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Eddy Barrows Leaves TEEN TITANS

In Newsarama's 20 Questions with Dan Didio this week, Didio says this: " In Action, we’re going to see some major changes – Superman will not be featured in Action Comics. The stars of Action will be the new team of Flamebird and Nightwing. Flamebird is a character we’ve seen, but this is the first time we’re seeing her in costume. Nightwing is a character that we’ve known in the DCU for a little while, but he’s new to the Nightwing costume as well. The team on that book will be Greg Rucka with Eddy Barrows. Eddy will be moving over from Teen Titans."

I'll miss Eddy on TEEN TITANS. After many creative teams and artists, I was growing fond of the McKeever/Barrows team!

Three Characters Debut in TEEN TITANS #65

As teased earlier this week, TEEN TITANS #65 features the debut of three new characters in the Titansverse. The issue hits the stands today. These characters... some of you know them, but it will be their first interaction with the Titans proper. But, they all have a history with the Titans.

Intrigued?

A few months ago, TEEN TITANS artist Eddy Barrows decided to include three real-life people in an upcoming issues of TEEN TITANS, as a tribute to our dedication to all things Titans. One of them would be me, Bill Walko, your dedicated caretaker of titanstower.com. And my two friends on the train include Brazilian Titans blogger Tarcísio Aquino and Marcus Mebes, colorist and frequent contributor to the George Pérez Newsletter.


Here's a little journey from pencils to inks....





Thanks, Eddy! Now let's hope we are able to avoid Didio's killstick of death...

Exclusive DC Preview: Teen Titans #65

Newsarama has posted a preview of TEEN TITANS #65:

Written by Sean McKeever; Art and Cover by Eddy Barrows and Ruy Jose After creating a deadly threat to keep the rest of the Teen Titans busy, Wonder Girl's new enemy challenges her in open combat. Alone and weakening by the moment, Wonder Girl must fight for incredibly high stakes – lose, and her powers are forfeit! DC Universe | 32pg. | Color | $2.99 US On Sale November 26, 2008

Returning to the Gun: Marv Wolfman on 'Vigilante'

Newsarama reports: " Introduced recently in Nightwing #133 by Marv Wolfman (who created the original modern-day Viglante in 1983’s New Teen Titans Annual #2), his true identity remains a secret but his style does not. The new Vigilante moves on to his own ongoing series this December, with Wolfman and artist Rick Leonardi in what's been described as an integral part of the DCU Universe. All we know is this --- one DC superhero has turned against the other heroes, and Vigilante must put a stop to it."

"NRAMA: You introduced this new Vigilante character during your recent run on Nightwing – was it happenstance that he got his own series, or was that the game plan all along?

MW: I think knowing I had wanted to write a more serious crime book, Dan Didio asked me to create a new Vigilante in Nightwing to spin off into his own title if the character warranted it. Because of circumstances, the Nightwing story ended two issues earlier than planned, and the Vigilante title was supposed to pick up on that only a few months later, but for various reasons the title was delayed until the rest of the Election/Conspiracy story could be worked out.

NRAMA: But now it's on the schedule and due in stores later this year.

The identity of this new Vigilante is a bit of a mystery -- is it a mystery we'll be finding out answers to anytime soon, and does it have a connection to previous Vigilantes?

MW: As I said, we will learn who the new Vigilante is, but not in the first issues. Hints will be given but we also won't drag it out too long. Although there are connections to previous characters, who he is in the DCU is less important than his life itself. We will be following a character in the midst of personal redemption and hopefully his personal story will be of interest as well as the individual plots themselves."

Read the whole interview here.

Titans In February

Full solits here.

TEEN TITANS #68
Written by Sean McKeever
Art and cover by Eddy Barrows and Ruy Jose
Kid Eternity is back in this issue featuring an “Origins and Omens” backup tale! But is he here to stay? In part 3 of "The New Teen Titans," learn how the Kid's struggle with the Lords of Chaos and Order has progressed, why his abilities are on the fritz and how his arrival creates major problems for his teammates!
On sale February 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

TITANS #10
Written by Judd Winick
Art and cover by Howard Porter
Featuring an “Origins and Omens” backup story! It’s Titans vs. the JLA! In the aftermath of DCU: DECISIONS #4, the JLA wants Jericho, but the Titans don't give up on one of their own. In the end, though, it looks like they’ll lose another member!
On sale February 11 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

TERROR TITANS #5
Written by Sean McKeever
Art and cover by Joe Bennett & Jack Jadson
As the Terror Titans wrestle with the revelations brought about by Clock King's trials, one teen stands triumphant in the Dark Side Club tournament. The winner will lead Clock King's newly formed army to their first – and final – target.
On sale February 4 • 5 of 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

TINY TITANS #13
Written by Art Baltazar & Franco
Art and cover by Art Baltazar
Everyone’s favorite know-it-all, 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.
Retailers, please note: This issue contains stories that were originally solicited to appear in issue #12.
On sale February 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.50 US

NIGHTWING #153
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Art and cover by Don Kramer & Jay Leisten
It’s the fateful, final “Batman” Last Rites” issue featuring an “Origins and Omens” backup! As Robin, Dick Grayson fought alongside Batman as part of the dynamic duo, the greatest crime-fighting team in history. As Nightwing, he teamed up with his peers to combat injustice in the Titans and the Outsiders. Now, Dick Grayson faces the most important battle of his life. Batman is dead. The Mantle of the Bat must be passed, but it will require all of Dick’s training and skills to carry out the last wishes of Bruce Wayne and protect Gotham City. Will it be enough to protect himself from the dangers that await him? Or is this the last the world will see of Nightwing?
FINAL ISSUE • On sale February 4 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

ROBIN #183
Written by Fabian Nicieza
Art and cover by Freddie E. Williams II
A “Batman: Last Rites” tie-in and featuring an “Origins and Omens” backup story! Gotham City has found a new hero and his name is Robin – but with a battle for Batman's cowl looming, is Tim Drake ready to become something more? Guest-starring Jason Todd and Lady Shiva. And don’t worry, this final issue doesn’t mark the end of Robin – it’s just the start of an all-new beginning!
FINAL ISSUE • On sale February 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

BLUE BEETLE #36
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Carlo Barberi
Cover by Rafael Albuquerque
Say goodbye to the bravest Teen Titan of them all as Blue Beetle takes on a whole space army all on his lonesome in a tale so epic it could only be called the “Valentine’s Day Dance Massacre”!
FINAL ISSUE • On sale February 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

VIGILANTE #3
Written by Marv Wolfman Cover by Walter Simonson
Art by Rick Leonardi & John Stanisci
Featuring an “Origins and Omens” backup story! Released from prison, Vigilante has learned that the Titans are the key to the mystery behind the recent election bombings. In order to flush out Jericho, the traitor on their team, Vigilante must confront the Titans to learn which one is harboring the former hero.
On sale February 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

TEEN TITANS SPOTLIGHT: CYBORG TP
Written by Mark Sable
Art by Ken Lashley, Carlos Magno and Jonathan Glapion
Cover by Ken Lashley
The 6-issue DC SPECIAL: CYBORG miniseries is collected in this new trade paperback spinning out of TEEN TITANS. Vic Stone has a new foe — one who was a friend, and has been turned into a killing machine by the mysterious Mr. Orr!
Advance-solicited; on sale March 18 • 144 pg, FC, $19.99 US

Hail and Farewell: Sturges on Blue Beetle's End

As announced by DC Executive Editor Dan DiDio in Wednesday's 20 Answers/1 Question interview here on Newsarama, the Blue Beetle ongoing series is coming to an end. Newsarama talked to Sturges about the cancellation, and during the conversation, the writer announced that one of the title's characters will die along with the series in Blue Beetle #36.

NRAMA: But this has got to be a disappointment for you, isn't it?

MS: It is. You know, it was a thing where, just when I thought I was getting into my groove, I found out it was time to start wrapping it up. So I felt like I never really had a chance to mature into the book and make it my own.

NRAMA: Do you know what's going to happen with Jaime?

MS: He's in Teen Titans and will be in that book for the foreseeable future. He's a character that DC cares about. Obviously, he's important to Warner and DC, since he's one of the characters in the new Batman: Brave and the Bold animated series. So people can still get their Jaime fix there as well as in Teen Titans. Jaime's definitely not going anywhere. It's just that this title apparently didn't work out for the long term.

NRAMA: Before this interview, I looked up recent online reviews and comments about the Blue Beetle comic, and they were enthusiastically positive lately. Why do you think there's such a disconnect between reviews and sales?

MS: Well, there are two kinds of comic book readers. There are the kind that spend a lot of time on the internet and write reviews, and I think those people like a different kind of book than your average comic book buyer. Comic book buyers want big characters and big events, and we didn't have those things in Blue Beetle. It was a special book; it was a different book that focused on character interaction and humor. And maybe that's just not what the larger market is after.

Read the whole interview here!

20 Questions with Dan Didio

Two weeks ago, Newsarama kicked off a bi-weekly series of 20 questions with DC Executive Editor Dan DiDio. Here's the Titans hightlights from the first installment:

The Future of Nightwing & Robin:
" Needless to say, and to put everybody’s minds at ease, that does not mean we will no longer be telling stories with Barbra Gordon, Dick Grayson or Tim Drake. As a matter of fact, we’re about to increase the level of prominence they have and their importance within the Bat-universe, if people can believe that they can get even more important, which they will. And more importantly, they’re going to be featured prominently in a number o f miniseries that will be following their cancellations. Tim and Dick are front and center in all that happens in Battle for the Cowl, and Barbra Gordon will be moving into an Oracle miniseries"

Blue Beetle is canceled:
" One of the books that I’m most disappointed about in that regard is a book like Blue Beetle, which we are cancelling. That’s a book that we started with very high expectations, but it lost its audience along the way. Recently, we felt that it was standing on firmer ground, and was getting a more positive response. The problem is that the firmer ground and positive response is not enough to keep the book afloat. So unfortunately, we had to cancel that series."

On Jericho & Titans:
" So again – it’s something that will pull the books together in a sense, but after every book has “Origins and Omens,” everybody goes back into their own story again – Superman will be dealing with New Krypton ramifications, “Last Rites” will be playing out in the Batman titles, the Jericho storyline will be going on in Teen Titans, Titans and Vigilante. So everything has things occurring on their own, but we’ll be bringing them together now and then. When we reach Blackest Night, you’ll feel a little bit tighter continuity, but not overwhelming continuity. Each story will progress while Blackest Night is going on, but it will feel like a more cohesive universe."

On Killing Bart Allen:
"Unfortunately that’s not really how things worked out, in terms of cause and effect. Bart was always going to go away, and I think the mistake was that we probably pulled Bart a little too soon, but quite honestly again, that was the problem of lining stories up with Countdown. The Bart story was due to be extended a little bit longer, but due to how things were lining up, he had to leave sooner.

That story’s not complete yet. We’re going to see more of what that story was about shortly – it was always the plan for Bart. He was going to be the Flash of the moment as we made our way back to Barry.

Read it all here!

David Hine on Deathstroke

Wow, I have to say, I'm very impressed with Hine's resreach and his take on Deathstroke. It sounds like we may get a little of the complicated Deathstroke of the 90s... instead of the super-villain he became in the 00s.

CBR recently spoke to David Hine, writer of the upcoming “Faces of Evil: Deathstroke” one-shot come January.

"When I was researching the character I couldn’t help but notice that calamities of a particularly gruesome nature tend to befall his friends and family, usually involving serious mutilation,” explained Hine. “I wanted to explore the effect that the accumulated guilt would be having on him. His last outing against Geo-Force left him seriously injured but his regenerative powers make him almost completely invulnerable.

“In this story, I’ve confronted him with the real possibility that he could die and that knowledge forces him to re-evaluate his life. He needs to rebuild himself both physically and psychologically. So he starts off in an introspective mood.

“Then he goes on a killing spree.”

Hine revealed his story takes place immediately after Deathstroke’s battle with Geo-Force in “Last Will and Testament.” “Deathstroke is mortally wounded and is being held in the hospital wing of the ultra high-security containment center for meta-humans, Belle Reve prison,” said the writer. “Deathstroke has a healing ability that makes him virtually immortal, but this time it looks like he’s lost the will to live. His daughter Rose, a.k.a. Rosie the Ravager, comes to visit him on his deathbed and it looks like there may be some kind of reconciliation. Or it could all go horribly wrong. I did mention the killing spree, didn’t I?”

Besides Deathstroke and Ravager, formerly of the Teen Titans, Hine said there would no other “name” characters in his one-shot, namely Geo-Force or another common Deathstroke foe, Green Arrow. There is, however, “a fair amount of cannon-fodder for the killing spree, but I don’t get to kill anyone who counts,” laughed Hine. “There is also a teaser appearance for a new character, who will have had one other brief appearance before this comes out. She’ll be playing a key role in Deathstroke’s development later next year.”"

Read the whole article here.

If I Ran DC Comics...

There's been a lot of discussion about DC Comics lately. Their sales have been in decline. And in the past 5 years, there's been a lot of reboots and restarts and changes in continuity. Some have met with much success, while others have faltered. Dan Didio has emerged as a contraversial figurehead; Some see him as an innovative leader, while others find his editorial approach ... lacking.

This post is NOT about bashing DC Comics or Didio. This thread is to pose a question: If you were to assume editorial leadership of DC Comics next week, what are the top 5 things you would do? Please, let's not talk about firing people. Let's really approach this as a serious look at what YOU would do if YOU were in Dan Didio's shoes.

My approach is mainly concerned with making DC more approachable, cultivating new talent, and moving the characters and the industry forward.

Here's my 5 things:

1-- ESTABLISH A LOOSE CONTINUITY AND STICK TO IT

Issue: DC's continuity has been problematic since the first Crisis in 1985. There have been various attempts to clean it up and reboot and revise histories of certain characters (see: ZERO HOUR, INFINITE CRISIS, LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES). You'd think some lessons might be learned from the messy continuities that resulted Post-Crisis; But in the past 5 years, there's been additional revising and rebooting to Wonder Woman, Superman, The Legion, Hawkman, Power Girl, The Doom Patrol and others.

Continuity could end up being the death of DC. Because they seem incapable of adapting "soft continuity" and letting it be a bit elastic as time marches on. Instead, they seem intent on rebooting and having a Crisis every 5 years, and going back and explaining and re-explaining and re-telling origins and events. It's great to have a sense of history and build on what has come before... but it's bad when you have continuity OCD.

What I would do: Internally, I would create a small "continuity task force" to help DC establish what their current "continuity" is, for their main characters and the DCU as a whole. This would be a small working timeline and "guide" for each of the main offices (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Titans, JSA, JLA). And then stick to it. It should be elastic enough to evolve with the times, but consistent enough to not confuse readers. And there should be a moritorium on ret-conning character histories.

2-- CULTIVATE NEW TALENT

Issue: Currently, DC doesn't have a strong stable of contract players. Also, spending too much effort in novelists and "Hollywood" talent ultimately delivers dimishing returns.

What I would do: Part of Assistant Editors' duties would be to cultivate new talent. This means being on the lookout for emerging talent on indie titles, Image books, up-and-comers not under contract at Marvel, submissions to DC offices and web comics. The industry has hundreds (thousands?) of people who would love to work at DC Comics, but their submissions go unread, or the up-and-comers are overlooked for the glitter of a "Hollywood" name. As an industry, publishers need to get back into "grass roots" recruitment of talent... and secure the next Robert Kirkman or Dan Slott.

This industry will not flourish with a "Hollywood" guy writing a few comics in his "spare time" every few years. It needs talented, fresh, enthusiastic newcomers who are dedicated to creating comics.

3-- MAKE ANNUALS SPECIAL JUMPING-ON ISSUES

Issue: Annuals used to be special events, but over the years, have been relegated to group events or "filler" tales.

What I would do: I would adopt the "Secret Files" format to Annuals. Each Annual would feature an A-list extra-length story that means something to the ongoing saga of the regular series. The Annuals would also feature updated Who's Who file pages for characters whose histories need updating, or just to give readers a sense of the characters' histories. There could also be smaller/shorter tales that would feature "Lost Pages" (stories never told) or character vignettes. The first page of the Annual would give a rundown of the characters and recent history.

The Annuals would function as done-in-one jumping-on points for new readers. Any time a new reader might be interested in a title, The Annual would be the perfect place to jump in.

4-- DEVELOP A STRONG "HOUSE" EDITORIAL STYLE

Issue: There's just no other way to say this: DC's editorial has gotten soft. I can't recall an era that had so many errors in continuity. And I'm talking about book-to-book continuity as well as individual character histories (this is part of my #1 change concerning continuity...) But also, there are flat-out errrors, even getting character names wrong. And then there's some pretty large "story logic" holes that would not have seen print 20 years ago.

There should also be a sense of fun and community from editors. The way Steve Wacker edits AMAZING SPIDER-MAN right now is a good example of a strong editor. He's brought back editor notes. He's created a fun letter's page. Whether or not you agree with the marriage undo, there's a sense of fun and exciting things happening, and the reader is invited.

What I would do: I would create a number of "new rules" -- a sort of "editorial commandments" for editors, to establish a stronger, more unified, more inviting editorial style across the board...

EDITORS NEED TO KNOW THEIR CONTINUITY: I would create a stronger adherence to the continuity (stemming from my #1 suggestion). Each editor should study the characters they are charged with, and be very familiar with their current status and histories.

EDITORS NEED TO MAKE COMICS ACCESSIBLE: Bring back editor boxes with notes. Don't create comics for 40 year old fanboys. Every issue should ask the question, "is this accessible for new readers?"

EDITORS SHOULD BRING BACK LETTERS PAGES: Dialogue with readers is important.

EDITORS NEED TO KNOW STORY STRUCTURE: No matter who your writer is, or how big a name he is.... if a story has logic holes, they need to be challenged. Editors need a deep understanding of storytelling.

EDITORS HAVE TO MOVE CHARACTER FORWARD, NOT BACKWARD: Nostalgia is great and has a place within stories, But stories shouldn't exist for nostalgia's sake alone. Make sure characters are meeting new challenges, or strive to tell stories in new ways. This also means updating the characters looks to stay modern (X-MEN does an excellent job of this).

EDITORS NEED TO MAKE ALL COMICS LESS "ADULT" IN CONTENT: Less rape, gore and harsh language. Comics can be mature and intense without resorting to coarse content. You shouldn't be afriad to hand an issue of BATMAN or JLA to a 10 year old, fearing the content inside. For that matter, comics can and should be fun. There is room for gritty and realistic, but the overall DC line should also have a mix of different tones and flavors - from light to dark.

RESPECT THE CHARACTERS: These characters have been around longer than you have, and will outlive you as well. Respect them. Stay true to what they are. And don't endorse recklessly killing them, unless there is an excellent story to support it.

COOL IT ON RESTARTS: There has been far too much rebooting and renumbering of DC titles in the last 5 years. Excessive rebooting sort of negates how special #1 issues are. Also, crossovers that promise "bold new directions" get tiresome as well.

This one is a biggie, since there are many smaller issues that need to be addressed. But it all needs to start at DC central. The creators themselves do not all work at DC, and many do not even visit the offices with any frequency unless they live in New York City. It needs to start with the editors. There needs to be a unified standard. I think, in many ways, DC has lost sight of itself. These characters have existed for 60 years and will continue to exist. They need to be cared for and shepharded into the future, yet remain true to their core.

5-- EXPLORE NEW FORMATS AND MEDIA

Issue: Comics sales have been in decline for 20 years. The internet and digital media offer entertainment competition - and at a fraction of the cost.

What I would do: This is quite broad, but I would create initiatives to explore new formats and media. Hopefully, new media formats may even feed more sales into printed media. Also, through new media, distribution can even be cheap. Technology is changing every day, and all printed media needs to look at new forms of media.

That's it. Of course, I've got tons of opinions about the characters themselves, but that's a whole 'nother discussion!

Titans News from Wizard World Texas

Marcus has been kind enough to reports some Titans News from Wizard World Texas!

"This weekend I attended the Wizard World Texas convention. Saturday afternoon, from 4:00 to 5:00, was the Teen Titans Go! forum, hosted by Sean McKeever and Liz Gehrlein. Only a few folks attended, but I made sure I was there.

Two fellows dominated the questions, but I managed to get several in.

1) What's up with Sebastian being a new Brother Blood when Jessica Bennett, daughter of May Bennett, ended the blood line?

Answer: Sebastian is an energy vampire, and not related. His origin and the link to the Bennetts will be revealed in his "faces of evil" issue.

2) Why bother bringing back Jericho, cleanse him of evil, store his body, and then flush him right back down the toilet?

Answer: This is just the BEGINNING of the Jericho storyline. He will be very involved in the two-issue crossover between Titans and Teen TItans. He is slated to be "a major villain in the DCU". I hope hope hope hope that they said that to throw us off.

3) What's Jericho's real name? Joey Wilson or Joey Slade?

Answer: (from Liz) "That's my fault! Sorry! Let's just pretend he was confused from all the people he's possessed." Okay, I could believe that, but up to this point, he's ONLY possessed Match and a handful of others... if even that much, right? Liz said it's best to forget that mess-up.

4) Will Lilith be back as Sebastian's adopted mother?

Answer: Sebastian throws away each "mother" as soon as he gets tired of them.

5) Will Superboy be a Black Lantern?

Answer: All dead DCU characters have the possiblity of being a Black Lantern, but no specific answer to that question. Liz mentioned that Marvin might be.

6) Will Risk, a.k.a. "Arm Fall Off Boy" be addressed at any point?

Answer: Not immediately, but Sean feels he needs to be redeemed, and is the perfect candidate for... did not finish his sentence. "Or put out of his misery", from Liz.

7) Will Wonder Dog be joining the pet club in Tiny Titans?

Answer: NO!!!!!!!

8) Are Mas y Menos dead?

Answer: No. Berganza loves them, and wants to use them.

9) How much will I have to pay you to kill off Mas y Menos? (my question)

Answer: (from McKeever) $3.50, each. $7.00. (from Gehrlein) No way!

10) Will you accept a check? (me again)

Answer: YES! (McKeever) NO!!!!!!!!!! (Gehrlein)

11) With Static Shock joining the team, will Gear soon show up?

Answer: Not immediately, but when Static's origin is revealed, he will show up.

12) Announced that there will likely be a new Who's Who, but not guaranteed.

13) Confirmed that "The Graysons" television show is not going to happen.

14) Major event surrounding Titans will happen next Autumn. No details."

Exclusive DC Preview: Titans #7

Newsarama has posted an Exclusive DC Preview: Titans #7

Written by Judd Winick; Art and Cover by Howard Porter Match, the imperfect clone of Conner Kent, shows up at the Tower looking for a fight. But the Titans' old teammate Jericho is still trapped inside him! To subdue Match and save Jericho, the Titans must find a way to force the two apart, and their solution has unexpected consequences for them all! DC Universe | 32pg. | Color | $2.99 US On Sale November 12, 2008

Friday Flashback: Terra's 1st Appearance

Newsarama features: " This week, the first issue of Terra featuring the most recent take on the titular Earth elemental character. For today’s Flashback, we’ll take a look at The New Teen Titans #26 from 1982, and the first appearance of Terra."

Read the whole article here!

CW tosses plans for 'Graysons'

Variety reports:

The Boy Wonder won't be flying into primetime after all.

The CW and Warner Bros. TV have been forced to scrap their plans for "The Graysons." Show, which had been given a put pilot commitment, was set to revolve around Batman sidekick Robin in his pre-Caped Crusader days.

Decision to yank the project came from Warner Bros. Pictures Group prexy Jeff Robinov, who initially gave his blessing but changed his mind in recent days.

"Warner Bros. TV never had 100% clearance," said one exec familiar with the project.

The CW had been counting on "The Graysons" to fill the void left by the likely series end of "Smallville." Like "Smallville," "The Graysons" is a superhero origins story. Show was developed to revolve around the world of Dick "DJ" Grayson before taking on the iconic Robin identity.

Project was to be the latest DC Comics franchise to be mined for the smallscreen by Warner Bros. TV. "Smallville" exec producers Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson were set to write and exec produce, while Wonderland Sound and Vision's McG and Peter Johnson were also aboard to exec produce.

According to studio insiders, Robinov has decreed that Warner Bros. "rethink its DC Comics strategy" and as a result didn't want to do anything big with a DC franchise at the moment -- at least when it came to "Graysons."

"The studio has opted not to go forward with the development of 'The Graysons' at this time as the concept doesn't fit the current strategy for the Batman franchise," the studio said in a statement. "Warner Bros. Television is currently working on several replacement options for the CW."

It's understood that "The Dark Knight" helmer Christopher Nolan never signed off on the TV show; one insider said the helmer was uncomfortable with having a TV show related to the Batman franchise on the air. But according to the studio, the decision to scrap the show rested solely on Robinov and not Nolan.

Others wondered whether Warner Bros. got nervous over the idea of having a both an active Batman TV series and film series at the same time. "Smallville" and, before that, "Lois & Clark," were launched during a lengthy hiatus from the bigscreen for Superman. Some believe 2006's "Superman Returns" was hurt at the box office because of the simultaneous TV show.

A script had not yet been written for "The Graysons," which was still in early stages of development. Word of "The Graysons" first emerged last month (Daily Variety, Oct. 1) -- prematurely, in hindsight.

More than one option

• (Co) Daily Variety
  Filmography, Year, Role
• (Co) Daily Variety

The one-hour "Graysons" was to be set in modern times and focus on young DJ as he faced challenges involving first loves, young rivals and his family -- a famous juggling act -- as he grew up. (In Batman lore, Grayson was part of a family act called "The Flying Graysons" and orphaned after a gangster had his parents killed.)

Insiders said Warner Bros. TV is now scanning its library for other potential franchises to develop for the CW. The netlet is already kicking the tires on other franchises for next year, including a revival of CBS Paramount's "Melrose Place."

Coincidentally, a new animated Batman series, "Batman: The Brave and the Bold," bows on Cartoon Network next Friday.

Nicieza & Tomasi on Robin & Nightwing R.I.P.

CBR News checked in with the writers of “Robin” and “Nightwing,” veterans Fabian Nicieza and Peter Tomasi, respectively, to talk about what this means for their leading men Tim Drake and Dick Grayson in the hotly rumored and soon-to-be-hotly contested “Battle for the Cowl” storyline.

Fabien Nicieza is of course disappointed to see his run on “Robin” come to an end but said he was aware of the plans from “the moment he was offered the assignment.” “Everything I’ve done was to prepare Tim Drake for the end of his series and the beginning of the next phase in his life,” Nicieza told CBR.

Peter Tomasi, who is also writing January’s “Batman and the Outsiders Special” #1, revealed he will be taking over ongoing writing duties for “Outsiders” as well, following his last issue of “Nightwing.”

The long-time editor turned writer told CBR he’s not disappointed about the end of “Nightwing,” because, as was the case of Nicieza, he knew this was in the works for some time. “I don’t think the word ‘disappointment’ factors in for me, since everyone here at Bat Central knew that this was in the works,” Tomasi said. “I’ve had a blast writing ‘Nightwing’ and really enjoyed being able to contribute a small part to his 153-issue run. Dick Grayson is a great character and my only real ‘disappointment’ comes from not being able to tell more stories about him.”

“But just remember, from endings come beginnings, so all you Wingnuts take heart.”

Asked which of the two characters deserved to be the next Batman, Nicieza teased, “Who says either one will be the next Batman?”

Tomasi put it this way, “Does Dick, in my mind deserve to be Batman? As my buddy Clint Eastwood would say, ‘deserves got nothin’ to do with it.’ Being Batman is not a party, it’s not something anybody in their right mind would want to do with their life. It’s about having to do it, about serving the common good, putting others before you. Does Dick Grayson fit that bill? Of course he does, without question. But will it be his face under the cowl when all is said and done? Therein lies the bigger question and the answer to that is several months away.”

Read the full article here.

Amanda Conner's YouTube Terra

Amanda Conner mentioned, "Actually, I think the only time I did an original Terra was for a sketch that PulpSecret filmed me doing... then they sped it up and put in on YouTube so you can see the whole process in under a minute or something like that."

Hey! Amanda's YouTube Terra was the one she did for me at New York ComiCon.

Check it out here!

And here's the original:

Amanda Conner: Putting the Pencil to Terra

There's a new hero on the scene in the DC Universe, and she's shaking things up. Literally and figuratively. She debuted in Supergirl #12, but the all-new Terra has been talked about since a miniseries was announced in 2006. With that appearance in Supergirl and later appearances in Teen Titans, the lng-awaited miniseries hits shelves starting next week. Bringing this new face to the Terra name are writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray with art by Amanda Conner. Last month we talked with the writers, and now we turn to the artist – Amanda Conner.

AC: I think that was a pretty good introduction to Terra. It sets up her personality and her goals, and it shows people that she's going to be very different from the previous Terras. She tends to look at things with a very black & white view, so we'll get to see how she learns to deal in our very grays-in-between world.

NRAMA: wIn that issue of Supergirl, you got to draw a great fight with a dinosaur-type monster. What kind of things is Terra going up against in her miniseries?

AC: You'll have to read it and find out!

NRAMA: The secret origin of Terra has been kept pretty ... well, secret. But Jimmy mentioned there is a connection to previous Terras – could you confirm for us if you've drawn other Terras for this miniseries?

AC: No, I haven't done any other Terras in this mini-series. Actually, I think the only time I did an original Terra was for a sketch that PulpSecret filmed me doing... then they sped it up and put in on YouTube so you can see the whole process in under a minute or something like that.

Read the full interview here!

Robin, Nightwing, Birds of Prey to End

While fans are still up in the air about whether or not Batman will actually die at the end of Grant Morrison’s “Batman: R.I.P.” arc, DC has confirmed three casualties for Newsarama.

According to the publisher, the February-shipping issues of Robin, Nightwing and Birds of Prey will be the final issues of the respective series.

As well as being the final issues, Robin #183, Nightwing #153 and Birds of Prey #127 will end eras for Batman-related titles, as each stretches back at least nine years.

Birds of Prey (which debuted in 1999) is currently written by Tony Bedard and follows the adventures of Barbra Gordon, the former Batgirl (now “Oracle”), Black canary and a rotating cast of DC’s female heroes; Nightwing (which debuted in 1996) is written by Peter Tomasi, and Robin (which debuted in 1994) is currently written by Fabian Nicieza.

The three series – coincidentally all originally written by Chuck Dixon, fleshed out the world of Batman in the comics, showcasing the original Robin, Dick Grayson, as Nightwing, Tim Drake as Robin and Barbra Gordon in Birds of Prey.

The three titles were roughly in the middle of DC’s lineup, sales-wise, with Nightwing seeing sales of over 50,000 copies to comic shops for September, while Robin and Birds of Prey saw sales of 32,000 and 21,000 copies, respectively.

DC declined to say if the series’ cancellations were due to sales, or if the three titles would be replaced by three new titles in 2009.

Exclusive DC Preview: Terror Titans #2

Newsarama's DC previews for November 5th continues with a first look at Terror Titans #2 (of 8)

Terror Titans #2 (of 8)
Written by Sean McKeever; Art and Cover by Joe Bennett and Jack Jadson The Clock King begins staging tournament battles between the teen metas at the Dark Side Club, but this time the fighting's not just for entertainment – he has a far more sinister purpose in mind that not even the Terror Titans know about! And Ravager, drawn to the Clock King by their similar precognitive power, is doing nothing to interfere with his life-threatening machinations. Is she biding her time until she can defeat him, or does she just want to get her hands dirty by entering the tournament? DC Universe | 32pg. | Color | $2.99 US On Sale November 5, 2008