Summer is here, which means stepping foot outdoors will be a bit vampiric. It will beguile you with a hypnotic, clear blue sky, and when you step outside, you'll find your energy sapped by hot, humid weather. On those particularly nasty days, it’s great to stay in the air-conditioned indoors and enjoy some horror comics. Plus, there are a lot of great horror comics launching this season, featuring brand-new characters and familiar faces like the Predator, Buffy Summers, Godzilla, the entity from the Smile films, and Hellraiser‘s Cenobites.
Why am I excited about comics, you ask? Summer is a time of spectacle and ostentation, and the budget-free nature of comics means it can deliver the gore and grandeur that other visual mediums can’t.
Interested? Then read on for a breakdown of all the new and new-reader-friendly horror comics launching during the months of July-September. If you decide you want any of them, make sure you let your retailer know in advance. They’ll pre-order those books for you. Tell them FANGORIA sent you!
Beast of Borikén – July 1
FANGORIA readers got a sneak peek at the covers to this five-issue miniseries from Dark Horse Comics, written by Julio Anta (Frontera) and artist Daniel IriZarri (Cemetery Kids Don’t Die). The book is the next installment in Dark Horse's True Weird line, from James Tynion IV’s Tiny Onion production house, that explores the mythology of cryptids. In this miniseries, an activist fighting overdevelopment in Puerto Rico comes face-to-face with the titular creature, known around the world by another name: el Chupacabra!
Dingoliath – July 1
Bad Idea Comics launches the Manix Monsterverse, a new universe of comics that blends horror and humor, with this book from artist Manix Abrera (Thundercats) and writers Robert Vendetti (Survive) and Brockton McKinney (Charles Band’s Deadly Ten Presents: Blade the Iron Cross). It’s the tale of a team of hapless police officers tasked with bringing in a local drug kingpin; an assignment that pits them against the monstrous, many-eyed beast known as the Dingoliath.
Momo – July 7
Actor John Cusack (1408) makes his comic writing debut in this original graphic novel featuring art by Ignacio Noé (Lovecraft: The Call of Cthulhu) and published by Mad Cave Studios. It’s a blend of cosmic horror and absurdity that sends two criminals on a cross-country road trip to recover a strange artifact for legendary TV actor Jackie Gleason. Along the way, they’re drawn into confrontations with monstrous, occult, and cosmic forces.
Clayface: Celebrity Dirt – June 8
Before the shapeshifting Batman villain makes his big screen debut in the DC Studios body horror film, Clayface, he’ll star in this five-issue DC Comic miniseries from writer Jude Ellison S. Doyle (Dead Teenagers) and artist Fran Galán (Predator: Black, White & Blood). Their story is a blend of body horror, psychological terror, and Hollywood satire, in which their protagonist, a Hollywood actor who becomes a morphing, muck monster, escapes Arkham Tower on a quest to reclaim his former fame. When he gets outside, though, he discovers someone has stolen his name, face, and stardom.
Vampyrates! – July 8
Remember how I said comics are a great medium for spectacle? This series from writer Fred Van Lente (Murder Kingdom), artist Luca Pizzari (Thanos), and Boom! Studios doesn’t just deliver on the ship-based sword duels and the nosferatus that the title promises. Because their series is set on a fully realized, alien world where vampires are the dominant power! It follows a deposed monarch who finds adventure and refuge aboard a pirate ship.
Exquisite Corpses: Rascal Randy – July 8
This miniseries from writer Tyler Boss (You’ll Do Bad Things) and artist Dylan Burnett (Weavers) is sure to appeal to fans of Image Comics’ Exquisite Corpses and readers looking for a good jumping-on point to that book. It’s the tale of how the titular rabbit went from being an iconic animated character to the identity of an infamous, masked murderer.
Operation Iron Coffin – July 8
Recently, FANGORIA readers got a preview of this cathartic, gory, grindhouse-style action-horror series from writer Kenny Porter (The New Space Age), artist Tyrell Cannon (The Schlub) and IDW Dark. It’s the story of a resurrected and redemption seeking Dracula who takes a mission to righteously wreck a Nazi train containing soldiers, super science, and a vampiric plague.
Kingdom of Earth – July 15
Co-writers David Dastmalchian (Count Crawley Mediocre Midnight Monster Hunter) and Leah Kilpatrick (DC Horror Presents) are joined by artist Soo Lee (The Oddly Pedestrian Life of Christopher Chaos) for this Dark Horse-published comic series set on an Earth conquered by monsters where humans offer service or get slaughtered. Their protagonist is a young child named Frankie who escapes the monsters that marked them as livestock and must make their way through a devastated, creature-haunted world.
Sonic the Hedgehog X Godzilla – July 15
This gateway monster horror series from writer Nick Marino (Godzilla Monster Island Summer Camp), artist Jack Lawrence (Star Trek: Lower Decks) and IDW brings the titular King of the Monsters and his kaiju brethren to Sonic’s world. It’s up to the lightning fast hedgehog and his anthropomorphic friends to keep the kaiju out of the clutches of the villainous Dr. Eggman and to find a way to send the colossal creatures home.
Minotaur – July 15
Attendees of this year’s Free Comic Book Day got a preview of this techno-horror series that blends monsters and microchips. It’s a tale by writer Simon Spurrier (John Constantine: Hellblazer) and artist Mike Dowling (Unfollow) that puts a photojournalist, the ex-military muscle protecting her, and the reformed tech bro that’s secretly bankrolling their exploits against the terrifying phenomena popping up around the globe in the wake of a supercomputer’s attempt to evolve into a super intelligence.
Godzilla Conquers the Multiverse – July 22
In 2025, Toho’s King of the Monsters ran afoul of some of Marvel’s most iconic heroes in a series of one-shots. Godzilla then came for everyone in the five-issue Godzilla Conquers the Marvel Universe miniseries (available in a collected edition). He’s not stopping there, though! This new reader-friendly miniseries from the creators of the previous one, writer Gerry Duggan and artist Javier Garron, teams Godzilla with a monstrous, godlike, alien entity and together they set their sights on all the other dimensions that make up the Marvel “Multiverse.” The only thing standing in their way is a ragtag coalition of heroes and villains that includes Doctor Doom, Ghost Rider and the Punisher.
Dungeons & Dragons: Total Party Killers – July 22
This four-issue horror-comedy miniseries from Dark Horse focuses on the monsters that menace the heroes of the world’s most popular tabletop roleplaying game. It’s a tale by writer Christopher Hastings (The Adventures of Dr. McNinja) and artist Denis Medri (Cthulhu: Death May Die- Fight or Flight) where a lycanthrope, an alien brain-eating mind flayer, an undead knight, a hungry gelatinous cube, and a many-eyed baby beholder must unite to win their freedom.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer – July 22
This new ongoing series from Dynamite Entertainment, written by Kelly Thompson (Absolute Wonder Woman) and artist Stephen Byrne (Joy Operations), brings Sunnydale’s favorite demon killer back to comics. Details are scarce about when it’s set, but preview art suggests Buffy will be assisted by a multitude of fan-favorite characters from her supporting cast. Plus, the story that begins here continues in a book further down this list.
Dread the Hall H 2026 – July 22
Writers Chris Ryall and Jordan Hart (Dread the Halls) have re-teamed with Image Comics for another horror anthology set at one of the biggest comics and pop culture conventions in the world, San Diego Comic-Con. Bringing their stories to life are artists Luana Vecchio (Lovesick), Marianna Ignazzi (Exquisite Corpses), C.P. Wilson III (Star Wars Adventures: Return to Vader’s Castle), Chris Anderson (Heavy Metal) and Tom Williams.
Predator Versus Planet of the Apes– July 22
This five-issue Marvel Comics miniseries from writer Greg Pak (The Incredible Hulk) and artist Alan Robinson (Toxic Avenger Comics) shows off another thing comics do well: bringing two fun and crazy concepts together and bouncing them off of each other. In this story, the two titular 20th Century Studios properties collide for the first time ever with a classic setup: two crashes on the Planet of the Apes. One is a human astronaut, the other a fierce Yautja hunter!
The Dirt Beneath the Devil – July 29
This gothic horror-western from writer/artist Dan Panosian (Black Tape) and Mad Cave Studios sends a woman to the American frontier on a quest to claim the inheritance of her estranged and powerful father. She’s one of several heirs competing for her dad’s legacy. The danger is that she’s been given a mount that appears to be a horse but might be something far more sinister and ancient.
The Horror of Godzilla – July 29
IDW’s shared universe of “Kai-Sei Era” Godzilla comics is set in a modern-day world that’s been ravaged by kaiju for decades. This new reader-friendly, black-and-white miniseries (FANGORIA readers got a look at the art) from writers Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan (Godzilla Escape the Dead Zone) and artist Tristan Jones (Event Horizon: Dark Descent) goes back to the fateful day in 1954 when Godzilla launched his initial, nightmarish assault on humanity.
The Patron – July 29
FANGORIA got to exclusively announce this new miniseries from writer Christian Ward (Event Horizon: Inferno) and artist John J. Pearson (The Department of Truth), visually inspired by Italian horror and giallo films. It’s the tale of an unlucky painter who becomes the target of a benefactor who’s devised a sure-fire way for all the artists he supports to become famous; orchestrating spectacular tragedies that lead to their untimely demise.
Cathedral – August 4
The Horror Master, John Carpenter, makes his graphic novel debut with this release from his Storm King Comics company. This story, co-written by producer/writer Sandy King and Sean Sobczak (John Carpenter’s Tales for a Halloween Night), and featuring art by Federico De Luca and Luis Guaragna (Heavy Metal), sends a trio of Los Angeles police detectives inside the titular, dilapidated, downtown locale in search of a murderer. What they find is something more ancient and evil.
Making things even more exciting is the fact that Cathedral won’t just be a feast for your eyes. It will be an auditory delight as well because Carpenter and his musical collaborators, Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies, are releasing a soundtrack to Cathedral. The album marks the trio’s first foray into heavy metal and drops August 7.
Realligator – August 5
The creative team behind Dingoliath (mentioned earlier in this list) of writers Robert Vendetti and Brockton McKinney and artist Manix Abrera reunite for this next installment in the “Manix Monsterverse,” published by Bad Idea Comics. This story pits a well-armed big game hunter against the monstrous, mythical beast known as the Re-Alligator!
The Accessories – August 5
This second offering on our list from writers David Dastmalchian and Leah Kilpatrick teams them with artist Patrick Piazzalunga (Gunpowder Prophets) for a miniseries from Panick Entertainment. It’s the darkly humorous tale of three of horror’s most iconic henchpeople (Igor, Renfield, and Mrs. Hyde) leaving their employers and banding together to find their way in a world of angry villagers, vengeful monster hunters, and their furious, former bosses.
Lancer – August 12
This miniseries from screen and comic writer Mike Costa (television series Lucifer), artist Jake Baker, and Bad Idea Comics combines gritty action with the animal-attack genre. It’s set in a world where an app offers military vets work exterminating dangerous predators and invasive species. Its protagonist is a former marine tasked with eliminating a particularly monstrous menace: the horde of mutant alligators living in the New York City sewers
The Foundry – August 12
This four-issue, new reader-friendly miniseries is set in the world of Dark Horse Comics’ Hellboy. It takes place decades before Hellboy appeared on Earth and follows the exploits of a clandestine agency working for the British Crown. Their mission: travel the world in search of ancient, supernatural technologies and the stories of the societies that used these mystical machines for good and for evil.
Cult-de-Sac – August 12
This Ignition Press published miniseries from writer Cullen Bunn (Ripcord) and artist Fico Ossio (Kill All Immortals) follows a family who recently moved into a new home and their discovery that strange and terrifying things happen to residents of their community when they break the Homeowners Association’s rules.
Regicide – August 12
The press materials for this ongoing Image Comics series, written by Patrick Kindlon (Tigress Island) and illustrated by Ludovic Lalliat, described it as a mash-up of Dracula and the manga/anime series Berserk. It’s the tale of a farmhand who joins forces with a dangerous stranger to kill the murderous viceroy of Transylvania.
Gastronomique – August 12
This series from writer Marguerite Bennett (Odin), artist Helena Masellis (Deep Cuts) and Boom! Studios is another example of the comic medium’s ability to deliver wholly unique horror stories with fascinating settings. It’s an erotic, body horror tale set in Paris during the French Revolution. It follows a former royal spy named Lady Charlotte (AKA the Python) who is saved from execution when her sister takes her place. Upon her release, Charlotte teams with her former lover, Zellie, to fulfill her dying sister’s final wish: find and murder the cannibal killer who killed her sister’s child and is continuing to terrorize Paris.
Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft – August 19
This four-issue Dark Horse Comics miniseries from writer Amy Chu (Carmilla: The First Vampire) and artist Ariela Kristantina (Mata Hari) takes readers on a trip to the Domain of Dread known as Ravenloft; a fantasy-horror world of many realms, monsters, and monstrous “Darklords.” It follows a famous monster hunter named Ez D’Avenir who’s come to the frozen realm of Lamordia on a quest to save Ravenloft. Doing so puts her in the crosshairs of that realm’s Darklord, the Victor Frankenstein-like Viktra Mordenheim.
Lazarus Order – August 19
This series from Mad Cave Studios by actor-turned-writer Sloane Morgan Siegel (Dwight in Shining Armor), co-created with and featuring character designs by actor Benjamin J Stockham (Gotham) and art by Juan Doe (Vanishing Point) is a medieval horror tale set in a world where humanity is being ravaged by a vicious, transformative plague that creates werewolves, vampires, rat men, and other monstrosities. Mankind’s only hope is the titular order of plague doctors who’ve been endowed with supernatural abilities that come with the cost of an eventual fade into nothingness.
Angel – August 19
Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s iconic vampire with a soul returns to comics in this series from Dynamite Entertainment by writer Kelly Thompson (The Cull) and artist Giulia Giacomino (Xanar & Mr. Tuxedo). Angel continues the tale Thompson kicked off in July’s Buffy #1.
Stuff of Nightmares: The Cat in the Coffin – August 19
This one-shot comic from legendary horror novelist and comic scribe R.L. Stine, artist Matthew Dunn (Hello Darkness) and Boom! Studios is a darkly funny morality tale about a broke father who betrays his mother's final wishes: he steals the stuffed black cat she wanted to be buried with and sends her three cats to the pound instead of caring for them. Shortly after that, cat cries emanate from his car stereo, his ears start to bleed, and reality begins to “swap” out from under him.
Hammerfist – August 26
The press materials for this series from Image Comics, writer Rick Remender (The Seasons) and artist Steve Epting (Velvet) describe it as a hard-boiled crime tale that mutates into an ultra-violent, Raimi-style horror story. It follows a drug addicted hitman and absentee father who’s given a chance to be there for his daughter. In order to do that, though, he’ll have to drag himself out of the gutter, awaken a supernatural weapon powered by love, and fight his way through the living embodiment of evil.
Marvel Zombies: War Zone – September 2
FANGORIA got to announce this next installment in a series of stories set on a world where Marvel Comics' iconic heroes and villains have been transformed into flesh-hungry, superpowered ghouls. This miniseries from writer Tom Waltz (Wolverine: Blood Hunt) and artist Jaime Infante (Honor and Curse: Eternal) is set in the days when a horde of superpowered people are ravaging Manhattan and a group of street-level vigilantes is all that stands in their way. Unfortunately for the undead, one of the members of that group is a man really good at killing things; the heavily armed, murderous antihero known as the Punisher.
No Gods No Masters – September 2
This Boom! Studios series from writer Julio Anta (Cruel Universe) and artist Jacoby Salcedo (It’s Only Teenage Wasteland) sets out to tell a different kind of kaiju tale; one that still offers blockbuster destruction but also focuses on the people and communities caught up in the devastation. It’s the story of three New York high school students who must band together to survive when their afternoon detention is interrupted by a rampaging, giant monster.
Hellraiser: Resurrections – September 2-30
Boom! Studios had the publishing rights to tell comic stories in the world of the Hellraiser franchise from 2011-2015, and in September, they once again have “such sights to show” comic readers with a series of one-shots releasing every week of the month. Each issue focuses on different aspects and characters.
Writer Mike Costa (Godzilla Vs America: Chicago) and artist Paco Camallonga reopen the puzzle on September 2 with Hellraiser: Resurrections- New Wounds. On September 9, writer Zac Thompson (Into the Unbeing) and artist Gavin Mitchell (The Pride Adventures) put the spotlight on the Cenobite known as the Chatterer in Hellraiser: Resurrections- The Onanistic Ritual.
Writer Tini Howard (Marian Heretic) and artist Jenna Cha (Black Stars Above) bring the Female Cenobite back to life on September 16 in Hellraiser: Resurrections – The Deep Gospel.
The Cenobite known as Butterball steps into the Spotlight on September 23 in Hellraiser: Resurrections – Hell’s Council by writer Nero Villagallos O’Reilly (Smut Peddler Presents: My Monster Girlfriend) and artist Francesca Ciregia (Art Monster). The month closes out with a focus on Pinhead in Hellraiser: Resurrections -The Return of the Priest by writer Sarah Gailey (The Vampire Slayer) and artist Alessio Avallone (The Last Boy), available September 30.
Crowbound – September 2
Writer Jeff Lemire and artist Dustin Nguyen, the creative team behind Image Comics’ Little Monsters, return to the company for this series set in a mysterious world dominated by a sprawling, monolithic structure known as the “Factory.” When the powers that run the “Factory” seize the child of a worker, she makes a pact with an ancient, violent scarecrow queen to get her daughter back.
The Folk of Dooney Hollow – September 9
This series from writer Jeremy Haun (The Beauty), artist Alex Lins (Kolchak Meets the Classic Monsters) and Ignition Press takes a graduate into the Ozark Mountains on a search for a fabled village whose existence has never been verified. She soon discovers that the village is very real, but so are the dark, monstrous forces trying to keep the hamlet a secret.
Vampire Survivors – September 9
The roguelike video game Vampire Survivors comes to comics in this four-issue miniseries from writer David Hazan (Nottingham), artist Jimmy Kucaj (Dread the Halls) and publisher Titan Comics. The story begins with the game’s protagonists, the Belpaese siblings, tasked with clearing out a library of monsters. Their assignment unleashes an ancient, evil entity known as The Trickster.
Star Trek Deviations: Evermore – September 9
Star Trek is best known as a sci-fi television franchise, but it has featured some fun and downright creepy horror-themed episodes. That’s also been the case with Star Trek comics, and this one-shot from writer Claudia Gray (House of El), artist Andy Price (The Twilight Zone) and IDW looks to continue that tradition. It’s a story where, in order to rescue his daughter, Dr. Joseph M’Benga of the current Star Trek: Strange New Worlds series must confront crew members of the USS Enterprise who’ve been transformed into characters and creatures from the works of Edgar Allan Poe.
Pretty Evil – September 15
The press info for this original graphic novel from co-writers Dr. Rebekah McKendry and David Ian McKendry (Barstow), artist Tim Seeley (Local Man), and published by Simon & Schuster describes it as a mash-up of KPop Demon Hunters and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It’s the story of a teen pop star named Mallori who discovers that her missing mom and manager was a demon slayer who’s been abducted by some sinister beings. To save her mother, Mallori will have to merge her signature style with her family’s mantle and cut her way through a legion of demons and monsters.
Aliens Vs. X-Men – September 16
The Xenomorphs have taken on both the Avengers and Captain America. In this four-issue miniseries by writer Kieron Gillen (Die Loaded) and artist Geraldo Borges (Dick Tracy), they’ll face another band of iconic Marvel Comics heroes, the X-Men. The series also features a bonus story by legendary X-Men creator Chris Claremont, which finds the mutant Kitty Pryde caught in the middle of a nightmarish battle between the Xenomorphs and the monstrous Marvel aliens, the Brood.
Yours Cruelly, Becoming Elvira: The Graphic Novel – September 16
Cassandra Peterson (AKA the horror icon Elvira) is renowned for her acting and improvisation skills. Readers of her 2021 autobiography know she’s a gifted storyteller as well. In this Dynamite Entertainment published graphic novel adaptation of that memoir, current Elvira comic writer David Avallone and artist Mariano Benitez-Chapo (Savage Tales) bring the funny and poignant stories Peterson told about her showbiz journey and the creation of her legendary horror host persona to life on the comics page.
Creepshow – September 16
Do you miss Shudder’s Creepshow series? Are you a fan of the Creepshow films? Well then I have some good news for you! The horror anthology you love is returning to its comic roots with a brand new volume from Image Comics. In the debut issue, writer Tyler Boss (Universal Monsters: The Phantom of the Opera) and artist Francesca Ciregia (Wolverine: The Dust From Above) trigger your coulrophobia with a tale about two clown colleagues, and writer/artist Lorenzo De Felici (Red Roots) puts all of humanity in peril in a story about a mysterious object from space.
Exquisite Corpses: Fox Mask Killer – September 16
This is the second book on our list for fans of Exquisite Corpses or looking for a new reader-friendly jumping-on point to that acclaimed Image Comic series. In this miniseries, writer Che Grayson (Absolute Catwoman) and artist Adam Gorham (Infernal Hulk) delve into the backstory of the enigmatic, titular, katana wielding assassin with a tale about the time she tried to leave her chosen profession.
Smile: Any Given Smile
IDW Dark continues its series of comics set in the world of the Smile films with this miniseries from writer Stephanie Williams (Roots of Madness) and artist Pablo M. Collar (Avengers Academy) that takes things back to 1995 and explores the chaos and carnage that results when the Smile entity grins at the world of American Arena League football.
Escape From New York: Escape From Chicago – September 23
Snake Plissken is more of a sci-fi and action antihero, but his cinematic adventures in New York and Los Angeles are beloved by many horror fans. This miniseries from Mad Cave Studios, written by Kyle Higgins (Radiant Black) and artist Val Rodrigues (The Pale Knight), brings Snake back to the medium of comics with a story that sends him to another infamous prison metropolis: the Windy City.
It Demands a Sacrifice – September 23
Screenwriter Philip Gelatt (Love, Death & Robots), filmmaker David Yarovesky (Brightburn) and artist Adam Pollina (X-Force) put a family of adorable goats in terrifying peril in this miniseries from Bad Idea Comics. It’s the story of Bronson, the youngest and smallest member of a family of goats, who must rescue his kin from the clutches of a drug-fueled, sex-obsessed, satanic, hippie, murder cult that plans to use them as sacrifices in a ritual meant to summon a ravenous demon from beyond.
