If there was a crowd-stopper at last year’s San Diego and New York Comic-Cons, it was definitely the DC Universe Online cinematic trailer: a great, six-minute piece of animation where the big heroes of the DC Universe, well, get absolutely destroyed.

Each time the trailer played in our booth, most everyone within a thirty-foot radius (myself included) would stop in their tracks and watch for the full video. The trailer’s pinnacle comes when Lex Luthor [SPOILER WARNING] impales Superman with a kryptonite-tipped spear, which would draw a gasp from the crowd each time without fail.

Are you curious how Lex came to that moment of triumph? Just what happened in the DCU that tipped the scales to the side of evil? DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS, a 26-part bi-weekly series will answer your questions. Written by Marv Wolfman and Tony Bedard and drawn by the team of Howard Porter, Livesay, Adriana Melo, Norman Lee, and Mike S. Miller and with covers by Ryan Sook, Ed Benes, Ivan Reis, and more, LEGENDS is the official tie-in to the DC Universe Online game from Sony Online Entertainment.

And heads up, PlayStation 3 fans: we’ve been giving away PS3 beta codes from the DC_Nation twitter feed and our Facebook fan pages all week, and will be giving away more today. So if you haven’t already, friend us, follow us, fan us and what have you and keep a sharp eye out for those codes to get an early peek at the game.

DC Universe Online will be available for the PC and PlayStation 3 next Tuesday, 1/11/11.

The first issue of DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS hits comic shops in February, and will be available digitally day-and-date for the PSP and at the DC Digital Comics Store.

Action Comics hits a big milestone issue this year, and it only seems appropriate it gets a top-notch cover from a top-notch artist.

Without further ado, David Finch’s cover to ACTION COMICS #900:

Superman versus (I’ll argue) his greatest villain. How much more apropos can you get for a landmark cover to Action Comics?

But wait – there’s more! In addition to a 50-page lead story by the team that’s been punching this book out of the park for for the last ten issues, Paul Cornell and Pete Woods, the oversized 900th issue will also feature short stories by some very exciting names to be announced soon.

Excited? Stay tuned to the Source for more news about Action Comics #900.

Below are four pages of Jeff Lemire and Pier Gallo’s SUPERBOY #3. What’s happening to the students of Smallville High? I’m not telling.

Better yet, I’m presenting these pages word-free, and even though removing Jeff Lemire’s text feels extremely sacrilegious, I have a feeling any lack of explanation as to what’s making all of the students collapse will make you guys boil a bit more. You have to think, though — if it’s bad enough to drop Superboy, it’s gotta be something pretty crazy.

Want the skinny? Check out SUPERBOY #3, on sale tomorrow.

Doomsday’s back – and while we agree that that’s not a good sign for the heroes of the DCU, we can still ask: why did Doomsday return?

Well, I asked, and I got a hint back in return. Here’s a few words from DC Executive Editor Eddie Berganza about Reign of Doomsday:

“Doomsday is back – and he’s hunting down each of the four characters that rose from his first strike on Earth: Steel, Superboy, The Eradicator and Cyborg Superman. Something about those four has drawn him back… And nothing is getting in his way, not even the JLA. That’s all I’ll say for now!”

And here’s another news nugget. This story is so big that we can now announce that the SUPERMAN/BATMAN Annual 5 is part five of what appears to be a visceral tale of collateral damage and revenge.

As for Part 6, hmmm… We’re not saying. Yet.

Part 1: STEEL #1
Part 2: OUTSIDERS #37
Part 3: JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #55
Part 4: SUPERMAN/BATMAN ANNUAL #5
Part 5: SUPERBOY #6
Part 6: ???

Superman’s walk across the United States is taking him to a lot of interesting places. However, this isn’t a landmark I recognize from any of my American history classes…

Keep reading, Superman fans.

Superman’s walk across the country is a long one, but he won’t be alone; writer Chris Roberson will have several of the DCU’s biggest heroes join him at different points of his journey.

Take it away, Chris:

“On an unconscious level, Superman’s return to the American Heartland in an attempt to reconnect with the values that he has begun to question, and to revisit the kinds of places where he had his earliest formative experiences

As 2011 unfolds, we’ll see Superman get to the real heart of this journey, both geographically and emotionally, as he encounters allies and enemies that remind him of key moments in his past. An encounter with the Flash in Colorado serves to remind Superman of the time he and teenaged Lex Luthor shared a detention hall. A meeting with Batman in the Utah desert calls to mind the time Clark Kent and a young Bruce Wayne defended a village in Bhutran from Vandal Savage, who was searching for the road to Nanda Parbat. And of course, those are only two of the eight stories we’ll be telling.”

- Chris Roberson

Welcome to day two of the DCU in 2011 on THE SOURCE.

Throughout the day, we’ll hint at what’s to come for the Man of Tomorrow. We’re kicking things off with an exclusive image we received from our friends at The CW. and it’s… well, I’ll let the image speak for itself.

You see what I see, don’t you?

It’s official. I cannot wait for the new episodes of SMALLVILLE’s final season, which resume on The CW on January 29th at 8/7c.

2010 was a huge year for DC. Just take a look at all of our titles on NPR’s Monkey See blog’s and Entertainment Weekly’s Shelf Life blog’s “Best of 2010” lists: DC’s BATWOMAN: ELEGY, ABSOLUTE ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, WEDNESDAY COMICS, ACTION COMICS, and Vertigo’s REVOLVER, STUCK RUBBER BABY, and HOW TO UNDERSTAND ISRAEL IN 60 DAYS OR LESS.

Well, we’re not going to slow down. 2011 is going to be even bigger.

Co-publishers Jim Lee and Dan Didio recently spoke with Newsarama and Comic Book Resources about the many highlights of the past year and what we all can look forward to in the next.

Today is Green Lantern day on THE SOURCE, and we’re continuing with a tease from BRIGHTEST DAY #17 featuring the Star Sapphires.

What happens in that issue?

According to GL Editor Adam Schlagman, “Carol Ferris and the Star Sapphires join Hawkman and Hawkgirl in a fight for the survival of Zamaron and the purity of love, but with the Hawks’ connection to the cosmic corps, it looks like this meeting may end in bloodshed.”

The cat’s out of the bag on Guy Gardner’s secret pact with Atrocitus and Ganthet, and Kilowog’s demanding answers from his teammate. What exactly were in these visions that Guy saw that drove him to make this dishonorable alliance, and will those alone be enough to keep Kilowog from crushing his head?

Find out in GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD WARRIORS #6, on sale next Wednesday.