Slugfest is a roundup of cool announcements about projects coming to a shelf near you. This edition focuses on Marvel’s August 2025 solicitations. For real. Hit the links for more information.
No, you haven’t gone crazy — Marvel’s September solicitations include the previously announced Deadpool/Batman crossover, which will not only a story about the two characters in the title by Zeb Wells and Greg Capullo, but also stories featuring several other DC and Marvel meet-ups by an impressive crew of creators. They are:
- Daredevil and Green Arrow by Kevin Smith and Andy Kubert.
- Captain America and Wonder Woman by Chip Zdarsky and Terry Dodson.
- Jeff the Land Shark and Krypto by Kelly Thompson and Gurihiru.
“Two ICONS meeting for the first time!” Thompson said. “It’s such an honor for Jeff to get to be Marvel’s ambassador in this crossover story with Krypto. Anyone who loves comics knows how rare it is for DC and Marvel to crossover, so Jeff getting to be part of this historic moment with Krypto, and Gurihiru and I getting to bring that tale to readers… well, sometimes this job is very cool.”
“This has been surreal to say the least!” Zdarsky said. “Captain America and Wonder Woman are the best their worlds have to offer, both warriors for peace. Getting to explore a dynamic and history between them has been genuinely exciting.”
Each of the stories will get its own variant cover, with two of them shown here by Marco Checchetto and Gurihiru:
And there will also be variants by Mark Bagley, Skottie Young and Ryan Stegman:
The issue will land on Sept. 17, while DC’s Batman/Deadpool issue will arrive in November — with its own extra stories and variant covers, natch.
Marvel Zombies will once again claw their way into comics, this time as a not-for-the-kids Red Band title. The five-issue miniseries is by Ethan S. Parker, Griffin Sheridan and Jan Bazaldua, and it’ll feature a Marvel Universe where the Fantastic Four came back from their fabled journey into space changed forever … into super-powered zombies. Greg land drew the cover, and the variants for the first issue shown above are by Ryan Brown and Clayton Crain.
Ultimate Hawkeye gets a solo one-shot in September by the team of B. Earl, Taboo, Deniz Camp and Juan Frigeri. Spinning out of THE ULTIMATES, breakout hit character HAWKEYE goes on a covert solo op that will have a massive impact on the future of the Ultimate Universe!
Marvel will celebrate 450 issues of Doctor Strange in September with an oversized issue featuring stories by creators associated with the doctor, including Roger Stern, J. Michael Straczynski and Derek Landy, as well as Christian Ward, Ron Lim and more.
As turmoil seizes Asgard, Doctor Strange’s life is about to change forever. But as he stands on the threshold of a true journey into mystery, it turns out the past isn’t quite done with him yet…
The special issue features a cover by Leinil Francis Yu and variants by Kevin Nowlan and Mike Mignola.
Spider-Man ’94 is a new miniseries that continues the story from the early 1990s Spider-Man cartoon. It’s by J.M. DeMatteis and Jim Towe, with a cover by Nick Bradshaw and variants by John Tyler Christopher and Ron Lim.
The latest Black, White & Red series, which tells stories of characters only using those three colors, will feature Star Wars bounty hunter Boba Fett. The first issue will feature a story by Benjamin Percy and Chris Allen, titled “The Impossible Job.” It features a cover by Alex Maleev and variants by Leinil Francis Yu and Josemaria Casanovas.
And then Boba Fett’s nemesis, Han Solo, gets a solo miniseries in September by Rodney Barnes and Roman Rosanas. Set prior to The Force Awakens, it tells the story of Han and Chewbacca going after the thief who stole the Millennium Falcon from them. Rosanas drew the main cover, while Dan Panosian, Pete Woods and E.J. Su provide variants.
Speaking of variants, you’ve come to that part of our program … let’s start with a look at the “Stitch” variants that’ll populate September’s titles, as Disney’s little blue rascal invades the Marvel universe.
The titles include:
- Amazing Spider-Man #11 by Luciano Vecchio
- Avengers #30 by Humberto Ramos
- Captain America #3 by Ben Su
- Fantastic Four #3 by Paco Medina
- X-Men #22 by Phil Noto
Mystic Mayhem is a new mobile game from Marvel made by Netease Games, and it features various Marvel characters teaming up to take on Nightmare and his forces. I haven’t played it yet. In September, several Marvel comics will sport variant covers featuring artwork from the studio that made the game, including Amazing Spider-Man, Doctor Strange and more.
Marvel has tapped artist Lee Bermejo to create a series of “Amazing Visions” variant covers featuring key events in Peter Parker’s life. Here are the first three, which will appear on Amazing Spider-Man #11-13, with many more planned — 25 in total, to cover the range from ASM #11 which is also the titles 975th issue, and the eventual issue #1000.
“Even as a kid, I could never detach some sense of realism from the way I thought of Spider-Man,” Bermejo said. “I always wanted to know how his web shooters worked and why you could never see the line where the mask attached to the costume while still totally being able to lose myself in the fantasy of a teenager bitten by a radioactive spider who would walk up walls and lift cars. My artistic vision has always been to interpret Spidey in a grounded way without losing the spectacle and sense of ‘amazing fantasy’. I’m beyond thrilled to be able to show readers important moments of his history through my lens leading up to the landmark issue #1000 of Amazing Spider-Man, while still respecting the important legacy that so many creators I love contributed to through the years.”
The United States will turn 250 years old next year (if we make it that far), and in celebration, Marvel is doing variant covers inspired by the Mighty Marvel Bicentennial Calendar from 1976. The first one, by Luciano Vecchio, was released this week on Captain America #1, while next month brings one by Marcus To on Uncanny X-Men #19. Then in September you’ll find Chris Campana’s cover on Incredible Hulk #29. There’s also one by Greg Land, but they haven’t told us where it’ll appear.
Finally, Marvel’s first family is not only making their MCU debut this month, but they’re also getting a series reboot in comics. And what better way to celebrate than a series of covers featuring the Mickey Mouse and friends as the Fantastic Four? These covers will run on the first six issues of the rebooted Fantastic Four title, starting this month. They are all homage covers to various FF titles of the past.