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New Number Ones: New Comics Series and Specials Coming for the Week of 8/5/2026

New Number Ones: New Comics Series and Specials Coming for the Week of 8/5/2026

Posted on by Bob Harrison

It time that we bring you the list of new series and special editions coming on New Comic Book Day this Wednesday. We are highlighting what you need to put in your cart at the comic shop or digital marketplace.

This week’s list is chock full of superstar creators and super intriguing new concepts that have our wallets crying uncle.

We have an alphabetical list with cover art and the official solicitation text from the publishers of some of the cool new comics that are coming out this week. Check below for our PCS NOTES to find out what we just have to tell you about the new comics in question.

We have books on this week’s list from:  DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Mad Cave Studios, Boom! Studios, Vault Comics, Scholastic Books, Penguin Random House, Archie Comics, Oni Press, and Image Comics.

We will bring you reviews of these debut issues as they come out, and don’t forget to use the comments section to let us know what you think of this list.

New Series
New One-Shots and Special Editions

New Series This Week 

Chachu #1
Image Comics
Written by Iman Velani
Art by Marianna Ignazzi & Jordie Bellaire
Letters by Lucas Gattoni
Cover Art by Ignazzi

1979. Leila, a 19-year-old Pakistani-Canadian girl, stands on the cusp of adulthood, eager to experience the “real world” for the first time. With a head full of Hollywood dreams and a penchant for pulp novels, she ventures to California to connect with her estranged uncle — her “Chachu” — a middle-aged, semi-retired private eye who gained brief fame after marrying the starlet he was initially hired to find. But when Chachu’s wife goes missing once again, the two are forced on an impromptu road trip to track her down — with Leila navigating young adulthood and Chachu confronting his own mortality and regrets.

Inspired by her own coming-of-age experiences in the entertainment industry, CHACHU is the solo writing debut of superstar IMAN VELLANI (Ms. Marvel), a reinterpretation of the classic neo-noir private investigator story brilliantly illustrated by MARIANNA IGNAZZI (EXQUISITE CORPSES) and colored by JORDIE BELLAIRE (Absolute Wonder Woman).

Release Date: August 5, 2026

PCS NOTES: 

Death Vigil #1
Image Comics / Top Cow
Written by Stjepan Šejić
Art by Šejić
Cover Art by Šejić

The smash hit series is back! Bad news: You’re dead. Good news: You can join a band of Death Knights and help protect the world from necromancers and cosmic horror. The pay’s not great, but you’ll love your co-workers. So grab your spirit weapon and prepare for battle against the Primordial Enemy — join Death Vigil today!

From critically acclaimed creator STJEPAN ŠEJIC (STJEPAN ŠEJIC, RAVINE, APHRODITE lX, WITCHBLADE, Harleen) comes the exciting return of his creator-owned series DEATH VIGIL! The story of modern-age Death Knights locked in an ongoing war against the ever-growing power of the ravenous primordial Elder Gods. The only catch is you have to die first. Become a corporeal immortal Death Knight, and obtain reality-altering weaponry in the never-ending battle between Good and Evil.

Release Date: August 5, 2026

PCS NOTES: Fans of Death Vigil and Šejić will definitely be excited for this new release.

Fort Psycho #1
Oni Press / Flux House
Written by Matt Kindt
Art by Brian Hurtt & Bill Crabtree
Letters by Becca Carey
Cover Art by Hurtt

WELCOME TO FORT PSYCHO — THE EXTREME ACTION COMIC THAT ONLY STOPS TO RELOAD! From New York Times bestselling writer Matt Kindt (BRZRKR, Mind MGMT) and adrenaline-racing artist Brian Hurtt (The Sixth Gun, Manor Black), enter the 40-page first chapter of a powerful new maxi-series stocked with trained killers, secret betrayals, and the long-buried truth about the mission that led them to an off-the-grid island prison with no hope of escape…

Ten years ago, the nation of Singapore sank into the Pacific Ocean. The underground terrorist network known as the Seven Seals took credit for the largest act of terror in human history. In the aftermath, the United Nations created a strike team of highly trained covert operatives with one mission: locate, identify, and eliminate the Seven Seals’ secretive leader. The team’s clandestine affairs were to always remain in the shadows — until their final, explosive confrontation resulted in a large-scale tragedy too bloody to cover up and too tragic to ignore.

Disgraced and disavowed by the governments that trained them, the world’s most dangerous secret agents have been convicted for their crimes and sentenced to serve time side by side in the one place capable of holding them: their old island headquarters, Fort Cyclone — now known in the media by the derogatory nickname “Fort Psycho.”

And that’s where the official story is about to go terribly, terribly wrong…

Release Date: August 5, 2026

PCS NOTES: What a fantastically intriguing solicitation from some excellent comic creators. Continue reading “New Number Ones: New Comics Series and Specials Coming for the Week of 8/5/2026” →

Brainiac On Banjo: Thumbs In Your Hot Dog

Brainiac On Banjo: Thumbs In Your Hot Dog

Posted on by Mike Gold

“Would you have mansions of gold in the sky… and live in a shack, way in the back? Would you have wings up in heaven to fly… and starve here with rags on your back?” From There is Power in a Union, written by Joe Hill.

“We are the workers that make Dark Horse a home to the unique comics, creators, and creative principles known around the world.” From the statement issued last week by the Dark Horse Workers United (DHWU).

Forty years ago comics store owner Mike Richardson decided to take some of the loot that passed through his cash registers and start up a comic book company (Dark Horse Comics). It was the thing to do in the Eighties, but Richardson became the guy who actually pulled it off.

By 1986, most of the so-called independent publishers were coughing up blood and the distribution system looked like it was designed by M.C. Escher after he took LSD. They say timing is everything, but there might not have been a worse time to enter the racket since the paper shortages of World War II.

But Mike did it right, and of the American publishers alive at that time Mike was the only new guy to make it. He did so at a time when Marvel Comics and, particularly, DC Comics were booming. They controlled about three-quarters of the market at the time. Archie Comics was still on the stands, but that was the year Charlton went blooie. Harvey Comics was still around, kind of, flickering in and out of business while changing hands a couple times. They finally gave up the ghosts in 2003. Fun fact: what’s left of Harvey is now owned by NBC/Universal.

Screenshot

So much for ancient history. Richardson slowly expanded the company into film and television production, bringing Dark Horse published properties such as Hellboy and The Mask to screens large and small — as well as a really solid documentary about Don Rickles. Don briefly was also a comic book character.

In March of 2022, Mike decided he had enough of tending to the tubes and wires of industry and he sold the operation to video game holding company Embracer Group, retaining (as is common) his positions as publisher and CEO. He was fired four years later — for the math-challenged, that’s nearly three months ago. Jay Komas became the interim CEO. I believe Mike was the longest-serving publisher in American comics history.

So it goes. As Jack Kirby said, “Comics will break your heart.” Continue reading “Brainiac On Banjo: Thumbs In Your Hot Dog” →

Brainiac On Banjo: Old Texts

Brainiac On Banjo: Old Texts

Posted on by Mike Gold

“I hate each Julie Andrews film they’ve made. I’m just a nasty narrow-minded jade. Don’t think that I will smile at it, I’m not a weak-willed hypocrite. I’ll say I’m bored!” From I’m Bored, written by Vivian Stanshall.

Before we had letter columns, before we had copy-riddled promotion pages and heartfelt missives from publishers and editors, we had text stories — one page (sometimes two) that told a nice little story about one of the superheroes regularly featured in the title, uncompelling at its best, but occasionally written by someone familiar with the character.

They proliferated in comics though the 1960s or so, but neither I nor my friends nor anybody I’ve ever met had read more that a few of them. And back then we were so bored we even read Roy Raymond TV Detective in the back of Detective Comics.

We have been told that publishers needed some sort of text feature in order to qualify for second-class mailing privileges. That story has been repeated so many times most of us think it’s true — and it probably is. Subscribers needed their comics delivered to their homes at a reasonable time, and publishers wanted to keep their postage costs as low as possible. But it’s hard to tell. Back then no two post office officials interpreted the rules governing those permits the same way with any consistency or logic, and often one could shop around for a friendly bureaucrat. Continue reading “Brainiac On Banjo: Old Texts” →

With Further Ado #389: Archie – Back in the Grocery Check-Out Lane

With Further Ado #389: Archie – Back in the Grocery Check-Out Lane

Posted on by Ed Catto

As a kid, the magical places that sold comics were neighborhood grocery stores. We didn’t call them convenience stores back then, but that’s kind of what they were.  Every Sunday, after we had our big Italian dinner at my grandmother’s house, my dad would take me and my brother to Pauline’s.  The rule was we could each buy one thing. Usually my brother would choose one of those cheap little toys, but I would always choose a comic book.

And then one day – a comic book store opened in town. It was one of those first wave of very early comic shops. The very pragmatic name was Kim’s Collectible Comics & Records.   My brain exploded!  I sure did enjoy going there every week.  I actually went several times a week, always thinking up some excuse to drop in.

(And for the record, Kim is leading a panel about those early days of comics shop retailing this year at ITHACON. Tix are on sale now – swing by if you can.) Continue reading “With Further Ado #389: Archie – Back in the Grocery Check-Out Lane” →

Brainiac On Banjo: Affordability? My Ass!

Brainiac On Banjo: Affordability? My Ass!

Posted on by Mike Gold

“Don’t try to make me what I’m not. I just get by with what I’ve got. Live, let live, that′s my advice. If you′ve got questions, ask me nice.” From Ask Me Nice, written by Mose Allison.

When was the last time you read one of those year-end roundups and concluded “Hey, this year was damn good! Let’s do it one more time!”

Well, this isn’t it. Being a realist is a bitch. Because this place is called “Pop Culture Squad” and because my brain no longer possesses the bandwidth to reflect upon all of Earth’s currently crippling traumas, I will restrict my comments to on-topic affairs.

Over at the comics rack, when it comes to new material DC Comics and Marvel Comics have pretty much abandoned giving us stories and have focused their energies on events that are as humongous as they are repetitive and meaningless. Both imprints have given us some great writing here and there, often in the form of stand-alone stories and mini-series that are completely outside the framework. Perhaps the authors also can’t fathom these overpopulated jamborees.

Each month Marvel continues to pump out more and more spiders, and I include their symbiotes. Over at DC Batman has become such a relentless asshole he can run for president on the 2028 GOP ticket. Even his massive family mocks him. If not for Lois Lane, Wonder Woman, and the just-cancelled Birds of Prey, I’d restrict my DC reading to old copies of Scribbly. Continue reading “Brainiac On Banjo: Affordability? My Ass!” →

Brainiac On Banjo: Who You Callin’ A Turkey?

Brainiac On Banjo: Who You Callin’ A Turkey?

Posted on by Mike Gold

“Mama told you never to eat your friends with your fingers and hands. But I say you ought to eat what you will. Shove it in your mouth any way that you can.” From Silver Spoon, written by Grace Slick.

As you may have inferred from all the annual hubbub, this Thursday is Thanksgiving. At least I think it still is; perhaps our gravy-besotted president repealed the holiday because of its inherent pro-Native American wokity-wokeness.

I just got back from Grace Slick’s open market and I was a bit surprised at how uncrowded the joint had been. I expect Sundays at the supermarket to be busier because a lot of people actually have jobs, and, of course, logic dictates chefs and gourmands would be using weekends to fill their pantries for the family feast. Prices have skyrocketed and/or portion sizes have decreased, and that can have a dissuasive effect on one’s appetite, particularly if you can’t afford to pay the toll.

That did not lessen the overwhelming presence of Pumpkin Spice. You’d think Halloween would be enough but, no, we’ve got another five weeks of this crap. Pumpkin Spice donuts. Pumpkin Spice coffee. Pumpkin Spice potato chips. Pumpkin Spice Oreos. Pumpkin Spice Pampers. I doubt those at the first Thanksgiving feast had ever seen or heard of pumpkins, not even in its unprocessed cucurbitaceae form.

Maybe that’s why Thanksgiving doesn’t get the same degree of respect as many other holidays. Every October we spend a small fortune on Kit Kat bars, and every December we blow out minds out on peppermint bark. If I’m not mistaken (calendars stopped working for me during Covid), retailers start putting out their Christmas products the Monday after Mother’s Day. The damn turkeys are crowded out of the spotlight from Day One.

For example, let’s take comic books. Lots and lots of Christmas-themed comics are published each year, most of them, seemingly, by Archie. They’ve been doing that longer than most Pop Culture Squad members have been alive. Thanksgiving? Nada. Well, almost nada. There used to be a few really good turkey covers each year, but that was back when children could buy comics at their neighborhood drugstore or newsstand. Turkey comics didn’t generate that extra profit that publishers need, back then and right now.

I suspect some publishers get a bit hinky about how they should depict native Americans. I get that, but am moved to suggest “gee, why don’t you ask a few Native Americans?” That’s not being woke; it is simply being polite. Then again, some think politeness is woke.

However, there is one Christmas comic I will recommend, and it comes out Wednesday, a.k.a. Thanksgiving Eve. DC is doing another one of its wacky anthologies that feature underexposed (mostly) characters written and/or drawn by some of its better underexposed (mostly) writers and artists. It’s called I Saw Ma Hunkel Kissing Santa Claus. Her story is the first of eight features, and if you don’t know or are uncertain who Ma Hunkel is, you just got my point. This is the lead story, the title story in the anthology. Ma was created by the overwhelmingly talented Shelly Mayer in 1939; she became the Red Tornado about a year and a half later. She’s a member of the Justice Society, more or less, and she is a hoot.

She’s the one wearing the pot on her head. No, I did not say she was on pot.

But, lo and behold this year there is a really great Thanksgiving comic book. It’s called “Thanksgiving” and its written by Mark Russell and drawn by Mauricet. Ahoy Comics calls it a gory horror-comedy, and I’ll stand behind that…

… but I won’t tell you why. Not yet. Over on our Pop Culture Squadcast Live! podcast, I’m gonna tell you all about it… in three weeks. Yep, I’m gonna talk about the Thanksgiving comic book right before Christmas.

Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Mike!

New Number Ones: New Comics Series and Specials Coming for the Week of 9/3/2025

New Number Ones: New Comics Series and Specials Coming for the Week of 9/3/2025

Posted on by Bob Harrison

Welcome to the New Number Ones!

Each week we bring you the list of new series and special editions coming this Wednesday. We are highlighting what you need to put in your cart at the comic shop or digital marketplace.

September is here. The air is cooling, and this week there are so many new comic series debuting. There are new starts from almost all of the major comic publishers, and we love to see that.

We have an alphabetical list with cover art and the official solicitation text from the publishers of some of the cool new comics that are coming out this week. Check below for our PCS NOTES to find out what we just have to tell you about the new comics in question.

We have books on this week’s list from:  DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, DSTLRY Media, Mad Cave Studios, Archie Comics, Oni Press, Panick Entertainment, Titan Book, Cosmic Lion Productions, and Image Comics.

We will bring you reviews of these debut issues as they come out, and don’t forget to use the comments section to let us know what you think of this list.

New Series
New One-Shots and Special Editions

New Series This Week 

The Adventures of Lumen N. #1
Dark Horse Comics
Written by James Robinson
Art by Phil Hester, Marc Deering, & Bill Crabtree
Letters by Jim Campbell
Cover Art by Hester

The year is 1901 and our heroine Lumen is a precocious 13-year-old with many questions about her life. Why has her father been gone for years? Why must she learn so many languages and fighting techniques and what’s with all the lessons in seafaring? Then an attack on her home by a horde of steam-punk assassins delivers the first glimmer of an answer, when Lumen’s savior reveals himself as her grandfather, the legendary Captain Nemo, one of the greatest characters in Victorian science fiction literature. A brand-new world of steam-punk adventure and thrills is about to open up for Lumen as she connects with the grandfather she never knew while together they take on a cabal of evil masterminds, intent on world domination… a world full of heroes and villains from Victorian adventure and fantasy fiction.

Release Date: September 3, 2025

PCS NOTES: I love seeing that these creators collaborate on something new.

Adventures of Superman: The Book of El #1
DC Comics
Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Art by Scott Godlewski & Alex Guimarães
Cover Art by Godlewski & Guimarães

PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON AND SCOTT GODLEWSKI REUNITE TO CONTINUE THEIR SUPERMAN SAGA!

Superman returns! Fan-favorite Future State: Superman: House of El creators Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Scott Godlewski reunite for Adventures of Superman: Book of El! As the Super-Family settles into a well-earned time of peace, a powerful ally-turned-enemy invades Earth with an army at his back and a god-aspect of Olgrun, mad god of the First World. When even the Super-Family lacks the power to stop him, Superman is sent against his will to a place even he’s never been…where he’ll find allies he could never have expected. Concluding the events of Future State and Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s Action Comics, the next epic adventure begins here!

Release Date: September 3, 2025

PCS NOTES: We have been anticipating this series for a while now, and we are very excited to get it in our hands.

Artificial #1
Image Comics
Written by Maria Llovet
Art by Llovet
Cover Art by Llovet

At the center is Clara, a jaded fashion stylist who signs up for an advanced dating service that provides hyper-realistic android partners. But when her robotic dream date malfunctions and turns dangerously possessive, Clara is forced into a chilling fight for her freedom — and her life.

Release Date: September 3, 2025

PCS NOTES: If you are unfamiliar with the amazing talent that is Maria Llovet, here is your chance to correct that error.

Batman #1
DC Comics
Written by Matt Fraction
Art by Jorge Jiménez & Tomeu Morey
Letters by Clayton Cowles
Cover Art by Jiménez

A BOLD NEW ERA OF BATMAN STARTS HERE! A new day dawns for the Dark Knight Detective as Eisner Award-winning writer Matt Fraction (Hawkeye, Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen) joins forces with superstar artist Jorge Jiménez (Batman, Summer of Superman Special) for an unforgettable new era of Batman! The best superhero in comics gets a brand-new first issue to kick off this new era that will test Batman and Bruce Wayne like never before!

Release Date: September 3, 2025

PCS NOTES: The first new number one for the main Batman book in over NINE years is here. We are excited to see what this creative team has in store. Continue reading “New Number Ones: New Comics Series and Specials Coming for the Week of 9/3/2025” →

New Number Ones: New Comics Series and Specials Coming for the Week of 7/9/2025

New Number Ones: New Comics Series and Specials Coming for the Week of 7/9/2025

Posted on by Bob Harrison

Welcome to the New Number Ones!

Each week we bring you the list of new series and special editions coming this Wednesday. We are highlighting what you need to put in your cart at the comic shop or digital marketplace.

This summer is really heating up with banger after banger on this week’s list. Comics are good for you.

We have an alphabetical list with cover art and the official solicitation text from the publishers of some of the cool new comics that are coming out this week. Check below for our PCS NOTES to find out what we just have to tell you about the new comics in question.

We have books on this week’s list from:  DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Oni Press, Ahoy Comics, Mad Cave Studios, Ten Speed Press, IDW Publishing, Bad Idea Comics, Archie Comics, and Image Comics.

We will bring you reviews of these debut issues as they come out, and don’t forget to use the comments section to let us know what you think of this list.

New Series
New One-Shots and Special Editions

New Series This Week 

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight – A League for Justice #1
DC Comics
Written by Andy Diggle
Art by Leandro Fernández
Cover Art by Fernández

THE GROUNDBREAKING ELSEWORLDS EPIC CONTINUES!

Last year, DC’s iconic Elseworlds was ushered into a new era with the release of Gotham by Gaslight: The Kryptonian Age, continuing the iconic saga of the Batman of the Victorian era and pulling some of DC’s most iconic heroes into the Gilded Age. Now, the team behind the hit series returns to tell the second part of this epic tale in Gotham by Gaslight: A League for Justice!

Bear witness to the formation of a new kind of Justice League in a steam-powered adventure that will bring these once-familiar heroes from the open plains of the Midwest to the freezing Arctic as they unravel the mystery of alien artifacts from the Kryptonian Age! This jaw-dropping sequel series is not to be missed!

Release Date: July 9, 2025

PCS NOTES: The previous endeavor for this creative team in this Elseworlds storyline was excellent and we are expecting similar results.

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring #1
IDW Publishing
Written by Patrick Horvath
Art by Horvath
Letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover Art by Horvath

The six-issue return of the Eisner-nominated cozy horror smash hit!

It’s been eight long years since a bloodlusting brown bear drove into the city, kidnapped a kind young duck, dissected his body, and buried the pieces in the woods. The duck’s family painstakingly sought justice… but this brown bear was smart… she covered her tracks… and in the ’80s, there simply wasn’t a way for the duck’s family to find answers.

But it’s not the ’80s anymore. Almost a decade after cuddly brown bear Samantha Strong solidified herself as the sole serial killer in Woodbrook, the world is entering a new era.

As Samantha will soon find out, there are no secrets in the age of the internet. And those who lost loved ones to her massacre haven’t given up the flame of justice. A reckoning is coming to Woodbrook.

Join visionary writer and artist Patrick Horvath for one of the most anticipated comics of 2025.

Release Date: July 9, 2025

PCS NOTES: The highly acclaimed predecessor to this series requires that your pay attention to this new release.

Fantastic Four #1
Marvel Comics
Written by Ryan North
Art by Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba, & Edgar Delgado
Letters by Joe Caramagna
Cover Art by Ramos & Delgado

The Fantastic Four return with a new issue #1, kicking off a whole new volume of their adventures through time, space, science, and the human condition! When the Fantastic Four take on Doom, things go well until they suddenly go catastrophically wrong — and they’re sent to four different eras in Earth’s history! Alone and isolated in wildly different time periods, Reed, Johnny, Ben, and Sue all have to fight to survive. Their only hope is to reach the Forever Stone: a mass of dense granite that happens to be one of the longest-lasting rocks on the planet, which — through a combination of obscurity and raw geological luck — has stayed both intact and accessible for most of Earth’s history!

Also featured in this extra-big, extra-special issue: Ben Grimm fights a dinosaur! No other comic DARES to feature the Thing battling several Mapusauruses, but that’s just where WE get started! And it’s all brought to life by the incredible new series artist Humberto Ramos!

Release Date: July 9, 2025

PCS NOTES: This is a great jumping on point if, for some crazy reason, you have been slacking on your FF reading.

Planet Death #1
Bad Idea Comics
Written by Robert Venditti & Derek Kolstad
Art by Tomás Giorello & Sunny Gho
Letters by Tom Napolitano
Cover Art by Giorello

The explosive 48-page first issue of the record-breaking series premieres in a high end, deluxe prestige format! From the minds of blockbuster screenwriter Derek Kolstad — creator and writer of the box office dominating motion picture franchise JOHN WICK — and New York Times best-selling writer Robert Venditti (Superman ‘78, Green Lantern), along with artistic visionaries Tomás Giorello (Star Wars, Conan) and ten-time Eisner Award-winner Dave Stewart (Star Wars, Hellboy) comes a groundbreaking new sci-fi epic.

Millions of miles from home, hundreds of ships descend into the stormy atmosphere of a hostile frozen world. On board, an army of resolute men and women brace for the coming assault. They are an invasion force, on an impossible mission — destroy the devastating enemy weapon garrisoned below. Corporal Scott and his battalion are in the vanguard but the human forces are no match for their brutal alien adversaries. Scott’s battalion is dead within moments. He is its lone survivor. The landing force annihilated, the battle is lost.

Against overwhelming odds, Scott dares the unthinkable — cross behind enemy lines, survive the lethal landscape, evade capture by ruthless enemies, resist natural predators, face human deserters and finish the mission singlehandedly. Locked in his suit of full combat battle armor, sustained only by what he can carry, and driven by Earth’s wrath, Scott must do by himself what an entire army could not. Destroy the weapon. Return home.

Release Date: July 9, 2025

PCS NOTES: The little comic publisher with “interesting” ideas launches into a new era with this new number one. It is widely available wherever you find comics.

Also we talked to writer Rob Venditti about this on the SquadCast a few months back. Check that here.

Predator: Black, White & Blood #1
Marvel Comics
Written by Joe Kelly, Eliot Rahal, & Sarah Gailey
Art by Álvaro López, Brian Level, Lee Loughridge, Fran Galán
Letters by Clayton Cowles
Cover Art by Simone Di Meo

From the mad imaginings of Joe Kelly (Amazing Spider-Man, Daredevil, Deadpool) and rising artist Álvaro López (Captain Marvel, Beware the Planet of the Apes) comes a gut-twisting new take on Predator! A young Predator trying to prove himself prowls the Australian frontier, but his hunt goes south. A run-in with some humans from a convict colony will change the trajectory of everyone’s lives and take readers on a journey never before seen in the Predator universe! Together with stories from superstar creators Eliot Rahal and Sarah Gailey, this anthology is a must-read for all Predator and comics fans!

Release Date: July 9, 2025

PCS NOTES: Fans of Predator will definitely want to pick this up. I am most excited for the brilliant pairing of Sarah Gailey and Fran Galán on one of these three stories.

The Toxic Avenger Comics #1
Ahoy Comics
Written by Matt Bors
Art by Fred Harper
Cover Art by Harper

You demanded it, so here it is: a new ONGOING series featuring the movies’ grossest hero, masterminded by the hit creative team from 2024’s TOXIC AVENGER miniseries! In this issue’s self-contained horror story, kids are disappearing from Toxie’s hometown of Tromaville, NJ. Did they simply run away from the chemically polluted town? Or is the real explanation even more frightening? Find out before the new TOXIE film hits theaters, THIS SUMMER!

Release Date: July 9, 2025

PCS NOTES: Toxie is back for a brand new ongoing series, and we are here for it!

The UnChosen #1
Image Comics
Written by David Marquez
Art by Marquez & Marissa Louise
Letters by D.C. Hopkins
Cover Art by Marquez

13-year-old Aida wakes in a city laid waste by a massive explosion — a scene of devastation that SHE caused. Pursued by rival forces wielding incredible powers, she must discover who truly wants to help her, who wants to control her, and the truth behind her own mysterious past.

Acclaimed creator DAVID MARQUEZ (Uncanny X-Men, Miles Morales) makes his highly anticipated debut as both writer and artist on his first creator-owned series.

Release Date: July 9, 2025

PCS NOTES: I am super interested in seeing David Marquez as writer/artist on this book!

Wild Animals #1
Mad Cave Studios
Written by Ed Brisson
Art by Andy Kuhn & Dee Cunniffe
Cover Art by Kuhn

Neil’s life has been falling apart ever since his father was killed by crooked cops. Fifteen years later, Neil’s mother lays on her deathbed and he’s stuck in a dead-end job, has nowhere to live, and no hope to speak of. Life keeps kicking Neil and he keeps taking it, too frightened to fight back. Until now. With his world crumbling around him, Neil finds himself backed into a corner, with no choice but to make a stand and right the wrongs that have haunted him for years. Revenge is a dangerous path to walk and the deeper Neil goes, the more he realizes that violence is all consuming. Perfect for fans of gritty crime thrillers like Criminal and Parker, Brisson and Kuhn deliver a hard-hitting, high-stakes story that pulls no punches.

Release Date: July 9, 2025

PCS NOTES: Did you read that solicitation? You are getting this book, right? RIGHT?

New One-Shots and Specials 

Archie Meets Jay & Silent Bob #1
Archie Comics
Written by Kevin Smith
Art by Fernando Ruiz
Letters by Jack Morelli
Cover Art by Ruiz

ONE-SHOT SPECIAL

SNOOCHIE BOOCHIES, ARCHIE FANS!! Yes, you read that right—acclaimed writer, director, actor, producer, and podcaster Kevin Smith takes the teens you know and love from Riverdale on the wildest ride of their lives. What’s supposed to be a summer job at Quick Stop for Archie Andrews turns into so much more; from a budding friendship with co-worker Randal Graves, crashing a Pussycats concert, a potential new love interest, Jay and Silent Bob being, well, Jay and Silent Bob, and a musical number that will be burned into your brain forever. Plus, could Jay and Silent Bob even help Archie to finally choose between Betty and Veronica? SNOOGANS!! Featuring legendary Archie artists Fernando Ruiz and inker Rich Koslowksi, this is a DOUBLE-SIZED, CAN’T-MISS event FOR MATURE AUDIENCES unlike anything we’ve ever done before!

Release Date: July 9, 2025

PCS NOTES: I never thought I would see this crossover happen, and yet it is here and I am excited for it.

Fantastic Four: First Steps #1
Marvel Comics
Written by Matt Fraction
Art by Mark Buckingham & Alex Sinclair
Letters by Joe Caramagna
Cover Art by Phil Noto

ONE-SHOT SPECIAL

FROM THE WORLD OF THE UPCOMING FILM, AS AUTHORIZED BY THE FUTURE FOUNDATION!

Four years ago, the world was transformed as an amazing cosmic-powered quartet revealed themselves and their astonishing abilities to the public! Since that time, they have become world-famous as the Fantastic Four! Now, to celebrate that anniversary, Marvel Comics recounts their very first exploit that saved our city from near destruction!

MATT FRACTION and MARK BUCKINGHAM bring you this all-new adventure marking the moment that all of history changed!

Release Date: July 9, 2025

PCS NOTES: What a fantastic team to craft a tale in the cinematic universe that we are about to be exposed to.

The Hero Trade: Hero for Sale TP
Bad Idea Comics
Written by Matt Kindt
Art by David Lapham
Cover Art by Joe Quesada

COLLECTED EDITION

Described as superheroes through the lens of Elmore Leonard & Quentin Tarantino, this uber-hip, groundbreaking series of tour de force stories from New York Times best-selling author Matt Kindt (BRZRKR) and iconoclastic illustrator David Lapham (STRAY BULLETS) is now being made widely available for the very first time. This meticulously curated collection contains the complete saga of THE HERO TRADE thus far, as well as a wealth of bonus material and behind-the-scenes content exclusive to this edition.

The seemingly straightforward tale of a man with the body of a superhero in the trunk of his car, driving from one nefarious organization to another and selling it piece by piece. An ordinary man at the end of his rope, this score is his last shot, one night to make good. He’s bound and determined to carve out a place for himself in this world, even if he has to do it one bloody body part of Captain Fab at a time. His black market buyers all looking for a piece of the superpowered action, to own a piece of the paragon. To collect it. To touch it. Even taste it. Because eating even a tiny piece of The Fab? Grants you unbelievable powers. Ingest a drop of Captain Fab’s blood? Develop a miraculous healing factor. Feast on an eyeball, snort some teeth dust, dine fabulously and take the ride… although the powers you get may not be what you expected.

This is THE HERO TRADE. There have been many groundbreaking explorations into the superhero genre. This is not one of them. However, it may be the first groundbreaking exploration of the people who consume the superhero genre.

Release Date: July 9, 2025

PCS NOTES: If you haven’t caught up on the Hero Trade before, now is your chance before the new series starts.

Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes, & Rivals #1
Marvel Comics
Written by Tim Seeley & Tony Fleecs
Art by Mahmud Asrar, Nick Bradshaw, Aaron Kuder, David Marquez, Ron Lim, Nic Klein, Mirka Andolfo, Luciano Vecchio, Marguerite Sauvage, Joshua Cassara, & Ryusei Yamada
Letters by Travis Lanham
Cover Art by Adam Hughes

ONE-SHOT SPECIAL

THE SWIMSUIT SPECIAL RETURNS! Roxxon Comics is at it again when they release their own UNAUTHORIZED SWIMSUIT SPECIAL! Wasp is on the case and seizes the opportunity for Marvel’s heroes to do their OWN swimwear fashion shoot all over the world! But fear not, True Believers, we know what you’re REALLY here for! This super-sized special features splash page after splash page of gorgeous art, but with a story so you can pretend you’re “reading it for the articles”…

Release Date: July 9, 2025

PCS NOTES: Well Folks, Summer is here. Enjoy!

Meat Eaters TP
Oni Press
Written by Meredith McClaren
Art by McClaren
Cover Art by McClaren

ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVEL

Let it be said that dying is hard. Nineteen-year-old Ashley Moore found this out the hard way.

All Ashley wanted was to keep her head down and work hard until she could escape the small town where she felt she was stagnating. But after waking up one night covered in blood—and irrevocably dead—Ashley finds her foolproof plan for getting out has gone up in smoke, and something within her has changed.

Without a heartbeat and with a disturbing craving for fresh—preferably bloody—meat, Ashley finds herself privy to a world that exists just beneath our own: a world of ghouls and monsters and things that go bump-in-the-night. Despite her desire to be left alone—and to not think about the night of her death at all—Ashley is slowly drawn into the realm of the unusual, getting advice from ancient vampires, dodging angry pack leaders, and becoming the reluctant big sister to werewolves Motley and Harrison. As she does, she finds it increasingly difficult to put away the parts of herself she wishes to ignore—namely, what happened that fateful night she stopped breathing. The truth, it turns out, can’t stay buried forever.

In this visceral story about the effects of trauma and anxiety, dying is indeed hard. But getting on with it? That can be worse.

Release Date: July 9, 2025

PCS NOTES: We have been fans of Meredith McClaren for some time now, and we are psyched to see this new graphic novel from her.

Muted Vol. 1 HC
Ten Speed Press
Written by Miranda Mundt
Art by Mundt
Cover Art by Mundt

COLLECTED EDITION

A summoning ritual gone awry kicks off a lush, witchy graphic novel series with joyful streaks of found family and polyamorous sapphic romance—in this first volume of the hit Webtoon coming-of-age story, now with bonus content.

It has been thirteen years since the mysterious fire at the Severin family manor that killed Camille’s mother and twin sister, and the last thing Camille wants to do is return to her old home deep in the swamps of Louisiana. But she doesn’t have a choice. Deeply ingrained family tradition and Matriarch Athalie—Camille’s coldhearted aunt and head of the Severin household—demand it.

When the time comes for Camille to perform the demon-summoning blood ritual that every prospective matriarch in her family must complete, she is afraid of making a mistake. No matter how hard she tries to be a witch worthy of the Severin name, nothing is ever good enough for her aunt. Camille has practiced and practiced, but instead of the beat of demonic wings or the snap of talons, her blood calls forth evergreen vines and leaves. Terrified of what this might mean, she flees into the swamps.

But her failed ritual gives her something precious: time away from Aunt Athalie. Time to spend with her beloved familiar Toben and kindly cousin Silvia. And—unbeknownst to her—time to fall in love, discover the truth of her magic, reunite with long lost family, work through her grief, and solve the mystery of who killed her mother and sister.

Complete with an exclusive bonus chapter, this first volume includes episodes 1-27 of the highly popular Webtoon webcomic Muted.

Release Date: July 9, 2025

PCS NOTES: If you are not familiar with this comic story, you are missing out.

Superman Treasury 2025: Hero for All #1
DC Comics
Written by Dan Jurgens
Art by Bruno Redondo, Brett Breeding, Caio Filipe, & Adriano Lucas
Letters by Dave Sharpe
Cover Art by Redondo

ONE-SHOT SPECIAL

ALL-STARS DAN JURGENS AND BRUNO REDONDO TAKE THE MAN OF STEEL TO NEW HEIGHTS! Legends collide as the Man of Steel goes supersized for the Summer of Superman! In this all-new treasury edition, quintessential Superman writer Dan Jurgens pairs with the modern master of sequential art, Bruno Redondo, to craft a larger-than-life story of power, tragedy, action, and, above all — hope. When a vicious armada of extraterrestrial extremists launches an all-out invasion of Planet Earth, only Superman can stand in the way of total annihilation. But there’s something different about this attack — it’s deadly from both without… and within? It’s a tale so titanic we had to tell it at treasury size to celebrate the Summer of Superman in style! Featuring images and info from the brand-new Superman movie, plus a special photo variant cover!

Release Date: July 9, 2025

PCS NOTES: It’s the Summer of Superman. Check out this one-shot with a stellar cast of creative talent. 

Brainiac On Banjo: Hamburger In Four-Colors

Brainiac On Banjo: Hamburger In Four-Colors

Posted on by Mike Gold


“Saw a big Brangus Steer standing right over there so I rustled up a fire, cooked him medium rare. Bar-B-Q’ed his brisket, a roasted his rump, fed my dog that ol’ Brangus Steer’s hump.” From Eat Steak, written by Jim Heath.

Some find the term “comic book” to be annoying. By and large these pamphlets, now in many different forms and media, hardly are “comic” in the traditional sense of the word. Most contemporary stories are more or less along the lines of “let’s stop the world from ending,” although there are quite a number of tales about “what should we do now that the world has ended?”

We have another term that is of similar usage, although it’s a much more acceptable term. That word is “hamburger.” There’s no “ham” in hamburger. The United States Food and Drug Administration — assuming it’s still in business by the time you read this — has strict rules on how hamburger meat can be made, prepared and sold, and quite frankly these rules sound pretty useful. Well, unless you’re a vegan; I do realize several vegans actually read comic books, before they eat them.

So you can’t find a hamburger made out of ham… and it’s damn hard to find a comic book that is comic.

Sure, there’s Mad, the wonder of my childhood and the entity that made me what I am today — well, that and the original Mars Attacks! cards. I discovered Mad when I was eight, having swiped a copy from my sister’s comics stash. I immediately conned my parents into subscribing. Back in those days we had “funny animal comics” and that category included Harvey’s ghosts, devils and ghouls as well as Dell’s Disney and Looney Tunes titles. But while these stories often were funny, they weren’t really “comic” in the LOL sense of the word. Please note, I greatly enjoy the works of Warren Kremer and Carl Barks; both then and now.

But when it comes to sheer off-the-wall humor, the stuff enjoyed by readers who preceded me became relatively extinct. Humor need not be linear, and it really shouldn’t be so constrained. I had to wait until the underground comix movement of the late 1960s for that sort of stuff, which I truly loved. This stuff changed the way I viewed American comics. I became friends with the likes of Jay Lynch, Skip Williamson, and Denis Kitchen, three brilliant cartoonists, who had they been born two generations later, might be in El Salvador today. Continue reading “Brainiac On Banjo: Hamburger In Four-Colors” →

Brainiac On Banjo: The Ghost Who Walks vs The Jerk That Talks!

Brainiac On Banjo: The Ghost Who Walks vs The Jerk That Talks!

Posted on by Mike Gold

“I’m way too close to the edge. Who’s the monster under my bed? Six feet under. World shakes like thunder. All the noises in my brain — it’s a pain I can’t explain when it just gets louder. Yeah, it just gets harder.” From Phantom, by WayV.

I first encountered “The Ghost Who Walks” in 1959, when American comics were still on the edge of the superhero desert. DC, Marvel/Atlas/Timely, and Archie Comics were dipping a toe or two into the caped waters, but at that moment all we had were Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and a handful of extremely short back-up stories. Yes, I just blew-off Aquaman, the Martian Manhunter and Green Arrow. Things were about to change — The Flash had made several appearances in the bi-monthly Showcase comics and had just received his own title.

I had just turned nine, the target audience for superhero comics at the time. On the rare occasion I’d stumble across a “new” cape, I would completely lose my shit. This was my reaction to the release of Harvey Hits Magazine #26 starring The Phantom, a guy running around Africa with lions and wolves and a very tolerant girl friend. Because I was a little kid, I didn’t realize his occasional Showcase-like appearances also were geared towards the jungle comics market. It didn’t matter. I was hooked. And I was pissed that I’d have to wait nearly a year for this purple man’s next Harvey appearance. Continue reading “Brainiac On Banjo: The Ghost Who Walks vs The Jerk That Talks!” →