Moderated
by DC's VP - Sales, Bob Wayne, the DCU panel was made up of Executive
Editor Dan Didio, Shane Davis, Rags Morales, Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin
Gray, Andy Kubert and Adam Kubert. Wayne began the panel by showing
the third trailer for Superman Returns, which was met by
applause from the audience.
Moving into the slide
show, Wayne started off talking about 52, showing the cover
to issue #18, featuring Dr. Fate. When asked for a comment about
the series, Didio advised the audience that issues #5 and #6 are
where the story really takes off and starts running. Issue #5 deals
with the direct ramifications of the return of some of the
space heroes, as shown on the last page of #4.
Newsarama
Note: The bulk of the slides and information featured in DC's slide
show focused on August-shipping issues of their titles, and as such,
information can be found in DC's August Solicitations. As always,
if you don't see your favorite series or character mentioned here,
it doesn't mean that they weren't or that the series is cancelled
- just that what was mentioned in the panel repeats information
Newsarama readers already know..
Moving to Justice
League of America, the upcoming #0 issue was described as a
"bridge" between Infinite Crisis #7 and JLA #1. Written
by Brad Meltzer, Didio called the issue one of the most interested
JLA stories he's ever read. The story examines the relationship
between the "big three" - Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, as
seen through the eyes of various artists, and takes place in the
past, present, and future. In many ways, Didio explained, the issue
answers the question of whether or not there should be a Justice
League in the DCU, as, in his eyes, the Justice League is what the
DC Universe is all about.
The
first few issues of the series are a recruitment drive, so DC isn't
about to be giving out the membership list soon, and Wayne, with
his typical dry wit, added that the first issue did something he
never thought was possible - made him care about Red Tornado.
The October relaunch
of Justice Society was mentioned, with a slide of the first
issue's cover, an homage to the cover of All-Star Squadron #1.
The series will feature new characters, Didio said.
Click here
for Newsarama's conversation with Alex Ross and Dan Didio about
the return of Justice Society of America.
Asked who the new Flash
will be when the new issue #1 hits later this month, Didio said,
"Barry is not coming back, move on" in a joking manner.
Thought not
mentioned in connection to any specific project, Batwoman was mentioned
several times throughout the panel, with Wayne joking that Didio
had been confused when he spoke with the press, and meant to say
that the new Kate Kane character is Lebanese.
Later, when the character came up again, Didio reiterated his earlier
statements that Batwoman's sexuality is part of the character, but
her stories will not be all about her sexual orientation. "She's
a super-hero that's lesbian," Didio said, "She's not a lesbian super-hero."
Wayne noted, as an aside,
Palmiotti's quote in the New York Daily News that the character
doesn't have super lesbian powers. After riffing on the joke, Palmiotti
added that maybe she does, and she can "turn your girlfriend into
a lesbian."
Showing a slide of OMAC,
and talking about the upcoming eight issue miniseries written by
Bruce Jones and drawn by Renato Guedes, Didio said that Jones will
be taking OMAC back to the original concept, that is of "One Man
Army Corps," and as such, the series features the last OMAC.
In
speaking about Jonah Hex, Palmiotti and Gray mentioned that
David Michael Beck will illustrate issue #11, and El Diablo will
appear in the issue as well. An upcoming three-part arc will be
illustrated by Jordi Bernet, which will tell the origin of Jonah
Hex, and explain how he got his distinctive (and mildly stomach
upsetting) scar.
Reiterating yesterday's
announcement, Jim Starlin will write, with Shane Davis illustrating,
an eight issue Mystery in Space miniseries, featuring a new
Captain Comet, and the Starlin creation, The Weird, in backup stories.
Didio said that the mini spins out of 52. Davis added that
it's a "crime-noir space mystery." The lead Captain Comet story
will tie in to The Weird backup story.
October will see the
return of Omega Men as a six issue miniseries by Anderson
Gabrych and Henry Flint. The storyline will follow events from Rann-Thanagar
War and 52, as the team of losers fights the Spider Guild
from capturing a new source of powers that has the potential to
destroy entire universes.
Reconfirming what has
been said earlier, Andy Kubert said that his and Grant Morrison's
upcoming "Batman and Son" in Batman will be tied to the Mike
Barr/Jerry Bingham Son of the Demon graphic novel.
It was also reiterated
that "Titans East" will be a backup in the regular Teen Titans
series, not its own series or miniseries. If fans demand it, Didio
added, they will get their own title.
Didio
also mentioned that in comics developments, J'onn J'onzz learns
that he may not be the only surviving green Martian.
There is a plan in regards
to the future of Superboy Prime, Didio said.
Details of Bruce Wayne,
Dick Grayson and Tim Drake's journey will be shown in 52
as well as be touched upon in their own titles.
It was again explained
that Nightwing was originally intended to die in Infinite Crisis,
and that you can see the arc that was supposed to end with his death
in the series. After long discussions, the death edict was reversed,
but the decision was made that, if they're keeping him, he would
have to be changed. The next arc of the ongoing series will further
explain the changes, it was said.
Asked
about the legacy of Earth-2 as the characters may have gotten the
short shrift thanks to Infinite Crisis, Didio said that the
legacy of those characters lives through Power Girl now, which makes
her a unique character, and not a clone of Supergirl.
Plans regarding Static
making an entry into the DCU have been discussed, but there's nothing
to be announced at this time, given discussions were only initial,
and there are legal issues surrounding the character moving into
the DCU. Didio added that there are many characters from the Milestone
Universe that he liked.
There definite plans
for more All-Star titles, it was said, playing to one of Didio's
recent "DC Nation" column wherein he commented that Geoff Johns
and Phil Jiminez had an idea that they were working on.
Asked about the status
of Hawk and Dove, Didio said that the two are characters he hasn't
gotten to yet.
And finally, Didio said
that he has spoken with James Robinson about the future of Starman,
but nothing is definite.
Newsarama.com’s WizardWorld Philadelphia coverage:
DC’s Vertigo Panel
Marvel’s Civil War Panel
The DCU Panel
Cup ‘O Joe
Peter David: Telling Tales of the Fantastick
DC Nation
Bullet Dodged, Manhunter Saved
Mondo Marvel
Hellstorm Returns as MAX Mini
Guggenheim on Blade Ongoing
Marvel’s X-Men Panel
Greg Pak on X-Men: Phoenix – Warsong
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