ComicCollx Weekly — Week of August 17–22, 2026

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MON · 2026-08-17

01. Emerald City Comic Con will eliminate physical badges in 2027, becoming the first ReedPop convention to adopt a fully digital ticketing system.

Event director Chris D'Lando announced on August 17 that ECCC 2027 will implement digital tickets and go badge-less, with attendees using the ECCC mobile app to access the show. The app will serve as a complete guide, housing tickets, schedules, games, and more, with attendees linking their tickets directly to the app. The move eliminates will-call lines, shipping fees, and the risk of tickets not arriving in time, according to D'Lando's statement across social channels.

The decision is framed as part of a broader sustainability push, with the show aiming to eliminate thousands of pounds of plastic waste and move closer to its net zero by 2040 goal. ReedPop is working with exhibitors, creators, and build teams to improve recycling during move-in and move-out, and will add more recycling stations throughout the Seattle Convention Center. For collectors who treasure badge collections, a limited run of commemorative badges will be available during the event in exchange for a small donation to Seattle Children's Hospital. D'Lando acknowledged that the decision was not made lightly, noting his own habit of collecting badges as mementos from every show.

Attendee response on social media displayed alarm, with concerns about dead phone batteries, lack of cellular service, and whether the system would accommodate those without smartphones. ReedPop staffers indicated workarounds would be found for non-smartphone users. While the model mirrors sporting events and concerts that have used electronic tickets for years, convention culture differs in that attendees enter and exit multiple times over four days. Both NYCC and San Diego Comic-Con already require tap-in and tap-out, making the shift to phone-based scanning less dramatic in practice. If the ECCC experiment succeeds, the badgeless model is expected to roll out to other ReedPop shows, ending a convention tradition as old as the modern circuit.

The Comics Beat →

TUE · 2026-08-18

02. Warren Ellis issued his first public statement on sexual misconduct since 2021, responding to controversy over Image Comics' decision to publish his new graphic novella Ghost Drive Station.

In the August 16 edition of his newsletter Orbital Operations, Ellis wrote that he had apologized directly to a group of people and offered amends, adding that he keeps that door open. He stated that he learned a lot and continues to learn, acknowledging that he "fucked up in a number of ways" and hurt people, regardless of whether he acted with malice. The brief statement marks his first public address of the issue since 2021, following Image's announcement of Ghost Drive Station's release last week.

Image had previously stated in 2021 that it would not publish any Ellis books until he "made amends to the satisfaction of those involved." So Many of Us, the group established by Ellis's victims to raise awareness of his behavior, last updated in 2023 that a mediated accountability process with Ellis had broken down irrevocably. The publisher has not acknowledged its 2021 statement and declined requests for comment on the new book. Editor Katie West, one of the first victims to speak out, has expressed hope that readers will not boycott books from other creators at Image.

The testimonies about Ellis's misconduct remain available on the So Many of Us website, along with resources for survivors. One victim was 16 when Ellis began grooming her. The decision to publish Ghost Drive Station five years after the original promise has drawn significant criticism, with some readers questioning whether they can separate the creator's past actions from his work. Ellis's statement that he never acted with malice has been met with skepticism by survivors and their supporters.

The Comics Beat →

WED · 2026-08-19

03. Dan Slott's Spectacular Spider-Man graduated from a five-issue miniseries to an ongoing series, marking a rare success in Marvel's recent string of試 試試-to-ongoing experiments.

Marvel announced exclusively to CBR on August 19 that Spectacular Spider-Man, written by Dan Slott with art by Marcus To, will continue past its initial five issues and become an ongoing series starting with issue six. The series, which launched earlier in 2026 as Spectacular Spider-Man: Brand-New Day, will move past that era into a "Big Time" phase with the November 25 release of issue six. Slott had been vocal on social media that reader support at local comic shops would determine whether the miniseries would continue, following Marvel's recent pattern of launching potential ongoings as limited series first.

Issue six will reveal the full scope of the series as seeds planted in the first five issues "bloom into trees that could DESTROY PETER PARKER," according to the solicitation. The issue will feature more of Turncoat, who debuted in issue five, and introduce a new villain called The Scavenger. The timing coincides with the approaching 50th anniversary of Spectacular Spider-Man, with Slott promising "BIG-TIME PLANS" for the milestone. The cover for issue six is by Humberto Ramos.

In the exclusive interview, Slott compared the achievement to Peter David's Madrox miniseries, which became X-Factor and ran for 112 issues after its 2004 launch. Slott stated his goal is to write the book monthly for as long as readers support it, noting that he never wants to return to a twice-monthly schedule. He expressed confidence that he and To can sustain 12 issues per year. The series will continue to build its own supporting cast and roster of heroes and villains, a hallmark of previous Spectacular Spider-Man runs.

CBR →

THU · 2026-08-20

04. Previously unseen character designs by Keith Giffen for Jack Kirby's Eternals have surfaced from an unpublished Marvel Comics pitch that Giffen made with editor Dave Elliott.

Dave Elliott was selling original artwork at the London Comic Mart on August 20 when he displayed the Eternals designs, which were part of a pitch he and Giffen made to Marvel that was never greenlit. The pages were gifted to Elliott by Giffen and are now being offered for sale as Elliott downsizes his collection. The designs show Giffen's take on Kirby's Eternals characters, executed in a style intentionally influenced by Kirby's own work. Elliott confirmed the pages are authentic and represent a lost Marvel project linking two significant creators to one of Kirby's key creations.

Giffen, who passed away earlier this year, was known for developing a Kirby-influenced style throughout his career and worked extensively for both DC and Marvel over nearly five decades. He co-created Rocket Raccoon with Bill Mantlo in 1976, wrote Annihilation that helped set the stage for the modern Guardians of the Galaxy, and co-created characters including Lobo, the Jaime Reyes version of Blue Beetle, and the fourth-wall-breaking Ambush Bug. His work on Legion of Super-Heroes and Justice League International defined his DC career, while the unpublished Eternals pitch represents one of many projects that never reached publication.

Elliott, a British comics writer, editor, and publisher best known for co-founding Atomeka Press and the A1 anthology, is also offering other Giffen artwork for sale, including Zodiac designs. He is offering portfolio reviews at future London Comic Marts and encouraging artists to contact him via social media. The Giffen Eternals pages provide a rare glimpse into the development process for a Marvel project that would have reunited a Kirby-influenced artist with one of the King's signature creations.

Bleeding Cool →

FRI · 2026-08-21

05. HarperCollins announced the launch of KAZÉ, a new manga imprint for the US market built on the French publisher it acquired, with a Fall 2027 launch date.

HarperCollins revealed exclusively to The Beat on August 21 that KAZÉ will be a collaborative, creator-focused imprint dedicated to publishing manga, manhwa, and manhua for English-language readers. KAZÉ originated in France as an anime and manga publisher and distributor before HarperCollins acquired it, and the US imprint will partner with the market-leading KAZÉ publishers in France and Germany. The imprint will launch in Fall 2027 under the leadership of HarperAlley and KAZÉ Publisher Andrew Arnold, publishing a wide range of manga including shonen, shojo, seinen, josei, and beyond.

Brian Murray, president and CEO of HarperCollins, stated the company is thrilled to expand KAZÉ to the US, building on its established presence in Japan and the successful relaunch of KAZÉ in Germany and France last year. Arnold, along with editors Josh Sippie and Emilia Sowersby, will acquire titles for KAZÉ US in collaboration with the international KAZÉ teams. Arnold emphasized that the imprint will champion all categories of manga and honor the creative freedom and storytelling excellence the KAZÉ brand has represented, providing the US audience with publishing that emphasizes artistry, quality, and fun.

KAZÉ becomes the latest manga imprint under a major book publisher, joining Yen Press at Hachette and Kana at Abrams. HarperCollins has not yet announced which manga titles will be part of KAZÉ's initial offerings. The move positions HarperCollins to compete directly in the English-language manga market, which continues to grow and attract major publishers. The imprint's emphasis on creator focus and broad category coverage suggests an aggressive play for market share in a segment that has proven increasingly lucrative for traditional book publishers.

The Comics Beat →

SAT · 2026-08-22

06. Roger McKenzie, writer of Marvel's Daredevil from 1978 to 1980 and co-creator of reporter Ben Urich, died at age 75 on August 21.

McKenzie passed away peacefully on the morning of Friday, August 21, while in hospice care, according to his official Facebook page. He had been dealing with end-stage heart failure and kidney disease for several months. McKenzie was best known for his run on Daredevil issues 151 through 166, which introduced Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich in issue 153 and saw Frank Miller join the series as artist on issue 158. His work helped establish the darker tone that defined the character for years to come.

Born on November 8, 1950, McKenzie made his debut with a story in Warren's Vampirella issue 50 in 1976, and continued contributing to Vampirella, Creepy, and Eerie until 1981. During the same period as his Daredevil run, he also wrote Captain America issues 226 through 237 and 243 through 245, Ghost Rider issues 28 through 34, and Battlestar Galactica issues 1 through 7 and 11 through 16. He originally pitched the idea of Captain America running for President with Don Perlin, receiving a story credit when Roger Stern and John Byrne used the concept in issue 250. McKenzie contributed sporadically to Marvel Fanfare from 1982 to 1987 and worked for other publishers including DC, Comico where he co-created Next Man, and Gold Key.

After writing the sci-fi newspaper strip Star Hawks from 1980 to 1981, McKenzie created Sun Runners with Pat Broderick, which ran at various publishers from 1984 to 1987. He founded Pied Piper Comics with Mark L. Hamlin, which lasted from 1986 to 1988. Following a lengthy hiatus, he returned to comics as executive editor of the Charlton Neo imprint, where he wrote stories for revivals of The Charlton Arrow and Charlton Wild Frontier, launched a webcomic starring Charlton hero Spookman with Sandy Carruthers, and contributed a story to Marvel's 2016 Daredevil Annual. McKenzie is survived by his wife Tami, other family members, and three pets. Marvel stated that he was a gifted writer whose work on Daredevil had a lasting impact on Marvel's storytelling.

The Comics Beat →

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