Report by Albert Ching

With many Marvel staffers still filing out of the panel room, Dan DiDio quickly began the first DC Universe panel of New York Comic Con Friday evening, "DC Nation". He introduced the panel - Bob Wayne, Jann Jones, Keith Giffen, Gail Simone, Jimmy Palmiotti, Sean McKeever, Geoff Johns, Peter Tomasi and Ian Sattler - and then said this DC Nation panel will “do thing a little differently” (“Thank God,” someone behind this reporter said).

DiDio then polled the audience, asking if they "loved Sinestro Corps War - it got an overwhelmingly positive response. DiDio asked about Countdown, which got noticeably less applause. Giffen joked "103 weeks into these weekly books, I didn't care."

DiDio then mentioned DC Universe #0. Sattler discussed the basic concept, and DiDio said it's "just a taste" of what's coming.

This led to Final Crisis, with DiDio asking the fans if they knew what was going to happen in the book. Plot points were mentioned, like Libra reforming the Injustice Gang. A fan joked "You killing Nightwing," which DiDio rolled with. Another fan said "Skrulls!" to which DiDio replied "Come on, we're more original than that."

DiDio then said they've decided to do something "just for this group" in the panel room. He then asked the crowd who read 52 and was familiar with Rip Hunter and the Time Lords, leading him to say he's going to debut the "DC Nation Time Lords." A board, like Rip Hunter's in 52, came on the screen for 15 seconds with several cryptic sayings like "I am Batman?"

DiDio then turned for Q&A, with the first fan saying "I still don't know what the hell Final Crisis is." The panel then gave a series of joking responses to what Final Crisis is, like Simone saying "Wonder Woman will take over the DC Universe."

"Is the Batman in Final Crisis going to be Bruce Wayne?" DiDio answered the question by talking about the promotional pins to be given away at the panels this year, "which hopefully will answer some of your questions."

DiDio talked about the structuring of Final Crisis - the main series, the Legion of 3 Worlds series, Final Crisis: Revelations, and one-shots like Final Crisis: Requiem for a...character, with DiDio declining to give more details on who the requiem is exactly for.

He also talked about one-shots like Final Crisis: Submit ("Submit" being one of the words shown on the board earlier in the panel). Johns also mentioned Final Crisis: Rogues Revenge by him and Scott Kolins, and Final Crisis: Rage of the Red Lanterns.

Simone then talked about upcoming Wonder Woman plans, mentioning a new rogue's gallery spinning out on a team of scientists devising a scientific way to defeat Wonder Woman. She also said "We're going to have a new Wonder Woman, who is a man." DiDio mentioned, probably at least mostly kidding, that he wanted the story to be called "the Manazons." "OK, maybe that's not the title," he relented.

A fan asked about Trinity - DiDio said it works similar to 52 in that it's in continuity but not necessarily side-by-side in what's happening in other books.

Will some of the plot threads hinted at in Justice League of America #0 be touched on any time soon?" DiDio: "Maybe one of the key ones."

A fan asked McKeever if he'll touch upon Wonder Girl's relationship with Ares, and he said he does have plans. Johns said he knows what they are and that he's excited for them.

DiDio then paused the Q&A to ask a Q of his own - if anyone in the crowd was reading Tiny Titans. Those that said they did were all positive about the title.

DiDio asked Jann Jones what's coming up for the Johnny DC line, and she plugged Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade, a six-issue mini coming "hopefully in the fall" by the creators of the "Kids Gravity" series that originated In Disney Adventures.

A British fan - or one with a convincing accent, at least - asked why there weren't more British heroes since DC has several British creators. "There hasn't been a British hero since World War II," joked Giffen. DiDio responded seriously by saying that they're always looking to expand the DC Universe and new British super heroes could be a part of that.

Any Krypto anytime soon? Johns said that Krypto was "all over" the latest Superman retreat, and that incoming Superman writer James Robinson has plans for the canine character.

"Will we ever find out what the heck was up with the Countdown promotional posters?" DiDio promised he'd explain it at a later date. The same fan asked if Batman is really going to die in "Batman: R.I.P." DiDio then said "We wouldn't kill Batman, would we?" adding under his breath, "Yes." DiDio then asked the panel if they thought Batman would die, with Bob Wayne rather pragmatically answering "Not in a movie year."

Any chance of using Sinestro's sister? Johns: "Yes."

"Are we going to see Batman and Batgirl have 'the talk'?"

Jones: "Ew."

The fan: "No, not that talk," apparently referring to Batman revealing his identity to the Cassandra Cain Batgirl. DiDio said there are no plans for that at the moment.

A fan of the "Sinestro Corps War" asked Johns about his plans for Superman, and Johns said he's planned about two-and-a-half years worth of stories with James Robinson.

Upcoming Absolute editions? Wayne said an Absolute edition of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier is on the way, along with an Absolute Frank Miller's Ronin.

A fan who began talking about DC comics took a circuitous route to his amusing yet off-topic question - what happened at the end of "The Office" last night?" (Apparently, he missed it somehow). DiDio and the rest of the panel said that they all TiVo'd it and couldn't help him.

Any plans for Arthur Curry Aquaman? "Who is that?" joked DiDio.

DiDio then asked the crowd to describe Arthur Curry - "blonde hair," "orange shirt" and "two hands" led the list of descriptors. Some said "one hand," which led to DiDio explaining the harpoon-handed, long-haired Orin Aquaman is often confused with Arthur Curry, and made sure that wasn't the Aquaman the fan wanted. The fan clarified he wanted the orange shirt, green pants, "Superfriends"-esque one, and DiDio said he'd keep that in mind.

A fan asked if, in current DC continuity, Clark Kent wore a suit flying around Smallville, as Superboy - Johns said it'll be addressed and wait and see.

A former "devout Marvel fan" that said "DC is now my favorite" said that the solution to the "Aquaman problem" was to get Geoff Johns to write the character.

"I heard a rumor online - is Catwoman getting cancelled?" DiDio: "That is true, actually." He added that doesn't mean you won't be seeing the character in the DC Universe.

Did Skeets actually kill Waverider in 52? Johns: "Skeets kinda killed Waverider, but I'm sure Dan Jurgens is going to bring him back."

DiDio turned to Palmiotti to announce that he's going to be working, with his wife Amanda Conner, on a new Power Girl ongoing series. DiDio said that art will be shown at a panel tomorrow.

[editor's note; yeah, we kind of heard something about that too]...

"Was Infinite Crisis written with Death of the New Gods in mind?" Johns says he's a few issues behind on reading the comic and he'll let the fan know when he reads it.

"What is the 'Girlfight'?" (i.e. one of the phrases on DiDio's white board seen in Newsarama's recent video interviews as well as at the panel). You'll have to find out.

How long is Gary Frank going to be on Action Comics?" Johns: "Hopefully forever."

What's going on with the DC Universe MMORPG? DiDio: "I'm not allowed to talk about it."

Any chance of Young Justice being collected (which got applause) and any reason why Manhunter isn't starting up with a new #1? Wayne: "No plans" for YJ. Jones: "Manhunter, we've got the same writer and the same character, no reason to relaunch with a #1."

"Thanks for making Nightwing not suck," a fan told Tomasi.

"Who's the next breakout star writer or artist?" DiDio said to watch Philip Tan's work on Final Crisis: Revelations.

How long is Mark Waid on Brave and the Bold? He finishes up with issue #16.

Any more hints on the "Superman red or blue" which was on the cryptic white board? DiDio said you'll have to figure it out.

Any more Kingdom Come characters in Justice Society? Johns said the next story arc will have Black Adam and Isis.

Any special promotion planned for the Spanish issue of Blue Beetle? Giffen: "It doesn't matter, no one's going to understand it, anyway."

And on that pithy note, the panel wrapped a few minutes early….

End of live updates...

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