The first ever livestreamed DC publishers panel hit WonderCon this weekend, and we were there! Whilst most of the panel focused on the company’s new imprints–DC Zoom, Ink, Black Label, and Sandman Universe–Jim Lee and Dan DiDio didn’t disappoint fans when they pulled Scott “Spoiler Alert” Snyder on stage to spill the beans about a new line of Justice League books, which look to be out of this world… LITERALLY.
The new direction of the DCU will start officially on May 2nd, the Wednesday before Free Comic Book Day, with DC Nation #0. It’s a 25¢ comic book sampler showcasing “the next evolution of the DCU.” Brian Michael Bendis and José Luis GarcÃa-López will have a short story that leads into Bendis’ upcoming “Man of Steel” series. The writer revealed that the upcoming Action Comics #1000 will “introduce a new villain who’s a real force of nature, a real threat to Superman. He’s Superman’s equal, if not better.” Also in DC Nation #0, Scott Snyder and Jorge Jiménez will introduce the threads of Justice League: No Justice, followed by Tom King and Clay Mann, who’ll focus on the Joker’s reaction to Selina and Bruce’s upcoming nuptials! Via video feed, Tom King teased that “when you have Batman and Catwoman about to get married and the Joker steps in the way, the whole world blows up.”
Snyder took the time to thank fans for their response and support to the recent era of DC books. “We were really nervous doing Metal. I was scared and Greg was scared, but we loved it and you guys showed up,” Snyder shared before beginning his fantastically spoiler-filled sermon about his new Justice League line. “There are things that we haven’t even seen yet that defy all kinds of rules about comic book storytelling,” Snyder smiled.
The main Justice League title spinning out of the No Justice miniseries will be written by Snyder, with art by Jim Cheung and Jorge Jiménez. It’ll see the Justice League back in the Hall of Justice, which will have portals to transport the JL around the newly expanded DC Universe. “I want this to be my superhero soap opera that showcases everything I’ve learned at DC,” Snyder told us. It’s not just the Hall of Justice that’s making its return though, because Snyder revealed that “if we’re using the biggest heroes in the universe, it only makes sense that we use the biggest villains in the DC Universe. I’m bringing back the Legion of Doom. It’s a double helix of awesome!” Snyder announced to cheers from the packed hall.
Snyder’s biggest reveal, though, was that that there’ll be two brand new ongoing Justice League books post No Justice. Justice League Dark, written by James Tynion IV with art by Alvaro Martinez, Raul Fernandez, and Brad Anderson, sees the cult classic team return, but this time led by none other than Wonder Woman! She’ll be joined by Swamp Thing, Zatanna, Detective Chimp, and Man-Bat in one of the wackiest and most fun lineups we’ve seen for a long time. “Justice League Dark is the biggest craziest magic book you can imagine. It’s the biggest magical war thrown into one place,” Snyder enthused.
The second new title is Justice League Odyssey, written by Joshua Williamson and drawn by Stjepan Å ejić. It’s literally the Justice League in space, which is incredibly exciting, and the book looks to be totally different from anything else in the current DCU. “The Justice League realizes it has to be bigger and bolder,” Snyder told us. Led by Cyborg, Odyssey will also feature Jessica Cruz, Azrael, and Starfire as they team up with Darkseid, whom Snyder described as the “Hannibal Lecter” of the team. Color us intrigued!
Which Justice League books are you most excited about? Can’t wait to get to know more about Detective Chimp? Upset that Swamp Thing’s character design is obviously based on Alan Moore? Let us know below!
Images: DC Comics
In other comics news…
- The rest of the DC WonderCon news.
- A primer on the New Gods
- Check out Catwoman’s wedding dress.
