Slugfest is a roundup of cool announcements about projects coming to a shelf near you. This edition focuses on Image Comics’ April 2026 titles. Hit the links for more info, and for more Image Comics news, check out our posts on Corpse Knight and Ghost Machine: The Official Guidebook.
Head Lopper returns this April with an all-new story arc that marks roughly 10 years since Andrew MacLean’s cult-favorite fantasy series first debuted at Image in 2015. Launching with an extra-length issue, Head Lopper #1 drops readers back into the savage, monster-haunted world of Norgal the Relentless and his endlessly talkative, severed-witch-head companion, Agatha.
“Narschlahn is calling me back! It’s been a decade of Head Lopper, and yet, the world feels more alive with every stroke of the pen,” said MacLean. “Huge thanks to Image Comics for their incredible support of this relaunch. This new chapter is the perfect entry point for new readers, while rewarding veterans with a story that picks up right after the original series’ finale.”
Here’s a look at the variant cover for the first issue by James Harren, as well as some preview pages:
The first issue arrives April 22.
In Your Skin is a four-issue miniseries that blends Bollywood glamour with unsettling body horror, centering on obsession, identity and the price of fame. It’s about Priyanka, a lifelong devotee of movie star Ayesha Sen, memorizing her films and dances with near-religious intensity. When a long-awaited meeting with her idol goes disastrously wrong, Priyanka’s fixation curdles into something far darker.
Written by letterer Aditya Bidikar and illustrated by SOM, In Your Skin marks Bidikar’s debut Image series as a writer.
“In Your Skin combines my love for body horror and my fascination with the glamorous world of Bollywood,” said Bidikar. “Backed by the incredible Tiny Onion team, Som and I are thrilled to present a story that’s never been seen before in comics.”
Variant covers for the debut issue are provided by Maria Llovet, Anand RK and Tula Lotay, alongside SOM’s main cover. In Your Skin #1 arrives April 22.
Fireborn expands the world of Curt Pires and Luca Casalanguida’s Lost Fantasy. Aaron Hillburg is content to drift through life as a rich kid with too much money, too many grudges and no interest in his billionaire father. Then a mysterious floating dragon egg bonds to him, awakening a buried lineage of power inside Aaron, turning him into the most wanted target on the map.
The ongoing series is co-written by Pires and Franklin Jonas, the younger brother of the Jonas Brothers, with art and covers by Patrick Mulholland.
“Lost Fantasy has been one of the most special and gratifying projects for me to work on of my entire career,” Pires said. “Not just because I love the world and creative work I’m doing on this book alongside my co-creators Luca, Mark and Micah but because it’s put me in touch with so many amazing readers, retailers and new friends. I count Franklin among those friends. Within minutes of meeting Franklin and talking with him—I could feel the same deep love for comics that I have, exists inside of him too, and I knew I needed to find a way to bring him into the fold.”
Variant covers for Fireborn #1 include additional Mulholland homage covers, as well as Jae Lee and Tyler Kirkham. Fireborn #1 arrives April 22.
Royals is a slick, high-stakes crime caper set in the neon-lit back alleys of Seoul, South Korea, where twin brothers Paul and Castor have turned their uncanny telepathic bond into the ultimate poker hustle. Able to read each other’s thoughts, the brothers have made a living out of stacking the odds in their favor, until they sit down at the wrong table. When their latest game puts them directly across from the leader of the Bloody Cocks, Seoul’s most ruthless criminal syndicate, their psychic edge may not be enough to save them from the consequences.
Royals was originally announced as a graphic novel back in 2024, but will now be a miniseries.
It’s written by Eisner Award winner Derek Kirk Kim and illustrated by Jacob Perez, who also provides the main cover and a variant. Kim also draws a variant. The debut issue goes on sale April 1.
Tyler Kirkham’s recent Final Boss series takes a break in April, but that doesn’t mena he won’t be busy — Final Boss: Masked Vigilante pulls back the curtain on the assassin known as Masked Vigilante. Her brutal origin story is revealed, charting the path that turned her into a relentless force stalking the criminal underworld.
“I’m thrilled to dive deeper into the world of Final Boss,” said Kirkham. “I’ve always envisioned the mysterious Masked Vigilante as a breakout character, and I can’t wait to finally pull back the curtain on her brutal, blood-soaked origins.”
Written and illustrated by Tyler Kirkham, Final Boss: Masked Vigilante will have variants by Leon Govender and Mario Gully, as well as incentive and virgin variants by Kirkham and David Finch. The one-shot arrives in comic shops on April 29.
I don’t think much has been said about this one yet, but Void Rivals artist Lorenzo De Felici has a new comic out in April that he’s written and drawn, called Red Roots. The artist shared some pages from it recently on Instagram. It arrives April 22.
The sixth issue of Rob Liefeld’s Youngblood relaunch also marks the 100th issue for the title, using Legacy numbering. The issue will feature as-yet-unrevealed variant covers by several of the original Image creators, including Erik Larsen, Marc Silverstri, Jim Valentino and Todd McFarlane, as well as Image stalwarts like Robert Kirkman and Donny Cates. Who aren’t really known to be artists, so we’ll see what those look like when they’re finally revealed.
Skottie Young’s I Hate Fairyland also hits a milestone as it marks 50 issues. The April issue arrives with several variant covers, including a special “birthday cake” one featuring Gert and her creator. The issue, by Young and artist Derek Laufman, arrives April 29.
Skybound
Jumping now to the Skybound side of the house, fans of the recent Silent Missions one-shots featuring various members of the G.I. Joe team will appreciate that Skybound is doing another round of one-shots, this time featuring the bad guys in Cobra.
The “Silent Missions” concept, for those not familiar, was introduced way back in 1984 in the pages of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #21, a wordless story written and drawn by Larry Hama that showed Snake Eyes on a stealth mission to rescue Scarlett from Cobra. Skybound has since reprinted that issue and also released wordless stories last year featuring Beach Head, Jinx, Spirit, Roadblock and Duke.
But why should the Joes have all the fun? In April, Skybound will release “Sssilent Missions” featuring Baroness, Copperhead, the Crimson Guard, Zartan and Firefly.
“The first Silent Missions event was a smashing success, and we’re thrilled to run it back again with five brand-new Cobra silent issues,” said Skybound Editorial Director Alex Antone. “We’ve tapped the very best creators in comics to showcase what makes Cobra so much fun…and we can’t wait for you to experience these incredible stories!”
The month begins with Jöelle Jones and Declan Shalvey teaming up for a tale featuring the Baroness. who must prevent Cobra intelligence from falling into the hands of G.I. Joe and Destro. It comes out April 1, and features covers by Jones and Jorge Fornés, who drew the variants for all five issues.
April 8 brings the Crimson Guard one-shot by Gabriel Hardman, who “invites you to the join the next graduating class of Crimson Guard initiates as they complete their final test: protecting Cobra Commander from an all-out assault by G.I. Joe!”
The Spider-Girl team of Tom DeFalco and Pat Oliffe reunite for a silent mission involving Zartan, where the master of disguise must outwit Cobra Commander, Major Bludd and the G.I. Joe team. It arrives April 15.
On April 22, Copperhead takes the spotlight in a one-shot by Howard Porter, featuring “a swamp death race that’s too fast and too fatal for the fearless Copperhead to turn down. Unfortunately, his competition isn’t going to let anyone–even Cobra–stop them from winning!”
Finally, on April 29, Jorge Fornés sends Firefly on a mission that brings a confrontation with The Oktober Guard.
Finally, let’s jump back to Image’s March books to take a look at a series of variant covers that’ll run on just about every Image title that month. As previously mentioned, it’s Invincible Month, and everyone from The Darkness to the cats from Feral are teaming up with Invincible characters on these covers.
On sale Wednesday, March 4:
- The Department of Truth #36 Cover D Invincible Team-Up variant by Martin Simmonds – Lunar Code 0126IM8041
- Narco #1 Cover D Invincible Team-Up variant by Dan Hillyard & Dave Stewart – Lunar Code 0126IM8056
- Rook Exodus #10 Cover E Invincible Team-Up variant by Jason Fabok & Brad Anderson – Lunar Code 1225IM8053
- The Walking Dead Deluxe #132 Cover F Invincible Team-Up variant by David Finch – Lunar Code 0126IM8062
On sale Wednesday, March 11:
- Assorted Crisis Events #9 Cover C Invincible Team-Up variant by Eric Zawadzki – Lunar Code 0126IM8038
- Blood & Thunder #11 Cover E Invincible Team-Up variant by E.J. Su & Michele Msassyk Assarasakorn – Lunar Code 0126IM8039
- Die Loaded #5 Cover C Invincible Team-Up variant by Chloe Brailsford – Lunar Code 0126IM8081
- D’orc #2 Cover C Invincible Team-Up variant by Brett Bean – Lunar Code 0126IM8042
- Free Planet #10 Cover C Invincible Team-Up variant by Jed Dougherty – Lunar Code 0126IM8046
- Geiger #22 Cover D Invincible Team-Up variant by Gary Frank & Brad Anderson – Lunar Code 0126IM8047
- G.I. Joe A Real American Hero #326 Cover D Invincible Team-Up variant by Chris Mooneyham – Lunar Code 0126IM8050
- The Seasons #9 Cover C Invincible Team-Up variant by Paul Azaceta – Lunar Code 0126IM8058
- Spawn #373 Cover C Invincible Team-Up variant by Brett Booth – Lunar Code 1025IM8176
- Transformers #30 Cover F Invincible Team-Up variant by Josh Cassara – Lunar Code 0126IM8060
- Witchblade (2024) #19 Cover E Invincible Team-Up variant by Giuseppe Cafaro – Lunar Code 0126IM8065
On sale Wednesday, March 18:
- Exquisite Corpses #11 Cover H Invincible Team-Up variant by Michael Walsh – Lunar Code 0126IM8043
- Ghost Pepper #9 Cover F Invincible Team-Up variant by Ludo Lullabi – Lunar Code 0126IM8048
- G.I. Joe #20 Cover F Invincible Team-Up variant by Andrea Milan – Lunar Code 0126IM8049
- Invincible Universe Battle Beast #7 Cover H Invincible Team-Up variant by Ryan Ottley & Annalisa Leoni – Lunar Code 0126IM8052
- Kaya #34 Cover C Invincible Team-Up variant by Wes Craig – Lunar Code 0126IM8054
- Super Creepshow #1 Cover E Invincible Team-Up variant by Rossi Gifford – Lunar Code 0126IM8059
- The Walking Dead Deluxe #133 Cover E Invincible Team-Up variant by Charlie Adlard – Lunar Code 0126IM8063
- Wrestle Heist #4 Cover B Invincible Team-Up variant by Kyle Starks – Lunar Code 0126IM8066
- Redcoat #17 Cover D Invincible Team-Up variant by Bryan Hitch & Brad Anderson – Lunar Code 1125IM9106
- The Darkness (2025) #4 Cover D Invincible Team-Up variant by Ed Benes – Lunar Code 1225IM8051
On sale Wednesday, March 25:
- Invincible Universe Capes #5 Cover F Invincible Team-Up variant by Mark Englert – Lunar Code 0126IM8053
- Death Fight Forever #2 Cover D Invincible Team-Up variant by Andrew MacLean – Lunar Code 0126IM8040
- Feral #21 Cover E Invincible Team-Up variant by Tony Fleecs & Trish Forstner – Lunar Code 0126IM8044
- Final Boss #5 Cover G Invincible Team-Up variant by Tyler Kirkham – Lunar Code 0126IM8045
- Hyde Street #11 Cover D Invincible Team-Up variant by Ivan Reis & Brad Anderson – Lunar Code 0825IM8447
- I Hate Fairyland #49 Cover D Invincible Team-Up variant by Skottie Young – Lunar Code 0126IM8051
- Malevolent #3 Cover B Invincible Team-Up variant by John Bivens & Felipe Sobreiro – Lunar Code 0126IM8055
- Void Rivals #28 Cover F Invincible Team-Up variant by Lorenzo de Felici – Lunar Code 0126IM8061
- White Sky #2 Cover C Invincible Team-Up variant by JP Mavinga – Lunar Code 0126IM8064
- Youngblood (2025) #5 Cover E Invincible Team-Up variant by Rob Liefeld – Lunar Code 0126IM8067