Like a Spinal Tap album cover.

It’s week three of Countdown, and I’m still totally lost. Of course, that’s the point of maxi-series: keep people in the dark so they’ll buy comics (my headline was misleading. Denny O’Neil has nothing to do with this issue. HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAH!).

I don’t want to sound cynical, because head writer Paul Dini is fantastic. His work on Detective Comics was wonderful, and Batman: The Animated Series needs no introduction. I just hope I still like Dini by the time Countdown’s over.

The Watchers are back, and the red eye filter on their camera is still broken. Worse yet, that other Crisis has convinced one of them to crack down. No more dimension hopping shenanigans, or “people who should not be there.” First among these multiverse-mistakes are Jason Todd, Kyle Rayner, and Donna Troy. All I know is, Jason Todd better not get sacrificed on the high altar of yet another Crisis. It happened last time (remember, Judd Winick? Your last mistake?) and ruined an otherwise terrific story.

This week, Jimmy Olsen almost gets gobbled by Killer Croc, but evades death by stretching a la Elongated Man. Mary Marvel encounters Black Adam (wasn’t he powerless?), Karate Kid whines at Red Arrow, and The Rogues continue to be the most interesting characters in this series. Dini’s handling of The Rogues, Flash’s traditional klatch of villains, is the only place his wit and grasp of character dynamics shines. There hasn’t been sufficient time for him to expand on other characters. Yet.

Worth the money? Why is this thing 3 bucks? 52 was only $2.50 a week…