WONDER CON '07: DCU: GREAT EXPECTATIONS PANEL

[MattBrady]

Dan Didio introduced the DCU: Great Expectations panel at WonderCon on Saturday afternoon, and brought the panelists up on stage: Bob Wayne, Jann Jones, Matt Idelson, Adam Beechen and Judd Winick.

Didio then opened the discussion portion of the panel with a recap of Countdown for audience members who missed Friday’s DC Nation panel.

Note – as usual, DC panels are a chaotic, rollicking time with many asides, off topic comments, and occasional off color comments. This panel was no different. Despite what may come across in the text virtually every answer was said with a laugh, and in a spirit of fun.

“We’re counting down to a really, really big event,” Beechen said when asked by Didio what Countdown is counting down to. It was then announced by Didio that Beechen and along with Tony Bedard and Jim Calafiore have signed exclusives contacts with the publisher.

Before moving on to questions, Dido showed the Countdown teaser image again, nothing that it has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and this one is worth a million, given everything that’s going on in it. To stress his pint, Didio noted that everything in the image is important – how the characters are colored or lit, where they’re standing, how they’re looking, and what they’re wearing. Didio then recognized and thanked Phil Jimenez who drew the image and was in the audience for the panel.

The panel then moved to questions from the audience as well as Didio asking panelists questions. As per our usual format, the paraphrased fan question or comment is followed bythe panelists’ responses. ghlights included:

Is the event Countdown is counting down to occurring in June of 2008, which is Superman’s 80th anniversary? Didio: No – we’ve got large plans for Superman, but Countdown will end in April, not June.

Will DC be bringing back Earth -3? Didio: Is he talking about the multiverse? Wayne: It would appear so. Didio: There are stories that are coming down the pipeline. Not that I want to give anything away – not that I’m conforming or denying anything.

The last two pages of 52 #43 – that was harsh. Didio: Those characters were created just for that moment – that was always going to be the end of that story. The gruesome death was always the plan from day one.

Will the two page origin stories be back in Countdown? Didio: I cannot state if there will be origins in the back of Countdown, but if you like origin stories, weekly comics would be the place to look.

What made you decide to replace the Question? Didio: That was always set from the beginning of 52.

Which Flash is in the Countdown teaser image? Beechen: The fast one. (note – Didio has already said that he was mistaken when he said that the Flash shown was Barry Allen)

Will we see more of Terry McGuiness in the DCU after his appearance in Superman/Batman? Didio: We are considering it. Imagine if there was a multiverse where there were many worlds where there would be one where Terry McGuiness was Batman…

Didn’t Grant Morrison already do World War III in JLA? Didio: The event was led up to, but it never happened – the League prevented it. What’s coming up in 52 will become what the DCU will know as “World War III.”

Will we see Animal Man again? Didio: His story is not over. He will be seen in 52 coming up.

Pointing out the Amazons Attack slide, Didio asked who was reading Wonder Woman, which was answered by cries of “When it comes out.”

“We deserve that,” Didio said, and then outlined the coming plans on the ongoing Wonder Woman series, with Idelson adding that they are hoping to have the Wonder Woman Special with the conclusion of Allan Heinberg’s “Who is Wonder Woman” coming out in September.

“Hey – you – you want to come up and talk for a while, we’re talking about late books,” Didio interrupted, pointing out Jim Lee in the back of the room. Lee then joined the panelists, saying, “All of [ASB&R] #5 is done, colored and penciled; all of #6 is done. We’re trying to stockpile the issues before they start coming out again.”

Lee added that Frank Miller has written the series through issue #8.

Asked about his previously stated desire to kill Nightwing, Didio said that Winick was also involved in the idea as well; and the idea originally got rolling because he felt that Nightwing was slightly redundant in the DCU, “not quite Batman, not quite Robin.” Nightwing’s death, originally, was supposed to be the death that would pull Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman back together.

The New Gods as they appeared in Firestorm and Grant Morrison’s take on them in Seven Soldiers were different. How can readers reconcile them? Didio: The disconnect between the versions was done on purpose there.

Is Frank Miller’s Holy Terror, Batman! still in progress? Lee: I’ve seen pages, and think it’s expanded in scope from its original plans.

Dido: There are pages that were drawn, but I’m not sure of the timeline that it’s on. It’s on Frank’s timeline.

Matt Idleson will be the new editor on Supergirl, Didio announced.

As a membership roster been settled on for the new Suicide Squad miniseries written by John Ostrander? Can at least a name be given? Didio: I can give you many names: Multiplex.

In terms of the future of Batwoman, Didio said that he hopes to expand upon the character and continue using the character after 52.

Is there any hope for seeing a Sean McKeever-written all-ages Supergirl comic? Jones: Stay tuned, we’ll have some stuff coming up shortly.

Idleson: And the Supergirl series will become a little more user-friendly.

What’s going on with the Superman continuity in regards to his origin? Didio: At the end of the day, we’re discussing things like what did the rocket look like? What did Krypton look like? Those are part of the backdrop, not what define Superman.

But what about Smallville, and was he Superboy, etc? Didio: There’s a window that we’re leaving open that we can work in if we need.

Will DC being doing anything with more political elements woven in, a la Civil War at Marvel? Didio: Great question – but you can’t go spot on with a direct approach, because you don’t want to trivialize things in the real world. We bring a lot of reality to your books, but there are things we can’t bring in because the heroes just don’t work well in those aspects. There are certain places to tell those stories, but I’m not sure if that’s something that interacts well with the DC Universe.

Do the characters on the post-Infinite Crisis Earth remember their old lives? Didio: 52 #52.

Will Superboy Prime be coming back? Wayne: Maybe.

Are there plans for Ambush Bug? Dido: Keith [Giffen] is involved in Countdown, so we always find ways to work his favorite characters into his work.

What about an Ambush Bug collection? Wayne: Maybe.

Is Red Robin in the Countdown teaser Jason Todd? Didio: That was a mistake! [laughs] There is a dynamic with the Red Robin character not only with who he is, but his relationship with all the other characters.

After Trials of Shazam, Howard Porter will most likely move back to the Johnny Quest series he was working on previously.

Will there be more annuals coming? Didio: Yes – the Nightwing Annual in April which explains the proposal between Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon; and Outsiders Annual.

Winick: That will wrap up the One Year Later story, and be drawn by Scott McDaniel.

Didio: And a Wonder Woman Annual too.

Will DC keep Batman’s son Damien around, or get rid of him like last time? Didio: We can neither confirm nor deny that is Batman’s son. There are a lot of things that point toward it being his son, but that has not been confirmed. That will play into storylines in Batman coming up later this year, and maybe into Detective.

Where will see more of Ion? Beechen: He’ll be showing up big time in Countdown.

Who are the two smartest men in the DCU in front of Mr. Terrific? Wayne: He’s just very modest, so he’s saying he’s the third.

Will you be keeping Supernova or Booster Gold? Didio: Wouldn’t it be nice if we kept both?

Are Mark Waid and Alex Ross involved in the changes that seem to be turning the DC Universe into the direction of Kingdom Come? Didio: Maybe. Alex is involved with the plotting for the Justice Society which involves the Kingdom Come Starman.

Will we be seeing more gay men characters? Winick: I can only write three books a month.

Didio: We’ve got Pied Piper, and Obsidian will be returning to the pages of Justice Society.

Green Arrow #75 – Ollie asks Dinah to marry him, but Countdown teaser suggests that Black Canary rejects him? What’s going on there?

Winck: Green Arrow and Black Canary have had a very tumultuous relationship, and those can be awesome…or - maybe she’s pissed because there are these dead people got here, and Ollie got here late.

[Street Carp]

Awww, I wish I coulda been there.

(ian)

[Grenadier]

Superman's 70th is next year, not 80th.

[Zugernaut]

Are Mark Waid and Alex Ross involved in the changes that seem to be turning the DC Universe into the direction of Kingdom Come? Didio: Maybe. Alex is involved with the plotting for the Justice Society which involves the Kingdom Come Starman.

There's nothing like beating a concept to death.

We saw it with Miller's take on Batman, we're seeing it now with Kingdom Come.

It was a great story about an alternate future. I vote it be left that way.

[God-Man]

My favorite exchange of the panel:

Will we be seeing more gay men characters? Winick: I can only write three books a month.

And wow, Superman's turning 70 next year. I can't wait to see what DC has in store for him.

[Clem]

So they're building up a stockpile of All Star Batman? WTF?

Release it when you can you bloody tease!!!

[worldsfinest]

Will we be seeing more gay men characters? Winick: I can only write three books a month.

Winick can add a new Character to Outsiders if he wanted.
Where is Anderson Gabrych or Marc Andreyko? They could write the character.
Sadowski and/or Jiminez on the art.

Didio: We’ve got Pied Piper, and Obsidian will be returning to the pages of Justice Society

Not very representative of the new more diverse DC. A former criminal and a former madman.

[Duke Jupiter]

I'm really glad they opted out of killing Dick Grayson.

Bad idea, folks.

-DJ

[Lex]

Congrats to Adam Beechen and the others who got exclusives. Well deserved if you ask me.

[GSHAG]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

Who are the two smartest men in the DCU in front of Mr. Terrific? Wayne: He’s just very modest, so he’s saying he’s the third.

haha it might be a cop-out answer but hey its finally an answer to that question

[diana_fan]

So, they are going to take Supergirl, which is an damned interesting title, and gut it, making it like all the other books out there? At least that is what it sounded like to me.

*sigh*

[jmcl89]

Originally Posted by diana_fan

So, they are going to take Supergirl, which is an damned interesting title, and gut it, making it like all the other books out there? At least that is what it sounded like to me.

*sigh*

I think there is something to be said for simplifying Joe Kelly's confusing story structures. But I hope they don't soon change Kara's moody and ambivalent nature into more of a generic girl scout superhero.

[Darthphere]

Originally Posted by diana_fan

So, they are going to take Supergirl, which is an damned interesting title, and gut it, making it like all the other books out there? At least that is what it sounded like to me.

*sigh*

It sounded like theyre going to make the comic actually, you know, good. Strange concept indeed.

[diana_fan]

Originally Posted by jmcl89

I think there is something to be said for simplifying Joe Kelly's confusing story structures. But I hope they don't soon change Kara's moody and ambivalent nature into more of a generic girl scout superhero.

Why? Why not let it be? There are 59,786 other titles out there for people who want a simple, a-to-z, linear book. Why take the one freaking book that DC publishes that has any uniqueness to its storytelling, and basically gut it?

I don't mean to jump down your throat. Sorry. I'm just ticked off. I'll wait and see what the changes are, and hopefully they won't be too severe. But a recent interview with Kelly had him saying he was going to stay on the title "awhile". So, either he isn't going to be able to write the book the way he wants to (which is just bad), or they are getting someone else to do it.

And I completely agree: making her into a little girl scout would be a complete disaster.

[JAGII]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

What about an Ambush Bug collection? Wayne: Maybe.

What a dirty, dirty tease. This needs to happen. Now.

[Kent Horton]

Originally Posted by Darthphere

It sounded like theyre going to make the comic actually, you know, good. Strange concept indeed.

As opposed to it's current great status. You're right. It is a damn shame.

[foxfire]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

The New Gods as they appeared in Firestorm and Grant Morrison’s take on them in Seven Soldiers were different. How can readers reconcile them? Didio: The disconnect between the versions was done on purpose there.

Um... what? Anything more on this other than "we felt like making them different for no obvious reason?"

[Darthphere]

Originally Posted by Kent Horton

As opposed to it's current great status. You're right. It is a damn shame.

My condolences to those that like the current Supergirl title.

[Evan Waters]

Originally Posted by foxfire

Um... what? Anything more on this other than "we felt like making them different for no obvious reason?"

What I gleaned from the SEVEN SOLDIERS: MISTER MIRACLE series was that the Gods were the way they were because Darkseid had trapped them in a bottle universe inside the black hole. Shiloh Norman freed them when he escaped, so they can now be back on New Genesis as before.

There's a good chance I'm wrong on this, but that's how I interpreted it as a reader.

[POWRSURG]

Originally Posted by jmcl89

I think there is something to be said for simplifying Joe Kelly's confusing story structures. But I hope they don't soon change Kara's moody and ambivalent nature into more of a generic girl scout superhero.

Call me ignorant of other people's reactions, but what is confusing about Kelly's story structure? I've not had a problem following it so far, and have quite enjoyed the book.

[jmcl89]

Originally Posted by diana_fan

Why? Why not let it be? There are 59,786 other titles out there for people who want a simple, a-to-z, linear book. Why take the one freaking book that DC publishes that has any uniqueness to its storytelling, and basically gut it?

I find Kelly's writing (where I've read it - basically here and in "Justice League Elite") to be kind of like Morrison's, in that I usually don't follow it too well until I've read it twice. I don't really mind that, as long as it makes sense the second time. But I can see how DC might consider it to not be "user friendly". I'd rather see that change than Kara's character.

[diana_fan]

Originally Posted by jmcl89

I find Kelly's writing (where I've read it - basically here and in "Justice League Elite") to be kind of like Morrison's, in that I usually don't follow it too well until I've read it twice. I don't really mind that, as long as it makes sense the second time. But I can see how DC might consider it to not be "user friendly". I'd rather see that change than Kara's character.

See, I don't disagree. I mean, I haven't really had a hard time following Kelly's stories, but it's definitely different. And Morrison is often different as well. I agree.

My problem with this is just why change anything? Can't we have a book that is not deemed "user friendly"? One freakin' book?

But again, I agree that I don't want to see some wholesale change to her character, either. I want it to develop.

[Kent Horton]

Originally Posted by Darthphere

My condolences to those that like the current Supergirl title.

My condolences to those who think it's something to be ashamed of.

[ColourMan]

I might have to buy Countdown if Ion's starring in it.

[SpaceButler]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

“We deserve that,” Didio said, and then outlined the coming plans on the ongoing Wonder Woman series, with Idelson adding that they are hoping to have the Wonder Woman Special with the conclusion of Allan Heinberg’s “Who is Wonder Woman” coming out in September.

September... wow. Just... wow.

As for Countdown, I was ambivalent, but they had me at Ion.