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DC Comics hit the ground running today, with the star-studded and multi-media-centric annual “Jim Lee & Friends” panel.
Now that’s a logo
Okay, so this was kind of a side-note to today’s “Jim Lee & Friends” panel at the San Diego Comic Con International, but it’s one that we can’t help but be excited for. And yes, we’re talking about the return of the iconic “DC Milton Glaser” logo.
Legions of fans grew up with that logo, throughout the 80s and 90s, and now it’s back in all its blue and white glory. It’s not just for the movies either, because while DC Studios will brandish the mark on the silver screen, it’s also destined for the cover of all of DC’s comic book slate. How great is that?
Jim Lee and James Gunn ended the panel with a surprise, revealing that the powerful and iconic DC Milton Glaser logo will return to a place of prominence at DC. Gunn revealed the DC Studios logo and stated, “Peter (Safran) and I knew we needed one logo that would bring us all together. We knew it needed to be something that was immediately recognizable, something that honored the comics, the legendary writers and artists who inspired everything we do – including our own Jim Lee – not to mention the generations of passionate and extraordinary DC fans.”
Lee revealed that, “bringing this powerful, iconic mark back into the world—back to its rightful place of prominence, on the front covers of everything DC” and that fans would start seeing the logo on comics this October.
DC Comics press release
On to the show
Now that we’ve gotten a little fanboy-ism out of the way, let’s talk turkey. The panel today was loaded with talent, welcoming in the likes of “Scott Snyder and Joshua Williamson, Tom King, Jeph Loeb, the writer, actor, and Count Crowley creator David Dastmalchian, along with DC Studios CEO, co-chairman and filmmaker James Gunn”.
And while comics were most definitely discussed, complete with some fresh news included, we got a healthy dose of DC television news as well. That came in the form of Creature Commandos, a DC action/horror series that’s set to run for 7 episodes this December on Max.
The show will follow what’s essentially a monster version of the Suicide Squad, which has been officially disbanded by the US government when the show debuts. If you’re thinking that Amanda Waller might be left out though, think again, as she’s in command of this action packed freak-show, and has brought Rick Flag Sr. with her. Yes, “senior”, remember his son was killed in the second Suicide Squad film.
Check out the first look:
Dropping in from the Atlanta set of his much-anticipated next film Superman, Gunn conveyed his excitement about the new adult animated series Creature Commandos, coming to Max this December from DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation. The seven-episode series, co-produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation, tracks a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. When all else fails…they’re your last, worst option. Headlining the new show is a star-studded cast that includes Steve Agee as Economos, Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana, Anya Chalotra as Circe, Zoe Chao as Nina Mazursky, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Sean Gunn as GI Robot & Weasel, David Harbour as Frankenstein, Alan Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorus, Indira Varma as The Bride, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller.
DC Comics press release
From TV to page
Zipping from movies and TV to comics, the panel dug into a few assorted announcements pertaining to DC’s original form-factor. Those included the return of Creature Commandos to the printed page, news about publishing initiative All In, and the Absolute line. Creature Commandos got its start way back in DC’s Weird War Tales #93, and will be bursting loose from its TV home for a six issue mini-series set to kick off this October. Solid timing.
Much like the show, the upcoming comic will feature a “cast of misfits on the team of monsters, ghouls and weirdos”. Writer David Dastmalchian did the honors, talking up the title, which will officially be dubbed DC Horror Presents: Creature Commandos. He’ll be joined by artist Jesús Hervás, who’ll be bringing fans both action, and presumably some spills ‘n’ chills. Look for issue #1 on the stands this October the 2nd.
ALL IN
Following up on the Creature Commandos onslaught, Scott Snyder, Joshua Williamson, and Tom King were all in to talk about… ALL IN. If you don’t know what that is, it’s DC Comics’ latest push, which will be kicking off, line wide, this fall.
It’ll all begin with the one-shot DC All In Special #1, which will be hitting stores the first week of October (busy month). From there, fans will find all new storylines beginning in “DC’s core comic book titles” like Wonder Woman and Superman. King will be helming the former, while Williamson will take up the writing chores on the latter. So where’s that leave Snyder? Well, on Batman of course. Oh, but not the Batman you’re thinking of.
Snyder will be leaving the DCU proper, for the new Absolute universe, which seems to essentially be an Elseworlds brand. Also a part of ALL IN, Absolute Batman will be joined by Absolute Superman and Absolute Wonder Woman at some point, and a surprise fourth title in 2025 with Absolute Green Lantern.
Revealed at the panel, Absolute Green Lantern will feature the talents of writer Al Ewing and artist Jahnoy Lindsay. Just don’t ask which Lantern(s) will be starring, as we have no idea. Lee wasn’t spilling the beans on that just yet, though we do know the title will debut in March (2025).
So all in all, it was a pretty big time panel that came complete with a few Batman: The Long Halloween – Last Halloween covers to boot. But even so, it was also probably the relative calm before the storm. Remember, DC likely has a packed few years coming up, with movies and TV galore as James Gunn and Peter Safran begin the all-new DCU. If you’re a fan, there could be some very exciting times on the horizon.
