AIPT Comics

On this week’s AIPT Comics Podcast, we’re joined by Matthew Rosenberg to talk about one of the most ambitious creator-owned books on the horizon: If Destruction Be Our Lot.

For a story about the end of humanity, this one is surprisingly full of life. We dig into how the series came together, from its strange and instantly compelling premise of a robotic Abraham Lincoln wandering a post-human world, to the deeper themes driving it. Rosenberg opens up about how the book grew out of his own creative evolution, how it responds to the current moment for artists, and why this isn’t a bleak dystopia so much as a story about connection, purpose, and trying to find meaning when the system no longer makes sense.

We also get into the craft behind it all, including the long development process, the collaboration with his brother Mark Elijah Rosenberg, and why artist Andy Macdonald might be doing some of the most exciting work in comics right now.

Of course, we also talk Spawn and what it means to step into that world, but the heart of this conversation is If Destruction Be Our Lot and why it might be Rosenberg’s most personal and layered work yet.

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

Sam Keith passed away

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Marvel Stormbreakers ‘What If…?’ variant covers celebrate 50 years of alternate marvel stories

Our Top Books of the Week:

Dave:

Sai: Dimensional Rivals #3 (Momoko, Mundo, Casagrande, Bengal)

Iron Man #3 (Joshua Williamson, Carmen Carnero)

Alex:​​

Is Ted Ok? #2 (Dave Chisholm)

Absolute Wonder Woman #18 (Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman) 

Sai: Dimensional Rivals #3 (Mike del Mundo story)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Alex: Punisher #2 (José Luis Soares Pinto)

Dave: Knull #3 (Al Ewing, Tom Waltz, Juanan Ramírez)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

Alex: Daredevil #1 (Stephanie Phillips, Lee Garbett)

Dave: Uri Tupka and the Gods: Another Story from Lands Unknown (info)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

Dave: Bizarro: Year None #1 (Nick Pitarra Cover)

Alex: Batman / Superman: World's Finest #50 Cover F Rahzzah Variant

Interview: Matthew Rosenberg - Out May 6, FOC Apr 13th

If Destruction Be Our Lot imagines a world where humanity is gone and robots are left behind. What drew you to telling a story from that perspective rather than focusing on the fall itself?

Can you talk a little about your collaboration with Mark Elijah Rosenberg?

Andy Macdonald’s art brings a lot of personality to these robots. How closely did you collaborate to shape the look and feel of this world?

Abe, a robotic Abraham Lincoln, is such a strange and compelling lead. What made him the right lens for exploring meaning, purpose, and identity in this world?

There’s a strong theme of searching for connection, even in a world without humans. What does “friendship” look like in a story populated entirely by machines?

You’ve tackled everything from crime to dark comedy. Where does this series sit creatively for you, and does it feel like a departure or a natural evolution?

On Spawn

You’re stepping into Spawn with a major time jump and a new status quo. What excited you most about taking on such an iconic title at this moment?

Favorite Spawn character?

Where are you at with In Good Hands With Bad Company?

We're Taking Everyone Down With Us



Would you call A Rook Spy Thriller a label under your brand?

Fun / Silly Question

If Abe could befriend any object or appliance in this world, what would be his ultimate ride-or-die companion and why?

We break down the biggest comics news and releases before diving into one of the wildest books on the stands right now. American Caper is messy, violent, hilarious, and packed with characters who seem one bad decision away from total collapse and that is exactly what makes it work.

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 Comics 2026 June solicitations!

Doctor Doom returns and drags Captain America into a new war ahead of ‘Avengers: Armageddon’

'Amazing Spider-Man' #30-31 reveal Spore debut and major twist ahead of issue #1000

Marvel reveals 'Avengers: Armageddon' variants and Comics Giveaway Day preview

‘Jeff the Land Shark: Superstar’ announced by Marvel with Mojo and new X-Men cast

Marvel reveals Wolverine's claws will shatter in June 2026 'Wolverine' series



Marvel’s Swimsuit Special returns this July with new ‘Beach Day’ and must-see pinups

Full June 2026 DC Comics solicitations:

DC just flipped Superman’s origin and threw Supergirl into a nightmare universe

DC announces Summer of Supergirl Special #1 with all-star creative team

DC Pride 2026 reveals 'Justice League: Dream Girls' event starring Galaxy and Dreamer



Every monster imaginable takes over the world in Dark Horse’s new horror series ‘Kingdom of Earth’

The Rocketeer goes undercover in new WWII espionage series 'Infiltrator!'

Image Comics has a Spawn shake-up, as Todd McFarlane & Brett Booth leave early for a new creative team and a time jump

Joshua Williamson turns the Wolf Man into his most brutal and heartbreaking story yet

'The Eye Collector' preview reveals eerie new cosmic horror out June 2026

Our Top Books of the Week:

Dave:

Lobo #1 (Skottie Young, Jorge Corona)

Sentry #1 (Paul Jenkins, Christian Rosado)

Alex:​​

Absolute Flash #13 (Lemire, Haining)

Exquisite Corpses #11 (Che Grayson, Gavin Fullerton) 

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Alex: Super Creepshow #1 (Kieron Gillen, Rossi Gifford)

Dave: Infernal Hulk #5 (Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Kev Walker)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

Alex: Is Ted Ok? #2 (Dave Chisholm)

Dave: DC/Marvel: Superman / Spider-Man #1 (Many)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

Dave: Iron Man #3 (Josemaria Casanovas)

Alex: Superman #36 (Rod Reis)

American Caper Interview: Producer & Additional Writing Lazlow, Editor Shelly Bond, and Finishes Chris Anderson

1. Dan Houser described American Caper as being fueled by his fascination with “hypocrites, sociopaths, political idiots, dysfunctional families, and violence.” When you first saw the concept for this story, what immediately stood out to you as something that felt especially relevant to the moment we’re living in?

2. The series pulls together a wild mix of characters. A Mormon hitman, a gambling-addicted lawyer, escaped convicts in love, a billionaire playing cowboy. How did you approach balancing such a large ensemble so the story feels chaotic in a good way rather than overwhelming?

3. Verona, Wyoming feels like a pressure cooker where crime, politics, and personal drama all collide. What was important to you in making this small town feel believable while still allowing it to host such extreme characters and situations?

4. The book leans hard into satire, sometimes feeling like it’s taking shots at every side of the political spectrum. Was there ever a concern about walking that line between satire that provokes thought and satire that might alienate readers?

5. The story’s interconnected crimes and morally gray characters gave me flashes of crime epics like 100 Bullets, where one event ripples across many lives. When building a narrative this tangled, how do you keep track of the cause and effect between characters?

6. Lazlow, your background includes storytelling in massive open-world games like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption. Did working on a comic require a different approach to pacing and structure compared to interactive storytelling?

7. (Fun question) If each of you had to survive in Verona, Wyoming for a week, which of these characters would you trust the most to have your back, and which one would you avoid at all costs?

On this week’s episode of the AIPT Comics Podcast, we’ve got something special for you. We’re running the full, uncut interview with Christian Ward, where the acclaimed writer and artist dives deep into his upcoming project: Event Horizon: Inferno! We unpack his creative process behind his storytelling and the big ideas driving his latest work. It’s a wide-ranging conversation about craft, comics, and the strange corners of genre storytelling that Ward continues to explore.

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

Ram V, Evan Cagle, and Anand RK reveal 'Deicidium' graphic novel coming to Image in 2026

Marvel reveals the tragic origin of Shalla-Bal in new 'Fantastic Four: First Foes' one-shot

Tegan Quin of Tegan and Sara makes Marvel Comics writing debut in Pride special

Marvel reveals 'X-Men ’97: Season Two' prelude, continuing the animated series’ shocking cliffhanger

TOP 50 COMICS - FEBRUARY 2026

Our Top Books of the Week:

Dave:

Sirens: Love Hurts #2 (Tini Howard, Babs Tarr)

Absolute Batman #18 (Scott Snyder, Eric Canete)

Chris:​​

Die: Loaded #5 (Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans)

X-Men United #1 (Eve Ewing, Tiago Palma)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Chris: A Quiet Place: Storm Warning #1 (Phil Hester, Ryan Kelly) 

Dave: Sirens: Love Hurts #2 (Tini Howard, Babs Tarr)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

Chris: Lobo #1 (Skottie Young, Jorge Corona)

Dave: Sentry #1 (Paul Jenkins, Christian Rosado)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

Dave: X-Men #27 (Gerald Parel Cover)

Chris: Dead Teenagers #1 (Caitlin Yarsky's Variant)

Interview: Christian Ward - FOC Mar 16th - Out - Apr 22, 2026

1. You’re returning to the world of Event Horizon after Dark Descent. At what point did you know you had the green light to continue this story, and was Inferno always part of your long-term plan, or did it grow out of the response to the first series?

2. The solicitation pitches this as “Aliens meets Dante’s Inferno.” That’s a big swing. How consciously are you leaning into the structure or themes of Dante’s Inferno, and does this story descend through its own version of circles of Hell?

3. Setting the story two hundred years after the original incident gives you a massive time jump. What does that distance allow you to explore that you could not in Dark Descent?

5.5. You have a compelling mix of characters working for the billionaire. How do you balance their personalities and backstories? Do you flesh out a cast, then go, “hmmm i’m mixing X”?

4. The idea of a billionaire assembling a private star fleet to plunder the wreckage feels very modern in its cynicism. Were you intentionally tapping into contemporary anxieties about unchecked wealth and corporate ambition?

6. The gravity drive has always been the heart of the horror in Event Horizon. In Inferno, does the focus shift more toward the metaphysical implications of interdimensional travel, or are we going even harder into physical, visceral terror?

7. Rob Carey joins you on art for this series. What does he bring visually that makes this version of Event Horizon feel distinct from Dark Descent?

7.5. Love the suits these characters wear. How do you design something that’s new, but also as cool as something we’ve seen in a sci-fi movie before?

8. After revisiting this universe twice now, how do you personally define what “Hell” is in  Event Horizon? Is it a place, an entity, a force of nature, or something humanity carries with it into the stars?

We talk all things Infernal Hulk, from why this era of Hulk is finally colliding with the wider Marvel Universe to how Johnson has reshaped Bruce Banner’s world into a Southern Gothic monster epic rooted in Marvel lore. Along the way, we get into the X-Men crossover, the Living City, Dungeons of Doom, his new Marvel exclusive deal, and the bigger plans quietly building beneath the surface of his Hulk run. If you’ve been following Incredible Hulk or wondering where this whole infernal saga is heading, this is the conversation you’ll want to hear.

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

Spider-Man, Hulk, and Punisher collide in Jonathan Hickman’s new Marvel event series

Bishop scores new solo miniseries starting June 2026

Marvel reveals new ‘Spider-Man/Superman’ #1 covers and interior art too

Venom Unleashed news!

Exclusive: Read the full first issue of 'The Untamed' as Stranger Comics reveals Emerald City Comic Con exclusives

Our Top Books of the Week:

Dave:

Amazing Spider-Man #23 (Joe Kelly, Ed McGuinness)

Lands Unknown: The Skinless Man #1 (Ben Stenbeck)

Chris:​​

Cult of the Lamb: Last Sacrament Special #1 (Alex Paknadel, Troy Little)

Narco #1 (Doug Wagner, Daniel Hillyard)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Chris: Cult of the Lamb: Last Sacrament Special #1 (Alex Paknadel, Troy Little)

Dave: DC K.O. #5 (Scott Snyder, Javier Fernandez)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

Chris: Tigress Island #1 (Patrick Kindlon, EPHK)

Dave: Assorted Crisis Events #9 (Deniz Camp, Eric Zawadzki)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

Dave: Absolute Batman #18 (TONS of retailer covers but going with Dexter Soy)

Chris: Logan: Black, White & Blood #3 (Chris Campana Variant)

Interview: Phillip Kennedy Johnson

1. On Horror as Hulk’s Natural State

With Infernal Hulk, you’ve fully repositioned Hulk as a horror icon rather than just a force of destruction. What makes horror such a natural lens for this character, and what aspects of Bruce and Hulk feel newly unlocked for you in that genre?

2. On Marvel Exclusivity & Timing

You’re now officially Marvel exclusive while also wrapping up Book of El at DC. Creatively, what does this moment represent for you? Does going exclusive feel like narrowing your focus, or opening up the sandbox in a bigger way?

3. On Bruce Without the Monster

One of the smartest pivots in this run has been stripping Bruce away from the Hulk and forcing him to watch the consequences. What fascinates you most about Bruce when he’s powerless and confronted with what the Hulk becomes without him?

4. On Writing Other Heroes Judging Bruce

You’ve written the wider Marvel Universe reacting to Bruce in a way that feels tense, even cruel at times. Why was it important that the heroes not simply rally around him?

6. On the Living City Concept

The Living City feels mythic, grotesque, and operatic all at once. What inspired that setting, and how important is it that Hulk’s world now feels almost biblical in scope?

7. On INFERNAL HULK #7 and the X-Men

In issue #7, Hulk exerts mysterious control over mutantkind and draws them into the Living City. That’s a bold escalation. What makes the X-Men the right foil for this version of Hulk, and how does their connection to identity and mutation complicate what Eldest is doing?

7. You and Ben Percy are both playing in Marvel’s darker corners right now, and “Dungeons of Doom” has that same horror-forward energy we’re seeing in Infernal Hulk. What’s it been like working alongside Ben in shaping that space, and how do you make sure your vision of horror and mythic stakes complements rather than overlaps with what he’s building?

8. Fun Silly Question

If Eldest decided to build the perfect army out of Marvel characters purely based on vibes, who would absolutely make the cut… and who would Eldest reject immediately for being “bad monster material”?

9. Any other projects you’d like to plug?

Steve Orlando is one of the busiest writers in comics right now, and this week on the AIPT Comics Podcast, we’re running our full, uncut conversation with him. Earlier this week, we published a written feature focused on his Scarlet Witch run, but this episode expands far beyond that, covering everything from Deadweight with Bobby Lee to Valiant Beyond: X-O Manowar, DC x AEW, his chance to judge on Dragula Titans season 2, Tarzan Beyond, X-Men Infinity, and even a teased return to Midnighter!

If you wanted the complete Orlando download, this is it.

 

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

‘Sonic vs. Godzilla’ is finally happening, and it’s bigger than you think

See new Origin Box characters Hostilicus and Wonder Man from 'Reborn: Ultimate Impact'

Marvel’s WHAT IF? returns with wild twists for its 50th anniversary

Marvel brings 'Magic: The Gathering Spider-Man' art to new variant covers

'JLA/Avengers' is coming back to comic shops this summer 2026

Oni Press unveils bold fall 2026 graphic novel lineup

Our Top Books of the Week:

Dave:

Infernal Hulk #4 (Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Nic Klein)

The Mighty Thor #7 (Al Ewing, Pasqel Ferry)

Alex:​​

Power Fantasy #16 (Gillen, Wijnegaard)

Absolute Wonder Woman #17 (Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Alex: Sorcerer Supreme #3 (Bernard Chang, Ruth Redmond)

Dave: Hulk Smash Everything #3 (Ryan North, Vincenzo Carratu)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

Alex: Moonstar #1 (Ashley Allen, Edoardo Audino) & Narco #1 (Doug Wagner, Daniel Hillyard)

Dave: Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring #6 (Horvath Cover)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

Dave: The Amazing Spider-Man #23 (Taurin Clarke Cover) Or Maybe

Alex: X-Men #26 (Gurihiru Marvel Monster Variant)

Interview: Steve Orlando

Deadweight (GUNGNIR Publishing) (with Bobby Lee & Matthew Medney)

Deadweight sounds completely unhinged in the best way, blending martial arts chaos, horror, and absurdist comedy. When you’re co-writing something that springs so directly from Bobby Lee’s comedic voice, how do you balance honoring that raw unpredictability while still building a story with emotional stakes and structure?

Valiant Beyond: X-O Manowar (out Feb 18)

In Valiant Beyond: X-O Manowar, Aric joins the PunX after millennia of isolation, and suddenly honor is tied to community rather than conquest. How has it been carving out your own corner of the Valiant universe?

Good Bones

Good Bones gathers your horror work into a single anthology, and many of the stories explore queer identity through transformation, secrecy, and bodily autonomy. When you write horror rooted in identity, are you consciously using the genre as metaphor, or does that symbolism emerge naturally through character?

Dragula (with Todd McFarlane)

You co-judged Dragula alongside Todd McFarlane, which feels like a collision of comics horror and performance art. Did that experience teach you anything about spectacle and theatricality, or inspire you when you’re comics work?

DC AEW

DC and AEW both thrive on spectacle, but they also rely heavily on character-driven drama and long-term storytelling. When writing DC x AEW #1, how did you balance the over-the-top, live-event energy with making sure the character pairings felt emotionally and thematically right, rather than just fun visual mashups?

Scarlet Witch

Can you talk about or tease the status of Wanda and Vision's relationship as of now?

Agatha Harkness is your main antagonist in Sorcerer Supreme, what makes her fun to write?

Agatha is the Vishanti's chosen sorcerer supreme, I was curious if you're drawing from any personal life experience having someone be picked over you when writing this story arc?

Your run on Scarlet Witch has been released via miniseries, are there advantages (and disadvantages) to this format?

Wanda Maximoff has worn a lot of labels over the years—Avenger, sorceress, reality shaper, occasional cosmic wildcard. How do you personally view her place in that ecosystem?

Additional General Questions

Your bibliography moves fluidly between superhero epics, indie horror, licensed work, and now chaotic comedy with Deadweight. How do you recalibrate your voice between projects without losing what makes a story feel unmistakably yours?