"Predicts" may be a bit strong. But in last week's interview with Josie Campbell for Comic Book Resources, former Justice League: Generation Lost and current Batwing writer Judd Winick does hint that the JLI has a future after their cancellation.

CBR: While the JLI are in [Batwing] with issue #12, has the cancellation of "Justice League International" affected the story you're telling at all? Or is what you're doing unaffected as it is specific to your book?

Winnick:The script was written before the announcement. Even though the book is being canceled, I don't think the JLI is being disbanded so much as we're not publishing a book about it. I can't tell you how it's being wrapped up, y'all will just have to read the JLI title. In Batwing, we will leap in as a team, and Batwing as a member.

As mentioned, the Booster Gold-led JLI appearance in Batwing #12 is scheduled for an August 1 release. That's the same day that the final issue of Justice League International hits the stands, but don't expect the events of Batwing to provide significant illumination on the resolution to Dan Jurgens plans for the JLI. From the same interview:

CBR: Turning to your other series, while Batwing appeared in Gotham for "Night of the Owls," the next issues will see him operating on an international level and teaming up with Nightwing and the JLI. Did you talk a lot to Kyle Higgins and Dan Jurgens about their characters?

Winick: No. In this case we're doing it through editorial. This isn't a crossover so much as it is just using the characters. I know Kyle a little bit, mostly through Scott Snyder, so through editorial we asked if it was cool. But it goes to a larger issue tact we're taking at DC. We're trying to be better in paying attention to continuity, but at the same time not being so slavish to it we're not producing story.

Standalone adventures without slavish devotion to continuity? I think I can support that concept (partially because I don't really want Judd Winick anywhere near my favorite characters' continuity).

Comments (3) | Add a Comment | Tags: batwing comicbookresources.com continuity dan jurgens josie campbell judd winick justice league justice league international kyle higgins

There's nothing funny about the DCnU. Maybe that's part of our problem with it.

Last week's poll question: If the New 52 JLI were to be reborn, which model would you prefer it follow? (49 votes)

Earlier this month, thwp.net interviewed Dan Jurgens about his career and his interests. That led to the following exchange:

Q: If the Booster Gold character wasn't a superhero, what line of work do you think he'd be best suited for?

A: He'd probably go back to being an athlete, most likely trying to catch on with a NFL team. Or... he'd be on some kind of reality show!

With the cancellation of Justice League International, it now looks like Booster could indeed be looking for a new job. That leads us to this week's poll question.

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Russ Burlingame asked Dan Jurgens about the Justice League International cancellation on Wednesday at comicbook.com. As expected, Jurgens wouldn't or couldn't elaborate on DC's bigger plans, but he did manage to deliver this devastating news:

Burlingame: For all we old Booster Gold fans, will we see the New 52 Skeets before all of this is over?

Dan Jurgens: The plan had been to unveil Skeets in #13. Since we're not going to get there, Skeets will be "heard" and not seen.

"Skeets will be 'heard' and not seen"?

"Skeets will be 'heard' and not seen"?

"Skeets will be 'heard' and not seen"!?!

First DC screws us out of the 50th issue of Booster Gold, where we were promised the resolution of the Black Beetle's story, and now the company screws us out of meeting Skeets in the New 52? Mr. Jurgens, maybe you should consider resolving your stories a little faster in the future.

Oh, you'd better have a plan to fix this, DC.

Comments (10) | Add a Comment | Tags: cancellation comicbook.com dan jurgens dccomics.com russ burlingame skeets

Before yesterday's blog post even went live at 10AM, DC published solicitations for August. Included in those solicitations was the note that Justice League International will both crossover into Batwing #12 and be canceled.

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #12
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art by AARON LOPRESTI and MATT RYAN
Cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
On sale AUGUST 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T • FINAL ISSUE
• It's the funeral for ROCKET RED.
• Several members resign from the team — who will be left?

BATWING #12
Written by JUDD WINICK
Art by MARCUS TO and RYAN WINN
Cover by MARCUS TO
On sale AUGUST 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
• The secrets of mad dictator LORD BATTLE revealed!
• NIGHTWING in action in Africa!
• Plus: JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL vs. BLOODSTORM!

JUSTICE LEAGUE #12
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art by JIM LEE, SCOTT WILLIAMS and others
Cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
On sale AUGUST 15 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
• "THE VILLAIN'S JOURNEY" part four!
• The team struggles to stay together as they try to combat their newest foe.
• A shocking last page that will have the world talking about this special, extra-sized issue!

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL #1
Written by GEOFF JOHNS and DAN DIDIO
Art and cover by JASON FABOK
On sale AUGUST 29 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
• Will this issue be the final adventure ever for JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL?
• The true nature of O.M.A.C. revealed!
• Ties in to the shocking events of JUSTICE LEAGUE #12!
• Guest-starring BLUE BEETLE!

What to make of this news? Is this part of the first big New 52 crossover event? Will the JLI return in September, renumbered from 0? Will the series be getting a new title, new writers, new artists? Will Booster Gold get his own series back? Where's Dan Jurgens going? Will we ever see Skeets again???

Join the discussion of this news in the Boosterrific Forum.

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The latest of Russ Burlingame's "International Exchange" interviews with Dan Jurgens is up at ComicBook.com. I may have my problems with the decompression in Jurgens' recent JLI stories, but I have to say that I really admire his willingness to discuss each issue afterwards. That's above and beyond the call of duty for a professional with his portfolio.

IX: It's interesting—the dialog between Batman and Batwing suggests that even the superhero community isn't really clear on Booster's "deal." Did you want to roll back the number of people in the hero community who knew his "secret?"

Dan Jurgens: No. It's just that we tend to be a skeptical society now.

If an individual suddenly shows up and claims to be from the future, some people are bound to be skeptical. On top of that, I think Batman, more than any other hero, would be the type to check into it on his own and make sure.

Now, if you wrap that into the idea of a hero who advertises projects and tends to hype himself, well, you can see why Batwing would have assumed it was an act.

I'm skeptical about the implication that we were not a skeptical society "then." I don't think there has been a point in history where the general population would believe a man's own claims about being from the future. Even in 1955, we'd want a doctor to take a look for head trauma in that "future boy."

What I'm still more skeptical about is the possibility that Batwing isn't a jerk.

Comments (3) | Add a Comment | Tags: batwing comicbook.com dan jurgens international exchange justice league international russ burlingame time travel