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Comic-Con: ‘Dexter,’ DC and Kevin Smith

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In two decidedly unrelated panels, the dichotomy of Comic-Con was on display Thursday night.

In the DC Nation panel, DC Comics honcho Dan Didio led a group of writers and editors who talked to and about the core of the convention: comic books and fans. Didio’s sessions engage the crowd by asking them to pick favorites and directions that they think comics and characters should go. Shouting things like ‘Who’s the best Flash?’ (Wally West and Barry Allen got the biggest cheers) and ‘Who should replace Bruce Wayne as Batman?’ (Dick Grayson pretty much won that, though Tim Drake got a cheer), Didio did his usual cheerleading. And even when someone shouted a criticism (‘You want to kill everyone!’), he invited the commenter to come on the stage and sit in as a DC editor, which he gladly did.

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In grand style, Didio brought up a secret guest: Kevin Smith. Smith remarked on the fact that the comic book convention had DC, one of the largest comics producers in the world, in a much smaller room than the star-seeking crowd assembled in Ballroom 20. The filmmaker/comics guy revealed that he would oversee a three-issue arc for the Dark Knight entitled ‘Batman: Cacophony,’ drawn by Walt Flanigan. The busy mini-mogul joked about not getting his books in on time and wished Didio ‘good luck’ in getting the book out by deadline. He has started projects before, but occasionally falls off, as he noted by saying, ‘I’m Mr. Foreplay, but if you need me to thrust, forget it.’

And speaking of R-rated ... the ‘Dexter’ panel put on a bit of a show. The standing-room-only presentation with Michael C. Hall and crew illustrates how shows sans superpowers continue to make their way towards Comic-Con. The dedicated crowd peppered the assemblage with questions of literary-to-TV plot points, Michael’s favorite kill (as Dexter -- ‘It was satisfying to kill Lil Chino cause he was so big’), and concerns on whether the romance between Rita (Julie Benz) and Dexter could last. On the relationship, Hall said, ‘I think it’s hard to argue that the relationship, in its own way, works.’ As for Benz: ‘I honestly believe that every man needs a hobby.’

In an aside, Mark Echo of Mark Echo Productions announced that the new Dexter episodic video game would be released on the iPhone and iPod Touch platforms.

-- Jevon Phillips

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