ICv2 reports that it’s all so new at Wizard World Chicago:

Shamus described himself as “totally out” at the IFL, and “back at Wizard.” “It’s actually very exciting,” he said. “I have a renewed energy. Even though it’s my own company, I’ve been able to come back and take a fresh look with the Wizard team at a lot of the new things we could be doing. We have a lot of new initiatives coming up; we have a lot of new people in the company. This show is real evidence that there are a lot of new and exciting things going on.”

Todd Allen had quite a few reports, including the news that a gentleman’s entertainment club was an exhibitor. He also picked up some rumors :

On the way out, I heard a rumor over in artist’s alley that DC and Marvel were ready to pull out of the show. What was going around was that they didn’t think it was worth the trouble shipping their booths and they’d rather just buy some tables in artist’s alley for creators they want to hype. Yes, that ought to send a chill down your spine if this is your home-base show. On the other hand, much like last year, it seemed to me there was more commotion in artist’s alley than there was in the publisher’s area. Well, with the exception of when Marvel would do a giveaway and you’d quickly have a screaming mob.

Couple the shift in activity to artist’s alley with the seeming lack of major announcements from DC and Marvel, factor in that nobody on the pro side seems to like the idea of the show going back to early August (if I’ve got the San Diego dates correct for 2009, it would be a return to 2 weeks after Comicon) and I think you’d have to take that rumor seriously.

Newsarama rounds up the comics news, but it was all pretty low-level stuff — Jonathan Hickman at Marvel — like you didn’t see that coming — a new writer for Supergirl, ditto. Comic Book Resources also has gavel-to-gavel coverage.

BONUS: Bendis Board photos…looks like the old gang is getting a little older, a little saner.