COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS #26
Story by Paul Dini
Breakdowns by Keith Giffen
Script by Paul Dini
Art by Tom Derenick
Well, the big name change for Countdown is finally here. If you've been checking out my reviews for the series over the last few days, you're probably all caught up and know that I've been rather enjoying Countdown the last few weeks. Let me say this right now. This issue of Countdown read like no other one before it. It's like a completely different book altogether. The tone, feel and layouts of all the scenes just click together so much better than any other issue of Countdown I've read. I'm seriously wondering if it's the same creative team behind this book that I've been reading for the past 5 or 6 months.
As for the actual contents of this issue, it manages to progress most of the plots while simultaneously giving a recap of everything that's happened. It's actually one of the best recap issues I've ever read, to be honest. It's told from the point of view of the 'evil' Monitor as he rallies the other Monitors to his cause. He manages to explain all the major events while simultaneously tying them all together with a supposed villain, or villains, guiding all the supposedly random events to a single goal. Again, it was handled really well and was told unlike any other Countdown issue I've read. Even the art was drastically improved over just about any other issue of Countdown.
I've complained about the lack of personalities for all the Monitors and DC seems to have addressed that with this issue as we can see female Monitors, giants, more alien-like and even a Kryptonian looking version. It's a small thing, but it made a big difference to me. Each Monitor appears to represent the differences in their Earths and it makes it feel like each one actually matters and aren't just in the scene as a background filler.
My only real complaint about the issue is the brief focus on the Challengers and the solution to Jason Todd's betrayal from last issue. They make it so the Monitor knew Todd only wanted to create a diversion and the gun was set to a lower setting in anticipation to this. It felt cheap and was poorly handled and the only real blemish on an otherwise good issue.
Verdict - Check It. It's like a new beginning for Countdown and appears to be a pretty good jumping on point due to the recap point of view from the Monitors and it read like a completely different book, unlike any other issue of Countdown to date. Give this book another try if you dropped it or held off based on poor reviews.
As for the actual contents of this issue, it manages to progress most of the plots while simultaneously giving a recap of everything that's happened. It's actually one of the best recap issues I've ever read, to be honest. It's told from the point of view of the 'evil' Monitor as he rallies the other Monitors to his cause. He manages to explain all the major events while simultaneously tying them all together with a supposed villain, or villains, guiding all the supposedly random events to a single goal. Again, it was handled really well and was told unlike any other Countdown issue I've read. Even the art was drastically improved over just about any other issue of Countdown.
I've complained about the lack of personalities for all the Monitors and DC seems to have addressed that with this issue as we can see female Monitors, giants, more alien-like and even a Kryptonian looking version. It's a small thing, but it made a big difference to me. Each Monitor appears to represent the differences in their Earths and it makes it feel like each one actually matters and aren't just in the scene as a background filler.
My only real complaint about the issue is the brief focus on the Challengers and the solution to Jason Todd's betrayal from last issue. They make it so the Monitor knew Todd only wanted to create a diversion and the gun was set to a lower setting in anticipation to this. It felt cheap and was poorly handled and the only real blemish on an otherwise good issue.
Verdict - Check It. It's like a new beginning for Countdown and appears to be a pretty good jumping on point due to the recap point of view from the Monitors and it read like a completely different book, unlike any other issue of Countdown to date. Give this book another try if you dropped it or held off based on poor reviews.
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