Countdown Prologue - Atop the Fourth Wall

The Countdown begins! Dont' know what this is? Better watch this video to find out!
Originally uploaded June 29th, 2009.
RUMINATIONS: It was pretty foolhardy of me to do this, quite frankly. While the end result was satisfying for the fans, trying to take on Countdown when I had only been doing comic reviews for so long was not the wisest course of action. I was lucky to squeeze out funny material out of one book, but trying to do it for 52 truly awful comics was biting off more than I could chew. See, when you're working with SO MANY comics, it involves summarizing everything. You have several concurrent plot lines happening over the course of multiple issues and it's easy to lose track just while reading what's important and what isn't. But then you have to explain all of that to the audience AND make it funny enough for them to care about what's happening.
Crap, I'm STILL not entirely sure what's happening in Countdown most of the time. There are things that we're TOLD are important, but most of them don't actually end up BEING important. And then there are the tie-ins. It will always baffle me when comic companies announce spin-off books before an event is over and they're actually SEEING what people are interested in. Did ANYBODY care about Lord Havok? And no, I don't care if the resulting mini-series was good - I mean this about ANY event comic. Just from reading Countdown, was anybody demanding a Lord Havok miniseries? Or hell, let's just go back to Flashpoint - people LOVE to tell me about how awesome all the Flashpoint spin-offs and tie-in books were, but why did DC bother with them to begin with? Nobody was excited about Flashpoint. Event fatigue was settling in by that point, the concept wasn't THAT interesting and had frankly been done before, so why did they announce like five mini-series exploring a universe that was going to disappear in half a year. Sure, the books might have been good, but it seems like a financially risky move to devote time creating spin-off material when you don't even know if the event itself will be financially viable. Hell, look at Amazons Attack or, indeed, Countdown - both touted as huge events, especially in the wake of the successful 52, and yet nobody seemed to understand why everybody loved 52 so much. And I DID want to love Countdown. I really did. I bought every issue, hoping upon hope that it would get better by the end. They promoted new characters and ideas... and then killed them off. It's insane.

[@andreworders7305]

Let’s make Jimmy Olsen a main character and then never mention anything that happens to him EVER AGAIN

[@Viccatrix]

I read all of countdown, and final crisis itself, in a single day, when I finaly got the hard covers.. Needless to say I want my fucking day back please..

[@TheArceusftw]

Just countdown and final crisis? None of the tie-ins? Or Identity Crisis?

[@Jacoboby1]

I feel like at that point he'd have a more productive day by gauging out his eyes with a spoon.

[@irrespondible]

TheArceusftw I'm surprised he lasted an entire day JUST on the core stuff without becoming homicidal.

[@nc2669]

haha :,D

[@rcct44444]

Viccatrix Give them to me At least Final Crisis

[@gratuitouslurking8610]

Meanwhile, in Crisis in Infinite Earths... "I'm gonna do something! In fact, I'm gonna do a LOT of things!

[@jameshowlett5106]

@Dawson Tanner Meanwhile, in the Batcave... ROCK AND ROLL HAS ALLIED ITSELF WITH ONE-FACE!!!

[@ultimatehope8069]

@@jameshowlett5106 AND WORST OF ALL, THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE VHS TAPES TAKE OVER BETAMAX! SUPERMAN WON'T HELP BECAUSE IT'S OVER THERE AND OVER THERE HAS TO TAKE CARE OF ITS OWN PROBLEMS. WE'RE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN SAVE GOTHAM FROM ONE FACE! Master Bruce I think you're acting a little irrat- I AM THE NIGHT!!

[@RichardWatt]

​@@ultimatehope8069Alfred, do I still like cheese whizz? And I'm still not wearing hockey pants!

[@lorddrayvon1426]

It just occured to me that Harley Quinn has one of the weirdest creations in terms of what they start as and then end up as. From cameo character to recurring character to major character to comic character to having her own comic line.

[@juliocesar899]

Harley Quinn is something so wild, that even the OTHER POPULAR BATMAN still struggle with having a successful comic series, but Harley have one for like 5 years

[@BrendanJSmith]

I’m still waiting for a 10 hour edit of Linkara going “We should do something!”... “Should we do something?”

[@shis1988]

I'M CHAAAANGIIIIIING!

[@indy6s]

And then the did it again with New 52 Futures End! Let's introduce Batman Beyond into mainstream DC, Kill him off, and have Tim Drake be Batman Beyond now. GENIUS!

[@jakebryant3445]

Rebirth is bringing him back

[@Silentking5995]

Actually Tim Drake's Batman Beyond #12-16 brought him back or rather revealed that he never died since the timelines were changed. Batman Beyond Rebirth is really meant to reintroduce the character and try to cover bases after the severe backlash the Tim Drake run got.

[@paperbackwriter1111]

Aaron Swope Because it was dumb and came out of a dumb event.

[@leomoreno7369]

You magnificent bastard! I READ YOUR BOOK!

[@RaphBlade7]

They did the same thing with Artemis from Young Justice in The Culling. Its like DC comics has this weird hang up with bringing in characters from cartoons based upon DC properties only to kill or replace them (save for Harley Quinn for some reason).

[@breawycker]

Good news from the future: Dan Didio is no longer at DC

[@autobotproductions1244]

Damn, Donna Troy has more alterations to her origin story than the Ninja Turtles. I agree with Linkara "Just stop screwing around with her and just let the poor woman be a superhero!" please!!!

[@jsb6975.ah.crapbaskets]

The Joker's origins are multiple choice by preference, Donna's is by bad writing.

[@SammEater]

Damn, I almost forgot about the old opening, it's so weird watching this again after all those years. :P

[@wildste]

It's even weirder now as I'm watching it with the first house and Lewis looking so young, because that's how time works.

[@SammEater]

@@wildste Yep, now even more years passed and we are rewatching these classics.

[@thomaslebel6922]

"get over it internet, some people don't have the same interest as you!" why isn't that in a poster? or a t-shirt?

[@PokemonHaloFan]

That totally needs to be a complete line of T-shirts.

[@Cdr2002]

In the case of furries, wouldn’t it be “some people don’t have the same fetishes as you?”

[@TevyaSmolka]

i still maintain futures end is the sequel to countdown because of how bad it was, and it was also 51 issues over a entire year

[@Bobsheaux]

Oh Harley Quinn... I guess lightning really DOESN'T strike twice, does it? Paul Dini created another Harley-like character to be the March Hare to Jervis Tetch's Mad Hatter, but as far as I can tell, she never appears in anything more than a single issue of Detective Comics. Such a shame... :(

[@chillbaloo5346]

Bobsheaux She appeared in the Lego Batman movie...

[@TheBonkleFox]

Eyyyyy, Bob!

[@Jarod-vg9wq]

Hi bob love your show.

[@trifontrifonov4297]

The Wonder Tot is my new favourite super heroine. We need a new Wonder Tot mini series.

[@TheFLAMEXD]

There's something about the old, unpolished theme song that's very charming. 😊

[@Zkeleton969]

D'aww, Linkara's adorable when he's reluctant to review someting.

[@islamroks11]

***** In a awkward, sadistic way.

[@islamroks11]

***** In a awkward, sadistic way.

[@amiablereaper]

"I am looking away" "I do not see it" "I do not review it"

[@MrBlueSkyof1607]

Man, Ralph Maccio didn’t really want to play a bad guy version of himself on Cobra Kai, so he took up superheroing. Honestly, to me, that’s the best choice.

[@lopson8683]

I just now noticed Robin's reaction to "Mr Action" at 15:53

[@MicrowavedAlastair5390]

LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN!! LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN!!! That song holds a special place in my heart.

[@powerist209]

5:00- Well, people tend to hate Wendy and Marvin (annoying tag along kids). But that was even too much for them too.

[@ecliptorcalrissian5014]

This was the first AT4W I watched. Between Harley Quinn fanboying and "should we DO something? WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING!" I knew something special was here.

[@Salixa456]

Of course math is the bringer of doom.

[@arlenfreeman3439]

15:40 The Antilife Equation is actually an irrevocable proof of the futility of life.

[@ecliptorcalrissian5014]

What a coincidence, so is Countdown.

[@vocalcalibration8033]

So... Harley Quinn confirmed as Linkara's waifu?

[@thatonea-hole]

*POSSIBLY?!*

[@billyweed835]

Weirdly, Linkara's never expressed romantic attraction to a fictional character since.

[@ecliptorcalrissian5014]

Harley Quinn confirmed as the WORLD'S waifu!

[@sr.favopossodeixarvaziosim4595]

I'm more of a Poison Ivy guy myself. And Killer Frost.

[@Dreigonix]

Harley is best waifu indeed.

[@YuuMonMusuedo]

Whoa! Classic, mostly the music. forgot it sounded like this. Rewatching. lol

[@LeiraVeil-Challenge]

ah coming back to where this journey began for me makes me realise just how much has changed over these 13 years. back then i had no idea about comics at all but enjoyed your reviews so much it inspired me to pick them up. thanks to it ive met so many people and by extension its changed my life...if anyone is sat there wondering if you should get into comics id say go for it. theres very little to lose and alot to gain. thanks again linkara for introducing me to this world.

[@OnDavidsBrain]

Who else is rewatching these videos to prepare for his review of Final Crisis?

[@ayandanxumalo9699]

Ah. The theme song before it got tweaked right.

[@rKAL-EL]

This is the episode that got me into comics back in 2010 when it was still on TGWTG. Man, time flies and most superhero comics suck right now. Crazy world we live in.

[@actionjackson4982]

"Let this episode serve as a guide to this abomination!" 😂😂😂😂

[@cynthiautz6702]

14:09 Oh boy, can't wait for the Monitors to show up in the Elseworlds Crossover event for the Arrowverse.

[@masterben9592]

We feel your pain linkara

[@MrEmpoleon2010]

I love it when he does the time warp again.

[@thunderstruck560]

The full countdown review will always be one of my favorite of your reviews. A+ work Lewis.

[@rorylumley4727]

Ray palmer the atom or dc's emotional punching bag. Whenever something goes well for him something will come and ruin it.

[@sr.favopossodeixarvaziosim4595]

I love that moment when Linkara stops and "Epics up enough" for The New Gods

[@andreworders7305]

The idea of a comic moving in real time was awesome. 52 was a great idea.

[@SpeedyEric1]

We should DO something!

[@inferno9714]

Should we DO something?

[@SpeedyEric1]

***** YES, YOU SHOULD DO SOMETHING, YOU BORING IDIOTS!

[@lynngreen7978]

SpeedyEric1 SHOULD we do Something?

[@femoman]

I'M CHAAAANNGIIIIING!!

[@inferno9714]

BANG!

[@adeadphish7931]

So, 10 years later, I have to ask, was Dan Didio basically a constant plague over DC through the late '00s and '10s?

[@joshuaingobo1559]

From what I saw, yes.

[@TevyaSmolka]

Yes

[@jsb6975.ah.crapbaskets]

From what I hear, think "Bubonic Plague" crossed with "AIDS" and you have a pretty good idea.

[@tinkerer3399]

Started reading 52 when this first aired. I... haven't made it through yet. It's my backup series so I know I have something good to return to if I read something awful. I'm only 3 books in since I've only read 2 awful books over those many years.

[@Djinsin]

Our old great disaster-causing pal, editorial mandate

[@lorddrayvon1426]

Countdown; Linkara's Doctor Jeckyll and Mr Hyde.

[@shadowspider9]

And now Donna has ANOTHER origin. This one being that she was created via magic clay and by one of Wonder Woman's enemas as a weapon to kill Wonder Woman with, but Wonder Woman fond her and gave her false memories so she could have a normal life.

[@Kuudere-Kun]

When this was being promoted I was genuinely intrigued by some of the premises they were throwing out there. Especially the idea of The Joker taking an interest in Jimmy Olsen. From what I hear that wound up not actually being all the prominent.

[@PolarPhantom]

I read some of the ideas Grant Morrison had. This comic wasted them all.

[@noahmagana137]

10 years of countdown. Man has dc come so far

[@Astrithor]

I come back to this once in a while, and it is still fun. Also, crazy how much the quality has gone up.

[@supersmashbro596]

SOMETHING SHOULD DO WE.

[@yuritzenpresents3113]

The one thing I don't get is how people gets Thanos as the ultimate ruler and Darkseid has the murdering and genocidal bad guy.

[@tazzreviews1578]

No, Apocalypse is Detroit.

[@thecomicnation1085]

Haha, good one - Kyle Rayner

[@StormSage13]

As someone who lives in New Jersey, Apocalypse looks like a sweet deal. I bet the rent is better.

[@najhoant]

I just started reading 52 in a re-release trade containing the first 26 issues. I was gonna try to just read one issue a week so it would last until the second half comes out in January, but I got so hooked after the first issue I may have have to keep it down to one issue A DAY

[@joshuahartman3132]

Rewatching this just by coincidence after reading Titans Rebirth Annual #1 which gave Donna Troy ANOTHER new origin story...but then had her fellow Titans immediately assure her that HER ORIGINS DO NOT MATTER! It would seem the writer agrees with you now, Linkara!

[@Egalitariat-likesecretariat]

I gotta admit, hearing Jaeris' voice in the original theme song is really jarring now.

[@arbiter11171]

What? anthropomorphic bugs don't qualify for furries?? Hmmm.... Internet, we must create a new fetish!! Carapacies? Sclerotinies? Chitinies?

[@Cybermat47]

Bug fuckers.

[@arbiter11171]

ewwwww EEEEEEEEWWWWWW!!

[@Mr.Mosquito89]

+arbiter11171 you rang?

[@MrKingkez]

+Mr Mosquito kingofkez.deviantart.com/art/Spidercasss-383323373 you mean like my oc ?

[@Astrithor]

Now THIS is a comment thread. Smart, funny, and ever so slightly creepy. kudos, mate

[@SUNSHINE-t-m]

13 years ago and he was already considering NB people on the greetings, Finely aged

[@peron486]

13:04-13:28 ooo, someone's got a comic book crush. and I ain't talking crumpled paperbacks

[@1rhpsfan]

Ray Palmer = Mini McGuffin/ McGuffin Man Sing it with me. Do you know McGuffin Man, McGuffin Man, McGuffin Man Do you know McGuffin Man? He moves along the plot.

[@Launchpad05]

5:47 Indeed. Paul Dini is still capable of writing garbage. 'Ultimate Spider-Man', anyone?

[@Zer00utcast]

the show or the comic?

[@mudkipzfan545]

itski minami The show, most likely. The comic has always been Brian Michael Bendis' playground.

[@irrespondible]

Eamonn Deane Also, I think Young Justice is the reason they cancelled the original Teen Titans. I mean, why else would they cancel such an animesque and unique take on the-It was because it was NOT like the New 52, isn't it?

[@ShamrockShows]

Richard Surraco young justice came out YEARS after OG teen titans ended

[@sananaryon4061]

12:03 OF COURSE! Don't you know anything about SCIENCE?

[@actionjackson4982]

I love the One More Day reference. Will that storyline ever get resloved?.....anybody???

[@Gyarretto7]

Doubtful, but then again, we have an entire saga revolving around Spider-Man's clone from the 70s and Jason Todd being brought back to life 20+ years after his death, so basically, never say never.

[@RealHyperHedgehog]

That Furry joke, even if it was a joke was speaking facts. (I’m not a Furry btw.) It’s to bad the internet is filled with edgy teens who think bullying is cool.

[@IfSapphOnly]

He wears a pretty hat, be afraid.

[@Caercutta30]

14:50. Good Job!

[@SUNSHINE-t-m]

oh jeez baby voice linkara, it's so weird after gettignused to his current voice

[@KubatheChangeling]

Me (Dubbing for Linkara): I don't care, if you're working for the Joker... (In the demonic voice.) ONE DAY, YOU WILL MINE! (P.S. I apologize for this is kinda making fun of you. I just want to say that I pretty much make fun of myself. And yes, I almost compare to your love for Harley Quinn to the Nostalgia Critic's lustful love to Catherine Zeta-Jones.)

[@amytanner4931]

Morgan Hoskins you missed something

[@TheLowBrassDude]

Oh and don't worry about making fun of New Jersey, it is basically Apokolips.

[@jakebryant3445]

Not since Ms Marvel is taking care of it. Detroit seems like a contender though.

[@New3DSLuigi364]

@0:43-1:37 THE VERY 1ST Opening of the Show with the INITIALLY Meant to be Unused Recording of the AT4W Theme Song

[@TheLowBrassDude]

Oh god the monitors are like the Guardians of the Universe.

[@RogueCrocodile]

So, stupid basically

[@TheLowBrassDude]

Uh...yeah.

[@DreFromMaine8472]

LOL, I always loved the reviews of bad things that begin with a facepalm!

[@genesismultiverse4896]

Thanks countdown for giving us super boy prime voice of linkara the only good thing you did

[@lorddrayvon1426]

13:26 anyone notice the left in five frames that make it look like he teleported?

[@d.c.stranded7134]

I just thought of something, What if they introduced the New 52 Donna Troy and make her born of clay like how Wonder Woman use to be?

[@Mr4thDoctor]

That would be interesting.

[@d.c.stranded7134]

Fantasma Rojo I noticed, though I hesitate to say that it sucks. ATM at its worst, its just not interesting enough for me.

[@MrGMoney1944]

Here's my question I bought the 7 new 52 Batman collection books but they are all out of order I mean I just learned Damian Wayne died and Nightwing died at the end of book 7 neither was ever mentioned in any of the other collections what the hell in so confused!

[@d.c.stranded7134]

MrGMoney1944 I don't remember seeing your response before in my notifications. Might be too late to tell you, but Damian died at the end of Grant Morrison's New 52 Batman Inc and came back later on in the New 52 Batman and Robin series. Nightwing faked his death at the end of his New 52 series and that's how the Agent Grayson book came about. Books that have a shared universe do not exist in a vacuum.

[@shadowspider9]

That is now Donna's new origin as of the Rebirth. Made from magic clay by one of WW's enemies to be a weapon to kill WW with then found by WW before being activated and given false memories so she could have a normal life.

[@SnakeRoadComicsOfficial3677]

Thank fuck Didio was fired from DC recently. Should've happened a long time ago but I guess better late than never

[@TevyaSmolka]

indeed

[@TheLowBrassDude]

So basically Dan Didio is responsible for Countdown?

[@savagewolver8541]

The one thing this prologue has told me especially: Editors suck. Ok, to be fair, not all of them I'm sure. But it feels like, after hearing that interview bit, that these guys themselves want to be writers and rather childishly bash stories they had no control over. Speaks volumes, to me personally, why this series was so bad, and several of the mistakes made, particularly what happened with Mary Marvel, are still felt to this day.

[@princealigorna7468]

Dude, the theme song has gotten soooooo much better over the years. Ah, I remember this series with bittersweet memories. It was, top to bottom (with a few tie-ins being exceptions), a terrible trainwreck. BUT, most of my time as a Casstoons writer was spent tearing this piece of shit a new asshole. And if it weren't for that, I don't know if I'd ever have trusted my skills as a scripter enough to start submitting to Grayhaven and earning a spot in the coming fantasy issue of The Gathering, or trusted my wit, sarcasm, and critical analysis skills enough to start my MLP reviews. So yeah, I both loathe this comic for its abysmal quality, but I have to still hold it close to my heart because there would be no Prince Aligorna without it!

[@themysteriousretrogamer9655]

New Jersey is surprisingly nice in the spring and summer where I live.

[@tomhur1]

5:37 in hindsight if this had been made post new 52 you probably would have mentioned Tony's not so stellar run on Blue Beetle.

[@juhaniaho6698]

14:50-14:57 Eat your heart out, He-Man!

[@lynngreen7978]

I liked Byrne's retcon origin. Wait, if the Olympic (etc.) pantheons were the Third World, and are dead, how did DC explain incorporating the Fourth World into the Mainstream DC Universe? Mary Marvel gaining the strength of Diana's Mom (rather than Hercules) was resolved by not having her powers come from six goddesses/demi-goddesses when DC incorporated Fawcett Comics. But the Third World would seem to require a bit more revision.

[@ZekeAxel]

Came back here. It's almost 9 years later...

[@Gyarretto7]

Okay, I've tried as hard as I could to find that kickass end credits theme, and I can't. can anyone help? ^^;

[@darnis6497]

DaDio is still ruining DC to this day

[@rassilontdavros3004]

Darnis The Great Not anymore!

[@TheNumnutRandomness]

Well, back again from the newest review of Crisis on Infinite Earths to truly understand how royally screwed up the series was. Also, to see how much you have improved since this. Has it been 8 years already? ^_^

[@DAsrada]

13:00: Time Trapper: I exist. Ergo, SHIT IS COMPLICATED!!

[@dmore454]

You'd think when DC went forward with 1 Year Later, they would have learned from Marvel's mistake with their own take on the idea with the 6 Month Gap in the X-books and how that completely derailed what little momentum the books had left in 2000 from the lingering success of the cartoon and the hype for first movie. They managed to take a line that had been by far the best selling flagship line of their company since the late 70s and was now an impenetrable continuity mess by the end of the 90s yet still the core of their publishing line and somehow make them even more confusing and unapproachable for new readers by doubling down on what had caused the decline of the X-franchise. And despite how bad this botch job was, DC, as they always do, looked at the way Marvel had dropped ball, and said "Hold my beer" when it came time to do 1 Year Later and Countdown.

[@nightseeker0092]

I'm sad to say even after I watched this I still am very confused about countdown and what led up to it. It may be that the events leading up to countdown were genuinely that confusing or a failing on my part

[@ahorribleperson3302]

Guys, I'm getting the idea that linkara isn't a big fan of countdown...

[@spideyviewer327]

14:09 LOVE THIS JOKE!

[@batman-5747]

15:26 still not forgiven for that new jersey joke. you are on the big list. beware

[@matthewjarek3026]

12:48 Holly Robinson was a 13 year old prostitute from Batman: Year 1 who would later turn out to be a lesbian and take over the role of Catwoman after Selina Kyle gave birth to her baby daughter, Helena, who’s father was either Batman or Sam Bradley Jr (It is believed to be the later).

[@xgray2012]

So what the Hell happened to Robinson's character after this horrid comic book series ended?

[@matthewjarek3026]

I believe she retired and lived off money she stole from criminals after Selina took up the role again.

[@matthewjarek3026]

As of the DC Rebirth, she is 13 again and used the training Selina gave her to kill over 200 terrorists that were responsible for the bombing of her orphanage and after she went into hiding. So yeah, she’s still pretty badass if not more.

[@MicrowavedAlastair5390]

Should we DO something? We should DO something!

[@bloodstoneore4630]

14:08 best part

[@daelen.cclark]

This is why I hate the stuff Dan Didio does.

[@TevyaSmolka]

agreed

[@1rhpsfan]

15:41 The Master, he did it with Castrovalva.

[@jameshowlett5106]

I found the 52 Omnibus for about $90. Worth it?

[@ChiefMedicPururu]

I never understood who the person on the left is.

[@AT4W]

Dr. Crafty before he branded himself as Dr. Crafty.

[@larrylester6207]

Who's that on the left on the title screen cartoon?

[@AT4W]

Dr. Crafty long before he solidified his persona.

[@TheLowBrassDude]

You think you'll redo your Countdown retrospective in the future after the success of March of the Titans, ROMtrospective and Blueskying?

[@dancepiglover]

0:43 2:06 Grumpy Cat