Broken Frontier

Dan DiDio opened with three girls dressed as Mary Marvel, Black Canary and Spoiler Robin behind him and said "to get to me you have to go through them". He introduced himself as the present and future CEO of DC comics (in reference to recent Internet rumors). He then introduced Bob Wayne and Jann Jones, Art Baltazar, Gail Simone, Sean McKeever, Tony Daniel, Ethan Van Sciver and Geoff Johns.

DiDio also reiterated the rules of DC Nation – what happens in the DC Nation stays in the DC Nation.

In a response to all the fan complaints he had received about Spoiler not getting a memorial in the Batcave, DiDio said, "You want to know why there’s not memorial? Because she’s right here on stage!"

DiDio asked who’s reading Final Crisis? He then asked the fans to explain what it was about but many could not really condense it down and put it into words. One person mentioned the return of Barry Allen and DiDio did a quick fan survey on which Flash was everyone’s favorite. Another fan mentioned the death of the Martian Manhunter and DiDio asked those on the panel with him what they thought. Tony Daniel was pissed, Geoff said no comment, Wayne said Nightwing, Jones responded more chocos for me, Art Baltazar joked about using the character in Tiny Titans, and Gail Simone responded it was a good thing she believed in reincarnation.

Dan DiDio then opened up the floor and the microphone for fan questions.

Q: With Barry back do we have a better plan for Wally? Ethan – "No Comment" but then after much teasing "Oh of course." DiDio: Wally is in Titans and will be for the considerable future.

Q: What are future plans for Shazam as a kid’s property? Jann Jones: Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam hits stores in July and it picks up from some of the ideas of Jeff Smith’s recent Shazam: The Monster Society of Evil.

Q: There have been a lot of creative changes for characters who had licensing issues like Shazam, Captain Atom, Blue Beetle, etc. so were recent changes to these characters done to get round said licensing issues? DiDio responded no, they were not, they were merely outgrowths of directions they wanted to take the characters in.

Q: Will there be an Ambush Bug Showcase collection? Wayne: Under consideration.

Q: If Grant Morrison had to explain Final Crisis to DiDio in person before DiDio could understand it how will fans understand it? DiDio said that the series becomes clear as it goes on. The first three issues are set-up establishing the status of the Fifth World.

Q: Will we see the original Aquaman again? Ethan: Look to "Blackest Night" in the Green Lantern books for that one.

Q: What are you going to do with the Spectre? DiDio: Final Crisis: Revelations. That is his story.

Q: One fan spoke up in support of Barry Allen then asked if there were future plans for Captain Atom. Geoff – Captain Atom will appear in the Superman books. DiDio jumped in to add fans will also be seeing Bombshell in Teen Titans and she has similar powers.

Q: Who are the two new members of the Secret Six? Gail Simone responded that the team will consist of Deadshot, Catman, Scandal, Ragdoll, an A-list Batman villain, and a brand new character. First issue is a story of traveling from San Francisco to Gotham with a new villain who is such a bastard even SHE was freaked out. A certain fight is coming up in issue two. Both people involved in the fight wear capes and both have ears.

Q: With Marvel launching their new studio and coming out with three movies a year why aren’t we seeing more a-list films from Warner Brothers? DiDio: we do publishing. We do comics and do not interact with the studio.

When one questioner jokingly asked "Which of you buys Grant his drugs?" DiDio called out "Mary, remove him!"

Q: What are you going to do about Marvel kicking your butt? DiDio called out for Robin and Black Canary to go after the guy but then in seriousness, DiDio answered that they try to put out the best books possible.

Q: What’s the deal with the talking monkeys in Wonder Woman’s apartment? Simone: That’s the best part! Fan: No, it’s not. Simone: Besides, they’re Gorillas. Jann Jones: They’re like cheese, they make everything better.

Q: Are we going to see Earth 2 Kal-El become a Black Lantern? Geoff: Maybe.

Q: What ramification will the Terror Titans have on the regular Teen Titans series? Tony Daniel: Ravager will be front and center in Terror Titans and she will be around afterwards as well other than that he can’t give too much away.

Q: (from a kid) Any intention of bringing back Bart Allen? DiDio: First issue of Legion of Three Worlds. DiDio seemed to be think this had already come out...