2026 Brings Widely Anticipated Comics to Viewers

From Marvel Comics launching a mature new universe to BOOM! Studios acquiring the rights to an Invader Zim comic, comic book fans are looking forward to a year full of fun surprises and interesting reads.
by Grant S. Dillard, Ava Turpin, Zeke Hughes, and Raine Mobley

Image from the Midnight X-Men #1 variant cover by Ito

The Midnight Universe In May of this year, Marvel first announced a brand-new comic book universe focused on the darker side of its heroes. It will kick off on October 7th with Midnight Spider-Man #1, Midnight X-Men #1, and Midnight Fantastic Four #1. Marvel describes this upcoming comic line as “Dark. Unpredictable. Unmissable.” In this same article, they state, “The Midnight Universe draws in longtime fans and newcomers alike to enter a terrifying new world where anything can happen.”

In each specific series, starting with Spider-Man, the protagonist's origin is shrouded in mystery. In an interview with IGN, the series’ writer, Phillip Kennedy Johnson, said, “I want people to have their own theories, and for those theories to escalate and evolve as we slowly reveal what’s happening to Peter.” Similarly, Midnight Fantastic Four is also shrouded in mystery. An interview with ComicBook.com prompted Benjamin Percy, the writer of this series, to announce, “Reed doesn’t know Sue and Johnny and Ben, and even as their stories intertwine, a very different breed of ‘family’ is born—far more toxic and complicated,” showing this comic will not only be an origin for these new characters’ powers but their family bond as well.

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Image by Xamag and produced by Clark Powell

Homestuck: Beyond Canon
Nearly two decades ago, the first act of Andrew Hussie’s Homestuck was released. On April 13th, 2009, Homestuck began as a comic following the contrasting adventures of different characters exploring the mechanics of a real-life simulation game that would change the course of their lives. After seven years of world-building, the comic was declared over on April 13th, 2016. In early 2020, the creator made his final statement about backing away from any further expansions on Homestuck: "Andrew Hussie has stepped away from the Homestuck franchise completely and has no intention of returning to it, preferring to focus his creative energy on other independent projects." —What Pumpkin Studios.

Despite its official ending, the fandom was kept alive by its very influential fanbase, with events and fandom-made contributions like comic-cons, NYCstuck, and Homestuck Broadway maintaining its popularity. Homestuck^2 was given an attempt at release in 2021, but due to a lack of effort and ability to keep it running, it was dropped. Luckily for fans, Hussie handed over the torch to a new producing team, Furthest Ring Studios, who helped give the comic a new relaunch in 2023. The newest storyline follows a never-before-seen generation of alien kids preparing to set up and play a brand-new session of the reality-altering game from the original story, known as SBURB. The comic is now receiving constant updates, the most recent being on August 29th, 2026! You can find all update information and panels on their website, https://beyondcanon.com.

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Image from Thomas Rothlisberger, Mauro Fonseca, and Min Ho Kim.

Sonic the Hedgehog: 35th Anniversary Special–The Deluxe Edition
For all those fans of the speedy Blue Blur, a new comic has been announced in celebration of Sonic the Hedgehog's 35th anniversary. In the story behind this anticipated comic, we are given a thrilling teaser: “The story itself follows a typical day in the life of Sonic and friends on Angel Island, when a sudden meteor shoots across the sky and lands nearby with a thunderous boom, caving in the surrounding land. But within the meteor lies a plant giving off an immense energy source. And in typical Robotnik fashion, the egg-shaped doctor drops by to steal the meteor in an attempt to use it for world domination.” This is found in a review published on Fanbase Press, written for the original cut of the issue. This story brings back some of the forgotten heroes: “The dastardly plot brings together plenty of familiar faces—Mighty, Ray, Fang, Bean, Bark, and Trip—who must help Sonic find a way to save the planet from disaster before it’s too late!” The deluxe edition is set to release on December 15, 2026. To find places where you can preorder this comic, visit Penguin Random House. So, put on your running shoes and your iconic white gloves because soon we'll be having a speedy adventure!

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Image from Jhonen Vasquez’s official Instagram, @jhnenvee.

Invader Zim
On June 25, 2026, a publisher at BOOM! Studios revealed in an exclusive IGN interview that they had acquired the rights to the classic Nickelodeon cartoon Invader Zim, created by Jhonen Vasquez, and plan to release brand-new Invader Zim comics, along with reprints of older Zim comics.

Bryce Carlson, Vice President of BOOM! Studios, stated, “We have exciting plans to bring beloved, out-of-print material back onto shelves, and BOOM! is going to usher in a new era of DOOM! with brand-new stories that expand the strange and chaotic world fans know and love.”

Carlson’s announcement stunned fans and even the creator of Invader Zim himself, who went on to reveal that he wasn't consulted on the new comics at all. “Sorta like all you out there, I learned of the existence of new ZIM stories when the announcement went out,” Jhonen stated on his official Instagram account. While Jhonen was aware of older Zim comics being re-released, he was not aware of entirely new comics being created.

As for the next step in BOOM!’s comic creation process, BOOM! Studios writer Jim Zub stated that “BOOM’s editorial team has assured me they’ve reached out to Jhonen and believe this can all get sorted out. I hope that’s true, but if not, I’ll need to evaluate what to do next. Whatever happens from here, I deeply appreciate your support and understanding.”
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As for the future of new Invader Zim comics, both fans and executives are unsure if things will go smoothly.

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