Posted in: Comics | Tagged: bob harris, c2e2, dc comics, geoff johns, jms, joe michael straczynski, kevin maguire, scott snyder

DC All-Access At C2E2: A Parasite Who Is No Longer Purple And The Most Bad-Ass Alfred Ever (UPDATE)

Published Fri, 13 Apr 2012 21:34:40 -0500

by Mark Seifert

Last updated Wed, 18 Apr 2012 02:14:00 -0500

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John Bailey is attending C2e2 for Bleeding Cool:

The DC panelists were Bob Harras, Editor Bobbie Chase, Geoff Johns, JMS, Shane Davis, Scott Snyder, and additional guest Kevin Maguire.

The panel opened with a shot of DC's Free Comic Book Day Special, and Geoff Johns said it was a must read and "critical" to DCU fans. This was followed by a shot of Justice League 9 which Geoff said was the beginning of the next story arc, "A Villain's Journey" which is an inversion of the classic Hero's Journey tale. This was followed by Jim Lee's Cyborg sketches, and information by Johns about how Cyborg uses Boom-tube technology, but in 1 out of every 1000 jumps, the team gets stranded on Apokolips until he reboots. Next up was Aquaman 9 which continues the current storyline, "The Others" where in the first "League" Aquaman was a part of is getting hunted down by Black Manta for their golden items (Personally I'm loving the Aquaman comic; If you haven't tried it, issue 7 is a fantastic jumping on point). After that was Green Lantern 9, which Johns said would feature Sinestro being "forcibly redeemed by the Indigo Tribe just like Black Hand." Finally we were shown the cover to Batman Earth One, as well as a few interiors that looked awesome. Johns spent some time describing how the cast of the book would be different from the main DCU but the thing that pleased most of the audience, especially me, was Johns stating that the book featured "the most bad-ass Alfred ever."

Right after this, David Finch joined the panel.

The cover to Superman Earth One, Volume Two was put up on screen, and JMS talked a bit about the story. It features Clark looking for his first apartment in Metropolis, a scene where he has "the talk" with his dad, and a huge, multi-stage battle with a re-envisioned Parasite. Who is no longer purple! Shane Davis said: "I wanted Parasite to look like you didn't want to touch him." And he nailed it, with large pus green and yellow orbs pulsating all over the largest form of the Parasite's body." Davis continued by talking about the action scenes, where he said he thought Parasite, as a serial killer, would know how to fight, so the scenes will be extremely physical. However, he also said that JMS had asked him to redo one scene, where Superman gouges the Parasite's eyes. "Superman wouldnt' do that," JMS explained, and then took an audience poll, which seemed mixed (I voted no, Superman wouldn't eye-gouge).

After that was American Vampire, with issue 28's cover. Scott Snyder summed up the new story as: Pearl and Skinner killing vampires in glamorous Hollywood. It takes place in 1955 and is a great jumping on point for new readers. Lots of secrets about Skinner will be revealed, including why he is working for the the Vassals. After that the American Vampire mini Lord of Nightmares was shown, which Snyder told us a bit about. "It's the story of the scariest of the Carpathian (Dracula-esque) vampire of all time. He's been buried in a bunker of the tower of London for 300 years." And apparently someone is letting him out/waking him out. The mini will take place simultaneously with the new arc in American Vampire.

After that was Swamp Thing 9's cover. In the issue, Abby is fully transformed into a servant of the Rot, and is fighting/ trying to kill Alec. Arcane will also be reintroduced in this issue. And in Batman 9, the tables turn on the Court of Owls, as Batman starts to kick owl ass.

In Dark Knight 9, we see the events of Batman 9 from one of the Talon's points of view.

And then we came to Worlds Finest #1 which will feature Kevin Maguire's artwork in "about a third", he said. The first issue deals with how Power Girl and Huntress respond to being on Earth, with Huntress resigned to the fact and Power Girl aching to get home. Then we saw the cover to Earth Two which Bob Harris described as (say it with me) World-Building.

After that we got to the questions, with some questioners winning prizes, including a hardcover collection of Scott Snyder's Batman storyline, and another winning the Justice League hardcover. (This is when I started trying to come up with a good question in the hopes of winning the (imagined) Swamp Thing hardcover lurking behind the podium, so I apologize for the briefness of my notes.

Q: Will we learn about the relationship between the Waynes and the Kaynes? (This was asked by a man who attends C2E2 every year, and goes to every DC panel; he's asked the same question for three years)
A: Yes.

Q: Any plans for the Riddler?
A: Coming up.

Q: Is it time to go back to Earth Two with the newness of the DCNU?
A: Yes it is.

Q: Any chance of an all ages Batman title?
A: There's a chance, but nothing in the foreseeable future.

Q: Dark Knight and the Boy Wonder?
A: No news

Q: Wishlist for titles, if there had been room?
A: Keep watching. The new waves of titles will be the ones that they would have added.

Q: More commercials for DC going to be running, similar to the ones that announced the New DCU?
A: More are coming to announce the hardcovers, Before Watchmen, and a certain film premiering this summer.

Q: More diversity in the titles?
A: Keep watching.

Q: Is Booster Gold still a Time Master?
A: Geoff Johns: Always

Q: Will Hush show up?
A: Yep

Q: Wally West?
A: The time of the first Wally West question of the con was noted.

Q: When will Martian Manhunter join the Justice League.
A: Check out issue 8 (Also that the team lineup would change following issue 12)

Q: Any chance of digital content for younger readers?
A: Yes, but no announcements

Q: Any tie-ins for The Dark Knight Rises?
A: Nope!

And with that the panel drew to a close. (And no, none of the questions were mine, I couldn't think of one worth asking. However, nobody won a Swamp Think Hardcover, so I don't feel too bad)

UPDATE: Cody Walker for Bleeding Cool adds;

Gail Simone was at the con, but wasn't at the panel. Bobbie Chase was the only woman on the panel and she didn't say a single word.

I asked about the decision to have Karen Berger as editor for Dial H and Harras seemed a little pissed by this. He replies "we're all part of one company" which seemed a little strange.

When asked about the all-ages Batman book and digital books for kids, they curiously didn't mention Batman Beyond nor Justice League Beyond. Thought that was odd.

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