Sony Online Entertainment's upcoming comics MMO, DC Universe Online, will cross over with with the printed, dead tree comics universe that spawned it.

This comes from Jim Lee, superstar comics artist, editorial director of DC Comics' Wildstorm imprint and executive creative director of the game. Speaking to Reuters news agency he said, "We'll coordinate things across print and online. If we have a big storyline happening in the summer, you might see that in the game later. I have a staff position at DC and we have a short list of characters that we'll update first in the game and then in the comics."

This won't be the first time a comics-licensed game will cross over with its source material. Activision's Ultimate Spider-Man, which was written by the comic series' writer, Brian Michael Bendis, was in-continuity with the with the dead tree monthly. While playing the game wasn't necessary to understand the comic, elements of it were reflected in later issues.

There were also a few choice words from John Blakely, VP of development SOE Austin about DCU Online. "When you pick up a bus and throw it across Metropolis, hundreds of thousands of players will be able to see this-and many of them will have to dodge this projectile for their safety", Blakely said. It's all part of what Blakely describes as physics-based combat never before seen in an MMO. SPOnG has often been left to wonder why there aren't more vehicles hanging out of the side of buildings in Metropolis, given the frequency with which they're tossed at Superman.

The first video of DCU Online showed up at E3. You can see it here.

^{Source: Reuters}