20 Questions with Dan Didio

DiDio has agreed to be grilled bi-weekly here at Newsarama, with answers to 20 questions posted every other Wednesday. We’re kicking things off this week with 20 questions that cover everything from the art on Final Crisis #7 to the Red Circle and Milestone characters, what’s going on with Batman, why there wasn’t a celebration for Superman’s 70th, and more.

Here's some Titan-related news from Didio:

5) While we’re talking about new characters coming in, let’s talk about the Milestone characters. The solicitations for November show that the Shadow Cabinet is showing up in Justice League in December...

DD: Right – The Shadow Cabinet and Icon will be appearing in Justice League of America. Static will appear in Terror Titans to start, and then will make his way over to Teen Titans. As a matter of fact, we’re going to have a Teen Titans Annual coming out early next year, and that really gives us a chance to showcase Static, and how he fits into our pantheon of young heroes in the DCU.

and

13) Moving away from the books for a second and into staffing – recently you added one of my old editors – Brian Cunningham late of Wizard joined the DC staff. What brought him in, and what’s he working on?

DD: Brian was one of my first contacts over at Wizard when I first got into DC. He and I struck up a friendship over the years and a good working relationship as well. He’s incredibly knowledgeable about the characters, and because of the changes that took place over at Wizard and circumstances that were opening up over here, I was able to bring him in as an editor in the DC Universe.

What’s great about it is that he hits the ground running and has the respect of the talent pool and peers on the floor. More importantly, he has an incredible knowledge of the DC Universe and the desire to do well with our characters. He’s taking over a couple of books that I was working on – the Power Girl book, he’ll be wrapping up El Diablo (which Keith Giffen says was being passed around editors like a bong), and will be working with Liz Gerhlin on Teen Titans and Titans and then ultimately taking those one. He reports directly to Eddie Berganza, so he’ll be involved with a bucket load of Blackest Night material this coming year as well.

14) Let’s start looking at some of the franchises in a broad view. Since you mentioned it, let’s start with the Teen Titans books. Sometimes I get the feeling that you enjoy pushing the love/hate relationship that readers have with the Teen Titans as far as you can, but right now, you’ve got a fairly loud chorus of “What th-?” with the treatment of Wendy and Marvin – to put it politely. What is the larger plan here between the Teen Titans and Titans?

DD: Let’s go through some broad strokes – as it happens, I know the editor during that period of time on the book very well, and can tell you what they were attempting to do with the series. First things first, we wanted to energize the series. I’m going to use a weird Marvel reference for the Teen Titans...there was a time when the Avengers were first introduced, they had all the heavy hitters. Ultimately what happened was that it wasn’t until they shifted the team to Hawkeye, Quicksilver Scarlet Witch with Captain America that it really seemed to gel and take on a life of its own.

So the primary goal for us with Teen Titans was to establish our secondary characters and then build them up interestingly, and then reintroduce higher level stars to the book to bring it prominence. I felt that if we got the core very strong, and readers knew exactly who Blue Beetle was, along with Red Devil and Wonder Girl and even Miss Martian, I felt it would help the overall series, because if we were successful with that core group, as we added in more characters, the success would continue. So we’re adding Static, and there will be a couple of big surprises along the way over the course of ht efirst half of 2009 that will excite and reenergize so many of the Teen Titans fans.

On the Titans side, there’s always the question of what’s the reasoning behind the team? On the Titans team, we wanted to bring the classic team together, and it’s interesting to say that, but the Wolfman-Perez team is now truly the “classic” team. We wanted to bring them back in the best light possible. The problem with that was that we had the Flash with the Justice League, Arsenal was with the Outsiders, Nightwing was sometimes with the Outsiders, so why would they come together?

Of any book that we have in the DC Universe right now, this book is the most about family and friends. These guys are truly a family unit. They’ve supported each other over the years, they’ve been there, they make it apriority to help each other. So we wanted to present that story as much as possible. That’s the reason why our introductory story for the series was the Trigon story. The Trigon story challenged Raven’s families – her actual family versus her adopted family.

You’ll start to see us explore that – what it means to be a Titan, and more importantly, the sacrifices that you make and the stands that you have to make in order to support your friends and your extended family. That is, in fact, what the Jericho story is about – there will be a twist at the end of Decisions #4 that explain the motivations of Jericho and the problems with Jericho. That storyline spins back into Titans, and becomes an important storyline for Titans, Teen Titans and Vigilante in the first half of next year.

So that’s where we’re going there. Let me go back for a minute to Wendy, since you mentioned her earlier. Wendy actually plays a key role in the DC Universe, believe it or not, following her story in Teen Titans. Her injury, her coma sets off a chain of events throughout the DCU that brings about one of the most startling changes in the DC Universe by the middle of next year. Once you find out who her father is, we start connecting the dots from there.

Alternate Red Devil by Eddy Barrows

Eddy Barrows posts on his blog: "Hey, guys. Here's an alternate version for Red Devil's new look. This look won't be used, but I hope you all like it!"



Like it? I like it better than his current costume!

What do you guys think?

Also, check out Eddy's blog for more Teen Titans art.

Pencils by Julian Lopez

Julian Lopez has posted some of his TITANS pencils on his blog. He can draw TITANS any time!


Check out his blog for more!

Titans In January

DC Comics has released solicitation information and images for new comics and products shipping in January, 2009.

TEEN TITANS #67
Written by Sean McKeever
Art by Fernando Dagnino
Cover by Eddy Barrows & Ruy Jose
A “Faces of Evil” issue! The war in Hell has created enough confusion for Brother Blood to escape, and guest star Kid Eternity leads the villain right to the Teen Titans' doorstep! With the recruitment drive still under way, is the team prepared to face this new attack?
On sale January 28 ‘‘‚¬Â¢ 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

TITANS #9
Written by Judd Winick
Art by Howard Porter
Cover by Tony Daniel
A “Faces of Evil” issue! With Jericho around, no one is safe. He can hide in plain sight, and he’s far more powerful than he’s ever been before. Even those best equipped to understand and deal with him — his old teammates the Titans — are at a loss this time. What is his ultimate goal, and whom will he possess next to attain it?
On sale January 14 ‘‘‚¬Â¢ 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

TERROR TITANS #4
Written by Sean McKeever
Art and cover by Joe Bennett & Jack Jadson
The hidden champion of the Dark Side club is revealed — Milestone’s own Static, in his shocking introduction to the modern DC Universe! Since proving too powerful for the confines of the Club, Static has been kept under lock, key and heavy sedation in its basement cells. Now he’s unleashed against Ravager as her ultimate test!
On sale January 7 ‘‘‚¬Â¢ 4 of 6 ‘‘‚¬Â¢ 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

TINY TITANS #12
Written by Art Baltazar & Franco
Art and cover by Art Baltazar
Everyone’s favorite brainiac, Psimon, is back and the Science Club will never be the same. Meanwhile, Raven shows just what a tough cookie she is, and Aqualad and his new friend come to a Pet Club meeting in stately Wayne Manor.
On sale January 21 ‘‘‚¬Â¢ 32 pg, FC, $2.50 US

FACES OF EVIL: DEATHSTROKE #1
Written by David Hine
Art by Georges Jeanty
Cover by Ladronn
Deathstroke nearly died fighting Geo-Force in DCU: LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT, and now he needs to rebuild himself. He's not about to let a near death experience make him lose his place as one of the most dangerous villains in the DCU. Where will he start? What's next for the Terminator? And how high will the body count be when he's finished?
On sale January 21 ‘‘‚¬Â¢ 32 pg, one shot, FC, $2.99 US

NIGHTWING #152
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Art by Don Kramer & Jay Liesten
Cover by Brian Stelfreeze
A “Faces of Evil” issue! In this epilogue to “Batman R.I.P.” and “The Great Leap,” both Nightwing and Dick Grayson are forced to deal with startling and tragic recent events, and things will never ever be the same — especially with Ra’s al Ghul involved!
On sale January 14 ‘‘‚¬Â¢ 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

ROBIN #182
Written by Fabian Nicieza
Art by Freddie E. Williams II
Cover by Brian Stelfreeze
The stunning conclusion to “Search for a Hero” and a “Faces of Evil” issue! In order to stop Anarky, do you impose order with an iron fist or embrace chaos? Or can Robin find a different way? After “Batman R.I.P.,” Gotham City demands a better class of hero, and the new Robin is going to give them exactly what they deserve...
On sale January 21 ‘‘‚¬Â¢ 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

BLUE BEETLE #35
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Carlo Barberi
Cover by Rafael Albuquerque
As the fallout from Doctor Polaris's meddling in the affairs of El Paso fades, a new threat rears its multiple ugly heads. Who is the KDRA and what purpose will Blue Beetle's scarab fulfill? And even more terrifying, will Beetle and friends survive the upcoming Valentine's Day Dance?
On sale January 28 ‘‘‚¬Â¢ 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

FINAL CRISIS #7
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Doug Mahnke & Christian Alamy
Covers by J.G. Jones and Doug Mahnke
The dramatic finale to the epic, seven-part saga of the DC multiverse concludes with an apocalyptic battle for the soul of humanity that must be seen to be believed! Can the heroes of 52 Earths save the multiverse? And is the only way to save it, to change it forever?
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers by J.G. Jones and Doug Mahnke that will ship in approximately 50/50 ratio. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale January 28 ‘‘‚¬Â¢ 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US

TINY TITANS VOL. 1: WELCOME TO THE TREEHOUSE TP
Written by Art Baltazar & Franco
Art and cover by Art Baltazar
Discover what life is like for the young heroes of Sidekick Elementary in this new collection featuring TINY TITANS #1-6! Kid-friendly versions of the Teen Titans and their rogues gallery star in this fun, light-hearted, all-ages romp beautifully written and illustrated by Art Baltazar and Franco (Patrick the Wolf Boy)!
Advance-solicited; on sale February 4 ‘‘‚¬Â¢ 144 pg, FC, $12.99 US

Titans #6 Preview

Julian Lopez has posted a preview to Titans #6 - pencils with finished pages on his blog. The art is very nice! They should snatch up Lopez as ongoing artist. It's dynamic, it's great storytelling, the characters look great. Lopez' Evil Raven looks awesome.

The story? ehhh.... this issue is my make-or-break

"She's Gone All Wicked Witch of the West" ?

maybe Winick can write for SMALLVILLE.

Gray & Palmiotti on Terra

It's been two years since first word came of DC Comics' all-new "Terra" series, featuring a heroine that is definitely not the traitorous teen from Marv Wolfman and George Perez’s famed Teen Titans story "The Judas Contract," but definitely is connected to the legendary turncoat in unknown ways.

While the long wait for the character who saw guest appearances back in "Supergirl" #12 and "World War III" runs the risk of turning away fans burned by advanced buzz, co-writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti (“Jonah Hex”) aren't making excuses but rather promises as to the four-issue Amanda Connor-illustrated series' creative successes when it finally debuts in November.

[...] "The challenge has always been to find a way to connect this Terra to the previous and with a few twists I think we’ve done that," said Gray. "You can’t stick too heavily with existing mythology when creating someone new because that lessens them as a character. Terra needs to stand out as her own girl and she does that. "

And as readers who saw the new Terra's debut in Gray & Palmiotti’s "Supergirl" solo shot, the teen rock slinger has a notably sunnier outlook than her predecessor and many other modern heroes. The tone comes with a purpose and a challenge. "We wanted her to stand in opposition of the existing anti-hero mold and especially from Tara Markov in terms of personality and drive," Gray noted, with his partner adding, "It’s easy to do dark characters all the time and get into that rut, so when we approached the idea of a new Terra, we wanted to go back to the seemingly old fashioned values of classic superheroes and update them at the same time.

Read the whole article here.

Van Skiver Talks About Wally's New Look

Newsarama talked to Ethan Van Sciver about his upcoming work on Flash: Rebirth, Blackest Night and the mysterious Wonder Woman project with Gail Simone.

NRAMA: One last question about Flash: Rebirth. Is it true that you're redesigning Wally West's costume for that series?

EVS: That's correct. He will have a very interesting and exciting new costume that will establish his own unique identity in the Flash Universe. When you see it, it will be instantly familiar. Nobody's going to freak out. It's not suddenly blue. He's not reverting to the costume he wore as an infant, or as Kid Flash. It's just a handy new look that fits right in, just like everything I've done. I just try to keep everything so that it looks like I didn't create it. It was already there. I believe in that, because I'm very humble. And very helpful.

NRAMA: [laughs] And that's the kind of change we need.

For the full interview, click here.

I trust in Johns & Van Skiver to do Wally proud.

My Take On "The Graysons"

Earlier this week, The CW rocked the comics world with news of a pilot in development called "The Graysons," which would "follow the world of Dick "DJ" Grayson before he takes on the iconic Robin identity and aligns himself with Batman." It seems the CW is taking a page from the successful "Smallville" series, now in its 8th season. Heck, it even has the same producers. Comic fans have strong opinions on "Smallville"; I'm not much of a fan, although I've followed the series throughout its run. Whether you like it or not, you can't argue with the show's mainstream success and appeal.

Newsarama's blog asked me to weigh in on the series. UPDATE: Here's some other takes in addition to my own. Looks like I'm the most long-winded of the bunch. That's what happend when you get me started! Here's my thoughts on the news....

DJ or Not DJ

First, let me just mention that Nightwing is my all-time favorite character. He's got one of the most unique and rich histories of any comic character. And he's one of the few to actually grow up in front of our eyes. Heck, he's one of the reasons why I created titanstower.com.

So, "The Graysons." What's a long-time wingnut to think?

A lot of die-hard fans have objected to the idea of calling Dick Grayson "DJ." I am not one of them. I think DC should have taken advantage of one of their continuity reboots ("Crisis on Infinite Earths," "Zero Hour" or "Infinite Crisis," take your pick) to alter Dick's genetalia-icious namesake. His full name is Richard Grayson, after all. Post-reboot, if could have been easily altered to Rick Grayson (Rick is still a derivation of Richard and also rhymnes with "Dick") Let's face it, no one under the age of fifty would choose to be called "Dick." So, whatever, call him DJ, it's all good. It's also the least of my concerns.

Meet "The Graysons"

I think the show will find some challenges in how to meld the history of Dick Grayson and the DC characters into "The Graysons." "Smallville" had the advantage of Superman's entire legacy of family, friends and foes. I'm not sure how successfully "The Graysons" could meld in the Batman mythos, since many of those characters are specific to their interactions with Batman. And, especially, if Batman has not yet debuted in Gotham. Who knows what the producers are planning? Much like "Smallville", I'd expect "The Graysons" to take some liberties with the DCU characters and their timelines.

So, what do I hope for as a Dick Grayson (or, "DJ" Grayson) fan? First and foremost, I think they need to nail down the character of DJ himself. He's honest, loyal, smart, close to his family, intensively protective and dangerously curious. I think it's also important to figure out ways to propel the stories. If it were up to me, I'd have the pilot episode take place days after the mysterious "Batman" sightings in Gotham City. Intrigued by this urban myth, fourteen year old DJ would intensely follow this larger-than-life hero's adventures through newspaper and media. Inspired by this bold new hero, DJ would seek out trouble as Haley's Traveling Circus rode from town to town, often embroiling himself in situations that would call upon his acrobatic abilities and burgeoning detective skills.

The show would track DJ's progress, as he learns to become a hero. Tweaking the Robin/Batman timeline, the death of DJ's parents would have to occur on the very last episode, where we would witness the origin of Robin. Whether this happens after 3, 5 or 7 years would depend on the popularity of "The Graysons."

Haley's Circus

The circus backdrop lends itself to a cast of colorful and interesting characters. It's also a natural way for the show to introduce a variety of characters with strange abilities. Here's some suggestions for the main cast (you might recognize some, comic fans!):

John and Mary Grayson: From a long line of circus folks, John and Mary uphold the proud family tradition and regard Haley Circus as their home and its residents as their family. The Graysons don't own Haley's circus, but they do run it. A blend of old fashioned showmanship and new era extravaganza, Haley's Circus also becomes a haven for outsiders and those cursed with strange powers.

Grant "The Amazing Ravager" Wilson: Fans will know he is the son of Deathstroke, destined to die tragically as the first Ravager. But in this series, Grant is a troubled and tough marksman and therefore, knife thrower, for Haleys. Grant ran away from his family a year ago. He's best friends with DJ Grayson, but in many ways, the boys are polar opposites. With his severe anger issues, Grant would be the series "bad boy." As the series progressed, we'd see rising tensions and encounters with his father, the world-famous secret assassin. The Grant/DJ friendship could give the show the same vibe as the ill-fated Lex/Clark friendship. Plus, the show gets a fantatsic recurring villain in Deatshtroke!

"The Great Zatara" and his daughter, Zatanna: In the comics, Zatanna is a magic-wielding heroine. In this series, she has no powers, but she's got her own bag of tricks. Popular escape artist and magician Zatara is accompanied by his clever teenaged daughter and apprentice, Zatanna. Zatanna (Zee, for short) is close friends with DJ, and the willful teenaged girl helps him get out of tight spots with her escape-artist training and smoke-and-mirrors tricks. Zatanna would be intrigued by DJ's adventures and become his "side-kick," or a sort. And hell yes, she's got to wear the fishnets on stage.

Lilith "The Omen" Clay: Titans fans know her as Omen, the mysterious mind reader who long sought the truths behind her origins. For this series, Lilith would be a mentalist - "The Omen" - at Haley Circus, able to read minds and sometimes see the future. Lilith would also be on a quest to find her true parents and try to learn the source of her powers. Lilith is often scared of her powers and wonders whether they are a blessing or a curse. Withdrawn and troubled, Lilith is drawn to DJ's strength and confidence. Lilith provides some "super-power" vibe to the cast, but without overshadowing DJ. Her presense would also open up new story possibilities into the unexplained and supernatural. Her powers would also help DJ seek out crime from town to town.

For the first season, I'd create a season arc with two of Haley Circus' own residents: The bizarre brain-in-a-jar called "The Brain" and the talking genius gorilla, Mallah. The two masterminds would recruit fellow freaks (Houngan, Phobia, and others) and commit secrets crimes as the circus traveled from place to place. Seeing themselves as united in freakdom, Brain and Mallah would refer to their enclave as "The Brotherhood."

Bring On The DCU

It's a little harder figuring in Bat-characters, but I'd love to see a "team up" with a teenaged pre-Batgirl Barbara Gordon, an encounter with carnie-freak Croc, a run-in with a mysterious burgler known as the Catwoman. And, for sweeps, what's a circus without a clown? The circus would be the perfect backdrop for the Joker's version of "The Greatest Show On Earth," his own twisted circus extravaganza. It might be nice, in later seasons, for DJ Grayson to meet a precocious Tim Drake or a street urchin with an attitude named Jason Todd. Some other characters that might be useful in "The Graysons" may include Clayface, Lady Shiva, David Cain, Poison Ivy, Firefly, The Mad Hatter, and The Scarecrow.

Titans characters are a bit easier, since many of them are teens, and would fit well with a similarly aged DJ Grayson. Also, the Titans has its share of non-powered super guys, as well as teenagers that recieved accidental powers they have trouble dealing with. I can imagine tales that would involve archer Roy Harper (Speedy) in a possible recurring role as Grant's rival, carnie-kid Beast Boy, and perhaps the rest of the freakish Doom Patrol with him (especially is the show can establish a version of "The Brotherhood"). Some other Titans that could fit "The Graysons" universe could be Aqualad, Raven, Cyborg, Wally West, Magenta, Danny Chase, Flamebird, Thunder & Lightning and Pantha. And with Grant and Slade Wilson around, It would be great to see the rest of the Wilson clan (Joseph, Rose and Addie) eventually.

The show could also accomodate some of the Titans' most famous adversaries, like Brother Blood (a dangerous cult leader who lives off the energy of his followers), The H.I.V.E. (a vast criminal network), and even Cheshire and Vigilante as teenagers. With Lilith in the cast, I can also imagine her bad-seed illusion casting brother, Haze, as a recurring nemesis/frenemy. I would also take a page from the animated series and cast Gizmo as an annoying high-tech teen terror and Red X as a mysterious thief.

Then there's Nightwing's own rogue's gallery. Blockbuster might serve as a useful recurring nemesis with a vast crime network. It would also be natural for DJ Grayson to meet Double Dare, a pair of acrobatic thieves.

Some other DC characters could fit into "The Graysons," such as The Creeper or Deadman (who had circus origins himself).

Hey, CW, if you need a consulant, just give me a holler!

Seriously, though, if the show wants to please fans while striking its own path, it needs to be true to the character of Dick Grayson and his universe of characters. If the source material is treated with respect while creating an entertaining program, the show can have a successful run.

Bill Walko
titanstower.com

What you y'all think?

What's your take on "The Graysons"?

The Return of Howard Porter

This week sees the return of the name Howard Porter to comics with the release of DC Universe: Decisions #2, the artist doing interior work on the comic before becoming the regular penciler on Titans in November. Newsarama talked to Porter about the injury and what got him back to drawing.

NRAMA: And you're the regular penciler on Titans now, right?

HP: Yeah. I'm going to be doing at least a couple story arcs coming up. And I'm working with Judd [Winick] again. I enjoy his scripts. And there's a JLA vs. Titans story that's coming up, so that will be neat. I'll get to draw the JLA again.

NRAMA: Let's go back for a second to when you first picked up that pencil again, Howard. You had a sketchbook there with you for whenever you weren't driving?

HP: I took it with me in the bus. There's time that you're just sitting there waiting to be called to get in line to pick up the kids.

Read the whole interview here.

Terror Titans - Sean McKeever Spills

Sean McKeever talked to Newsarama about the current TERROR TITANS mini-series:

NRAMA: There was a lot of teasing this weekend about this being a pretty violent mini-series. Between what you're saying about Joe's art being violent and these being psycho characters, it sounds like that's true. Is it safe to assume readers are going to see some blood?

SM: They're going to see some blood. Bob Wayne joked this weekend that they were having trouble printing all the other books on time because all the red ink is being used up in Terror Titans. [laughs] They're called “Terror Titans” for a reason.

NRAMA: But with Static in this mini-series, it's pretty clear that all the events in this comic will lead into what's coming up in Teen Titans during this "new era" you've talked about, right?

SM: In Teen Titans, we currently have a three-part arc called “Pawns & Kings,” but after that, we have a five-part arc starting in December, which is the recruitment drive, and that arc is called the "New Teen Titans." And it goes through the Faces of Evil in January, which will feature Brother Blood, and there is going to be some twists and turns until Part 5 of the arc is a Teen Titans Annual in April.

NRAMA: This all ramps up toward an Annual?

SM: Yep. And there are a lot of things happening between now and then that are worthy of an Annual. Plus, that comes out after the last issue of Terror Titans, so I think you can draw some conclusions from that.

Read the whole interview here!

CW Developing New Show Around Dick Grayson

With SMALLVILLE winding down, it looks like the CW is preparing a similar-minded show starring everyone's favorite Titan: Dick Grayson. I'll always been iffy on SMALLVILLE, so this project leaves me feeling a little... dubious.

Variety Reports:

Holy prequel, Boy Wonder, the CW is prepping a series based on Batman sidekick Robin’s pre-Caped Crusader days.

"Smallville" exec producers Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson, as well as "Supernatural" exec producer McG, are behind "The Graysons," which has landed a put pilot commitment at the netlet.

Just as "Smallville" focused on Clark Kent in the years before he became Superman, "The Graysons" will follow the world of Dick "DJ" Grayson before he takes on the iconic Robin identity and aligns himself with Batman.

Project reps the latest DC Comics franchise to be mined for the smallscreen by sibling Warner Bros. TV. McG’s Wonderland Sound and Vision label is also attached.

Souders, Peterson, McG and Wonderland’s Peter Johnson will exec produce.

"The Graysons" is seen as a potential replacement for "Smallville" should that show end its run this season, which has been speculated. Should "Smallville" return next year, "The Graysons" might also make a strong companion piece.

CW insiders said they also see the "Graysons" development as a validating gesture by Warner Bros. that the company is still behind its 50% investment in the netlet, particularly following this fall’s strong openings for "Gossip Girl" and newbie "90210." They believe the studio wouldn’t risk bringing one of its prized franchises to CW if it believed the net was in dire straits.

In the one-hour "Graysons," which will be set in modern times, young DJ will face challenges involving first loves, young rivals and his family as he grows up. Souders and Peterson have come up with an original take on the character.

In the original Batman mythology, Grayson was a young acrobat and part of the family act called "The Flying Graysons." He was orphaned when a gangster sabotaged his parents’ trapeze equipment. Bruce Wayne took him under his wing and trained him to help fight crime.

Grayson later morphed into the character of Nightwing, as part of "The New Teen Titans," and a series of new Robin replacements were introduced.

Souders and Peterson serve as showrunners (along with Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer) on "Smallville," which has just entered its eighth season. They’ve been with the hit drama since season two, and helped successfully transition the show following the departure of longtime toppers Miles Millar and Al Gough.

In features, Peterson wrote "But I’m a Cheerleader," while Souders was behind "Tell Me."

McG’s credits also include NBC’s "Chuck" and the upcoming feature "Terminator Salvation." "The Graysons" reps McG’s second DC Comics sale this year: Wonderland is also behind the Fox project "Human Target," which Jon Steinberg is writing.

CW predecessor the WB tackled the Batman mythology with 2002’s short-lived "Birds of Prey," which followed a group of female superheroes who flew in to protect Gotham after Batman disappeared.

Burt Ward, of course, played Dick Grayson/Robin in the campy 1965-68 TV series "Batman." And several animated versions of the Batman story have appeared on the smallscreen through the years, most recently KidsWB’s "The Batman."

Bob Kane created the DC Comics characters.

Titans News From Baltimore

Some Titans & Teen Titans news came out of the Baltimore Comiccon; Newsarama reports:

Power Girl and Geo-Force will appear in the coming Terra miniseries by Palmiotti, Justin Gray and Conner, which is shipping this fall as well. McKeever added that Terra also appears in Terror Titans, noting that currently in his scripts, she’s being beaten up.

Speaking of Teen Titans, the writer joked that his plan all along has been to reduce the team to one Titan, but on the serious side, explained that the recent spate of deaths and departures sets the team up for the coming recruitment drive, in a storyline (“Kings and Pawns”) which will see Bombshell return as well as Wonder Girl’s nephew – who wants to take her place as Ares’ champion - appear.

McKeever’s Terror Titans debuts this week (look for a preview on Newsarama early in the week), and features, “Lots of conniving, lots of controlling and lots of blood,” according to McKeever. “It’s a whole lot of teen superheroes beating the crap out of each other – and there’s story too.”

Asked by DiDio what was special about Terror Titans #4, McKeever said that the issue will guest-star Static, from the Milestone Universe, which will be his first official DCU appearance.

Before opening to questions...DiDio spoke about the “Faces of Evil” theme that will run through January’s titles, as previously reported on by Newsarama. While the villains of the DC Universe will be given a chance to shine with spotlight stories in the mainstream hero titles shipping that month, four associated Specials shipping in January were also announced:

Deathstroke - set after the events of DC Universe: Last Will and Testament.

Didio also confirms that Howard Porter is now the permanent artist on Titans.