News transcript: MILLAR DOES JLA FILL-IN ISSUE from Comic Wire

It's been a long time since those classic Justice League/Justice Society team-ups of yore. And it looks like the next one will have to wait just a bit longer.

Mark Millar, the writer of the "JLA: Paradise Lost" miniseries, will be writing a fill-in issue of JLA this January, working with artists Mark Pajarillo and Walden Wong, whose work can first be seen in the "The Kingdom: Kid Flash" one shot later this month.

The issue is being described by DC Comics - which announced the fill-in issue Wednesday - as a lead-in to the three-part JLA/JSA team-up story, which will now begin in February.

DC describes January's issue #27 thus: "In stores January 27. While the JLA conducts a recruitment drive in anticipation of the upcoming war with the 5th Dimension, T.O. Morrow unleashes a new version of Amazo! Endowed with the combined powers of all the current JLA members (regardless of which Leaguers he's facing at any given time), the League must call on as many former JLAers as they can to join the fight. But the key to victory rests with the most unlikely Leaguer of them all!"

The Comic Wire spoke to writer Millar today:

"As regards that JLA ish, DC asked me if I fancied a guest issue on the book and I jumped at the chance. The way things worked out, the story was used a little earlier than I expected, but this is because the issues I deal with in the story fit perfectly between two major arcs Grant's working on right now.

"As to content, my lips are pretty much sealed. DC have a new policy where they want every issue to be a surprise and no plot stuff spoiled by previews. All I'll say in the way of clues is that an old favourite considers rejoining the League and this particular issue features more heroes per page than any comic since Crisis. I'm DELIGHTED with how this worked out and really can't wait to see what people think."

No reason was given for the delay in DC's official announcement Wednesday.