Universal Monsters: Dracula Black & White Special #1
(W) James Tynion IV (A) Martin Simmonds
Originally unfolding over four suspenseful issues, the miniseries is presented here in double feature format, across two double-length issues coming this October and November.
The first installment plunges readers into the eerie world of Dr. John Seward’s asylum, where a new patient arrives whispering about a demon who has taken residence next door. As Dr. Seward struggles to apply logic to the madness, his surrogate daughter Lucy begins to fall under the dark influence of the twisted Count Dracula!
In addition to Dracula himself, this series also features some popular characters from the original film, including R.M. Renfield, Mina Seward, Doctor John Seward, Van Helsing, and more. The series has become known for its fresh twists, chilling encounters, and a dive into the dark corners of these timeless narratives.
Universal Monsters: Dracula Black & White Special #1
(W) James Tynion IV (A) Martin Simmonds
Originally unfolding over four suspenseful issues, the miniseries is presented here in double feature format, across two double-length issues coming this October and November.
The first installment plunges readers into the eerie world of Dr. John Seward’s asylum, where a new patient arrives whispering about a demon who has taken residence next door. As Dr. Seward struggles to apply logic to the madness, his surrogate daughter Lucy begins to fall under the dark influence of the twisted Count Dracula!
In addition to Dracula himself, this series also features some popular characters from the original film, including R.M. Renfield, Mina Seward, Doctor John Seward, Van Helsing, and more. The series has become known for its fresh twists, chilling encounters, and a dive into the dark corners of these timeless narratives.
Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying, the tabletop roleplaying game by Free League Publishing and Skybound Entertainment, is now live on Kickstarter.
This latest RPG from fan-favorite and multiple award-winning publisher Free League is based on Skybound’s groundbreaking comic book series Invincible by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley, which is also a hit animated series on Prime Video.
Early backers who make a pledge for a physical reward within the first 48 hours of the Kickstarter launch will receive an exclusive cloth patch bearing their choice of the Invincible suit design or the symbol of the Viltrum Empire, home of Omni-Man, at no additional cost.
Backers can also download a completely free Quickstart PDF to get a taste of the game right away. This Quickstart will also be launched as a free content module on the Foundry virtual tabletop during the course of the campaign.
The Kickstarter will include a comprehensive Core Rulebook – in a standard and an exclusive Collector’s Edition – and a boxed Starter Set, both with illustrations by Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley and graphic design by Johan Nohr (MÖRK BORG).
If unlocked as a stretch goal in this campaign, Skybound will print a limited run of Invincible #1with a brand-new variant cover drawn and inked by Todd Nauck and colored by Matt Herms. If unlocked, all physical pledge backers will receive one copy of this unique item, which is exclusive to this Kickstarter campaign and will never be printed again.
The Invincible universe is filled with everything we love about superhero stories – costumes and capes, epic brawls across cityscapes, sidekicks, team-ups, alien invasions, witty banter, alternate dimensions, and much more – though these familiar elements are often subverted in surprising ways. Any trope can exist, and any trope can be turned on its head.
In this action-packed storytelling experience, players take on the role of superheroes in their own corners of the Invincible universe. Whether you choose to play an established character from the comic or create your own, this game is the story of what happens to your superheroes – the protagonists of your own saga.
You might be a wisecracking speedster, a super-genius inventor, a grizzled vigilante, a shape-shifting alien, or a high-flying symbol of hope. Whatever you play and wherever you go, you’ll have to juggle relationships with patrols, face tough challenges and choices, and learn how to use your powers… and learn more about yourself in the process.
Skybound Entertainment has announced the expansion of its editorial team welcoming two new staff members—Diegs Lopez as Senior Editor and Caitlin Sinclair Chappell as Assistant Editor.
Diegs Lopez joins as Senior Editor, where she will oversee upcoming licensed projects in the Universal Monsters line and LEGO NINJAGO original graphic novels, as well as acquiring new original comics.
Prior to joining Skybound, Lopez worked primarily on children’s graphic novels both at Abrams Books as Senior Editor of children’s entertainment publishing and DC Comics during the launch of the DC Books for Young Readers program.
Caitlin Sinclair Chappell joins as Assistant Editor, where she will work closely with Editorial Director Alex Antone and Executive Editor Ben Abernathy to tackle a wide array of titles, including the Universal Monsters line and G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero.
Before Skybound, Chappell worked as a freelance entertainment journalist (Screen Rant, Anime Herald) and at two successful comic shops – New York’s Forbidden Planet and Los Angeles’ Collector’s Paradise.
Skybound Entertainment has announced its plans for Comic-Con International: San Diego 2025. Skybound returns to the world-famous convention for a fifteenth year and promises to delight fans with an incredible lineup of panels featuring Skybound creators, exclusive reveals, world premiere announcements, giveaway surprises, and in-person fan experiences.
Skybound is thrilled to bring its unrivaled lineup of IP to the convention, covering everything Invincible, including the newly announced fighting game Invincible VS and the record-breaking Invincible Universe: Battle Beast comic book series;Skybound’s smash-hit shared Energon Universe with Hasbro that touts titles TRANSFORMERS, G.I. JOE, and Void Rivals; Robert Kirkman and David Finch’s hugely anticipated series Skinbreaker; and of course, The Walking Dead.
Skybound will be hosting and/or participating in the following panels:
Thursday, July 24
Robert Kirkman LIVE at SDCC 1:00pm – 2:00pm | Room 6BCF
The biggest ROBERT KIRKMAN panel in Robert Kirkman history! Want to learn more about everything Invincible (including the new fighting game Invincible VS and Battle Beast comic series) and The Walking Dead? Excited about his plans for TRANSFORMERS and VOID RIVALS via Skybound and Hasbro’s Energon Universe? Then don’t miss this panel, which includes world premiere announcements and exclusive giveaway surprises – yes, plural – for every attendee!
Friday, July 25
Make ‘Em Laugh: Using Jokes, Puns and Goofy Ideas to Hook Reluctant Readers 12:00pm-1:00pm | Shiley Special Events Suite, San Diego Central Library
A Children’s Book Council Panel. Making the case for comedy as both a reading and teaching tool, and how to grab the attention of young readers who worry that every book is homework waiting to happen. Panelists: Marz Jr. (Skybound & Hasbro’s TRANFORMERS: Worst Bot Ever – Meet Ballpoint!), David Pepose (Ten-Ton Titan Terrier), Emmanuel Guerrero (Cactus Kid), Max Lang (Grumpy Monkey School Stinks!), Suzanne Lang (Grumpy Monkey School Stinks!).
Saturday, July 26
Get Rec’d with Straw Hat Goofy LIVE 2:45pm – 3:45pm | Room 6BCF
Join Juju Green, aka Straw Hat Goofy (Get Rec’d with Straw Hat Goofy)—known for his sharp insight, infectious energy, and millions of loyal followers—for a LIVE version of his Get Rec’d With Straw Hat Goofy Podcast. The special episode will feature candid conversation with Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead) and other special guests about their upcoming projects, their love for movies, and personal film, TV, and pop culture recommendations for the audience—hence the title Get Rec’d!
TRANSFORMERS & G.I. JOE: All Out War in the Energon Universe 4:30pm – 5:30pm | Room 5AB
THE BIGGEST YEAR FOR THE ENERGON UNIVERSE IS HERE! TRANSFORMERS, G.I. JOE, and VOID RIVALS from Skybound continue to top charts and we aren’t letting up. Superstars Robert Kirkman (Void Rivals, TRANFORMERS), Daniel Warren Johnson (TRANSFORMERS), Joshua Williamson (G.I. Joe), and Sean Mackiewicz (SVP/Publisher, Skybound) reveal their plans for the Quintesson War, the Dreadnok War, and more in a panel that will have everyone on the edge of their seats! Moderated by Arune Singh (VP, Brand, Skybound).
EVENTS & TALENT APPEARANCES
Thursday, July 24
Signings at the Image Comics Booth (#1915)
12:00pm-12:45pm – Daniel Warren Johnson (TRANSFORMERS)*TICKETED
Friday, July 25
Signings at the Image Comics Booth (#1915)
1:30pm-2:30pm – James Tynion IV & Martin Simmonds (Universal Monsters: Dracula)*TICKETED 1:30pm-2:30pm – Joshua Williamson (G.I. JOE)*TICKETED
Eisner Awards
INVITE ONLY | San Diego Hilton Bayfront
This year’s Eisner Award nominations, which celebrate the very best in comics, are out and Skybound has four shared nominations.
Shared Nominations:
Best Writer: Ram V,Rare Flavours (Boom! Studios); Dawnrunner (Dark Horse); The One Hand (Image); Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! (Image Skybound)
Best Writer:Kelly Thompson, Absolute Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey (DC); Scarlett (Image Skybound); Venom War: It’s Jeff #1 (Marvel)
Best Coloring: Jordie Bellaire, Absolute Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey, John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America, The Nice House by the Sea (DC); The City Beneath Her Feet (DSTLRY); The Exorcism at 1600 Penn (IDW); W0rldtr33 (Image); G.I. JOE, Duke (Image Skybound)
Best Coloring:Dave Stewart, Dawnrunner, Free Comic Book Day 2024 [general], The Serpent in the Garden, Hellboy, Hellboy and the BPRD, Paranoid Gardens, Shaolin Cowboy: Cruel to Be Kin – Silent but Deadly Edition (Dark Horse); Ultramega, Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! (Image Skybound)
Saturday, July 26
Invincible Universe Comic Book Signing 11:00am – 1:00pm | Now or Never Comics (1055 F Street, San Diego, CA 92101)
The worlds of Invincible collide for a special signing event at Now or Never Comics in Downtown San Diego. Fans will have a chance to get their hands on limited-edition copies (while supplies last) of an Invincible Universe comic book variant featuring an exclusive character reveal from the hotly anticipated Invincible VS video game and get it signed by artist Dan Eder (Invincible VS Art Director).
Signings at the Image Comics Booth (#1915)
2:00pm-2:45pm – Daniel Warren Johnson (TRANSFORMERS)*TICKETED
*TICKETED denotes signings that require wristbands. Wristbands will be given out at the Image booth as soon as the convention floor opens on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets will be available for attendee, retailer, and professional badge-types only, unless otherwise stated. There will be a limit of 3 items per person for ticketed signings unless otherwise noted.All items presented for signing are subject to review and denial by staff. No CGC, CBCS, or other witnessing/grading.
Skybound Entertainment, Image Comics, and Universal Products & Experiences have announced the remastered release of Universal Monsters: Dracula Black & White Special #1 (of 2), the acclaimed limited comic book series by writer James Tynion IV and artist Martin Simmonds. The Department of Truth creators present their acclaimed Dracula series in stunning black-and-white, in tribute to the iconic film that changed the face of horror.
Originally unfolding over four suspenseful issues, the miniseries is presented here in double feature format, across two double-length issues coming this October and November.
The first installment plunges readers into the eerie world of Dr. John Seward’s asylum, where a new patient arrives whispering about a demon who has taken residence next door. As Dr. Seward struggles to apply logic to the madness, his surrogate daughter Lucy begins to fall under the dark influence of the twisted Count Dracula!
In addition to Dracula himself, this series also features some popular characters from the original film, including R.M. Renfield, Mina Seward, Doctor John Seward, Van Helsing, and more. The series has become known for its fresh twists, chilling encounters, and a dive into the dark corners of these timeless narratives.
Universal Monsters: Dracula Black & White Special #1 (Lunar Codes lComing Soon | SRP: $6.99) will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on Wednesday, October 29, 2025.
The full list of covers is below:
Universal Monsters:Dracula Black & White Special #1 Cover A by Martin Simmonds
Universal Monsters:Dracula Black & White Special #1 Cover B by Mark Chiarello
Universal Monsters: Dracula Black & White Special #2 (Lunar Codes Coming Soon| SRP: $6.99) will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on Wednesday, November 26, 2025.
Universal Monsters:Dracula Black & White Special #2 Cover A by Martin Simmonds
Universal Monsters:Dracula Black & White Special #2 Cover B by Anwita Citriya
Lazarus Rising Games (LRG) expands the rebirth of its legendary 1990s collectible card game OverPowerwith the signing of a licensing agreement with Skybound Entertainment.
The deal will bring Skybound into the OverPoweruniverse starting in 2026, and will feature originals from Skybound’s robust library of IP, most notablyInvincible andThe Walking Dead. The roster joining OverPower’s decks will include characters such as Invincible, Omni-Man, Atom Eve and Battle Beast, as well as The Walking Dead fan favorites like Rick Grimes, Michonne, Negan and Maggie.
The addition of Skybound Entertainment characters and imagery follows LRG’s recent licensing deals with Top Cow Productions, Inc. and Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. – leading to the addition of Top Cow’s Witchblade, Darkness, and Cyberforce, as well as Burroughs’ iconic Tarzan of the Apes® and John Carter of Mars in the upcoming iterations of OverPowerin 2025 and 2026.
Retailers will begin carrying new OverPower product on their shelves in mid-April 2025 that will feature original artwork from some of the finest artists in the comics and illustration industries today – such as Jae Lee, Jim Cheung, Raymond Gay, Phillip Tan, William Santos, and many more. OverPower will be available through ACD Distribution and GTS Distribution in the United States, while Universal Distribution will facilitate delivery in Canada.
In addition, LRG has created an advisory board that already features Ron Perazza, one of the original developers of the 1990s game, and Paul Bazakas, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing for GTS Distribution.
In collaboration with Carde.io, LRG has also recently launched its player portal, which features the card library for the upcoming Edgar Rice Burroughs set, a fully-assembled Deck Builder, National Elo Rankings, an event finder, and a reward shop. Interested players can visit/join the player portal at www.OverPower.com.
LRG is also in the final planning stages for a series of major tournaments across North America, highlighted by more than $100,000 in prize pools as well as exclusive merchandise. Announcements for the tournaments are forthcoming. Further, LRG continues to showcase OverPowerat conventions and events around the country, most notably at a heavily trafficked interactive booth at 2024 New York Comic Con, and as part of an informative, entertaining panel at WonderCon 2025 in Anaheim. LRG already has strategized a noticeable presence at Origins Game Fair in June 2025, and has plans to showcase OverPower at important gaming and pop culture conventions throughout the year. For the past nine months, LRG has also executed a soft rollout of the game’s new aspects and cards, including two sets that sold out immediately.
Free League Publishing and Skybound Entertainment have announced Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying, an upcoming superhero tabletop roleplaying game based on the groundbreaking comic book Invincible by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley, currently adapted as an animated series on Prime Video.
Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying launches on Kickstarter later this year, and fans can already sign up to be notified on the pre-launch page. The initial offering will include a comprehensive Core Rulebook and Starter Set with illustrations by Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley and graphic design by Johan Nohr.
Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying is designed by Adam Bradford, D&D Beyond founder and producer on titles for Dungeons & Dragons, Cortex Prime, and Marvel, and Tomas Härenstam, Free League co-founder and lead designer of titles such as the ALIEN RPG, the Blade Runner RPG, Mutant: Year Zero, and Dragonbane.
Skybound Entertainment has expanded its executive team with two notable additions: Gregg Sulak, a seasoned financial executive formerly of Wondery, joins as CFO, while Will Kassoy, the former President of the charitable celebrity experiential platform Omaze, steps into the role of Head of Consumer Strategy.
This expansion marks the dawn of a new era characterized by innovation and strategic prowess for Skybound. Sulak and Kassoy join the ranks of several strategic new hires across the company, including Jeff Chaiken, Head of Corporate Development (previously Electronic Arts), Chris Paulson, EVP and GM, Games Publishing (formerly Activision Blizzard), Ben Abernathy, Executive Editor, Editorial (previously DC Comics), Brent Jacoby, Unscripted TV (Catalina Content), Chris Goble, Scripted TV (MGM TV), and Lizzie Alberga, Head of People and Performance, with more to be announced.
As Chief Financial Officer, Sulak oversees the finance and accounting activities of Skybound, including 5th Planet Games, its publicly listed subsidiary on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Prior to joining Skybound, Gregg was the CFO for Wondery, Inc., one of the industry’s leading podcast studios, and since 2021 an Amazon, Inc. owned company, with revenue streams in advertising, audio and TV licensing, merchandise sales and subscriptions. With over 20 years of experience in digital media and technology including roles at Machinima/Warner Bros., Yahoo!, and PricewaterhouseCoopers, Gregg brings a wealth of knowledge and broad perspective to Skybound’s diverse operations. He holds a California Certified Public Accounting certification (inactive), a BA in Economics / Business from UCLA and an MBA from The Wharton School in Multinational Management and Finance.
Kassoy brings to Skybound proven leadership in building and scaling fan-centered digital businesses from his time at Omaze (D2C fundraising platform that raised over $170M for charities); scaling video platform AdColony from zero to 1Bn users globally, and a $350M exit; and over a decade of brand management experience at Activision Blizzard. Kassoy brings with him a deep knowledge of customer acquisition, engagement and monetization, and will be focused on developing the company’s direct relationship with fans through the Insiders loyalty program, website, and online store, specifically overseeing website development, content, marketing, and the e-commerce store, working across all business units of the company.
The American Library Association (ALA) is teaming up with Skybound Entertainment and Hasbro to encourage people to roll out to their libraries with the Transformers franchise, featuring Optimus Prime, as part of Library Card Sign-Up Month in September.
Posters and bookmarks featuring Optimus Prime with a library card are available for purchase in the ALA store. In the coming months, free Library Card Sign-up Month graphics will be made available along with media tools such as a press release template, proclamation, and sample social media posts.
Since 1987, Library Card Sign-up Month has been held each September to mark the beginning of the school year. During the month, the ALA and libraries unite in a national effort to ensure everyone signs up for their own library card.
