Details on Countdown. Taken from IGN.
The panel was moderated by the always-energetic DiDio, and included writer Paul Dini (Detective Comics, Batman: The Animated Series), writer/artist Keith Giffen (52, Marvel's Annihilation), Coordinating Editor Jann Jones, Senior Editor Mike Marts and Vice President of Sales Bob Wayne. The hour-long event maintained the same humorous and lively atmosphere fans have come to expect from these DC Nation panels, but thankfully, DiDio also made sure to treat the audience to some incredibly enticing teasers. DiDio called upon several audience members to help unveil five placard boards, each containing a tagline related to Countdown's various storylines.
The first placard contained the cryptic slogan "Jimmy Olsen Must Die." While the panel remained relatively tight-lipped about its meaning, writer Paul Dini did mention he thought it was well past time to endanger a character that is only one-step removed from a hero, rather than several.
The second placard contained a picture of Mary Marvel beneath the tagline "Seduction of the Innocent", a play on the infamous Frederic Wertham study from 1954. The reveal drew a big reaction from fans familiar with the innocent, under-used and somewhat dated character. Dini would only reveal that Mary finds a few new mentors in the DCU, and they might not be the characters we'd normally expect.
The third placard read "The Search for Ray Palmer," referring to the former Atom, the JLA member who disappeared after the events of Identity Crisis. When prodded about specifics, the panel only remarked, "the smallest man is sometimes the biggest piece of the puzzle."
The fourth placard read "Villains Defiant" and showed the hands of two villains shackled together. Apparently, for the entire length of Countdown, two very different and incompatible super-villains will be stuck/chained to each other, and it is through their eyes that we will follow the criminal underbelly of the DCU.
When revealed, the fifth and final placard inspired the biggest reaction from the audience. The card contained the line "Unto Man Shall Come A Great Disaster" located above a drawing of one of the greatest comic book villains of all time - Darkseid. The panel remained hush-hush regarding this clue, but for many fans, the teaser confirmed the rumors and suspicions that the New Gods of New Genesis and Apokolypse are coming back in a big way.
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