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Dinner Date #1 joins the October 7 Midnight Release Party

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Ignition Press has announced it is celebrating the release of the new limited series Dinner Date #1 from Sirens of the City creators Joanne Starer and Khary Randolph by authorizing comic shops to begin selling the debut issue just after midnight on New Comic Book Day on October 7th.

Dinner Date #1 joins the impressive lineup of other midnight release titles, including Marvel’s launch of the Midnight Line (Midnight Spider-Man #1, Midnight X-Men #1, and Midnight Fantastic Four #1) as well as Oni Press/Archie Comic’s release of Sabrina the Teenage Witch #1 and Rob Liefeld’s Avengelyne #1 Midnight Variant from Image Comics.

Starer and Randolph’s vampire rom-com fits perfectly among the seasonally spooky offerings participating in the midnight release, and is just the first of the pair’s multiple projects coming from Ignition Press. Fans eager to get their hands on Dinner Date #1 even earlier can do so at Baltimore Comic-Con from September 25th – 27th with the special show exclusive cover by Alitha Martinez and Emilio Lopez, limited to only 500 copies.

Modern dating is rough. No one likes being on the apps, but it’s not much easier meeting people IRL. Especially when they might turn you into a vampire without warning. 

This is exactly what happened to Syd. She was only trying to get over her toxic ex—whom she may still drunkenly text from time to time—not looking to have her life totally changed. She thought finding the right guy before was hard, but now she has an unquenchable thirst for blood. Her dating pool has suddenly become her food chain! 

Meanwhile, Izzy has been trying to make her dreams a reality in the Big Apple, though right now she’s part of the gig economy working as a rideshare driver. When Syd ends up in the back of Izzy’s car, there is an instant connection. Is this love at first sight, or will it all end with one bite? 

A comic book cover featuring a woman in a pink top lounging upside down on a couch, looking at her phone with a satisfied expression. The background illustrates a chaotic scene with hints of horror, including blood and a body on the floor, emphasizing a dark humor theme.
Cover of the comic book 'Dinner Date' featuring a woman walking on a bridge, looking at a smartphone, while a large shadowy figure looms behind her. Various image cards are displayed around her, suggesting a game-like element.
A black and white comic book cover featuring bold red accents, depicting a woman with long hair standing over a man, who is bleeding from the neck. The title 'DINNER DATE' is prominently displayed at the top.

Ignition Press Sponsors Ringo Awards and Baltimore Comic-Con 2026 Badges

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Cover of the comic book 'Dinner Date' featuring a dark-haired woman applying lipstick while looking at her reflection. The background includes a colorful, stylized image of a man standing in a doorway. The title 'DINNER ♥ DATE' is prominently displayed at the top.

Ignition Press is heading to Baltimore Comic-Con from September 25th-27th, 2026 at the Inner Harbor’s Baltimore Convention Center, with a Gold Sponsorship for the Ringo Awards and special Murder Podcast-branded badges for attendees of the show. Additionally, the publisher is partnering with the convention for the early debut of Dinner Date #1 by Joanne Starer and Khary Randolph with a Baltimore Comic-Con exclusive cover by Alitha Martinez and Emilio Lopez, available for purchase at the Show Exclusives Booth located in the hall lobby. The show exclusive is limited to 500 copies available to the public, each one featuring a unique serial number. Fans can meet cover artist Martinez at the show at Booth #1710. Tickets are now available online!

Fans can meet some of their favorite Ignition Press creators at Booth #1901, including Olivia Dufault and Rebekah Isaacs, the creative team behind Prima Apparata; Dan Watters, writer of Mad Science Division; and Jeremy Haun, writer of The Folk of Dooney Hollow and The Beauty. Guests of Baltimore Comic Con also include Dave Wachter (Bad Thoughts) at Booth #2101 and Shawn Martinbrough (Murder Podcast) at Booth #205.

Ignition Press is proud to be a Gold Sponsor of the Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards—more commonly known as the Ringo Awards—which is an annual celebration of the creativity, skill and fun of comics. The publisher is thrilled to celebrate a nomination for Best Series with Murder Podcast from Jeremy Haun and Mike Tisserand, and celebrates nominations of Stefano Simeone (NO Place) for Best Colorist, Tula Lotay (Minotaur, Voyeur) for Best Cover Artist, and Riley Rossmo (Mad Science Division, Deluge) for Best Cover Artist. Attendees of the Ringo Awards will enjoy Prima Apparata-branded badges where co-creators Dufault and Isaacs will be among the award presenters. The publisher will also contribute to the Ringo Awards famous gift bag.

The publisher will host the Doing Comics Differently: Ignition Press Year One and Beyond panel on Saturday, September 26th at 11:00am in Room 343.

Join Ignition Press co-founders Filip Sablik (Publisher) and Jeremy Haun (Creative Director), along with an all-star panel of comic creators—Olivia Dufault (Prima Apparata), Rebekah Isaacs (Prima Apparata), Dave Wachter (Bad Thoughts), and Dan Watters (Mad Science Division)—reflect on their record-setting inaugural year, discuss thrilling upcoming series, and unlock announcements for their next phase of publishing. Plus, every attendee will receive a free gift for attending!

Preview: Justice League: Dream Girls – A DC Pride Event #2

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Justice League: Dream Girls – A DC Pride Event #2

(W) Jadzia Axelrod, Nicole Maines, Morgan Hampton, Steven Underwood (A) Ro Stein, Ted Brandt, Stephen Sadowski, Norm Rapmund, Dan Jurgens, Vincent Cecil, Joe Quinones, Alitha Martinez

DC’S AWARD-WINNING PRIDE CELEBRATION IS BACK IN AN ALL-NEW FORMAT! The Key was once a villain who could infect the dreams of even the most powerful heroes through complex chemical cocktails. Now, in Dreamer, he sees a way to control the dreamscape for real — if he can craft a fantasy compelling enough to make her surrender to him. If only Dreamer’s best friend Galaxy didn’t keep interfering! How did she even get into the dreamworld, anyway? No matter. When you push the right buttons, even the strongest friendship can be shattered…

Also featuring a GREEN LANTERN CORPS back up story by Morgan Hampton, Steven Underwood, and Alitha Martinez!

Justice League: Dream Girls – A DC Pride Event #2

Preview: Black Panther 60th Anniversary Special #1

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Black Panther 60th Anniversary Special #1

(W) Christopher Priest, Cody Ziglar, Evan Narcisse, Murewa Ayodele (A) Alitha Martinez, Eder Messias, Javier Pina

CELEBRATING SIX DECADES OF THE KING OF WAKANDA!

This landmark over-sized issue features brand-new, thrilling stories from a lineup of fan-favorite writers and artists who have defined T’Challa’s legacy. Don’t miss this must-have tribute to T’Challa, Wakanda and 60 years of the world’s greatest protector!

Black Panther 60th Anniversary Special #1

The Power Company Recharged Shows Potential for the Future

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The Power Company Recharged

 Josiah Power and Jefferson Pierce lead the newest iteration of the Power Company with a new purpose of rebuilding humanity’s faith in heroes and fighting back against the rising anti-metahuman movement. For their first mission the Company dispatches Jace Fox Batman, The Signal, and Vixen investigate a serial killer that’s been hunting metas in the streets of Atlanta Georgia. The Power Company Recharged brings together an interesting group of heroes for what teases the start of something more.

I know very little of the Power Company. It’s not a team or history that immediately jumps out to me. But, beyond Josiah Power, the rest of this new team I know but thankfully readers can go in fresh and still enjoy this one-shot that sets something up for the future.

Written by Bryan Edward Hill, The Power Company Recharged spins out of Black Lightning as well as DC Power: Rise of the Power Company and brings together a group of heroes to investigate the murder of a young metahuman and his family as well as the rise of anti-metahuman hate. Hill crafts a story that new readers can ease into with little knowledge of the characters and still enjoy the tale. And the overall story is good, with some interesting interactions of the characters and also setting up what will be clearly more team-ups in the future.

But, The Power Company Recharged is just good. It doesn’t dive too deep in its themes and concepts, instead giving us a surface level story that’s a bit more about the characters’ interactions and the wrap-up than the underlying details. Signal, Vixen, and Jace Fox’s Batman are a good trio with enough friction that you can believe their a team but also not quite sure how to work together. Other than an intro and outro, Power and Black Lightning are non-existent in the story and if you’re reading this for either of them, then you’ll be disappointed. But, where the issue falls flat is its villain(s). Hate groups have risen against metahumans and this story focuses on a lone wolf. We’re given little motivation and background, creating a story with lack of punch. There’s little emotional depth it feels like and what should be a very charged story instead comes off as a bit sanitized. We’re living in a world consumed by hate, xenophobia, racism, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and more vile beliefs, but the issue doesn’t give us too much for motivation or beliefs beyond “metahuman = bad.”

The comic is packed with an art team consisting of Khary Randolph, Alitha Martinez, Norm Rapmund, Ray Anthony Height, and Studio Skye Tiger is good. With this many individuals on art, there’s not much noticeable changes in the art beyond a few panels. The color by Emilio Lopez and Alex Guimares is interesting with choices of dark and light coloring that really sets the mood and the moment. The colors in the final battle really pop with yellows, oranges, and greens creating an interesting highlight to the violence being committed.

The Power Company Recharged feels like it could be something far more delivering a real emotional punch that examines today’s real world hate. But, it’s goal is to introduce this team and get its members together for whatever is to come in the future. It’s a start but what’s to come will hopefully really explore the themes and concepts this issue dances around.

Story: Bryan Edward Hill
Art: Khary Randolph, Alitha Martinez, Norm Rapmund, Ray Anthony Height, Studio Skye Tiger
Color: Emilio Lopez, Alex Guimares Letterer: Andworld Design
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Preview: Power Company Recharged #1

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Power Company Recharged #1

(W) Bryan Edward Hill (A) Khary Randolph, Alitha Martinez
In Shops: Apr 30, 2025
SRP: $5.99

A NEW SUPER-TEAM DEBUTS! Spinning out of the events of Black Lightning and DC Power: Rise of the Power Company, Josiah Power and Jefferson Pierce lead the newest iteration of the Power Company with a new purpose of rebuilding humanity’s faith in heroes and fighting back against the rising anti-metahuman movement. For their first mission the Company dispatches Jace Fox Batman, The Signal, and Vixen investigate a serial killer that’s been hunting metas in the streets of Atlanta Georgia. Batman & The Outsiders writer Bryan Edward Hill makes his return to DC alongside artists Khary Randolph and Alitha Martinez in an oversized special issue that revitalizes the titular street level team for a new generation!

Power Company Recharged #1

Preview: Power Company Recharged #1

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Power Company Recharged #1

(W) Bryan Edward Hill (A) Khary Randolph, Alitha Martinez
In Shops: Apr 30, 2025
SRP: $5.99

A NEW SUPER-TEAM DEBUTS! Spinning out of the events of Black Lightning and DC Power: Rise of the Power Company, Josiah Power and Jefferson Pierce lead the newest iteration of the Power Company with a new purpose of rebuilding humanity’s faith in heroes and fighting back against the rising anti-metahuman movement. For their first mission the Company dispatches Jace Fox Batman, The Signal, and Vixen investigate a serial killer that’s been hunting metas in the streets of Atlanta Georgia. Batman & The Outsiders writer Bryan Edward Hill makes his return to DC alongside artists Khary Randolph and Alitha Martinez in an oversized special issue that revitalizes the titular street level team for a new generation!

Power Company Recharged #1

Second Sight Publishing presents more chills and thrills in a new Shook! Anthology

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The success of Shook! A Black Horror Anthology has summoned an all-new anthology from Second Sight Publishing and Dark Horse Comics: Shook! Songs of the Dark Sirens. Entombed in these pages are eight tales of terror and fear viewed through the lens of women. Fans who couldn’t resist the spine-tingling thrills of the first volume will find this siren’s song inescapable when Shook! Songs of the Dark Sirens stalks the shelves of bookstores in time for Halloween 2025.

This anthology features a cast of award-winning creators, featuring women of color, including Alitha Martinez, Shakealia “Shake MacAudacious” Finley, Tananarive Due, Micheline Hess, Raeghan Buchanan, and Colleen Douglas. The art of Kimbrea Whaley is showcased on the iconic Shook! Cover.

Following the hit horror anthology Shook! A Black Horror Anthology, this volume explores horror in a different, but no less chillingly fantastic way, with art and themes that will make any horror fan’s skin crawl.

Beware the siren’s call and hook a copy of Shook! Songs of the Dark Sirens in bookstores and comic shops October 28, 2025. This 140-page (6.625″ x 10.1875″) paperback is available for pre-order now for $24.99 from TFAW, Amazon, Bookshop, Barnes and Noble or your local comic shop or bookstore for more details and stores near you.

Shook! Songs of the Dark Sirens

Marvel’s Black History Month Variant Covers spotlight Black Panther, Captain America, Storm, and more!

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Next month, Marvel Comics celebrates Black History Month! In addition to Storm: Lifedream, a special one-shot honoring the legacy of Earth’s Mightiest Mutant, Marvel proudly presents two collections of variant covers: Star Wars Black History Month Variant Covers featuring Black Heroes of the galaxy far, far away and Black History Month Variant Covers spotlighting Marvel super heroes! Today, fans can get their first look at the latter program which sees acclaimed artists Chris Allen, Taurin Clarke, Ken Lashley, and Alitha Martinez stunningly depict some of today’s leading Black heroes including popular icons like Black Panther and Captain America along with fan-favorite and all-new characters! 

Here are the 8 heroes spotlighted this year and where to find them!

  • Black Panther, legendary super hero and King of Wakanda. T’Challa can currently be seen taking charge in Jed MacKay and Farid Karami’s hit run of Avengers.
  • Captain America (Sam Wilson), whose latest high-flying adventure kicked off last week in Evan Narcisse, Greg Pak, and Eder Messias’ Sam Wilson: Captain America.
  • Frenzy, the former villain who now lends her super strength to the government’s officially sanctioned mutant team in Mark Russell and Robert Quinn’s X-Factor.
  • Gold Tiger, a mysterious new Wakandan hero who debuted in Steve Foxe and Ivan Fiorelli’s New Champions!
  • Power Man, or rather a version of him from the far future! Be there when this future Luke Cage and his awe-inspiring array of powers arrives in the modern Marvel Universe next month in Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Bernard Chang’s Power Man: Timeless!
  • Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Brooklyn’s own web-slinger who’s currently enjoying a celebrated run by Cody Ziglar, Luigi Zagaria and more where he’ll soon face off against Deadpool for the first time in the upcoming “Pools of Blood” crossover!
  • Storm, Earth’s Mightiest Mutant and one of Marvel’s most groundbreaking super heroes. Celebrating 50 years of storytelling this year, the iconic X-Men leader currently stars in both Avengers and her own solo ongoing series by Murewa Ayodele and Lucas Werneck.
  • Temper, one of the X-Men’s most promising students. The young temperature-controlling mutant was recently promoted to the flagship X-Men team, following Cyclops’ leadership in Jed MacKay and Ryan Stegman’s X-Men.

Check out 7 of the covers now and preorder all 8 Black History Month Variant Covers at your local comic shop today! 

  • AVENGERS #23 BLACK HISTORY MONTH VARIANT COVER BY ALITHA MARTINEZ – 75960620426702341
  • POWER MAN: TIMELESS #1 BLACK HISTORY MONTH VARIANT COVER BY KEN LASHLEY – 75960621098500121
  • NEW CHAMPIONS #2 BLACK HISTORY MONTH VARIANT COVER BY ALITHA MARTINEZ – 75960621124100221
  • SAM WILSON: CAPTAIN AMERICA #2 BLACK HISTORY MONTH VARIANT COVER BY CHRIS ALLEN – 75960621097800241
  • X-MEN #11 BLACK HISTORY MONTH VARIANT COVER BY CHRIS ALLEN – 75960620920001161
  • X-FACTOR #7 BLACK HISTORY MONTH VARIANT COVER BY KEN LASHLEY – 75960620963700741
  • MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN #30 BLACK HISTORY MONTH VARIANT COVER BY TAURIN CLARKE – 75960620483003011
  • STORM #5 BLACK HISTORY MONTH VARIANT COVER BY TAURIN CLARKE – 75960621036700541

Get a first look at Storm: Lifedream, a celebration of Black History Month and 50 Years of Earth’s Mightiest Mutant

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For Black History Month, Marvel Comics will continue its tradition of highlighting Black characters and uplifting Black voices with a special Marvel’s Voices comic one-shot. This time around, it’ll be centered around one the most groundbreaking super heroes in pop culture—STORM. Just in time for the X-Man’s 50th anniversary, Storm: Lifedream will celebrate the character’s impact with a thrilling saga that revisits her most iconic eras. Fans can check out all four covers, including breathtaking new pieces by Karen S. Darboe, Olivier Coipel, and the artist of her current solo series, Lucas Werneck, along with never-before-seen interior artwork.

Storm: Lifedream kicks off when intergalactic historians attempt to update their records on Earth’s Mightiest Mutant—Ororo Munroe! As they dive into Storm’s rich history, they’ll find a woman too powerful to contain – and risk unleashing a side of her no one’s seen before. It’s a whirlwind journey across Storm’s key adventures and greatest feats as a malevolent entity threatens to corrupt her legacy!

Spearheaded by superstar journalist and Marvel’s Voices creator Angélique Roché, Storm: Lifedream will include stories written by Curtis Baxter, who recently made his Marvel Comics debut in Miles Morales: Spider-Man Annual #1; Brittney Morris, best-selling author of SLAY and The Cost of Knowing; and Eisner Award winning writer and artist John Jennings, known for his work on Kindred and Silver Surfer. The issue will be drawn by acclaimed Marvel artists Karen S. Darboe and Alitha Martinez along with rising star cover artist Edwin Galmon and Charles Stewart III in his exciting Marvel Comics debut.

From joining Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in Jed MacKay and Valerio Schiti’s Avengers to the launch of her new solo ongoing series by Murewa Ayodele and Lucas Werneck, it’s shaping up to be a pivotal moment in Storm’s extraordinary history! Fans won’t want to miss this special celebration of her undeniable impact on the Marvel Universe and beyond! Check out the artwork, including new character designs, and preorder Storm: Lifedream #1 at your local comic shop today.

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