Countdown To Final Crisis #3

There's probably not much that this book can do to salvage its reputation, unless by merely placing the final issue in the hands of someone with cancer they find themselves magically cured.

It's too bad, because on balance there have been way more good issues than bad and the last month has been excellent.

The pace of the story is ramping way up as we come to the close as Darkseid reveals his plan to extract the combined powers of the New Gods out of Jimmy Olsen in order to wield them to usher in the Fifth World.  Bad news for Jimmy Olsen.  The good news for Jimmy Olsen is that his best pal is Superman.  Thus, we get a knock down, drag out brawl between Superman and Darkseid drawn all big and blustery by Freddie Williams II.

DC promised that we'd find out the mystery behind Jimmy Olsen and why he knew who Jason Todd was (and logically speaking must then know who Batman, Robin and Nightwing are) but unless I missed it, that hasn't come to pass.  We'll probably never know what editorial machinations have gone on behind the scenes of this book to lead us to where we are today, but it's too bad this book is so maligned.  I don't think that it deserves most of the vitriol thrown its way.