Cover: Stéphane Roux

Countdown #9

Apr 2008 · DC · 2.99 USD; 3.65 CAD

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In "Pay the Piper," Brother Eye turns its cold logic on Karate Kid while deploying OMACs to seize control of Apokolips, but the tide shifts when Pied Piper’s haunting melody cuts through the machine’s dominance—killing Desaad and shattering its grip. Written by Paul Dini, Keith Giffen, Justin Gray, and Jimmy Palmiotti, with art by Tom Derenick and inks by Wayne Faucher, this pivotal issue blends relentless tension with a haunting score, all rendered in vivid colors by Pete Pantazis and sharp lettering by Ken Lopez. The cover, a striking piece by Stéphane Roux, captures the moment of defiance in stark, cinematic detail.

Contains 2 stories

Pay the Piper

20 pp · Superhero

Challengers of the Beyond [Green Lantern [Kyle Rayner]Donna TroyRed Hood [Jason Todd]]Atom [Ray Palmer]Holly RobinsonHarleen Quinzel [Harley Quinn]Mary Marvel [Mary Batson]Pied Piper [Hartley Rathaway]Karate Kid [Val Armorr]Una [Luornu Durgoalso as an OMAC]Firestorm [Jason Rusch]Desaad (villain, dies)Brother Eye (villain)OMACs (villains)Penguin [Oswald Cobblepot] (villain, cameo flashback)Trickster [James Jesse] (villain, cameo flashback)Darkseid (villain)Solomon the Monitor (villain)

In "Pay the Piper," Jo faces a desperate stand against Brother Eye’s control as OMACs overrun Apokolips, while the Pied Piper’s haunting melody begins to unravel the machine’s grip—one note at a time.

The Origin of Black Manta

2 pp · Superhero

Black Manta (origin)Aquaman [Arthur CurryOrin]Aqualad [Garth]Arthur Curry, Jr.