As the first day of Special Edition: NYC entered into the afternoon hours, the writers in attendance currently steering DC Comics' Batman line gathered before an eager audience to discuss the caped crusader's past, present and future. Present on the panel were writers Becky Cloonan ("Gotham Academy"), Brenden Fletcher ("Batgirl"), Genevieve Valentine ("Catwoman"), James Tynion IV ("Batman Eternal") and Ray Fawkes ("Gotham By Midnight").

Brenden Fletcher, writer/panel moderator, kicked off the panel noting that "Gotham Academy" artist Karl Kerschl will be sitting in on the panel as well. Fletcher, a first-time moderator, asked the panel to introduce themselves. With hellos out of the way, Fletcher tossed to a video -- which technical difficulties prevented it from playing. The panel just decided to dive into the "dynamic action" teased in the panel description -- and so they did.

The first slide showed the cover of "Gotham Academy" #7, which Fletcher revealed will be the first issue of the series not drawn by Kerschl. The artist, Mingjue Helen Chen will handle the issue, which will introduce Damian Wayne to Gotham Academy. The covers for #8 and #9 popped up next, with Kerschl giving insight into his creative process. "After 'Convergence,' we wanted to make a statement about Silverlock's story and I thought these were the best way to convey the mood without actually showing Batman," said Kerschl. "In the other one, Maps is holding a cross and fending off something supernatural."

"We come back from 'Convergence' with a crazy issue with Maps teamingup with Batman," said Fletcher," and then we dive back into our story and you can tell something glum is happening [by the cover] but I don't want to spoil it."

"One of the interesting things to me, we actually turn the tables and that issue features some of the other characters," added Kerschl. "We see what goes on when Olive isn't around and it's a good way to catch up with the school without actually featuring Olive." The creative team talked more about incoming faculty members, which will include science teacher Kurt Langstrom and a new guidance counselor.

A panel from "Black Canary" came up next, with a close-up of an Annie Wu panel depicting Black Canary holding a microphone. Moderator Fletcher tossed it to the panel for questions about "Black Canary," leading Valentine to ask him what his background with music made its way into the book. Fletcher said it does have something to do with it, but expanded saying that he wanted to give Dinah something else to do besides just be a superhero. "We put her in a burb outside of Gotham [for her appearances in 'Batgirl'], which was kind of like Williamsburg, and we put her in a rock band. We were approached about maybe making that a series of its own, and this is what we've come up with," said Fletcher.

Fletcher's other series, "Batgirl," came up next, and was met with applause. Issue #41 will be the first issue not featuring Cameron Stewart's layouts with Babs Tarr's work over it. "This is all Babs Tarr," said Fletcher. Kerschl asked Fletcher if Batgirl knows who is in the robot Batsuit, to which Fletcher revealed that you'll have to find out by buying "Batgirl" #41.

"We're walking into a world where Jim Gordon is Batman," said Tynion. Fletcher said that when they were wondering what to do with their second arc of "Batgirl," he revealed that their plans were changed because of this major change.

"Jim Gordon has a conversation with his daughter. Barbara Gordon has to feel those ramifications," said Fletcher. "It doesn't mean we're letting her story go and her supporting characters; it's in there. But for the next couple issues we're going to play with the ramifications of her father being the new Batman of Gotham City."

At this moment, Cloonan strolled up on stage: "I have a hall pass, so I'm good," she quipped to applause. Fletcher continued to talk about "Batgirl," saying that the next arc will integrate her back into Gotham City. The covers for "Batgirl" #42 and #43 were shown, the first of which introduces Livewire into the New 52 with a Babs Tarr redesign. Issue #43 will add Velvet Tiger to the universe, also with a Tarr costume.

The conversation circled back to "Gotham Academy," for Cloonan to talk about Damian Wayne joining the book. "The whole story is about how Damian fits in," said Cloonan. "Not all the characters there, they take a lot of time trying to figure out where they fit in the school and here comes Damian Wayne. He's the son of Batman. How does he fit in? He doesn't. The story is about him figuring out how he fits in... You could say Damian is Maps' sidekick."

Attention shifted to Genevieve Valentine's "Catwoman," specifically Kevin Wada's cover for "Catwoman" #41. Valentine joked that they got Wada on covers with the promise of illustrating ball gowns -- that they have yet to give him to illustrate. Valentine teased the next arc, which will feature Selina back in the Catsuit. "In this arc she gets the news of what happened to Batman," said Valentine. "Her first instinct is to take it hard, but her second one is to try to find out where he went. She's going to have to work with the cops to do that, but that gets the attention of the new Batman -- and there's no love lost there."

Issue #42 and #43 will see some guest stars in the book, including Stephanie Brown in #42 and Batman in #43. "Stephanie after 'Batman Eternal' is coming back to Gotham and she wants Catwoman to give her what she's owed, which is to make Gotham in her own image," said Valentine. "She comes back to make Catwoman pay up." David Messina is the new artist on the book, which lead to discussion of how fashion plays a part in the book. "She's always been a fashionable character and now she has mob money," said Valentine. "Now she's wearing Zac Posen ball gowns and Chanel suits."

Fawkes talked about "Gotham By Midnight," saying that "It wasn't freaky and scary enough so we're making it even more horrifying and exciting. We've got Bill Sienkiewicz doing covers for the book, which is blowing my mind." This blew Fletcher's mind, urging him to ask how they landed the legendary artist. "We approached him and said, 'Gotham City, horror, the Spectre: do whatever you want.'" Juan Ferreyra will take over as artist, which will give the book a more European and "ghostly" look, said Fawkes. The writer said that Batman's death "screws the midnight shift."

"Jim Corrigan and his crew deal with the supernatural stuff Batman can't deal with, and no that Batman's dead and Jim Gordon's not a cop, they're not a legit police organization and they're about to lose their office money, everything -- and still be expected to do their job."

"Gotham City is a horrible place," explained Fawkes. "Not only do the Joker and Two-Face have parties every week, it's also horribly haunted. In the #8 cover, even everyone's telephones and iPads are haunted." Fletcher notes this is why Barbara Gordon moved to Burnside when he took over "Batgirl," because "the haunting stops at the river."

Tynion's "Constantine: The Hellblazer" came up next, with the writer immediately praising Riley Rossmo's interior art. "A classic thing from the Vertigo series was John's ghosts, and we're bringing them back," said Tynion. "I wish we had the first page of the first issue, because it is John naked, covered in blood and walking into a store. That's what we're trying to do. We want this book to be sexy, dangerous and covered with blood." Tynion talked about his partnership with co-writer Ming Doyle, saying that it came about because of her desire to start writing comics. "She wanted me to join her and us to become a collaborative unit because this is her first writing project at this level, a monthly writing series," said Tynion. "The thing is, probably the majority of my DC work has been collaborative. With this, it's the first time that every issue, we are splitting it up half and half. Sometimes we're swapping scenes or just the first ten and back ten. We initially plan it out together and smooth out the cracks."

Tynion said that Rossmo's art has a "visceral energy" that works great for Constantine. "Just in updating John's classic look, that was one of the first things we wanted to do in the series," said Tynion. "I love the classic look, but John, when he first walked onto a comic book panel in 'Swamp Thing,' he was the most dapper man in the room. In the Vertigo series, he aged. He was a 50-year-old guy in a trench coat. This is a younger guy; he will be the best-dressed and most dangerous man in the room. "

With the presentation over, Fletcher opened the panel up to questions. A young fan asked if other heroes will cameo in "Black Canary," to which Fletcher said that some will show up eventually. "One of the main characters in 'Gotham Academy' shifts over to 'Black Canary,' we won't say who," said Fletcher. The young fan specifically said he'd like to see Green Arrow in the book, to which Fletcher responded that "I'll put the request in, see what I can do!"

Another fan praised Valentine for outing Catwoman as bisexual, saying it meant a lot to her to see characters like herself in DC Comics. "There's a really fun and amazing arc in 'Batgirl' that we're excited to write that is all about Alysia," said Fletcher. "The October issue will be one to remember.'

"John's flirting with dudes in the first issue," said Tynion. "We're right there with you."

When asked how the Jim Gordon as Batman storyline kicked off, Tynion talked about a call Scott Snyder made to him on Thanksgiving where he told him he had a "crazy idea." "We know there's this moment where there can be a new Batman, and there's one person you can put in that role that would be so surprising but still Batman. The first panel of 'Detective Comics' #27 is Jim Gordon and Bruce Wayne. He has been there since the beginning, and we have never seen Jim Gordon in a Batman suit. It's so exciting because it is so different but also so core to the Batman mythos."