CANADIAN FAN EXPO: JIM LEE PANEL

TORONTO -- Is Jim Lee headed for the Justice League?

At his panel at the Canadian Fan Expo in Toronto on Friday night, Lee hinted at his next project following his current runs on All Star Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder and WildCats.

"I already have my next project lined up," said Lee, who recently signed a three-year exclusive with DC Comics. "I can't say what it is, but it's a lot of great characters. There's a hint."

Asked by an audience member if he will be drawing Justice League, Lee said, "It's possible. It's possible."

Asked for a yes or no answer, Lee said, "Maybe."

Lee also indicated he would like to draw the Legion of Super-Heroes someday.

In other highlights from the panel:

* Before the question-and-answer session began, Lee addressed the issue of lateness.

"I know they are late. I realize and I don't need you to remind," he said, joking that he the time he needed to develop his Canadian accent took away from his work.

Lee said the first issue of WildCats should be out the last week of September and he hope to have All Star Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder #5 out "shortly thereafter."

Lee said he had three quarters of All Star Batman #5 completed before he had to jump over to WildCats.

"It's been a very hectic summer for me," Lee said. "These conventions take a lot of time, but I do hope to get these books back on track."

* Lee reiterated that the WildStorm relaunch is a "soft reset," keeping the best qualities of the previous incarnations.

"If you're a dedicated continuity guy, you might be disappointed because they won't into your collection," Lee said. "But if you're a story guy, you'll be happy."

* Asked who his favorite member of the WildCats was, Lee answered Grifter, who reminds him of the film characters he watched as a youth.

"He's a guy who tries to do good, but always screws up and never gets a break," Lee said.

Lee said Grifter and Zealot are his favorite WildCats to draw.

* On working with Grant Morrison on WildCats, Lee said, "He's crazy, but really talented and a lot of fun to work with."

* Lee said Batman is easier to do draw than Superman. He noted that Superman is basically drawn naked, with only a spit curl as a defining trademark, while Batman had a belt and shadows.

* Lee said he's spending 3-4 hours a day working on DC's online game with Sony. He also noted that there will likely be an artbook based on the game.

* Asked if he would ever work at Marvel again, Lee said he doesn't have a dislike for Marvel, but that he already did most of Marvel's characters he wanted to work on. He mentioned Nick Fury and Black Widow as Marvel characters he would be interested in.

* Lee said he doesn't see comics becoing solely computer-generated creations. "I love drawing," he said. "I try to use the computer as little as possible."

* Lee said he doesn't read comics as a fan any more -- with the exceptions of Ultimates, Nextwave, Ex Machina and Brad Meltzer's work -- but does flip through many books "to see what people are doing."

"I also find I'm not into continuity any more," he said. "It doesn't have to fit into continuity for me to enjoy the story. In fact, I prefer it doesn't."

* Lee called his time with Image Comics "one of the funnest and most boisterous periods of my life."

* Lee said he is happy he sold WildStorm to DC, noting that he's drawing and working on characters he created -- and buying houses for his family.