WonderCon ’17: DC Universe: Rebirth Panel - Johns teases his return to DC

Dunno how many people saw these or posted it yesterday while we were /cock/ so I'm posting them (again).

>Saturday afternoon at WonderCon, DC’s Rebirth panel kicked off with DC All Access host Jason Inman sporting a Booster Gold hoodie. Inman introduced James Tynion IV (Detective Comics), John Semper Jr. (Cyborg), Julie and Shawna Benson (Batgirl and the Birds of Prey), Phil Jimenez (Superwoman), Danny Miki (Batman), Sam Humphries (Green Lanterns), Chad Hardin (Harley Quinn) and a special guest with DC Comics President and Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns.

>Inman asked Johns if there was any hint of something to come and Johns announced that he is doing a new series later this year.

>The conversation turned to Batgirl and the Birds of Prey. The Benson’s teased Roulette’s introduction to the series. The writers explained that the title of Oracle has gone to a new character in Birds of Prey. Inman asked about Black Bird as the team mentioned that they were looking to introduce one sole villain for Batgirl and the Birds of Prey coming up in issue #10.

>Inman wanted to know about the Birds of Prey’s legacy on the DC Universe. “I think Rebirth built off the foundation” mentioned Johns. “Why is there no Birds of Prey book” said the writer who went onto tease and ask why there isn’t a Justice Society of America or Legion of Superheroes series–this moment elicited a strong reaction from the crowd.

>Inman turned to Tynion, shifting the focus to Detective Comics, asking about Cassandra Cain’s role in the series. “She was one of the core characters that I wanted play with right from the beginning. That era of the bat family is what made me fall in love with these characters.” Tynion mentioned the current League of Shadows storyline in the series and mentioned that hints from this story had been peppered through the comic since the original storyline. “This is a story that I have been very excited about and has set the stage for a let of things coming up” he said.

>Inman asked Tynion about splitting up the League of Shadows and the League of Assassins. “It felt like it needed to have a special place in the DC Universe, noted Tynion. “It allows you to focus on some of the things that made the League of Assassins scary and that is something that we are going to focus on in the next few issues.” Inman mentioned that Tom King called Cassandra Cain the most skilled fighter in the DC Universe on Twitter, Tynion agreed mentioning the body language of Cain. “If she and Batman wanted to go head to head, Batman might not win” teased Tynion. “She is afraid of unleashing herself, she sees herself as a weapon.” Tynion referenced Detective Comics #950 as a key issue for the character.

>Johns talked about a writer’s room in the DC Offices with a 7-foot whiteboard. The writer said that Tynion has grown as a writer since creating the series. “I remember discussing the pyramid idea and taking the character down to their fundamental core so you can understand what is about to happen and take it of the next level” Tynion said. “So much of what’s still in this book today is what came from that conversation.

>Johns announced that he is doing a new series later this year

Captain Marvel?

>Inman asked about Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz on Green Lanterns. “I didn’t see the absence of Hal anymore, I saw these two characters” said Green Lanterns writer Sam Humphries. “I think in terms of Green Lantern fans right now, they are getting the best of both worlds.” He talked about his Earth-based Green Lantern series versus the galactic, space-focused Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps.. “The thing about Jessica that I really like is that she suffers from anxiety” said Johns. “I think it’s really fun to see a character like Jessica who has this anxiety that she has to overcome.” Humphries talked about Simon Baz, referencing his gun use. He mentioned that at first he didn’t think much of his gun use, but wanted to stop Simon Baz from using guns as a crutch.

>Inman asked Johns about his cliffhanger in the DC Universe, Johns started talking about DC Universe Rebirth, referencing Batman clutching the Watchmen button. “For cliffhangers, their has to be an emotional component to it” said Johns

>Inman asked Phil Jimenez about Superwoman, referencing the cliffhanger from issue one. “I have a really hard time reading my work, until a year or two after it’s done” said Jimenez. Jimenez spoke on how every issue had an ending that could spiral into several different issues. “I wanted to use Lana to address some of the bizarre things about the DCU. Superwoman #5 has an amazing moment where Lois was able to call out Lex Luthor. Inever wrote Lex Luthor before this, but his voice came so naturally.”

>Inman asked what the idea behind Lana Lang becoming Superwoman was. “All I remember is that there was a discussion about who it was going to be and Lana Lang was not on the list.” The writer mentioned that he remembered the idea of Superman Red and Blue.” It was the most receptive room I’ve been in, in a decade” said Jimenez about the Rebirth writer’s room. Inman asked if Jimenez has a Steel book planned. He said that he loved Steel as he was the emotional part of the book. Johns thanked the audience and left but not before telling everyone to see Wonder Woman on June 2.

>The focus turned to artist Chad Hardin, current artist of Harley Quinn. The artist joked that the series was educational before revealing that he enjoyed drawing the book for the quirky humor of Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner. Inman inquired about one of the Joker’s showing up in Harley Quinn as Hardin talked about his love of artist Brian Bolland’s Joker.

>“Now let’s talk to the mysterious man at the end of the panel, Danny Miki,” Inman said. Asking about inking Batman artist David Finch. Miki explained that Finch has a heavy metal look. “You have to piece it together to find which panel goes next.” The inker revealed that he works on series out of order. “Is there anything David doesn’t like to draw that you fill-in,” asked Inman to Miki. Miki mentioned that sometimes he fixes cars if the bumpers don’t line up, but that most of the line art is ready for print.

my first thought, if not JSA or LOSH or something.

>Inman asked about something he designed that was cool. Miki teased his contribution to Wayne Enterprises that is in the newest issue of Batman.

>Inman asked John Semper Jr. about Cyborg, asking Jr. if he was afraid of his phone. Jr. The writer mentioned that he is telling a stand-alone story in Cyborg #12 as his first story will began to wrap up in issue #18. Inman asked about what it was like for Cyborg to go solo. Jr. said it wasn’t hard because he was writing the series with a blank slate. He explained that he paid no attention to what was happening in previous DC series with the character. Inman asked for a tease at what’s coming for Cyborg #12 in May. “Vic’s been kicked out of Star Labs and has been on the run” said Jr.. “Did I mention there’s a rap concert coming up” teased Jr.. “I’m exploring all the corners of Cyborg and Detroit.”

>A fan asked the panel about returning characters on Twitter. Tynion teased the introduction of Zatanna in an upcoming Detective Comics storyline called Intelligence coming this Summer. “The art that’s coming in from Alvaro Martinez is next level good” said Tynion. Humphries teased that the Green Lanterns are returning to Mogo. Jr. teased the return of Beast Boy as well.

based cereal king coming back

Thanks, I missed everything in the Cock phase

Some tidbids from the same panel reported by other sites cause there's some more info

BOP
>Next up is the Benson sisters talking about the “Birds of Prey” — Shawna Benson spoke about bringing Roulette in to the book to make the universe feel more “lived in” with a meta-human fight club. Inman asked about bringing a new Oracle in for the Birds as a team, and Julie Benson fielded the question saying they will be looking into Gus’s origin soon.

>The Bensons also spoke about Black Bird, the new villain for the Birds, who will be “a real problem” for the team in the future.

'Tec
>Tynion continued, “This upcoming arc [of “Detective Comics”] is when we find out what the connection between the League of Shadows and the League of Assassins actually is, and where Ra’s Al Ghul comes into play. He is not there as an ally.”

Harley
>Johns had to depart the panel, so Inman refocused to “Harley Quinn” with Chad Hardin. “The whole creative team is like a group of 12-year-olds,” Hardin said, “Sometimes we push it too far and have to dial it back, but we’re having a lot of fun.”
this explains a lot

>The next question from a fan went to Julie and Shawna Benson about the anxiety revolving around introducing new villains into the Birds of Prey world. Shawna explained that understanding the things that drew them to the Birds in the first place was the cornerstone of inventing villains — the Birds are a “found family” to them, and the key to making a good villain was to find the opposite of that in Black Bird.

>A fan then asked about Tynion’s work on “Detective Comics” and making changes to characters like Clayface that the fan believes will “last a long time.” Tynion, flattered, explains that all these changes he’s making to characters like Clayface and Stephanie Brown are coming from the “core” of the characters. He explained how Stephanie’s recent arc has worked for her because she has always, “even when she was Batgirl” has worked “as an outsider” to the Batfamily.

>“Clayface is a character with a lot of sadness at the heart of him. Batman knows what it’s like to have a really terrible day. Clayface had a terrible day and he fell apart, and fell apart. He became a monster,” Tynion went on, “That’s at the core of his character.”

>The final question came from a fan who is also a retailer, asking the panel for their plans for the longevity of the Rebirth line. Humphries laughed, “Well my plan is to just never let anything I write suck,” and John Semper joked “Well I just won’t ever let DC fire me.”

>Some teasers for upcoming issues of “Cyborg” were presented on the screen featuring Cyborg facing off against a villain in a stylized 8-bit world, which Semper explained was partly inspired by his own interest in classic video games and his love of pushing new limits with Vic as a character.

>“Was there any difficulty in finding Vic’s voice as an individual hero apart from the Teen Titans?” Inman asked, which was met with a quick “No, no, I was given a blank slate with this character going into it,” from Semper, but he went on to explain that the complicated elements of “Cyborg” are leading up to a “cataclysmic” event he can’t talk about.

Is Cyborg's Rebirth book any good?

>A fan then asked a question about villains being introduced like the Court of Owls — characters who are retroactively added to characters histories the way the Court was in the New 52. Tynion fielded the question by saying there is “absolutely” always room to do that, and that sort of introduction is what inspired him to introduce the “Colony” in his first arc of “Detective Comics.”

Do you agree with him, Sup Forums?

You can only retroactively add so much to a setting or character's history before it gets too fucking messy.

I think it should be done only if its necessary or if the writer really has something.

so tl;dr

>Johns is going to write a series nearing the end of the year
>Cyborg continuing to #18
>Beast Boy will be in Cyborg
>Jessica and Simon will go to Mogo and meet other lanterns
>Black Bird is the new important villain going forward in BOP
>Palmiotti and Conner are 12 year olds in addition to being fetishists that rival Bruce Timm

what are their fetishes?

I dunno but Harley is full of what seems to be fetishes

And Conner draws women on the toilet a lot.

Seems like vore, scat, voyeuirsm, and some others that I can't remember

Also watch DC announce a bunch of shit two days after the con is over.

They've done that before, it's baffling.

> No specific Helena stuff

Dammit

Cyborg #11 preview

Well they're swingers.

Posted on the DC Twitter yesterday

Looks neat

It's kinda cheesy, but fun.