WW Chicago: DC's Sunday Conversation

[andy khouri]

DC Comics Executive Editor Dan DiDio along with other DC staffers met with fans last Sunday to discuss their mutual love of comics, touching on longtime faves and recent controversies, including "Death of the New Gods."

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...ticle&id=17029

[Will.S]

These were the best quotes:

A fan asked about characters dying and if DiDio felt that DC used death too often. DiDio said DC doesn’t kill off characters haphazardly. He then referenced the recent, maligned "Death of the New Gods" miniseries and the dust-up over the story among fans and creators. DiDio said that DC killed off the characters because they knew Grant Morrison was coming in with a new interpretation of the characters in “Final Crisis,” and added that DC thought it might alienate Jack Kirby fans if his versions weren’t given proper closure, so they tried something to bridge the gap.

I still don't understand the reasoning here if Grant himself was going to bring closure to them within Final Crisis. Death of the New Gods just seems redundant but let me ask those who read the entire thing, does Death of the New Gods become contradicted so far within Final Crisis or does everything fit nice and neatly?

For example, it's to my understanding that Metron was killed off in that mini series which would sort of explain his new look in the first issue of Final Crisis because he's been reborn. What about Superman's witnessing to the deaths of the New Gods and the stuff with Orion and Darkseid?

The last question posed to the audience was about the silliest comic they've ever read. A fan shouted, "One More Day," to applause. Another yelled "Countdown" to a mixed reaction.

I'm still baffled as to how nobody brought up the issues with Countdown during WW Chicago, was this the only mention of it? Is Didio that afraid to mention anything about it and not even attempt to do some damage control or put some spin on it?

[Beast]

DC doesn't kill characters off haphazardly? Really?

*Glances at the last few years of characters getting slaughtered in craptastic ways*

Me thinks the fans of a lot of characters who got the dirt nap would disagree.

[hondobrode]

There's hardly anything there. Maybe the actual event is just this truncated. If that's the case, I'm glad I didn't attend WW Chicago.

I can't wait for Final Crisis to give us an entire story and finally, after months and years, get the DCU set with a firm set of guidelines and parameters.

It feels like Didio doesn't address the real issues and just kicks around fluff.

[Nevets F]

DC doesn't kill characters off haphazardly? Really?

*Glances at the last few years of characters getting slaughtered in craptastic ways*

Me thinks the fans of a lot of characters who got the dirt nap would disagree.

Seriously...just look at the Titans...by this point, there are almost as many dead Titans as their are living ones...and for a team with as many members as they have had over the years...that is a LOT. The Titans are routinely used as cannon fodder in DC events.

[Joe Acro]

I still don't understand the reasoning here if Grant himself was going to bring closure to them within Final Crisis. Death of the New Gods just seems redundant but let me ask those who read the entire thing, does Death of the New Gods become contradicted so far within Final Crisis or does everything fit nice and neatly?

For example, it's to my understanding that Metron was killed off in that mini series which would sort of explain his new look in the first issue of Final Crisis because he's been reborn. What about Superman's witnessing to the deaths of the New Gods and the stuff with Orion and Darkseid?

It can flow fairly well, I think. Yes, Metron dies. All the New Gods die except for Orion. Those dead are then reborn into the versions we see in Final Crisis. Superman and the Justice League know of some deaths (such as Barda's) and even witnessed the final Orion/Darkseid confrontation. But those deaths all occurred in the same fashion. The gods were killed by having their hearts ripped out of their chests. I don't see a reason for them (or Superman especially, since he was there throughout the mini) to believe that Orion's death automatically relates to the other deaths. The last they saw him, he was battered, bruised, and nearly dead as he wandered off into the distance.

[Will.S]

It can flow fairly well, I think. Yes, Metron dies. All the New Gods die except for Orion. Those dead are then reborn into the versions we see in Final Crisis. Superman and the Justice League know of some deaths (such as Barda's) and even witnessed the final Orion/Darkseid confrontation. But those deaths all occurred in the same fashion. The gods were killed by having their hearts ripped out of their chests. I don't see a reason for them (or Superman especially, since he was there throughout the mini) to believe that Orion's death automatically relates to the other deaths. The last they saw him, he was battered, bruised, and nearly dead as he wandered off into the distance.

Should be interesting to see how it all plays out, I suppose Morrison isn't going to get in the way of Death of the New Gods since he knew it was coming out.

BTW Newsarama has a more extended panel write up: http://www.newsarama.com/comics/0806...eofComics.html

[TCJohnson]

So basically Didio called in Breevort just to humiliate him in person? Really?