Tag Archives: christian ward

ROM returns! ROM Special #1 and M.A.S.K. Origins #1 go Open to Order

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Skybound, Image Comics, and Hasbro have announced the much-demanded open to order release of ROM Special #1, reprinting the surprise first appearance of the pop culture icon in the Energon Universe, as well as M.A.S.K. Origins #1. Both issues initially released in the M.A.S.K. #1 Blind Bag program and will now be available at comic book shops on August 26, 2026. 

Void Rivals co-creators, writer Robert Kirkman and artist Lorenzo De Felici, reunited to introduce space knight ROM to the Energon Universe in this standalone special issue.  

ROM Special #1 features a main cover by Lorenzo De Felici and a variant cover program including open to order covers by Christian Ward, E.J. Su, Nick Bradshaw and Jim Charalampidis, a foil, die-cut mask cover by John Amor, and a blank sketch cover. 

Fans can expect to see more of ROM and his alien companion ‘Carpet’ in upcoming issues of Void Rivals! 

M.A.S.K. Origins #1 is a double-sized issue that collects the first appearances of M.A.S.K. and V.E.N.O.M. and other landmark Energon Universe moments that led to the launch of M.A.S.K.! 

M.A.S.K. Origins #1 features a main cover by series artist Pye Parr and a variant cover program including open to order covers by Jason Howard, Ethan Young, Danilo Beyruth and Neeraj Menon, and Ben Oliver. 

ROM Special #1 (Lunar Codes Coming Soon| SRP: $3.99, unless otherwise noted) will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on August 26, 2026.

 The full list of covers is below: 

  • ROM Special #1 Cover A by Lorenzo De Felici 
  • ROM Special #1 Cover B by Christian Ward  
  • ROM Special #1 Cover C by E.J. Su  
  • ROM Special #1 Cover D by Nick Bradshaw 
  • ROM Special #1 Cover E (Blank Sketch Cover, $4.99) 
  • ROM Special #1 Cover F (Foil, Die-Cut Mask Cover, $4.99) by John Amor 

M.A.S.K. Origins #1 (Lunar Codes Coming Soon| SRP: $4.99, unless otherwise noted) will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on August 26, 2026. 

The full list of covers is below: 

  • M.A.S.K. Origins #1 Cover A by Pye Parr
  • M.A.S.K. Origins #1 Cover B by Jason Howard 
  • M.A.S.K. Origins #1 Cover C by Ethan Young  
  • M.A.S.K. Origins #1 Cover D by Danilo Beyruth & Neeraj Menon 
  • M.A.S.K. Origins #1 Cover E by Ben Oliver  

SDCC 2026: Eisner Award Winner Christian Ward Inks Three-Book Deal with Oni Press

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In advance of Comic-Con International 2026 in San Diego, Oni Press has announced it has brokered a new, multi-project deal with multiple Eisner Award-winning creator Christian Ward. 

Extending beyond the upcoming release of The Forever Home #1 – Ward’s six-part series with artist and co-creator Sami Kivelä, beginning in September – the new deal will include three new creator-owned projects featuring Ward’s talents as both a writer and artist in various capacities.

The first of three new series will debut in 2027. Creative details for all three are being kept under wraps.

This September, join visionary creators Christian Ward and Sami Kivelä as they prepare to challenge the limits of time, technology, and human endurance itself as one family’s refuge from the end of the world becomes an eon-spanning nightmare – only in The Forever Home #1.
​
Infamous billionaire scientist Henry D’mour could have saved the world. But he didn’t. Instead, in a desperate bid to save himself, his wife, and their two children, he constructed The Forever Home — an ark of luxury and ultramodern convenience insulated from the agony of the planet’s death throes outside its walls … and even time itself. Inside The Forever Home, only 29 minutes pass for every year on the outside … allowing the D’mour family to slowly enact their plans for a new world as their automated environment and robotic companions keep them safe. Safe on the inside. Always inside. Until a childish misstep accidentally breaks The Forever Home’s barrier … and what’s outside decides it wants back in …

To further discuss The Forever Home and the newly inked deal, Ward will be joining Oni Press at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 on Thursday, June 23rd at 11 am PT as a guest for the Oni Press: The Loudest Thing in Color panel presentation, alongside fellow creators Tyler Crook, Juan Gedeon, Bryan Lee O’Malley, Tradd Moore, Curt Pires, and more. 

Ward will also be signing copies of the new High Strangeness Deluxe Edition (featuring Ward’s stunning artwork alongside contributions from Daniel Noah, Chris Condon, Dave Chisholm, and more) and free copies of the The Forever Home/Fort Psycho Preview Book at the Oni Press booth (#1829) at the following times while supplies last: 

Thursday, July 23 | 12 noon – 1 pm
(with Tyler Crook, Juan Gedeon & Curt Pires)

Saturday, July 25 | 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm 
(with Tradd Moore) 

The Forever Home #1 (of 6) will arrive in comic shops worldwide on September 9, 2026. 

The Forever Home #1

Preview: Super Creepshow #5

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Super Creepshow #5

(W) Ram V, Christian Ward (A) Riccardo Burchielli, Fábio Veras

In the spirit of all iterations of Creepshow in pop culture, every issue of the Super Creepshow comic series comes packed with two stomach-churning stories from your favorite creators. Each issue of the five-part anthology will feature different creative teams from the worlds of comics, books, film, television, and beyond. Every uniquely horrifying standalone story is guaranteed to scare you to death.  

Never meet your heroes. Eisner Award-winning writer Ram V and artist Riccardo Burchielli sit down with a superfan and the superhero he adores… while in a second tale, the team of Christian Ward and Fábio Veras conjure up the Phantom Professor and the all-too-human horrors of practicing the mystic arts.

Super Creepshow #5

She’s Alive! Alive! Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives by Kelly Thompson and Mattia De Iulis

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Skybound Entertainment, Image Comics, and Universal Products & Experiences have revealed Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives, a new four-issue comic book series from the Eisner Award winning writer Kelly Thompson and her longtime creative collaborator, Eisner Award nominated artist Mattia De Iulis. Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives #1 arrives just in time for Halloween, landing in comic book shops on October 28, 2026. 

HERE COMES THE BRIDE… Kelly Thompson and Mattia De Iulis reunite once again to deliver the most haunting new horror series of the year. Born in the heart of a thunderstorm, made of stolen flesh, electricity, and monstrous desperation—The Bride lives! 

With no memory of her past or understanding of what she is, The Bride takes her first steps into this strange new world. With danger seemingly lurking around every corner, she must solve the mystery of where and who she came from…and discover what makes life worth living.  

Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives #1

The full list of covers is below: 

  • Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives #1 Cover A by Mattia De Iulis 
  • Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives #1 Cover B by Joshua Middleton 
  • Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives #1 Cover C by Artgerm 
  • Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives #1 Cover D (Connecting) by Luana Vecchio 
  • Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives #1 Cover E (1:25 Incentive) by Joshua Middleton 
  • Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives #1 Cover F (1:50 Incentive) by Rosemary Valero O’Connell
  • Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives #1 Cover G (1:75 Incentive) by Christian Ward
  • Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives #1 Cover H (1:100, FOIL Incentive) by David Talaski (SRP: $5.99) 
  • Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives #1 Cover I Blank Sketch (SRP: $5.99) 
  • Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives #1 Cover J (FOIL) by Artgerm (SRP: $5.99) 
  • Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives #1 Cover K (Die Cut, FOIL Hairiant) by Ryan Sook (SRP: $5.99)

SDCC 2026: Tiny Onion Announces its Tour Stop

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James Tynion IV’s production house Tiny Onion is returning to San Diego Comic-Con this July! The popular Corpse Tour is adding a new stop at Now and Never Comics on SDCC Saturday, July 25, to celebrate the release of Exquisite Corpses: Rascal Randy #1 and the hit comic book series. Exquisite Corpses co-creators Tynion and Michael Walsh, Rascal Randy writer Tyler Boss, and cover artist Christian Ward will be participating in a Q&A and signing at the event. 

Limited tickets for the event are available now via this link. There are two types of tickets, VIP and Signing Only: the VIP ticket gets fans access to the Q&A, early access to the signing (limit of 3 signed items per ticket), and the Now Or Never Comics store exclusive variant of Exquisite Corpses: Rascal Randy #1 by artist Guillaume Martinez. The Signing Only ticket gets fans access to the signing (limit of 3 signed items per ticket) starting at 9:00pm PST, once the Q&A has wrapped up.

In Exquisite Corpses, every five years on Halloween, the wealthiest families in America play a game. Twelve of the deadliest people in the world are dropped into a small town with just one goal: last killer standing wins. For the citizens of Oak Valley, Maine—this year’s unlucky arena—the goal is much simpler. They must survive the night. The first issue can be read digitally for free on the Image Comics site. 

Exquisite Corpses was the biggest original IP comic hit of 2025; over 600k issues have been sold to date in collaboration with Image Comics, marking the best debut comic for five-time Eisner Award-winning writer Tynion in over three years, in collaboration with artist Walsh and the Corpse Crew of a dozen exciting creators. Exquisite Corpses: Rascal Randy is the first limited series spinning out of the main series. Boss is joined by fan-favorite artist Dylan Burnett, Eisner Award-winning colorist Jordie Bellaire, and star letterer Becca Carey on the series about the terrifying bunny mascot killer. The first issue hits shelves on July 8.

The horror franchise is growing to include not just Exquisite Corpses: Rascal Randy, but also two other new spinoff limited series (Exquisite Corpses: Fox Mask Killer by Che Grayson and Exquisite Corpses: Lone Gunman by Pornsak Pichetshote), along with an anthology one-shot (Exquisite Corpses: Book of the Dead) in addition to the upcoming second season, the feature film adaptation, and the tabletop card game.

The Tiny Onion team is also celebrating 9 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards nominations at San Diego Comic-Con, including nominations for Exquisite Corpses. In collaboration with publishers BOOM! Studios, Dark Horse, DC, DSTLRY, and Image Comics, Tiny Onion’s produced works and collaborators have been nominated in the categories of Best New Series, Best Continuing Series, Best One-Shot/Single Issue, Best Limited Series, Best Writer, Best Penciler/Inker, Best Coloring, Best Painter/Multimedia Artist, and Best Lettering. Widely regarded as “the Oscars of comics,” the prestigious Eisner Awards honor the industry’s very best comic books and graphic novels, and the creatives behind those works. The winners are nominated by esteemed industry judges and chosen by industry professionals. The gala awards ceremony will be held at the San Diego Hilton Bayfront Hotel during Comic-Con on the evening of July 24. 

Corpse Tour 2026

Preview: Event Horizon: Inferno #3

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Event Horizon: Inferno #3

(W) Christian Ward (A) Robert Carey

Two hundred years have passed since anyone boarded the Event Horizon. Built to advance the human race beyond the known limits of space, the vessel is now a microcosm of Hell. Those trapped there have been experiencing their deaths over and over for two centuries. And you’re about to discover… Hell is a loop to be experienced again and again.

Event Horizon: Inferno #3

SDCC 2026: Ignition Press Celebrates its First Year with Seven new Series

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Ignition Press

Ignition Press is kicking off its first anniversary of publishing creator-driven comics this week leading up to and culminating at the biggest industry event of the year, Comic-Con International 2026 in San Diego (SDCC).

Ignition Press began publishing original series in July 2025 with its public debut at SDCC. At the Ignition Press Room—a standalone, open to the public, and free pop-up—the publisher introduced fans to seven debut series: Murder Podcast, Voyeur, Deluge, Roots of Madness, The Beauty, NO Place, and Arcadia.

On the eve of its one-year anniversary, Ignition Press has revealed a revised summer release schedule with seven new series launching over seven weeks beginning July 1st through August 12th. Additionally, Ignition Press will celebrate all its previously released or continuing series with new promotions and activations. The anniversary celebration will crescendo at SDCC 2026, where exclusives for all seven new series will be available for purchase before the celebration continues in comic shops through mid-August. Ignition Press will reveal additional details about its SDCC plans as part of its returning Ignition Sequence: SDCC 2026 marketing initiative.

The seven launching series commemorating Ignition Press’s first anniversary are:

  • The Dogsitter #1—a brand new rom-com treat for dog lovers from the Ares & Aphrodite team of Jamie S. Rich and Megan Levens with Nick Filardi and AndWorld Design;
  • Dispatched #1—an express delivery of an action thriller from B. Clay Moore and Daniel Gete with Lee Loughridge and AndWorld Design;
  • Minotaur #1—a groundbreaking sci-fi ongoing series for the AI Age by Si Spurrier and Mike Dowling with Sofie Dodgson and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou;
  • Sicko #1—a horrifying medical thriller where an autoimmune disorder becomes a weapon from Tini Howard and Amilcar Pinna with Amanda Grazini and Ariana Maher;
  • The Patron #1—a fine art murder mystery that is truly horrifying by Christian Ward and John J. Pearson with Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou;
  • Airwalker—the first original graphic novel for the publisher, a brand new superhero for a modern age directly from the mind of the late, great Stan Lee with Jeremy Haun and Danny Luckert with AndWorld Design;
  • And finally, Cult-de-Sac #1—a homeowner’s nightmare where the HOA is more than just odd from Cullen Bunn and Fico Ossio with Ulises Arreola and AndWorld Design.

Ignition Press’s updated summer release schedule includes the following titles:

July 1st: The Dogsitter #1, Showdown #2, The Other/Half #3, and Ripcord #4 ;
July 8th: Dispatched #1, Innards #2, Tyler Rake: An Extraction Story #3, and Just Brutal #4;
July 15th: Minotaur #1, Arcadia #6, and Murder Podcast #8;
July 22nd: Sicko #1, Bad Thoughts #2, Everyone Loves A Jewel Thief #3, Bloodland #5, and The Beauty #7;
July 29th: The Patron #1;
August 5th: Airwalker OGN (available August 4th in bookstores), The Other/Half #4, and Ripcord #5;
August 12th: Cult-de-Sac #1, The Dogsitter #2, Innard #3, Showdown #3, Tyler Rake: An Extraction Story #4, Just Brutal #5, and Murder Podcast Vol. 1 TP (available August 11th in bookstores).

Experience a guided tour of the Three Worlds/Three Moon Universe with Arrivals

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Dark Horse Comics presents Arrivals, a three-issue story in Jonathan Hickman, Nick Spencer, Mike del Mundo, and Mike Huddleston’s Three Worlds / Three Moons universe. In Arrivals, the children of astronaut and explorer Tajo Vallar are called home to reunite and solve a new mystery a generation after his disappearance—but first, they have to make it through the galaxy! Each issue will feature a different creative team and will include a framing story from Hickman and Spencer, illustrated by Huddleston. Huddleston will also illustrate cover art for each issue.

The first issue features two stories written by Hickman and Spencer: one illustrated by James Stokoe and set on the planet closest to the sun, Akva; and another about the Vojoganto, the universe’s space whale transit system, illustrated by Christian Ward. Arianna Consonni and Nick Filardi aid on coloring with AndWorld Design on lettering.

The second and third issues will include stories written by Spencer and will be illustrated by Juni Ba, Mirka Andolfo, Matias Basla, and Huddleston, with coloring by Huddleston, Consonni, Filardi, and Basla.

Arrivals #1 (of 3) will be available in stores on October 21, 2026 and is now available for preorder from your local comic shop for $6.99.

A vibrant comic book cover featuring a central figure with flowing colorful fabric, surrounded by futuristic spacecraft and whale-like alien creatures, set against a cosmic background.

A Magical Book Opens the Door to a Universe of Adventure in Sunder

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Mad Cave Studios invites readers to experience the world of Sunder, one issue at a time!

Originally published as a graphic novel, Sunder Vol. 1: Small Beginnings arrives in comic shops this fall as an individual issue series from creator Pierre-Alexandre Comtois, featuring colors by Mark Englert and letters by Buddy Beaudoin. Blending fantasy, science fiction, and coming-of-age adventure, the series unfolds in a universe where magic and monsters exist alongside the farthest reaches of the galaxy.

This is the story of Zeek, a goat-looking orphan living in a monastery within the far reaches of the galaxy. For reasons he was never told, he is restricted from ever going outside the perimeters of the Monastery. Taking care of the library, he reads and transcribes books filled with heroes and adventures, yet never gets to have any of his own. That is, until one day when a magical book appears in the library and attaches itself to him… Magic. Sci-fi. Adventure. Monsters. Welcome to the world of Sunder.

Sunder #1 arrives with additional variant covers by Daniele Serra and Christian Ward, alongside a foil variant and blank sketch cover.

Whether discovering it for the first time or revisiting it in individual issue format, Sunder offers readers a richly imagined fantasy-sci-fi adventure filled with magic, monsters, and wonder.

Sunder #1 goes on sale September 30, 2026, with Final Order Cut-off September 7, and is now available for preorder.

Christian Ward and Sami Kivelä Welcome You to The Forever Home #1

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Oni Press has announced The Forever Home #1 (of 6) – a startling sci-fi thriller from comics superstar Christian Ward and visionary artist Sami Kivelä debuting in comic shops everywhere this September. Prepare to challenge the limits of time, technology, and human endurance itself as one family’s refuge from the end of the world becomes a mind-bending nightmare reaching far beyond the future. Inside: Time stands still. But outside: Something even worse than the apocalypse awaits . . . 

Infamous billionaire scientist Henry D’mour could have saved the world. But he didn’t. Instead, in a desperate bid to save himself, his wife, and their two children, he constructed The Forever Home — an ark of luxury and ultramodern convenience insulated from the agony of the planet’s death throes outside its walls . . . and even time itself. Inside The Forever Home, only twenty minutes pass for every year on the outside . . . allowing the D’mour family to slowly enact their plans for a new world as their automated environment and robotic companions keep them safe. Safe on the inside. Always inside. Until a childish misstep accidentally breaks The Forever Home’s barrier . . . and what’s outside decides it wants back in . . .

Inside their high-tech refuge, they found a way to protect themselves from the apocalypse… and time itself. Outside, something has been waiting eons for a chance to get in… Step inside this startling vision of one family at the far end of time itself this September when The Forever Home #1 (of 6) comes knocking — featuring ominous covers by co-creators Christian Ward and Sami Kivelä, as well as Frany, David Rubín, and Miguel Mercado – on September 9th, 2026!

The Forever Home #1
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