Yes, it was the comics equivalent of a black hole, in case this is your first year into reading stuff from the Big 2.
The sad, sad situation of DC trying their mega-event sales pitch is the same response from Marvel (the trifecta of House of M, Civil War and [later]World War Hulk), and bhoi, was the execution FUBARed totally. With House of M, at least it was a simple concept structured correctly and decently plotted, albeit somewhat of a pointless exercise. CW, on the other hand, is a massive clusterfuck that shits on decades on characterization (or more bluntly, assassination) and doesn’t even give the reader the courtesy of a proper payoff. There’s also the salient fact that Spidey might really have jumped the shark as a concept, and there’s the unpalatable suggestion of YET another hammed-up ressurection down the line.
If someone had told me 6-7 months ago that Marvel could fuck up worse than DC did with ICrisis, I would have shaken my head sadly and patronized the talking loon. There’s really no sugar-coating it, unless WWH does massive retconning or our favorite green basher rends our new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D limb from limb, we’ll looking at a box full of turds here. Ironically, the gravy-train that DC launched (and what probably invoked CW as a response), 52, is doing reasonably well as a vehicle that’s refreshingly Supes, Bats or Diana free. Pretty decent fare, by normal DC or Marvel standards, that is. Folks are not exactly expecting Ross+Waid, merely hoping for a better effort than SHIT-.
P.S: I certainly wouldn’t want to the person screening Millar’s “fan” mail. Maybe Bush can appoint him Director of Comics Affairs?
P.P.S: Don’t read Frontline unless you like the idea of Cap being pissed upon, to add insult to injury. Well done, Marvel.