Posted in: Comics | Tagged: c2e2, dan didio, Dark Matter, dc

Forged In Metal At The DC Special Event Panel, Talking Dark Matter With Didio, Daniel, Tynion, And Vendetti

DC is holding their "Special Event" panel at C2E2 tonight, billed as: "This is the panel everyone will be talking about!" Dan DiDio, Tony Daniel, James Tynion IV, Rob Venditti are scheduled to appear at the panel which DC calls "can't miss," and Bleeding Cool has reporter Robert Goode on the scene, sending in updates, and we'll be updating this article with his info, so keep hitting refresh for live details from the panel. Intrepid and professional on the ground reporting by Robert Goode. Snark and cynicism, probably our fault.

Dan Didio and crew are out, and Didio starts off  by walking the crowd through Dark Matter. Everyone in the room will get a free Ashcan edition, though you could read it yesterday right here on Bleeding Cool.

Dan Didio on the goal of Dark Matter: Take the idea of what makes the DC universe and creating new things. Enhance the universe rather than re-organize. The whole thing will start with Dark days: Casting and Dark Days: Forge. Dark Nights: Metal by Greg Capullo and Scott Snyder will be the first big crossover.

Didio says the plan is to use Metal to introduce new ideas, concepts, and characters. Then will come Dark Matter, the "new age of heroes for the DC Universe." DC revealed most of this at the Diamond Retailer Summit yesterday, but that wasn't technically for the public, so they're revealing it all over again, we suppose.

Some more Didioisms: "Everyone has their favorite version of a character," and "We're focusing on the art, focusing on the story, and focusing on the creation." Didio talks about the Dark Matter books:

NEW CHALLENGERS 
Debuting in December
Written by Scott Snyder with art by Andy Kubert
Characters live on borrowed time, running from death toward the greatest mysteries, wonders and terrors of the universe! It's a new cast, new mission, but in conversation with the history and greatness of the original Challengers of the Unknown. The story starts with Challengers Mountain returning after having been missing for years, and only gets wilder from there…

DAMAGE
Debuting in October
Written by Robert Venditti with art by Tony S. Daniel
Ethan Avery only wanted to serve his country, but promises of becoming the ultimate weapon leave the new recruit living a nightmare. Cursed with the ability to unleash an unstoppable monster for one hour at a time, Ethan only wants to live out his life in peace. But if he can tame the monster inside, it might just be able to do more good for the country than Ethan ever expected.

THE SILENCER
Debuting in September
Written by Dan Abnett with art by John Romita Jr.
Honor Guest was the world's deadliest assassin, until she traded it all for a chance at a "normal" life in the suburbs, free from the constant death and destruction. But as her former life comes back to haunt her, Honor must strip away her suburban persona and protect her family as THE SILENCER.

IMMORTAL MEN
Debuting in October
Written by James Tynion IV with art by Jim Lee
Born at the dawn of time, five siblings find that with eternal life comes eternal war. As the forces of destruction march into the modern world, they operate from the shadows, recruiting the elite against the foes who seek to bring about Armageddon. They are humankind's hope sprung eternal….they are the IMMORTAL MEN.

Tynion says Immortal Men will be the "secret history of heroes in the DC Universe." The panel is apparently basically a live reading of the ashcan so far. They talk next about:

SIDEWAYS
Debuting in September
Written by Dan DiDio and Justin Jordan with art by Kenneth Rocafort
Forever changed by the events of DARK NIGHTS: METAL, a teenager struggles to live through high school as he comes in contact with Dark Matter and gains the power to teleport through the Dark Dimension. But each leap brings the new hero one step closer to succumbing to the allure of his new power and its dark origins.

Most of the panel so far has been a run through of the information we already heard at the Diamond Retailer Summit, but Dan Didio revealed an interesting tidbit when he said that all of the books will be launched at $2.99, and will feature only one cover. Didio jokingly referred to it as "heresy," but went on to say, "This is a test to see if we are doing something people want," adding, "Its about putting something out there."

DC has recently gained ground in market share with their lower priced books. $2.99 will not be an introductory price for the line. It will be the ongoing price.

More cheaper books is more gooder.

Another Didioism: "The greater the villain, the greater the hero." Does that make Geoff Johns the hero, or the villain?

Didio says that DC has more ideas lined up for Dark Matter, they just haven't announced anything yet. Maybe the books with women on the creative teams will be announced later. Didio says, "We are always in the market for new ideas."

Asked about it by an audience member, Didio said that the practice of shipping two issues of a title a month will be slowed. No flood of the market.

"We don't want to be custodians," Didio said, presumably referring to Rob Liefeld collaborators. "We want to be creators."

That must be why he assigned himself to write one of the books.

And that was that. Thanks for following along!

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