Last issue of Countdown sported an official title change to “Countdown to Final Crisis.” It is odd that DC would have made a title switch close to the half-way point of this series. Perhaps DC was hoping the title change would spark more interest in the title and drum up more anticipation about the impending Final Crisis. At any rate, Dini took a step backward with the last issue of Countdown. It was a decidedly average read. Hopefully, Dini can put together an exciting read and set things up for a strong push toward the end of this series. Let’s go ahead and hit this review for Countdown to Final Crisis #25.
Creative Team
Writers: Paul Dini & Adam Beechen
Pencils: Ron Lim
Inks: Jimmy Palmiotti & John Stanisci
Art Rating: 6 Night Girls out of 10
Story Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Synopsis: We begin with Firestorm stunned that the underground lab that Karate Kid claimed was under Bludhaven actually exists. Suddenly, the Atomic Knights appear on the scene and state that only Firestorm has clearance for this area. That the rest of the group will have to leave. Karate Kid refuses to leave saying it is a matter of life and death. Firestorm contemplates who he is going to side with: the Atomic Knights or with Karate Kid’s group.
We cut to Deadshot tracking down Trickster and Piper. Deadshot is pissed off that the two Rogues keep eluding him. Deadshot ignores direct orders to bring the two Rogues in alive and decides to kill them instead. Deadshot blows up the Hummer that the two Rogues are driving. The two Rogues then make a run for it on foot with Deadshot right behind them. Trickster bemoans the fact that if he is killed while chained to Piper that everyone will think they were gay lovers. Piper tells Trickster to shut up.
We shift to Apokolips where Jimmy is in his non-powered form and is now a slave. The slaver in charge of Jimmy decides to give him forty lashes until he dies. Suddenly, red laser beams kill the slaver. The head slaver comments that Darkseid favors Jimmy and that he should consider himself lucky.
We see Darkseid standing on his balcony with his eyes glowing from the energy blast he just fired. Eclipso appears with Black Mary and offers Black Mary to Darkseid. Eclipso hopes Black Mary will serve Darkseid well. Darkseid tells Mary to come with him and know true darkness.
We zip back to Bludhaven where Firestorm has decided to support Karate Kid’s group. Firestorm and Karate Kid begin brawling with the Atomic Knights. Firestorm then changes the air surrounding the Atomic Knights into ether in order to knock them out.
Firestorm says that whatever is down in the lab should be investigated. Karate Kid thanks Firestorm for his help and comments how he reminds Karate Kid of a friend of his named Drake. (Oh gross! I just threw up a little into my mouth with the thought of a lame-ass character like Firestorm being compared to a stud like Wildfire.)
Our heroes proceed to walk through the lab until they arrive at a huge vault door with tons of security. Firestorm is confident he can get the door open. Firestorm does his voodoo on the door and inside they see a room with Professor Stein strapped to a chair and hooked into a machine. Desaad is standing next to Professor Stein.
Desaad traps Firestorm, Karate Kid, Una, Buddy and Buddy’s grandson in an energy cage. Firestorm blasts the energy in order to free our heroes. Suddenly, Firestorm is consumed with some sort of feedback.
We then see Desaad and Stein fusing with Firestorm. We then see Desaad as Firestorm with Jason and Gehenna as the passive disembodied heads surrounding Firestorm. Jason comments how Desaad has entered the Matrix through Stein and has overridden them. That Desaad is now Firestorm. End of story.
We get a two page back-up story about Killer Frost. End of issue.
Comments
The Good: What a kick ass read! Countdown to Final Crisis #25 was definitely the best issue of Countdown up to this point. Dini really surprised me by ramping up the intensity of this story with this issue. This is exactly the type of excitement that I was expecting from Countdown from the beginning. Countdown to Final Crisis #25 was the type of fun and wild read that this title has always had the potential of delivering.
It seems that Dini just didn’t have enough storyline for a 52 issues series. So, Dini used the first half of Countdown to set the table and then stall. And stall. And stretch out these plotlines for as long as possible and delay any real plot progression. Now that we only have 24 issues left and are past the halfway point of this story, it appears Dini is finally delivering the real meat of the story he had planned for Countdown.
Dini and Beechen draft up some solid dialogue. It isn’t anything incredible, but it is certainly serviceable and makes this issue an enjoyable read. Countdown #25 was a nicely paced issue. The issue moved along quickly without seeming rushed or choppy. Dini strikes a good balance between action and dialogue heavy scenes.
Dini finally merges several plotlines together with this issue. Jimmy and Black Mary are now on Apokolips with their connections to Darkseid fully revealed. I’m glad to see Darkseid finally taking a front seat in this story. We all knew that Darkseid was going to be one of the major players in this story and the upcoming Final Crisis. However, Dini had pretty much totally ignored Darkseid during the first 26 issues of Countdown.
Well, evidently that is over. Darkseid appears to be assuming center stage on Countdown to Final Crisis as all these various plotlines appear to lead directly toward Apokolips.
I’m curious to see why Darkseid is obsessed with Jimmy and what plans he has for Jimmy. And I’m also interested in learning what Darkseid has in store for Black Mary. Is Black Mary going to end up being a loyal servant of Darkseid or will her heroic nature finally re-emerge at some point in this storyline?
As usual, the scene with the Piper and the Trickster was hilarious. These two Rogues continue to garner the best dialogue out of all the characters. And, as usual, these two characters display excellent chemistry. Trickster’s endless homophobic comments finally bring Piper to a boil. Poor Piper has had to endure these types of comments from Trickster since the first issue of Countdown. I love Trickster’s obsessing over being thought to be gay if he is killed with Piper tied to him rather than being worried about being killed in the first place.
The scene in Bludhaven was well done even if I had to put up with the massive suckage known as Firestorm. Fuck Jason Rusch. Ronnie Raymond forever! Anyway, it was sweet to see Karate Kid refusing to let Firestorm fight his battle for him. It doesn’t matter that Karate Kid is terribly sick and coughing up blood. Val sucks it up and digs deep inside for the energy to kick some ass on the Atomic Knights. Dini has done a great job making the reader understand what a stud and a true hero that Karate Kid is. That’s right Giffen; choke on the fact that Karate Kid is such a cool character and kicking ass on Countdown.
Of course, the best part of Countdown to Final Crisis #25 was the wild hook ending. Dini drops a couple of bombs on the reader all at one time. First, we find out that Professor Stein has been hidden under Bludhaven and is hooked into the Matrix. And then the real big bomb drops that Desaad uses Stein to enter the Matrix in order to become Firestorm. Wow, that was awesome. Firestorm is a very powerful character and the thought of Desaad commanding that much power is chilling.
I’m curious to learn how Desaad becoming Firestorm works into Darkseid’s master plan. It certainly will make life extremely difficult for our heroes. This is exactly the type of twists and turns that I was expecting from Countdown since the very beginning. It is nice to see Dini finally starting to shock the reader with some unexpected plot twists.
The Bad: My only complaint would be that the artwork in this issue was decidedly average.
Overall: Countdown to Final Crisis was a fun read. This was a good rebound issue for Dini and it appears that the gloves are off with this story. I think that DC changing the title from “Countdown” to “Countdown to Final Crisis” was a subtle statement to the reader that Countdown was just filler. That now it is “Countdown to Final Crisis” the true substance of the story is going to be delivered. This is certainly a good point for new readers to hop aboard this title. It seems that anything of real importance is going to happen over the course of these final 24 issues.