[Peter]

Bruce MacIntosh, writer of the "Who Counts in Countdown?" column for the Pulse, joins us to discuss issues 25-22 and other tie-ins for the month of November.

Here are the articles referenced in the episode:

Issue 25
http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb....c;f=36;t=006840
Issue 24
http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb....c;f=36;t=006854
Issue 23
http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb....c;f=36;t=006875
Issue 22
http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb....c;f=36;t=006882

[justice]

"Jimmy Olsen is on Darkseid."

You don't hear that every day.

[Chris Murrin]

The Mxy twins were twin encyclopedia salesmen in Joe Casey's Adventures of Superman 617 and 618.

I thought Mxy was playing chess with the Joker in Superman/Batman, not Darkseid. That's the storyline where they created the Superwomen and used many of the variant versions of Superman and Batman. It was in issues 23-25, I think.

Have we seen Superman-Prime's switch from the blues to the black outfit yet? If so, where?

This post has been edited by Chris Murrin: 17 December 2007 - 04:08 PM

[BruceInColorado]

I thought Mxy was playing chess with the Joker in Superman/Batman, not Darkseid. That's the storyline where they created the Superwomen and used many of the variant versions of Superman and Batman. It was in issues 23-25, I think.

You are correct, Chris: In Superman/Batman, Mxy and Joker were playing chess, and separately Darkseid asks Mxy, "Imp. This… Crisis you speak of. What role do I play?" Mxy replies, "You don't. We… Have a future together that has yet to be revealed… 'From the fourth world into the fifth dimension!' Kinda like that ring tone, Big D."

I really have a hard time with Superman/Batman - figuring out what "counts" in continuity. But the article about Mxy (WCIC #30) has the details correct: Mr. Mxy on Who Counts in Countdown?

Have we seen Superman-Prime's switch from the blues to the black outfit yet? If so, where?

I was expecting something in Green Lantern #25... but it simply ignored that issue.

So, as far as the "switch" - I'm not sure where it will happen (other than already in Countdown.)

[Chris Murrin]

Thanks for the notes. I remember praising your article when it came out. I'm glad to see that DC might be catching up to me in realizing that Mxyzptlk is the most important character out there.

[Green Flame]

In DotNG Big Barda wasn't on the Source Wall, she was on the Killers "Trophy Wall" that was in front of the Source Wall.

[The Dyslexicon]

"Jimmy Olsen is on Darkseid."

You don't hear that every day.

Yea I alweas figered Darkside for a top

[Melville's Fist]

Death of the New Gods - I think I've figured it out.

The killer is Solomon, The Monitor. Why? In issue #1 there is a Monitor standing on New Genesis and Apokolips observing everything. They are near both crime scenes. Why create a second Source Wall? Well, true believers, Solomon believes that the integrity of the old one is failing--so much so that he has rallied the others against Bob the Monitor. He is a zealot who s carrying forth his plans to sway the tide of destruction.

On another note... in DC Nation #88 Dan DiDio writes, "To for those of you with questions like, Who is out to spoil the Bat Family?, What is the Fifth World?, Where are we counting down to?, When does Superman Prime go? , And why is this Crisis final?"

Fifth World. Fifth Dimension. Any connections?

[rainbowcloak]

Yea I alweas figered Darkside for a top

OH .. MY.. NEW... GODS!!!!

hehe..

between Darkseid and DeSaad, it's not too hard to figure out THAT relationship, is it? hehe

[Darth Kramer]

I don't think that the Mr. Miracle problem lies with Jim Starlin. At Wizard World Chicago, he said that he's been done with all 8 issues since July, so that'd mean the coloring problems lie with the Countdown crew.

[Julian Lytle]

Actually What Mxy and Joker are playing in Superman/Batman is Heroclix, but branded Heromyx in the comic. All the pieces have combat dial like heroclix and all my players and fellow judges got hyped that they were playing that in the comic.

This post has been edited by Julian Lytle: 18 December 2007 - 08:19 PM

[BruceInColorado]

Actually What Mxy and Joker are playing in Superman/Batman is Heroclix, but branded Heromyx in the comic. All the pieces have combat dial like heroclix and all my players and fellow judges got hyped that they were playing that in the comic.

It is also (probably) what Darkseid is messing with on the very first pages of the first issue of Countdown (#51). Which lends credence to the likelihood that what happens in Superman/Batman is in continuity. So - I'm getting more convinced that Mxyzptlk is the key to the Final Crisis. According to Darkseid, Mxy possesses the Anti-Life Equation!

Read this week's Who Counts in Countdown?, where I discuss Mister Miracle and the Anti-Life Equation. <~~~ Click that link if you'd like to read more about this grand DC conspiracy! (And, yes - I know I screwed up again in the piece about the Darkseid/Mxy playing-chess-thing. That's what happens when you're on a deadline and its Sunday midnight! )

[Melville's Fist]

It is also (probably) what Darkseid is messing with on the very first pages of the first issue of Countdown (#51). Which lends credence to the likelihood that what happens in Superman/Batman is in continuity. So - I'm getting more convinced that Mxyzptlk is the key to the Final Crisis. According to Darkseid, Mxy possesses the Anti-Life Equation!

Read this week's Who Counts in Countdown?, where I discuss Mister Miracle and the Anti-Life Equation. <~~~ Click that link if you'd like to read more about this grand DC conspiracy! (And, yes - I know I screwed up again in the piece about the Darkseid/Mxy playing-chess-thing. That's what happens when you're on a deadline and its Sunday midnight! )

Bruce: Continue to rock and write ridiculously long columns. Thanks!

[Chris Murrin]

I was thinking about the third/fourth/fifth worlds today. On the first page of the Fourth World series, we see the old gods' demise, which to me looks a great deal like the Norse concept of Ragnarok, complete with a very Thor-looking figure. Out of this spawns the Fourth World. On Apocolypse, we have Darkseid (Odin), his son Orion (Thor), and his right hand trickster Desaad (Loki). With Mxy now revealed as the Trickster God, then he is another version of Loki and Desaad.

Perhaps he is the first god to make the transition to the Fifth World, and will be either bringing the rest along with him, or tricking them so he can be the top dog in the Fifth World?

[Darth Kramer]

I was thinking about the third/fourth/fifth worlds today. On the first page of the Fourth World series, we see the old gods' demise, which to me looks a great deal like the Norse concept of Ragnarok, complete with a very Thor-looking figure. Out of this spawns the Fourth World. On Apocolypse, we have Darkseid (Odin), his son Orion (Thor), and his right hand trickster Desaad (Loki). With Mxy now revealed as the Trickster God, then he is another version of Loki and Desaad.

Perhaps he is the first god to make the transition to the Fifth World, and will be either bringing the rest along with him, or tricking them so he can be the top dog in the Fifth World?

As Dan Didio has said, it's Death of the New Gods, not Death of Some of the New Gods. I don't think that any of them will be making it, top dog or not.

[BruceInColorado]

Bruce: Continue to rock and write ridiculously long columns. Thanks!

Yeah - I was emailing Peter the other day and thanking him for letting me ramble on the podcast... I told him that I was raised in a vocal family where if you got the floor, you'd keep talking until someone (successfully) interrupted or told you to shut up! I write the same way: I keep going until I run out of words - or time.

Speaking of which... Look out for my thoroughly entertaining retrospective of Sub-Mariner in Back Issue #27 (out Feb 2008). (Sorry, Peter. I finally figured out what you meant when you asked if I was writing exclusively for the Pulse. The correct answer is "No! I also write for Back Issue Magazine: The magazine for people with fond memories of comics of the 70s and 80s!") Thank you for letting me plug myself. Everyone may now resume reading the forum.

[BruceInColorado]

As Dan Didio has said, it's Death of the New Gods, not Death of Some of the New Gods. I don't think that any of them will be making it, top dog or not.

Someone has to survive to tell the tale! In classical literature - it's the lone warrior on the battlefield. In horror movies - it's the cute teenage girl. (That leaves Mary Marvel out - because her "cuteness" is long gone.)

Dan DiDio - in one of the many DC con panels I covered this year - said that only one of the New Gods would make it out alive. Possibilities:

1) DiDio was blowing smoke;
2) Orion - If we're talking Marketable Properties (He's always been the featured New God on any new Fourth World series);
3) Mister Miracle - I didn't think so until the recent Countdown issues - but he seems the best equipped to "escape" the others' fate. Plus, he has the anti-life equation. And - he's a heck of a nice guy.
4) Mister Mxyzptlk - This is making more sense, since this is the dawning of th Fifth World
5) ?

Any other guesses?

[mrflashlight]

Actually What Mxy and Joker are playing in Superman/Batman is Heroclix, but branded Heromyx in the comic. All the pieces have combat dial like heroclix and all my players and fellow judges got hyped that they were playing that in the comic.

Julian, I have to applaud your email to the geeks. The whole emo Superman Prime description was amazing. After Peter read it it was like as if a light went off. Great observation...absolutely great!

[johnnym]

I'm done trying to come up with reasons to continue reading Countdown.

[rainbowcloak]

I'm done trying to come up with reasons to continue reading Countdown.

Because it's better than the Detroit JLA era?

*that's my reason* I bought that whole thing.. man. Zatanna and the Godhead story alone was enough to send you running for the Syrup of Ipecac..