Just a quick one here

A few people seem to be under the impression that I started this blog with the intent of attacking Countdown, or that I have something against DC. Aside from a few cheap shots I make, it actually makes me feel bad to post about how bad Countdown so far has been. I'm looking forward to posting about the great issues coming up (well, OK, other than next week, with Mary Marvel's Lightning Nipples...)
I started this blog, as a matter of fact, because I think for the last year or so (basically since One Year Later), DC has been getting things right, and I wanted to write about that. My wife's away for a few days, and I'm off work sick, and so I'm reading through back issues at the moment (something I don't get too much chance to do normally). I just went over to the bookshelf where I keep the recent issues, and was literally unable to choose - do I read Up, Up And Away! ? Morrison's Batman? 52? Atom, Blue Beetle, Brave & The Bold, Detective, All-Star Superman, Shadowpact,The Spirit... all told, in the last year or so, DC has put out maybe as many as 100 comics that I would actually enjoy rereading - which hasn't been the case since the fag end of the British Invasion, a good 15 or more years ago. The last year has been one of the best ever for 'mainstream' comics.
Up through Infinite Crisis I hated everything the current regime were doing at DC, but for the last year I've found a good chunk of it to be as good as superhero comics get. (They've put out some dross, as well, but unlike in 2005 it's been possible to ignore that without missing huge chunks of plot in the good stuff).
When I criticise Countdown, it's because I'm genuinely disappointed that the pendulum appears to be swinging back to the previous, pre-Infinite Crisis, 'Countdown' event - random happenings as a substitute for plot or characterisation. I expect better from the people involved, and I'm hoping they'll start to live up to those expectations soon...