WIZARD WORLD TEXAS: DC CRISIS COUNSELING PANEL

ARLINGTON, Texas -- At DC Comics' Crisis Counseling panel at Wizard World Texas on Friday -- dubbed the first "Infinite" Crisis Counseling panel by DC Comics' Dan DiDio -- it was announced that Marv Wolfman will be doing some Teen Titans work.

"Marv is co-writing a couple of issues of Teen Titans with Geoff (Johns) and he's co-writing the Teen Titans Annual with Geoff," DiDio said, appearing with Bob Wayne as a spirited panel.

DiDio said that both Wolfman and George Perez are coming increasingly involved with Infinite Crisis events.

"We're very happy to have them involved," DiDio said.

DiDio, who worked with Wolfman on two animated series during his days at Mainframe Entertainment, said Wolfman also has pitches in with the publisher.

In other news from the panel:

* DiDio said that "50 to 75 percent" of the DCU titles will have new creative teams after Infinite Crisis.

* 52, the tentatively titled weekly comic filling in the gap between Infinite Crisis and One Year Later, will launch in May, two weeks after the Infinite Crisis finale. Wayne said the price point for the series remains to be announced.

* Gail Simone will be busy at DC. "Not just in the DCU," Wayne said. "Gail has other things going on."

* DiDio said that Zero Hour will be addressed in Infinite Crisis, but Hypertime will not.

* Lobo will not be involved in Infinite Crisis, DiDio said.

* DiDio said the first issue of Infinite Crisis was meant "to give a sense of chaos and confusion."

* As for the future of Jason Todd, DiDio said, "More people are enjoying his return than are upset about his return. That Might tell you where we're going."

* The Batman Annual will feature the origin of the Red Hood and will tie into "A Death in the Family."

* Wayne said readers will be surprised at the number of upcoming soliciations that will be accompanied with the phrase "final issue." DiDio said it's "a pruning" of the line.

* DiDio said that Ted Kord will remain dead. "He has too much merit," DiDio said. "If you do something that matters (in a story), it makes it hard to go back.

"If you see a body, they're dead. And if you see blood, they're very dead."

* Jim Corrigan and the Spectre? "They make a lovely couple," DiDio said.

* DiDio said Manhunter is not in danger of being canceled.