Baltimore Comic Con: DC Nation Panel

September 27, 2008 on 9:37 pm | In Baltimore Comic-Con | No Comments

The Baltimore Comic Con opened today with the DC Nation Panel with DC Editor-in-Chief Dan DiDio moderating. The distinguished panel included upcoming Supergirl writer Sterling Gates, Legion of Three Worlds writer Geoff Johns, Superman writer James Robinson, Terra writer Jimmy Palmiotti, and Teen Titans writer Sean McKeever. The company made various announcements during the panel with audience participation. Here are the highlights:

- Concerning Final Crisis, DiDio explained that the impetus behind it was, “What happens when the heroes lose? What would you do, how would you fight back [and] what would go on?”
- Rage of the Red Lanterns was mentioned with Johns and artist Shane Davis at the helm. “We’re introducing the Red Lanterns and they’re all based on rage. They all have it out for Sinestro.” said Johns. Expect the Red Lanterns to crash the Guardians’ execution of Sinestro.
- Superman: New Krypton will start in October with an important Superman book releasing each week. It will be a nine part story that deals with life in this new Kryptonian world that Johns, Robinson and Gates have created in the north pole. The Jimmy Olsen Special is also a part of the event. Also, everyone’s favorite female Kryptonian will be getting some major props. “We’re finally making Supergirl into a really important part of the DC Universe” says Robinson. “By next year, I think everybody in this room is going to be reading this book,” added Gates.
- JSA is wrapping up the Kingdom Come story and the next arc deals with Black Adam and Isis, who come back in issue #23. They take over the Rock of Eternity and in typical hero fashion, the JSA must stop them.
- Sergeant Rock: The Last Battalion will herald the return of Sergeant Rock to the DCU. Check out more details on the series in Billy Tucci’s panel on his new miniseries.
- Power Girl and Terra are both getting mini series from writers Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, and artist Amanda Connor. OfPower Girl, Palmiotti posits, “If you want to catch up, it’s a great book to start on. We take the magic that Geoff and Amanda spun the first time and we’re trying to work that into a new series. It’s definitely not a dark superhero book.”
- Sean McKeever and Dan DiDio revealed that Terror Titans #4, will have the first DCU in-continuity appearance of Static. Additionally, the Milestone characters such as Icon will also be making appearances in JLA around that time. Expect lots and lots of blood from the Terror Titans series, which deals with the Dark Side Club and teen superheroes beating the snot out of each other.
- Superman/Supergirl: Maelstrom ships in November and December and will contain a story about Superman taking Supergirl to a planet without Earth’s sun. She will be forced to deal with problems without relying on her powers.
- Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade will be shipping in December as part of DC’s Johnny DC label.
- Soon to come will be DC’s Faces of Evil campaign based on the Antimotivational Ads concept. The event will be one month of the headlining villains taking over the major titles in the DC Library.
- Gates will be writing a Prometheus special.
- There will be a new Justice League book spinning off from the events going on in Final Crisis. “It’s not so much about a league as seeking justice,” says Robinson. The new league will include fan favorite Batwoman and Freddy Freeman.
- There will be a Harley/Holly something sometime next year.

The panel was littered with Johns’ somewhat facetious assertions that every character would be coming back as a Black Lantern. That’s it for DC Nation! -SS