Countdown to Final Crisis #17

Dini and Company finally have the ball rolling in DC's weekly series. Issue #17 is one fast paced issue with story lines beginning to dovetail and other items being explained. It was finally nice to catch up with Ray Palmer last issue after a three year absence from the DCU. This issue stayed with the focus groups of last issue while connecting the dots to the Monitors, Monarch and his army, and the Amazons. Finally we may be seeing the culmination of 35+ weeks of building this story (or should I say stretching it). This marks two issues in a row of "Countdown to Final Crisis" that I have found interesting. Here's hoping that the Countdown crew can keep up the momentum as this series heads into the final quarter turn.