Wizard World Philadelphia: Day One roundup

Typically, DC and Marvel save the major announcements for San Diego and Chicago, but already we've seen at least two big news items come out of Wizard World Philadelphia -- and Day One has barely wrapped up.

The first, of course, was this morning's bulletin that writer Andy Diggle and artist Whilce Portacio will tackle the first arc of DC's Batman Confidential, while writer Darwyn Cooke and artist Tim Sale will helm the opening storyline of Superman Confidential. Both are scheduled to debut in September.

However, the big surprise was that DC's Manhunter series won't end with Issue 25. Instead, Executive Editor Dan DiDio told Newsarama, the book will get at least a five-issue reprieve. Sales will determine whether it continues beyond that.

During the "DC Nation" panel, DiDio also announced that a Mystery in Space eight-issue miniseries will launch in September, by Jim Starlin and Shane Davis. Connor Hawke, too, will get a miniseries this fall, by Chuck Dixon and Damion Scott.

Marvel, meanwhile, revealed an expansion of its MAX line, with Hellstorm: Son of Satan, by Alexander Irvine and Russell Braun, and Zombie, by Mike Raicht and Kyle Hotz. Both are miniseries. But the big announcement coming out of the "Mondo Marvel" panel was a new Blade ongoing series, by Wolverine writer Marc Guggenheim and an artist whose name is being kept under wraps.

September will see 1602: Fantastick Four, a miniseries set in the Elizabethan Marvel Universe created by Neil Gaiman, and X-Men: Phoenix -- Warsong, by Greg Pak and Tyler Kirkham.

The four-issue Union Jack miniseries, by Christos Gage and Mike Perkins, which was reported about last month, was officially announced during the panel. It, too, will debut in September.

In other news: Newsarama on Marvel's X-Men panel
The Pulse talks with Jeff Parker about X-Men: First Class
Wizard on "One on One with Jim Lee"