String, Synap, Hysteria, 3W/3M App, and Block'D
Mad Cave Studios, Vault Comics, and Maverick
The latest comics news and previews including:
A supernatural thriller from Mad Cave Studios
Synap - A new science-fiction series.
A special zero-issue from Vault Comics.
A special announcement from 3W/3M.
And a new graphic novel - Block'D.
Mad Cave Studios has a new mini-series called String, created by Paul Tobin and Carlos Olivares.
It’s all about connections…
Mad Cave Studios is proud to present STRING, the forthcoming supernatural comic series from Eisner Award-winning author Paul Tobin (Bandette, Bunny Mask) and Spanish artist Carlos Olivares, featuring Cover A by Carlos Javier Olivares, with colors by Sara Colella and letters by Taylor Esposito.
Yoon-Sook Namgung is a 25-year-old Korean-American woman with the remarkable ability to see two types of “strings” connecting various people. The first is blue and stretches between sexual partners. The second—dark black—connects murderers and their victims. If you have a murder that needs solving, Yoon can help. Worried your partner is cheating on you? Yoon can literally SEE the connections. Yoon’s life—for all the drama and constant TMI—is good, at least until the day she notices a string, a BLACK string, connected to… herself! This means she’ll either soon murder someone, or be murdered herself! So…dang. Which one?
“I've always been fascinated by the differences in how people see the world, and Yoon is a culmination of my fascinations," said Paul Tobin. "She can see connections others can't. Secrets others can't possibly know. It's fun stepping into her world. Intimidating, though, too! And working with Carlos has been the most amazing part of it all, because he and I are doing the exact thing I'm talking about--working the same world in different ways! Whenever he turns in art I'm like, "Ooo! I didn't expect that! But he's RIGHT!”
“String makes you disconnect and get into the story filled with fantastic characters,” said Carlos Olivares. “It’s pure entertainment with situations and strings that make you stay hooked to their plots–a delightful work from Paul, fresh and with lots of action. It's a real pleasure to share it with you! You're going to have a great time!”
Bringing a twist of supernatural for fans of TV series Poker Face and The Rockford Files, String #1 (of 5) drops Nov. 13th. Cover A by Carlos Javier Olivares and Sara Colella and Cover B by Eden Chyun.
Also coming soon from Mad Cave Studios is Synap, a new science fiction series!
When your family’s secrets are bigger than this world, a giant robot is a girl’s best friend
Move over Pacific Rim and Stranger Things, Mad Cave Studios announces SYNAP, the newest sci-fi series from Long Island native and Kickstarter pro Chris Moses (Control Z) and the debut of Italian artist Andrea Giannini!
In the year 2030, a family-run private defense company, Synap, secretly puts together the pieces of a mysterious giant robot while training psychically gifted individuals to one day control it. However, with the startling increase in UFO sightings, the family finds their time is running out to assemble the ancient machine.
“Synap is a comic I've been extremely excited to put out, combining my love for UFOs, psychics and conspiracy theories into one action packed series,” said Chris Moses. “It’s been awesome working with Andrea Giannini on his debut project – he is doing awesome work on the interiors! Last, Mad Cave has done a fantastic job supporting us while we create this book and I couldn't imagine publishing Synap anywhere else!”
“Working on this project was inspiring and incredible!” said Andrea Giannini. “I tried to create an aesthetic that would evoke all the fantastic genres that Chris was inspired by in writing the story, and I hope that this will be appreciated by the readers. I think it's a very original project because it's a story that puts a lot of emphasis on the interpersonal relationships between the characters and their inner growth. Both Chris and I tried to make the characters come alive as much as possible based on our roles in the project, and I think we succeeded. Every reader will see themselves in some of the characters, because even the secondary characters are alive and vibrant with depth in their multifaceted personalities and aesthetics. I had a wonderful time working with the entire Mad Cave team, and I especially thank James B. Emmett for believing in me and accompanying me throughout the creation of the work.”
Synap celebrates diversity with biracial and nonbinary characters, and blends the giant mech action of Mobile Suit Gundam with the conspiracies and other worldly threat of Stranger Things. Synap #1 drops Nov. 27th.
With their upcoming graphic novel, Hysteria - Vault Comics, Def Leppard has announced a special issue zero for the release.
Vault and Def Leppard have announced a special zero issue for Hysteria, the forthcoming graphic novel co-written by Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen and Eliot Rahal (Bleed Them Dry, The Vain, Midnight Vista), with illustrations by Alex Schlitz (Sagas of the Shield Maiden), colors by Fabi Marques (Barbaric, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), and letters by Andworld Design. This extra-special single issue offering will give readers an early look at the much anticipated forthcoming graphic novel.
Included in the Hysteria zero issue release will be a hyper-limited foil variant edition signed by Def Leppard’s Phil Collen himself. Each signed copy will come with a CGC witnessed certificate of authenticity. Only 200 copies will be available, and can only be found in local comic shops. Pre-orders are open now.
“Blending music and comics together like this is an incredible and insane dream, and I could not be more thrilled by the work Eliot, Alex, and Vault have put into Hysteria. It has been a joy and one hell of a ride. I know fans are going to love it,” said Phil Collen, Def Leppard guitarist.
Continuing the celebration of rock, the graphic novel Hysteria follows Foz, the frontwoman of indie band Darkside, after she inherits her father's estate and discovers it comes with a half-remembered guitar from her childhood. The guitar speaks to her, promising fame and success. Soon, it delivers. But when Darkside’s equipment is stolen at a massive music venue, just before they’re set to take the stage with Def Leppard, Foz goes on the warpath to get it back. A knuckle-dusting rampage ensues, and the guitar's true history is revealed.
Co-writer Eliot Rahal said, “From the very beginning, before we had anything, this story felt big. Phil came to us with a vision, a ton of passion, and the word ‘Hysteria’—something that has a lot of history for the band. It’s something that carries a lot of meaning. A legacy. And in many ways, that’s what this story is about. The Vault team worked with me tirelessly to help create a framework to capture that spirit. Then… as the team assembled and the art came in… I saw the idea take shape in real-time, and the weight of the project became even more real. I put everything I had into this book because it was clear to me that everyone else also had as well. I’ll be forever grateful for being a part of this project.”
Def Leppard’s Hysteria, the graphic novel, features never-before-heard music from Darkside, to be recorded in collaboration with Phil Collen, as it tells the story of the world's most dangerous guitar. Additional details on the release of the Darkside EP will be announced at a later date.
“As a Midwestern native raised on rock and roll and a musician from a family of musicians, Foz and Darkside's story has come to mean a lot to me,” added illustrator Alex Schlitz. ”The opportunity to work on this book with Def Leppard has been not only a huge honor, but such an exhilarating treat. I'm so grateful to be part of the team bringing this story to life, and I've had such a blast working with Eliot, Phil, and Fabi to create this world. I'm excited for everyone else to finally get to come on the journey with us!”
Def Leppard’s Hysteria issue #0 will hit store shelves this October.
Jonathan Hickman, Mike del Mundo, and Mike Huddleston have teamed up, have their own Substack newsletter, and now have their own app - it will be on iOS and Android, too!
Maverick has announced their upcoming young adult original graphic novel - Block'D.
"BLOCK'D" Puts a Shapeshifting Spin on a High School Athlete's High Stakes Journey of Self-Discovery
In a small but not too quiet town, Cam Banter, a high school basketball star with a monstrous secret — that he’s part of a pack of paranormal shifters with the ability to change into werewolves — struggles to find his place on the team when his abilities begin to show and he’s unable to control them. With an overbearing father whose expectations exceed what Cam is capable of, teammates who no longer trust him or even like him, and a basketball rival from another school trying to rekindle things with one of the stars of the girls’ basketball team that Cam has feelings for, he is left trying to figure things out by himself…That is until his new coach, who has a secret of his own, attempts to make a difference in his life. But will Cam let him in before it’s too late? It’s a teenage fight for survival as basketball, life, and the supernatural all clash.
"Block'D is about the journey of self-discovery,” said writer Brian Hawkins. “However, no individual is capable of really understanding who and what they are without a support system. What we find is that it truly is a village that raises individuals and Block'D captures this through the aspect of the family dynamic, specifically a father and son's struggling relationship, the concept of team, and finding and trusting your person."
“Block´d has been a blast from the beginning. Brian and I have worked together before and had a great synergy, so when we started talking about our next project, he mentioned his initial idea for Block´d and had me hooked with the mere mention of werewolves and basketball. Werewolves because they are my favorite mythical creature and basketball because it represents a challenge for me to depict it in a cool convincing way, and I love a good challenge,” said illustrator Ignacio Di Meglio.
BLOCK’D (9781545815991; $14.99) is on-sale on February 4 2025, and available for pre-order from Maverick now.