WIZARD WORLD LOS ANGELES: DC UNIVERSE PANEL

LOS ANGELES -- Shortened because of a Heroes panel overrun, the DC Universe panel was mostly a lightning-quick question-and-answer session.

Panelists included Dan DiDio, Marv Wolfman, Bill Willingham, Adam Beechen, Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Connor and Bob Wayne.

* Following are highlights:

* Max Fiumara is the artist of the new Infinity Inc. series written by Peter Milligan.

* Wolfman said his third story arc on Nightwing is called "321 Days" and deals with the time period at the end of the first Teen Titans and the New Teen Titans, where he was not in the Batman books and went off to college.

"It's a Dick Grayson strong story," Wolfman said, noting that events from that past will catch up to Nightwing currently. "You find out why he changes from this guy who was quipping puns to a fairly serious character in Teen Titans."

Wolfman also noted that a character, whom he created, will be returning.

* Talking about Shadowpact, Bill Willingham said: "Blue Devil has been promoted to rhyming class demon, and he's having a few troubles. And to add further misery to his life, why have a demon from hell in Shadowpact, you should go ahead and add an angel for conflicts."

* Beechen said that Teen Titans will tie in to Amazons Attack for two issues.

* Palmiotti and Connor, joined by Justin Gray on Terra, will be a four-issue mini-series.

"It's a complete different Terra," Palmiotti said.

"Nobody in the DC Universe knows anything about her," Connor said. "But she's always popping in to the save the day."

Connor said there's a three-page sequence where Terra is naked in Dr. Mid-Nite's lab. "I have to use all these Austin Powers tricks to keep hiding her naughty bits," she said.

Power Girl will be appearing in the mini-series.

* Palmiotti reiterated that Jonah Hex will go back to single-issue stories for the next year. "There will be a bevy of guest-star artists," he said.

* Amazons Attack will feature a character from Wonder Woman's past with strong ties to her, DiDio said.

* Palmiotti said the new Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters mini-series will be eight issues, launching in the fall.

* Beechen said a lot of Tim Drake's "romantic entanglements" will be addressed in Robin.

* Willingham said that Spoiler's death -- out of the Robin costume -- was a condition of him writing Robin. "I just wanted to give her a good moment before the bad moment happened," he said, adding that sales on Robin went up when she was Robin.

Willingham said Tim was numb because of the death of Stephanie, his father and his new girlfriend.

Beechen said that Tim's grief happened during the year away of One Year Later.

* DiDio said The Spectre will be appearing in a guest-star role in a mini-series that features a character he is familiar with.

* DiDio said Leslie Thompkins will be addressed in an upcoming Batman story.

* DiDio said that the Sinestro Corps story will continue in Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps.

* Although not in every issue, Batman will be a primary character in The Brave and The Bold.

* DiDio said that Deathstroke shouldn't have his own comic. "He's a bad guy," DiDio said.

* Swamp Thing? "I love Swamp Thing, but as long as he's part of the Vertigo universe, we can't touch him," DiDio said.

* DiDio said that Doctor Fate will be wearing the full helmet in his new series. "It will be explained," he said.

* Wayne said that Absolute Sandman Vol. 2 is targeted for October.

* DiDio said there "are a lot of stories coming" for Kyle Rayner, whom he described as "major player."

* DiDio said that Grant Morrison has more Seven Soldiers. "And you'll be seeing them in books that Grant will be writing," he said.

Beechen said there's a "Soldierly presence" in Countdown.

* DiDio said that plans for the old Aquaman will be revealed in one of the team books.

* DiDio said the Batlash mini-series is targeted for the end of the year.

* DiDio: "I'd love to see more Lobo. Absolutely."