
Though the
fire alarm played havoc with the schedule of the panel just prior, the DC Nation panel at the Baltimore Comic-Con began without a hitch at noon on Saturday, with DCU Executive Editor Dan Didio opening the panel with “It’s the special fire drill version of DC Nation.”
Didio was joined on the last official DC Nation panel for 2006 by Coordinating Editor Jann Jones, Mark Waid, Jimmy Palmiotti, and VP Sales, Bob Wayne.
Newsarama Note: For those who have never been to a DC panel before, they’re often irreverent and funny, with as much misinformation and joke answers given as real answers.
Didio began the panel talking about
52, touching on the major characters and storylines, with Waid noting that the series had just passed the 1/3rd point.
From the audience: “Booster killer!”
To which Waid shot back, “Sure bring down the room.”
Not missing a beat, Didio added: “For the record, I had no idea they were going to kill Booster Gold.”
“That’s true,” Waid said. “He didn’t know it,” Adding that the writers themselves weren’t sure when Booster Gold was going to die initially. Didio explained that when he first saw the make ready copy of the issue, he realized that the plan had progressed when he saw the phrase, “Booster Gold Memorial Issue” on the cover.
It was at that point, Didio said, that he told the writers, “You know,
I’m going to take all of the heat for this.”
Taking his usual poll of the room for their favorite storyline of
52, Black Adam and Montoya were the big applause-getters, which surprised Didio, as the Ralph Dibny storyline garnered the most applause in Chicago.
Moving directly to the question and answer portion, Bob Wayne hit with an early one, asking Didio when readers can expect to see
52 tie in more closely with the DCU titles that made the One Year Later skip.
Didio: “There’re a lot of storylines that we created for the back half of
52 in the DCU,” Didio said, noting that some of the elements he referred to would begin in next week’s issue of
Green Lantern. “We didn’t want to plan it too early,” Didio continued. “You’re going to see a lot more of what
52 is about getting into January, and more see of its repercussions throughout the DCU.”
Q: Martian Manhunter is acting like a jerk in his new miniseries - why?
Wayne: He’s the new Booster Gold.
Waid: Honest answer –
52 #24. You’re going to see the sea change in the character and what he went through.
Q: Who wrote Montoya scene where Black Adam burst in, interrupting her and her lover?
Waid: Hmmm…who would want to write a lesbian love scene?
Didio I think you all wanted to do it.
Q: Will
Brave and Bold be all Batman team-ups?
Waid: There have been 15 heroes and 15 villains so far in the issues he’s written, giving a sample – issue #1: Batman & Green Lantern; #2: Supergirl, Green Lantern, Batman, Blue Beetle; #3: – all of those plus Adam Strange and Lobo.
Q: Will we see Green Arrow team up with Batman?
Waid: Statistically, it’s got to happen.
Q:
Manhunter – thanks for giving it new life. Will there be any more?
Didio: The upcoming extension storyline ties the character into a Wonder Woman story, and if fans keep supporting it, there’s already another story set up after that.
Q: There are Phantom Ladies running around…are they connected?
Palmiotti: Not going to show connection in
Freedom Fighters. “Things will unwind, though.”
Q: Will we see Diana Prince in
52?
Waid: Yes. We’re still arguing about where by yes.
Q: What’s up with Supergirl?
Waid: “She’s all over the place. That’s the beauty of time travel. She can be anywhere all at once.”
Palmiotti noted that he and Justin Gray have just written
Supergirl #12, with Amanda Conner drawing it.
Q: Is Dr. Fate going to be Ralph Dibny now?
Wayne: 52.
Q: Where will readers see the resolution of Nightwing’s proposal of marriage to Oracle?
Didio said that there are plans for an early ’07
Nightwing Annual, set after
Infinite Crisis and before he left on the cruise with Bruce and Tim that will address what happened. Marc Andreyko will write it.
Q: Will we see Bruce Wayne’s story from the missing year in
52?
Waid: “Oh yeah – that’s some of the best stuff in there.”
Answering a series of questions about
The All-New Atom, Didio confirmed that Eddy Barrows will be the new regular series artist, replacing John Byrne. “We’re very happy with that book,” Didio added.
Asked by a fan who admitted he almost regretted asking, because he likes the book, Palmiotti fielded a question about what was going on with
All Star Batman and Robin, saying that both Frank Miller and Jim Lee are tremendous talents, and both have a lot going on in their lives and with other work, and at the end of the day, creators can only do so much. Plmiotti added that as he sees the book, he doesn’t expect to see it, but when it does come out, it’s a very nice surprise.
Waid added that it will be very enjoyable in trade form…in 2013.
Asked why it wasn’t solicited on a “whenever an issue is ready” basis, Didio said that the solicitations for issues of the series are done with the best of intentions from what they can project and predict when they are writing up the solicitation listings for any given month.
Asked why, if he was having trouble keeping to a schedule on
ASBR Lee should be working on
Wildcats, Didio quickly answered that Lee working on that title as Lee’s choice, and he didn’t want anybody else launching it but himself.
“And when all this stuff is not coming out, just pick up
Jonah Hex,” Palmiotti added with a grin.
Accepting an audience member’s compliment on
The Trials of Shazam, Didio said that originally, series artists Howard Porter was using the style seen in
Shazam on a
Johnny Quest series he was working on with Joe Kelly, but once DC saw his
Quest pages, they realized he was perfect for
Shzaam and pulled him off of that project to work with Judd Winick on
Shazam.
Q: Why, after this Crisis did we have to have a young Flash taking over for the old one?
Didio: There’s a lot of story yet to be told that will answer your question.
Q: Is Roy Harper becoming Red Arrow as seen in
Kingdom Come:
Jones: Not really.
Q: In regards to what was revealed about a “second earth” existing in
JLA #0, when will Flash discover it?
Didio: Next question!
Q: How is
Megatokyo v 4 doing?
Wayne: Very well.
Q: Will we see Ray Palmer soon?
Didio: We haven’t charted that course yet – it’s somewhere, sometime, someday.
Q: How many issues of
Wonder Woman is Allan Heinberg writing?
Didio: Five.
Q: How many of
All Star Wonder Woman?
Didio: Six issues by Adam Hughes.
Q: When will we learn who Supernova is?
Waid: “We have to figure it out first.”
Q: Will
52 end like
Newhart where they all wake up from a dream?
Waid: (Grabbing pen and starting to write furiously) “Man, my job just got so much easier!”
Q: Steel’s story seems to be the slowest of all in
52 - what’s his motivation for the rest of the series going to be?
Waid replied that they’re currently in the middle of Steel’s story in the series, and are mapping it to the legend of John Henry – “the steel driving man against the big machine,” Waid said, noting that as he told his niece Natasha at he beginning of the series, powers are something to be earned, not given or taken, otherwise something bad will happen. By issue #34 or so of
Waid continued, readers will beginning to see the really horrible consequences of Natasha’s decision.
Asked if Natasha’s problems will be similar to those of the speedster girl on the team who appears to be addicted to the formula that gives them their powers, Waid said that kind of “bad stuff” is just the start, “Do you really think Luthor would give every third person in Metropolis superpowers?” the writer asked rhetorically.
As best Didio and DC’s convention organizer Fletcher Chu-Fong could estimate, DC has given away somewhere around 80,000 DC Nation pins at conventions over the course of the season.
Q: will we see Hamilton Drew in 52?
Waid: “…you’ve stumped the band. I don’t know…”
Audience member: The Sherlock Holmes analogue from Starman.
Waid: “Oh right! No.”
Asked by a fan who was thankful to see Dream Girl return to the pages of Legion of Super-Heroes if Blok will return, Waid said he has no plans for Blok, but Dream Boy is now a member of the Legion.
“Yeah, but he’s not Blok.”
“Hey – Superboy punches a wall – you just never know.”
Dream Girl reclaimed…use Blok?
MW: No plans for Blok, but Dream Boy is now an official member.
Suicide Squad will appear in 52 #24 and in Checkmate #6 and #7
Q: When will Batwoman return in 52?
Waid: Plenty more is coming – she’s a big part of the third act.
Q: Will she be hooking up with Cassie [Cain]?
Waid: “When you say ‘hooking up…’” [audience laughs]
Palmiotti: “Bompchicka bow…”
Q: Is the Terra miniseries still coming?
Palmiotti: Still coming. Terra makes her first appearance in Supergirl #12.
Q: Any further plans for Vigilante?
Didio: Not at this time.
After a fan thanked Didio for the format (and price) of Brave New World, Didio said that DC liked the format of the dollar books, and plans to use the format again soon.
Q: Will there be a follow-up to the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman statue?
Wayne: We’re doing animated style Batman and Robin statues based on the animation at the beginning of the ‘60s television series.
Q: Are you going to kill L-Ron?
Didio: Was he in Justice League International?
Audience member: Yes.
Waid: Pull! (and then mimed shooting a clay target from the sky with a rifle)
Q: Will there be any more weekly comics after 52?
Waid: Shut your mouth!
Moving in to the Lightning Round:
Q: Will there be more with Marv Wolfman on Nightwing?
Didio: He’s on for 12 issues as of now.
Q: Cassandra Cain - evil forever?
Didio: Teen Titans East.
Q: A Wonder Girl/Robin romance?
Waid: Dude, that would just be evil.
Q: The status of the Golden Age Wonder Woman?
Didio: Gone.
Q: Is Power Girl the third Kryptonian mentioned in Action Comics?
Didio: No.
Q: Are we stuck with the explanation of Jason Todd’s return?
Didio: Yes. Embrace it as your own. Love it.
Q: Are all three heroes in space from 52 coming back?
Waid: No.
Q: The graphitti in Rip Hunter’s cave that says “It’s all his fault!” Does that mean Booster or Skeets’ fault?
Waid: L-Ron.
Q: Will we see Wally West soon?
Jones: Wally’s stopped doing personal appearances.
Q: Ambush Bug?
Waid: #24
Q: Will we see the Time Trapper in Legion of Super-Heroes?
Waid: No time soon. Not in Legion of Super-Heroes.
Q: Is the Human Target in the DCU or Vertigo now?
Didio: Vertigo?
Q: Will we see the Joker and Hush soon?
Didio: Yes and no.
Q: Will we see Wildfire in the Legion?
Waid: Possibly.
Q: What are the chances of an Absolute Crisis Companion featuring all the crossover issues?
Wayne: There’s not enough red ink available to us for all those red skies.
Q: How is Detective Chimp in 52?
Jones: He’s great. It’s a very important year for Detective Chimp.
Q: Metal Men and Doom Patrol - miniseries for either?
Didio: Maybe and no.
Q: Will we see more Seven Soldiers?
Didio: Next Month. We mean it this time.
Wayne: We say that every month, but this time we really mean it.
Didio: It’s a crossover with All Star Batman and Robin #6.
Q: Is there more Isis in the future?
Jones: Yes.
Didio: That’s the scene with Batwoman, right?
Q: Will she have a secret identity on earth?
Waid: “…yes.”
Q: How many Meltzer-written issues of JLA will there be?
Didio: 13!
Q: Including #0?
Didio: 14!
Q: Will we see Bizzarro or Brainiac any time soon?
Waid: If Bizarro and Brainiac aren’t in an issue of Brave and Bold sometime, I will have failed.
Q: Barry Allen coming back, yes or no?
Didio: No.
The panel ended with Palmiotti announcing his and Justin Gray’s new exclusive contacts with DC. “It’s a really good offer and a chance to work with some really great people,” Palmiotti said.