DC Comics is launching a major shakeup to its universe. This is one of those events that I would salivate over as a kid, and I'm still salivating! DC is keeping a spoiler-riddled checklist available so that even us diehards can keep it all together. I don't read all of the books regularly so it is nice to find out what is happening in those books.

The countdown has begun. Over the course of the last year, the heroes of the DCU have been tested like never before. Villains are pooling their resources, former friends are questioning each other's actions, and no one is safe.Across the entire DCU, events are transpiring at a rapid pace...and as the developments of the last year have demonstrated, what might appear unrelated may actually be interconnected and leading towards a dark horizon.Let's take a look at the events that led our heroes from IDENTITY CRISIS to COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS:
In IDENTITY CRISIS:
Jean Loring, during a twisted attempt to get back with her ex-husband the Atom, accidentally killed Sue Dibny, the wife of Elongated Man.
During the investigation of the murder, seven members of the Justice League—the Atom, Black Canary, Elongated Man, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Hawkman and Zatanna—met, discussing how they once mind-wiped Dr. Light after he was caught assaulting Sue.
Calculator resurfaced, setting up assignments for metahuman mercenaries.
Dr. Light, seeking protection from the Justice League (who considered him a suspect of Sue's murder), hired Deathstroke. Slade Wilson fought them to a near standstill until Green Arrow plunged an arrow into his eye.
During the battle, Dr. Light remembered that the heroes had purged his memory, altering his personality and intelligence.
Further covering her tracks, Loring arranged for Jack Drake (the father of Robin) and Captain Boomerang to kill each other.
While questioning the Shadow Thief, Firestorm was stabbed and detonated, disappearing in an explosion of energy.
The Flash learned that the Justice League also mind-wiped Batman, who walked in on them as they were "operating" on Dr. Light years ago.
The Atom figured out what Loring had done and turned her over to Arkham Asylum.
In THE FLASH #214-#216, Wally West learned of Barry Allen's involvement in the Dr. Light mind-wipe. He also discovered that they had done the same to multiple villains over the years, including the Top, who in turn had altered the personalities of several of the Flash's rogues.
In ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #636, the Man of Steel learned that the villain called Ruin was targeting his loved ones. Unbeknownst to Superman, Ruin is working for Lex Luthor's newly formed secret Society of super-villains. Following a battle with Ruin, Superman then met with Wonder Woman and Batman, who discussed the option of mind-wiping him, as they had done to Dr. Light.
In MANHUNTER #6, Kate Spencer began the prosecution of Shadow Thief for the murder of Firestorm. Also in that issue, the Society employed Calculator to find someone to "deal with" Shadow Thief.
In GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH, Hal Jordan returned to claim his mantle of the Green Lantern of space sector 2814. In doing so, he gave up the mantle of the Spectre, freeing the entity to once again become the embodiment of God's wrath.
In FIRESTORM #9-#11, Ronnie Raymond returned to life, now bonded to the mind of the new Firestorm, Jason Rusch.
In TEEN TITANS #21, Dr. Light attacked the Teen Titans in an effort to rehabilitate his reputation.
In OUTSIDERS #21, Nightwing learned that Batman had been funding the team. Meanwhile, Arsenal discovered that Deathstroke had been masquerading as the Dark Knight and manipulating the Outsiders for over a year.
In JSA #70, the Society successfully recruited Black Adam.
In BREACH #3, Kobra agents—working for the Society—encountered and battled the transformed Major Tim Zanetti. Luthor's group is now greatly interested in the power that Zanetti possesses.
In WONDER WOMAN #214, Cheetah introduced Zoom to Dr. Psycho, a member of the secret Society.
In COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS:
Batman told Alfred that he knows "everything they did" in reference to the Justice League's memory-wiping actions in IDENTITY CRISIS.
Lex Luthor, Deathstroke, Dr. Psycho, Talia, Black Adam and Calculator stood revealed as a cabal of super-villains known as The Society. Its goal? As Luthor told an angry Dr. Light, "retribution."
Adam Strange sent a desperate emergency message to the JLA watchtower, telling an alarmed J'onn J'onnz that the forces of Thanagar had invaded the planet Rann.
The Wizard Shazam, revealing an upcoming conflagration involving Captain Marvel, the Spectre and additional members of DC's magical community, revealed that "for the first time in a thousand years" he was "filled with questions" concerning the future.
Someone stole over 100 pounds of kryptonite (recovered from Supergirl's arrival on Earth) from a Kord Omniversal warehouse.
Investigating the theft, Blue Beetle uncovered the O.M.A.C. project, an all-seeing satellite surveillance network that knows the secret identities—and weaknesses—of the world's heroes, including Batman, Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, Green Lantern, the Flash, Martian Manhunter and Superman.
An O.M.A.C. satellite blasted the house of Blue Beetle, severely injuring Booster Gold.
Maxwell Lord, head of the O.M.A.C. project, revealed himself to be the King of a newly formed Checkmate and fatally shot Blue Beetle, who had uncovered his plans and refused to join his team.Now the countdown continues...and this week the fears of the Wizard Shazam rumble into ACTION COMICS #826!