AIPT Comics

Earlier this week, AIPT revealed that Tom King and Daniel Sampere’s Wonder Woman run is coming to an end with issue #40 this December. Now, you can hear the full conversation behind that interview on the AIPT Comics Podcast.
Nearly two years after we last spoke with King and Sampere about their ambitious plans for Diana, the creative team returns to reflect on how those plans changed and what it means to finally approach the last page. King discusses an original vision that could have stretched to 100 issues, while Sampere looks back at how drawing Diana changed his approach to storytelling, particularly the quieter acting, expressions, and gestures that define her character.
The conversation also digs into Trinity’s evolution, Steve Trevor’s death and return, the Sovereign and Matriarch, and the qualities King and Sampere believe define Wonder Woman after spending years telling her story. With Wonder Woman #37 beginning the final stretch and issue #40 set for December 16, this is the full audio chat about bringing their run home.
Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you can sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us on our Discord soon!
NEWS
Marvel NYCC Plans
DC NYCC Plans
DC December 2026 solicitationsWonder Woman arc ends with #40

‘Fantastic Four: First Foes’ finale introduces the Wizard and Frightful Four
Marvel unveils ‘Black Widow: Black, White & Red Room’ for December 2026
Marvel reveals Miracleman’s new era with two ‘Avengers: Armageddon’ covers
Miracleman joins the Avengers for November 2026 relaunch
Exclusive: ‘The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror’ gets complete 3-volume omnibus box set
Disney’s beloved 1973 animated classic returns 50 years later for ‘Robin Hood’
Exclusive: Francesco Francavilla sets sail with ‘Vengeance Unchained: The Legend of Black Caesar’ cover
'The Princess Murders' ble nds slasher horror, dark comedy, and fairy tale satire
Our Top Books of the Week:
Dave:
Avengers: Armageddon #4 (Chip Zdarsky, Delio Diaz & Frank Alpizar)
Ofiusa #1 (Guillem March)
Chris:​​
Regicide #2 (Patrick Kindlon, Ludovic Lalliat)
The Patron #2 (Christian Ward, John Pearson)
Standout KAPOW moment of the week:
Chris: Exquisite Corpses: Fox Mask Killer #1 (Che Grayson, Adam Gorham)
Dave: Avengers: Armageddon #4 (Chip Zdarsky, Delio Diaz & Frank Alpizar)
TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK
Chris: Star Trek #1 (Christopher Cantwell, Dennis Menheere)
Dave: Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1 (Various)
JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.
Dave: Universal Monsters: Blood of the Wolf Man #4 (Mike Del Mundo Cover)
Chris: Marvel Mangaverse: Ghostlocke #1 (Yuji Kaku Main)
Interview: Wonder Woman - End of Tom King and Daniel Sampere’s run
With Wonder Woman #40 officially ending your run on December 16, how much of that final issue resembles the ending you envisioned when you first started the book? Were there pieces of the finale you already knew back at issue #1?
One thing that has defined this run is Diana’s ability to be incredibly powerful without losing her compassion. In #37, she’s fighting a giant monster while calmly teaching two babies a lesson. What did you identify early on as the essential qualities of Wonder Woman that you never wanted to lose?
Daniel, knowing #40 is your final issue, did you approach drawing it differently? Was there a feeling of, "This might be my last chance to draw Diana doing this," that pushed you toward certain images or ideas?
Steve Trevor’s death hung over the book for a long time, so seeing Diana finally reunite with him in #37 carries a lot of weight. How did you approach that reunion after keeping Diana and Steve apart for so long?
Trinity has gone from a mysterious new character to someone deeply embedded in Diana and Steve’s story. Looking back now, what surprised you most about who Trinity became compared to the character you originally imagined?
The Matriarch is literally going through Hell in the upcoming special, while #39 brings the Sovereign back before the finale. How does the Matriarch’s relationship with her father reflect or complicate what you explored through the Sovereign earlier in the run?
When readers close Wonder Woman #40 on December 16, what do you hope they understand about your version of Diana that perhaps wasn’t as clear when the run began? Is there something about the run that you think will take on a different meaning once the full story is known?

This week, Michael Walsh joins the AIPT Comics Podcast to talk Jonah Hex and the Shadow of Death, his new DC Next Level series launching October 7. Walsh digs into bringing horror to the Old West, exploring an older Jonah Hex wrestling with his past, building new supernatural mythology into the DC Universe, and the influences behind his take on the legendary gunslinger. We also get into Exquisite Corpses, including how the writers’ room shaped Walsh as a storyteller, his role overseeing the current spinoffs, and some early teases about what he and James Tynion IV are cooking up for Season 2.
Before that, Dave and Chris Coplan break down the week’s biggest comics news, including the Amazing Spider-Man #1000 preview and DC extending The Fury of Firestorm. Then it’s our favorite comics of the week, standout KAPOW moments, the books we’re most excited about next week, and Judging by the Cover Jr., featuring some of the best cover art hitting shelves.
Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you can sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us on our Discord soon!
NEWS
Marvel reveals ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ #1000 preview with Aunt May shockerAnd TRIPLE H is writing a story!?

Symbie’s origins will be revealed in upcoming one-shot
DC extends ‘The Fury of Firestorm’ through issue #15
Rob Liefeld gets in on Midnight Universe gimmick with ‘Avengelyne’ #1 Midnight Variant
Our Top Books of the Week:
Dave:
The Forever Home #1 (Christian Ward, Sami Kivelä)
Doomquest #4 (Ryan North, Francesco Mobili)
Chris:​​
The Karman Blade #1 (DVP, Ian Bertram)
Chachu #2 (Iman Vellani, Marianna Ignazzi)
Standout KAPOW moment of the week:
Chris: Hellraiser: Resurrections — The Onanistic Ritual #1 (Zac Thompson, Gavin Mitchell)
Dave: Spawn '77 #1 (Mark Spears, Todd McFarlane)
TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK
Chris: Batman Day 2026: Batman of Two Worlds #1 (Matt Fraction, Javier Fernandez)
Dave: Exquisite Corpses: Fox Mask Killer #1 (Che Grayson, Adam Gorham)
JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.
Dave: A Mischief of Magpies #2 (Matias Bergara 5 Copy Cover)
Chris: The Patron #2 (John Pearson Variant B)
Interview: Michael Walsh - Jonah Hex and the Shadow of Death #1, out Oct 7, FOC Sept 14
AIPT: You’ve described yourself as a horror creator, but Jonah Hex isn’t traditionally the first DC character people associate with horror. What did you see in Jonah that made you think he could be a genuinely great horror character?
AIPT: This is an older Jonah Hex whose days as a bounty hunter seemingly ended some time ago. What interested you about meeting him at this stage of his life instead of telling another story about Hex in his prime?
AIPT: The solicitation describes Jonah’s life as one of “bloodshed, pain, and guilt,” and redemption seems central to this story. Does Jonah actually believe he deserves redemption, or is taking on this threat more about finally finding something worth dying for?
AIPT: The evil arriving in Ashecott is described as something older than the town and from beyond the world its residents know. How do you introduce something truly supernatural without losing the dirt, grit, and grounded quality that makes a Jonah Hex Western feel like Jonah Hex?
AIPT: We’re still waiting for season two of Exquisite Corpses, so I have to sneak one in. After building that world collaboratively with so many creators, did anything about that experience change the way you approached writing, drawing, or surprising readers on Jonah Hex and the Shadow of Death?
AIPT: Finally, Jonah Hex gets dropped into an Exquisite Corpses-style killing competition. No guns allowed. What completely inappropriate weapon are you giving him, and how far does he make it?

This week, Eisner Award-winning writer Saladin Ahmed joins the AIPT Comics podcast to talk about three very different heroes currently occupying his writing desk: Cheetara, Wolverine, and Bishop.
With ThunderCats: Cheetara launching September 9, Ahmed discusses taking one of Third Earth’s most mysterious heroes into her own ongoing series, the troubling visions that challenge what she knows about ThunderCats history, working with artist Andrea Arcari, and the freedom Dynamite has given him to push and reshape the mythology.
The conversation also returns to the X-Men universe, where Ahmed’s working on Wolverine and Bishop. We dig into where both characters currently stand, the distinct challenges of writing two veteran mutants, and what Ahmed is building toward in each series.
Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you can sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us on our Discord soon!
NEWS
Indiana Jones hunts Marvel’s greatest artifacts in new variant covers
Batman vs. Absolute Batman: DC reveals its big Batman Day 2026 special
Boom-Boom takes charge as Marvel announces ‘Fugitive X-Force’ #1
Curt Pires and Jok unleash time-traveling monsters in ‘Creature Corps’
Our Top Books of the Week:
Dave:
The Legion of Super-Heroes #1 (Joshua Williamson, Hayden Sherman)
Superman: The Stranger (Wes Craig)
Alex:​​
The Legion of Super-Heroes #1 (Joshua Williamson, Hayden Sherman)
Crowbound #1 (Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen)
Standout KAPOW moment of the week:
Alex: Captain America #15 (Zdarsky, Schiti)
Dave: Doom Patrol #1 (Darcy Van Polgeest, Nico Henrichon)
TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK
Alex: The Forever Home #1 (Christian Ward, Sami Kivelä)
Dave: Six of Us #1 (Tom King, Gabriel Hernández Walta)
JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.
Dave: Black Cat #14 (Josemaria Casanovas)
Alex: The Karman Blade #1 (Ian Bertram)
Interview: Saladin Ahmed - ThunderCats: Cheetara (FOC August 10, out September 2)
1. Cheetara has always been one of the more mysterious ThunderCats because of her visions. What excited you about making those visions the engine of an ongoing series rather than just a supporting trait?
2. The solicitation mentions voices that contradict the Book of Omens and even praise the Mu'Tants. Were you interested in exploring how faith or certainty can be challenged when someone suddenly has conflicting truths?
3. One thing I've always liked about Cheetara is that she's often the calmest person in the room while everyone else is reacting emotionally. How did you approach giving her an internal journey that still feels true to that personality?
4. This is your first project with Dynamite and your first time writing ThunderCats. What surprised you most once you started digging into the mythology? Was there a corner of the universe you found yourself unexpectedly fascinated by?
5. Andrea Ancari is relatively new to American readers. What did you see in his storytelling that made him the right artist for a book balancing action, visions, and psychological mystery?
6. ThunderCats has existed across cartoons, comics, and multiple reinterpretations over decades. Were there specific versions of Cheetara you found yourself drawing inspiration from, or did you intentionally try to build your own voice for her?
Wolverine / X-Men questions
1. One thing I've really enjoyed in your Wolverine run is seeing Logan genuinely vulnerable again. Between the broken claws and now the healing factor failing, what opportunities does a weakened Wolverine create that an invincible Wolverine simply can't?
2. Wolverine #21 was almost a bottle episode, with Logan and Nightcrawler just trying to relax before everything goes wrong. How important are those quieter character issues when you're writing someone who's usually defined by violence?
3. Julius Ohta has become a fantastic collaborator on the series. Are there moments where his storytelling or acting has changed the way you approached later scripts?
Bishop / X-office question
With both Wolverine and Bishop, you've been working inside a very interconnected X-Men line. How much collaboration happens behind the scenes?
Bonus fun question
You've now written everything from Miles Morales to Wolverine, Daredevil, and now Cheetara. Is there a dream character or franchise that still sits on your bucket list where, if the phone rang tomorrow, you'd immediately say yes?

Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you can sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us on our Discord soon!

NEWS

Hickman’s ‘Midnight X-Men’ is a ‘mutant, vampire epic’ with Krakoa-era DNA

Midnight Previewssssss



Marvel’s next Avengers vs. X-Men showdown is happening on the hockey rink

Whatever this news is it sounds stupid



Vault reveals ‘One Zero Zero One Saves the World’ from Jeremy Robinson and Tiago Palma

Vault announces ‘Inanna: The Name She Lost’ from Inanna Sarkis, Tim Seeley and Ademir Leal

Dark Horse spotlights Doctor Doom in ‘Marvel’s Most Villainous’ Volume 2

Dark Horse and Marvel celebrate classic X-Men history with ‘The Art of The Uncanny X-Men’

Dark Horse collects Jack Kirby’s Marvel Westerns in new three-volume series

Our Top Books of the Week:

Dave:

Operation: Iron Coffin #2 (Kenny Porter, Tyrell Cannon)

Hammerfist #1 (Rick Remender, Steve Epting)

Alex:​​

Fireborn #4 (Curt Pires, Franklin Jonas, Patrick Mulholland)

Absolute Wonder Woman #23 (Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Alex: What If… Cassandra Nova Killed Charles Xavier? #1 (Sumit Kumar, Ashley Allen)

Dave: Godzilla Conquers the Multiverse #2 (Gerry Duggan, Javier Garron)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

Alex: Crowbound #1 (Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen) & The Doom Patrol #1 (Darcy Van Poelgeest, Nico Henrichon)

Dave: Marvel Dimensions (Alex Ross)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

Dave: Cruel Kingdom #1 (Yanick Paquette)

Alex: Legion of Super Heroes #1 (Hayden Sherman)

DSTLRY - David Steinberger (co-founder and CEO) and Chip Mosher (co-founder and CCO)

DSTLRY has settled into its partnership with Penguin Random House, and readers are starting to see a steadier publishing cadence again. Looking back, what did that transition teach the company, and how does it position DSTLRY differently heading into the rest of 2026?

You've said from the beginning that DSTLRY wasn't trying to become "just another publisher." Now that the initial launch period is behind you, what do you think defines DSTLRY's identity today compared to when you first announced the company?

We've seen collections like Warm Fusion and A Mischief of Magpies join the schedule alongside new single issues. How important is building a strong hardcover library for DSTLRY's long-term vision, especially as more readers discover these books after their initial release?

Neon Ichiban has grown quickly from a digital comics platform into something that feels much more creator-focused. At what point did you realize the platform could become more than simply a place to read comics?

The new partnership with Scott's Collectibles brings a huge roster of creators into Neon Ichiban's digital remarques program. Why was that collaboration the right next step, and how do you see it changing the experience for fans who collect sketches and signatures?

One of the most intriguing ideas behind Neon Ichiban is the Digital Fast-Pass at conventions. Do you see this as solving a long-standing problem for fans who spend hours waiting in Artist Alley, or is the bigger goal expanding access to creators beyond the convention itself?

You've spent years thinking about where comics are headed digitally, first at Comixology and now with Neon Ichiban. What do you think today's readers expect from a digital comic that they didn't expect even five years ago?

Both DSTLRY and Neon Ichiban seem to share the same philosophy: giving creators more opportunities while giving fans new ways to engage with their work. Is there a bigger vision connecting those two efforts, and where do you hope they are a year from now after another SDCC has come and gone?

Marvel’s Midnight Universe is getting ready to open its doors, and this week we’re going straight to two of the writers helping build it.

Benjamin Percy and Phillip Kennedy Johnson join the AIPT Comics Podcast for an extended conversation about Midnight Fantastic Four and Midnight Spider-Man, two of the three series launching Marvel’s new horror-infused universe on October 7. Along with Jonathan Hickman on Midnight X-Men, Percy and Johnson are helping to establish a world in which familiar Marvel characters are being rebuilt through body horror, cosmic terror, and some seriously disturbing new origins.

Percy digs into the Lovecraftian nightmare behind his Fantastic Four, why their familiar powers are closer to curses, the influence of California's strange scientific and occult history, and just how grotesque Reed Richards' elasticity can become. Johnson takes us inside his radically different Peter Parker, the role Oscorp plays in his transformation, ScieTronc's horrifying designs, and why calling this version of Peter "Man-Spider" barely scratches the surface.

The conversation also gets into the larger Midnight Universe, including how Percy, Johnson, and Hickman are coordinating their books, how carefully they're approaching other Marvel characters, plans for the universe to eventually expand, and yes, whether Hickman's beloved data pages are coming along for the ride.

Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you can sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us on our Discord soon!

NEWS

Marvel November solicitations!

Jean Grey returns!

Marvel’s ‘Incursions’ one-shots revisit the road to ‘Secret Wars’ this November

Marvel teases ‘Origin III’: Is Wolverine’s untold past about to be revealed?

Official press release



Marvel’s November 2026 solicitations reveal the post -‘ Avengers: Armageddon’ era

Marvel retells Venom’s origin from the symbiote’s perspective in ‘Venom: POV’



Marvel’s free ‘Midnight Universe’ ashcan reveals creepy new details

Marvel Comics sheds light on November 2026 variant series Momo-Tone covers

Exclusive: Benjamin Percy and Raúl Fernández launch sci-fi horror series ‘Egg Hunt’

Exclusive: Brain Poison launches with three new sci-fi comics in shared universe

Garth Ennis and John McCrea get weird with psychedelic horror tale ‘The Snail’

DC Comics Solicitations for November

Our Top Books of the Week:

Dave:

Punisher Vs. Spider-Man #2 (Dan Abnett, Matteo Della Fonte)

Thor #800

Chris:​​

Nights #20 (Wyatt Kennedy, Luigi Formisano)

The Last Driver #1 (Sean Murphy, Simon Gough)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Chris: Nights #20 (Wyatt Kennedy, Luigi Formisano) 

Dave: Destination Kill #4 (Joe Palmer)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

Chris: Minotaur #2 (Si Spurrier, Michael Dowling)

Dave: Batman: Bad Seeds – Sunset #1 (Matt Fraction, G. Willow Wilson, Giuseppe)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

Dave: Tomb of Apocalypse #1 (Pablo Villalobos)

Chris: Next Level: One Shot #1 (Fernando Blanco Main Cover)

Interview: Midnight Universe - Ben Percy (Midnight FF) and Phillip Kennedy Johnson (Midnight Spider-Man) - Out October 7, FOC Aug 31

You’re both taking characters whose origins are among the most familiar in comics and rebuilding them through horror. What was the first thing each of you identified in the classic Fantastic Four and Spider-Man origins that could become genuinely frightening in the Midnight Universe?

Since this is horror, are you inverting who is the hero? I.e. is Spider-Man the villain and hsi rogues the bad guys, same for FF, or is that giving too much away?

Ben, the Fantastic Four have always been explorers pushing into the unknown, but here that curiosity seems potentially catastrophic. How much of Midnight Fantastic Four is about Reed Richards being unable to leave certain doors unopened, even when every instinct should tell him to stop?

Phillip, you’ve described wanting Peter Parker’s transformation to feel like something conceived by H.R. Giger and directed by David Cronenberg. Once Peter becomes this grotesque spider hybrid, how do you preserve the humanity and responsibility that make him recognizably Spider-Man?

Both books seem fascinated with science going somewhere it absolutely should not go. How differently do Reed and Peter respond to the realization that scientific progress has created something horrifying, and do you see them as cautionary reflections of each other?

The solicit for Midnight Fantastic Four #2 mentions revisiting and redefining the perils of the atomic age. Ben, what interested you about connecting the Fantastic Four to that particular period of scientific optimism, anxiety, and destruction?

Phillip, Oscorp isn't simply responsible for Peter's transformation. They're apparently using what they learn from him to create more human-animal hybrids. Does that give this version of Spider-Man a different relationship with his rogues gallery, especially characters like the Lizard and Doctor Octopus?

Kev Walker and ScieTronc have incredibly distinct visual identities. Were there moments when their designs or pages came back and actually changed your understanding of this universe, or pushed the horror further than what you'd originally scripted?

Horror can become less frightening once readers understand its rules. With both of you planning potentially very long runs, how do you keep the Midnight Universe mysterious and unsettling after readers have spent 20, 30, or even 50 issues living inside it?

I know your books haven’t launched just yet, but it’s hard not to be excited for your books to somehow connect, given Spidey and the FF are thoroughly linked in the 616. Have you dreamed up crossovers yet?

Finally, the important Midnight Universe question: if Midnight Spider-Man and the Midnight Fantastic Four were trapped together in a horror movie, who dies first, who somehow survives, and who makes the catastrophically bad decision to say, “Let’s split up”?