[Buffalo Tom]

I've been kind of 'meh' about 'Countdown'. It's just been a little slow for me. I guess they're setting stuff up for the next major crisis next year (which, by the way, Kurt Busiek, one of my favourite writers, is rumoured to be plotting and writing). It doesn't feel as presicient as I thought it would be. Contrast this with the 'Camelot Falls' storyline in 'Superman', where Busiek has basically hinted very loudly that a crisis is coming to the DC universe, and that Superman's presence may exacerbate its impact. I think it's going to be a rocky year for the DC universe.

Have you been reading Paul Dini's run on 'Detective'? He just finished a two part Joker story that pegged the character exactly. Also, one of the writers from 'Heroes' is doing a multi-part story in 'Batman: Confidential' that details the story of Batman's first encounter with the criminal who would become the Joker.

You should definitely check out Flash. Mark Waid's previous tenure on the book is one of my favourite runs on a comic title ever, and his return to the book can only mean good things for the character.