WIZARD WORLD CHICAGO: VERTIGO PANEL

ROSEMONT, Ill. -- Peter Gross has signed a two-year exclusive with DC Comics, it was announced on Saturday at DC's Vertigo panel at Wizard World Chicago.

Gross is currently providing layouts for DC's Testament.

The announcement came a day after DMZ's Brian Wood announced he signed a two-year exclusive with DC.

In other highlights from the panel:

* Scalped is a new ongoing crime series, written by Jason Aaron with art by R.M. Guerra and covers by Jock.

Set at the Praire Rose Indiand Reservation & Casino, the series follows Dashiell "Dash" Bad Horse, an Ogala Sioux who's spent his life on the road desperately trying to deny his native heritage. But when he returns home to the reservation and crosses paths with Tribal Chief Lincoln Red Crow, he finds himself thrust into the violent world of organized crime.

* The Vertigo version of Deadman will not prevent Boston Brand from appearing in the DC Universe.

* Denise Mina is scheduled to write 12 issues of Hellblazer. Editor Will Dennis said she will have future work with Vertigo.

* Wood's Northlanders has just been approved, and there's no artist attached yet. Wood said he hopes to draw an issue of DMZ once a year.