NYCC ’24: IDW Dark imprint, new Godzilla books announced

During its New York Comic Con panel “IDW Publishing: The Next 25 Years Fears,” IDW unveiled a new horror imprint, IDW Dark.

Featuring licensed and creator-owned titles, the imprint will be the home of new comics based on A Quiet Place, Smile, The Twilight Zone, Sleepy Hollow (the film), and Event Horizon, all courtesy of the publisher’s ongoing partnership with Paramount Consumer Products.

Logos, clockwise: Smile, 30 Days of Night: Falling Sun, Event Horizon, A Quiet Place, Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring, Sleepy Hollow, The Twilight Zone, IDW Dark

Creator-owned titles will include 30 Days of Night: Falling Sun (which will mark the franchise’s first series since 2017), written by co-creator Steve Niles with Rodney Barnes, and Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring, the sequel to this year’s murderous spin on children’s storybooks by Patrick Horvath.

“Horror is everywhere today, in the world and on the shelves. There’s an impulse to examine and indulge our deepest fears, and we’ve seen our industry respond with some of the most exciting new genre initiatives in recent memory,” said IDW group editor Maggie Howell. “So, what sets IDW Dark apart? Horror is in our blood. This imprint is our way of doubling down on the work IDW has been doing throughout our 25-year history as a premier publisher of horror comics.”

She teased more original series, while adding, “We know horror fans crave more from the genre. IDW Dark will fill that craving with new formats and subgenres. We’re excited to share more soon.”

CEO and publisher Davidi Jonas added, “One of the things I love about horror is that fear is universal—fight or flight is human, not cultural or parochial. Horror has a committed audience that courts feeling alive through dread, suspense, terror, pain, relief, ecstasy, joy. As a business, horror is budget-friendly to expand beyond print—giving fans a higher likelihood of ongoing engagement with cherished titles and characters. Lastly, horror, like other iconic elements of popular culture, has its own season. Just as certain traditions stay in our memories, we look forward to returning each year to evoke those feelings of fear, anxiety, and adrenaline that make fans feel truly alive.”

Godzilla Heist #1 cover by Bob Eggleton

Meanwhile, IDW announced three Godzilla series: Godzilla: Heist, Godzilla vs. America, and Mothra: Queen of the Monsters. Heist, by writer Van Jensen (Godfall) and artist Kelsey Ramsay (Dark Spaces: Good Deeds), will be a five-parter where the King of the Monsters gets lured to London by thieves, who hope to use him as a distraction. Here’s the full synopsis for the book, debuting February 19:

What if you could predict when and where Godzilla would appear? What if you knew of the perfect opportunity to pull off the heist of the century? Jai is a young man who knows two things: A heist needs a good distraction, and there’s no distraction like Godzilla. So, when Jai discovers Godzilla responds to specific energy signals he can send into the atmosphere, he creates the perfect opportunity to stage high-profile heists in the middle of Godzilla attacks. But these heists put Jai on the radar of some very dangerous men, men who want Jai to work with them to pull off the most dangerous job the world has ever seen.

Mothra Queen of the Monsters #1 (Cover A by Matt Frank)

Mothra: Queen of the Monsters is a five-issue spin-off, written by Sophie Campbell (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) with art by Matt Frank (Godzilla: Rulers of Earth). Kicking off March 5, the book follows a pair of time-traveling twins from a dystopian future, who seek to save their world by resurrecting Mothra:

Mothra has fallen after a fearsome battle with a terrifying new kaiju, Antra. Without its protector, the world has entered into a state of desolation. Kaiju roam freely, and what remains of humankind has been forced into hiding. But all hope is not lost! Mira is a young woman living in the wasteland, who believes she lost her entire family in Mothra’s final stand. That is, until her missing twin shows up at her door with two fairies! If her sister is to be believed, Mira might hold the key to the rebirth of Mothra and the Earth’s return to normalcy. They just have to travel back in time and get its egg from the Jurassic period first.

Per the press release, “Frank is coloring the story analog style with Copic markers rather than digital tools.” He provided Cover A for the first issue, while Campbell created Cover B:

Mothra Queen of the Monsters #1 (Cover B by Sophie Campbell)

Debuting between both books on February 26 is Godzilla vs. America, a four-part anthology featuring the kaiju in various cities not traditionally featured in the films, beginning with Chicago. Creators, who will be revealed at a later date, “[will] be from or currently living in a given issue’s feature city.” In the meantime, head to the official Godzilla site to check out more art from the other series.

Stay tuned for more NYCC ’24 coverage from The Beat.