WIZARD WORLD TEXAS: PETER DAVID PANEL

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Peter David said he will be writing the novelization for Spider-Man 3.

"It makes for a nice set, since I wrote the novelizations for Spider-Man 1 and 2," David said Sunday at his panel at Wizard World Texas.

David started the panel with a reading of his script for Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #5, the story of a woman named Vanna Smith, who, after various tangental encounters with Spider-Man through the years, asks for a restraining order against him.

In other notes from the panel:

* David said there has been a "renaissance" of interest in him at Marvel. In addition to his regular gigs on Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and X-Factor, David said he will be writing a Wonder Man mini-series, another limited series, a one-shot and "a really, really big project."

"It's so big that I was warned three times not to announce it here," he said.

* The X-Factor line-up will include Madrox, Strong Guy, Wolfsbane, Siren, M, Richtor and House of M character Layla Miller.

"By issue #6 of X-Factor, I want Layla Miller to be the favorite character of the mutant universe," David said. "I'm having so much fun writing her."

David said the first issue of the series might be pushed back to December, so it's clearly after House of M events.

* David said initial orders are Fallen Angel #1, which moves to IDW Publishing in December, were higher than the final issue of the previous series published by DC Comics.

* The Spike vs. Dracula mini-series for IDW will be five issues and will be self-contained stories set in various time periods.

* David said he was pleased with a scene in Friendly Neighborhood #4. "I have a sequence with Tony Stark, Hank Pym and Reed Richards, three of the biggest brains, getting their asses handed to them by Aunt May," he said.

* David is writing Fantastic Four and Wolverine novels for Simon & Schuster.

* Will "The Other" arc actually have a lasting impact on Spider-Man?

"He will have additional powers, and there will be things he will be able to do that he could not do before," David said. "As far as we are concerned, these are permanent changes.