Author: JK Parkin

Jared Cullum returns with ‘Kodi: A Place to Call Home’ this September

The follow-up to the Reuben Award-winning graphic novel arrives in September from Top Shelf.

Cartoonist Jared Cullum is back with a second volume in his Kodi series this fall. Kodi: A Place to Call Home arrives in SEptember from Top Shelf Productions, continuing the story of a boy and his bear.

In this new volume, Katya and Kodi are adjusting to life together in the city, but Katya is falling behind in school and Kodi is struggling to find his footing in his noisy new surroundings. When a greedy zookeeper sets out to separate them for good, Katya and her found family have to head back into the wild, confront their fears and figure out where they truly belong.

Cullum described the book as a continuation of a deeply personal story.

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AJ Mendez, Aimee Garcia, Ildy Modrovich + Amilcar Pinna bring ‘East Side Saints’ to Ignition Press

The demon-hunting series debuts in 2027.

Ignition Press has announced East Side Saints, a new series co-created by writers AJ Mendez, Aimee Garcia and Ildy Modrovich with artist Amilcar Pinna and colorist Amanda Grazini.

The series follows 15-year-old Alex Gomez, who inherits her family’s demon-hunting business along with a bruja grandmother and a closely guarded family secret. Ignition describes it as a “coming-of-rage story” set on the streets of East L.A.

“East Side Saints is a story about becoming your own hero,” Mendez said. “When the system fails, power is corrupted and demons roam the streets, the East Side Saints will get their hands dirty in order to save Los Angeles. They might not be the heroes you asked for, they might make things worse, they might even charge you for saving your life, but damnit they’re all you’ve got, and I hear they take Venmo. This story is a love letter to the misfits, the troublemakers, and the rule-breakers, whose rough edges are the weapons that will save the world.”

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Image is bringing back ‘Ice Cream Man’ #1 with a ‘decoder cover’ this October

The black-and-white edition includes a bonus story and a “hidden” cover you unlock with an included decoder lens.

W. Maxwell Prince and Martín Morazzo’s long-running Ice Cream Man series is getting a special Halloween treat: Image Comics will bring the series’ debut issue back to shelves this October as Ice Cream Man #1: Chocolate/Vanilla Twist, a black-and-white edition with an interactive, decoder-based cover.

The twist is that the cover art is hidden behind a “focal decoder” treatment that makes the Ice Cream Man himself disappear. Readers can view it, along with some newly added secret messages and images, using an included “Lookety Split” Decoder Lens.

“Ice Cream Man: Chocolate/Vanilla Twist is where two of my favorite things converge: Martín’s first pages of this strange little book that would, for reasons still unclear to me, go on to become a geriatric ongoing comic… and this insanely cool focal decoder technology, which I experienced for the first (and last) time in college, when Bright Eyes’ 2007 LP Cassadaga came into my dorm’s mailroom bearing my name,” Prince said. “Both of those things left me with my jaw on the floor, as both of those things are, to me, examples of the way in which visual art and musical logic can create an experience greater than the sum of its parts. (And that’s before Chris O. and Good Old Neon made Ice Cream Man #1 even lovelier…) To marry those two things—as Part One of a special-project-kickoff to Ice Cream Man’s December return to regular publication, and its march toward issue 50—is a blessing that means more to me than I can articulate in a press release. There must be a monkey’s paw somewhere running out of fingers.”

The new edition also comes with remastered lettering by the crew at Good Old Neon and a brand-new Ice Cream Man short story from the original creative team, which also includes colorist Chris O’Halloran. Here’s an explainer on how the cover works:

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Stephen Wacker returns to Marvel as editor-in-chief as C.B. Cebulski moves to a new role in Asia

The change follows Marvel’s recent executive restructuring that saw Brad Winderbaum take oversight of comics alongside television, animation and franchise.

Marvel has named Stephen Wacker its new editor-in-chief, bringing the longtime editor back to the company as C.B. Cebulski steps into a newly created role overseeing Marvel’s publishing efforts in Asia.

The announcement marks another major leadership change for Marvel’s publishing division following the leadership change announced in May. At that time, Marvel announced that longtime executive Dan Buckley would depart after nearly 30 years with the company, while Brad Winderbaum expanded his responsibilities from television and animation to oversee comics and franchise. Disney executive David Abdo also joined Marvel as general manager of comics and franchise.

Now, Wacker will take over as editor-in-chief, reporting to Winderbaum, while Cebulski relocates to Japan as editor of Asia Originals, where he will oversee Marvel’s original graphic fiction and manga initiatives in the region. Which is an interesting choice, to say the least, given that Cebulski once cosplayed as a Japanese man.

“Few editors have had as long and accomplished a career as C.B. I’m grateful for his partnership over the past decade and thrilled that he’ll be on the ground in Japan, connecting with local artists and overseeing Marvel’s original graphic fiction and manga in the region,” said Brad Winderbaum, Head of Marvel Television, Animation, Comics & Franchise. “At the same time, I’m excited to welcome Stephen Wacker back to Marvel. He is a tremendous editor, a passionate advocate for creators, and someone who deeply understands that Marvel Comics is the source code of our entire enterprise, with a publishing resume that includes some of our most beloved modern runs.”

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Hasta la vista, Betty: ‘Archie vs. The Terminator’ arrives this October

Skynet comes to Riverdale in a five-issue crossover from writer Rory McConville and artists Steven and Lily Butler.

The latest Archie Comics crossover will bring a new threat to Riverdale, as Dynamite Entertainment, Archie Comics and STUDIOCANAL announce Archie vs. The Terminator, a five-issue miniseries launching in October. The series brings a teenage John Connor to Riverdale High, which can only mean a relentless Terminator is not far behind.

Written by Rory McConville, who wrote Dynamite’s The Terminator: Metal, the series pairs the wholesome world of Archie Andrews with the deadly future war between humanity and Skynet from the Terminator film franchise. The father-and-daughter team of Steven Butler and Lily Butler, who combined have drawn countless Archie Comics stories, will provide art for the miniseries.

“Archie crossovers hold a very special place in comics, so I’m thrilled to be writing the gang’s first (maybe last?!) encounter with The Terminator,” McConville said. “Enrolling John Connor at Riverdale High felt like the perfect way to bring these two iconic franchises together and I can’t wait for readers to see what we have in store.”

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Smash Pages Q&A | Christian Ward on building ‘The Forever Home’

The writer discusses the premise behind his new Oni Press series, collaborating with Sami Kivelä and why every great story starts with its characters.

Christian Ward has built a career creating stunning visuals and unforgettable worlds, whether as the artist on books like Invisible Kingdom, Batman: City of Madness, Black Bolt and Spectregraph, or as a writer on Blood Stained Teeth and Machine Gun Wizards.

For his latest project, he’s building a house.

Coming from Oni Press this fall, The Forever Home reunites him with artist Sami Kivelä for a story that blends science fiction, horror and family drama. The series follows Henry D’mour, a man who built a home designed to survive a climate-ravaged future that exists almost outside of time itself. As years, and eventually centuries, pass beyond its walls, the family inside must confront not only the changing world, but the consequences of Henry’s choices and the secrets hidden within the house itself.

I spoke with Ward about the origins of The Forever Home, why he wanted to tell a story inspired by climate change and “billionaire bunker” culture, reuniting with Kivelä and more. My thanks for his time.

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Jenny Blake Isabella + Martin Pasko to receive the 2026 Bill Finger Award; Wendy + Richard Pini to receive Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award

Both awards will be presented July 24 during the Eisner Award ceremony at the San Diego Comic-Con.

Writers Jenny Blake Isabella and Martin Pasko will receive the Bill Finger Award this year, while Elfquest creators Richard and Wendy Pini will receive the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award.

Both awards are given out each year during the Eisner Awards ceremony at Comic-Con International in San Diego. The ceremony will take place Friday, July 24 in the Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton Bayfront in San Diego.

The Pinis will receive their award for donating $500,000 to establish the Wendy and Richard Pini Comics and Cartoon Endowment at Columbia University.

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Smash Pages Q&A | Chris Schweizer on ‘Outlaw’s Apprentice’

With his Kickstarter in full swing, Schweizer talks about the journey from idea to Webtoon to graphic novel, his approach to crowdfunding, and bringing the language, syntax and trappings of Appalachia into his stories.


Chris Schweizer has spent years building a reputation as one of comics’ most engaging cartoonists, whether tackling historical adventures like his Crogan Adventures series, licensed comics like Mars Attacks! or creator-owned projects like 6 Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton. Now the former Savannah College of Art & Design professor is bringing Outlaw’s Apprentice, a series he launched on Webtoon earlier this year, to print through Kickstarter, giving readers a chance to experience the tale of a young outlaw-in-training in a handsome collected edition.

The campaign is already off to a strong start, but our conversation goes beyond the Kickstarter. Schweizer discusses the journey this idea has taken to get to this point, his approach to his craft when he’s both writing and drawing a project, how reaching the $40,000 mark in the campaign will benefit everyone in his home state of Kentucky and more.

Whether you’re backing Outlaw’s Apprentice, making comics yourself or simply curious about how great comics come together, Schweizer’s answers should be of interest. My thanks for his time.

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Oni Press spotlights Charlie Adlard, David Lapham + more in new ‘EC Artists From the Abyss’ one-shots

The series of one-shots spotlights Charlie Adlard, David Lapham, Sami Kivelä and Leomacs with collections of their EC Comics work alongside brand-new stories.

Oni Press is putting the spotlight on the artists behind their EC Comics revival with Artists From the Abyss, a new series of one-shots launching in November.

Each ad-free issue will feature one of the artists who has contributed to EC’s new era, collecting their previous EC Comics stories alongside a brand-new tale created for the anthology.

The series begins Nov. 11 with EC Artists From the Abyss: Charlie Adlard #1, showcasing The Walking Dead artist’s work for EC Comics, along with a new story written by Chris Condon and Tim Seeley.

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Philip Gelatt, David Yarovesky, Adam Pollina + Dean White team for horror series ‘It Demands Sacrifice’

The new series about a goat battling his kidnappers debuts from Bad Idea in October.

Philip Gelatt, the Emmy Award-winning writer behind the animated Love, Death & Robots, and Brightburn director David Yarovesky are teaming with artist Adam Pollina and colorist Dean White for It Demands Sacrifice, a new prestige-format limited series arriving from Bad Idea in October.

The series follows Bronson, the runt of a family of goats whose quiet farm life is shattered when a drug-fueled satanic cult slaughters his owners and kidnaps the herd as part of a demonic ritual. Now the smallest goat in the family is the only one who can stop the sacrifice.

“We wanted to approach the genre from a new angle, something that could make it feel fresh, dangerous, and genuinely shocking again. And somehow that led us to a story with murder cults, ritual sex magick, adorable goats and an enormous amount of heart,” said Gelatt. “It all started with a simple question: what if a goat decided to fight back against the satanists trying to sacrifice it? Which probably tells you everything you need to know about the kinds of things Dave thinks about in his spare time.”

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Kim-Joy + Alti re-team for ‘Quiet’ from Comixology + Mad Cave

The new graphic novel from the team behind ‘Turtle Bread’ will arrive digitally this fall and in print next year.

Bestselling cookbook author Kim-Joy is re-teaming with artist Alti Firmansyah on another graphic novel for Comixology titled Quiet. The pair are joined by letterer Sara Linsley and editor Allison O’Toole.

Quiet is about a girl, Mary, with selective mutism, an anxiety disorder that causes a person to not be able to speak in certain social settings like school or work. After enduring bullying from her classmates, she’s assigned a mental health support robot that she then uses to get revenge on her bullies.

“So much of my work has mental health themes,” Kim-Joy said. “It’s something I care about deeply and return to again and again, because I think stories are one of the best ways we have of making people feel less alone – and I hope that anyone who reads it feels that. And maybe wants their very own robot!”

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Can’t Wait for Wednesday | Super Mondo Mega Mutts unite!

Plus: Dark Knights of Steel returns, Punisher takes on Spider-Man, Badrock goes solo and Godzilla meets Sonic in this week’s new comics.

Welcome to Can’t Wait for Wednesday, your guide to what’s coming to your local comic shop this week. Wednesday brings several big debuts, including a gonzo action comic from Curt Pires and Juan Gedeon, returns to the Last Ronin and Dark Knights of Steel universes, two new comics from Simon Spurrier and a Space Ghost annual that previews an upcoming Hanna-Barbara crossover that makes the nine-year-old in me squeal with glee.

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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