Bienvenido to Week Dos of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 and the excitement keeps building.

I have to say one of the best perks of being the Executive Editor of the DCU as the New 52 had its genesis was sitting down with Co-Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee, Group Editors Mike Marts and Matt Idelson, VP of Art Direction and Design Mark Chiarello and Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras in our “War Room” with a photo of George C. Scott from Dr. Strangelove taped on the door. In this tiny, windowless (and almost airless – I know, doesn’t sound like much of a perk) room, we devised who would do what in the New 52. On the wall, we shifted around index cards that had series titles to be matched with separate cards for both a writer and artist (color-coded by Coordinating Editor Elisabeth Gehrlein, who was also in attendance). It was exciting, thrilling and sometimes frustrating, but ultimately rewarding as we assembled a creative team for each and ever book. Some were no-brainers: GREEN LANTERN … uh, Geoff Johns with Dough Mahnke. Duh.

Other pairings were inspired, like FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.HA.D.E. The title alone had moxie. We felt the right man to steer Frank’s adventures would be Jeff Lemire, who had already done an amazing job writing the patchwork man’s adventures during FLASHPOINT. Jeff’s take on the character infused him with a lot of heart (albeit someone else’s heart). Jeff also suggested tapping series artist Alberto Ponticelli. And oh man, Alberto’s a master with monsters and wild settings, not to mention an incredible storyteller. I love Father Time (so will you once you read it)!

As we got going, we started to see what other genres we could explore. The sky was not even the limit, nor was time. We headed from the Dark Ages with Paul Cornell and Diogenes Neves’ DEMON KNIGHTS to looking to get back to the future with LEGION LOST along with Fabian Nicieza and Pete Woods. Demon or Legion fan or not, just know these books will affect the present of the DCU; then (coming in Week 4) get ready to ride into the Wild West in gritty Gotham City with Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Moritat; and walk the modern- day bloody streets of Boston in I, VAMPIRE by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Andrea Sorrentino.

Like kids in a candy store, we were all excited by each new prospect. SUPERNATURAL writer Adam Glass writing SUICIDE SQUAD! DEATHSTROKE and MR. TERRIFIC getting their own books! But one of the real treats for me (aside from JUSTICE LEAGUE) was Dan DiDio’s suggestion to bring back RESURRECTION MAN, a book I had originally edited. Reunited with the undying Mitch Shelley’s original creators Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, now joined with the artistic talent of Fernando Dagnino, we were all ready to kill, killa again!

We’ve had our fun, and now it’s time to share. And with all the new ways to enjoy our comics with platforms on digital tablets and smart phones, in addition to the print versions, this could not be a more exciting time to become a DC Comics reader! So come back again, this is only Week 2! We’ve only begun…

Eddie Berganza,

Executive Editor

DC Comics-The New 52 was unleashed on Wednesday, August 31st, with the publication of JUSTICE LEAGUE #1. Last week, we saw the release of ACTION COMICS #1, DETECTIVE COMICS #1 and other buzz worthy first issues that have everybody talking.

There will never be another Wednesday like it.

Until today.

Still not sure what titles to pick up from DC Comics-The New 52? We've got links to two more previews out there to help guide you in the right direction.

FEARNET has the exclusive first look at RESURRECTION MAN # 1, in which "the character is reborn for the 21st century."

WIRED's UNDERWIRE blog has the very first look at DEMON KNIGHTS. Their take? "Demon Knights has perfectly positioned Etrigan for the 21st-century fantasy addicts that have made HBO’s adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones a crossover phenomenon.”

Meanwhile, SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE has an overview of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 with a particular focus on Superman in ACTION COMICS. "This is a huge departure from decades of the character's role as invincible protector of the status quo. And to tell you the truth, it's fresh air. . . . I like this all-too-human Superman, and I think a lot of you will, too."

To be continued...

If Jack Kirby were still alive, today would have been his 94th birthday. The King, as he is fondly referred to as, impacted the comic book industry in monumental ways.

To celebrate, we thought we’d catch up with some of the writers who are bringing new life to some of Jack’s classic characters in DC Comics-The New 52. With contemporary representations of characters such as OMAC and Etrigan the Demon, Kirby’s legacy lives on and is as strong as ever.

“There is no denying the genius of Jack Kirby and the effect he has had on comics through history. And to this day, many of his great creations still exist today and stand the test of time,” said O.M.A.C. writer Dan DiDio. “Of all the series Kirby created at DC Comics, OMAC is one of the ones nearest and dearest to my heart. The manic nature of the story telling and the wild futuristic setting are some of his best, and in working with Keith Giffen on the new OMAC series we hope to bring that same level of creative energy and excitement to our book.”

“Jack Kirby's vast creative imagination stretched in all directions,” DEMON KNIGHTS writer Paul Cornell told us. “In The Demon he gave free rein to his gothic inclinations, that wonderful way he has with a gnarled tree branch at night. He made Etrigan angry with the world and his status in it, and let loose his wonderfully different way with words in the Demon's rhymes. We've kept almost everything, to be honest. Well, we've given him some armor, and now he only rhymes sometimes, but this is still Kirby's guy. You don't meddle with that stuff.”

In case you missed it yesterday, check out the two exclusive teases we posted yesterday on THE SOURCE of O.M.A.C. #1 and DEMON KNIGHTS #1.

Happy birthday, Jack!

THE SOURCE: How do you write the first line of a new series?

PAUL CORNELL: Just dive in, I'll rewrite it later anyway.

How do you introduce a new hero?

I like to give them a big hero shot, like the Horsewoman in DEMON KNIGHTS #1 gets a big cinematic entrance.

How do you introduce characters?

In action, usually, then we'll get to know them when we're interested.

How do you introduce a new villain?

Through their actions. They can't just talk in a bad way, they have to be seen to do bad.

What was the first comic you ever worked on?

Doctor Who Magazine.

Who was the first character you followed?

Probably the Bash Street Kids in the Beano.

Who was the first writer you followed?

Consciously, I think Chris Claremont, but way before that Stan Lee was all I knew about anything.

Who was the first artist you followed?

George Perez. I used to try and draw the moon like he did!

What was the first convention you attended as a fan?

The Longleat Doctor Who Experience!

What was the first convention you attended as a professional?

It must have been one of the Bristol Comics Expos, or the Gallifrey con in LA. Kind of slipped easily between the categories without thinking about it, business as usual.

What was the first comic book you read?

It would have been an issue of Pippen and Playhour. Get your British Auntie to look it up.

What was your first job in the comic book industry?

Co-writing a short 7th Doctor strip in Doctor Who Magazine.

On your creative process:

Initially, I'll plot out a story arc, just saying in a couple of paragraphs what happens in each issue. Most editors are happy, once we've worked that back and forth, for me to go from that to writing an issue. Sometimes for my own use I'll write the numbers one to twenty down the side of a piece of paper, then a quick few words about happens on each page of the issue, often starting by working out how much space I need for the ending. I'll often have a scene or a line in mind for many issues before finding the right place to use it. I keep those on my iPad.