Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Behing the Page: Sean McKeever


Newsarama just posted a great retrospective of Sean McKeever's life in comics. Great readin'! I love these insights....

As his first installment of Teen Titans comes out today in an oversized issue that both commemorates the past and leads into a new roster for the team, Newsarama sat down with Sean Kelley McKeever, taking a look Behind the Page at the road this baby-faced guy took to get here, and where he and his characters are going next.

Sean McKeever: The same day. It was the Monday after the New York Comic Con. They brought me into the offices and they offered me both those books on the same day. I walked out of there -- I was on cloud nine. I mean, that was ... that was just too cool. Especially Teen Titans, because that was a book that I always thought I'd be perfect for. If you look at my resume, and all the teen characters, and all the female characters, and all the drama stuff, and the superhero stuff -- it's all of that in one book. And so I was seriously geeked.

NRAMA: Now that you've gotten your teeth into Teen Titans, do you still think you're perfect for it?

SM: Yeah, I think so. I think this first arc -- "The Titans of Tomorrow...Today!" -- it's pretty action heavy. There's a lot going on. But I'm looking more forward to after that and having the opportunity to take a couple issues and explore the characters a little more. You know, I do a lot of character-driven stuff even within the action of this first arc. But there aren't many quiet moments.

Read the whole article here!

Art & Franco Talk Tiny Titans


Newsarama Report: ART & FRANCO TALK TINY TITANS AT DC: In Tiny Titans, the characters from the regular Teen Titans universe will be tiny (no, really) and will be dealing with outrageous and fun situations in their schoolyard and classroom, or in the Titans treehouse. The Tiny Titans will encounter characters that regular comics readers know as evil villains, but in this comic, the conflicts will be more oriented toward teachers vs. students or the little Titans dealing with school bullies.

AB: Aw, yeah. The bad guys are like the bullies in the school, and the substitute teacher happens to be Trigon. And the principle of the school is Slade.

FA: They call him The Terminator.

AB: Yeah, he's real strict, so they call him The Terminator. He's rough.

Read the whole article here.

Rear Cover For Teen Titans Season Four


TVshowsondvd reports: During the first part of August, the November 20th debut of Teen Titans - The Complete 4th Seasonon DVD was announced by Warner Brothers. That studio has sent out a picture of the back of the box, so we wanted to pass it on to all of you fans of that show. If you haven't pre-ordered it yet, then don't wait: lock in your Amazon purchase for just $14.99 for a 2-disc package.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Sneak Peek: Teen Titans #50


Got a hankering for a peek at what DC has coming up on August 29th? Newsarama has got you covered - DC has provided them with previews of Batman Annual #26, Amazons Attack #6 and Teen Titans #50.

There's a sneak peek of the Johns/McKone story and the Wolfman/Perez story! Can't wait til Wednesday...

Thursday, August 23, 2007

CBR Interviews Sean McKeever


CBR has interviwed Sean McKeever about his upcoming TEEN TITANS run: " Sean McKeever's first issue of “Teen Titans” doesn't hit shelves until next Wednesday with issue #50, but the fan-favorite author is already clutching dearly to his team of pubescent powerhouses."


"The fact that the Teen Titans aren't quite ready for prime time is in McKeever's view the major reason both he and fans alike are drawn to the superhero team. “Teen society is the great Petri dish of humanity,” said McKeever. “Take everything we are and amp it up times twenty – the emotions, the hormones, the drama, all of it – and then drop in a healthy dose of naïveté, and there you have teenagers. Each one of these characters has the potential to be the next Justice Leaguer, and it's fascinating to see how they strive and struggle to be a true hero.”

"McKeever says while it was Berganza who added Blue Beetle and Supergirl to the roster, he is very happy with the additions --so much so, in fact, that McKeever wouldn't mind adding one more. “I have no plans to shake up the roster anytime soon ,” said McKeever, before adding, “There's one character I'd like to add, but that's being discussed right now.”"

Read the whole article here!


Teen Titans In November


DC has provided CBR News with their solicitation text and cover images for comics and product shipping in November of 2007.

TEEN TITANS #53
Written by Sean McKeever
Art by Alé Garza & Marlo Alquiza
Cover by Garza & Scott Williams
"The Titans of Tomorrow...Today!" goes full throttle in its penultimate chapter! As Robin descends into darkness, it falls to the rest of the Teen Titans to take on not only Starro and its minions, but also the Titans of Tomorrow?and their newfound friends!
On sale November 28 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

TEEN TITANS EAST SPECIAL #1
Written by Judd Winick
Art and cover by Ian Churchill & Norm Rapmund
Titans Tower is back up and running on the East Coast as Judd Winick, Ian Churchill and Norm Rapmund assemble an explosive new team of Titans under the leadership of Cyborg! But their first mission may be their last as powerful forces gather to destroy all Titans past and future!
On sale November 14 o 48 pg, FC, $3.99 US

WONDER GIRL #3
Written by J. Torres
Art and cover by Sanford Green & Nathan Massengill
Warriors from the Fourth World are coming for Wonder Girl and the demigods living on Earth. But when the fight is brought from the skies to her home, one of her families will fall!
On sale November 14 o 3 of 6 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US


SUPERMAN/BATMAN #43
Written by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Art and cover by Mike McKone & Lanning
Dr. Light is back - and he's got the Titans on his side! Identity Crisis showed how evil Dr. Light could be, but writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning and fan-favorite artist Mike McKone take him to a new level in this stand-alone special issue guest-starring Steel!
On sale November 28 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #8
Written by Mark Waid
Art by George Pérez & Bob Wiacek
Cover by Pérez
A virtually unstoppable force has driven the Doom Patrol to the brink of destruction and despair! And why is The Flash the only hero who can possibly stand between them and utter chaos?
On sale November 21 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

THE FLASH #234
Written by Mark Waid and John Rogers
Art by Daniel Acuña and Doug Braithwaite
Cover by Manuel Garcia
The unstable powers of Wally West's growing children reach a terrifying new level! And in the backup feature, "The Fast Life," by Mark Waid, John Rogers amd Doug Braithwaite, the compelling tale of Wally's family's life on a Flash-friendly alien world continues.
On sale November 21 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US


ROBIN #168

Written by Peter Milligan
Art by Freddie Williams II
Covers by Andy Kubert
A special issue written by Peter Milligan (X-Men, X-Statix) kicks off the 7-part "Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul," crossing over with the Batman family of books! Readers discovered in last month's BATMAN #670 that Ra's al Ghul has returned from the dead! What does Ra's resurrection have to do with Batman's son, Damian? And more important, why does this send Damian toward a head-on collision with Robin at Wayne Manor? Guest starring Talia al Ghul and the Sensei!
Retailers please note: This issue will feature two covers that may be ordered separately. For every 10 copies of the Standard Edition (featuring a cover by Andy Kubert), retailers may order one Variant Edition (featuring a pencils-only version of the same art by Andy Kubert). See the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale November 7 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

NIGHTWING #138
Written by Fabian Nicieza
Art by Don Kramer & Wayne Faucher
Cover by Tony S. Daniel & Jonathan Glapion
"The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul," Part 2 of 7! Could it be? Nightwing and Robin fighting side by side with Damian? Will the combined might of Batman's three "sons" be enough to overcome the machinations of the newly reborn Ra's al Ghul? And what will Nightwing do when Robin is tempted with an offer he can't refuse? Guest starring Talia al Ghul and the Sensei!
On sale November 14 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US


COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS #25-22
Story by Paul Dini
Breakdowns by Keith Giffen
25 script by Adam Beechen and art by Carlos Magno
24 script by Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti and art by Al Barrionuevo
23 script by Paul Dini and art by Tom Derenick
22 script by Tony Bedard and art by Manuel Garcia
Covers 25, 24 and 22 by Claudio Castellini; Cover 23 by J.G. Jones
The countdown continues with a new name and even bigger thrills! Karate Kid makes it to the bunker in Blüdhaven and confronts both Firestorm and the Atomic Knights! Jimmy Olsen enslaved on Apokolips! Mary Marvel not enslaved on Apokolips! The Monitor, Jason Todd and Donna Troy home in on Ray Palmer's trail! Desaad takes control! Lex Luthor kidnapped - but by whom? Trickster and Piper: One will live?one will die! And Mister Mxyzptlk explains it all! Plus, more DC VILLAINS origin backup stories, including: Desaad and Mr. Mxyzptlk!
COUNTDOWN 25 on sale November 7 o COUNTDOWN 24 on sale November 14 COUNTDOWN 23 on sale November 21 o COUNTDOWN 22 on sale November 28 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

COUNTDOWN TO ADVENTURE #4
Written by Adam Beechen and Justin Gray
Art by Eddy Barrows & Julio Ferreiro
and Fabrizio Fiorentino
Cover by Eddy Barrows & Oclair Albert
In this issue's lead story, the Healers have arrived to "sterilize" the planet Earth and stop the contamination that's plaguing the planet. But what does this mean to Starfire and Animal Man?
And in the backup, Forerunner battles magic versions of DCU heroes on the Conjuror's world. Meet Batmage, master of the Dark Arts, Kal-El, wielder of Kryptonian magics, and Lady Flash, keeper of the Speed Force.
On sale November 28 o 4 of 8 o 48 pg, FC, $3.99 US

COUNTDOWN PRESENTS: THE SEARCH FOR RAY PALMER: GOTHAM BY GASLIGHT #1
Written by Brian Augustyn
Art by Greg Tocchini
Cover by Dustin Nguyen
The quest heats up as one of the Challengers of the Beyond becomes an enemy. Plus, could finding Ray Palmer prove fatal?
For a signed edition, please see the Dynamic Forces section of Previews.
On sale November 21 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

COUNTDOWN PRESENTS: THE SEARCH FOR RAY PALMER: RED RAIN #1
Written by Peter Johnson
Art and cover by Kelley Jones
Will the Challengers of the Beyond become legends on a world ruled by vampires? Or will one of them become a threat to the rest of the team?
On sale November 7 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

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Monday, August 20, 2007

Titans Companion 2 Is Coming! (Order Now!)


I guess it's time to start building up some hype for The Titans Companion 2. It's scheduled for March of 2008! Excited yet? Then look at the gorgeous Mike McKone cover!


Picking up where Volume 1 left off, covering the return of the Teen Titans to the top of the sales charts! Featuring interviews with Geoff Johns, Mike McKone, Peter David, Phil Jimenez, and others, plus an in-depth section on the top-rated Cartoon Network series! Also Chuck Dixon, Mark Waid, Karl Kesel, and John Byrne on writing the current generation of Titans! More with Marv Wolfman and George Perez! Neal Adams on redesigning Robin! Artwork by Adams, Byrne, Jimenez, McKone, Perez and more, with an all-new cover by Mike McKone! Written by Glen Cadigan. Designed by me, Bill Walko.

(224-page trade paperback) $26.95
Ships March 2008

Pre-Order it at Amazon.com and also support titanstower.com by doing so!


Teen Titans East Special


From Newsarama: Here’s a look at the text (and some previously released covers) of some November titles. As always, look for DC’s full solicitations this Monday, August 20th, at 12pm EST, right here at this URL…


TEEN TITANS EAST SPECIAL #1
Written by Judd Winick
Art and cover by Ian Churchill & Norm Rapmund
Titans Tower is back up and running on the East Coast as Judd Winick, Ian Churchill & Norm Rapmund assemble an explosive new team of Titans under the leadership of Cyborg! But their first mission may be their last as powerful forces gather to destroy all Titans past and future!
On sale November 14 • 48 pg, FC, $3.99 US

Thursday, August 16, 2007

A Review: Justice League of America #12


My review! Warning: I haven't much enjoyed Meltzer's JLA....


Pages 1-3: Nice Eric Wight art. Still endlessly confused by the captions. Why do they do this to us? GL's caption is a slightly darker green than MM's. I need a decoder ring to figger out who's talkin'! Red means Superman-- no, psych!! It's Flash!

Pages 4-6: So now Red Tornado the android has a HUMAN face, but his torso and chest are the Red Tornado costume? Was he rebuilt with a human face? If so, why is his body the RT costume? He's like an action figure with Prof Xavier's head. Seriously, why did they do this? It's kinda silly. Was it always like this?

Page 7: "Mysterious pervy shadow guys" watch Reddy and think he may still be under Amazo influence. We later find out it's Aquaman & Martian Manhunter. Why are they keeping this their little girly secret to themselves? The Brad Meltzer League is like a buncha teenage girls.

We already endured 6 issues of Bats/Supes/WW going through who to invite to the League like a meta-human "My Super Sweet Sixteen." Now these guys. Is this how superheroes talk about other superheroes? All judgemental?

Page 8: Hawkgirl has a daughter?

Page 9: Why doesn't Hawkgirl know that Roy has a daughter? Isn't this common knowledge in the super-human community? How did this not ever come up?

Page 10-11: More from pervy shadowed guys. Is this a camera? Why does this footage of Hawkgirl randomly flying show up on their ... let's call it the "Kirby TiVo"? What is this device? How are they seeing all these super-secret places, and then, allathusudden, "pin-up poses"?

Why is Lian wearing a Speedy costume? Weren't the super-tragic events of IDENTITY CRISIS supposed to make the heroes protect their IDs and families even more? Who wrote that again...? ...? ...? Oh yeah, Brad Meltzer. Yep, sure, Roy, bring your 5 year old kid to a prison dressed like a hero, just in case some of the inmates might not know you are Red Arrow.

Also, why does the Brad Meltzer League ALL refer to each other by secret IDs? It's all, "I just talked to Diana and Hal, and they agree we need to send Roy and Kendra in. I wonder what Ollie and Carter would say about those two?" Even on missions it's like this. Secret Identities much? Also, God help a new reader that may not have all the heroes-ID score cards. Between the switching narration color-coded (sorta) captions and the referring by real names... new readers, begone! We don't want you here!

Page 12-13: OK, I actually thought this scene was OK. I like the idea of Canary protecting Roy. But really, Dinah, Roy isn't some naive 15 year old kid either.

Page 14-15: Take C-level villain from the 70s and make them all real and ****. "Wow, that's genius. A triumph! Meltzer does it again!"

Pages 16-18: Vixen with the power glitch that makes no sense. She can channel meta-human people not NOT animals? Aren't people mammals? Huh? More girly secrets. The new League is like watching "Mean Girls" with spandex. More pervy shadowed guys. Again, they know stuff they ain't sharin'! N'yah!

Pages 19-21: We get the switch/scenes of Lex's goon and Geo-Force and Reddy. I hate when Meltzer does this. Why not just do a page with Lex's goon? Then a page with Reddy? Am I reading a "Choose You Own Adventure" book? This isn't 'building suspense", it's pretentious storytelling. Seriously, all this flop-flop paneling only makes me read every other one...

Also, now Reddy is a voyeur perv. And no one seems even somewhat alarmed by Reddy's odd behavior. Except Aquaman and Martian Manhunter... but no one invited them so they ain'ts tellin'! And I'm missing whatever the obvious "bullseye" joke ... "What did the Archer say when the creepy android watched him screw the bird girl?" I'm at a loss here...

Pages 22-23: Omigod, Geo-Force is being blackmailed by Slade! Shades of "Judas Contract"! But, God HELP you if you don't know that story, because Terra is alluded to, Slade is there, but Meltzer never connects the dots. Just "brrrr" panels for people that have been reading this stuff since 1980. You should already have the 23 years old story memorized, beeee-otches!

Oh but wait, Geo-Force isn't really evil, silly. He told the League after Slade approached him -- 6 minutes after, b/c the Batman is TOTALLY Geo-Force's new BFF. So much so, Batman was able to strip Brion down to wire him in a minute. In a rush much, Bruce? Got a train to catch? What a show-off. Everything with thsi League is all about how super-fantastic-awesome everyone is. Batman wired Geo-Force in one minute because HE CAN. There's sorta a big fanboy-ish thing with the way Meltzer approaches his characters. I think that's why people love his stuff. We are always told how this the bestest, most fantastic League evaaah! To me, tho, it's so silly to read all the Leaguers gushing over each other and their 'progress'. And they all get these 'money shots' where we see how kick-butt-to-the-extreme they are. Batman wiring Geo-Force in one minute... why? We are supposed to think it's cool and all.... I laugh, because it's just so silly.

But then again, this is the bestest, most spectacular, greatest League evaah!!!! And we'll keep telling you that. They are all BFFs that are so perfect and great at what they do -- except when they are little beeeyotches keeping secrets. Watch out, or they will steal your Hello Kitty hair clips! And then go save the world.

The kicker... THE KICKER... is that the purpose of this wiring of Geo-Force is -- get ready -- "The more Slade thinks he's learning about us, the more we can finally learn about him." Finally? Learn? Bruce, you Bat-Fool, Drop a dime to Dick Grayson. They know exactly how he became Deatshtroke. They fought him numerous times. They teamed up with him numerous times. His son was a member of their team. His daughter IS a member of their team. Jericho, who is back, could tell you about his whole adult life. What DON'T they know? The Justice League of Freakin' Idiots.

Pages 24-29: Pervy shadow guys are Aquaman and Martian Manhunter! wow! Except, we still have no idea where they got this Kirby TiVo.. that allows them to see everywhere and anywhere -- and Batman in the crapper, probably, if they want? Does BestBuy carry this Kirby TiVo, I wants one!

And why is "Aquaman" acting like he's Arthur Curry, who founded the JLA? Isn't he a squid-face thing now? And they -- what? -- got together to talk smack about the current JLA members, withold information that could prove dangerous to the team, and declare, "oh, they'll call us eventually..." Seriously, how petty was it of MM & AM to say how important they were to the team, and how "they'll be on it again. Just you wait and see!" When they collect enough Bratz trading cards, the League will let them in!

The art was pretty, tho.

I think the thing that's weird to me, is that Meltzer goes for this 'realism' in his stories. And I think the contrast of the uber-silly with the self-important realism is what I find so ridiculous! He goes to great lengths to inject a sorta "comic veritae" in his work. Like, this is serious business! We get this sorta CSI or ER type dialogue, and then we get Aquaman and MM spying on everyone with a weird device that is never explained, even in simple comic book terms. It's like I'm watching I CLADIUS merged with XENA. This 'movement' to take all the childhood contrsucts of the 70s and merge it with ultra-realism... with a dash of uber-violence, sex, rape, gore.... I'm just not a fan, I guess...

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Waid & Wally: Flash Fanboys


WAID BRINGS THE ULTIMATE FANBOY BACK TO "THE FLASH": With a resurrected "The Flash" title speeding into stores Wednesday with issue #231, Waid told CBR News that Wally West's life is any fanboy's ultimate dream come true.

"Once the decision was made, editorially by Dan, to pull the trigger on Bart, with the idea that Wally would return, then the offer was made to me again and at that point I decided, well, I love Wally and with the new status quo of his family, I probably have some new things to say about the character so I tried to fill those boots again," recounted Waid.


[...] Despite the fact that John Rogers ("Blue Beetle") is listed as a co-writer on the solicitation for "The Flash" #233, Waid has no intentions of leaving the title or his other DC book, "Brave and the Bold."

"John's writing a back-story," Waid confirmed. "Basically, we kind of started in a bit of a hole to begin with and [artist] Daniel Acuna is doing such amazing work, we are trying to build a little more time for him, so he can get a little further ahead. So, the idea was why don't we do some back stories that tie-in to the main story and sort of explain a little more about where Flash and his family have been but frankly, I needed a little help with the heavy lifting, as well, and John is a much better writer than I am so he makes look good," said Waid.

Beyond fleshing out the details of where Wally and his family have been since they disappeared in "Infinite Crisis," the back-story features will also provide subtext for the ongoing series. "I have said that we are not going to bring Barry back but if you read the back up stories, which are being drawn by Doug Braithwaite and written by John and myself, they are four stand-alone stories which each deal with a different Flash or history, like Jay and Barry and Impulse, and in four little stand-alone stories," Waid said. "They are also tied together into something that turns out to be a pretty major revolution for the ongoing series."

Read the full article here!

A Little Peek At Tiny Titans


TALES OF THE TINY TITANS
The creators of ‘Patrick the Wolfboy’ jump headfirst into superhero territory for the Johnny DC line

W: Lastly, what is one thing for people just seeing the preview art that you’re excited to put into the book?

BALTAZAR: The slogan: “Aw yeah, Titans!” [Laughs]

AURELIANI: Right now, when we see kids read our Patrick the Wolfboy comic, we see their reaction, and they come back with their parents. They tell us stories like they read it over cereal, and it makes them laugh as a family unit together. That’s what it’s always been about for us. It’s for the kids and taking characters that they know and putting them in that platform.

BALTAZAR: I’m really excited to draw the original Titans like Kid Flash and Speedy and Wonder Girl. We try to sneak in the real characters too. Like, the Flash is Kid Flash’s dad, Batman will be Robin’s dad and we got Green Arrow in there. There’s one joke in the first issue where you just see Green Arrow from the chest down like the old “Tom and Jerry” cartoons. And apparently all the Tiny Titans are in love with Wonder Woman. I sneak her in there in the first issue.

Read the whole article here.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Terra Commission by Me


I just completed a new Titans commission of Terra! The mecha design is influenced by Bubblegum Crisis.


Here's what the commissionee, Jay, wanted: "In the spirit of your "Redesigning Titans" posts, the comission is: What they SHOULD have done with Tara Markov II OYL (if they were absolutely hell bent on having a New Terra but were a bit more sensible in handling the old one). In the wake of the Crisis (probably because she's not the original Tara), Tara 2's power fades away, leaving her an ordinary person.

Geo-Force, however, still considers her and treats her as a sister, and knows she wants to remain active in the superhero community. So his technicians develop a prototype suit of powered armor. No Rocket Red suit this; much more sleek, mobile, and powerful. Tara puts it on, takes the code name Amber (based on the color of the suit) and rejoins the Titans."

I enjoyed doing this one. Hope y'all like it!

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Countdown to Financial Crisis


COUNTDOWN has just been pocket-universed. I just bought my last one - at least for awhile.

COUNTDOWN #51 showed a lot of promise... intriguing story, interesting mysteries, good cast, good art, solid writers and big things happening!
But I feel every issue since then has gone progressively downhill. The plot is moving at a snail's pace, every issue feels the same, the art is rushed and nothing is happening!

Worse yet, we are getting a slew of mini-series tie-ins. And all this is merely leading up to FINAL CRISIS... Which leads me to just want to stop buying COUNTDOWN and just pick up FINAL CRISIS when it comes out. Really, I just feel like I am getting what should be a 12-issue mini-series spread over 52 issues plus 20-something tie-ins. Law of diminishing returns, those tie-ins.


Wizard online also provides a COUNTDOWN catch-all every week.

Plus, I can put that $12 towards stuff like NEW WARRIORS, RUNAWAYS, DYNAMO 5, GARGOYLES and get lots more story for my money...

Monday, August 13, 2007

Help Support Titanstower.com with Amazon Links!


Help support titanstower.com! There's two major DVD release coming up that are Titans-related; You can pre-order them at a great price! Every amazon.com purchase through these links will help keep the site running. Also check out the titanstower.com gift shop! Thanks!




Teen Titans Season Four Coming Nov. 20th!


The ever-excellent tvshowsondvd.com has posted the release info for Teen Titans Season Four! Warner Home Video is preparing to announce Teen Titans - The Complete 4th Season on DVD, according to our industry contacts.

The 2-disc release will contain 13 episodes, plus special features "that allow the viewer to access 'top secret files', and examine up close the opposition which the Teen Titans face in Season Four." There will be 5 separate "vignettes" (parts) of this featurette. Cost will be $19.98 SRP, and it's planned to ship on November 20th. We've got the studio description for you below, and stay tuned for cover art.


The series revolves around main team members Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven. While it is an action cartoon, the series is also character-driven, with a focus on the main characters' struggles with being teenage superheroes, their mutual friendships, and their limitations.
Seasons four is based upon one of the most popular New Teen Titans arcs, "Terror of Trigon". Many characters from the comics, including Aqualad and Speedy, appear throughout the series. This Deluxe 2-Disc Edition features 13 exciting episodes from this smash TV series plus behind-the-scenes bonuses.

Tragic News: Mike Weiringo Passes


I'm in shock right now. I've just learned that Mike Wieringo - one of the modern greats - passed away Sunday of a sudden heart attack. I've loved Ringo's art since his FLASH days and he's only gotten better. He's truly one of my favorite comic book artists. I've also met Mike a couple of times at conventions, and was a nice guy. What a loss. He leaves a great legacy.

Mike jump-started the Flash with "Terminal Velocity", helped introduce Impulse, co-created Tellos, contributed to a seminal run on Fantastic Four, and always injected stories with a dose of trademark fun, bold designs and a sense of whimsy that is missing from many of today's modern artists.

Newsarama reports the sad news here.
He will be missed.



Above: One of my very first convention sketches, which Mike did for free, of the Flash. Next: a Starfire commission from Mike from ACTOR, a charity for comic book artists and writers. Mike donated his time to raise money for the cause. Both treasured pieces in my collection.

Teen Titans Go! Still Going


With the announcement of DC's new TINY TITANS series, it seemed like it may spell the end for TEEN TITANS GO!, the popular comic book based on the animated series. But reports of the series' death may have been exagerrated...

J. Torres reports on ComicBloc: "Hello, everyone. Just got back from Chicago and slept in this morning

Anyway, there seems to be some confusion over the whole cancellation thing and I'm hoping to have a phone conversation with someone at DC to clarify this. Before the con, and the announcement of the new Johnny DC books, it was my understanding that we had until "at least #50" for TTG. Meaning, yes, the series was to be cancelled but we weren't exactly sure when. However, after the Newsarama piece and DC panel on Saturday it seems a number of fans approached Dan DiDio and Jann Jones with their objections about the cancellation... and before the weekend was over, I was hearing the book was not cancelled anymore!

But this could have been Jann and Dan relenting to the mob or making a snap decision or who knows what. I'm hoping it's true, but I need specifics (not cancelled until a certain issue number? until Tiny Titans debuts in 2008? until further notice?) and some kind of "official" word before I celebrate

In any case, I do want to thank ALL the fans out there who have been writing letters and e-mail, and those who "attacked" Dan and Jann this weekend, in a show of support for TTG. Paul Levitz himself congratulated me at the DC dinner for "inspiring such passionate and dedicated fans" and invited me to drop by his office anytime to check out all the letters and cards he's received from fans trying to save TTG. So, thanks guys, you rock harder than Terra. (Get it? Get it? Hee-hee.)"

Jonny DC Introduces Tiny Titans



Newsarama Reports: "The winds of change have been blowing strongly throughout the mainline DC universe lately, and it looks as if a slight breeze will be moving through the Johnny DC imprint in early 2008 as well. The changes coming to DC’s imprint for kids are the addition of three new titles: Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam, Tiny Titans, and Super Friends - all aimed squarely at a younger audience, but accessible to adults as well. "

[...] "But to get back to your question, there really wasn’t any question when it came to putting creators together with these books – Art’s stories with Tiny Titans are so funny and cute, and they use all of the things that little versions of the Titans would do. In issue #2, the girls use Cyborg as an Easy Bake Oven. Beast Boy gets a puppy. Everyone learns not to play tag with Kid Flash. It’s little storylines like that that bring in the magic of childhood, that excitement and innocence to the stories. Mike’s Shazam is really this wonderful kids’ fantasy world – what if you were a little kid who could turn into the World’s Mightiest Mortal? Mike brings over that same wide-eyed wonder that he had in Herobear to this.

Also, with the way we’re presenting Tiny Titans, this is the DC Universe’s Teen Titans cartoon. This is what the Teen Titans watch when they’re hanging out in Titans Tower. They’re watching this, and are a little bummed out because they’re not getting any royalties from it."


Check out the character designs here!

Jamal Igle on Teen Titans #52


Newsarama reports that Jamal Igle is handling the art for Teen Titans #52.

Jamal shares: " "I never thought about doing Teen Titans, but once I started doing it, I'm having a great time," Igle said. "The Titans of Tomorrow are putting our current band of heroes through the ringer." Asked about that cover to issue #51 where the Titans of Tomorrow are shown -- including a Conner Kent dressed as Superman and an adult Bart Allen dressed as a Flash -- Igle said, "Conner and Bart are back, and they're not supposed to be there. So everybody's trying to figure out what's going on. It's a really fun story."" Read the full report here.

I like Jamal's art and his sample page looked great -- but is anyone else concerned that we already have a fill-in after Ale Garza's first issue as regular artist?

Titans News from Wizard World Chicago


Newsarama reports on the DC Nation Panel:

A fan asked about the Marv Wolfman-written Raven mini-series; and it was said that it will be coming out end of this year or the beginning of next year. DiDio said that they wanted to get a bunch of the work in the can before they started shipping that miniseries.

A fan then asked about the multiverse being too confusing, to which DiDio said that they will be doing their best to always make it easier to understand. This segued into discussing how McKeever will make the Challengers from Beyond Earth 3 trip real easy to understand. Didio asked who readers will meet there?
McKeever: Jokester
Didio: Who is?
McKeever: The Joker
Didio: Who is?
McKeever: Someone’s father


Any Cassandra Cain plans? Yes, definitely. DiDio said.

Terra? March of next year.

Newsarama reports on the DC News Worlds Order Panel:

In the past, Didio said, the Johnny DC line has been built off animation products, but they're creating something original now for the kids titles. Didio introduced the person championing the new titles - Jann Jones. "I have a nephew who's three," she said, "and I didn't feel comfortable giving him the books, and I wanted to give him something more light-hearted and fun and funny." Didio said that, in order to come up with their new titles, they "turned to our source material -- the current comics." He said that "inside Teen Titans #50, you find out that the Teen Titans have a favorite show called Tiny Titans," and he showed a slide of childlike Titans characters. Then Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani were added to the panel. Baltazar said Jones called and asked them to do something for DC, to which he said he replied: "Before you say anything, I will say yes." Aureliani said Baltazar then called him and "I fainted."

Will we see the George Perez/Marv Wolfman Teen Titans graphic novel [GAMES]? Didio: "It's in the pipeline. It's just a very slow pipeline."

How long are Aureliani and Baltazar on Tiny Titans? Baltazar: "That's our book. As far as I know, we're all the way. It's the same Titans you know and love, but they're really, really little."

Will Nightwing be on a new team? Maybe.

Friday, August 10, 2007

SDCC 2007: Meeting Joss Whedon


It was the end of San Diego Comic-Con, and me and a few friends were heading out for some nachos, margharitas and a post-con wrap-up. As we walked down the street we literally almost ran right into Joss Whedon, who seemed to be deliberating over where to eat with a friend of his. One of the girls in our group was a huge Whedon fan (like myself), and momentarily froze in her tracks. I asked her, "Did you want to meet him?" She nodded.

Instinctively, I beckoned her over and walked toward Joss, and introduced her as a big fan of his. She smiled and shook his hand. Realizing she was frozen into inaction, I then introduced myself and shook Joss' hand, somehow maintaining my composure, and told him I've been a big fan of his work. I mentioned how I attended his panel and was really looking forward to all the new projecst he had lined up. In typical Joss-like humor, he answered, "So you believed all that?" In mock-shock, I answered, "No Ripper? You can't tease us like that." He grinned and I told him I can't wait to see all the cool stuff he has planned.

Meeting Joss Whedon. That was sorta the perfect ending to Comic-Con 2007!

SDCC 2007: Adam Beechen


I met Adam Beechen at the San Diego Comic-Con and mentioned how much I enjoyed Teen Titans #47. I really feel that issue mosst reflected Adam's writing, whereas the other issues in his short run were marred by crossovers. He agreed that crossovers could be challenging but he did the best he could during his run, ending it with a Cassie/Tim kiss - a moment that will be followed up by Sean McKeever.

I've enjoyed Adam's work on Robin and on the animated Teen Titans series. I hope he gets a chance to return to the Teen Titans universe at some point. Heck, he should be the writer on the upcoming "Titans East related" ongoing series planned. Adam agreed he'd love to do more Titans. Here's hoping!

SDCC 2007: Sean McKeever


One of the highlights of San Diego was meeting Sean McKeever. I've been enjoying his work on SPIDER-MAN LOVES MARY JANE, and I think he's the perfect writer for TEEN TITANS!

It sounds like he's going to really explore the characters, which should be a lot of fun.
He said he has no plans to change the line-up anytime soon, and that he's happy to use the current team members. He does plan to have a number of Teen Heroes drop by in the book... awhile back, Sean solicited fan opinions on ComicBloc as to which teen heroes they'd like to see; He mentioned that thread gave him some ideas. (Black Alice fans should be happy).

Sean also said he wants to get into the personal lives of the team members more - especially Ravager, Kid Devil and Miss Martian. He also mentioned he liked the interplay between Eddie and Rose, and he'd be exploring that relationship. Would that be a ROMANTIC relationship? Sean cagily refused to answer that one! But there is a scene in Teen Titans #50 that should interest fans of Rose & Eddie.


Sean also wasn't initially aware of the Rose/Bart relationship in the New Titans series, but mentioned he became aware of it on a
ComicBloc thread. See? It helps to post on message boards!

It was great chatting with Sean and I can't wait to see what he has in store for the Titans!

SDCC 2007: Wonder Girl by Randy Green


Randy Green showed up at San Diego on Saturday, and I saw a sneak peek of some of his pencils for Teen Titans #50. I think people are gonna love his Titans! The art looked really tight, and Randy's renditions of the characters are spot-on. Looks like there's some interesting things happening between the members of the team as they mourn Bart. The shippers will start shipping once this issue hits the stands - in just a few short weeks!

I hope Randy returns to do some more Titans - because as you can see from this Wonder Girl commission, he's a great artist. This is without a doubt one of my favorite pieces from San Diego this year. More Randy Green Titans, please.

SDCC 2007: Ravager by Ale Garza


I was able to get on upcoming Teen Titans artist Ale Garza's commission list this year. I had Ale draw Ravager, who is one of my favorite Titans (anyone surprised by that? Didn't think so). I think Ale did a great job! Looking forward to his work on the series.

SDCC 2007: Prelim by Mike McKone



That Mike McKone is a nice guy! Awhile back, he did an awesome commission of Ravager and Deathstroke - and at San Diego, he gave me his original preliminary skeetch of that commission. Man, I love this piece!

SDCC 2007: Titans Print by Mike McKone


Mike was selling 100 limited edition Teen Titans Prints at San Diego. Looking at this, you realize that McKone was one of the best artists on the Titans series - on par with Perez, Jimenez and Cardy. This image makes its debut here. It's also the COVER OF TITANS COMPANION 2! That's right, Mike gave us an original cover for the sequel to TITANS COMPANION. More on Titans Companion 2 soon...

SDCC 2007: Titans by Mike McKone



I caught up with Mike McKone at San Diego and saw some of his upcoming art for Wildstorm. Stuff looks awesome! Mike was also selling some prints, including a Teen Titans print that looks awesome (more on that later). Mike was nice enough to squeeze in two sketches for me, of Beast Boy and Starfire. Now I've got head sketches of all eight Johns/McKone Titans. That's some definite wall art for the home studio!

Check out the rest of my McKone collection here!

Thursday, August 09, 2007

SDCC 2007: Teen Titans Animated Crew


So, since the end of the TEEN TITANS animated series, what have the creators, artists and writers been up to? I caught up with a few of them, and he's the answer to "Where Are They Now?"


Producer Sam Register:
The man who brought the Teen Titans to TV is now helming the new TRANSFORMERS animated series for Cartoon Network!


Producer Glen Murakami:
I saw Glen at the show floor at San Diego and we chatted for a bit. Glen is busy working on the revamped BEN 10 for Cartoon Network. Look for new episodes coming soon!


Story Editor/Producer David Slack:
David joined the writing team of LAW & ORDER two seasons ago and has continued writing for them. In addition, David continues freelance writing and even penned a LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES episode in season one!


Story Editor Rob Hoegee:
On the heels of story editing season one of LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES, Rob helped in developing the new STORM HAWKS series for Cartoon Network. He wrote the one-hour pilot and serves as Head Writer and Story Editor. "This is a truly amazing show - one that I'm very proud to be a part of," noted Rob, "Please watch if you can."


Story Editor Amy Wolfram:
Amy has continued freelance writing - including two episodes of LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES and at least one episode of STORM HAWKS. But Titans fans should be thrilled to know that Amy is writing the upcoming TEEN TITANS: YEAR ONE 6-isssue mini-series for DC Comics. The mini retells the origins of the original 5-member Titans team of Robin, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash, Aqualad and Speedy. I've chatted with Amy about her plans in the series and I think fans are going to love it! Featuring eye-popping art by Karl Kerschl, this series is not to be missed! Look for it in early 2008.


Writer Adam Beechen:
Adam has been busy writing a bunch of things for DC Comics, including a few recent issues of the ongoing TEEN TITANS series (#45-49) and he's just completing an awesome run on ROBIN. Adam is also one of the five writers on the weekly COUNTDOWN series from DC, which is one of their biggest events in 2007. Next up: Adam handles Starfire in the COUNTDOWN TO ADVENTURE 8-issue mini-series - which starts any day now!


Character Designer Derrick Wyatt:
After working on LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES for a season, Derrick is now a lead character designer for the new TRANSFORMERS animated series coming soon to Cartoon Network!


Director Ben Jones:
After working on LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES for a season, Ben is also on the new TRANSFORMERS animated series.


Director Matt Youngberg:
Matt is a lead director on the new TRANSFORMERS animated series.


Storyboard Artist Irineo Maramba:
Irineo is also lending his talents to the new TRANSFORMERS animated series.


I caught Irineo, Matt, Derrick and Ben at the TRANSFORMERS signing event, and they provided a few Transformers/Titans jam sketches! Sweet. Looking forward to all the future projects from this talented group!

SDCC 2007: Superboy by Karl Kesel


Karl Kesel was at San Diego this year, so I had him do this AWESOME Superboy commission. Karl's run on Superboy is one of my favorites. Love this piece!

SDCC 2007: Superboy by Todd Nauck


I had this Superboy commission done by Todd Nauck. Makes me nostalgic for those Young Justice Days...

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

SDCC 2007: Bumblebee by Todd Nauck


Todd was doing sketches at the DC Booth, so I had him do the animated version of Bumblebee.

SDCC 2007: Titans by Mark Buckingham



Mark was mostly busy doing Fables character sketches at the DC Booth, but I asked him to draw some Titans, since he was the artist on TITANS from #1 to about 16 or so. Mark took the time to do awesome versions of both Nightwing and Starfire!

SDCC 2007: Magenta by Scott Kolins


I had this commission done by Scott Kolins, who drew Magenta during his run on the Flash!

SDCC 2007: Titans by Dan Jurgens



I caught Dan Jurgens twice at the DC Booth! I was able to get sketches of two of his own Titanic creations; Argent and Joto. Sweet!

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

SDCC 2007: Robin by Freddie Williams III


Robin artist, Freddie William III, drew this moody Robin sketch at the DC booth. If you haven't seen his Robin art, you should check it out! He does a great job portraying the Boy Wonder.

SDCC 2007: Robin by Chris Batista


Chris Batista took some time at Artist Alley to draw this awesome Robin sketch. His art was fantastic on Teen Titans #47 and I hope we see more Titans from Batista! Chris is really psyched about his upcoming Superman/New Gods story - and lemme tell ya, the art looked incredible for that one!

SDCC 2007: Wonder Girl by Sanford Greene


Sanford Greene - artist on the upcoming Wonder Girl mini-series - was providing some free sketches at the DC Booth. Of course, I had him draw Cassie! I like his take on her.

Monday, August 06, 2007

SDCC 2007: Blue Beetle by Cully Hamner



The newest Titans (or IS he?) by Cully Hamner. Cully is the dude responsible for redesigning Blue Beetle for the 21st century. I mighta gushed a little about how cool the redesign is. I'm a Ted Kord fan, but I gotta say, Jaime Reyes got one stylin' supersuit.

SDCC 2007: Troia by Nicola Scott


Rising superstar Nicola Scott was sketching at the DC booth, so I had her draw Troia! Nicola mentioned that Donna is one of her favorites as well.

SDCC 2007: Flash by Daniel Acuna


I caught the new Flash artist, Daniel Acuna, at the DC booth. Of course, I had 'im draw da Fastest Man Alive.

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Superboy Case Update


Jeff Trexler has the decision and report on the latest ruling in the
Superboy case in which Joanne Siegel and Laura Siegel Larson are suing
Time Warner for the rights to Superboy, The latest ruling seems to
have gone against the Siegels, according to Trexler: The entire
decision is posted here.

In a nutshell, the court ruled in favor of Time Warner's motion to
reconsider the prior ruling in favor of the Siegels and vacated the
relevant portions of the earlier ruling, including part of the
statement of facts.

The judge's opinion is worth reading on several counts, especially for
crisp review of the history of the Superman/Superboy cases. William
Patry has a brief run-down on the estoppel issues, which will seem a
bit esoteric to non-lawyers, but you should not let the law-geek bait
get in the way of the judge's analysis of whether Superboy is a
derivative work. (pp. 66-71). The judge calls for further briefing on
that issue but, as reviewing judges often do, lays out a roadmap for
concluding that Superboy was nothing "more than a trivial variation
from the pre-existing material in Superman, other comic book
characters in general, or even more broadly with other comic book
characters." (p. 69)

Of course, this case is far from over, so there may be still more
surprises to come.

source:
http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/08/05/new-superboy-ruling/

Friday, August 03, 2007

SDCC 2007: The Legion of Super-Heroes



LOSH enters its second season with double the action as the group adds new members—and a new ally from across the space-time continuum—just in time to face a daunting new villain. Producer James Tucker (Justice League Unlimited), director Brandon Vietti (Superman Doomsday), and story editor/writer Michael Jelenic (The Batman) were joined on the panel by cast members Yuri Lowenthal (Superman on LOSH), Phil Morris (Seinfeld, Smallville), and Alex Polinsky (Charles in Charge).

The crew said they really wanted to "up the ante" in season two. They saw season one as reflecting the Silver Age of the Legion while season two would reflect the Bronze Age (the 70s version of the comics). It's more intense, darker and a little more mature; The plots slightly more adult. The characters have aged about two years since the end of the first season, and their designs have been tweaked to reflect the passage of time. If they were 14-15 before, they are about 16-17 or even 18 now.

The biggests change is the introduction of two Supermen. One is from the future - a clone who has been bred for battle. He's really serious and has only vengeance on his mind. The second Superman is from the past, from his early days as the Man of Steel. One episode will feature THREE Supermen!

The bad big is Imperiex. "In the comics, he kinda sucked," but Tucker & co. hope to instill him with more character and grandeur. They wanted to choose a villain with some heft, that wasn't overused, like Darkseid.

Chameleon Boy is one of the newest Legionaires, voiced by Polinsky. The crew described Cham as "Eddie Haskall as a shape-shifter." The other members partly put up with him since his dad funds the Legion. Some other new Legionaires appearing: Karate Kid, Dawnstar, Nemesis Kid, Invisible Kid (they joked, "He's actually in EVERY episode") and DUO Damsel (begging the question, "Waht happened to Triplicate Girl after season two?"). Expect Starboy to be used more and a whole episode dedicated to Dream Girl.

Villains Appearing: Fatal Five, Grimbor, the Dark Circle, the Legion of Super-Villains and Computo (which may answer that Duo Damsel question...)

SDCC 2007: The Batman


The Caped Crusader crew just picked up its fourth Emmy Award heading into a season that promises even more punch, courtesy of guest appearances from some Justice League pals. Supervising producer Alan Burnett (The Batman), producer-director Michael Goguen (Batman: The Animated Series), renowned voice director Andrea Romano discussed the upcoming surprises.

The biggest news for Titans fans is that Jerry O'Connell returns in season five as Nightwing. Not wanting to spoil the episode, the crew would only divulge that the episode does NOT take place in the future.


Expect Justice League members to appear in 8 of the 13 episodes. The first episode features a team-up with Superman and Batman - who battle Luthor, Mercy, Metallo, Joker, Clayface, Poison Ivy and more! Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen also appear. Superman appears in Gotham when it starts rebuilding after the events of last seasons' "The Joining." In this episode, Superman has not yet joined the Justice League. George Newburn, Dana Delaney and Clancy Brown all reprise the voices of Supermna, Lois & Lex.


Expect Batman to also team up - in individual episodes - with the Flash ("In my mind, it's Barry Allen under the mask, although he doesn't take off his mask."), Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Hawkman and Green Arrow (the Green Arrow episode will recount his origin). The Flash episode features Mirror Master, voiced by John Laroquette. The GL episode features Sinestro, voiced by Miguel Ferrer.


A bunch of villains appear in season five, including Joker, Harley, Penguin, Freeze, Sinestro, Phosphorus, the Wraith, Black Mask, Scarface, Mirror Master, Hugo Strange and Toyman. Sounds like a slam-bang season!

SDCC 2007: Spectacular Spider-Man


I attended a panel on The Spectacular Spider-Man, a Culver Entertainment production coming to Kids’ WB! on The CW in early 2008. Michael Vogel from Sony Pictures Television Animation moderated a panel headed by supervising producer Greg Weisman (Gargoyles), producer/supervising director Victor Cook (Hellboy: Blood and Iron), character designer Sean “Cheeks” Galloway (Hellboy animated films), Marvel senior VP of creative development—animation Craig Kyle, and the newest voice of Spider-Man, Josh Keaton (The Young & The Restless).

The series opens about 4 months after the death of Uncle Ben. Peter has spent a summer web-slinging and starts the new school year, surrounded by a lot of familiar faces. The theme of the series will be "The education of Peter Parker," according to Greg Weisman. "He will learn the lessons that will make him Spider-Man."
The series will have a sort of "Hong Kong Action flair." Each episode is stand-alone, but there will be threads and arcs that carry over the course of the first season. Villains include Sandman, Green Goblin, Venom, Vulture, Doc Ock and the Lizard. The series will be dealing with the origins of the villains. Look for the Sinister Six to harass Spidey by season's end.

The crew took inspiration from the Lee/Ditko/Romita era more than anything, but "a good idea is a good idea," so also look some contemporary elements to be sewn in as well. Some origins and characters will be updated to accomodate changes in culture and such. The webshooters, we have been assured, will NOT be organic.

Look for just about everyone that's been in the comics to appear: Mary Jane Watson, Aunt May, Gwen Stacy, Flash Thompson, Liz Allen, Sally, Harry Osborn, Norman Osborn, (Peter's Buddy) Eddie Brock, J. Jonah Jameson, Curt Conners, Felicia Hardy, Coach Smith, Dr. Warren and a host of others. Weisman jokingly said a goal was to "not create a single character" and populate the cast with people that have appeared in the comics - even obscure ones!
This series looks fantastic.

I think this may be the best Animated Spiedy ever! Looking forward to seeing it!

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

SDCC 2007: Joss Whedon


One of the highlights of Comic-Con was attending Joss Whedon's Dark Horse Panel. There's a fantastic report of that panel by Comic Book Resources. Here's the highlights:

- His horror film “Goners,” Whedon said the script was still in rewrites, but the project is “starting to look extremely good.” And rather than bemoan the studio notes he's had to sit through, Whedon admitted that most of their concerns were right on the money.

- Whedon then announced a new horror film he's going to be writing with Drew Goddard, entitled “Cabin in the Woods.” Whedon characterized it as the “horror film to end all horror films, literally.”

- Additionally, while Whedon couldn't say anything for certain, he did say there's a good possibility that next year there would be some movement on his long-in-limbo film project “Ripper.” The deal is not yet set, but there's a good chance it will take the form of a 90-minute BBC project.

- Next up, the Q&A. One fan asked Whedon if Oz would be making an appearance in the “Buffy” comic. “I can't tell you when, but you don't have to ask ‘if,'” Whedon answered.

- As to the future of his comics work, Whedon admitted he's come to the end of what he and his wife have been calling his “Mary Marvel midlife crisis.” That said, he can't bring himself to stop writing the “Buffy” comic. “It's like a drug,” the writer said. On that front, Whedon said he hasn't had to give writer Brian K. Vaughan a great deal of notes on his upcoming arc on “Buffy: Season 8,” because “he's one of the best writers in comics.” After BKV's run is done, Whedon is writing two one-shot issues, to be followed by an arc by Drew Goddard.

- Whedon then took a moment to tell the audience about a pet project he's been working on for some time: “I'm composing the score for a short film, a ballet starring Summer Glau.” The film is called “The Serving Girl,” and Whedon is reportedly in talks with a “great choreographer.”

- Whedon then spoke to IDW's upcoming “Angel: After the Fall,” written by Brian Lynch. It was after reading Lynch's “Spike: Asylum” that Whedon was struck with how completely the writer had captured his characters' voices. “It's a maxiseries, 12 issues, not continuing indefinitely as ‘Buffy' seems to be,” Whedon said. Then the writer teased, “I have an ending for [“Buffy”] Season 8, but I know what happens in Season 9.”

- Since “Angel” was cancelled prematurely --so far as Whedon and company were concerned-- he'd always had ideas for the show's life beyond season 5. “Angel: After the Fall” is “somewhat derived from what might have been season 6,” Whedon said. It shows what happens after the battle of Wolfram and Hart, and since a comic doesn't have the same budgetary restrictions as a TV series, Whedon assured fans, “What happened was really bad.”

- When asked what has been his favorite character to write for, Whedon admitted that can change on a day-to-day basis, but at present it's Illyria. After seeing Amy Acker's brilliant portrayal of Lady Capulet in a performance of Shakespeare's “Romeo and Juliet,” Whedon became aware of the actress' untapped potential. And, in keeping with tradition, Whedon decided the only way to help her was to kill her. He fondly recalls work-shopping the character with Amy and her fellow “Angel” star Alexis Denisof, and made it a point to write most of the character's dialogue himself.

- Whedon ended the discussion with a sincere thank-you to everyone in the audience. “It's been a rough couple of years, because I assume I've been forgotten,” Whedon said. “And them I come here. Your support means everything.”