(L-R) Calero, Slott, Pak, Van Lente and Singh at WizardWorld Philadelphia 2009

The crowd was small at WizardWorld Philadelphia Sunday but the room was packed with enthusiastic fans as artist Dennis Collero, writers Fred Van Lente, Dan Slott, Greg Pak and Sean McKeever, editors Bill Roseman and Lauren Sankovich and marketing manager Arune Singh announced upcoming Marvel projects.

The Marvel Zombies will return this September with a five-issue weekly series. Fred Van Lente described it as a straight-up sequel to "Marvel Zombies" II. At the end of that book, the main characters were zapped away by an interdimensional transporter. In "Marvel Zombies Return," we learn where they go. Each book will focus on a different set of characters, and there are several writers, but it will be a single story. Joining Van Lente on the project will be writers Jonathan Maberry, David Wellington and Seth Grahame.

Jonathan Maberry is a multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning writer of supernatural thrillers. David Wellington wrote the Laura Caxton series of vampire novels as well as zombie book "Monster Island." Seth Grahame-Smith is the co-author, with Jane Austen, of "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies." When these veteran zombie writers were invited to play in the "Marvel Zombies" universe, "They jumped in with both rotting feet!" said editor Bill Roseman. The five books in the arc will be:

  • "Marvel Zombies Return: Spider-Man" by Fred van Lente and Nick Dragotta
  • "Marvel Zombies Return: Avengers" by Fred van Lente and Wellington Alves
  • "Marvel Zombies Return: Wolverine" by Jonathan Maberry and Jason Shawn Alexander
  • "Marvel Zombies Return : Iron Man" by David Wellington and Andrea Mutti
  • "Marvel Zombies Return: Hulk" by Seth Grahame-Smith and Richard Elson

All five issues will feature covers by Arthur Suydam.

Singh reminded those in attendance that Marvel is celebrating its 70th anniversary with special covers and features, lots of 500 and 600th issues, and a return to Marvel's golden age roots.

"Amazing Spider-Man" #600 will feature over 100 pages of new stories for $4.99. The main story, by Dan Slott, will feature Doctor Octopus as we've never seen him before. There will also be a new 12-page story by Stan Lee. The story by Joe Kelly will contain hints about upcoming Spider-Man stories.

Following the climactic events in "Daredevil" #500, issue #501 starts the new creative team of Andy Diggle and Roberto De La Torre, as announced yesterday. Look for more on this series Monday morning on CBR. The Hulk will be forever changed by the events in issue #600, and of course, the 600th issue of "Captain America" made mainstream news.

"Captain America: Reborn" begins in July with the creative team of Ed Brubaker, Bryan Hitch and Butch Guice. Although we know that Steve Rogers has returned, the panel declined to say whether he or Bucky would continue as Captain America. Alex Ross, Bryan Hitch and Joe Quesada are doing covers.

Also spinning out of events in "Captain America" #600 will be "Nomad: Girl Without a World," a 4-issue miniseries written by Sean McKeever and drawn by Raphael Albuquerque. Look for more on this series Monday morning on CBR. Marvel's new Nomad is Ricky Barnes, the daughter of Bucky from the "Heroes Reborn" universe. There will be plenty of superhero action, but it's also the story of a teenaged girl who is more alienated than any teenaged girl in history, because she's literally from another world.

The same team that killed Captain America, Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting will bring us "The Marvels Project" featuring the original Human Torch, the original Angel, and Namor. Set in 1939, the story sets up the Marvel Universe and feeds into current events as well.

There will also be a new limited series featuring the original Human Torch, with covers by Alex Ross.

The Phantom Reporter will return this September in "Daring Mystery Comics" by David Liss and Jason Armstrong. Liss is a novelist known for historical thrillers like "A Conspiracy of Paper," and he's making his Marvel debut with this project, which will tell, for the first time, the origin of the Phantom Reporter.

Marvel's new Master of the Mystic Arts will be featured starting in October in "Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural" a new ongoing series by Rick Remender and a special, as yet unannounced artist. "A super-amazing guy!" said Sankovich. Brother Voodoo is now in possession of the Cloak of Levitation and the Eye of Agamotto. Readers will be able to check out the story in advance in a six-page preview that will be posted online before the book comes out. .

Meanwhile, Stephen Strange will appear in his own miniseries written by Mark Waid. He's no longer the Master of Mystic Arts, but that doesn't mean he won't be active. Relieved of his duties as protector of Earth, what will he do? "It's 4 issues of him on the golf course." joked Slott. Don't miss CBR's interview with series writer Mark Waid.

"War of Kings: Who Will Rule" is a one-shot coming out in September from Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and Paul Pelletier. Once they knew how the war would change the marvel universe, they decided to do an epilogue with threads coming out of "War of Kings" #6, setting the stage for the Marvel cosmos going forward. Look for an interview with Abnett & Lanning Monday morning on CBR.

Monarch Starstalker will return in September, redesigned by Brandon Peterson. "I don't know about you," said Singh, "but a guy who can see through the eyes of his robotic hawk is like the coolest thing ever!"

The original "Guardians of the Galaxy " team will return in issue #16, spilling out of events in "War of Kings" #6.

The second series adapting L. Frank Baum's original Oz series, "The Marvelous Land of Oz" is coming this winter from Eric Shanower and Skottie Young following their acclaimed "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" adaptation.

There are more plans for "Marvel Apes", but nothing more can be said at this time.

"Astonishing X-Men" #31 by Phil Jimenez

"Mighty Avengers" #28 and #29 will feature the Young Avengers breaking into Hank Pym's as yet unseen new headquarters to take on the Scarlet Witch, who we all know is secretly Loki. Nomad, the former Hawkeye will appear in issue #28 as well. "Expect some big things from Hank!" said Slott. "Coming up soon he's going to literally grow out of the universe! He's going to grow bigger than he's ever grown before, and he goes somewhere kind of creepy."

"War Machine" #8 and #9 will include Hawkeye/Nomad and Mockingbird. Norman Osborn will come face to face with War Machine in issues #9 and #10 with a two-issue battle royale between War Machine and Iron Patriot.

There will be a direct to DVD movie based on "Planet Hulk." "I was pulled on as a consultant," said Pak. "I can't say anything more except I think it's going to be awesome!"

Finally, closing out the announcements it was made official - artist Phil Jimenez will join Warren Ellis on "Astonishing X-Men" beginning with issue #31.