CBR TV @ NYCC: DiDio, Lee Discuss DC, Superman & New 52

[CBR News]

DC Comics Co-Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee stopped by the CBR Tiki Room at New York Comic Con to discuss plans for the Man of Steel and the future of the New 52.


Full article here.

[hondobrode]

Talon is a new original character, but is an extension of the Batman Family of titles, so that certainly gives the character more propulsion.

[ILoveVibe]

what'a up with Didio always having to touch the right side of his neck as he talks. It seems to be some weird tick that I have noticed in two or three interviews with him that I saw. Wonder if while he is doing it he is maybe stretching truths or not so confident in what he is saying....anyone else notice this?

[doordoor123]

what'a up with Didio always having to touch the right side of his neck as he talks. It seems to be some weird tick that I have noticed in two or three interviews with him that I saw. Wonder if while he is doing it he is maybe stretching truths or not so confident in what he is saying....anyone else notice this?

It means he's nervous. Maybe being front of the camera or not being able to expose too much.

Source: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...crets-the-neck

[Brave Sir Robbin]

Talon is a new original character, but is an extension of the Batman Family of titles, so that certainly gives the character more propulsion.

Then the next point is, will all new characters have to stem from a successful franchise? On one hand, they are saying that DC will emphasize new characters, stories and costumes, then we get Talon as an example where all the "new" arises from the biggest franchise that DC has.

I love reading that we will get new characters, but hope that we don't get nothing but Talon type extensions into the DC world.

[johnnyrocket]

Sorry Jim, I now it was your idea, but the armor is a fail. I get the concept. The Kryptonian nano tech material is a solid concept.. but armor with a military collar? Very few artists other than you are even getting it right.. Often looking bulky, segmented rather than streamlined.. kind of the antithesis of what nano tech material conjures up.. Something along the lines of Reed Richards and unstable molecule outfits would have better served here. What Shane cooked up for Earth One (with or without the trunks) is much more iconic for the brand.. and more contemporary than high collars.. Sorry, but it remains the single biggest thing that pulls me out of most stories since the reboot.. Secondly, whatever praise i might add to Morrison making most issues of Action a lot of fun, his stewardship hasn't done the rest of you any favors in terms of a uniform portrayal of this character.. The guy Morrison is doing is NOT the guy Johns is doing in Justice League.. This hot headed guy in JL that's also a total non leader who literally hovers in the background looking down most of the time is not the natural leader filled with can do optimism in Action. Now, judging by Superman #13, it appears to be editorially decided that Superman's power levels are returning to Silver Age, physics defying, planet moving proportions? This also totally blows the great vibe Morrison has going with a Superman who has t sweat a little more... And is not the guy portrayed so far in Superman over the last year..

[drreneninja]

DC Comics Co-Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee stopped by the CBR Tiki Room at New York Comic Con to discuss plans for the Man of Steel and the future of the New 52.


Full article here.

Hold on a minute here, why is no one talking about the real big news from this article!?!??! CBR has a Tiki room!?!?!

[RecentlyReturned]

How is Talon rising from the Batman franchise any different than most characters; Wolverine --> Hulk, Sabertooth --> Iron Fist, Elektra --> Daredevil. The argument can also be made for

Batman --> Detective Comics
Spiderman --> Amazing Fantasy
Iron Man --> Tales of Suspense

It was only after the successes from Action Comics and Detective Comics featuring Batman that you saw National Allied Publications launching named titles like Superman and Batman. Others that followed suit years later are titles like Hulk, Fantastic Four, Captain America etc. From a business point of view there is a lot invested in starting a title from scratch. I can easily see, and agree with, launching new characters through established titles/franchises. Isn't that one of the points in having DC Universe Presents?

[doordoor123]

Then the next point is, will all new characters have to stem from a successful franchise? On one hand, they are saying that DC will emphasize new characters, stories and costumes, then we get Talon as an example where all the "new" arises from the biggest franchise that DC has.

I love reading that we will get new characters, but hope that we don't get nothing but Talon type extensions into the DC world.

They're introducing new characters with new books through events. Ravagers was the first and there is now Talon. Phantom Stranger is for an event coming and so is Secret 7.

[doordoor123]

How is Talon rising from the Batman franchise any different than most characters; Wolverine --> Hulk, Sabertooth --> Iron Fist, Elektra --> Daredevil. The argument can also be made for

Batman --> Detective Comics
Spiderman --> Amazing Fantasy
Iron Man --> Tales of Suspense

It was only after the successes from Action Comics and Detective Comics featuring Batman that you saw National Allied Publications launching named titles like Superman and Batman. Others that followed suit years later are titles like Hulk, Fantastic Four, Captain America etc. From a business point of view there is a lot invested in starting a title from scratch. I can easily see, and agree with, launching new characters through established titles/franchises. Isn't that one of the points in having DC Universe Presents?

Not as much people read DC Universe Presents. You can't launch a character from a book that no one reads. DC Universe Presents is there to just expand the DC Universe's ideas.

[cgh]

Now, judging by Superman #13, it appears to be editorially decided that Superman's power levels are returning to Silver Age, physics defying, planet moving proportions? This also totally blows the great vibe Morrison has going with a Superman who has t sweat a little more... And is not the guy portrayed so far in Superman over the last year..

Agreed with this, I find the Silver Age power levels to be so boring. I know some fans love this sort of thing as it confirms their "Superman is so awesome" worldview, but it makes for dull stories, and the physics is just absurd. Having Superman push planetary-level weight around is about as nonsensical as Batman sprouting wings and flying to the Moon under his own power.

This is also why characters like the Silver Surfer, who is even more powerful than Superman, can't sustain their own books. The Surfer can just wave his hand and turn any opponent's head into a block of wood. Done. Need to get to the other side of the universe while somehow avoiding the effects of special relativity? No problem! Etc.

[Mr. Holmes]

Morrison has said his Action Comics is the prequel to All Star Superman, so the Silver Age Superman power levels fit right in with what he has going.

[cgh]

Morrison has said his Action Comics is the prequel to All Star Superman, so the Silver Age Superman power levels fit right in with what he has going.

Fair enough, and sure, it's a great story, but it's just one story. There are a limited number of interesting (to me) stories to be told with a Superman that powerful. Morrison told one of them with All-Star Superman. I love everything that guy has ever done, but I doubt even he could sustain my interest in such a powerful Superman for long. It's cool that other people are into a hugely powerful Superman though.

Also, Morrison tends to tell mega-arcs with the characters he takes on that pretty much add up to one big story, with a bunch of side-stories along the way. So Action + All-Star Superman + DC One Million is Morrison's Superman epic, and it's a pretty awesome epic for which huge power levels work well. But a month to month ongoing thing with various storylines and writers is a different, er, story.

[Mr. Holmes]

Fair enough, and sure, it's a great story, but it's just one story. There are a limited number of interesting (to me) stories to be told with a Superman that powerful. Morrison told one of them with All-Star Superman. I love everything that guy has ever done, but I doubt even he could sustain my interest in such a powerful Superman for long. It's cool that other people are into a hugely powerful Superman though.

It's kind of become the Dark Knight Returns of Superman, hence Morrison writing the early days (like Year One) and now Lobdell taking cues from it. I think as far as story potential goes, it's really just up to the creativity of the writer. For me, Superman stories aren't about whether he can physically do something, it's about how creative and epic you can get with the adventures. Plus, you can always give him someone even stronger. When Darkseid first appeared, it was the really powerful Superman, but Darkseid was able to slap him around.

[cgh]

It's kind of become the Dark Knight Returns of Superman, hence Morrison writing the early days (like Year One) and now Lobdell taking cues from it. I think as far as story potential goes, it's really just up to the creativity of the writer. For me, Superman stories aren't about whether he can physically do something, it's about how creative and epic you can get with the adventures. Plus, you can always give him someone even stronger. When Darkseid first appeared, it was the really powerful Superman, but Darkseid was able to slap him around.

True, but how many Darkseid encounters can you have? I guess the New Gods in general are badasses and somewhat comparable.

As for writers being creative, sometimes you just want to see heroes hitting stuff and getting hit back. Without vulnerability, stories lack dramatic tension. If Superman is so tough that the stories just end up being "epic" without any real risk, it's still pretty dull.

Again, the Surfer had the same problems - he'd occasionally encounter these off-the-charts cosmic beings like the In-Betweener or the Stranger or whoever, who basically hang out and stroke their mustaches while chatting about their vastly cosmic concerns, or he'd be up against foes where he could just wave his hand and crush them, then surf around while thought-bubbling a soliloquy on the short-sightedness of humanity. O Bitter Victory! Etc.