'DCU: New Dawn' creator's discussion thread

[TJKernan]

Alright, here is a thread so we can discuss anything related to our series, and the universe in general, for our 'DCU: New Dawn', such as non-exclusive characters, settings, timelines, etc, etc...

This is also the place where people can pitch series if they are interested in joining our little endeavor, and ask questions.

UPCOMING SERIES

The Outlaws
Plotter-TJKernan
Writer-Steven T Seagle
Artist-Rebekah Isaacs
Characters-Tara Markov (Terra), Guy Gardner (Warrior), Alex Montez (Eclipso), Jared Stevens (Thief of Fate), Sarah Quinones (Flashback), Ivana Baiul

Nemesis: Hellbringer
Plotter-WhitOro
Writer-Peter Tomasi
Artist-Diogenes Neves
Characters-Charis of the Adrastea (Nemesis), Floyd Lawton (Deadshot), M'gann M'orzz (Miss Martian), Antonio Diego (Bane), Slaughterhouse Smith, Helspont, Lady Zannah (Zealot)

The Planet
Plotter-shingi70
Writer-Judd Winick
Artist-Amy Reeder
Characters-Jimmy Olson, Chloe Sullivan, Mia Dearden (The Canary), J. Wilbur Wolfingham, Chemo

Action Comics
Plotter-Icefan
Writer-John Ostrander
Artist-Phil Noto
Characters-Ted Kord (Blue Beetle), Vic Sage (The Question), Allan Adam (Captain Atom), Eve Eden (Nightshade), Torao Tanaka (Judomaster), Tommy Jagger (Tiger), Johnny Mann (Son of Vulcan)

Secret Six
Plotter-SuperCooper
Writer-Kelly Sue Deconnick
Artist-Jeremy Dale
Characters-Thomas Blake (Catman), Julian Gregory Day (Calendar Man), Victor Fries (Mr. Freeze), Leslie Willis (Livewire), Carmen Leno and Bonny Hoffman (Body Doubles), Maggie Sawyer

The Red Hood
Plotter-Munkiman
Writer-Jeff Lemire
Artist-Frank Quitely
Character-Jason Todd (Red Hood), Cassandra Cain, (The Black Bat), Renee Montoya, Sasha (Scarlet),

Outsiders
Plotter-Dr. Cheesesteak
Writer-Brian Wood
Artist-Pete Woods
Characters-Midnighter, Vic Stone (Cyborg), Ev Crawford (Starling), Rex Mason (Metamorpho), Kate Kane (Batwoman), Freestyle (Jocelyn Davis), Alfred Pennyworth

Challengers of the Authority
Plotter-Brother Justin Crowe
Writer-Joshua Hale Fialkov
Artist-Darick Robertson
Characters-Walker Gabriel (Chronos), Oliver Queen (Green Arrow), Ron Troupe, Amanda Waller, Manchester Black, Pamela Lillian Isley (Poison Ivy)

Wonder Woman
Plotter-Schornforce
Writer-Phil Jimenez
Artist-Phil Jimenez
Characters-Diana of Themyscira (Wonder Woman), Circe, Ares, Queen Hippolyta, Warhawk, Orana

[WhitOro]

Thanks to Green Griffith

Nemesis: Hellbringer
Plotter-WhitOro
Writer-Peter Tomasi
Artist-Diogenes Neves
Characters-Charis of the Adrastea (Nemesis), Floyd Lawton (Deadshot), M'gann M'orzz (Miss Martian), Antonio Diego (Bane), Slaughterhouse Smith, Helspont, Lady Zannah (Zealot)

Secret Six
Plotter-SuperCooper
Writer-Kelly Sue Deconnick
Artist-Jeremy Dale
Characters-Thomas Blake (Catman), Julian Gregory Day (Calendar Man), Victor Fries (Mr. Freeze), Leslie Willis (Livewire), Carmen Leno and Bonny Hoffman (Body Doubles), Maggie Sawyer

Outsiders CANCELLED
Plotter-Dr. Cheesesteak
Writer-Brian Wood
Artist-Pete Woods
Characters-Midnighter, Vic Stone (Cyborg), Ev Crawford (Starling), Rex Mason (Metamorpho), Kate Kane (Batwoman), Freestyle (Jocelyn Davis), Alfred Pennyworth

Wonder Woman
Plotter-Schornforce
Writer-Phil Jimenez
Artist-Phil Jimenez
Characters-Diana of Themyscira (Wonder Woman), Circe, Ares, Queen Hippolyta, Warhawk, Orana

The Offensive
Plotter: Whitoro
Writer: James Robinson
Artist: Cliff Chiang
Characters- Richard Swift (The Shade), Doctor Fate, Queen Hyppolyta, Vandal Savage, Exoristos, Jim Craddock (Gentleman Ghost)

Changeling CANCELLED
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Karl Kerschl
Plotter: SuperCooper
Characters - Changeling (Gar Logan), Proxy(Wendy Harris), Negative Man (Larry Trainor), Raven (Raven), Gemini (Gemeni De Mille), Elephant Man

Aquafriends CANCELLED
Plotter: Dr. Cheesesteak
Writer: John Layman
Artist: Cameron Stewart
Characters: Aquaman, Mera, Aqualad (Jackson Hyde), Aquagirl (Lorena Marquez), Tempest

The Wonder of SHAZAM! CANCELLED
Plotted by maniacmatt
written by Paul Cornell
Art by Evan Shaner
Characters - Billy Batson (Captain Marvel), Talky Tawn, Black Adam

Justice League: World's Finest CANCELLED
Plotted by maniacmatt
written by Warren Ellis
Art by Andy Kubert
Characters - Superman, Batman, Starfire, Martian Manhunter, Hawkgirl, Vixen, The Atom (Ray), John Stewart, Aquaman, Aztek, Shining Knight, Mr. Miracle.

Batman
Plotter: Green Griffin
Writer: John Rozum
Artist: Szymon Kudranski
Characters - Bruce Wayne (Batman), Commissioner Gordon, Alfred Pennyworth, Damian Wayne/Robin, Mayor Dawn Frostheart, Harvey Dent, Sculpture, Firefly, Penguin, Two Face

Teen Titans
Plotter: Green Griffin
Written: Tim Seeley
Art: Marcus To
Characters - Tim Drake (Red Robin), Cassie Sandsmark (Wonder Girl), Conner Kent (Superboy), Cooper Fox (Hawklad), Cameron Mahkent (Icicle), Nicole Morrison (Adara), Jinx

Swamp Thing and the Creature Commandos CONCLUDED
Plot Green Griffin
Written by AJ Lieberman
Art by Brent Peeples
Characters - Swamp Thing, Wolfpack, Dr Medusa, Patchwork, The Bogman, Count Velcoro, G.I. Robot, Sgt Rock, John Constantine, Doctor Frankenstein

The Ring CANCELLED
Plot by maniacmatt
Written by Brian Azzarello
Art by Riley Rossmo
Characters: Wildcat, The Question (Renee Montoya), Black Lightning, Animal Man

Rise of the Lanterns
Plot by Whitoro
Writer: Tony Bedard
Artist: Doug Mahnke
Characters: Hal & John + The Entire Corps.

Batman: Urban Legend CONCLUDED
Plot by shaggydoo
Written by Garth Ennis
Art by Jim Lee
Characters - Batman

Legion: United Planets
Plot by shaggydoo
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Ivan Reis
Characters - Power Girl. Hawkman, Starman, Ultra, Vril Dox, Sodam Yat, Kilowog, Icon, Rocket, Tomorrow Woman, Comet, Spartan, Adam Strange, Black Fire, Krypto, Lady Styx, Trifecta, Wraith, Dark Valor.

Alpha Lanterns CONCLUDED
Plot by Zorkel567
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Penciller: Fernando Pasain
Characters - Boodikka, Varix, Kraken, Green Man, Chaslon

Kyle Rayner and the Blue Lanterns
Plot by Zorkel567
Writer: Tony Bedard
Penciller: Tyler Kirkham
Characters - Kyle Rayner, Saint Walker, Brother Warf, Sister Sercy, Brother Hynn

All Flash Comics CONCLUDED
Plot: Green Griffin
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Brian Hurtt
Characters - Wally West (Flash), Neal Emerson (Doctor Polaris), Hannibal Bates (Everyman), Stacy Timm (Inque), William Shreeve (Echo), Delbert Billings (Spellbinder), The Rogues (Captain Cold, Mirror Master, Heatwave, Weather Wizard, The Top)

Guy Gardner
Plot by cdgodin
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Artist: Fernando Pasarin
Characters - Guy Gardner

Cape Killers
Plot by Green Griffin
Written Kyle Higgins
Art by Ming Doyle
Characters - Holly Granger (Talon), OMAC (Buddy Blank), Lady Elaine (Lady Vic), Ben Turner (Bronze Tiger), Daniel Cassidy (Blue Devil), Nathaniel Adam (Captain Atom), and Akantha (Daughter of Apollo), King Faraday, Sasha Bordeaux, Dawn Granger (Dove)

New Gods vs. The Watchmen
Plot - Global Honored
Written by Grant Morrinson &/or Keith Giffen
Art - Steve Rude, Darwyn Cooke, Gary Frank, Doug Mahnke, Mike Allred, more
Characters - Darkseid, Orion, Mr. Miracle, Big Barda, Lightray, Beautiful Dreamer and Oberon, Dr. Manhattan, Night Owl, Silk Spectre, Rorsharch, Comedian, Hooded Justice, Hollis Mason.

DC: The Dark Age
Plot - Zorkel567
Written - Grant Morrison
Art - TBA
Characters - TBA

The Omega Men
Plot - marvell2100
Written - Jim Starlin and Mark Evanier
Art - Paris Cullins
Characters - Orion, Lightray, Beautiful Dreamer, Forager, Vykin, Big Barda, Mr Miracle.

Codename: V for Victory
Plot - highwayguy
Written - TBA
Art - TBA
Characters - Knight, Squire, Jenny Sparks, Dodger, Sister Superior, Dora Leigh, Blackbriar Thorn, Phobia.

Chaos (May/June Release)
Plot - Green Griffin
Written - Joe Casey & Joshua Hale Fialkov
Art - Nathan Fox, James Stokoe, and Mikel Janin
Characters - John Constantine, Zatanna, The Spectre, Swamp Thing, Doctor Chaos, Equinox, Klarion the Witch Boy, Felix Faust

Q&A
Plot- Shaggydoo
Written- Gail Simone/J H Williams
Art- J H Williams
Characters- The Question (Vic Sage), Huntress (Helena), Harley Quinn, Ralph Dibny (Elongated Man), Sue Dibny and Danny the Street.

Second Run
Plotted by Green Griffin & Global Honored
Written by - Justin Gray & Jimmy PalmiottI
Art by - JH Williams III
Roster - Vic Sage (Question), Renee Montoya, Huntress (Helena), Catwoman (Selina), Danny the Street, plus the ghosts of Ralph & Sue Dibney

Codename: V for Victory
Plot - highwayguy
Written - Paul Cornell (as along as writers are allowed to work on more than one title)
Art - Lee Garbett
Characters - Knight, Squire, Lionheart, Godiva, Sally Sonic, Templar, Sister Superior, Jenny Sparks, Dodger, Beefeater, Blackbriar Thorn, Phobia, Skyhook

Hood CONCLUDED
Plot - highwayguy
Written - Alan Grant
Art - Jock
Characters - Hood, Scarlet Fantastic, Lionel Hawkins, Manchester Black, Lady Vic, Death Dinosaur

Lex Luthor and the Legion of Doom
Plot: Global Honored
Writer - Paul Cornell, Mark Waid or Brian K Vaughn
Artist- Frank Quitely
Roster: Lex Luthor, Jimmy Olsen, Dex-Starr, Mirror Master, Cyborgirl, Giganta, RoboLois and Tess Mercer (somebody has to run the day to day operations of LexCorp while the boss is out adventuring)

New Justice League
Writers - Kurt Busiek & Mark Waid
Artist - Gary Frank
Characters - Doc Savage, Superman, Black Canary, Zatanna, Cyborg, Barry Allen and Plastic Man

Batman 2033
Writer - Grant Morrison
Artist - Frank Quitely (first arc)
Characters - Damian Wayne (Batman), Terry McGinnis, Carrie Kelly, Commissioner Barbara Gordon, Alfred the Cat ...plus 2033 versions of Tim Drake, Jason Todd, Selina Kyle, Talia Al Ghul, Beryl Hutchinson, Cassandra Cain, Duela Dent and more.

Jesse Custer's Rock n' Roll Western
Writer - Jason Aaron & Friends
Artist - Rotating Duties Featuring the Rock Stars of Comic Book Art
Characters - Jesse Custer, Saint of Killers, Agent Nitz, Skinner Sweet, Lucifer Morningstar, God, the Devil and everything in between plus appearances from your favorite Vertigo stars (don't wanna spoil too much)

[Munkiman]

I like the idea about the President, that all sounds pretty cool!

[shingi70]

I'm cool with the President Thing. Maybe Have the President and The head of the DEO (the place chase works for) and Other high level agencies be plants also.

Also Munkiman I want to coordinate some sort of crossover between our books. Always wanted to sea a follow up to the Mia-Jason encounter. (im guessing she was supposed to be scarlet but it was shot down)

[SuperCooper]

Man, this sounds like a setup to one great crossover WhitOro.

As far as locations go, is anyone interested using Happy Harbor? I'd like to set up the Secret Six there.

[TJKernan]

I like big ideas, and it won't affect anything I am doing, so I am down with that.

Kinda interested to see if anybody else is going to jump in and pitch series, seeing as how we all picked series that feature no Superman or his family, no Batman, no Lanterns, no JLA or JSA, etc, etc...

[WhitOro]

Thanks for the great support guys! Wow, first the New Dawn title and now this. I already liking this game

I'm cool with the President Thing. Maybe Have the President and The head of the DEO (the place chase works for) and Other high level agencies be plants also.

We can work this details togheter.

Miss Martian was for you II series right? We'll have to wait for that to se If we can work the exchange.

[shingi70]

I like big ideas, and it won't affect anything I am doing, so I am down with that.

Kinda interested to see if anybody else is going to jump in and pitch series, seeing as how we all picked series that feature no Superman or his family, no Batman, no Lanterns, no JLA or JSA, etc, etc...

Superman will show up a couple of times in my book. I am suprised no one has pitched a JL book. My other Book is a teen Hero book so that's something.

[TJKernan]

On Outlaws continuity;

-Terra is still half-sister of Brion, who (unless somebody wants him for a series) is current King of Markovia. Terra is the princess, but wants no part of her heritage, and her brother is none to happy about it.

-Guy learned of his Vuldarian heritage during college, which he just recently left mid-way through. No Lanterns.

-Flashback was still a banger in Dakota, still a super-powered gang, still an ex-junkie, but something went very wrong and she left her gang...

-Fate's origin is very similar to the comic one. The last Dr. Fate was killed. Jared found the artifacts while stealing, they fashioned themselves to him, and he is now a force of balance between The lords of Order and Chaos.

[shingi70]

On The Plant continuity:

Jimmy Olsen still worked at the daily Planet alongside Clark and Lois as a intern. His fame as being a friend to superman has made him semi-famous and he works for the Daily Planet's Blog. He decides to appropriate it to looking out for the common man.

Chloe Sullivan- Reporter for the Daily Planet who was one of the first people to know who Superman was when he saved her when she was a child. (Clark was about 16 and she was 12). She acts as the "watch Tower" to Mia's operation in Metropolis.

Mia Dearden- In this Universe she was still Speedy under Green Arrow. She was able to save Lian from dying. More Confident in her role as a Hero she decides to become her own hero and leaves the role of speedy goodbye. Setting base in Metropolis she contacts Chloe Suvillan to help her. She still has HIV and she work's at a woman's shelter part time as her cover.

J. Wilbur Wolfingham: One of the Heads of the Metropolis Underworld. Had a couple confrontations before he was in power with a younger superman. Now that Superman has bigger matters to attend to he took control of the Docks and works a few deals for select clients.

Chemo: you'll find out.

[Schornforce]

spoilers:

II Series: It will take place in the last decades of 1800 and the first of 1900. There’s a character that has already been taken that I would like to use: Hyppolyta. I won’t change her in any possible way, just make her one of the central protagonists for the first couple of arcs. If Schornforce won’t allow it, I’ll just use another amazon. About this team, all they will do is secret, so it won't alter the timeline in any given way. All hystorical facts will remain the same, I'd just like to play a little with them and insert the characters into the contest.

end of spoilers

Alrighty, I dunno if I need to put this in spoiler tags or not (I'll bow to others' judgements), but here's my plan for Wonder Woman:

After visiting the WW boards, I learned many of the complaints and problems of the title as DC tends to handle it. She's such a mish-mosh of seemingly opposing characteristics with sooooo many revamps and reboots. No wonder it's so confusing and she's hard to grasp as a character when her supporting cast keeps being ignored or changes and some writers can't even get her powers right.

Additionally, her villains have super potential, but aren't really fleshed out...

I thought I'd try something new and have therefore drafted for only the first arc. Other supporting characters will appear from the Wonder Woman universe, but they won't be fleshed out until the next arc or later.

Anyhow, the basic plot of the first arc is that after garnering so much fame for her heroism back in World War II, the city of Gateway and much of the world for that matter, Wonder Woman had gone back to Themyscira, her duty completed... but now she's returning.

The first arc would reveal why, show some of her WWII exploits, and delve into her origin while setting up her current DC:ND life.

WhitOro, I think it's great that you want Hippolyta. Feel free. She's pretty much unchanged from pre-DCNu... a regal queen, a fierce warrior, a loving mother, and loyal to her pantheon of gods. The main difference is she was never Wonder Woman. It was Diana the entire time. If you want other named Amazons, feel free to ask. All Amazons would be around TV Wonder Woman's strength (varying Amazon to Amazon, of course) and be master fighters (again, depending on a case by case basis). Other than that, your basic Amazon will have no additional powers. Skills? Sure. But powers? No.

I hope to change some things that didn't work in the various attempts at Wonder Woman in the past while keeping things that did. A tall order, but here's hoping.


As for my second title, I want something vastly different. I'm hoping no one will take my character, but if they do, I have a backup. The only thing that will disrail that is if someone takes my character in the incarnation I would want, as the backup has the same general name and personality. It'd be a humor title as opposed to the more 'epic' Wonder Woman one.

EDIT:

As for my first arc characters, I can give a bit of info if anyone plans on using them for anything. Feel free to do so, but ask if you have any questions.

Diana- all you really need to know for the first arc, is that she was a major heroine in World War II, not the only one, but one of the main ones. She's back and in some ways has changed and other ways, has remained the same.

I went over Hippolyta above.

Ares- I want him to be a more major player... affecting others universe-wide indirectly. He's not 'evil' but certainly a dark god and the main force of Wonder Woman's opposition.

Circe- she'd be majorly changed in several ways from her comic incarnation... sequestered on her island and insanely powerful, but like in her myth, isn't evil per se. She even *gasp* likes Diana okay.

Warhawk- he'll be a World War II villain for Diana... one of hopefully many.

Orana- She was sent with Diana to be her assistant and bodyguard during World War II (since Wonder Woman or not, Diana's still a member of the royal family).

Artemis- She's Diana's current assistant and bodyguard. Much more violent than Orana was and less likely to give Diana much space.

[shingi70]

So Diana is immortal? or does she age slowly?

[Schornforce]

So Diana is immortal? or does she age slowly?

Great question. I think as long as she's not on the island, she can age (albeit, slowly), but on the island, she is again immortal (aside from things like murder or whatever).

[Munkiman]

On Red Hood's story:

-Basically follows Judd Winick's arc on Batman and Robin. Jason has escaped Gotham with Scarlet and disappeared.

-Jason is wearing the Under the Red Hood costume, because it is the best - the jacket over the armor is great. But he has the red pistols from Revenge of the Red Hood, because those were awesome. Sasha doesn't have her mask anymore - the art in the last two issues of that B&R arc was so horrible that you actually couldn't tell if she had her Dollatron mask anymore, and since it makes no sense for it to have reattached the mask has come off. She's pretty badly scarred up. She was caught by the animal people wearing her one and only Scarlet costume, and has yet to trade it in for something else.

-Jason has never met Starfire or Roy Harper. He doesn't particularly care to seek them out, because he obviously has no reason to.

-Jason knows that he can't stay in Gotham for long, so while he doesn't love the idea of a retreat, he knows it's best to lay low for a while. Also, he feels responsible for Sasha and wants to keep himself out of prison as long as possible. But even while he's staying out of the Bat Family's way, he can't help himself when it comes to fighting crime - it runs in the (adopted) family. He's still the Red Hood. But he's heading for a city that isn't watched over by a dozen people who hate his guts, but still could use some justice: Hub City.

-In order to lay low, in addition to the geographic distance from Batman, Jason has taken a page out of the standard superhero book and, thanks to a favor from Talia, put together a new secret identity. He will now be Todd James, a student at Hub University. Not one of the world's best, but a decent school. He never had the chance to go to college (first he was dead, then he was busy), and is intrigued by the idea. It'll keep the Bats off his back, he can keep to himself, and he figures he can maintain a C average and still work nights. He claims to subsist on financial aid and student loans, but mainly it's the League of Assassins signing the checks. The House of al Ghul has a vested interest in Jason Todd, and they may come to collect their debt later on.

-As much fun as it is to go full Punisher with the Red Hood, there's more to him than that. He's always understood that one of Bruce's greatest failures (and there were plenty of those) is the idea that you can just stop crime. Jason grew up on the hard streets of Gotham and understands, more than anyone else in the Bat-family (except maybe Steph, which may come up later) why people turn to crime. He knows you can't stop it, you can only minimize the damage. Turn it away from innocents and focus its aggression on itself. The Red Hood is as much crime lord as he is crimefighter, and his enemies aren't just villains to him - they're often rivals.

-One of the main heroic opponents to Jason Todd is Renee Montoya. We'll see what Icefan has planned with the Question business, but in my mind she was the Question, but Charlie either came back to life or was never really dead or whatever, and she passed the mask back to him. But she didn't stop fighting crime her own way. She's a P.I. in Hub, not wearing a mask anymore but still as much of a kung-fu badass as any so-called superhero. She knows that the Red Hood is bad news and is tough enough to present a constant challenge to him.

-And that's as much as I'm telling. You'll see what I have planned as it unfolds, muhaha...

[Dr. Cheesesteak]

Mine was a pretty standard Outsiders premise. Batman's team of ppl who handle things he's too busy or good for (lol). However, this team is obviously a bit more powerhouse-y than previous incarnations. Not sure on any specific arcs, I suppose that's why I hired Brian Wood, no??