Steph, Ted was a good-looking fellow, in a very human way, at least in all the Ted stuff I've read. Also, just a sweet and wonderful character. Yep, I shall miss Ted. Who was totally heterosexual life partners with Booster.

Was Calculator in Benes' section of the book? Because that would explain the pretty.

Countdown,

Not excited by BB buying it, though, not at all.

I really dislike being put into the head of a sympathetic character (especially for an entire 80 pg issue) who is then killed. It annoys the living crap out of me. Also, neither Bats nor Supes wants to bother investigating the disappearance of a hundred pounds of kryptonite? Or the fact that someone is using Waynetech to loot other companies? The ads in the book make me think that I probably won't be following the series very closely. Rann vs. Thanagar just doesn't do it for me.

Was Calculator in Benes' section of the book? Because that would explain the pretty.

Yes, he was! Damn, you're good, woman! (I was able to check b/c I brought Countdown in for chatty!co-worker to read, who, upon finishing it, said "So, how long before metahumans are outlawed, do you think?" Which is a pretty good call on his part.)

I get where Bats is having some sort of breakdown about the Identity Crisis fallout -- he's been distant and not immediately useful in Outsiders at the very least, perhaps more.

Oh! And what's up with Martian Manhunter being such a dick? That was weird.

Despite my copy being only about four feet away from me, I was too lazy to check for myself, but I was pretty sure it was Benes. Who does the pretty even when it's really, really not appropriate. (See: his work on Thundercats.)

Steph, I was wondering the same thing. The only sympathetic major players were Wonder Woman and Hal, and Hal took off to check up on his laundry after the kryptonite disappeared, too.

Yeah, Bats is totally having issues. Possibly a subscription.

I've seen MM be that rude before, when he's making assumptions. (Damn, which JLA arc was that? It's the one where he ripped Oracle a new one.)

I just want to know where this is in continuity, because Wonder Woman seems to have regained the gift of sight, and I'm unclear as to whether this is pre- or -post Dr. Light vs. Teen Titans, since we see the Titans at the beginning, and we see Dr. Light burst in all pissy at the end of section 2.

On IC to Countdown Timing (Lightly spoilery for, well, just about everything:

• Far as I can tell, the current issues of JLA and JLA: Classified are set right BEFORE Identity Crisis. There's going to be an IC tie-in with JLA fairly soon, when this storyline ends, and of course, the Super-Buddies features Sue, Ralph, Ted and Booster, so that's obviously back a bit.

• Current issues of Teen Titans, Green Arrow, JSA, Flash and Outsiders are set squarely between the two events. The Speedy AIDS story dovetails fairly neatly into the Titans/Dr. Light story, and they both come pretty quick on the heels of IC. JSA has Black Adam being inducted into the Secret Six, so it's obvious that the current story takes place right BEFORE the Coutndown events. It shouldn't be surprising that all of these titles are written by either Johns or Winnick, and thus mesh well with the mega story.

• I don't read Wonder Woman, but as it tied in briefly with Flash, we cna only conclude that her blindness happened somewhat after or during IC--we don't see her face after issue #1, I believe--and is resolved before "Countdown."

• Seven Soldiers ties in to Grant Morrison's run on JLA: Classified, what with Neb-Uh-Lah or whatever his name is, but I'm unsure how it--and particularly Zatanna--fit with everything else.

• Not reading Superman or Batman. Have any of the reprecussions from IC been felt there?

Just a note: it'll never be an exact science. Trying to make it one will just drive you nuts.