Superheroics, magic, and cosmic horror converge in Kardak the Mystic, an all-new one-shot from Archie Comics in August! The new story by writer Joe Corallo and artist Butch Mapa reboots one of Archie’s oldest characters and adds to a burgeoning dark fantasy corner of the publisher’s rich fictional universe.

The new story relates the fateful misadventures of John Cardy, a failed stage magician looking for one last chance to make it big. When he’s offered a too-good-to-be-true magic talisman, his tricks become real, and he’s soon enmeshed in a dark alternate universe, slipping in and out to increasing fame and dread.

Kardak debuted in a story by C. A. Winter and Harry Shorten in 1939’s Top Notch Comics #1 as a superhero magician, employing tricks and mystical powers to fight organized crime and supervillains alongside his fiancée Lorna. He frequently employed the power of imperceptibility, a talent that will feature in the updated story, for better or for worse.

Kardak the Mystic releases August 14 in comic shops nationwide, with colors by Ellie Wright, letters by Jack Morelli, and an open-to-order variant cover by Skylar Patridge. It will be available for pre-order on May 24.