Countdown Boycott

[Kitsune]

Can't we just boycott Countdown for not being worth the time to read?

 

[Darthphere]

Not gay enough I say!

 

[Anubis]

See, that right there is crazy talk of the slow bubbling crazy. "You just don't understand because you're not doing it." Well, yeah.

Well in that case, I'm totally sold

!

I would love to know what you actually like about it.

I'm liking lots of things. Particularly the current bit with Bob, Jason, Donna, and Kyle running around the multiverse. Good to see the Crime Society. (That's gonna take some getting used to.) Even better to see the Jokster, who represents something that Busiek came up with awhile ago about how all the bad guys on this Earth, are good guys on Earth 3. Awesome concept and would really love to see more.

I'm enjoying Piper and Trickster's attempt at becoming the new Blue and Gold comedy team. Or rather, Green and Orange with Blue stripes. I'm also interested in just what Captain Atom is up to. (I still dont' think that's the Nate Adam we think it is. There is a f**king multiverse you know. For all we know that could be another Earth's version of Captain Atom, and it just so happens to be General Eiling? Yes, I just blew your mind.)

Jimmy's stuff has had it's moments. The Mary Marvel thing is probably the most meh of the whole series. Overall, I like it. All the stuff that pisses you off to no end prompts mild amusement for me. It is the worst thing on my pull list, but I've got a pretty good pull list.

 

[Darthphere]

I'm liking lots of things. Particularly the current bit with Bob, Jason, Donna, and Kyle running around the multiverse. Good to see the Crime Society. (That's gonna take some getting used to.) Even better to see the Jokster, who represents something that Busiek came up with awhile ago about how all the bad guys on this Earth, are good guys on Earth 3. Awesome concept and would really love to see more.

I'm enjoying Piper and Trickster's attempt at becoming the new Blue and Gold comedy team. Or rather, Green and Orange with Blue stripes. I'm also interested in just what Captain Atom is up to. (I still dont' think that's the Nate Adam we think it is. There is a f**king multiverse you know. For all we know that could be another Earth's version of Captain Atom, and it just so happens to be General Eiling? Yes, I just blew your mind.)

Jimmy's stuff has had it's moments. The Mary Marvel thing is probably the most meh of the whole thing. Overall, I like it. All the stuff that pisses you off to no end prompts mild amusement for me. It is the worst thing on my pull list, but I've got a pretty good pull list.

 

[Kitsune]

I The Mary Marvel thing is probably the most meh of the whole series.

The Mehist of the meh? That's pretty bad.

 

[BrianWilly]

I'm liking lots of things. Particularly the current bit with Bob, Jason, Donna, and Kyle running around the multiverse. Good to see the Crime Society. (That's gonna take some getting used to.) Even better to see the Jokster, who represents something that Busiek came up with awhile ago about how all the bad guys on this Earth, are good guys on Earth 3. Awesome concept and would really love to see more.

But all of that Earth-3 stuff only happened in one single issue. You're telling me that the shenanigans of Queen Belathra and her magical mind control in the magical universe wasting three whole weeks of our time and the oh-so-exciting process of these Challengers appearing in the Red Son universe and then leaving again without doing a single thing...all that is worth following this series for? What's more, the events of the Earth-3 universe and others like it seem to be covered far more explicitly and far more competently over in the Search for Ray Palmer book, which I keep telling everyone has been better than this series in the first place.

I'm enjoying Piper and Trickster's attempt at becoming the new Blue and Gold comedy team. Or rather, Green and Orange with Blue stripes.

See, I thought this portion of the story was the single best portion for the longest time because it showed two criminals as incredibly human individuals caught in a bad place in their lives, making some bad choices. For at least the past ten to fifteen weeks, however, we've seen absolutely none of that. Piper and Trickster are currently two dumbasses running around with no goal or motivation, making the most awkward and incomprehensible choices, all the while creating plot holes big enough to drive ocean liners through (though not as big as some of the other stories in here (MARY MARVEL) have created, I agree). Any prior characterization of aptitude or coherence they've had from Waid or Johns or even from this series itself has been thoroughly subverted in lieu of them becoming two of the most juvenile, inane buffoons since Bulk and Skull. Add to this the notion that Countdown is not an inherently funny series in the first place; how do you affect humor when The Flash of all people is threatening to kill you for murdering his cousin? Really, to even compare this kind of writing to the level of lighthearted, feel-good humor that Ted and Michael had managed to achieve over years upon years of solid characterization is just awkward.

 

[Aristotle]

Ten issues ago they were handcuffed together and on the run. Now, they're still handcuffed together and on the run.

And by the end of Les Miserables, Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert were still bitter enemies with diametrically opposing viewpoints about how to interpret and interact with the world. Nope. No character or story development in that book.

You can state the same exact situation for every single Countdown story so far. Jimmy Olsen! Fifteen issues ago he was confused about his powers and looking for people to help him figure it out. Now, he's still confused about his powers and looking for people to help him figure it out.

Yeah, that plotline's ****ing old and worn-out as hell. I thought they were gonna ditch it now that the other stories are sort of picking up a bit.

 

[Aristotle]

I simply don't think anyone who buys bad books -- and acknowledge that they are bad but still buy them anyway -- have any right to whine when companies publish bad books. And I find the "completionist" attitude so very ******ed. You don't even like the book, but you're going to pay money to keep it with you forever because you simply just need to own this story that...again, you don't even like?

This is the exact sort of thing that comic book readers get mocked for, and rightly so.

The idea is that you want to see how the story ends. It's the exact same concept that allows TV to rein in massive viewers. MTV does it best. They hook you in with that one show you want to watch (if you're a dumbass, because MTV holistically sucks) and then they don't even take a commercial break between the two shows. They just run you right into the next one, get you watching for ten minutes, and then there's a break, but you've already invested ten minutes in this ****ty show, and you oughtta at least see how it turns out, right? It'll bug you all day if you don't. Same with comics. You buy five issues of a 12-issue mini, you wanna see how it turns out.

 

[Aristotle]

For at least the past ten to fifteen weeks, however, we've seen absolutely none of that. Piper and Trickster are currently two dumbasses running around with no goal or motivation, making the most awkward and incomprehensible choices

Yes, Trickster's a ****ing moron. But he's a moron because he's in that bad place you talk about. The guy's just gotten ****ed up by the Flash, he's been turned on by all his old boys in the villain community, none of the heroes trust him, the only guy he's got on his side is a gay dude (he's uncomfortable with homosexuality) with a superiority complex. Yes, he's making some stupid decisions. WHO THE **** WOULDN'T?

 

[The Leaguer]

Naming the monitor "Bob" was far and away the dumbest thing to come out of Countdown.

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

Naming the monitor "Bob" was far and away the dumbest thing to come out of Countdown.

Yeah I couldn't help but sit there for a moment in an attempt to process the raping that my sensibilities had just undergone.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I'm not enjoying the fact that the Monitors are *****es, either. They're such inferior wannabe-Watchers.

 

[The Leaguer]

I understand that the absurdity of naming such an important, imposing, aloof character "Bob" was supposed to be funny, but carrying it on for 50 weeks? Really? F*** you Dini, Beechen and whoever else was involved with that.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, I chuckled at it as a one-off joke. I didn't expect it to actually stick.

 

[The Leaguer]

It's your fault. Dini was like, "hey, that dude laughed once, he'll laugh every time!"

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

I'm not enjoying the fact that the Monitors are *****es, either. They're such inferior wannabe-Watchers.

"We must intervene!"

"Agreed!"

"Look at these reality jumpers! See the dangers they pose!"

"Action must be taken!"

"If we do not the multi-verse will be in danger!"

"Kyle Rayner must be dealt with!"

"He and his kind threaten everything!"

 

[SouLeSS]

I think they're called the Moniters for a reason, not the "Moniteractioners".

Cause seriously, with the exception of the one rogue one that killed Jokers Daughter, and "Bob", none of them have done a damn thing.

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

They'll do something. Maybe in the last issue of Countdown they'll decide who's driving or something.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, the Monitor did more than just monitor the multiverse when it mattered. If only his... offspring, I guess?... could do the same instead of endlessly *****ing about nothing.

 

[DoomJester]

Alright Hype, it's Twilight Zone time. Countdown is now good and other DC books suck.

As far as Countdown goes, it's pretty awesome that it ships everyweek-- people like John Cassaday, and Brian Hitch, and Warren Ellis and Millar should be ashamed of themselves not making a monthly schedule when Countdown comes once a week. Also, exploring the multiverese via Jason and Donna and Kyle is awesome. And the sexual tension between them is worthy of other great shows like Sex and the City and 90210. There is so much potential in every issue. Mary Marvel's story is like Dark Phoenix only rewritten for modern times so it's pure win, and it's taking a character that's a nobody and making her a somebody. She's gonna be really big in the DCU soon, so you should all probably find some more of the books where she got repowered and get them graded. And don't get me started on how cool it is to see Darkseid. Even when he does nothing he does something. He is like one of the best villains in comics ever.

What I can't stand is this Green Lantern Sinestro Corps stuff. The Sinestro Corps War 1 shot had pretty art but come on-- am I supposed to believe that Sinestro was left all alone with a whole bunch of yellow power rings? Did no one think to just take them away from him? And where did he get enough rings to challenge the Corps from? Also these guys get their rings and a few days later they are can use them as well as any Lantern? Yeah right. And what's the deal with bringing Superboy Prime back and not have him do anything but sit around? It looks good on a splash page but story wise it doesn't make any sense. I can't believe they needed two use both Green Lantern books to tell this story.

 

[Aristotle]

Yeah, the Monitor did more than just monitor the multiverse when it mattered. If only his... offspring, I guess?... could do the same instead of endlessly *****ing about nothing.

Maybe the old Monitor's gonna come back and be all like "Dude, WTF?" And whip these wannabe-ass Monitors' asses back to whatever burrow they sprang from.

 

[Aristotle]

What I can't stand is this Green Lantern Sinestro Corps stuff. The Sinestro Corps War 1 shot had pretty art but come on-- am I supposed to believe that Sinestro was left all alone with a whole bunch of yellow power rings? Did no one think to just take them away from him? And where did he get enough rings to challenge the Corps from? Also these guys get their rings and a few days later they are can use them as well as any Lantern? Yeah right. And what's the deal with bringing Superboy Prime back and not have him do anything but sit around? It looks good on a splash page but story wise it doesn't make any sense. I can't believe they needed two use both Green Lantern books to tell this story.

Dude, read the actual stories and you'll see most of your questions answered.

 

[DoomJester]

Dude, sarcasm. Context.

 

[batnkevlar]

Your sarcasm ain't that great...

 

[Vic Von Doom]

And by the end of Les Miserables, Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert were still bitter enemies with diametrically opposing viewpoints about how to interpret and interact with the world. Nope. No character or story development in that book.

.

Are you really drawing a comparison between the misadventures of Piper and Trickster to Les Miserables? I really don't think they are even in the same ballpark.

It's unfortunate to keep bringing up 52 when mentioning the shortcomings of Countdown, but as it's pretty much a direct sequel, it's impossible not to. When you go back and look at how much story was told and how much things had changed in the first half or so of that book, it's night and day.

Someone up there put it best when he said that up to this point, we don't know anything we didn't know after reading the first issue. It's just sad. Dini even had to infect his normally superb Detective Comics with the "Countdown Tie-In! Buy Me, You ****ing Scum!" label.

On a side note...I would feel a lot better if that was actually on the cover of the books. Just so they are being upfront about it.