The Comic Source Podcast

In this episode we discuss;
Comic Source Weekly October 14, 2026 — Absolute Batman Tops 775K Orders, Spider-Man's Family Torn Apart & ComicSketchArt vs. GalaxyCon
 
Absolute Batman #25 has reportedly surpassed 775,000 retailer orders. How much higher can Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta's blockbuster series go, and what does that enormous order figure really mean?
This week on The Comic Source Weekly, Jace breaks down the latest developments in Amazing Spider-Man #1001, where Ravage strikes at one of Peter Parker's most important relationships. We also examine the dispute between ComicSketchArt and GalaxyCon and what it could mean for creators and convention appearances.
Elsewhere in comic-book news, Marvel editor-in-chief Steve Wacker discusses the possibility of bringing back higher issue numbers, Brian K. Vaughan shares new details about ROAM and the future of Saga, Daniel Warren Johnson's Chainkata launches an extraordinary retailer-exclusive cover program, and David Finch prepares to take over interior artwork on Terminal.
Plus, updates from Ghost Machine, Skybound, Mad Cave Studios, and more.
Then we move into What Hit, with 10 predictions from the October 14 comic-book releases, before counting down the Prana Top 10 bestselling comics for the previous week and checking how our earlier predictions performed.
Finally, we highlight 20 comics approaching Final Order Cutoff on October 19.
Which comic news story stands out to you? And how high do you think Absolute Batman's retailer orders can climb?
Follow The Comic Source:
https://linktr.ee/thecomicsource
#ComicSourceWeekly #AbsoluteBatman #AmazingSpiderMan #ComicBookNews
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 Opening Hook
00:35 Introduction
01:29 Amazing Spider-Man #1001 — Peter's Family
02:52 Marvel's Steve Wacker on Legacy Numbering
04:09 Magic: The Gathering — Marvel Darkhold Destiny
05:01 ComicSketchArt vs. GalaxyCon
08:22 Absolute Batman #25 Tops 775,000 Orders
10:18 The Killing Joke — Ultra-Limited Noir Edition
12:27 Brian K. Vaughan Updates ROAM and Saga
15:02 Chainkata #1 — 116 Exclusive Covers
15:57 David Finch Takes Over Terminal
16:54 Blood & Thunder #19 — New Story Arc
17:54 The Last Driver — 4th Printing
18:32 Ghost Machine's Radioactive Revolution Cover Winner
19:49 Escape from New York: Escape from Chicago Sells Out
20:35 Weekly World News Gets a New Comic Series
21:50 What Hit — October 14 Predictions
26:59 Prana Top 10 Bestsellers — October 7
27:45 #10 Absolute Green Lantern #19
28:12 #9 Something Is Killing the Children #50
28:36 #8 Jonah Hex and the Shadow of Death #1
29:01 #7 Amazing Spider-Man #1000
29:41 #6 The Demon #1
29:44 #5 Absolute Superman #24
29:55 #4 Batman #14
30:13 #3 Midnight Fantastic Four #1
30:18 #2 Midnight X-Men #1
30:21 #1 Midnight Spider-Man #1
30:40 Prana Summary — Marvel Sweeps the Top 3
31:13 What Hit Results — 10 of 10
32:29 Final Order Cutoff — October 19
33:57 Marvel FOC Selections
34:51 Image Comics FOC Selections
35:30 The Snail and Dark Horse FOC
36:20 Mad Cave and ABLAZE FOC
37:14 BAD IDEA FOC Selections
37:37 Closing
 
 
NEWS SOURCES
Amazing Spider-Man #1001 — Peter Parker's family
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/peter-parker-his-aunt-cousin-ex-wife-in-amazing-spider-man-1001-2/
Steve Wacker — Marvel's higher issue numbers
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/steve-wacker-on-bringing-back-the-big-numbers-to-marvel-comics/
ComicSketchArt vs. GalaxyCon
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/comicsketchart-vs-galaxycon-bleeding-cool-talks-to-them-both/
Absolute Batman #25 — 775,000 retailer orders
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/absolute-batman-25-has-had-over-three-quarters-of-a-million-orders/
Batman: The Killing Joke — Argent Noir Edition
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/batman-the-killing-joke-gets-a-very-expensive-black-and-white-version/
Chainkata #1 — 116 retailer-exclusive covers
https://imagecomics.com/press-releases/daniel-warren-johnsons-chainkata-launch-rolls-deep-with-116-retailer-exclusive-covers
The Last Driver #1 — 4th printing
https://imagecomics.com/press-releases/this-weeks-the-last-driver-1-reprint-sells-out-instantly-at-distributor-tears-down-the-road-toward-immediate-4th-printing

Danielle Kotch joins Jace on The Comic Source to discuss CRYSTAL LAKE, Peacock's new Friday the 13th prequel series, and the surprising new depth given to Claudette, one of the original film's most important but often overlooked characters. Claudette and Barry were the first victims in the original Friday the 13th, but their connection to Jason Voorhees' tragic past gives the new series an opportunity to explore the characters in a completely different way. Danielle discusses bringing Claudette to life, exploring the guilt and consequences surrounding Jason's drowning, and discovering how much more there was to the character than she originally expected. We also discuss her audition with showrunner Brad Caleb Kane, working alongside Phoenix Parnevik and Linda Cardellini, filming at the original Friday the 13th location in New Jersey, and recreating the atmosphere of the 1970s. Danielle also talks about discovering the Friday the 13th films, her appreciation for practical effects and horror filmmaking, and what longtime fans might think about the series expanding Jason's origin. CRYSTAL LAKE stars Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees and is created by Brad Caleb Kane for Peacock and A24. All eight episodes are now streaming on Peacock. This interview avoids major plot spoilers for the new series, although it discusses events established in the original Friday the 13th film.
Subscribe to The Comic Source for interviews with comic book creators, actors, writers and artists, plus comic book reviews, news and entertainment coverage.
More from The Comic Source: https://linktr.ee/TheComicSource
#CrystalLake #FridayThe13th #DanielleKotch
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction — Danielle Kotch and Crystal Lake
00:38 Playing Claudette and Landing the Role
02:13 Discovering the Friday the 13th Franchise
03:16 Claudette's Guilt and Character Development
05:22 Working with the Crystal Lake Cast
07:16 Filming at the Original Friday the 13th Location
08:00 Expanding Jason Voorhees' Origin
09:34 Making Crystal Lake Accessible to New Viewers
10:44 Recreating the 1970s
12:12 Crystal Lake's Music and Release
12:51 Danielle's Final Thoughts

In this episode we discuss;
NYCC 2026: Marvel's Big Changes, Absolute Justice & Major Comics Announcements
The Comic Source
 
New York Comic Con 2026 delivered major announcements from Marvel, DC, Image Comics, Skybound, IDW and more, and Jace breaks down over 50 comic book news stories from the convention in this special edition of Comic Source Weekly. Marvel's new Editor-in-Chief Stephen Wacker discusses major changes to publishing, retailer support, variant covers, creative relationships and the future direction of Marvel Comics. Plus, Kevin Smith's Marvel/Star Wars crossover expands, Phillip Kennedy Johnson's Hulk saga approaches its finale, Brian Michael Bendis returns to Magneto, and Marvel reveals developments involving Spider-Man, the Midnight Universe, Daredevil and more. DC announces Absolute Justice, the first major crossover bringing together the heroes of the Absolute Universe. Jace also covers upcoming storylines for Absolute Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Flash, new DC Next Level projects, Tom King and Mitch Gerads' Superman collaboration, and the latest Black Label and Vertigo announcements. Over at Skybound, major changes are coming to the Energon Universe, including Megatron's transformation, the arrival of the Dinobots, Battle Force 2000 and a new chapter for Baroness. Skybound also reveals its Visions lineup, including Turok, Bumblebee and G.I. Joe projects. Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang reunite for ROAM at Image Comics, while IDW reveals developments involving James Bond, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Star Trek. Which NYCC 2026 comic book announcement has you most excited? Let us know in the comments, along with any important stories we didn't cover.
 
Follow The Comic Source on all social media with our Linktree - https://linktr.ee/thecomicsource
#NYCC2026 #ComicBookNews #MarvelComics #DCComics #AbsoluteJustice #EnergonUniverse #ComicSourceWeekly
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 NYCC 2026 Special — Opening Hook
00:28 Introduction
01:04 Marvel — Stephen Wacker's Plans for Change
12:36 Marvel and Star Wars: Hope Assembles
15:25 Hulk War: Infernal Rage
17:01 Bendis Returns to Magneto
18:11 Immortal Soldiers
19:14 Avengers, Mephisto and Spider-Man
21:51 Marvel Teases 1 Day
23:07 Peter Parker vs. Miles Morales
25:00 Spider-Punk Gets an Ongoing
26:15 Spider-Man Noir Returns
27:10 Marvel's Sound Effects Anthology
28:10 More Spider-Man Announcements
31:05 Venom's Unexpected Romance
32:10 Marvel's Midnight Universe
37:45 Captain Marvel After Armageddon
38:50 X-Men: Regulators
41:10 Daredevil #700
42:35 Marvel's 2027 Lineup
44:30 Marvel Brick and Renown Collections
47:00 DC — Absolute Justice
48:45 Absolute Justice Preview Pages
49:55 Absolute Batman's Future
53:15 Absolute Batman Animation
54:10 Absolute Superman's Next Chapter
55:50 Absolute Green Lantern
57:35 Absolute Wonder Woman
59:40 More Absolute Universe Announcements
01:04:00 Batman's Murder Mystery
01:06:10 Batman: Justice Year
01:07:30 Batman: Shadow of the Bat
01:09:35 Legion of Super-Heroes
01:10:45 Starfire
01:12:00 Swamp Thing: Hallowed Ground
01:13:10 Superboy-Prime
01:14:30 Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong III
01:15:30 Gotham by Daylight
01:17:10 Superman's Supernatural Stories
01:19:30 Tom King and Mitch Gerads on Superman
01:20:40 DC Next Level
01:27:40 Green Lantern: The Dying of the Light
01:29:55 DC Black Label Presents Anthology
01:32:20 Joker/Harley: Malicious Intent Returns
01:35:00 Hide Nor Hair
01:36:11 100 Bullets, Black Tower and Bleeding Hearts
01:37:55 Fanatic and Dreambound
01:39:45 Skybound Visions
01:43:30 Transformers — Megatronus Rex and Dinobots
01:44:45 Void Rivals and Cobra-La
01:45:40 M.A.S.K. and Battle Force 2000
01:46:30 G.I. Joe — Baroness Returns to Cobra
01:47:32 Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang Reunite for ROAM
01:49:00 D'orc Glow-in-the-Dark Reprints
01:50:30 Jim Zub's Omen-Bound
01:52:45 Grant Morrison's James Bond
01:54:30 TMNT Enters a New Era
01:56:20 IDW's New Star Trek Projects
01:59:30 Murdoch Mysteries Comes to Comics

In this episode we discuss;
DC Spotlight October 14, 2026 Nice House's Stunning Finale, Supergirl's Big Twist & Green Lantern's New Love Entity
The Comic Source
 
Check Out The Episode on YouTube
 
Jace and Rocky break down all 12 DC releases for the week of October 14, 2026. 100 Bullets: The U.S. of Anger #4 shows some improvement as its four separate storylines begin to offer more compelling material, but Jace and Rocky continue to struggle with Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso's confusing narrative, finding that the black-and-white presentation makes an already difficult story even harder to follow despite their appreciation for the striking cover artwork. Batman and Robin: Year One — Dynamic Duo #3 continues Mark Waid and Chris Samnee's exploration of Batman and Robin's early partnership, with Jace praising the timeless artwork and compelling pacing while Rocky appreciates Dick Grayson's undercover confrontation with the Wolfpack, Catwoman's discovery of the Batcave and the way the series builds upon classic Batman continuity. Barbara Gordon: Breakout #6 leaves Jace increasingly frustrated with Mariko Tamaki's confusing storytelling and his inability to connect with familiar characters, while Rocky considers it the strongest issue so far thanks to the return of Savant and Creote and an intriguing appearance by Two-Face that may connect to the criminal justice system explored in Christian Ward's earlier miniseries. Green Lantern Corps #21 impresses Jace with Morgan Hampton's continued expansion of Green Lantern mythology, particularly the revelation that Predator has undergone the Cleanse, surrendered his immortality and opened the door for a new entity of love, while Rocky appreciates the ambition but questions whether the rules governing the emotional entities are becoming unnecessarily restrictive. Supergirl #18 delivers an abundance of story developments and classic DC world-building, with Jace particularly delighted by Sophie Campbell's detailed cross-section of the Fortress of Solidarity while Rocky celebrates the return of Matrix Supergirl and the dramatic implications of Kara losing her powers to Gold Kryptonite. Teen Titans #2 continues Kyle Higgins' story of Jason Todd leading a team of rebellious young heroes, with Jace acknowledging the book's strong sales but finding its manga-influenced artwork and youthful focus less appealing, while Rocky praises the characterization, team dynamics and potential for these unconventional Titans despite questioning Jason's suitability as their leader. Gotham Central #2 gives Jace and Rocky an engaging crime story involving Victor Zsasz, Stephanie Brown, Anarky and Dr. Zeller, with both praising Christopher Cantwell's character work and Jacob Phillips' atmospheric artwork while questioning how much the Bad Seeds crossover elements distract from the grounded Gotham storytelling that makes the series compelling. Doom Patrol #2 represents a substantial improvement over its debut for both hosts, with Jace finding more to appreciate in the character relationships and emerging mysteries despite his continued reservations about the team's deliberately strange direction, while Rocky embraces the stronger plot, Nico Henrichon's artwork and a dangerous rescue mission that finally gives him a reason to invest in the series. Legion of Super-Heroes #2 earns enthusiastic praise from Jace and Rocky as Joshua Williamson and Hayden Sherman reinterpret classic Legion mythology through the murder of R.J. Brande, the mysterious Green Lantern Corporation, the Emerald Empress and the Persuaders, with both appreciating the creative reinvention of familiar characters while Jace reflects on the importance of allowing this new version of the team to develop organically. Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #4 moves the mystery forward by exploring the complicated history of multiple Clayfaces and revealing Todd Russell's involvement, with Jace appreciating the renewed momentum and potential for the series to work as a collected story while Rocky praises the artwork and character emotions but questions some of the narrative explanations surrounding Basil Karlo and Batman's absence. The Nice House by the Sea #12 brings James Tynion IV and Álvaro Martínez Bueno's second cycle to a powerful conclusion, with Jace praising the intricate characterization, remarkable artwork and Nora's carefully calculated decisions while Rocky explores the story's deeper themes of free will, memory, humanity and the godlike responsibilities of Walter and Max. Streets of Gotham #1 presents six short stories by Matt Fraction, Mariko Tamaki and an assortment of artists, but Jace and Rocky question the anthology's necessity as part of Bad Seeds, with Jace criticizing its lack of meaningful consequences for the larger event while Rocky sees some potential in its new characters but shares the frustration that the stories offer little essential superhero storytelling. Jace and Rocky also cover this week's facsimiles, reprints and collected editions before ranking all 12 books and revealing their Books of the Week.
Follow The Comic Source on all social media with our Linktree - https://linktr.ee/thecomicsource
 
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
01:51 DC News from New York Comic Con
06:37 DC Comics — Overall Week Discussion
09:43 100 Bullets: The U.S. of Anger #4
12:42 Batman and Robin: Year One — Dynamic Duo #3
18:58 Barbara Gordon: Breakout #6
26:07 Green Lantern Corps #21
38:46 Supergirl #18
52:02 Teen Titans #2
57:21 Gotham Central #2
1:03:40 Doom Patrol #2
1:11:40 Legion of Super-Heroes #2
1:23:06 Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #4
1:29:28 The Nice House by the Sea #12
1:42:51 Streets of Gotham #1
1:49:59 Clayface Special Edition, Facsimiles & Reprints
1:52:28 Collected Editions
1:54:26 Rankings & Books of the Week
1:57:15 Closing Thoughts

Marvel's handling of Amazing Spider-Man #1000 is the lead story this week. After a two-week printing delay, some variant covers were allocated, leaving retailers unable to fulfill all their orders and fans facing inflated prices on the secondary market.
Jace argues that Marvel squandered an opportunity to celebrate one of the most important milestones in Spider-Man history. Despite the problems, the comic still topped the latest Prana bestseller chart, demonstrating that demand for the anniversary issue was never the problem.
Also making headlines, Marvel Unlimited is shutting down in December as Marvel transitions its digital library to a Webtoon-operated platform. Jace examines the subscription changes, concerns about the transition, and whether abandoning Marvel's existing platform is a mistake.
Over at DC, Scott Snyder discusses how Absolute Batman challenges the familiar idea of Bruce Wayne as a lone-wolf crimefighter. Jace considers Snyder's interpretation, the character's long history of working with allies, and the phenomenal sales success of the Absolute line.
Elsewhere, Image Comics announces a second printing of Avengelyne #1, Skybound previews upcoming M.A.S.K. and G.I. Joe/Tomb Raider issues, Spawn receives a twisted Christmas tale, and Act 4 announces an Artist's Edition celebrating Gene Colan.
Other news includes the tenth anniversary of Black Hammer, a return to Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Sun, the sellout of Something Is Killing the Children #50, Kumail Nanjiani joining BAD IDEA's It Demands Sacrifice read-along, Ignition Press announcing The Caretaker, Clover Press celebrating Riccardo Federici, and Ghost Machine expanding its online presence for Geiger.
What Hit: Jace examines ten books from the October 7 release period, including the three Marvel Midnight launches, major DC titles, and Something Is Killing the Children #50.
Prana Top 10: Marvel dominates the week's bestseller rankings with eight positions. Amazing Spider-Man #1000 takes #1, while last week's What Hit predictions finish eight for nine in the Top 10, with all nine inside the Top 12.
Final Order Cutoff: Twenty-one books approaching the October 12 deadline, with special attention to second printings, new series and smaller-publisher releases.
New York Comic Con announcements are being saved for a separate dedicated episode.
 
Follow The Comic Source on all social media with our Linktree - https://linktr.ee/thecomicsource.
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 ASM #1000 Printing Delays and Variant Controversy
00:54 Welcome to Comic Source Weekly
01:41 Marvel Fails Spider-Man Fans
07:54 Marvel Unlimited Shuts Down
12:54 Scott Snyder Challenges Batman's Lone-Wolf Myth
15:25 Avengelyne #1 Sells Out
16:46 M.A.S.K. Reaches Its First Finale
17:44 G.I. Joe Meets Tomb Raider
18:27 Spawn's Twisted Christmas Tale
19:15 Gene Colan Artist's Edition
20:16 Black Hammer Celebrates 10 Years
21:18 Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Sun Returns
22:28 G.I. Joe Classified Visual Guide
23:15 Canto: The Clockwork Chronicles
24:05 Something Is Killing the Children #50
25:35 Kumail Nanjiani Joins It Demands Sacrifice
26:23 Ignition Press Announces The Caretaker
27:02 The DC Art of Riccardo Federici
27:42 Geiger Gets a Dedicated Website
28:43 What Hit — October 7 Comic Releases
35:20 Prana Top 10 Bestsellers
41:52 What Hit Prediction Results
42:40 Final Order Cutoff — October 12
50:45 Closing Thoughts
 
 
NEWS SOURCES
Amazing Spider-Man #1000 — Printing Delays https://bleedingcool.com/comics/amazing-spider-man-1000-delayed-after-printer-gets-all-gummed-up/
Amazing Spider-Man #1000 — Variant Allocations https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/63518/amazing-spider-man-1000-variants-allocated
Amazing Spider-Man #1000 — Secondary-Market Prices https://bleedingcool.com/comics/amazing-spider-man-1000-already-booming-on-ebay/
Marvel Unlimited Shutting Down https://bleedingcool.com/comics/marvel-unlimited-shuts-in-december-webtoon-takes-over-marvel-library/
Webtoon Replacement — Terms and Conditions https://bleedingcool.com/comics/those-terms-and-conditions-for-webtoons-marvel-unlimited-replacement/
Scott Snyder on Absolute Batman's Lone-Wolf Myth https://bleedingcool.com/comics/scott-snyder-says-absolute-batman-will-kill-off-the-lone-wolf-fantasy/
Avengelyne #1 Sells Out https://imagecomics.com/press-releases/rob-liefelds-avengelyne-1-sells-out-day-of-release-rushed-back-to-print-this-week
Black Hammer Tenth Anniversary https://www.darkhorse.com/newsfeed/celebrate-10-years-of-jeff-lemire-and-dean-ormstons-eisner-awardwinning-universe-with-the-special-black-hammer-1-facsimile-reprint/
Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Sun https://www.darkhorse.com/newsfeed/dark-horse-books-and-hasbros-wizards-of-the-coast-announce-dungeons-dragons-dark-sun/
G.I. Joe Classified Series Visual Guide https://www.darkhorse.com/newsfeed/yo-joe-discover-behind-the-scenes-insight-on-the-gi-joe-classified-series-from-artists-photographers-designers-and-more-in-gi-joe-the-definitive-visual-guide-to-the-gi-joe-classified-series-20202025/
Geiger — Ghost Machine Website https://ghostmachinepro.com/