It’s Time to Rethink DC’s Most Maligned Weekly Series

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In 2006, DC Comics successfully revived the idea of weekly comic books with the 52-issue series of the same name. Coming right after the Infinite Crisis storyline, the series filled a gap for fans who were curious about what happened next, as the main DC comics timeline had jumped forward a year. The writing team was a dream lineup – Mark Waid, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Geoff Johns, with Keith Giffen contributing to the writing and artwork for each issue. Despite some initial worries about whether the series would live up to expectations, 52 proved to be a huge success. Before it even finished, DC announced another weekly series, Countdown to Final Crisis (originally just Countdown), which generated a lot of excitement among fans.

While the Final Crisis event itself is considered a strong, if challenging, story, the series leading up to it, Countdown to Final Crisis, has been widely criticized since its release. It’s often cited as one of the low points of DC Comics in recent years. Though it certainly has flaws, Countdown isn’t as bad as its reputation suggests, and it’s worth revisiting with a fresh perspective.

Countdown to Final Crisis Has Its Moments

The 2000s were a strong period for DC Comics, and the series Countdown initially showed a lot of promise. However, a key issue stemmed from leadership. Dan DiDio, who was head of DC at the time, felt the writers had too much creative freedom with the previous series, 52, and wanted tighter control over this new weekly book. Countdown became closely tied to the wider DC universe, incorporating events from other ongoing titles and showcasing them through the perspectives of its core cast: Karate Kid, Triplicate Girl, Trickster, Pied Piper, Jimmy Olsen, Donna Troy, Kyle Rayner, Red Hood, Mary Marvel, and Holly Robinson.

A major issue with the lead-up to Final Crisis was that Grant Morrison, the writer of that event, kept their plans closely guarded. Morrison is a highly creative force at DC, but prefers to work independently. This meant Countdown, intended to build towards Final Crisis, only knew it would involve the New Gods and lacked a clear direction. To make things worse, Countdown also launched several spin-off series, forcing readers to buy even more comics to understand the complete story. The result was a confusing and fragmented experience.

If you look at this book outside of its connection to the Final Crisis storyline, it’s actually quite good. It was essentially guided by Paul Dini, the creative force behind Batman: The Animated Series, who really understood DC’s characters. The team assembled for this story is fantastic, and their journey through the multiverse, fighting villains like the Monarch, Superman-Prime, and Darkseid, is often thrilling. Characters like Karate Kid and Mary Marvel, plus the humorous pairing of Trickster and the Pied Piper, provide some genuinely fun moments, and the rest of the team gets their chance to stand out as well.

The story starts a little slow and takes time to come together, but it becomes really enjoyable once it finds its footing. While another story, 52, handled a similar setup more effectively and with a clearer payoff, it’s not a major issue here. This story captures the exciting, chaotic energy of DC’s multiversal adventures, and it was especially fun to read before the overall plot was revealed. It’s not perfect, but what story is? There are plenty of great scenes and fantastic artwork from Andy and Adam Kubert, and ultimately, all the pieces come together nicely.

It’s Not Perfect but It’s Not as Terrible as Fans Think

Let’s be honest: Countdown to Final Crisis isn’t a hidden gem that deserves reappraisal. It’s not an underrated classic. Looking back, it was one of the first signs that Dan DiDio’s run wasn’t as strong as we initially thought, and it really didn’t deliver on its potential. As a big fan of Final Crisis, I’d hoped it would be better, since it’s often cited as a weak point in that story. But if you separate it from Morrison’s larger work, it’s actually a more enjoyable read.

Countdown to Final Crisis was a significant early exploration of the DC Multiverse after the events of Infinite Crisis. It featured many beloved classic characters and, while occasionally silly, was an entertaining read. The strength of the characters really drove the story forward – seeing Karate Kid as a prominent character in 2007 was a particular highlight! It was a unique and energetic series, and readers who approach it as a standalone story might be surprised by how much they enjoy it.

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2025-11-01 21:11