Quick Hits | ‘trAPPed’ by Anand RK, Suparna Sharma + Natalie Obiko Pearson wins a Pulitzer Prize

Plus: News on the Minicomics Awards, Nicole Hollander, Len Strazewski and more.

“trAPPed” by artist Anand RK and reporters Suparna Sharma and Natalie Obiko Pearson has won the Pulitzer Prize in the Illustrated Reporting and Commentary category.

Published by Bloomberg, “trAPPed” highlighted the case of a neurologist in India who was trapped by cybercriminals through what’s described as “digital arrest,” which is when a scammer impersonates law enforcement and psychologically “trap” victims by keeping them under continuous phone surveillance. The comic uses vertical scroll to tell the story and was published by Bloomberg last year.

The other finalists in the category this year were Adolfo Arranz, Poppy McPherson, Devjyot Ghoshal and Han Huang of Reuters for “Scammed into Scamming;” Ivan Ehlers for his work at the L.A. Times; and Peter Kuper for “a portfolio of vibrant and wordless political cartoons on the climate crisis, politics and emerging technology rendered with a fresh perspective and a unique approach to visual storytelling.”

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Three Count | Outlaw’s Apprentice, Forgotten Five, Fireborn theme song

Check out three things to read, to support and to hear today.

To read: Chris Schweizer’s Outlaw‘s Apprentice

You may know Chris Schweizer from his work on everything from 6 Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton to The Creeps series, and he’s back with a tale of swashbucklers and swords. Outlaw’s Apprentice debuted a few weeks back on Webtoon, and it’s as fun as it sounds:

Otis is a teenaged artist-in-training, but when he and the former mercenary to whom he is apprenticed find themselves on the wrong side of the law, they have to make their escape across the country with the law, bounty hunters, and old enemies dogging their heels.

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Cullen Bunn unearths more ‘Deepest Catacombs’

The 2020 webcomic inspired by vintage D&D ads is back with a new arc, new artists and darker dungeons.

The Sixth Gun writer Cullen Bunn has returned to the dungeons for a new arc of Deepest Catacombs, his serialized fantasy-horror comic strip inspired by vintage Dungeons & Dragons advertisements that appeared in comics. The new strips debuted in his Nightmare Fuel newsletter this week.

“When I finished releasing the initial run of Deepest Catacombs, I knew I would return,” said Bunn, “I just loved the characters and the world. I loved how it made me feel like a kid again. And I loved working with so many talented artists! This was, of course, a labor of love, so it has taken me a bit of time to get the ball rolling again, but the story is going to be a ton of fun!”

The original run debuted in 2020 across 25 single-page installments, each illustrated by a different artist, and was released for free in the early days of Covid. The new arc picks up directly where that series ended, reuniting the party of adventurers — Randall, Annalynn, Kezira, Chops and Fingerbones — as they venture into a frozen, haunted castle filled with wyverns, ghosts, dragons and vampires.

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Papercutz announces first original ‘Mandalorian and Grogu’ comic, set before the upcoming film

Din Djarin and Grogu head underground in a one-shot announced on May the 4th and set for release this July.

Mad Cave Studios and their Papercutz imprint announced The Mandalorian and Grogu: Danger in the Dark today, and what better day to reveal the first original comic one-shot starring Din Djarin and Grogu? The book goes on sale in July.

Written by Delilah S. Dawson with art by Arianna Florean, the story is set just before the events of the upcoming Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu film and follows Din Djarin and Grogu as they venture into the lava tubes beneath Nevarro to defuse a crashed pirate ship, joined by a crew of Anzellan droidsmiths.

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Can’t Wait for Wednesday | May the 4th be with you, Andor

Check out new comics arriving this week by Benjamin Percy, Luke Ross, Tate Brombal, Gerry Duggan, Matteo Lolli, Gail Simone, Ig Guara, Gene Luen Yang, Joe Casey, Robert Carey, Jadzia Axelrod, Rye Hickman and more.

Welcome to Can’t Wait for Wednesday, your guide to what’s coming to your local comic shop this week.

I’ve pulled out some of the highlights for this week below, but for the complete list of everything you might find at your local comic shop and on digital this week, you’ll want to check out one or more of the following:

As a reminder, things can change and what you find on the above lists may differ from what’s actually arriving in your local shop. So check with your retailer to see what’s arriving at their shop this week.

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The bugs are back in Jason Aaron + Mahmud Asrar’s ‘Bug Wars: The Coming of The Wardoom’

The eight-issue miniseries, which debuts in August, will show us what’s hiding in the woods.

Jason Aaron and Mahmud Asrar will return the backyards of Alabama in Bug Wars: The Coming of The Wardoom, a sequel miniseries to their 2025 miniseries Bug Wars from Image Comics.

“Your favorite man-eating bug comic is back for another adventure, one that’s even bigger than before, with new heroes, new villains, new bugs and new exotic locales in the Slaymaker family’s backyard,” Aaron said. “I’m so grateful y’all have made this series such a success, because I seriously think there’s enough story here and enough of a fantastical world to explore that I could write Bug Wars until I’m worm food. May we all live to see the dew.”

The first series introduced Slade Slaymaker, the son of an entomologist who was killed by the bugs he loved. When Slade is accidentally shrunk down to the size of a bug himself, he discovers a whole new world filled with war, betrayal, magic and more. It was one of my favorite comics of 2025.

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Can’t Wait for Saturday | Free Comic Book Day + Comics Giveaway Day edition

See what’s available at your local comic shop this Saturday.

Comicdom’s biggest day of the year returns on Saturday, albeit in a new form. As Mark Briscoe might say, the word of the day is “bifurcation.” The event we once knew as Free Comic Book Day and was run by Diamond Comics has been split into two as a result of their bankruptcy and the sale of their assets.

In one corner, you still have Free Comic Book Day, with new owner Universal Distribution and their partner, Lunar Distribution. In the other, you have Comics Giveaway Day, an upstart that came into being when Penguin Random House decided they wanted to participate in giving out free comics, but apparently not in the official “Free Comic Book Day” event. Net-net for fans, there will be free comics on Saturday from a host of different publishers at many comic shops, some with one logo, some with another. Either way, free comics!

So where do you get these free comics? At your local comic shop, of course — if they are participating. The Free Comic Book Day website still has a store locator you can use to find a participating retailer. Comics Giveaway Day does not have a dedicated website, but you can find more details on the PRH website, which has a Google Maps link detailing participating stores.

Many publishers use the event as an opportunity to reshare a recent favorite title or offer a prelude to an upcoming storyline or crossover. Still other will produce something wholly original or introduce a brand new title. I’ve pulled out a few that look interesting to me below. Some things to keep in mind:

  • Not every retailer may have every title. Depending on their shop, they may elect to only have titles they think will excite their clientele.
  • Some retailers may limit the number of free comics you can take, while others may require a purchase.
  • Speaking of which, while titles are free to consumers, they are not free to retailers. So you may want to think about buying some other comics while you’re there regardless.
  • Some of the titles will also be available digitally, in case you can’t make it out on Saturday. So be sure to check your favorite digital comics site on Saturday as well.

Here a few highlights to look for:

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Marvel recognizes Disability Pride Month in July with a backup story running through four titles

Marieke Nijkamp and Andrea Di Vito bring together Daredevil, Misty Knight, Echo, Hawkeye and others to save Colleen Wing.

Marvel will mark Disability Pride Month this July with a serialized backup story running through four titles.

Written by Dutch author Marieke Nijkamp and illustrated by Andrea Di Vito, the story unfolds across Amazing Spider-Man #32, Uncanny X-Men #31, Fantastic Four #14 and Wolverine #24, bringing together a lineup of heroes with a range of disabilities, including Daredevil, Misty Knight, Echo, Hawkeye, Silhouette and Finesse, to save Misty’s partner Colleen Wing from a deadly threat.

Nijkamp, who is autistic, previously contributed to Marvel with a story in 2023’s Marvel’s Voices: Pride special. The writer described the project as a genuine dream assignment.

“It may sound a bit cheesy to say this is a dream project, but for these stories, I got to bring together a roster of spectacular heroes and write an epic adventure that’s all about strength in community. It really is a dream come true,” Nijkamp said. 

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John Layman + Rob Guillory re-team for ‘Ghostbrawler’

The ‘Chew’ creators will launch the new series with a Kickstarter next month.

John Layman and Rob Guillory, the team behind the long-running and super-awesome series Chew from Image Comics, are reuniting on a new title called Ghostbrawler.

As revealed on Guillory’s Patreon, Ghostbrawler is the story of Joey Frezzini, a boxer who died in the ring and spends his afterlife evicting ghosts — with his fists.

“My old buddy Layman and I have been developing this since December, and it is a BLAST,” Guillory wrote. “Something truly original and unique that fans of Chew will absolutely love.”

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Nominees announced for the Reuben, NCS Divisional Awards

The National Cartoonist Society has announced nominees for the 80th Annual NCS Reuben Awards, which will be presented in August.

The National Cartoonists Society has announced the 2025 NCS Divisional finalists and nominees for the annual Reuben Award, which recognize creators of comic strips, illustrations, comic books and more.

The awards recognize the cartoonist or artists specifically, so you’ll note that the actual comic, the writer and other creators, and the publisher aren’t called out in the nominations. Winners will be selected through a vote open to all NCS members.

This year’s Reuben list includes everyone who was nominated and didn’t win last year: Dave Blazek, Tauhid Bondia, Will Henry and Dana Simpson. Also nominated this year are arguably the two most prominent kids graphic novel creators right now, Raina Telgemeier and Dav Pilkey.

The comic book category features two veterans, The Goon creator Eric Powell and Usagi Yojimbo creator Stan Sakai, along with Jackie Musto, creator of Kay and P. On the graphic novel front, Raised by Ghosts creator Briana Loewinsohn, Sunder creator Pierre-Alexandre Comtois and One Path creator Greg Broadmore were nominated.

The winners will be announced in August. Check out the full list of nominees across all the categories for this year:

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Slugfest | Miles Morales, What If?, Rocket Raccoon + more in Marvel’s July 2026 solicitations

Here’s a rundown of notable items from Marvel’s July 2026 solicitations.

Slugfest is a roundup of cool announcements about projects coming to a shelf near you. This edition focuses on Marvel’s July/August 2026 titles. Hit the links for more info.

The middle of the summer is a big month for Marvel, as they’ll have two major crossovers going on at the time: Avengers: Armageddon and Queen in Black, bringing together the “Al Ewingverse” titles — Venom and Mortal Thor.

That’s already a packed summer, but is only the tip of the iceberg. There’s plenty of other new stuff hitting in July. So let’s start with the return of Miles Morales, who comes back from a brief hiatus with a new #1, new creative team anda return to his classic costume.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #1 puts Ultimate Black Panther writer Bryan Edward Hill and artist Nico Leon in charge of the younger Spider-Man’s adventures, and they are picking up after Miles’ adventures in the Ultimate Universe with a story that hits close to home, as his father’s past as a SHIELD agent comes back to bite the whole family.

“I was really humbled when Marvel contacted me because Miles Morales is such an important character to people,” Hill said. “No one knows, but I’m a HUGE Spider-Man and Spider-Verse fan, so I’m going all out here with new villains, new allies, thrilling action and a real exploration of that essential struggle of being a hero and maintaining a life connected to others.”

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Ignition Press officially announces ‘Minotaur’ by Si Spurrier + Mike Dowling

The new title gets a preview this Saturday on Comics Giveaway Day.

The new series Minotaur by Si Spurrier and Mike Dowling will launch from Ignition Press in July, following a sneak preview that will arrive this Saturday on Free Comic Book Day/Comics Giveaway Day. The series features colors by Sofie Dodgson and letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

The series combines magic, technology, horror and capitalism in a story about a near-miss apocalypse that might have been more of a “hit” than people realized.

“Minotaur begins with Arthur C. Clarke’s timeless observation that ‘any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic’ – then runs with it,” said writer Si Spurrier. “What’s emerged, as we put this book together, is a strange and beautiful tonal confection. On the one hand it’s intimately concerned with superintelligence and emergent technologies, but it feels like nothing so much as a fusion of Hellblazer and The X-Files. Mike Dowling’s the perfect artist for this unique fusion of subject and mood, dancing between Mignola-esque horror and glittering capitalist modernity with equally chilling aplomb.”

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