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News: Bendis Apologizes for Con Statements
posted August 17, 2004
 

August 17 -- Creator Brian Michael Bendis accomplished the near-impossible at August's WizardWorld Chicago show by creating actual buzz surrounding one of the convention's typically staid panels. Cloaked in the popular surprise announcement anticipation, Bendis asked for fan support in convincing DC Comics to change its mind regarding a crossover series featuring its character Batman teaming up with one of Marvel's, Daredevil. The reasons behind DC officials' refusal to see such a project done as asserted by Bendis were challenged by DC executive Bob Wayne, who spoke about the tenor of the company's recent rivalry as a motivating factor.

What interested hardcore industry observers is that many conjectured the whole event were staged, a ploy to drape a project that may have a hard time making an impression in a crowded market with some measure of publicity-generating controversy. In his statement released after the convention, Bendis flatly denied that anything about the panel was staged, apologized to DC for the potentially antagonistic nature of his comments, and thanked Bob Wayne for his honesty in broaching behind the scenes mechanics of the decision-making process.