The Precarious Statuary of New Genesis

"The Precarious Statuary of New Genesis" from Death of the New Gods #1 (DC, 2007) by Jim Starlin and Matt Banning

Who understands what DC was trying to do with the New Gods before Final Crisis? I mean, you've got Morrison working on your big event, and all he's asking is that these Fourth World characters not be used elsewhere because they were at the center of the story he was preparing and would start with their deaths and reincarnations. And it should have been easy, since the New Gods weren't really being used anywhere at the time. So what happens? They show up in Countdown (to Final Crisis) and get killed there. And they ALSO show up a mini-series all about their dying (again) in which Starlin brings back some of his "I never read a damn Fourth World comic in my life" elements from Cosmic Odyssey. So the New Gods dies three times in the space of a year, and... who the hell knows? I'm not even sure my account is correct so confused I was. I've probably got it wrong. Some nice splashes from Matt Banning though.