The New Space Age, The Last Starfighter & Our Soot Stained Heart
From Mad Cave Studios
There is a trio of previews from Mad Cave Studios, with new series being announced, including The Last Starfighter—a movie I really loved and was talking about the other day…
To Save His Brother, He’ll Rewrite the Stars
New science fiction from Mad Cave Studios with The New Space Age - coming in December 2025.
An astronaut, a magician with a dangerous past, and a desperate engineer build a ship not of physics, but of magic…
Mad Cave Studios is proud to announce THE NEW SPACE AGE—a psychedelic sci-fi heart-wrencher that asks, “How far would we go to save the people we love, and what happens when belief itself becomes the engine for exploration?”The New Space Age
From writer Kenny Porter (Superboy: The Man of Tomorrow, DC: Mech) and artist Mike Becker (Young Offenders!), with colors by Kevin Betou (Tempo), letters by Buddy Beaudoin (Gatchaman), and featuring a cover B by Khary Randolph (Wolverine: Black, White & Blood) and retailer incentive by Daniel Warren Johnson (The Moon is Following Us), charts a course beyond the stars in this exciting five-issue limited series!
Disgraced astronaut Mark Mitchell has only ever had one true mission—to find his little brother Joey, who was abducted by aliens from a crop circle when they were little. But when Mark’s hotshot piloting gets him grounded and the last of the public space program defunded, Mark loses his only means of finding Joey out in space.
Until Mark’s homemade scanning rig discovers the shocking truth about the crop circles—they’re instructions for space travel.
Mark will need to uncover the hidden messages that have been left on Earth for years, and reverse engineer the magic that can finally help him find Joey.
"The New Space Age is a really personal story that I couldn’t wait for readers to dive into,” said writer Kenny Porter. “While the series deals with space travel, aliens, and magic, it also explores the very real feelings around losing a family member. We’ve all had to deal with loss, but it’s important to remember to never give up on hope and the wonder we can find in the world around us and the stars above."
Artist Mike Becker added, "The beating heart of the narrative is Mark Mitchell’s quest to find his younger brother. As the oldest of three brothers, that was my entryway into the story. My brothers are my favorite people on this planet (or any planet, but I’ve only really been to this one), and like the character, I would move heaven and earth for them if I could. It's also a story about belief and taking steps towards a better tomorrow while grappling with your past. If there's one takeaway I hope our audience finds in this story, it's to take those steps."
With its blend of modern magic through the lens of science and found family, The New Space Age delivers a cosmic story about belief, betrayal, and the boundless hope of human connection. It’s Flight of the Navigator for a new era, a psychedelic sci-fi heart-wrencher that asks us all to believe in something bigger—whether in each other, or the unknown that waits among the stars.
The New Space Age #1 lands in comic shops and digital platforms, including Mad Cave’s series subscription bundle, on December 17, 2025. Preorder through your local comic shop or directly from Mad Cave.
The Last Starfighter Returns!
Wow! Following the film, we get to see what happens next with The Last Starfighter from Mad Cave Studios.
From the Ashes of the Original Battle, a New Starfighter Legacy Begins
Mad Cave Studios is proud to announce an exciting new partnership with THE LAST STARFIGHTER, the 1984 American sci-fi adventure film directed by Nick Castle (Escape from New York) and written by Jonathan Betuel (My Science Project, Theodore Rex). A cult-classic that pioneered CGI and inspired generations of fans, the film followed Alex Rogan, a teenager whose video game skills transformed him into an intergalactic hero.
Now, more than 40 years later, Mad Cave will publish a brand-new comic book series that picks up directly after the film, expanding the universe and reigniting the Starfighter legacy. The project will be led by Betuel and producer Paul Davidson (Electric Dreams, A Radical Shift of Gravity, Tim Ginger), with Quantum Leap, Arrow, and Warehouse 13 writers Benjamin Raab and Deric A. Hughes, interior artist Willi Roberts (Norse Mythology), and colorist Francesco Segala (2000 A.D., G.I. Joe).
“Greetings, Starfighters! I’m thrilled to be collaborating with the stellar team at Mad Cave and Paul Davidson to elevate Starfighter into the multiverse,” said Jonathan Betuel. “Long overdue, we’re all eager to chronicle the Herculean undertaking of Alex Rogan as he finds himself charged with rebuilding the legendary starfighter legion.”
The team at Mad Cave Studios shares that excitement:
“Starfighters, you have been recruited by the Star League to defend the frontier, alongside Mad Cave Studios!” said Mark Irwin, President of Mad Cave. “We are excited to bring Jonathan's vision to comic fans everywhere!”
“The Last Starfighter is a property that is near and dear to many of us here at Mad Cave,” added Mike Marts, EVP & Editor-in-Chief. “We’re truly honored to be the ones bringing this revered IP back to comic shelves everywhere."
For the team, this project is a dream come true:
“The Last Starfighter was and still is a childhood obsession that I never imagined I’d have the opportunity to work on,” said Paul Davidson. “Jonathan created an iconic story for the ages, and now Mad Cave, Ben & Deric, Willi, and Francesco are the All-Star team helping us bring it to a new generation.”
This new chapter marks only the beginning of a bold publishing initiative, setting the stage for an expanded Starfighter universe that will resonate across generations. With Mad Cave Studios and this amazing team at the helm, the mission is clear: reignite the legend and carry it into the future. The Last Starfighter #1 series is slated for release in June 2026. This is only the beginning—additional details, covers, and sneak peeks are coming soon!
Frost, Fire, Freedom! Our Soot Stained Heart Arrives This December
This looks perfect for the winter months from Mad Cave Studios. Check out the details of Our Soot Stained Heart.
Mad Cave Studios is proud to announce OUR SOOT STAINED HEART, an atmospheric new series from debut writer Joni Hägg, co-written and illustrated by Stipan Morian (20th Century Men).
This original fantasy series, brought to life with colorist Ropemann and Eisner-winning letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, fuses steampunk, frostpunk, and mythic folklore into a singular vision of fire, rebellion, and resilience. The result: the most thrilling adventure of the winter.
The Coalition is a city of wonder in the deep north, but it is ruled by the cruel Governor Glass and his factory lords. Coal is the lifeline of the city, and for honest workers like young Peggy Stones, life can be hard because of the nefarious quota. To get extra coal at the end of the year, you must be bad, every day! Peggy's life is thrown into chaos when she is imprisoned and sent into exile, which begins a harrowing journey to the ends of the world to find answers that could change the world!
“Our Soot Stained Heart is a curious story that mixes familiar wintertime stories and traditions with various myths in a unique fantasy setting,” said writer Joni Hägg. “It’s not a retelling of any one story, nor do we use any Christmas characters ‘as-is.’ Instead, we’ve reimagined them into an entirely new world—one that draws on my Finnish cultural mindscape and Stipan’s Balkan heritage. At its core, this book speaks to the need for the working class to unite against oppression. For me, writing is always about big ideas, and this is a book of big ideas with simple delivery.”
“It’s been more than three years since Joni and I started this project,” added co-writer and artist Stipan Morian. “I was on fire with my first book, 20th Century Men, and I just knew we had to make this one sing. Peggy, for me, is the lamb who gets lost in the woods by her own design—because she wants change and wills it into existence. She’s the agency of youth, the moving force. Readers will find themselves not just in her journey, but in the mirrors of revolution, resilience, and choices that surround her.”
With sweeping illustrations and worldbuilding that echo Snowpiercer, Les Misérables, and Klaus—Our Soot Stained Heart delivers both the spectacle of an epic winter’s rebellion and the intimacy of a tale about empathy, community, and hope.
Our Soot Stained Heart #1 drops December 10, 2025. Preorder it from your local comic shop starting September 19th!.
