All news, unless otherwise stated, can be found at:
http://www.comicon.com/newsarama/

Babs' Year One Ready For Retconning In 9-issue Series

Though Chuck Dixon is moving to CrossGen Comics
in Florida, he still has a bunch of DC projects in the
works, including a Batgirl: Year One mini with co-writer
Scott Beatty.

It will be a nine-issue series set to come out next year,
with penciller Marcos Martin, who worked on Robin:
Year One #4, and The Joker: Last Laugh #2. Each issue
will have heavier stock covers, similar to those for issues
#2-12 of Batman: The Long Halloween.

While Beatty said he and Dixon laid the groundwork for
this story in the final pages of Robin: Year One, in terms
of narrative, Batgirl: Year One is a bit different. "Alfred
was really the window into the previous story. This time,
Babs is the seer.

"We're tackling the 'Million Dollar Debut Of Batgirl' in a
radically different way. Barbara Gordon's origin hasn't
benefitted from any radical, post-Crisis reboot to cast
off the campier aspects of her beginnings. She was, after
all, created for the Batman TV series and then inserted
into comics continuity. While we're keeping the fundamental
bells and whistles intact, readers will see a much broader
interpretation of why Babs ultimately decided to become
a masked vigilante," said Beatty.

"Batman, we'll discover, certainly wasn't her first choice
as a role model."

--

Bru Renews, Talks Emma Peel

Regular Batman writer Ed Brubaker has renewed his
exclusive contract with DC. Bru is also writing the new
Catwoman monthly, and has this to say on Selina's new
costume (courtesy of http://www.toonzone.net ):

"My wife suggested giving her an Emma Peel catsuit,
and I always wanted her to wear a hood/leather
aviation-style helmet that buckles under the chin,
and Darwyn [Cooke] took all that, added all the cool
stylistic stuff, and the whip belt, etc., and made it work.
I don't think anyone approached it trying to copy the
animated costume, and I honestly think it looks a lot
different. But they are both black and have no tail.

"Oh, and for anyone still wondering, I love the goggles,
and yes, she wears them all the time (at least, when she's
in costume). You'll see how well they work in the comic."

Catwoman #1 will debut on November 28.

Also renewing their exclusive contracts with DC are
artist Eduardo Risso - who continues to develop a
Batman graphic novel with Brian Azzarello - and colorist
Danny Vozzo.

DC colorists Tom McCraw, Patricia Mulvihill, and
Sherilyn Van Valkenburgh, have signed exclusive
agreements with the company, as well.

--

The Dark Knight Strikes Again Colour Preview Available

In this month's Previews, DC produced a first look preview
of some colour pages from The Dark Knight Strikes Again #1.
Click on the link below for the advance pics:

http://www.comicon.com/ubb/Forum13/HTML/000372.html

--

Archived Batman Beyond Episodes Air In Canada

http://www.toonzone.net reports that YTV will air another
episode new to its Canadian viewers this Saturday at 10 a.m.

In "Payback", Terry tangles with a black-suited, laser
whip-wielding vigilante called Payback. This new defender specializes
in terrorizing the people who bully or abuse
teenagers. It originally aired on the WB on May 13, 2000.

                 ...Loren