In the lead up to San Diego Comic-Con 2025, Ignition Press has announced its first comic series to be released is Murder Podcast by Jeremy Haun and Mike Tisserand.
Fans of true crime podcasts are noticing brand-new episodes of a show they thought was over appearing in their feed, but when they cue up the first episode, they find themselves overtaken by a murderous urge. One that only stops when the killer is stopped, leaving a gruesome death toll in its wake. For Mina and her friends, these killings are just another topic of their daily gossip, a potential new case for the next true crime show they can’t get enough of. Yet, as the killings get closer and closer to their own lives, it’s becoming clear that there is more going on below the surface than any of them realizes.
Written by Jeremy Haun with art by Mike Tisserand, colors by Nick Filardi, and letters by AndWorld Design, this debut Ignition Press title will make you think twice the next time you fire up those ear buds and press play on your phone.
Murder Podcast #1 will feature two open-to-order covers by Haun and Tisserand with he latter forming a connecting image across multiple covers. Retailers will have access to a limited-edition variant by Ebrahel Lurci.
More than two dozen creators, publishers, and performers from across tabletop games, music, and are joining forces for Power Word Resist, a one-night-only charity variety show and silent auction supporting RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) and GenderNexus, a nonprofit supporting gender-diverse individuals. The event will take place on July 30, 2025, at the Indianapolis Repertory Theater, with tickets on sale now via TicketSpice, taking place around Gen Con.
Taking place on Wednesday, July 30, the event features live comedy, drag artists, music, and a silent auction packed with more than $1,750 of exclusive tabletop gaming gear donated by some of the industry’s most recognized names, including Free League Publishing, Modiphius, Bad Squidoo Games, Gehenna Gaming, Renegade Game Studio, and many more. Check out the full list.
Headlining the event is comedian Ify Nwadiwe, known for his work with Dropout.tv, alongside drag performer Juicy Garland, and musical guests Sonora, Mr. Clit and the Pink Cigarettes, and Moon Goons.
Power Word Resist is more than a show — it’s a rallying point for our tabletop community, a place where we come together in solidarity and creative generosity.
Anime NYC and Japan Society have announced the nominees for the second annual American Manga Awards. 2025 features 35 nominees and the award ceremony is set to take place August 21, 2025 at the Japan Society in New York City in conjunction with Anime NYC which takes place August 21-24.
The 2025 recipients of the Manga Publishing Hall of Fame Award have also been announced. Studio Proteus, the San Francisco–based manga translation and publishing team that helped introduce such manga series as Blade of the Immortal, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, and Ghost in the Shell to English-language readers, will be inducted into the Manga Publishing Hall of Fame. Comprising the Studio Proteus team are founder and editor Toren Smith; translators Dana Lewis, Alan Gleason, and Frederik Schodt; along with manga artist and letterer Tomoko Saito, comics creator Adam Warren, and comics letterers Tom Orzechowski and L. Lois Buhalis.
The winners of the American Manga Awards is determined by votes from professionals working in an editorial capacity with North American manga publishers. Voter registration for the American Manga Awards is open through July 21 and is voting open until July 24.
Congrats and good luck to all of the nominees. This year’s nominees are:
BEST NEW MANGA
Hikaru in the Light! Volume 1 by Mai Matsuda (Scholastic Graphix/Azuki)
Dragon and Chameleon Volume 1 by Ryo Ishiyama (Square/Enix Manga & Books)
The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy at All Volume 1 by Sumiko Arai (Yen Press)
Spacewalking With You Volume 1 by Inuhiko Doronoda (Kodansha USA)
A Witch’s Life in Mongol Volume 1 by Tomato Soup (Yen Press)
BEST CONTINUING SERIES
The Summer Hikaru Died by Mokumokuren (Yen Press)
Innocent Omnibus Volume 3 by Shin’ichi Sakamoto (Dark Horse)
Search and Destroy Volume 2 by Atsushi Kaneko (Fantagraphics / MSX)
The Apothecary Diaries by author Natsu Hyuuga, illustrator Nekokurage, and compiler Itsuki Nanao (Square Enix Manga & Books)
Hirayasumi, Volumes 3–5 by Keigo Shinzo (VIZ Media)
BEST ONE-SHOT MANGA
H.P. Lovecraft’s The Colour Out of Space by Gou Tanabe (Dark Horse)
Brain Damage by Shintaro Kago (Fantagraphics)
A Smart and Courageous Child by Miki Yamamoto (TokyoPop)
Tamaki and Amane by Fumi Yoshinaga (Yen Press)
Stardust Family by Aki Poroyama (Yen Press)
BEST NEW EDITION OF CLASSIC MANGA
They Were 11! By Moto Hagio (Denpa Books)
Short Game by Mitsuru Adachi (Denpa Books)
Mansect by Koga Shinichi (Living the Line/Smudge)
The Legend of Kamui, Volume 1 by Sanpei Shirato (Drawn & Quarterly)
Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow, Volumes 1–2 by Asao Takamori, Tetsuya Chiba (Kodansha USA)
BEST LETTERING
Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow, Volumes 1–2 by Asao Takamori and Tetsuya Chiba; lettering by Evan Hayden (Kodansha USA)
Cat Man by Parari, lettering by Rebecca Sze (Seven Seas Entertainment)
Love Laid Bare by Ouchi Kaeru, lettering by Robert Harkins (FAKKU)
My Tiny Senpai by Saisou, lettering by Joven Voon (J-Novel Club)
Search and Destroy Volume 2 by Atsushi Kaneko, lettering by Phil Christie (Fantagraphics/MSX)
BEST TRANSLATION
Otaku Love Connection by Chu Amairo, translated by minami (Square Enix Manga & Books)
Face Meat by Bonten Taro translated by Ryan Holmberg (Living the Line/Smudge)
Search and Destroy, Volume 2 by Atsushi Kaneko, translated by Ben Applegate (Fantagraphics/MSX)
Ultra Heaven, Volume 1 by Keiichi Koike, translated by Ajani Oloye (Last Gasp)
The Tale of Jiraiya the Gallant: Volume 1 by Mizugaki Egao, et al; translated by Andreas Kronborg Danielsen (Blue Feathered Quill Publishing)
BEST PUBLICATION DESIGN
The Legend of Kamui, Volume 1 by Sanpei Shirato, designed by Lucia Gargiulo and Tom Devlin (Drawn & Quarterly)
Planetes Deluxe Edition Book 1 by Makoto Yukimura, designed by Riley VanDyke and Carl Gustav Horn (Dark Horse)
Seaside Beta by ohuton, designed by emuh ruh (Glacier Bay Books)
Veil, Volume 1 by Kotteri, designed by Kohei Nawada Design Office with lettering by Kevin Druelle and Oshino Studio (Udon Entertainment/MSXJoJo’s)
Bizarre Adventure—Part 7: Steel Ball Run, Volume 1 by Hirohiko Araki, designed by Adam Grano (VIZ Media)
Otakon will feature pop-metal idol trio BABYBEARD at Otakon 2025.
BABYBEARD is Japan’s wildest pop-metal idol trio, blending kawaii charm with headbanging power. Led by cross-dressing Aussie pro-wrestler and metal vocalist Ladybeard, alongside Japanese pop idols, the group delivers high-energy performances that fuse cute vocals with brutal screams.
Formed to bring joy, energy, and hope to the world, BABYBEARD is a colorful collision of extremes—cute meets chaos, pop meets metal. Their debut tracks “NIPPON KARA KONNICHIWA” and “PIENNIZER,” created by the hitmakers behind “Nippon Manju,” are infectious anthems of positivity and power.
Otakon 2025 will be held from August 8-10, 2025 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
Ignition Press has announced they’ll be making their public debut at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 and is leading up to the convention with over a dozen announcements.
Kicking things off is the reveal the publisher is bringing the Ignition Press Room to the Gaslamp, a boutique pop-up experience designed to introduce fans, convention goers, and press to Ignition Press with interactive photo opportunities, a retail experience, programming for fans and industry members, exclusive afterhours events, along with meet-and-greets and signings with Ignition Press creators.
Set to appear are Jeremy Haun, Cullen Bunn, Leah Williams, Stephanie Williams, Inaki Miranda, Mike Tisserande, and David Baldeon, with more to be announced.
The shop will feature exclusive comic books, t-shirts, enamel pins, stickers, and other merchandise that’ll be revealed before the show.
The Ignition Press Room will be open with free admission to the public with additional details revealed in the coming weeks.
You can find the Ignition Press Room in the Gaslamp District at 643 G St., San Diego, CA 92101.
Don’t miss the Baltimore Comic-Con this fall, on October 17-19, 2025 at the Inner Harbor’s Baltimore Convention Center. The Baltimore Comic-Con has announced comics guests Garth Ennis and Adam Kubert to this year’s event. Get your tickets now!
Garth Ennis broke into the American Comic scene in 1991, taking over the writing reins on Hellblazer. After a successful four-year run, Ennis moved on to create Preacher, a 66-issue epic that ran from 1995 -2000. In addition to these two ground-breaking series, he also had lengthy runs on DC’s The Demon and Hitman. Most recently, Ennis wrapped up The Boys, a 72-issue story which began at DC’s Wildstorm imprint before moving to Dynamite Entertainment with issue #7, and is now a hit series on Amazon Prime.
Adam Kubert is an American comic book artist and educator. He is also the son of Silver Age comic creator, Joe Kubert. He studied at the Rochester Institute of Technology and later at The Joe Kubert School of Cartooning and Graphic Art, founded by his father, where he also served as an instructor for many years. He began his career in comics lettering at the age of 12 on various DC Comics titles. Over the span of decades, Adam has worked on hit titles featuring characters such as X-Men, Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, Avengers, Spider-Man, Superman, Ghost Rider, and almost all Marvel titles in some form. He is best known for his iconic runs on Marvel’s hit series Wolverine.
Throughout his career, Kubert has received numerous awards and nominations, including an Eisner. Today, Adam Kubert continues to be a prominent figure in the comic book industry, and his distinctive style and skill as an artist have made him a favorite among fans and peers alike.
2025 GUESTS
This year’s confirmed guests for the show include: Kaare Andrews (Spider-Man: REIGN 2), Eddy Barrows (Superman), Jeremy Bastian (Cursed Pirate Girl), Marty Baumann ((Pixar artist), John Beatty (Marvel Super Heroes: Secret Wars), Josh Blaylock (Mercy Sparx, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Russ Braun (The Boys), Mark Buckingham (Fables), Letizia Cadonici (House of Slaughter), Jim Calafiore (NED, Lord of the Pit), Keith Champagne (Stranger Things), Howard Chaykin (Time Squared), Jim Cheung (Young Avengers), Frank Cho (Harley Quinn), Amy Chu (Emma Frost: The White Queen), Chris Claremont (X-Men), Matthew Clark (Adventures of Superman, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Becky Cloonan (Somna), Steve Conley (The Middle Age), Michael W. Conrad (Manowar: Invictus), Dani (Sensational Wonder Woman), Deans Family Productions (Crass Fed), Jeff Dekal (Something is Killing the Children), Todd Dezago (The Perhapanauts), David Finch (Moon Knight), Trish Forstner (Feral), Franco (Deadman Tells the Spooky Tales), Barbara Friedlander (Swing with Scooter), Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (DC Nation), Mike Grell (Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters), Brian Haberlin (Spawn, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Mike Hawthorne (Deadpool), Marc Hampel (Sandman), Scott Hanna (Amazing Spider-Man), Jamal Igle (Superman, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Phillip Kennedy Johnson (Incredible Hulk), Dan Krall (House of Night), Adam Kubert (Wolverine), Jae Lee (Inhumans), Tula Lotay (Barnstormers), Kevin Maguire (Justice League), Laura Martin (Nubia: Queen of the Amazons), Shawn Martinbrough (Red Hood: The Hill), Ron Marz (Green Lantern), Mike McKone (Red Goblin), Bob McLeod (New Mutants), Adriana Melo (Action Comics), Josh Middleton (Aquaman), Al Milgrom (Spectacular Spider-Man), Mark Morales (Thor), Trevor Mueller (Albert the Alien), Sarah Myers (TMNT Saturday Morning Adventures), Tom Nguyen (The Switch), Mike Norton (Battlepug, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Kevin Nowlan (Batman: Sword of Azrael), Dan Parent (Sabrina the Teenage Witch), John J. Pearson (In Bloom), Andrew Pepoy (Simone & Ajax), Barbara Perez Marquez (The Cardboard Kingdom), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Khoi Pham (Star Wars: Darth Vader), Tom Raney (Green Lantern), Amy Reeder (Power Girl), Esad Ribic (Conan the Barbarian), Afua Richardson (Kahhori: Reshaper of Worlds), Craig Rousseau (Herculoids), Jim Rugg (Street Angel), Stuart Sayger (Conan the Barbarian), Joseph Schmalke (Seven Years in Darkness, courtesy of Groundbreaking Comics), Bart Sears (Deathstroke), Declan Shalvey (Old Dog), Louise Simonson (The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special), Walter Simonson (Thor), Jeff Smith (Bone), John K. Snyder III (Suicide Squad), Mark Sparacio (Chelsea Dagger and the Women of Excalibur), Joe Staton (Dick Tracy), Karl Story (The Mandalorian), Zoe Thorogood (It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Universe), Billy Tucci (Shi), Brian K. Vaughan (Spectators, Friday and Saturday only), Gus Vazquez (Sunfire and Big Hero Six), Mark Waid (Justice League Unlimited), Mark Wheatley (Breathtaker), Matt Wieringo (Stargate Atlantis: Gateways), Keith Williams (Web of Spider-Man), Maria Wolf (Phoenix), Rich Woodall (Electric Black), John Workman (Wild Things), and Thom Zahler (Love and Capes).
Today, June 16th, marks 616 Day, a celebratory day inspired by Marvel’s main 616 universe. Marvel has begun to plant a flag to make it a yearly event (maybe, who knows, it’s not very clear), much like DC’s Batman Day, the general Free Comic Book Day, Local Comic Shop Day, and Trick-or-Read.
Select retailers have received a surprise 616 Day package this week containing exclusive items including 616 Day Variant Covers by superstar Marvel creators Marco Checchetto, Greg Land, Sara Pichelli, and Leinil Francis Yu and a 616 Day and Fantastic Four 616 Day Pin Set. The package was accompanied by a letter from Marvel Comics President Dan Buckley, who expressed his enthusiasm in building up 616 Day as an exciting yearly opportunity for comic shops to rally fans, encourage interest in comics, and drive foot traffic in a way that feels special.
The letter read:
Every year, we look for new ways to celebrate the incredible comics that make up the heart and soul of our industry. Our job is to tell stories that keep readers on the edge of their seats, introducing them to characters that feel real and relatable, and building a passionate community that embraces the fun and joy of being a comic book fan. None of that happens without you and your stores, so we want to take a moment to say thank you.
We’re all for supporting readers and getting customers in shop but the announcement feels rather abrupt. DC for its celebration days make sure to promote it well beforehand with limited edition releases for the day to get people in and supporting their shop. This is all… odd. Do shops get enough variants to sell? How many? How much? What about the pin sets? There’s so many questions on this one and overall it feels like a great idea with an odd execution and hopefully we’ll see more of a lead time next year.
In addition, Marvel has teased an announcement coming later today at 6:16 PM ET.
Check out the covers, the pin set, and a teaser below. Happy 616 Day!
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #2 616 DAY GIVEAWAY VARIANT COVER BY SARA PICHELLI
AVENGERS #25 616 DAY GIVEAWAY VARIANT COVER BY MARCO CHECCHETTO
FANTASTIC FOUR FANFARE #1 616 DAY GIVEAWAY VARIANT COVER BY GREG LAND
X-MEN #15 616 DAY GIVEAWAY VARIANT COVER BY LEINIL FRANCIS YU
Otakon 2025will feature guests from Shogakukan’s “Too Many Losing Heroines!” (Makeine) with Takibi Amamori, Kentaro Iwaasa, and Imigimuru.
Amamori is a novelist from Toyohashi City in Aichi Prefecture. He won the Gagaga prize in the 15th Shogakukan Light Novel Awards in 2020 with his submission “Am I Just a Random Mob Character Standing Next to the Losing Heroine in the Final Episode?” In 2021, he debuted with a retitled version of the same novel, “Too Many Losing Heroines!”
Imigimuru is a manga artist and illustrator from Hyogo Prefecture, best known as the creator of the hit romantic comedy series “This Art Club Has a Problem!” He has also worked as the illustrator for a number of other popular games and anime, including “Lycoris Recoil,” “Fate/Grand Order,” and “Too Many Losing Heroines!”
Iwaasa is the deputy editor-in-chief of Shogakukan’s Gagaga Bunko department. He has worked with titles such as “A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics” (Henjin no Salad Bowl), “Bottom-tier Character Tomozaki,” “Chitose-kun Is in the Ramune Bottle,” and “Too Many Losing Heroines!”
Otakon 2025 will be held from August 8-10, 2025 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
Sai Naekawa will be a guest atOtakon 2025. She is a mangaka, or comic artist.
Naekawa is from the Ehime prefecture of Japan. She is known for her work “This Monster Wants to Eat Me” (a.k.a. “Watatabe”), which will be adapted into an anime series in October 2025.
This manga has been selected in the Unique Story/Art category of“YouShouldReadThisManga2025,” powered by MyAnimeList.
Otakon 2025 will be held from August 8-10, 2025 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
Dan Brereton‘s Nocturnals: The Sinister Path #1 is this year’s Dark Horse Trick-Or-Read comic! Trick-Or-Read is a yearly event hosted by Penguin Random House where they provide comic shops with free comics to hand out to customers every October. With content ranging from All Ages, Ages 13+, and Mature Readers, comic fans of any age can visit participating comic shops to pick up free comics and support their local stores.
While the town sleeps, evil rises. A war is fought for soul of Pacific City by monsters, human and supernatural. But some of the monsters are on our side. The Nocturnals, led by Doc Horror, his daughter Evening, and their band of misfit vigilantes, are all that stand against an eldritch criminal underworld.
The death of the mysterious Judge Hemlock opens a macabre power vacuum in the eldritch underworld of Pacific City. When The Nocturnals—Doc Horror, Evening, and armed revenant, the Gunwitch—investigate the occult-enshrouded Hemlock house, what they find will lead them down a twisted and deadly sinister path.
Celebrate Halloween early this year when Nocturnals: The Sinister Path #1 (of 4) releases in stores on September 3, 2025. It is now available to preorder from your local comic shop for $4.99. Or pick up Nocturnals: The Sinister Path #1(Trick-Or-Read) from participating comic shops for free this October.
