Boom-Boom takes charge as X-Force goes on the run in ‘Fugitive X-Force’

‘Inglorious X-Force’ writer Tim Seeley and artist Áthila Fabbio launch a new five-issue series in December.

X-Force is going on the run in December, and they’re putting Boom-Boom in charge. Marvel today announced Fugitive X-Force, a five-issue limited series from writer Tim Seeley and artist Áthila Fabbio that picks up the story from Seeley’s current Inglorious X-Force series.

Following Cable’s disappearance, Tabitha “Boom-Boom” Smith will step up as the leader of the mutant strike team, which also includes Archangel, Hellverine, Domino and Ms. Marvel.

“Fugitive X-Force is a natural extension of Inglorious, following up with the ramifications of the events of that series,” Seeley said. “But now, they’re on their own, wanted for murder, and hanging on by a thread.”

That leaves the team on the run from both the law and their fellow mutants while Domino searches for Cable, whose latest crisis could have consequences for everything X-Force has been fighting to protect.

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First Look: Planetoid Raiders get their own retro-style hats

Wandering Planet Toys’ upcoming Kickstarter campaign will include exclusive baseball hats celebrating the Planetoid Raiders and mysterious Arcade Raiders.

The Planetoid Raiders are getting ready to invade Kickstarter, and they’re bringing some headwear with them.

I mentioned these new action figures a few days ago with the news about the Cthuluchador and Ultimoth Warrior figures that Wandering Planet is doing, but now we have an exclusive first look at two new hats that will be available as part of Wandering Planet Toys’ upcoming Planetoid Raiders Kickstarter campaign. The retro-inspired hats celebrate the company’s new line of collectible space adventurers, as well as the mysterious Arcade Raiders.

If you think they look like knock-offs of the original Star Wars action figures Kenner released back in the day, well, that’s what they’re going for. I also feel a little Yo Gabba Gabba being channeled here, but that might just be me:

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Five Count | 5 ways to celebrate Batman Day 2026

Batman Day will arrive on Sept. 19. Check out the things you do, read, buy and more to celebrate the Dark Knight.

As we’ve noted before, Batman Day returns on Saturday, Sept. 19, and DC is once again turning the annual celebration of the Dark Knight into a global comics event.

This year’s festivities will include a new Batman/Absolute Batman one-shot, free comics, new hardcover collections, Batman masks and activities at comic shops around the world.

If you’re looking for ways to celebrate, here are five things to put on your Batman Day itinerary.

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Rest in peace, Will Murray

The prolific writer and co-creator of Squirrel Girl has passed away at 73.

Will Murray, the prolific pulp writer and historian who co-created Squirrel Girl with Steve Ditko, died on Aug. 25 at the age of 73.

Murray had a long and varied career as a writer, researcher and historian, but he was perhaps best known for his deep knowledge of pulp magazines and the characters they created. He wrote numerous novels featuring characters like Doc Savage, The Shadow, The Spider, Tarzan and The Destroyer, while also writing extensively about pulp fiction and its creators.

Murray grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, and became a fan of comics and pulp novels at a young age. His career would grow out of his fandom. As Murray explained in a 2019 interview with Alex Dueben here at Smash Pages, he began as a Doc Savage expert writing for fanzines before those interests led to professional opportunities.

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Can’t Wait for Wednesday | Alex Ross turns the Marvel Universe inside out in ‘Marvel Dimensions’

See what comics and graphic novels are arriving at your local comic shop this week by Jared Cullum, Darcy Van Poelgeest, Derek Kolstad, Alex Maleev, Kyle Higgins, Daniele Di Nicuolo, Niko Henrichon, Steve Skroce, Paulina Ganucheau, Wes Craig, Weird Al Yankovic, Marina Lisa Komiya and more.

Welcome to Can’t Wait for Wednesday, your guide to what’s coming to your local comic shop this week.

I’ve pulled out some of the highlights for this week below, but for the complete list of everything you might find at your local comic shop and on digital this week, you’ll want to check out one or more of the following:

As a reminder, things can change and what you find on the above lists may differ from what’s actually arriving in your local shop. So check with your retailer to see what’s arriving at their shop this week.

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Cthulhu + Mothman throw down in Wandering Planet’s Cryptid Combat figures

VELIKAN’s 5-inch sofubi-style Cthuluchador and Ultimoth Warrior bring cosmic horror and wrestling to the toy shelf.

Cthulhu and Mothman are about to settle their differences the only way two legendary monsters can: by getting in the ring and throwing down.

Wandering Planet Toys has teamed with sculptor and horror artist VELIKAN to crowdfund Cryptid Combat, a new pair of 5-inch soft-vinyl art toys that mash up classic horror, cryptid lore and good ole’ professional wrestling. The lineup pits H.P. Lovecraft’s ancient evil against the legendary creature of Point Pleasant, with Cthuluchador taking on the Ultimoth Warrior.

Inspired in part by VELIKAN’s childhood love of professional wrestling and later fascination with Lovecraft and cryptids, the figures are hand-sculpted and reproduced in Japanese sofubi-style soft vinyl. The original sculpts stand seven inches tall to accommodate the intricate details before being scanned and painstakingly reproduced by sofubi artisans.

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Slugfest | See who’s naughty and what’s nice in DC’s November solicitations

Three oversized 25th issues, a new Absolute Batman special, Gotham’s criminal underworld and a very naughty holiday special headline DC’s November lineup.

Slugfest is a roundup of cool announcements about projects coming to a shelf near you. This edition focuses on DC’s November titles, plus a few extras.

DC is getting a little naughty this November, with a holiday special putting the spotlight on the villains of the DC Universe, but that’s hardly all the publisher has in store. November also brings three oversized 25th issues, a new Absolute Batman special, a Gangs of Gotham series spinning out of the Batman: Bad Seeds crossover and plenty more.

Here’s a look at what’s coming.

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Jeremy Robinson + Tiago Palma bring ‘One Zero Zero One Saves the World’ to Vault Comics

Vault will publish the science-fiction series, based on a character Robinson originally created when he was 18 years old.

A character Jeremy Robinson created more than 30 years ago is finally making his debut this fall. Vault Comics has announced One Zero Zero One Saves the World, a new science-fiction comic series written by Robinson, drawn and lettered by Tiago Palma and colored by Manuel Rodriguez. The first issue is scheduled for November.

The series follows 1001, a genetic experiment who awakens hundreds of years after a post-apocalyptic catastrophe. Confused and alone, 1001 quickly discovers that his ability to adapt to virtually any threat is going to be put to the test when he finds himself hunted by a pack of vicious creatures.

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Smash Pages Q&A | Darryl Cunningham on ‘John of the Night’

The author of ‘Billionaires: The Lives of the Rich and Powerful’ trades nonfiction for cosmic adventure in his newest graphic novel.

After years of turning his sharp eye for politics, history, science and biography toward nonfiction in graphic novels like Supercrash, Billionaires: The Lives of the Rich and Powerful, Putin: The Rise of a Dictator and Elon Musk: American Oligarch, Darryl Cunningham decided to go a different route with his newest graphic novel.

The result is John of the Night, his first fiction graphic novel, which is a wildly imaginative cosmic adventure. The story focuses on scientist John of the Night and his daughter Aysha, who are caught between a fanatical cult determined to “fix” the multiverse and Medea, Aysha’s witch-queen mother, who has plans of her own for her daughter. Inspired in part by the grand cosmic mythology of Jack Kirby, the book combines gods, multiverses, mythology and philosophical questions about good and evil with the much more grounded relationship between a father and daughter.

The new book arrives from Avery Hill Publishing on Sept. 2.

I spoke with Cunningham about the new book, the influence of Jack Kirby, creating Aysha and Medea, finding the balance between cosmic spectacle and emotional grounding, and what’s next for John of the Night.

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Can’t Wait for Wednesday | DC plants a ‘Bad Seed’ in this week’s comics

See what’s arriving at your local comic shop this week by G. Willow Wilson, Matt Fraction, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Cliff Rathburn, Leandro Fernandez, Rick Remender, Steve Epting, Ashley Allen, Ram V, Mike Perkins, RL Stine, Bob Burden, Jennifer Dugan, Robin Ha and more.

Welcome to Can’t Wait for Wednesday, your guide to what’s coming to your local comic shop this week.

I’ve pulled out some of the highlights for this week below, but for the complete list of everything you might find at your local comic shop and on digital this week, you’ll want to check out one or more of the following:

As a reminder, things can change and what you find on the above lists may differ from what’s actually arriving in your local shop. So check with your retailer to see what’s arriving at their shop this week.

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Rest in peace, Dave Lanphear

The comics letterer and designer has passed away at the age of 58.

Dave Lanphear, a comic book letterer and designer whose credits included Thunderbolts, Mighty Avengers, Secret Warriors, Spider-Man Noir, Batman: The Long Halloween, Superman ’78 and hundreds of other comics, died last week at the age of 58.

His death was shared by his sister, Tera Lanphear, on Facebook, as well as by his business partner, Jan Utstein, who said he died of complications from diabetes.

“David was kind and generous to a fault,” Utstein said. “He loved his family and he especially loved his fiance Laura Bee and their cats. What ultimately took him was an insanely high blood sugar level. Dave was an incredibly talented guy. I will miss him.”

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Scott Chantler takes on Flash Gordon for two-volume graphic novel series

Mad Cave’s ‘Flash Gordon: Two Worlds’ will feature Flash fighting against a Ming the Merciless who has conquered Earth.

After 25 years and more than a dozen books, Scott Chantler is taking on a classic licensed character. Mad Cave Studios and King Features Syndicate have announced Flash Gordon: Two Worlds, a two-volume graphic novel by the award-winning cartoonist of Two Generals, Northwest Passage, Three Thieves and more.

Chantler will worl with colorist K, J. Díaz. The first volume is scheduled for November.

The standalone story is separate from Mad Cave’s other Flash Gordon series and pulls from the pulp-adventure sensibilities of Alex Raymond’s original comic strip and the Flash Gordon movie serials. It’s also a What If? style story, asking the question — what if Ming conquered Earth?

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