DC Comics staged its second panel of Wizard World Los Angeles, Countdown to Crisis, late Saturday afternoon.
Following are highlights:
* Panelists included Dan DiDio, Bob Wayne, James Robinson and Darwyn Cooke.
* DiDio noted that DC Universe: Zero will mark 104 consecutive weeks of weekly comics.
* Cooke said he felt "great" about the response to the Justice League: The New Frontier movie. He said it was a difficult project because of time constraints.
"It was still clear the story was strong and we were hitting all the beats with all the characters," he said.
He was particularly gratified by the screening at WonderCon before 4,000 people.
* Cooke hinted there "might be more to talk about" as summer approaches.
* Robinson's first issue of Superman will be #677. He said he had been out of the game for a couple of years to recharge his batteries, but is now commited in team with Action Comics writer Geoff Johns to revitalize Superman.
"We're going to have fun with Lois and we're going to have fun with Jimmy Olsen," he said, in addition to incorporating the whole DC Universe.
* Robinson said one of the stories will involve a mystery, and in the future Jimmy Olsen will be the greatest investigative reporter for the Daily Planet. He will reconnect with Jim Harper, the original Guardian. "I've always love this guy, I don't know why," he said.
* Robinson said he will be writing a new Justice League book, simply called Justice League. It will be based on events in Final Crisis. "Hal Jordan decides he wants a proactive team," Robinson said, noting the team will have established members, including Green Lantern and Green Arrow, and "some oddball characters."
Ray Palmer will be a member of the team and will still shrink, but he won't be the Atom. Other members will include Supergirl, Batwoman, Shazam, the blue alien Starman and Congorilla. "Within six issues, you'll love this character," he promised.
The artist was not announced.
Robinson said that Justice League of America is about a family while the new book will be about the justice element.
* Chris Kent will still be part of Superman, Robinson said, but not as much as recently.
* Jason Todd will be part of the Hush storyline in Detective Comics, DiDio said.
* Cooke said his stint on The Spirit was "the toughest job in my life" with a lot of pressure, but he hopes to return to the character at some point.
* DiDio said the return of Manhunter will be more grounded in current events.
* Talking about the Zod story, DiDio said the art is in and promised not to repeat the lateness problems it suffered.
* DiDio said DC wants to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Legion of Super Heroes, with "some good things."
* Aquaman? "This year," DiDio said, noting he wants the version that works best for fans.
* What happens to all the villains after Salvation Run will be featured in Justice League of America #21.
* Cooke said he will be doing an issue of Jonah Hex with Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray. Because he's Canadian, Cooke asked for an issue that takes part in Canada, and the pair delivered.
"It's one of the strongest scripts they've written for the series," he said.
* Peter Tomasi and Rags Morales are on board Nightwing through the year, DiDio said.
* Robinson said one of the goals is make Supergirl a "more intrinsic" part of the Superman family of titles.
* DiDio said "Mary Marvel is running side-by-side with Darkseid" and then caught himself and said "if..."
* Cooke said he is in talks for a Johnny DC title.
* Wayne said George Perez is leaving Brave and Bold, Jerry Ordway is on through #11-13 and then Scott Kolins will be the artist.
DiDio declined to comment on Perez's next project.
* Shadowpact members will appear in Reign in Hell.
* DiDio and the panelists reminisced about Steve Gerber. DiDio said that Adam Beechen was the first of the four writers to turn in what they imagined Gerber's ending to his Doctor Fate would have been -- and it included elves.
* DiDio said there will be two covers to Final Crisis. One will be a cut or sliver cover, designed by Chip Kidd, that will be story relevant and be a "moment you're not supposed to see."
The other covers will be iconic images by J.G. Jones.
Wayne said the two covers will be shipped in approximately 50/50 ratios.
* DiDio said that plans originally were for Doctor Fate to spin off into his own series, but with Gerber's passing, he feels uncomfortable moving ahead with that. The character will be in Reign in Hell.
* Robinson said chances of a Superman/JSA crossover are likely, although he wants to concentrate his characters.
* Trinity won't cross into the regular books, but characters will spin out and interact in the DC Universe.
* Does the new Justice League title have the same mission statement as Batman and the Outsiders? DiDio said no because the Outsiders' mission statement is to do what Batman wants.
* Michael Green is the regular writer of Superman/Batman, with at least at dozen issues planned out. Artists will rotate after Shane Davis' six issues.
DiDio said Davis has another project lined up.
* The Red Lanterns will serve as a through line from Final Crisis into Blackest Night, DiDio said.
* DiDio said Mary Marvel plays a bigger role in Final Crisis than Shazam does. "There's a great cover with Mary Marvel coming up, by the way," DiDio said.
* DiDio said DC wants more work from Sean Chen after Salvation Run.
* Cooke said he can almost guarantee he'll be working with JSA characters.
* Is Final Crisis the final crisis? "It is the last crisis of Dan DiDio, I promise you," he said.
* More Metal Men? "Yes," DiDio said.