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Six important moments from the Warner Bros. and DC Comic-Con panel

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It was going to be pretty hard to top a free concert, but at Comic-Con today Zack Snyder and Warner Bros. did everything they could to get audiences excited about the upcoming superhero movies from the DC universe. With Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad both getting time in the spotlight, they pulled out all the stops — and fans seemed more than pleased. Here are some of the most memorable moments.

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images

1. DC and Marvel fans, fight!

Director David Ayer took the stage to introduce Suicide Squad, and immediately started taking shots at Marvel. "I’m not trying to start no East Coast / West Coast feud with Marvel comics, but… DC has the best villains," he said. Ayer then went on to play to the crowd with the usual fan service, saying they are the engine that makes everything run. It’s to be expected — Warner Bros. and DC have a lot of hearts and minds out there to win — and they were embracing the darker tone of the DC universe to differentiate themselves from Marvel at every turn.

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images

2. Suicide Squad, assemble!

After Ayer’s introduction, the cast of Suicide Squad came out — sans Jared Leto. Will Smith, who looked like he’s either a) been working out for months for the role, or b) really into wearing inflatable clothing, gave a quick shout out to the crowd. Fans inside Hall H went crazy, but it’s important to remember: when you’ve spent 24-plus hours in line waiting to get inside an event, you’re really invested in thinking it was all worth your time. Plenty of movies have killed at Comic-Con and then gone on to suffer, but the faithful appeared more than sold on Ayer’s vision.

Jared Leto Joker crop

3. Jared Leto's Joker may not be terrible?

The reaction to Jared Leto’s new take on the Joker has been abysmal. But footage screened during the event seemed to let people forget the gimmicky tattoos, and instead showed off a violent, creepy Clown Prince of Crime. While it will likely be impossible to top Heath Ledger’s take on the character, Leto may be more impressive than that first introductory photo indicated. To find out whether the goodwill extends past the hype bubble of Hall H, however, we’ll have to wait until Warner Bros. dares to show the footage to the world at large.

Green Lantern Corps

4. Green Lantern Corps

The DC Universe slate was flashed on screen during the presentation, slyly confirming the name of the new Green Lantern movie: Green Lantern Corps. The title has been rumored, with speculation that Warner Bros. was casting multiple actors to play different versions of the character (Chris Pine is one name that’s been floating around). That was the only passing mention, but it gives a clear sign that the film will be focusing on the intergalactic police force, rather than just an individual hero.

5. We're going to see Bruce Wayne's parents killed... again

A new trailer for Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice was shown off during the panel and later released online. It provides a first look at Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, and also sets up the reason Batman is Mad Batman and not Sad Batman. (People at Wayne Industries were killed in the final battle in Man of Steel.) But it also shows what appears to be Bruce Wayne’s parents being shot and killed. In case you really, really, really weren’t clear about the Batman origin story.

Batman v. Superman screencap

6. Metropolis and Gotham City are next-door neighbors

Director Zack Snyder and Ben Affleck explained that Gotham City and Metropolis are sister cities in BvS, similar to San Francisco and Oakland. Metropolis is the affluent city, while Gotham is the low-end version, constantly dealing with poverty and crime.

Does that make sense with DC canon? Not necessarily… but it does stick with the coastal theme Ayer set up early in the panel.

See all of the San Diego Comic-Con news right here!