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Back in the 00s, two crazy kids named Laura Hudson and Tim Leong decided to make a Wizard magazine for people who loved all kinds of comics, not just superheroes. The result was Comic Foundry magazine. With cover stories on folks like Bryan Lee O’Malley and Matt Fraction, it ushered in a new generation of comics readers and makers. Hudson went on to edit Comics Alliance, one of the most influential comics websites of all times, one which codified the next wave of socially relevant comics. But then both Hudson and Leong went on to more conventional media careers; Hudson at Wired and Leong at Entertainment Weekly. Leong would jump back in the comics game with two amazing books on nerd infographics, Marvel Super Graphic, Star Wars Super Graphic.
But now the duo is back! Teamed up again for a whole NEW era! Leong and Hudson are the writers of EXPLOIT, a new four-issue techno-thriller coming from Mad Cave in the spring. They’ll be joined by artists Emiliana Pinna (Immortal Red Sonja), Rebecca Good (The Old Guard), and Frank Cvetkovic (Blue Palo Verde), with Veronica Fish (Blackwood, Slam!) on variant cover duty.
Described as a mix of “newsroom grit and tech-fueled paranoia”, EXPLOIT is set in a familiar world ruled by algorithms and billionaires, and truth is hard to find.
Don’t bury the lede. Bury your enemies.
Kirby Kuo might be late to her true purpose in life–but no one would call the 30-something journalism intern out of time. When she uncovers a shocking secret about tech billionaire Cole Saxon, Kirby does what she has always wanted to do and publishes it. But the violence and vengeance that follows is like nothing she could have anticipated—pitting Kirby, her agoraphobic roommate, and the writing staff of the defunct magazine RIOT! to bring justice to a world where the rich get what they want without consequence.
“For me, Exploit became a way to cope with how volatile life has become, how unstable reality seems, and how little it feels like we can do about it,” said Laura Hudson in a statement. “The world of Exploit is also plagued by unctuous tech billionaires and corrupt politicians, but it’s focused on people who want to fight back, often at cost, with the resources and skills they have available. The comic is a bit more dramatic and absurd than the world we live in, but unfortunately, not by much. The comic is also much more enjoyable and narratively coherent than real life. We hope readers will enjoy this.”
Said Tim Leong, “This is a deeply personal story for us. We worked behind the scenes at some of the world’s biggest magazines—and watched them close. We didn’t know what to do with all the emotions that come from the slow destruction of the industry you love. So, we poured them into Exploit—a modern technothriller that’s never been more relevant. At its heart, Exploit is a rebellion story. Fighting back when it feels like everything is closing in around you, when your profession crumbles to dust, and when you’re feeling absolutely powerless. We started this book back in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic, and it felt like everything was out of our control. Exploit was our way to find that light, that hope—that power. And now we want to pass that same feeling on to the readers.”
If you’re ready for 90s zine culture, and 00’s nostalgia mixed with 20’s enshittification, Explaoit may be for you.
Exploit #1 arrives March 4, 2026, with FOC on February 9th. Preorder through your local comic shop, retailer, or from Mad Cave directly.
English (US)