Comic Review: Countdown To Infinite Crisis

This short review is filled with spoilers, or rather one big spoiler about a DC character. If you haven't already read this book, and would rather not have a major plot revealed you should stop at this point.

BLUE BEETLE is not one of the major DCU heroes, in fact it seems that he has always been treated as little more than a third-rate BATMAN imitator. He wasn't always like that, in fact the original BLUE BEETLE was a well-known comics character back in the Golden Age. His name was Dan Garrett and he was killed. Ted Kord blamed himself for that death and so became the second hero to take the name. Unlike Garrett however, Ted Kord did not have superpowers, he used his scientific ability and some gymnastic skills to do what had to be done.

This second Blue Beetle was created over at Charlton comics, during the 1960s and brought over to the DCU during the original Crisis on Infinite Earth. He had his own short-lived title at DC for a while, and then became (along with fellow second stringer, Booster Gold) part of the Justice League when it was more about Bwa Ha Ha than grim & gritty dramatics. At both Charlton and at DC I always liked Ted Kord and his light-hearted alter ego.

DC is gearing up for another 'this changes everything' multi-issue event. This is going to be called INFINITE CRISIS and like every other 'event' will change the status quo for about six months to a year and than be retconned away, by the next hot writer to come along. Of course, in this era of comics you can't shake things up without killing a few characters. This is apparently to show the fans that this time we're serious. ***Yawn***

So now Ted Kord is dead. Shot in the head by his former "friend" and fellow minor-league entity Max Lord. Apparently, Max was planning some major double crosses all along, but we (the reader) didn't know this. How stupid of us!!

The only positive thing that I can say about this 80-page comic is that it only cost $1.99 and that investment will keep me from buying any other DC comics for the next year. Thanks, fellas!