REVIEW: Countdown to Final Crisis - 4 (Week 48)

***SPOILER ALERT***

DC and me of late have had a checkered history. I bought every single issue of 52 (the series before this) - thinking I was in for the ride of my life.

In reality, at the end of the series - I felt pretty cheated. For a book that had 52 issues to tell the story of a missing year (one issue a week), I expected a lot more than I got - which was quite frankly, a mess that meandered from sub-story to sub-story, requiring a separate series (World War III) to link it in to the One Year Later storyline.

Needless to say, based on this sterling show by DC - I opted out of buying 52 issues of Countdown. Which at first (I was reading my brother's copies), seemed to be the right decision. It was awful.

A little while later, when Mary Marvel started to go off the deep end, Trickster and Pied Piper became shackled to each other, and little Atom symbols started appearing, it didn't seem like such a good decision after all.

The past few issues however, have totally reaffirmed my original decision.

This book is far too much of a money making exercise. I honestly don't feel that the book is about telling a great story - which deeply saddens me. It comes across as though the book is around, just for the sake of being a hype machine for 'Final Crisis', and probably 'Trinity' (which may or may not be another 52 issue snore-fest).

The concept of both 52 and Countdown was, and still is - great. The execution of the concept however, is hugely flawed.

Issue 4 (week 48) is a good example of all of the above. The artwork is passable, but far from brilliant, the story is just the same (Mary Marvel turning to evil again? Seriously?) - and the 'cliffhanger' ending, leaves me bored enough to not bother with the next issue (although I will - on the off-chance it improves, or something within it is vital to the upcoming 'Final Crisis').

I wouldn't usually roast a book so much - but I have to say - I am so very glad I'm only reading someone else's copy.

Pete's Score: 2 out of 5

(only buy it if you're a die-hard DC fan)