Tag: Archie Comics

Shaquille O’Neal partners with Archie Comics for pirate epic ‘Vengeance Unchained: The Legend of Black Caesar’

Stephanie Williams and Ray-Anthony Height team for a new series based on the life of the pirate Black Caesar.

Archie’s October solicitations brings us our first look at Vengeance Unchained: The Legend of Black Caesar, a new series arriving this fall about the rise of one of history’s most mythologized pirates.

If you’re scratching your head and asking yourself, “Archie Comics?” I just want to note that isn’t a typo — the home of Archie Andrews and friends is doing a comic outside their traditional Riverdale universe and sans any Jugheads or Veronicas. Which is different from what we might expect from them, but it’s not unheard of, as they once published Sonic the Hedgehog.

This one is actually a partnership between Archie Comics and Shaquille O’Neal, the basketball Hall of Famer, business mogul and insurance spokesperson. Eisner-nominated writer Stephanie Williams is writing the series, with art from Ray-Anthony Height and Studio Sky-Tiger. Colin Smeeton, Mike Parris and Matthew Gross of O’Neal’s Jersey Legends Productions/Authentic Studios are overseeing the project.

Here’s a look at Height’s cover for the project:

Continue reading “Shaquille O’Neal partners with Archie Comics for pirate epic ‘Vengeance Unchained: The Legend of Black Caesar’”

SDCC Slugfest | Comic-Con renews with San Diego through 2030

Plus: Anniversary specials for Archie and Captain Britain, Halloween specials for Spider-Man and Terrorbytes, and more!

With the San Diego Comic-Con kicking off tonight, we have news and announcements dropping left and right, starting with one about the convention itself.

Comic-Con International and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria announced earlier today that the San Diego Comic-Con will stay in the city through 2030, a year that will mark 60 years of the pop culture convention.

Gloria made the announcement before preview night kicked off alongside officials from Comic-Con, the San Diego Convention Center and the San Diego Tourism Authority.

“Comic-Con belongs in San Diego, and today’s announcement ensures this incredible tradition will continue here through 2030,” Gloria said. “This agreement is the result of years of partnership and reflects our shared commitment to the fans, creators, businesses and workers who make Comic-Con unlike anything else in the world. We’re proud to welcome everyone back to San Diego for another unforgettable year and excited about the future we’re building together.”

Rumors have circulated for years that the convention could move to another city, for reasons that include the price and availability of hotels, as well as the convention center size. As San Diego’s largest convention, it is of course a huge money maker for the city, with the 2026 event expected to attract more than 135,000 attendees and generate more than $160 million in regional economic impact and $3 million in hotel and sales tax revenue for the city.

Continue reading “SDCC Slugfest | Comic-Con renews with San Diego through 2030”

SDCC Slugfest | Chef José Andrés helps the Avengers to take on Ultron in ‘Meals to Astonish: Avengers’ #1

Plus: Archie gets bigger, Christian Ward makes his Oni and more news on the eve of Comic-Con!

With the San Diego Comic-Con coming up on July 23-26, we have news and announcements dropping left and right, so here’s an attempt to keep up with it all. Hit the links for more info.

Chef José Andrés is teaming up with the Avengers this October in Meals to Astonish: Avengers #1, the second one-shot from Marvel to highlight World Central Kitchen’s disaster-relief work.

Following his debut earlier this year in Spider-Man: Meals to Astonish #1, Andrés teams with Tony Stark as they travel to Vegas to unveil new disaster relief technology, only for Ultron to interrupt. Steve Orlando and Roi Mercado return for the main story, joined by a new “Jeff’s Table” installment from Paul Eschbach and E.J. Su, plus the debut of Jacob Chabot’s “VenomNom” backup.

Continue reading “SDCC Slugfest | Chef José Andrés helps the Avengers to take on Ultron in ‘Meals to Astonish: Avengers’ #1”

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.”

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

Take a look at Kano and Fabio Moon’s designs for Oni’s new Archie Comics line

Ahead of September’s ‘Archie’ #1 and October’s ‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’ #1, Oni Press shares the first character art for its new Archie Comics line.

Oni Press and Archie Comics have shared the first character designs for their new publishing partnership, by Sabrina the Teenage Witch artist Kano and Archie artist Fábio Moon, ahead of the two titles debuting this fall.

I shared these earlier in my Q&A post with the writers of the new Archie line coming from Oni Press, but thought they deserved a post of their own. Also: we’ve got variant covers! Both for September’s Archie and October’s Sabrina the Teenage Witch, which I haven’t had a chance to share yet.

Kano, who designed the cast for both books, said his goal was to update the characters without losing what makes them recognizable.

Continue reading “Take a look at Kano and Fabio Moon’s designs for Oni’s new Archie Comics line”

Smash Pages Q&A | The writers of Oni’s new Archie Comics line on Riverdale, reinvention + why these characters endure

Ben H. Winters, Corinna Bechko and Patrick Horvath talk about what it takes to reimagine some of comics’ most enduring characters.

This fall, Oni Press and Archie Comics will launch a new publishing partnership timed to the 85th anniversary of Archie’s first appearance, beginning with Ben H. Winters and Fábio Moon’s Archie #1, followed in October by Corinna Bechko and Kano’s Sabrina the Teenage Witch #1, and then in November by Patrick Horvath and Tyler Crook’s Archie in Hell #1.

Each title is taking a distinct approach to Riverdale, with Winters and Moon leaning into slice-of-life teenage drama, Bechko and Kano exploring a magical coming-of-age story, and Horvath and Crook bringing their horror sensibilities to a cursed version of Archie.

I chatted with the three writers of the new titles about tackling these characters, what has to stay the same and what they felt free to reinvent. In addition, we’re happy to share a first look at the character designs for Archie and Sabrina the Teenage Witch by Moon and Kano.

Continue reading “Smash Pages Q&A | The writers of Oni’s new Archie Comics line on Riverdale, reinvention + why these characters endure”

Can’t Wait for Wednesday | Celebrate America’s birthday with ‘100 Bullets’

New comics and graphic novels arrive this week by Geof Darrow, Brian Azzarello, Eduardo Risso, Joey Esposito, Liam Sharp, Matt Lesniewski, R. Sikoryak, Julia Wertz and more.

Welcome to Can’t Wait for Wednesday, your guide to what’s coming to your local comic shop this week.

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.

Continue reading “Can’t Wait for Wednesday | Celebrate America’s birthday with ‘100 Bullets’”

Exclusive | The Power Pets + Superteens team up in ‘Archie Comics 85th Anniversary Presents: Archie’s Movie Mania’

Writer Jamie L. Rotante and artists Steven Butler and Lily Butler bring the Superteens and Power Pets together in the upcoming one-shot.

Archie Comics has shared an exclusive first look with us of a new superhero story appearing in Archie Comics 85th Anniversary Presents: Archie’s Movie Mania, on sale May 13.

The story teams the Superteens and the Power Pets against a group of rampaging zoo animals, who are being controlled by a sinister force. Writer Jamie L. Rotante is joined by penciler Steven Butler, inker Lily Butler, colorist Glenn Whitmore and letterer Jack Morelli.

The one-shot also includes a fashion-world story starring Veronica Lodge and Ginger Lopez, with the issue taking inspiration from upcoming films including Masters of the Universe, The Mandalorian and Grogu, and The Devil Wears Prada 2. Dan Parent provides the main cover, with variant covers by Holly G! and Adrian Ropp, and a foil virgin variant by Parent.

Take a look at the preview, covers and a complete “classic” Archie story below.

Continue reading “Exclusive | The Power Pets + Superteens team up in ‘Archie Comics 85th Anniversary Presents: Archie’s Movie Mania’”

Exclusive | The Archie gang gets sucked into a video game in ‘Archie Comics 85th Anniversary Presents: Archie Game Galaxy’

The one-shot, featuring a new story written and illustrated by Holly G!, arrives April 29.

We’ve got an exclusive preview of Archie Comics 85th Anniversary Presents: Archie Game Galaxy, a new one-shot arriving April 29 from writer and artist Holly G!, and the timing couldn’t be better, what with the Super Mario Galaxy movie opening in theaters this week.

The story kicks off when Betty agrees to watch Sabrina’s mischievous cat Salem, and the whole gang tags along to keep her company. Things take a turn when Jughead discovers an old gaming console and powers it up. Suddenly, Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead and the rest find themselves sucked inside the game and stranded in a dazzling universe of quirky planets and wild challenges.

Holly G!, who handles the full creative package here, incluidng script, pencils and the cover, brings her distinctive style to both the classic Riverdale characters and the game world setting.

“I’m so stoked to share my latest project for Archie Comics, where I had the chance to bring the Archie gang into a groovy, Mario-like video game universe. I’m a lifelong gamer—my journey started at just seven years old when my grandfather bought me Pong!!” she said. “Although I’m not a die-hard Mario fan (I’m more a Skyrim, dungeon crawler kinda gal) I absolutely LOVE the new Mario movie and the Epic Universe park section. WOOHOO! To make sure this adventure was authentic, I picked up Mario Galaxy on my Xbox (since my Switch decided it needed a break—meh). The story kicks off with Betty earning some extra cash pet sitting at Sabrina’s house, where they stumble upon a magical gaming console that transports them into a whimsical, wild world with Salem as their guide. Of course, I had a blast designing not only the gameplay but the fashions, as well, to honor their origins! I do hope you enjoy the blend of nostalgia and fun that I created for you in this SUPER story!”

Inks are by Bob Smith, colors by Glenn Whitmore and letters by Jack Morelli. Variant covers are by Stan Goldberg, with a foil variant by Joe Staton.

Check out the preview below, along with a complete classic Archie story that’ll also be included in the comic.

Continue reading “Exclusive | The Archie gang gets sucked into a video game in ‘Archie Comics 85th Anniversary Presents: Archie Game Galaxy’”

Oni Press and Archie Comics announce wave of classic collections for fall 2026

The publishers will release seven collected editions spanning 85 years of Archie history, alongside the three new ongoing series that were previously announced.

Oni Press and Archie Comics have announced a robust slate of new collections timed to the 85th anniversary of Archie Andrews’ debut, with the first titles arriving in September 2026.

The announcement, made ahead of this week’s ComicsPro industry meeting, includes seven collected editions across two formats: a line of compact editions reprinting stories from the “New Riverdale” era, and a series of premium deluxe hardcovers spanning decades of Archie history.

The releases coincide with the three all-new series that Oni and Archie previously announced for this fall, including Archie by W. Maxwell Prince, Fábio Moon and Nick Cagnetti; Sabrina the Teenage Witch by Corinna Bechko and Kano; and Archie in Hell by Patrick Horvath and Tyler Crook.

“We’re so thrilled to be deepening Oni’s exciting new partnership with Archie Comics even further beyond our slate of brand-new, upcoming series and far into the most beloved corners of the Archie library with a selection of Riverdale’s most cherished stories from recent decades,” said Sierra Hahn, Oni Press Editor-in-Chief. “Whether you’re a longtime Archie devotee or a first-time reader, each of these volumes is a warm, welcome introduction to this storied cast of characters. And, over time, we’ll be reaching back even further into the vaults to spotlight and celebrate the long and influential legacy of Archie Comics in all its many forms. As we gear up for the new Archie #1 this fall, there’s never been a better time to visit Riverdale!”

Continue reading “Oni Press and Archie Comics announce wave of classic collections for fall 2026”

Free Comic Book Day 2026 will include titles from DC, Skybound, Titan, Vault + more

See what you can get for free on Saturday, May 2.

This year’s Free Comic Book Day is starting to take shape, with publishers announcing some titles and the FCBD website sharing many more. The titles have also popped up on the distributors’ websites, revealing some of the cover art you can expect to see in May.

Universal Distribution now owns Free Comic Book Day and its branding, having bought it in the wake of the Diamond Comics Distributors bankruptcy. They’ve teamed up with Lunar Distribution for the event, which will occur on May 2, which is the same day as Penguin Random House’s Comics Giveaway Day.

Here’s a look at what to expect:

Continue reading “Free Comic Book Day 2026 will include titles from DC, Skybound, Titan, Vault + more”

Oni + Archie announce a publishing partnership

Oni will publish comic series, collections and graphic novels featuring the Archie characters beginning in the fall of 2026.

Oni Press has announced that they’re partnering with Archie Comics to publish a new line of comics and graphic novels featuring the Archie characters. The partnership will begin next fall.

“From the world of comics – where Archie’s stories led so many to pick up their very first comic book – to the long-running success of Riverdale, Archie’s cherished cast of characters have few rivals in terms of their visibility or influence on global pop culture,” said David Steward II, Chairman of the Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group. “This new partnership is one of the most significant moments in Oni Press’ three decades as a leading publisher of independent comics, and, in collaboration with the Archie team, we look forward to writing a memorable new chapter in the history of these legendary characters that will set the stage for decades worth of stories yet to come.”

The first three series they’re teasing are Archie by W. Maxwell Prince, Fábio Moon and Nick Cagnetti; Sabrina the Teenage Witch by Corinna Bechko and Kano; and Archie in Hell by Patrick Horvath and Tyler Crook. Based on the creators invovled, these sound like they’ll continue the spirit of the “new” Archie and the Archie Horror lines we’ve seen in the past.

Continue reading “Oni + Archie announce a publishing partnership”