Day one at Wizard World LA and we’re in the Mike Wieringo room for the DC Nation Panel featuring DC Comics Executive Editor Dan DiDio, VP of Sales Bob Wayne and writer Adam Beechen.

Getting right to it, DiDio introduced the other members of the panel and then, as is his style at events like these, launched right into the Q&A, taking question from the eager fans in attendance.

First question out of the gate was about the "New Gods" and their story. Specifically, the fan wanted to know about their deaths.

To answer, DiDio explained that the stories originally created by Jack Kirby during his DC period were great but subsequently some of the later writers were trying to hard to honor his creations and execute what they thought Kirby would want.

Consequently, according to DiDio, "the Fourth World and the DCU never really fit together harmoniously."

"And now you’re killing the New Gods off?" another fan chimed in.

"Yes, but they’ll get better," DiDio answered. "Death of the New Gods is about closure to that story."

Pushing further on the Fourth World questions, another fan asked about Batman’s potential involvement, citing rumors on the Internet to that effect.

"You can’t react to rumors," answered DiDio. "They’re often misinterpretations of information or personal agendas. The rumor involving Batman is a silly idea." (more…)

Over at ISB, Chris Sims has remixed panels from old Archie strips to the tune of William Shatner’s Pulp’s "Common People" with disturbing and, as always, hilarious results.

(Oh, and that loud noise you just heard was the sound of millions of British rock fans’ heads simultaneously exploding after reading the previous line of text.)

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