Friday, July 25, 2008

SDCC08: Geoff Johns panel (update 2)

Update 1: Legion-only notes from the rest of the panel.
Update 2: Here's CBR's writeup of the entire panel.

Summary: "Superboy Prime needs a good ass-kicking." L3W will have other Johns elements (Flash, GL, Action, Titans). XS has a big role in L3W. Wants to draw Sun Boy if they do another Who's Who. No plans to bring back Beppo. May see some v4 : Perez wants to draw every Legionnaire *ever*. Can't say right now anything about writing a new series. Will hear the 31st century GL oath.

Update Friday night: the rest of the story. Note that this only incorporates Legion stuff; he talked at length about the Flash and Green Lanterns, but I wasn't taking notes.

The panel was basically Q&A. DC editor Sattler was on the dais, ready to shut down Johns if needed.
  • L3W will be more DCU-centric than you might think, as it incorporates stuff from the rest of his writings, including Flash, Green Lantern, Titans and the Flash(es), plus some surprises.
  • XS will have a major role in L3W, but didn't really say if she's make an appearance in the Flash: Rebirth book, which has all the other speedsters.
  • He was asked if he still does (or would like to do) some art as opposed to writing. No, he doesn't, though if DC wants to publish an updated "Who's Who", he wants to draw Sun Boy but isn't quite sure why.
  • Writing the JSA is nothing compared to writing the Legion - they're a Legion, after all. He referenced a scene in L3W where he wrote something like "and then the post-Zero Hour Legion shows up"; he apologized to Perez for that, but Perez drew it anyway.
  • No plans to bring back Beppo the Super-Monkey. There is a line and he won't go beyond it, but Beppo is on the line. Maybe if he didn't have the cape and shirt.
  • Will we see the v4 Legion in L3W? There's a good chance. Perez told Johns that he wants to draw every single Legionnaire ever (something that came up in other panels too).
  • Johns likes Superboy-Prime but hates the character. He's such a jerk. He used the anecdote how Prime was out strolling in 31st century Smallville and met a robot dog-walker who told him to have a nice day. The dog growls at him and he tells the dog to shut up. He likes to punch people.
  • Ethan Van Sciver was up at the dais by this point, and a question was asked about Sinestro. Grell said they named "Atrocitus" the same way (atrocity + kewl ending). When asked if there were any Legion characters similarly named, I reminded him of Prince Evillo. Evillo will not be appearing in L3W.
  • One questioner asked if Superboy Prime could punch Dream Boy's head in.
  • Following Johns' Green Lantern:Rebirth and Flash:Rebirth, I asked if there was going to be a Legion Rebirth. Johns replied carefully that L3W was pretty much just that, with lots of surprises, but don't worry about a new series.
  • He can't say at this time if there's another Legion series coming after L3W.
  • The Green Lantern oath has changed by the 31st century, and we'll hear it.

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