NYCC '08: DC's [Final] FINAL CRISIS PANEL

[MichaelDoran]

Report by Albert Ching

With the third installment of the New York Comic Con drawing to a close Sunday, DC’s final panel of the convention focused on, appropriately enough, Final Crisis. DC Universe Executive Editor Dan DiDio was joined by Final Crisis artist JG Jones, editor Eddie Berganza, assistant editor Adam Schlagman and, arriving about 15 minutes into the panel, Grant Morrison, writer of the mini-series

DiDio began the panel by explaining the basic concept behind Final Crisis - that it’s the third part of both “official” and “unofficial” trilogies in the DC Universe. Officially, it’s the third “Crisis” after Crisis on Infinite Earths and Infinite Crisis, with the former representing the “death of the multiverse,” the latter representing the ‘rebuilding of the multiverse,” and Final Crisis being the “final saga of the multiverse.”

Unofficially, it’s part of a trilogy of recent events that DiDio calls “an exploration of our heroes.” Identity Crisis, the first part, was in DiDio’s words, a “personal threat” to the protagonists of the DC Universe. Follow-up Infinite Crisis was “putting the greatest odds against the heroes,” and Final Crisis is ‘the day that evil won.”

“This is the one time evil wins,” said DiDio. “What does that mean for our heroes?”

DiDio then discussed the Final Crisis tie-in titles, hinting that “a tragic event that occurs in the very first issue” will lead into Final Crisis: Requiem (a truncated title - presumably the full one would spoil that tragic event) by Peter Tomasi and Doug Mahnke.

“It involves one of the cornerstones of the DC Universe, and how his life has changed as a result of Final Crisis #1,” said DiDio

DiDio then ran through the rest of the side books, Final Crisis: Rogues Revenge, Final Crisis: Revelations, Superman Beyond, Submit, Resist and Rage of the Red Lanterns.

After that, a Q&A session began, with Morrison being asked what characters might do something surprising in Final Crisis - Morrison answered by giving a surprising character involved in the series, Fourth World ally Sonny Sumo, specifically praising the way Jones draws him. Morrison continued by saying that iconic characters like Batman will have “big, big roles” in the series.

Morrison said that everything he’s been doing since he started working for DC culminates in Final Crisis, especially JLA, specifically mentioning the “World War III” and “Rock of Ages” stories.

A fan asked about Morrison’s predilection towards obscure characters from DC’s past, and Morrison pointed towards Len Wein’s ‘70s Justice League of America run as a major influence, with mostly forgotten villain Libra playing a role in Final Crisis the latest example. Morrison shared an anecdote of recently talking to Wein, who joked “You owe me about 20% of your earnings.” Morrison said that Libra “seemed to fit the story,” and that the character has a big secret and we’ll see under his mask.

A Kamandi the Last Boy fan was pleased to hear from Morrison that the character is in the very first issue.

“If you don’t kill the Martian Manhunter, could you write an ongoing with him,” a fan asked. “Oops,” Morrison replied, perhaps in jest, or perhaps ominously

When a reader expressed concern over Final Crisis having too many tie-ins, Berganza reminded that it’s not tying into any ongoing comics. Morrison spoke frankly about event comics, saying, “there’s always something essential, you don’t have to buy all these books, because some of them are crap. Buy what you like by the guys you like.

Berganza quickly stepped in to clarify that Morrison wasn’t calling the Final Crisis tie-ins crap.

“Oh, no those guys are great,” said Morrison of Final Crisis tie-in writers like his 52 co-writers) Geoff Johns and Greg Rucka. “I was talking about other crossovers.”

A fan asked Jones how drawing a sequential series differs from his weekly covers on 52. “I was trying to distill the story to one moment,” said Jones. “This is more like being a cinematographer for a film.”

Concern was expressed over having a street-level character like Batman in a cosmic event like Final Crisis - “You can’t throw a Batarang at Darkseid,” the fan said. “Well, you can, but don’t expect to get away with it,” quipped Morrison, before clarifying that the series starts from the ground-up, with the first six pages featuring Anthro the Cave Boy.

A Green Lantern Corps fan was reassured when Morrison said the Corps will appear early in the series, conducting a police-type investigation.

Morrison was asked about the themes behind Final Crisis, and he said that first, he was interesting in doing something with the New Gods characters. But as far as more real world inspirations, he said, “I wanted to talk about how comics have developed since 9/11, kind of the darkness, the ‘soldier super-hero comics.’”

“The western world feels kind of under threat a little bit,” the writer said, adding that he has “pretty high ambitions” for the story, thematically. “Everyone’s feeling a little bit creepy and overwhelmed by events.”

“Are you, Grant Morrison, going to be in Final Crisis,” asked a fan, referencing Morrison’s appearance in his last issue of Animal Man. “Not yet, maybe we can fit me in,” Morrison said. “I’d like to be abused by Desaad.

Does "Batman R.I.P." tie-in to Final Crisis? Morrison said that after "R.I.P." there will be a two-part story that “fits in” to Final Crisis, and is “kind of the last Batman story in a way.”

A fan that dug Morrison’s portrayal of Zatanna in Seven Soldiers asked if she was going to be in Final Crisis. “I really loved doing that character,” said Morrison, “but I believe Paul Dini is possibly doing something. I won’t be doing anything else with her.” He did add that she’d be in the Reign in Hell mini-series and that she might pop up in a small role in Final Crisis.

Black Adam? “Black Adam hasn’t come up yet,” said Morrison. “He might be in it.”

A question about Morrison possibly working with DC’s animation department resulted in the writer revealing that “they were interested in doing an adaptation of All-Star Superman,” which delighted the crowd, but Morrison quickly added that it was “just talk and vague ideas at this point.”

When asked if Final Crisis would have a similar death toll as Infinite Crisis, which felled Superboy, Star Sapphire, and Psycho Pirate, among others, Morrison said “I don’t like killing a character. I much prefer to mess with them; death is too easy for these guys.” Berganza added that the DC Universe will soon “see some light,” and “you’ll know what that means in a couple months you’ll be very happy.”

Morrison talked about how much he enjoyed writing Supergirl in Final Crisis, saying he took a cue from Jessica Abel and Dylan Horrocks’ version of the character in DC’s first Bizarro anthology. “It was the best Supergirl story I ever read,” Morrison said. “Greatest Supergirl ever. I kind of took my cue from that. she’s just really nice. A shining example of young women.”

Morrison reminded the crowd that he’s only going to be writing Batman after Final Crisis, saying “I want to take a couple years off and just rethink the whole superhero thing and come back with new ideas.” He also spoke about the New Gods, saying “they exist on a much higher plane, a symbolic plane. The war has been won by evil, and when the gods fall, they start to manifest through Earth,”

A question for Jones ended the panel, asking the artist if there’s a character he’s itching to work on that he hasn’t yet. “I don’t really think of it that way,” said Jones. “I’m more interested in good stories, it doesn’t matter who the characters are so much as long as it’s germane to the story.”

[shrike]

Just the fact Morrison outright stated some of the tie in books were crap has made me respect him just a little bit more, regardless of his backpedaling.

[caats19]

prettttyy ffreakin sweet

[Bungle]

Originally Posted by shrike

Just the fact Morrison outright stated some of the tie in books were crap has made me respect him just a little bit more, regardless of his backpedaling.

But he wasn't referring to the tie-ins for FC...

Did you actually read the article?

[JPBoyle]

Even if this isn't the "Final" Final Crisis (and if sales are good - which they will be - the odds of this being it aren't likely) I can't freakin' wait. Its gonna be good!!

C'mon May 28th...

[blckng]

Damn. They asked him about Zatanna, but Misty Kilgore still went unnotoiced.

[SpaceButler]

When a reader expressed concern over Final Crisis having too many tie-ins, Berganza reminded that it’s not tying into any ongoing comics. Morrison spoke frankly about event comics, saying, “there’s always something essential, you don’t have to buy all these books, because some of them are crap. Buy what you like by the guys you like.

Berganza quickly stepped in to clarify that Morrison wasn’t calling the Final Crisis tie-ins crap.

“Oh, no those guys are great,” said Morrison of Final Crisis tie-in writers like his 52 co-writers) Geoff Johns and Greg Rucka. “I was talking about other crossovers.”

And that's it, if you don't like it, don't buy it. Me, I can't wait to read more stories by Johns, Rucka, and Tomasi. I'm also glad this isn't spilling over into ongoings all over the place. Should be fun.

[protege]

Anybody know anything about Superman beyond?

[K-DoG7p7]

suddenly.. i want Grant to take over "Supergirl"

[nafannataz]

Originally Posted by protege

Anybody know anything about Superman beyond?

Based on what Morrison has said, it's basically Superman travelling the Multiverse and getting the Supermen from other worlds to join him in the fight against the gods.

[rpi]

Did one attendee really just ask the guy who pretty much invented the concept of the Uber-Bat how Batman was going to handle facing New Gods?

[Moored]

Why can't frickin May 28 come soon enough. That said, I hope that when Morrison says he'll take a couple of years off from superhero comics doesn't mean that the two years would never stop. No one, absoloutely no one writes superhero comics like Morrison does. Oh well, there'll still be his Batman.

[nafannataz]

One funny comment that came from another report

Is that when asked about Black Adam. Morrison said he might use him so that Mary Marvel can mop the floor with him.

[Jason Bryant]

Originally Posted by protege

Anybody know anything about Superman beyond?

I only know what Didio has said. It has no connection to Batman Beyond. Superman travels through the multiverse recruiting some superpowered help.

[SpaceButler]

Originally Posted by nafannataz

Based on what Morrison has said, it's basically Superman travelling the Multiverse and getting the Supermen from other worlds to join him in the fight against the gods.

He also described it as a Jason and the Argonauts type of story. And if I remember correctly one of the videos had Didio saying he goes even beyond the Multiverse. Maybe he meets Grant Morrison there, hehe.

[Kel-El]

Originally Posted by rpi

Did one attendee really just ask the guy who pretty much invented the concept of the Uber-Bat how Batman was going to handle facing New Gods?

Too true. Batman was the one who got Metron to reduce to mortal levels in Rock of Ages. Once Metron downgraded to know what it felt like to be mortal, Bats applied the KO he keeps in his utility belt.

[Hobowatcher]

Originally Posted by nafannataz

One funny comment that came from another report

Is that when asked about Black Adam. Morrison said he might use him so that Mary Marvel can mop the floor with him.

I have noticed that Newsarama's reports tend to be more neut---er, trimmed than other sites' write ups.

[X-punged]

Originally Posted by MichaelDoran

When a reader expressed concern over Final Crisis having too many tie-ins, Berganza reminded that it’s not tying into any ongoing comics. Morrison spoke frankly about event comics, saying, “there’s always something essential, you don’t have to buy all these books, because some of them are crap. Buy what you like by the guys you like.

Berganza quickly stepped in to clarify that Morrison wasn’t calling the Final Crisis tie-ins crap.

“Oh, no those guys are great,” said Morrison of Final Crisis tie-in writers like his 52 co-writers) Geoff Johns and Greg Rucka. “I was talking about other crossovers.”

Somebody should make sure Bendis doesn't see this comment or else he might soil his diaper ...again.

[NatePetrelli]

i love Grant

but his comment is basically saying that DC's **** doesn't stink

both of the big 2 have their fair share of crappy tie ins when it comes to their crossovers,let's not kid ourselves

[ZeoVGM]

Originally Posted by X-punged

Somebody should make sure Bendis doesn't see this comment or else he might soil his diaper ...again.

That doesn't make in relation to what you quoted. At all. How is it related?

Anyway, going into this cautiously, so I hope to be pleasantly surprised.

[benjaminbirdie]

Originally Posted by X-punged

Somebody should make sure Bendis doesn't see this comment or else he might soil his diaper ...again.

Actually I do think he said "other companies" not "crossovers" but it was hard to tell.

[KyleV]

Bungle said: But he wasn't referring to the tie-ins for FC...

Did you actually read the article?

Better than you did, it would seem.

Morrison said that crossover tie-ins were crap. Berganza then stepped in to deflect the statement from falling on the DC titles. Morrison than corrected himself saying that the "Final Crisis" tie-ins were good, but tie-ins for other crossovers (the implication being Secret Invasion) were bad.

Which begs the question as to what he meant by his initial comment, before a DC editor stepped in to defend his books.

[protege]

Originally Posted by SpaceButler

He also described it as a Jason and the Argonauts type of story. And if I remember correctly one of the videos had Didio saying he goes even beyond the Multiverse. Maybe he meets Grant Morrison there, hehe.

Oh, shoot. I'm a sucker for "Jason and the Argonauts" type stories- Superman vs. the Skeletons!

[KyleV]

ZeoVGM said: That doesn't make in relation to what you quoted. At all. How is it related?

I'm guessing there should be a "sense" in there.

What he said and what he quoted do go hand in hand. The implication, from Morrison's clarification on tie-ins, is that the "Secret Invasion" tie-ins are crap.

Since this would be another case of Morrison, even in jest, ripping on SI, it would be another moment for Bendis to get all worked up.

[ZeoVGM]

Originally Posted by KyleV

Better than you did, it would seem.

Morrison said that crossover tie-ins were crap. Berganza then stepped in to deflect the statement from falling on the DC titles. Morrison than corrected himself saying that the "Final Crisis" tie-ins were good, but tie-ins for other crossovers (the implication being Secret Invasion) were bad.

Well I hope he wasn't taking a jab at SI tie-ins, because that would make him kind of an ass, as the first real tie-in to SI doesn't come out until this week. All we've had is Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel for pre-SI-related stories, both of which were good. (Especially Ms. Marvel.)

So no, I don't think he was calling something bad that isn't even out yet. I believe he was speaking in general, and not talking about either company or comic specifically.