Category: Comic Books

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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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 | 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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Lara Croft makes a surprise appearance in ‘G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero’ this week before headlining a five-issue crossover

Skybound surprises readers with the first meeting of G.I. Joe and the Tomb Raider icon, with a full miniseries launching in October.

Skybound pulled another Wednesday surprise today, hiding an appearance by video game bad ass Lara Croft inside G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #330. They also announced that a five-issue crossover miniseries, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero/Tomb Raider, will follow in October from writer Kyle Higgins and artist Elena Casagrande.

The miniseries sends Lara Croft to Cobra Island in search of a hidden treasure called the Arbco Star, teaming her with Shipwreck and several other Joes as they race Destro and the Baroness for the prize. Higgins and Casagrande will be joined by colorist Alex Guimarães and letterer Pat Brosseau on the crossover.

“Tomb Raider meets G.I. Joe. Lost artifact, a Destro plot and a joint infiltration mission to Cobra Island– the appeal of a story like this should be obvious,” Higgins said. “Having never had the opportunity to work with either, I was quite excited when Alex Antone called to ask me if I’d like to build an adventure for both. We’re taking some really fun swings with both brands–and there are definitely some deep cuts for G.I. Joe fans!”

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Tradd Moore’s ‘Touch Me Someplace Nowhere’ launches next year from Oni Press

The cartoonist behind ‘Doctor Strange: Fall Sunrise’ and ‘Luther Strode’ will write, draw and color this NYC gangland epic.

Oni Press has announced Touch Me Someplace Nowhere, a new creator-owned series written, illustrated and colored entirely by Tradd Moore that’ll come out in 2027.

The series follows Kelly Muir, the prodigal child of a powerful New York City crime family, on a self-destructive, lovesick bender through drug-infused Brooklyn after dark. Set in an alternate New York City where street gangs compete for dominance and literal wild animals roam the streets, the comic follows a cascading cast of outsiders through violent and turbulent misadventures across a single night.

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Nakama Press brings Man Tsang’s ‘The Zeros’ to English readers this September

The espionage graphic novel follows a retired assassin forced back into a deadly world of covert operations and unfinished business.

Nakama Press, the manga/manhua imprint of Mad Cave Studios, will publish an English-language edition of The Zeros by creator Man Tsang in September.

The action-espionage graphic novel follows Pak Ling, a former assassin for an organization known as Karma. He abandoned his violent past after a mission ended in tragedy, but as they say, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!” His attempt at a quiet life is shattered when new threats force him back into a world of covert operations, dangerous alliances and old enemies.

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Chainsaws in space: Daniel Warren Johnson will unleash ‘Chainkata’ on an undeserving world in November

Nine years in the making, the Eisner Award-winning creator of ‘Do a Powerbomb’ and ‘Transformers’ introduces a chainsaw-wielding warrior queen seeking peace in a violent universe.

There’s nothing like getting July started off right as we build toward the big San Diego Comic-Con later this month. Image Comics and Daniel Warren Johnson are coming out swinging with a new ongoing series, Chainkata, which the Do a Powerbomb creator will write and draw. The first issue comes out in November.

The series follows Luma, a chainsaw-wielding warrior queen searching for an unknown power in the vastness of space. All she wants is peace, but violence and terror seem to follow her through every black hole.

“Ever since my start in comics, I’ve wanted to make a science fiction book that truly felt different from everything already out there,” Johnson said. “It was 2017 when I drew the first sketch of Luma, Chainkata‘s main character. From that point, it took me NINE years to come up with a story that I felt was worthy of being on the stands, and Chainkata is the end result of that journey. I have pushed myself narratively and artistically further than I ever have before, and I believe it shows in the pages you’ll be reading this fall. Please join me for an epic like none other. The Chain awaits you.”

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Judge Dredd + the Biker Mice From Mars collide in new crossover from Oni Press + Rebellion

The two-issue series by Dan Watters, Ryan O’Sullivan and Jordi Tarragona launches in December as part of a broader publishing and merchandise partnership.

Judge Dredd is about to meet his match in the form of the Biker Mice From Mars. Oni Press and Rebellion will bring together the two unlikely science fiction franchises for a two-issue series launching this December.

Announced in the lead-up to the San Diego Comic Con, Oni Press, Rebellion and Biker Mice From Mars owners The Nacelle Company have revealed Judge Dredd / Biker Mice From Mars #1, written by Dan Watters and Ryan O’Sullivan with artwork by Jordi Tarragona. The crossover also marks the beginning of a new partnership between Rebellion and Nacelle that will include action figures and other collectibles.

“Mutants and mayhem are two of the founding pillars of Judge Dredd’s world, so when Oni and Nacelle approached us about a crossover with the Biker Mice From Mars we knew this would be exactly our kind of Thrillpower,” said Ben Smith, head of publishing for Rebellion. “The Biker Mice From Mars are the perfect fit for Dredd’s radical, radioactive vision of the future, and this is going to be a revved-up, all-action spectacular for fans. To take this crossover off the page into a new toy range is next-level exciting – Rebellion and 2000 AD are delighted to bring this new partnership with our new partners Oni Press and Nacelle into fifth gear.”

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Kelly Thompson + Mattia De Iulis reunite for ‘Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives’

The creative team behind ‘Absolute Wonder Woman Annual’ gives the Bride her own story in a four-issue series arriving in October.

Skybound has announced the next series in their Universal Monsters line — Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives, a four-issue miniseries from Kelly Thompson and Mattia De Iulis.

De Iulis will both draw and color the series, with lettering by Becca Carey. The trio worked together on this year’s Absolute Wonder Woman Annual.

The series marks the eighth entry in Skybound’s Universal Monsters line, following Dracula, Frankenstein, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Invisible Man, the Mummy, the Phantom of the Opera and the Wolf Man, whose miniseries launched last month. Skybound began publishing comics based on the iconic horror characters in 2023, and have done a great job of pairing the right creative teams with each of the characters.

“The original Bride of Frankenstein is a brilliant film exploring the creature’s failed attempts to find friendship and community, and then the desperate act to force others to create that which he cannot find. What it’s not about, however, is how The Bride herself feels about her creation,” Thompson said. “Through The Bride of Frankenstein Lives we get the opportunity to explore not only her search for who and what she is, but her search for the women that were destroyed to create her — all brought to striking vivid life via Mattia De Iluis’s incredible visuals.” 

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IDW Dark unveils the horror mystery ‘You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive’

The new series from Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing and Heather Vaughan features a deadly coming-of-age mystery and arrives in October.

IDW Publishing’s horror imprint IDW Dark is expanding its lineup this fall with You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive, an original horror series from the writing duo of Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing and artist Heather Vaughan.

According to IDW, the series blends psychological horror and mystery with themes of generational control and the struggle to break free from systems built by those in power.

“We’re deconstructing a feeling that seems universal these days; our elders have a death grip on their power, without any intention of giving it up to the generations that come next,” Kelly said in the announcement.

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