Good morning. The industry mourns two significant losses this week, while the Ink Alliance notches its first sellout and Dark Horse doubles down on Japanese horror. No social chatter today.
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The comics industry lost one of its defining voices Monday when Roger McKenzie, best known for his Daredevil run in the late 1970s and early 1980s, died at age 75. McKenzie co-created Ben Urich, the investigative journalist who became a cornerstone of the Marvel Universe, appearing in multiple films and the Netflix series. He also introduced Cinnamon, adding to the roster of characters who outlived their initial appearances to become fixtures in Marvel continuity.
McKenzie's tenure on Daredevil bridged the gap between Gene Colan's tenure and the arrival of Frank Miller, establishing many of the street-level crime narratives that would define the character for decades. His work extended well beyond Marvel; he contributed to DC, Eclipse, and independent publishers throughout a career that spanned more than four decades. Industry figures have flooded social media with tributes, noting his generosity as a mentor and his commitment to grounded storytelling at a time when cosmic epics dominated the newsstand.
McKenzie's passing comes just one day before the industry also learned of the death of Dave Lanphear, a letterer who worked on Marvel, CrossGen, and Valiant titles for decades. Lanphear died unexpectedly at 58, cutting short a career that saw him letter thousands of pages across every major publisher. The dual losses underscore the fragility of an industry that relies on the accumulated knowledge of veterans who often work with little public recognition.
The deaths arrive as Marvel prepares to relaunch Daredevil yet again in October, part of a broader push to refresh its street-level characters. McKenzie had not been actively writing comics in recent years, but his influence remains visible in every gritty crime story Marvel publishes. His co-creation of Ben Urich alone ensures his legacy; the character has appeared in more than 500 comic issues and anchored entire plotlines in the MCU's Netflix era.
Why it matters: McKenzie's death removes one of the last living architects of Marvel's Bronze Age street-level storytelling, a voice that shaped how publishers approached crime narratives for a generation. For collectors, his work on Daredevil remains undervalued compared to the Miller runs that followed, but key issues featuring Ben Urich's first appearances have seen steady appreciation as the character's MCU presence grows. The back-to-back losses of McKenzie and Lanphear also highlight the industry's demographic challenge: many of the professionals who built the modern direct market are aging out, and their institutional knowledge leaves with them.
Read at source (Bleeding Cool) →
The Ink Alliance sold out its first exclusive variant The collective of Black-owned comic shops moved its inaugural Static variant cover celebrating the character's return, and more stores are joining the buying group. The sellout signals that targeted retailer exclusives can still drive demand even in a market saturated with variant covers, particularly when tied to cultural milestones and underserved collector communities. Read at source (The Comics Beat) →
Dark Horse will launch Vampire Hunter D: Fortress of Blood in December The new spin-off series marks Dark Horse's continued push into original stories based on Japanese properties, following years of manga reprints. The publisher announced the project at Anime NYC 2026, positioning it as a complement to its existing Vampire Hunter D backlist rather than a reboot. The move comes as Dark Horse attempts to reclaim market share lost to Viz and Kodansha in the manga category. Read at source (The Comics Beat) →
Kiki's Delivery Service sequel reaches North America next year An official follow-up to the Studio Ghibli film, decades in the making, will finally see English publication in 2027. The announcement taps into the sustained collector demand for Ghibli-adjacent material, which has driven up prices for out-of-print art books and licensed manga in recent years. No publisher or exact release date was named in the announcement. Read at source (CBR) →
Thefts hit Artists Alley at Anime NYC 2026 Multiple creators reported stolen inventory and equipment during the weekend convention, prompting warnings across social media and calls for increased security at future events. The thefts underscore the ongoing challenges small-press creators face at large shows, where table costs can run into the thousands and insurance coverage remains spotty. Organizers have not yet commented on whether security protocols will change for future editions. Read at source (The Comics Beat) →
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| September 29, 2026 | Resident Evil: Death Island (Titan Comics) |
| December 2026 | Vampire Hunter D: Fortress of Blood (Dark Horse) |
Full calendar (The Comics Beat) →
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