Author: JK Parkin

18 inductees announced for the Will Eisner Hall of Fame class of 2026

Don Heck, Denys Cowan, Carol Tyler and more will be inducted this summer.

Comic-Con International has announced 18 inductees for the Will Eisner Hall of Fame for this year.

The list ranges from legendary pros like Don Heck (who, like me, may have you wondering “Is he not already in the Hall of Fame?) to longtime pros who are still producing new work, like Denys Cowan, Carol Tyler and Rick Veitch. One that no doubt will prove controversial is Cerebus the Aardvark creator Dave Sim, a longtime lightning rod for controversy in the comics field.

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Sugar, We’re Goin’ Cosmic: Patrick Stump writes ‘Eternals’ for Marvel

The Fall Out Boy singer joins Phil Noto, Dale Eaglesham, Ralph Macchio, Michael Cho and more on ‘Eternals 50th Anniversary.’

When you’re in a band named after a superhero sidekick, it’s not surprising to find out you’re also a comic fan. Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump joins his bandmates Pete Wentz and Joe Trohman in leaving his mark on comics, as he contributes to the upcoming Eternals 50th Anniversary #1.

The one-shot marks five decades since Jack Kirby’s Eternals debuted. First introduced in 1976, the Eternals embodied the King of Comics at his most ambitious, with ancient gods, science-fiction divinity and grand ideas about humanity’s place in the cosmos. This oversized issue will serve as a tribute to that legacy with stories from Stump and several other creators.

“It’s fitting that Marvel’s version of God, its One-Above-All, was drawn in the likeness of Jack Kirby,” Stump said. “Through his cosmic work on titles like Tales of Suspense, Fantastic Four, Thor and climaxing with his mythologically inspired space opera The Eternals, he created the center of gravity all of Marvel’s galaxy is still orbiting. So when I was tasked with the responsibility of introducing a Lost Eternal, I turned to the same sci-fi and mythology that got his mighty imagination spinning to begin with. I’m beyond honored to be part of celebrating 50 years of the Eternals, and while I can’t imagine some rock singer like me doing a titan like Kirby justice, I can promise you this has definitely been as much of a passion project as any album I’ve ever made or film I’ve scored.”

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‘Swamp Thing 1989’ will debut in April

Rick Veitch and Michael Zulli’s cancelled Swamp Thing run will finally be completed this year.

As announced at last year’s New York Comic Con, DC will finally publish Rick Veitch, Michael Zulli and Vince Locke’s work on Swamp Thing #88 from 1989. The first of four issues of the DC Black Label title will arrive in April, featuring a cover by Veitch and a variant by Zulli.

Veitch’s run on Swamp Thing in the late 1980s was cut short when issue #88, which featured a time-displaced Swamp Thing arriving in time to meet Jesus Christ, was cancelled by the publisher. While this book was solicited to be published in May of 1989, it never was released. Instead Swamp Thing #88 featured a story by Doug Wheeler and Tom Yeates. 

Veitch credits years — or decades, even — of fan campaigns for convincing DC to finally finish the story Veitch intended to tell.

“The response from readers was immediate and overwhelming,” said Veitch. “It helped make the final decision to publish these issues. I am grateful to the fans for stepping up, and to DC’s team, especially editor Alex Galer and Editor-in-Chief Marie Javins, for pulling off the impossible.”

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Young Hellboy takes to the skies in a new pulp adventure

Mike Mignola reunites with Thomas E. Sniegoski and Craig Rousseau for a miniseries spotlighting Scarlett Santiago and a high-flying chapter from Hellboy’s youth.

Mike Mignola is heading back to Hellboy’s formative years, reuniting with co-writer Thomas Sniegoski and artist Craig Rousseau for an all-new, high-flying adventure. Young Hellboy: Thrilling Sky Adventures is a four-issue miniseries that expands on the early days of Hellboy’s world while keeping one eye firmly on classic adventure storytelling.

Rousseau will be joined by colorist Chris O’Halloran and letterer Clem Robins, on this lighter Hellboy story, which kicks off in May.

The series brings back Scarlett Santiago, the swashbuckling airborne hero first introduced in 2021’s Young Hellboy: The Hidden Land, where she teamed with Hellboy and Professor Bruttenholm on an island crawling with monsters and vampires.

“Since wrapping up the Young Hellboy: The Hidden Land, I’d been thinking about Scarlett Santiago, the Sky Devil, and how much we still didn’t know about her past adventures (before being possessed by the spirit of a giant ape god),” Sniegoski said. “I was hoping that there would be a way to tell some of Sky Devil’s earlier exploits, and with Thrilling Sky Adventures, we’re getting to do just that.  The whole team has excitedly returned, Mike Mignola and I coming up with the story, Craig Rousseau on art, Chris O’Halloran on colors and Clem Robins doing the lettering.  The series is coming out great, and I can’t wait for folks to be immersed in its pulpy goodness!”

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Chip Zdarsky is ‘Mad About DC’ in a new special

“They say at DC there’s nowhere to go but down after writing ‘Batman,’ and, yeah, it’s true. It’s very true.”

MAD Magazine is turning its attention to the DC universe this April with a one-shot issue that will arrive on April Fool’s Day. DC has given former Batman writer Chip Zdarsky the reigns, as he pulls together a host of creators as the book’s guest editor.

“They say at DC there’s nowhere to go but down after writing Batman, and, yeah, it’s true,” said Zdarsky. “It’s very true.”

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Oni Press summons West Coast horror in ‘Estuary: A Ghost Story’

Tim Daniel, D.B.Andry and Maan House present ‘a modern gothic tale for the smartphone age.’

Sun-bleached cliffs, crashing Pacific waves and four centuries of buried sins collide in Estuary: A Ghost Story #1, a four-issue limited series that drags the haunted history of old California out from under the tide, where Spanish missions and restless spirits lurk beneath the postcard-perfect surface of the Golden State.

Written by Tim Daniel and David “D.B.” Andry, who worked together on Crush Depth and Morning Star, and illustrated by Mine is a Long Lonesome Grave artist Maan House, Estuary: A Ghost Story pairs character-driven dread with atmospheric visuals, channeling California’s mythic past into a slow-burn supernatural nightmare. Also, it makes use of Andry’s grade-school diorama skills, something I can attest most California students get to experience:

“Estuary: A Ghost Story is a pretty perfect example of Tim and I writing what we know,” Andry said. “Both of us hailing from Northern California and growing up in and around San Francisco, Bodega Bay and Monterey, this book captures the haunted vibes, the mystery, the romance and the sense of history of these areas. Myself being raised Catholic, tying the other-worldly elements of Estuary to the very real past of the Missions I grew up making dioramas of, was both natural and cathartic. This was a story that poured out of Tim and I, more like something waiting to be discovered rather than something created.”

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Can’t Wait for Wednesday | Shadows of Tomorrow kicks into high gear with X-Force, Rogue + more

Check out new comics and graphic novels arriving this week by Kristen Gudsnuk, Tim Seeley, Nico Leon, Michael Sta. Maria, Erica Schultz, Luigi Zagaria, Bryan Hill, Stefano Caselli, Herik Hanna, Charlie Adlard and more.

Welcome to Can’t Wait for Wednesday, your guide to what’s coming to your local comic shop this week. This week brings a trio of new X-Men titles, along with a DC K.O. tie-in, a fun new title by Kristen Gudsnuk and more.

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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Nominees announced for the 57th annual NAACP Image Awards

‘Creaky Acres,’ ‘They Choose Violence’ and more were nominated this year.

The NAACP has released the nominees for the 57th NAACP Image Awards, which now includes an “Outstanding Literary Work – Graphic Novel” category.

The awards annually recognize the achievements and performances of people of color in film, television, music, literature and more, honoring artistic excellence, authentic storytelling, and the promotion of social justice and cultural representation.

The NAACP added the graphic novel category in 2024. Punk Rock Karaoke by Bianca Xunise won the award last year.

Check out the list of nominees for the graphic novel category below. You can find the complete list of nominees on the NAACP website.

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Skybound unearths the dark fantasy miniseries ‘Corpse Knight’

Michael Chaves and Matthew Roberts team for a new fantasy/horror series where a father’s love survives the grave.

Skybound has announced Corpse Knight, a horror/fantasy miniseries from Michael Chaves of The Conjuring franchise fame, along with artist Matthew Roberts and colorist Rico Renzi. The comic combines dark fantasy, brutal horror and an emotional core rooted in family, as a father and daughter embark on a “sacred quest” after he returns from the dead.

“Corpse Knight was born out of my love of dark fantasy, but it quickly became something more. It’s a story of parenthood and mortality, told through heroes, monsters, and all the shades in between,” said Chaves. “I’ve been a fan of Matthew Roberts since Manifest Destiny, and I truly believe this is some of his finest work. His art is beautiful, tactile, and, when it needs to be, amazingly gruesome. Alongside Rico Renzi’s awesome color work, it’s everything you want from this kind of book.”

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Ghost Machine announces an official handbook for their universes

The five-issue ‘Ghost Machine: The Official Guidebook’ will detail facts and figures about Geiger, Hyde Street and more.

In the spirit of the indispensable guides that were the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe and Who’s Who in the DC Universe, Ghost Machine has announced a five-issue Ghost Machine: The Official Guidebook, which will include entries on characters from the various universes they publish.

Launched in 2023, the Ghost Machine family of titles span genres and universes, from Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s Geiger to Peter J. Tomasi and Francis Manapul’s The Rocketfellers. If you want to get familiar with all the characters they’ve introduced, now is your chance.

“I was always a huge fan of these entertaining encyclopedic comics,” said Brian Cunningham, Ghost Machine editor-in-chief. “Whenever I wanted to know something about a character, I knew where to go. I also loved learning about characters I had never seen before, and then wanting to track down those comics with them so I could read those stories. I’m hoping fans will do the same with our Guidebook.”

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Kevin Smith, Eric Carrasco + Nick Pitarra will explore Bizarro’s origins in a new miniseries

‘Bizarro: Year None’ will launch in April.

Clerks writer/director Kevin Smith will team with Eric Carrasco, a writer of the CW’s Supergirl TV show, to co-write a new miniseries exploring the origins of Bizarro. Nick Pitarra, artist of the wonderful The Manhattan Projects, will bring Bizarro: Year None to life, presenting an “indefinitive” origin for the character.

“Me am NOT excited for new comic!” Bizarro said in the press release. “Bizarro: Year None am worst thing to happen!”

A teen version of Bizarro first appeared in Superboy #68 by Otto Binder and George Papp in 1958, and the adult version quickly followed in the Superman newspaper strip. The sometimes villain, sometimes anti-hero has had several incarnations over the years, typically serving as an antagonist to Superman , but also teaming with heroes like Red Hood and the Outlaws. He’s also starred in back-ups, specials and his own miniseries in the past.

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Exclusive | Lord Dunsany’s ‘The Gods of Pegana’ returns as a fully illustrated art book

Dustin Holland illustrates a new edition of the classic fantasy literature, which arrives on Kickstarter soon.

Before the Cthulhu mythos reshaped cosmic horror, Lord Dunsany was already mapping the unknown.

First published in 1905, The Gods of Pegana is an influential but often overlooked work of early fantasy literature, laying the groundwork for writers like H.P. Lovecraft, J.R.R. Tolkien and Ursula K. Le Guin. Now, Denver’s Wig Shop is bringing Dunsany’s cosmology back into the spotlight with a new illustrated edition, and we’re excited to share an exclusive first look at preview pages from the book.

This upcoming Kickstarter project pairs Dunsany’s dreamlike text with full-color paintings by artist Dustin Holland. This edition presents the complete original text, surrounded by richly painted borders and punctuated by full-page illustrations that mirror a medieval illuminated manuscript.

Holland draws inspiration from sources as varied as Leonora Carrington, Max Ernst, Fleischer Studios animation and underground cartoonists like Gary Panter and Julie Doucet. The result is a hallucinatory, almost primeval, visual language that feels perfectly suited to Dunsany’s pantheon of gods, monsters and prophets.

“It’s rare to find a book with so many ideas per page,” Holland said. “I hope these paintings invite readers to revel in Dunsany’s imagination and really celebrate the dreamy world he’s built.”

The 7×10, 139-page deluxe paperback is set to launch on Kickstarter next month, with additional rewards including original artwork and campaign-exclusive extras. Check out the exclusive preview pages below:

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