WIZARD WORLD L.A.: DC COMICS PANEL

LOS ANGELES -- Smallville television character Chloe Sullivan appears headed to the pages of DC Comics books soon.

Asked about the character during Friday's DC panel at Wizard World Los Angeles, Superman editor Matt Idelson said, "Yes, there are plans," something that took even executive editor Dan DiDio off guard.

Approached immediately after the panel, Idelson said there's nothing official yet, but he has every intention of using the character.

There have been reports of rights issues, but Idelson said that isn't a problem. "We were able to use Renee Montoya and she was created for the animated series," he said.

The panel also kicked off DC's new promotional initiative, "DC Nation." Attendees of the panel were given orange-and-black DC buttons, and executive editor DiDio said that will be a ritual throughout the convention season. He said he wants to give out more than a half million buttons.

In other highlights from the panel:

* Geoff Johns said his script for Infinite Crisis #7 was done.

* Mark Waid, on collaborating with Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Johns on 52: "Every issue has something written by somebody."

Waid said the real-time element of 52 takes away cliffhanger aspects, but allows the writers to focus more on characters to bring readers back the next week.

* DiDio said that 17 scripts have been written for 52 and 14 are already drawn.

"It would make a major snowstorm catastrophe (for 52 not to ship on time) and even then we'd drive the comics to your door," Waid said.

* Morrison provided a laugh-inducing explanation of how Hypertime works. "Hypertime was always a way of looking at your comic collection," he said.

* DiDio said the concepts behind the upcoming Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters and The All-New Atom came from Morrison. Morrison said that Freedom Fighters is a "different type of comic" about "grimy, grimy people."

* DiDio said there are plans for Deathstroke, but they will remain as a supporting chracter. "We've cast him as such a bastard, it's better that way," DiDio said.

* Waid said he will be bringing some new characters for Supergirl and The Legion of Super-Heroes.

* Waid said his first script for Brave and the Bold is "on the way." He said he wants to do team-ups featuring characters who differ. "You can use those differences as a lens to define each other," he said.

* Asked if there are plans for Darkseid and the New Gods, Morrison replied, "Yes."

* Morrison said his "Son of Batman" story spins out of "something that happens in 52."

* Bob Wayne said DC has no plans for any 52 trade paperbacks until the weekly series has completed its run.

* Johns said Shining Knight will appear in Infinite Crisis #5 and all the Seven Soliders will appear in #7.

* DiDio said DC will continue annuals, but only if stories warrant them.

* Johns said Wonder Girl will have new powers.