Dan Didio (VP Exec Editor) is on the panel, joined by Bob Wayne (VP Sales), Jann Jones (Coordinating Editor), Sean McKeever (new writer of Birds of Prey and Teen Titans), and Jim Starlin (killed Jason Todd and will kill the New Gods).

Starlin's wearing a "Darkseid Rules" t-shirt. The art that appears on the shirt is by Starlin.

Countdown cover shown with Superman flying into outerspace, holding Lex Luthor in front of him, both alight in fire.

Didio: "Don't be surprised if you see a third weekly series after 'Countdown.'"

Didio: "Everything said in 'DC Nation' stays in 'DC Nation,' right?"

Right, Dan.
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Didio asks for who likes the Jimmy Olsen story so far. Guys boo. Didio asks why. Nay saying fanboy says because Olsen is "too cheesy." Didio asks for a counterpoint from another fan. No one volunteers. Didio: "Guess you win. Jimmy Olsen sucks." Bob Wayne: "That's why Jimmy Olsen must die."

Biggest applause for the Mary Marvel and Trickster/Pied Piper stories.

Lukewarm applause for the Challengers from Beyond. (The Jimmy Olsen story got limited applause but lots of boos.)

Challengers of the Beyond (Donna Troy, Jason Todd, and the Atom) will have a fourth member: Kyle Rayner. GL #26, Atom #14, Countdown. Read them in that order.
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Return of the Mulitverse gets the biggest pop so far.
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Image of "Countdown: Arena" is shown. Different versions of three of the most recognized characters in the DCU will battle to be a leader in Monarch's army. I.e., different Supermen will fight each other, a vampire Batman might fight other Batmen, etc.

This will be a weekly book and fans will vote on the outcome of the fights.
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"Salvation Run" will be a mini featuring the Rogues Gallery.
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Some dork asks about the female Dr. Light. What's going on with her? To be explained in JLA.
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There will be a new writer on Robin and they say they can't announce it.
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Asked about Young Justice trades, Bob Wayne tells a fanboy to buy back issues and go to a bindery. (It was funny.)
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Didio sees the three Crisis stories (Identity, Infinite, and Final) as a three act story about the DCU. Identity was more micro, Infinite was more macro, and Final ties a bow around everything. (Didio didn't actually use the words "micro" and "macro." He's not that douchey. As far as we know.)

Seven issues of 30 pages is better for pacing of these kinds of stories than 12 issues of less pages, according to Didio.
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Fanboy: "Why did you kill the Question? Between Renee Montoya and Vic Sage, which do you think would sell better as the Question?"
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Didio: "We didn't have the conviction that a Vic Sage as the Question book would sell."
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Someone actually asked about bringing back Amethyst.
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Asked about Superboy, Didio said, "You asked about he-who-would-not-be-named."
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Didio: "We have plans for General Zod and Christopher down the road. Major storylines will take place in 'Action.'"

Didio: "Another thing we're doing that we'll talk about tomorrow is the resurrection of Ra's al-Ghul."
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Didio (w/r/t Bart Allen): "The plan was always for Wally to return."

Fanboy: "Are the people responsible for bringing back the wrong Flash going to be fired"?

Didio: "Who's the wrong Flash?"

Fanboy: "Wally."

Lots of boos.
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"Sinestro Corps War" gets tons of applause. Didio cites that as an example of a story that grew in size when fans began reacting positively to the story and DC identified story elements (he cited Cyborg Superman as an example) that deserved more exploration.
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Fanboy: "What's the worst superhero movie you've ever seen?"

Didio repeats the question but may have committed a Freudian slip by saying, "What's the worst Superman mov-- Oops."

McKeever: "Fantastic Four."

Starlin: "Batman & Robin."

Jones: "Ghost Rider. I know when I go on dates, I take a magic 8 ball with me."

Wayne: "Catwoman."
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Fangirl: "When you introduce young female characters, enough with the blondes! In Young Justice, five of them were blondes!"

Didio: "THAT'S WHY THEY'RE DEAD."
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Vertigo universe is definitely not part of the Multiverse.
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Didio: "We have long term plans for the two All-Star books we have out there. Jim is working really hard on getting on schedule. Those two books stands on their own; the multiverse is more [dependent on other books.]"
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Fan: "Are you ever going to have Darkseid kill Superman?"

Didio: "Did you read the Final Crisis script?"
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The new Raven series by Marv Wolfman and Damian Scott is coming out next year.
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On the Multiverse:

Didio: "We're going to try to handle this as clearly as possible. We'll introduce characters from each universe. Characters from the Countdown series are going to different universes."

Someone from the Countdown series is going to Earth-3 and will meet the "Jokester," who is the Joker's counterpart, and is the father of . . . someone unnamed.
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Blue Beetle will appear in the Sinestro Corps War.
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The Return of Ra's al Ghul will be written by Grant Morrison and Paul Dini.
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Didio attributes the improved delivery (schedule-wise) of DC's books to the efforts of Jann Jones.

Didio: "We were going to make late books as long as you buy them, but you stopped buying them. We lost a lot of momentum on some books."

Jones: "We've had to make some hard decisions. If talent cannot meet your needs, we'll make those decisions."
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No longer the case that the Flash can easily travel through the Multiverse. There are rules. Speed force powers, Boom Tube, etc., will play into these rules, but they are undisclosed right now.
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W/r/t a new "Mystery in Space" series:

Starlin: "We are considering giving Tyrone his own series. Comet would be a background character."
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A fan asks for an authoritative timeline for the DCU (showing authoritative first appearances, etc.) and Didio says they're against that, because it's the kind of thing that would be invalidated.
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Will there be more Dr. Thirteen?

Maybe.
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Why Green Arrow & Black Canary and not Nightwing & Oracle?

Didio: "I don't see Nightwing marrying Oracle."
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Earth-26 is the Captain Carrot universe. Because there are 26 letters in the alphabet. Yes, he knows that doesn't make sense.
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Waid is still on B&B and the Flash.
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There are future plans for Cassandra Cain. "Gotham Underground" is a limited series focusing on secondary characters, including "the return of a character some of you have been asking about."
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All-Star Flash? No plans.
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"The Killing Joke" will be in the Alan Moore Omnibus of DC stories.
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The Secret Six was disbanded because they're redundant (my words) with the Suicide Squad.
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Dr. Fate will be part of "Countdown to Mystery," which will also feature Eclipso.
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Manhunter will be in "Birds of Prey."
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Asked about Barry Allen returning, fans in the audience booed.
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Fanboy: "The Legion took Barry Allen back to the future for a reason, right?"

Didio: "BART Allen. Oh, shit." (covering his mouth; this is a usual Didio teasing trick at con panels)
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Wayne announces a special DC/WB presentation tomorrow at 6 pm.

Implies this is about "The Dark Knight."

All electronics will be banned from the room.