The news from DC Comics at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con is that there won’t be any news from DC Comics at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. DC co-publisher Dan Didio opened the publisher’s first panel of the convention with the following announcement:
Actually, there is no big announcement from DC this year. We think DC is big enough as is.
That wasn’t the only surprise during the panel this morning; Didio, whose previous tenure as DC panel moderator tended towards the over-the-top and occasional shit-talking, was surprisingly reflective when fans complained about certain controversial releases from the publisher recently, admitting that not everything will work for everyone, saying that, when “our goal is to create as much product for as many people as possible,” it’s unfortunate but unavoidable that certain books will disappoint audiences. He also told fans complaining about the cancellation of the kid-friendly Johnny DC Batman: The Brave and The Bold and Super Friends that new series – including a tie-in for upcoming cartoon Young Justice – will replace them, explaining “Even though those books look like they’re canceled, they’re really not.”
(More on Techland: DC Is Really Planning Watchmen 2?)
Other topics addressed during the hour included whether Grant Morrison, whose departure from Batman and Robin was announced last week, will be staying with Batman (He will, but no announcement as to where yet), what to expect from the one hundredth issue of Fables (100 pages including a 60 page lead story, as well as a boardgame, puppet theater, “celebrity burning questions” answered about the series and writer Bill Willingham illustrating a story written by regular artist Mark Buckingham), and what Didio called, tongue firmly in cheek, the issue “really at the heart of where we are in America as a whole,” Wonder Woman’s costume change. Although audience reaction to Wonder Woman’s new costume was positive, designer and co-publisher Jim Lee admitted that the change is “[like] the Death of Superman… You do realize that Wonder Woman’s costume will be around forever, right…?,” adding that the costume will continue to evolve as J. Michael Straczynski’s storyline goes on. “This issue… the jacket comes off!” Didio joked, with Lee declaring “Jacket no more!” Well, that may not be big news, but who knows how many headlines Wonder Woman’s bare shoulders might get?
More On Techland: