmiotti and Gray! I hope DC is going to give The Dynamic Duo a healthy part of the Countdown wrap-up. Thatd be sweet.

Major Tom to Ground Control: Send me up several thousand Christmas cards for all my pals in the comic book world. I want to wish everybody, I mean everybody, the greatest and grooviest set of holidays of em all! See you next week for the final issue of 2007! Im asking for a better series. What are you asking for?

Major Tom to Ground Control: Send me up some more Brother Eye, some more Jimmy Olsen on Apokolips, and some more big." I like my events big.

Major Tom to Ground Control: Send me up a batch of engraved invitations for me to send to all my homies to check out my review of Countdown: Arena #1, up now on this very website and a fine site it is, chums.

Major Tom to Ground Control: Send me up a comic book series thats not so damn frustrating. Send me up one that doesnt suffer from multiple personality disorder. Send me up one that I can trust from week to week. The one Ive got is wearing out all its second chances.

Major Tom to Ground Control send me up another J.G. Jones cover, man. In fact, send me up a few dozen while youre at it. With one well-crafted image, Jones has made me forget some of the most lackluster and poorly-executed covers in all of comicdom.

Major Tom to Ground Control: Whats that I spy on the cover for next weeks issue? A certain 5th-Dimensional imp? Send me up some of that stuff, baby. Lets get gonzo, lets get crazy, lets let everything hang out and ask DC to open the coffers and let the entire cache of seventy-freakin-years of funky weirdness spill out and wash over us. Go, dog, go!

Major Tom to Ground Control: Send me up some Dramamine, Im getting sick and tired of having to hide my Countdown covers when I get home.

Major Tom to Ground Control: send up some more good news like this: advance solicitations for upcoming issues of Countdown tell us that there will be entire blocks of issues by singular sets of creative teams. Swhat I wanted all along. I think its the way to go, and I congratulate DC on this decision. Lets roll!

Major Tom to Ground Control: Im still waiting for an entire issue centered around only one or possibly two of the storylines. Call it experimentation, call it a wild hair, but were running out of time, and this book needs a Come to Jesus issue. Boy, does it.

Major Tom to Ground Control send me up another Mxyzptlk installment or something else that will surprise me and tickle my fancy. My fancy just aint gettin some lovin, yknow what I mean? Aye, theres the rub.

Major Tom to Ground Control: send up something really, really creepy and scary for the Oct. 31st issue of Countdown, eh? We can always use more good Halloween comics.

Major Tom to Ground Control send up some better covers, please. Were getting a good one about every five weeks or so. That average should and could be a lot, lot better.

Major Tom to Ground Control Send me up a dozen or so assorted public-domain comic book characters from the 30s and 40s. Everyones doin it!

Major Tom to Ground Control send me up a copy of Umbrella Academy, hold the bachelorette party.

Major Tom to Ground Control: Send up some more faith, hope, and inspiration. Were trying to start an epidemic here. Also send me up my Ma Hunkel Minimate!

Major Tom to Ground Control send me upa Public Service Announcement? Folks, do me a favor: take care of your heart. You only have one, despite the new line of plastic models out there. Dont screw around with it. Get it checked out if theres the slightest weirdness. Okay? In fact, screw me, do it as a favor to yourself. Dont wait for rude surprises, like a PSA in your Countdown review... And skip the double hamburger every once in a while, okay?

Major Tom to Ground Control: Send up another guest-shot from some of the more established denizens of the DCU, just to add spice to the recipe. Batman, for example. Or the JSA. I liked that look at the DCU in action a few weeks ago. That was nice. Also send me up a pizza. Pepperoni. Nothing fancy.

Major Tom to Ground Control: send up another Bedard script or two, some decent art, an issue dominated by one or possibly two of the stories, much, much more connection with everything, and a few unopened boxes of Bandais Classic Godzilla Selection (1955-1975) of miniature Godzilla dioramas sculpted by Sakai.

Major Tom to Ground Control Send up another issue with artists David Lopez and Mike Norton, because I just cant seem to get a grip on whether I like their stuff or not. Also send me up one of those new Mountain Dews, the citrus-cherry ones with Halo on the label.

And Keith? Sorry about the stingy thing. [Editor's Note: No problema. Sorry my "stinginess" won't allow me to buy you any drinks in Chicago.]

(By the way, my spellch-ch-checker wanted to change McKeever to makeover. Coincidence?)

Major Tom to Ground Control. Send up a new costume for Jason Todd (so he cant stop angst-ing around like a poor mans Comedian), another issue of five for Bedard, many more art chores for Garcia and McKenna, and, oh, one of those robot frog-horse thingies for me.

Major Tom to Ground Control Please send up some longer installments, some more issues by Palmiotti and Gray, better covers, and much better art. Oh, and a Mountain Dew.

Gonna go listen to Stuck in the Middle With You by Steelers Wheel.

1. Wrap It Up, Ill Take It. Again, good, solid issue, with only a few minor bumps. Do you know what Im realizing now about Countdown? Its not really a series of its own. Its like a staging ground, for lack of a better term. Its a launch pad for ideas and concepts. Maybe thats how I should go forward with my view of it

1. It's Rude to Point. Funny thing I wanted to point out in this weeks History of the Multiverse: isnt it odd how the Monitors sit there and talk about THE Monitor, the original one, and dont think thats strange at all? That would be like me saying, The Jim observed from above. The Jim did what he could. The Jim was DESTROYED. But, thank goodness, there are plenty of Jims now to handle all of these reviews! We are the Jims! Oops! Did I just type that out loud?

1. What It Is. Again, I want to like this series. I want to be able to say good things about it and recommend it to people. So far I can only recommend two out of eight issues. Not a very good ratio so far. Im not sure whats going on. 52 ended up as a darn fine series, after learning some hard lessons early on. While Countdown isnt 52, obviously, that doesnt mean it cant be good on its own terms. Yet it isnt at this point. It feels like it's trying to be a lot of things to a lot of people, and Im here to tell you that that could very well be its downfall. I dont want that to happen, but like I said before, a series that claims to be the spine of the DCU should have a lot more inherent strength and stability.

1. The Futures so bright This issue has given me new hope for the future of the series. When I see progression on more than one story, interesting dialogue, and concepts and situations I can sink my mind into, I feel as if my money is well spent. Palmiotti and Gray have, for me, decreased some of my lingering meh with their first Countdown go-round, and I will look forward to upcoming issues that bear their names. Pretty good un, guys.

1. Give all to me, baby. Dont hold back. Give me an issue or two with a story that fills the book cover to cover. I cant take much more of these little two or three page check-ins and their brevity of depth or meaning. Tease me, sure, but give SOME clue as to what Im being teased with. Make we want to call you tomorrow, Countdown.

1. I liked more of issue #48 than I didnt, but Im beginning to suspect that a lot of the junk that's starting to clutter up stems from this revolving door of writers. How can any one writer learn what may or may not work here when they are here and gone before you can blink? I mean, theyre not on the book just so we can be impressed with their names, right? Call out the steamroller and lets get this paving job smoothed outbefore we finish counting down.

1. Alls well that ends well. Not a bad issue. In fact, one that Ill enjoy re-reading. Is this due to the insertion of writer Tony Bedard into the proceedings? Something to ponder. I was thinking that so many writers coming onboard in this fashion could mean a very schizophrenic narrative for Countdown, despite uber-controller Dini, but this issue WAS a breath of clean air after the previous two, and Im open to the rest of the series getting into its groove.

1. In all, a disappointing second issue with little to recommend it. Issue #51 was buoyed, for me, by the Monitors' inclusion and the cosmic touch they brought to the proceedings. That gave Countdown the air of something big. This week could have used some of that. Dini has been knocking most of them out of the ballpark over in Detective, so its a bit hard to take this ringleader floundering in Countdown. I can only surmise that hes got a lot more juggling to do in this book, a great deal with editorial presumably. I hope the waters smooth out, and we can get a real sailboat race of a title.

1. Now, dont get me wrong about Countdown #51. I think the good and the potential outweigh the bad and the detractions. The idea of the Monitors patrolling the Multiverse looking for line-jumpers and what-not is a good one, absolutely, and wanting to know what Ray Palmer, the long-lost Aton, could possibly have to do with an impending Great Disaster is enough to keep me around and curious. I can also assume that DC has learned many lessons from 52, not the least with storytelling, and I expect Countdown to be a culmination of all theyve learned. Im not concerned at all about them being able to keep it on a weekly schedule, but I am a bit trepidatious about all the other connecting DCU titles coming out on time. Maybe this series will be exactly what DC needs to streamline their efforts and get one of the greatest comic book companies back on a serious and timely schedule. Heres hoping. Countdown may prove to be too cool of a thing to mess up with late books.

Its all handled well, though, and Sparacios art is pleasing to the eye and definitely shows an investment of time and energy--a sign that the current Captain Action owners are very serious about their propertys chances for success.

I also want to keep seeing good artists like Joe Bennett and Ruy Jose. Great stuff here in Week One and although some complain about comics with too many splashes, I say you give me grandeur in shots like that, and Im a happy camper. Give me the lay of the land, give me perspective. Cool.

Mr. Wanty: What do I want? I want a trip to Europe! But in the meantime, I want to see more of Ralphs new pal and defender of Sues dignity, Martys brother. Get him a name and a regular job as the Elongated Mans sidekick and take that sucker on the roaddude! Id also like to have many more nods to DCs past and then continue to weave them into the tapestry of the future. This is, for me, when DC is at its strongest: playing of their history, embracing what has come before, and using it all as a launch site to the moonand beyond.

Mr. Wanty: I want to see a new artist. Now, thats not to demean Joe Bennetts contributions at all, nosiree. It was wise of DC to give us some consistency right off the bat and ease us into 52. Now I want to see some of the other artistic stars in DCs stable. I also want to see Ralph Dibny back toot sweet. And in costume. And with stretchy powers. Is that too much to ask?

Mr. Wanty: This week Mr. Wanty wanted more about the missing scientists and much more progression of these storylines. Mr. Wanty also still wants to see what another artist could do on the book (although as usual, Joe Bennett turned in another fine job), and really, above all, Mr. Wanty wants to know what the heck is the point so far in History of the DCU. Hopefully Mr. Wanty will find out very soon and want for nothing.

Mr. Wanty: Okay, I want more of this weeks storyline. I want an entire mini-series devoted to it. I want to know whos dead, whos rescued, whos lost, whos a she and whos a he. Also, who is now two? I also want someone to kick Booster Golds ass for being mean to Skeets. Bastard.

Mr. Wanty: Would it surprise you to hear that I want more Great Ten? It so damn fun to say their names! August General in Iron! I also want to know what a real Chinese reader thinks of these heroes and if they feel like they reflect reality in any way shape or form. What say you, our Chinese brothers? Do Immortal-Man-in-Darkness and Thundermind represent your ideals? Inquiring fanboys want to know!

Mr. Wanty: What does Mr. Wanty want this week? He wants DC to know that these fascinating ideas and concepts that are being introduced in 52 (the meta hospital, the Great Ten, Batwoman, among others) need to be fully explored and given their fair chance. Too many times have good concepts been debuted in comics and then dropped, never to be explained or fleshed out. It appears that DC is serious about what theyre saying and doing in this book, but I want them to put their money where their collective mouths are and dont let some of this coolness fall by the wayside. Itd be a crime.

Mr. Wanty: Let me be absolutely clear about this: I want "History of the DCU" to be over. Now. Quick-like. Maybe, just maybe, theres someone out there, maybe two or three someones, who this back-up series is important to. To them I salute. I personally cant help but think there was some other way for DC to approach this, some other mode of relating this History that didnt remind me of the most boring of high school lectures. Zombie Girler, I mean Donna Troy sure doesnt help, her with her namby-pambiness and her DEEP, DEEP emoting over the trials and tribulations of all her friends Next?

Mr. Wanty: Poor old Mr. Wanty still wants History of the DCU to stop telling him everything he already knows and RECENT stuff at that. Wanty still wants some more-than-decent art, too. Is that too much to ask? Hello? Ken Lashley, where are you???

Mr. Wanty: wants more big pictures of super-people standing around looking cool and then having them do stuff. Mr. Wanty also wants more issues like Week 10en that tell us stuff we didnt already know, puts certain characters in their place, shows us how heroes who have lost almost everything survive, and show us the cranking up of desperation and the dampening of ego. Yeah, thats all.

Mr. Wanty: It's very simple this week, nothing too grandiose or difficult to deliver. I only want, as a good Citizen of the Buckeye State, to know why the Question has a file box marked Ohio 2004 in his van. Is that too much to ask? Does it have something to do with the aliens at Wright-Patt? Hello? Hello?

Mr. Wanty: The Want-ster simply wants more issues of 52 like Week 12 and Week 11 before it. Character studies, debuts, solid art, meaty dialogue, and reason after reason to go back and re-readmaybe again, and again, and again.

Also, did you know that there were thirteen plutonium slugs in the Fat Man atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki?

Mr. Wanty: Would like several more issues without Booster Gold, please (though I see hes back next week. Darn!). Mr. Wanty also wants to see something that creates a huge turning point in Renees and Questions relationship. Im talking HUGE. Also want to see Natasha get hers and realize the great love her uncle has for her. What else? I want 52 to go on forever

Mr. Wanty: wants to see what happens when Renee Montoya meets Black Adam. Will it be peace in the Mid-East or War on all Scores? Mr. Wanty also wants to see the fershlugginer Lost in Space Heroes again and see whats happening with their escape from Paradise. When, DC? WHEN???

Mr. Wanty: What does he want? Id think hed like to see more converging storylines in 52, definitely. Also some more Batwoman. Yeah, thatd be great. Mr. Wanty also wants many more issues to be drawn by Joe Bennett and also a visit by the JSA. Thatd be cool. In all, Mr. Wanty wants DC to keep trying to make this series one of the best, most fascinating experiments in all of comics history. Theyve made a great start, already had some success, and I want to see that continue and grow.

Mr. Wanty: Would it be too much to want absolutely no more Lobo soiling and spoiling my 52? How about he just stays in his own miniseries and specials? Mr. Wanty also wants no more disemboweling and beheading of characters created by Jack Kirby for DC Comics. And, lets seeoh, yeah! Mr. Wanty still wants more Batwoman. More Lobo-less Batwoman. A whole bunch of Czarnian-free Batwoman goodness

Mr. Wanty wants more characters in comics like Renee Montoya and Ralph Dibny. Theyre fictional, absolutely, but they do tend to stand up and off the page and make Mr. Wanty want to read about them a whole lot more. More so than Lobo, thats for damn sure.

Mr. Wanty: is so crestfallen this week and wants sooo much, it might not be able to be expressed properly. Mr. Wanty wants less clich and more meat-and-potatoes in the plots. Mr. Wanty wants to be amazed more often in 52. Mr. Wanty wants more of those great moments that paint the DCU in vivid colors and show off the reasons why its the best damn super-hero universe of them all. Its got the characters, its got the situations, its got the locales, its got some of the finest creators behindsadly, they simply didnt come together this week. Alas, theres always next week.

Mr. Wanty: absolutely wants to know about that Next in 52 picture! Big Barda? Who are those others? I have to WHAT??? Wait a WEEK??? Dont get all WEIRD on me, dude!

Mr. Wanty: Red Tornado, Metal Men! Red Tornado, Metal Men! RED TORNADO, METAL FREAKIN MEN!!!

Mr. Wanty: Want to hear from you. Im going to be doing a separate half-way done 52 article in a few weeks, and I want YOU to tell ME what youd like to see me address most: Characters, storylines, writers, artists, scenes, whatever. You tell me. Ill be using the best ones in that article. Email me at jim52review@yahoo.com. Do it now. I WANT you to.

Me personally wants more people to email me at jim52review@yahoo.com and tell me what you really, really want me to talk about in my upcoming 52 Half-Way Through article! You can be Mr. Wanty, too!

Special Note: Something BIG is coming to SBCs 52 reviews! Watch for it!

Mr. Wanty: wants more palindromic weeks like 52 Week 25. Also, more Detective Chimp, more Batwoman (remember her, kids?), more Super-Chief, and much, much, much more AMBUSH BUG!

In the meantime, email me at jim52review@yahoo.com and tell me what you want me to talk about in my soon-to-be-forthcoming 52-Halfway-Through-Review!

Mr. Wanty: Wants more threads to come together, more storylines to advance, more characters to learn and grow, and most of all, to have 52 end in a way that feels like some kind of an ending, not one that feels like the series isnt a whole thing. Give us that ending, DC. We wants it, yes we does.

Mr. Wanty: Wants the so-called middle act of 52 to not spin its wheels so much and to give us a climax or two. It doesnt have to call me in the morning or anything just, you know, satisfy melike its done before. Give your Mister some lovin, ya big old weekly series, you!

Mr. Wanty: Its all coming together, folks. Bit by bit, page by page, panel by panel, issue by issue, 52 and its threads are weaving together into a tapestry that I think we can all be proud of. Mr. Wanty wants that to continue. Onward!

Mr. Wanty Wants to see more of the Batwoman-Nightwing team-up, more of Bruces inner struggle, and definitely more of Renee Montoyas future. He also wants to know exactly what DCs got up their collective sleeve to top 52.

Huh, did I just type that last bit out loud?

Mr. Wanty: Gee, DC took a favorite character of mine, the Elongated Man, twisted him up into a little ball, let him go, and showed us that change isnt exactly a bad thing. I want more of this. Its a dicey move, sure, and many comic book characters have been ruined with such change, but if this amount of attention is given to them, the results can be wonderful. I loved the Elongated Man, but Im think Ralph Dibnys pretty damn cool, too. I want more.

Mr. Wanty: Wants some explosions, some fisticuffs, some reckless endangering, and a bit of galactic fracas. We're done with the Holidays (cept New Years), so lets get it on and get down to some action!

Mr. Wanty: Would like to see even more threads of 52 brought together. How will the Space Heroes saga impact events on Earth, or vice versa? Does Luthor have any impact on Batwoman? It FEELS like its coming together, and Mr. Wanty wants that good feeling to continue.

(1 of 3) She fights for truth, liberty, and justice (we hope). She is upside-down.

Mr. Wanty: wants a little more convergence, please. It seemed like it was all coming together in the last few weeks, but the four storylines touched upon this week remained separate and played themselves out in their own little worlds. We have precious few weeks of 52 left to us, crew. When will it be a coherent whole?

Mr. Wanty: wants to know where Boosters going, what Skeets is on about, why Rip Hunter is skittish, how Ralph Dibny becomes separated from the Fate helmet, and how Animal Man will face his old pals the Space Aliens. Thats not much, is it?

Mr. Wanty: wants to see the Fourth Horseman, wants to see the War begin, and wants to see its outcome. DC did that to Mr. Wanty. They made him want more. They made him want to turn the pages faster and faster. Wow.

Mr Wanty: Wants to see Steel DO SOMETHING. Looks like next week he DOES SOMETHING. Maybe once he DOES SOMETHING, hell seem interesting again. Want action!

Mr. Wanty: gets just what he wants next issue, looks like. The word is convergence, and if thats just one of those symbolic covers (what we used to call misleading when I was a kid), then Mr. Wanty will want blood. Dig?

Mr. Wanty: Wants to know what Ralphs wish REALLY was. To be with Sue finally? And who helped Ralph after the fire in the Kryptonian temple? Will the answers to the final mysteries at the end of the Elongated Mans life be revealed?

Lets hope the Countdown is counting down to a bit more thought put into what happens in the comics that I love.

Also, Im pleased to announce that SBC is graciously allowing these reviews to continue oninto Countdown. I hope youll join me here for more weekly fun.

Mr. Wanty Wants a Great Ten mini-series so bad. It could be really, really cool. These are great characters and a backdrop that hasnt really ever been explored in Western comics. DC, make it happen! Please! Me wanty!

Mr. Wanty: Wants to know what happens to Dr. Cale, Black Adam, Sivana, Morrow and the Red Tornado, and the JSA. That means this issue did its job. Kudos, DC!

Let me beScott Free!

And while theyre at it, they should make that cobra-woman and octopus-man into action figures.

And dont forget, you faithful few: therell be an extra-special BONUS review next week, including all four issues of World War III. Join me!

Mr. Wanty: Wants to catch a breath, reflect on Week Fifty, and then jump into the four-part World War III. See ya back here on Sunday, friends! And thanks for sticking with me for FIFTY WEEKS!

Lets wait until next week before making the final judgment, eh?

(Psst: join me here for Countdown next week, wont you?)

Supplication: Let us pray. Oh, Lord, please allow this book to be on time, every week, and for Kurt Busiek to remember that though the range and depth of the DC Universe are great, the book is not called "The Two Brats of the Flash," and who his stars are and their power. In the name of Mr. Wanty, we do so humbly pray

Monsignor Wanty: wants to see our trio go into slam-bang action together. How do they fight as a team, with two that can bend steel and one made from just flesh and bone? I'm itchin' to see some big action here. Also, how about that scene of Superman and Batman going to the Batcave? Will we actually get to see that? And will Clark and Diana rag on Bruce's proclivity for cars and trophy cases?

Monsignor Wanty: obviously wants more of the trinity herein, of course. That's not to say we need to sacrifice the wonderful connectors to the greater DCU, natch, but three issues in is a bit too early to have Clark, Bruce, and Diana become bit players in their own musical. Also, can we have a JSA appearance sometime soon, too? How Our Heroes relate to their legendary forebears has always been something I can never get enough of.

Monsignor Wanty: prays for Tarot to get her hands dirty, Joes Delgado to suit up once again (though I hate that helmet he's holding), an explanation of Konvikt's pummeling of Superman, a Superman-Wonder Woman squabble and even more coolness! Go Trinity!

Monsignor Wanty: wants to know if he'll be considered a broken record if he asks if there's still any chance for a teeny-tiny argument between the trinity, maybe over who shall lead, who shall call the shots, who's better equipped to handle a particular situation. It'd add some dimensionality to the relationship, eh? Or, maybe not.

Monsignor Wanty: is worn out and wants only to know that he somehow got his points across today. It was a tough one, friends, trying to put into words how enthused I am about this issue. Turned a corner? Could be and it's a bit sad to think that there are some readers who have already abandoned this series and may never know what goodness lurks between the covers. I want to buy the world a Coke and preach the "Trinity."

Monsignor Wanty: wants to indulge in a bit of speculation for a moment, if you'll grant him that, dear friends. What if what if, mind you Trinity, with its playing in the backyard of JLA/Avengers, was leading into a new DC/Marvel crossover? I mean, think about it: it'd be HUGE. And so secret that not even gossip-gurus have gotten a wriggle on their line from it. I have to be frank with you, my flock I think there has never been a better time for such a company crossover, in this current atmosphere of "feud" and backbiting between their fans and even some of their creators. Imagine the latest weekly DC series leading into one of the biggest ball-busing DC/Marvel events ever. It'd blow the doors off of everything that's come before. Creation of a new universe? Huh. And wouldn't the Marvel-ers detect the hinky-pinky with the Cosmic Egg, too? Perchance to dream

Monsignor Wanty wants an appearance by Ambush Bug! Hey, it worked for 52, didnt it!? Think about it, guys it could be awesome!

Monsignor Wanty: wants to reiterate the prayer for an injection of something in this book to make people sit up and take notice. 52 had its delicious mysteries and dramatic events; Countdown had its suckiness what does Trinity have? It's not too early or late for this book to make a name for itself.

Monsignor Wanty: wants to see more Jason Blood in the series and hopes that his cameo this week is only a taste of things to come. With Morgaine involved, can Etrigan really stay away? Methinks not, varlets!

Mark, you're doing such a fine job on Trinity that I just want to say that I'm sorry, and yes, I finally learned how to shut up at conventions. Not in my reviews, no, but in public and in front of incredibly patient comic pros, yes. It feels good to get that off my chest. Now, if only Kurt can forgive me for that time I had him sign a copy of Jack Kirbys Teenagents

Monsignor Wanty: wants to stop sounding like a broken CD when he says again that Trinity needs a little oomph to go along with its hmmm and its schwingg. Is that too much to ask for? Let's pray it isnt.

Monsignor Wanty: wants to never, ever, never get that teeny-tiny little Countdown feeling he barely got in this week's Trinity again. That was then, this is now. Sins of the past and all that. Get thee behind me, Satan!

Monsignor Wanty: prays for Red Tornado to not be damaged from the Cosmic Balance Inverter, for Maxwell Lord to rot in hell, for that Vegas dancer to not breast feed her child in public, for the residents of A-Earth Feithera to finally find peace, and for that little bastard with the gun to make sure the safety's back on once he's done with it.

Monsignor Wanty: Wants too much. Hoping for more Primat and not a gorilla to be seen, a quick look though the assembled heroes offers more disappointment. How about Alan Scott and Jay Garrick in the supposed "combined might" of the JLA and JSA? No soap. They ain't cookin' with gas unless the top dogs are there, see? Grumble, grumble

Monsignor Wanty: wants to take a moment and reflect on what we have here: good writers, good artists, and good characters now let's take this series to the next level.

Monsignor Wanty: Doesn't smoke but wants to see every single character in the new reality be seen smoking. It'd be a hoot. C'mon, you think so, too. A little bit of non-political correctness never hurt anyone right?

Monsignor Wanty: Wants to know why white in particular was added to heroes' costumes in the new reality.

But overall, back to the writing, yeah, yeah, youre saying you could probably write this sort of thing yourself, but the cool thing is that DC just did it for you. Just go with it. Read the damn thing and then talk about it online or around the water cooler or whatever and I think youll find, as I did, that it's goofy fun that can also prove to be thought provoking and an intriguing side-project to the larger, ahem, arena of Countdown.

Im having fun with this series more fun than I expected. Thats a good thing.

In all, it was another slam-bang bit of comic book goodness, drawn large with big characters, big punches, and even bigger panache. Im glad I took this particular plunge. Just think, if I hadnt, I would never have been treated to Steve Ditkos Captain Atom! Wow!

So, good job to Champagne and McDaniels on a cool super-hero comic, one that illustrates the better aspects of the genre. Lets just hope the writers of Countdown itself dont drop the ball thats been handed them, i.e., Monarchs spankin new Arena Army.

Buy it. It's only 50 cents but it looks and reads like a solid $3.99.

There's a death here, by the way, or perhaps the beginning of one. It's not much of a shocker if you followed the hype and indulged in rumor and supposition. Is it a good death? No, it's actually fairly tame, but the interesting thing is that Libra, the death-dealer, freely admits he's not treating his victim fairly, and in that he illustrates his new, proposed status quo with one sure stroke. It's kind of a snap-shot of the issue. It doesn't look good for the good guys, 'cause the bad guys are playing dirty than ever before.

Respect for the characters, commitment to storytelling, and clarity of visuals: its all here. You could do far, far worse in your modern comic reading.

Dale Eagleshams art (along with Ruy Jose complimentary smooth inking) was again a treat for the eyes. Im becoming quite enamored of his JSA headquarters and its rooms. Hes making the building a star in its own right. Hes also handling each JSAer with separate care and brings a ton of personality and charm to each and every one of them. Thats not an easy task, but he seems to handle it with ease. Bravo, Dale.

I was glad to see the return of Sand or should I say Sandman? I was glad to see the entire Society rush off en masse to confront their enemies. That was thrilling. There is lots to thrill to in this book, to be sure. Dialogue, art, colors, settings, it's all here. And a continuing respect for the past, yes, dont get me wrong. I bring up my fears for the JSAs future because I care for the characters and their legacy. DC does too, I know, and Geoff Johns in particular. It's just that I feel like some unnecessary tinkering is happening for the sake of moving forward, and while that can be a good thing, it can also screw up a good thing. We have a good thing going here, folks. Lets not keep popping the hood too much and looking at ways to make it better. Its pretty darn good that way it is.

Kudos to whomever gave Ma Hunkel a seat at the Big Table!

Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens deliver some clean lines, strong layouts, and slam-bang action in this book. There are plenty of McDaniel detractors, sure, but when you peruse these pages, youll realize that hes the perfect artist for Bane, and possibly even for Hourman. Its a pleasure to spend a bit of time with JSA: Classified once again.