COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: X-MEN PANEL

SAN DIEGO -- With X-Men: Schism figuring to reshape the X-Men Universe in a major way, Marvel Comics held a panel devoted to its mutant characters at Comic-Con International on Friday.

Panelists included editor-in-chief Axel Alonso, Marjorie Liu, Daniel Way, Chris Yost, Rick Remender and Peter David.

Following are highlights.

* Alonso talked about X-Men: Schism and how the divide between Wolverine and Cyclops will be similar to the one that Xavier and Magneto had. He said they both have "defendable" positions.

* X-Men: Schism will be available day and date digitally and by the end of the year, the entire X-Men line will the same availability.

* Generation Hope #10 and #11 will tie into X-Men: Schism.

* X-Men: Regenesis begins in October with a one-shot by Kieron Gillen and Billy Tan. Alonso said that the two teams will have very specific mission statements.

* As previously announced Wolverine and the X-Men starts in October and is by Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo. Uncanny X-Men #1 arrives in November, from Kieron Gillen and Carlos Pacheco.

* Nick Bradshaw will be the second artist on Wolverine and the X-Men.

* Emma Frost was the only character shown for Uncanny X-Men. "You'll notice there's no Cyclops," Singh said. "You'll have to read Schism to find out why."

* Schism will impact all the X-books.

* X-Factor #230 ties into Schism, and David said it was "one of my favorite scripts." Upcoming events in X-Facto will include the birth of Rahne's baby and a multiple-part story ending in the death of a character.

* Victor Gischler returns to X-Men and the mutants will encounter the FF.

* A 20th anniversary issue of X-Men #1, by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee, will be released in October. It will be recolored by Tom Mason.

* Artist Ron Garney is rejoining Jason Aaron on Wolverine. In the story, Wolverine needs to leave San Francisco to get to his money stash, but find out that someone has stolen it.

* X-23 will also be facing the FF. Liu said the first year of the book was establishing the character, with the next year integrating her into the Marvel Universe.

* In Daken: Dark Wolverine, Daken will be trying to work his way through the ranks in Los Angeles and will encounter Moon Knight. "A lot of characters are moving to L.A., and there's a reason for that," Singh said.

* Way talked about "Evil Deadpool," coming in February. Deadpool's body parts wind up in a dumpster, gel together and become Evil Deadpool.

* Asked about Jean Grey, Remender said she plays a role in the "Dark Angel Saga" in X-Force, but it's not the 616 Jean Grey.

* Alonso said the reasons to restart Uncanny X-Men with a #1 were rooted in story.

* Marvel Girl and the Starjammers will be featured in a back-up story in X-Men Legacy #250. They'll appear in an upcomin arc and will play a role in Regensis.

* David said he has plans for Darwin in X-Factor.

* None of the other X-Men books is on the chopping block, Alonso said.

* Alonso said there is a reason that Fear Itself and Schism come to a conlusion in the next month and reiterated that the X-Men will be playing a major role in the Marvel Universe.