WIZARD WORLD PHILADELPHIA: DC COMICS WORLD'S FINEST PANEL

PHILADELPHIA -- Although there's no longer a World's Finest comic -- that's really Superman/Batman -- it still suited the title of DC Comics' Wizard World panel on Friday for its top two characters.

The panel -- which included Bob Wayne, Mike Carlin, Dustin Nguyen, Eddie Berganza and Adam Schlagman -- was more free-wheeling than most of DC's other sessions during the weekend, but managed to produce a few news nuggets.

Following is a roundup:

* Nguyen said the Superman/Batman arc he's drawing will include Darkseid and Scarecrow.

"This arc is becoming really important to something else," Berganza added. "Something will be building on each of the storylines."

Berganza said that Michael Green, one of the writers of television's Heroes, is coming aboard for an arc to pick up on something Jeph Loeb wrote at the end of Superman/Batman #6.

* Green is also teaming with Denys Cowan for a Batman Confidential story. "It's the Joker before he was the Joker story," Carlin said.

Tony Bedard and Rags Morales are teaming on a four-part Superman Confidential story.

* Berganza said that Alex Ross will continue Justice Society of America covers.

* Joe Kelly's last issue as writer of Supergirl is #19, followed by a arc written by Tony Bedard and then a yet-to-be announced new creative team.

* Asked about future JLA Classified stories, Carlin said that Justin Gray and Rick Leonardi are teaming on a five-parter that centers on Martian Manhunter.

Following that is a story by Roger Stern, John Byrne and Mark Farmer that is titled "That was Now, This is Then."

* Wayne said if the JLA/Hitman mini-series does well, its possible earlier Hitman stories will be collected in trade paperbacks.

* Dan DiDio is writing a Blue Devil Halloween special, with art by Ian Churchill.

* Wayne said that Frank Miller has scripted All Star Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder through #8.

* Carlin said that the transition of Birds of Prey from Gail Simone to Sean McKeever will be fluid. "It won't be everybody who's been on the team, but it will be streamlined," Carlin said, noting that Nicola Scott will remain artist.