[SDCC:] FINAL CRISIS PANEL

Executive Editor Dan Didio started off the panel with the usual introduction of guests: editor of “all things Final Crisis” Eddie Berganza, Peter Tomasi, Greg Rucka, Brad Meltzer, Philip Tan and Grant Morrison. Alex Sinclair and Geoff Johns walked in right after.

Didio asked the audience who enjoyed Final Crisis and followed by asking the crowd what exactly happened in the issue #1.
“I died,” said a fan from the audience dressed as Orion.

Didio apologized, saying they hoped Final Crisis #3 would be out at this time. However, he did offer a black and white copy to two fans, who came on stage to read the third issue and then give a synopsis to the audience.

“We came up with something that I think is the biggest idea in superhero comics ever,” said Morrison about the series. “I know where it’s going and what everyone does, and it’s f–king amazing.”

Rucka explained what Final Crisis: Resist would be about.
“The losers are trying not to die,” said Rucka. “Desperately. They’re failing.
Imagine you’re leaving in occupied France in the second World War. Imagine that France is the planet. Imagine the Nazis are New Gods. And imagine you’re you. You’re screwed.”
He also said a few brief words about Final Crisis: Revelations.
“The Spectre. The Question. Pay back. A lot of pay back.”

Meltzer talked a little about Final Crisis: Last Will and Testament.
“If ever a title is true, this is it. This is the night before everyone thinks they’re going to die. I love that moment. Trust me, we have the drunk. We have the sex. We do the obvious ones, but we have one that’s not obvious.”

Johns also talked about his books, Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds, Final Crisis Rogues’ Revenge and Final Crisis: Rage of the Red Lanterns.
“Superboy Prime goes to the future and messes stuff up pretty bad,” said Johns of Legion. “It’s a Crisis book that George Perez is drawing. It’s got a lot of Green Lantern stuff in it. It’s got a lot of speedy stuff in it.”
Johns said Rogues’ Revenge focus on the Rogues going after Inertia and leads into the upcoming Flash: Rebirth Johns will be writing with Ethan Van Sciver on art.
“Rage of the Red Lanterns introduces the Red Lanterns,” said Johns. “The guardians decide to execute Sinestro. The Red Lanterns decide they want to do it before them.”

Questions then opened to the audience.

A fan asked the panelist which books they’d like to it
“Flash obviously, and I’m going back to Flash with Rebirth,” said Johns.
Rucka said he’d go back to Wonder Woman.
Meltzer would “go back to Justice League in a heartbeat.”
“I just can’t move backwards,” said Morrison. “It’s just a problem.”
Tomasi said he’d like to write something with Black Adam again.

Didio asked Jones what it was like having to create new designs for the New Gods.
“I just do what I’m told,” said Jones. “Grant is a mad genius. The whole reason I did this job is because you came to me and said, ‘You want to work with Grant again and the New Gods?’ Sold.”

A fan if Superboy Prime would be involved in Blackest Night.
“Uhh… Maybe,” said Johns.

A fan asked if the Anti-Life Equation has been solved, and Morrison said it has and Darkseid has it.
“Come up and I’ll whisper it to you gently. And while I’m whispering I’ll be doing things to you. And at the end you’ll have an anti-life.”

A fan asked about the multiverse, which led to Didio asking Morrison about Final Crisis: Superman Beyond.
“If you’re going to do a crisis you have to have a multiverse in it,” said Morrison. “You’ll see pretty much everyone from across the multiverse.”
Morrison also confirmed that the multiverse will be around after Final Crisis.
“It might be broken, but it’ll be around,” said Morrison.

Didio then opened up questions from the audience about Final Crisis issue #3. Highlight elements are:
No Batman
Super Young Team do appear
Does anyone die? Yes
Barry Allen is in it.
No Connor Kent
No Sgt. Rock
No Anthro or Kamadi

A fan asked why bring back Barry Allen.
“Barry Allen led this era of superheroes back into the DC Universe,” said Johns. “Quite honestly, it’s in Flash: Rebirth. Barry Allen asks himself why he’s back.”
“It brings the story full circle,” said Didio. “The fact of the matter is, that character was so strong that we felt this was someone that has reacted to, enjoyed and wanted to bring back again.”