Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: Comics, dc, ethan van sciver, flashpost, francis manapul, gail simone, jeff lemire, relaunch

Talking About The DC Relaunch At Calgary, Philadelphia And On Twitter

Photo by Mikey Be

Two comic conventions this weekend, two chances to talk to DC creators about the Relaunch.

At the Calgary Expo, the DC Nation Panel showed off art from a number of books, matched to the creators attending including Flash, The Fury Of Firestorm, Animal Man, Frankenstein: Agent OF SHADE, Batgirl and All-Star Western. Andrew Norris and Justin Gyorfi tweeted from the DC panel, giving us all sorts of nuggety goodness.

Francis Manapul confirmed Barry Allen is the Flash, with no word on the rest of Flash family, but that to expect Wally West at some point. A new villain was created for first arc, but Grodd will be along shortly. The costume will stil be kept in the ring, but will form around him in a different fashion. Flash's costume is generated in pieces and fits together along the seams of the Jim Lee design, with lightning comes out of the seams.

The Fury Of Firestorm will start with Ronny and Jason having only questions and will build into a Geoff Johns Green Lantern-style epic with many characters . Gail Simone wasn't sold on the idea of writing Firestorm at first, but Ethan sold her on it with a twist on the character. We'll be getting to know Ronny & Jason and how they deal with their powers are handed to them. And the puffy sleeves will be back.

Jeff Lemire says that Frankenstein is a dream job, working with a Grant Morrison character, and he confirmed Lady Frankenstein and the Creature Commandos will be key characters, part of the team, "an absurd monster mash up". S.H.A.D.E. stands for Super Human Action Defense Executive. He had to sell DC on the artist Ponticelli, and Jeff believes he has really let loose on this book.

All-Star Western will have ties into modern day DC, with Moriart is main artist and backups with other western characters. First arc is Jonah is let loose on Gotham with Arkham in a bizarro Sherlock Holmes style mystery, with prostitutes being killed. It's a dirty dark place and Jonah Hex comes in to figure out why the prostitutes are dying.

The cover for Animal Man inspired the first year of stories, with the tree of life markings on him and will be more of a horror book. "Jack Kirby with monsters" according to Jeff Lemire, with a focus on his family. And he'll have a big A on his front, Grant Morrison style.

Gail says that Batgirl will be "everything we love about Babs" and that she's introducing a new Batgirl villain, Mirror. "Not a nice man". And something appears to be wired into Batgirl's costume.

At Wizard World Philadelphia, the Croctchety Old Nerds talked to Tony Bedard, who gave incredibly diplomatic answers as to his rection to the Green Lantern movie, that it was beautiful, he liked the battle at the end and that he's looking forward to a Sinestro-focussed sequel, but wanted to empahasise to readers that all the continuity you love will still be in his books, even as they reach out to new readers.

They also spoke to Ethan Van Sciver is excited, calling it a great big experiment, and an excuse for him to take a character that he thinks is great, with a few flaws, and see what he can do without too much emburance from what went before, that he asked Dan DiDio to do Firestorm covers to be told that the whole book was available (what, no Brian Clevinger?) and that Ethan talked Gail Simone into doing the book with him – they have another project for DC that's been in the works for a year that Ethan is pencilling an inking.

Jim Lee has also been tweeting out much information. On his love for print comics, which is why Justice League #1 will have a double page splash, but that a future issue will have a fold out four page splash. That "the collars and colors on the Justice League were intentionally designed to give them more of a team look. Love it hate it-there is a plan" He also stated that "There is no "everyone must wear pants" rule for DC the New 52" – some creators appear to have been told differently by their editors however. Could it have been an easy reason for certain people to give to get what they want?

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