The Beat Digest 07/18/25: EC Comics expands into other genres

Welcome back to The Beat Digest, a twice-weekly round-up of the biggest comics-related news stories we’ve missed every Tuesday and Friday. Is there a story out there you think we should cover? Be sure to let us know in the comments.

Outlaw Showdown cover A by Lee Bermejo

§ Oni Press revealed Outlaw Showdown, an EC Comics special featuring old and new westerns by John Arcudi, Brian Azzarello, David Lapham, Tony Moore, Ann Nocenti, and more. Due out October 22, the 56-page book (which will retail for $8.99) will be the first in a new line of EC one-shots exploring different genres. They also announced Murder Drones, an adaptation of the animated YouTube series by Wyatt Kennedy and Jo Mi-Gyeong, which will be crowdfunded on Kickstarter in September before releasing in February 2026.

Furthermore, via Deadline, Oni announced Yuletide, a spooky holiday adventure by writer George Northy (EC’s Shiver SuspenStories, Charmed) and artist Rachele Aragno (Leonide the Vampire). Starting in October, the three-part comic sees “ancient Norse creatures” descend on the town of Christmas, Pennsylvania, during the holidays, and only three teens are “capable of holding them at bay with an ancient secret tied to the origins of the holiday itself.” Additionally, Northy will write and produce a film version, alongside Oni, and legendary producer Gale Anne Hurd (The Walking Dead, Terminator). You can take a look at the comic’s interior pages at AIPT.

§ Via People magazine and Fangoria, Z2 Press unveiled Through, a fantasy graphic novel by David Dastmalchian and Cat Staggs. Inspired by Dastmalchian’s personal mental health struggles, Through follows a perfectionistic young woman who, after a near-death experience, finds herself in a shadowy realm inhabited by otherworldly creatures. No release date was given, but the book is available to pre-order now.

Through cover art by David Mack

§ Dynamite’s announcements this week included Fred Van Lente and Jonathan Lau‘s long-delayed Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt series finally beginning in November. The book, which reimagines the origins of Pete Morisi‘s creation, was originally announced in 2022. They also revealed a new DIE!NAMITE series by Van Lente and Marco Finnegan, DIE!NAMITE: Code Red, which will continue Vampirella et al.’s zombie crossover saga in October.

§ Mad Cave will publish War Wolf, a retro sci-fi take on “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” by writer Steve Orlando and artist Marco Perugini (Heavy Metal). An eight-part series, War Wolf follows Thomas Bruin, a security guard who becomes a wealthy celebrity after stopping an alien invasion. “So why is Bruin nervous? Because only he knows his great victory is a lie. When the aliens return to Earth, stronger than ever, Bruin has no choice but to be the hero he’s fooled the whole world into thinking he is… or die trying.” Issue #1 releases October 22.

§ Dark Horse unveiled Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures – The Training Sessions, written by Dave Scheidt and Daniel Jose Older with art by Andy Duggan. The book will reprint the 2024 and 2025 Free Comic Book Day stories based on the preschool series, and feature a new segment, “The Trees of Kashyyyk,” in which the show’s Jedi younglings will compete against Wookiees to climb the tallest trees on their home planet. It will be released in bookstores on November 4, 2025 (making it Dark Horse’s first Young Jedi bookstore release), and comics shops the following day. In the meantime, season three of the show will premiere on Disney Junior sometime this fall.

Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures – The Training Sessions (cover art by Andy Duggan)

§ In reprint news, Titan announced The Savage Sword of Conan: Reforged, an ongoing color version of the ’70s black-and-white Marvel anthology, starting October 22; Paper Girls will mark its tenth anniversary with a series of 6×9 inch Backpack Edition releases, beginning November 11; and BOOM! Studios confirmed James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera‘s Erica Slaughter story from the anthology Hello Darkness will be collected into a one-shot, Something is Killing the Children: A Monster Hunter Walks into a Bar, on October 8.

§ HarperCollins, the Big Five publisher owned by the Murdochs, announced they are acquiring Crunchyroll’s manga publishing operations in France and Germany. Terms for the deal, which is expected to close (pending approval) later this year, were not disclosed. “Upon close of this transaction, the team will be led by Hideki Iyama-Desseigne, reporting to Chantal Restivo-Alessi, CEO of International Foreign Language Publishing at HarperCollins, with the day-to-day operations of the business supported by HarperCollins France and Germany.”

§ In comics culture news, Gail Simone, Dan Panosian, and Bill Morrison have been appointed ambassadors for the Inkwell Awards. The announcement was made ahead of this year’s ceremony, being held tomorrow, July 19. Meanwhile, Omaha is holding its first comic con next month, simply called Comic Con Nebraska. Held at the Omaha Convention Center (CHI Health Center Omaha) on the weekend of August 2–3, guests will include Chrissie Zullo-Uminga, Ron Marz, Chris Giarrusso, Caleb Goellner, Jeff Parker, and Steve Lieber. You can find out more at the official website.

John Malkovich as the Red Ghost in a deleted scene from The Fantastic Four: First Steps

§ In a Variety interview, The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman confirmed John Malkovich has been cut from the film, stating, “There was a lot of stuff to balance in this movie, and some things had to go. John is one of my favorite humans and one of my biggest inspirations. It was heartbreaking not to include him.” Malkovich, who appeared in the first trailer, was cast for an opening scene as the Lee & Kirby era villain Red Ghost/Ivan Kragoff. He and Shakman previously worked together on 2014’s Cut Bank, the first film helmed by the director. First Steps releases next Friday, July 25.

§ In Robert Kirkman news, Invincible season five and The Walking Dead: Dead City have been respectively renewed for a fifth and third season. Matthew Rhys (The Americans) has joined Invincible‘s cast in an undisclosed role, while Seth Hoffman (The Walking Dead seasons 4-6) will take over from Eli Jorné as showrunner on Dead City. Dead City season two aired earlier this year, while Invincible season four will be released in 2026.

§ Finally, in other media news, Wicked director Jon M. Chu and star Ariana Grande will reunite on the animated film version of Dr. Seuss‘s Oh, The Places You’ll Go, due out March 17, 2028; Magnolia Pictures acquired the rights to the documentary A Savage Art: The Life & Cartoons of Pat Oliphant, releasing in theaters on September 5; and Netflix unleashed the first full trailer for Stranger Things 5, premiering November 26, at 5pm PST: