The Autumn Kingdom: The Wraithbound Queen #1 Preview

 

COVER A BY CHRISTOPHER MITTEN

 

I read High Fantasy novels before I discovered JRR Tolkien. But once a friend introduced me to The Hobbit, I was hooked. Then Terry Brooks brought The Sword of Shannara to the world, and inspired a new generation of authors to create their own High Fantasy novels. Will Cullen Bunn's new series evoke Tolkien or Brooks' legendary series? Or fire our imaginations like Robert Jordan's Wheel Of Time and George RR Martin's Game Of Thrones? 

Here's all the info from Oni Press:

 

THE AUTUMN KINGDOM: THE WRAITHBOUND QUEEN #1 (of 4)

WRITTEN BY CULLEN BUNN

ART BY CHRISTOPHER MITTEN

COVER A BY CHRISTOPHER MITTEN

COVER B BY MORGAN BEEM

COVER C (WRAPAROUND) BY JUAN MOORE

FULL ART VARIANT (1:10) BY MORGAN BEEM

B&W VARIANT (1:20) BY CHRISTOPHER MITTEN

ON SALE FEBRUARY 4, 2026 | $4.99 | 32 PGS | FC

IOD: 12/27/2025

FOC: 1/12/26

 

On the heels of their critically acclaimed dark fantasy saga THE AUTUMN KINGDOM, Eisner Award-nominated writer Cullen Bunn (The Sixth Gun, Harrow County) and visionary artist Christopher Mitten (Hellboy & the B.P.R.D.) are reuniting for another shadow-laden fantasy adventure in THE AUTUMN KINGDOM: THE WRAITHBOUND QUEEN #1 – the first issue of a thrilling new series that follows two young sisters into the depths of a twilight realm ruled by faeries, monsters, and demons in a desperate quest to rescue their parents from a millenia-old blood sacrifice. Now Oni Press, the multiple Eisner and Harvey Award-winning publisher of groundbreaking comics and graphic novels since 1997, is revealing an all-new extended excerpt from the stunning next chapter of the fantastic tale, which will hit comic book stores everywhere on February 4th, 2026!

“I wanted this chapter of THE AUTUMN KINGDOM to be more epic, more fantastical, more phantasmagorical, and much darker,” said writer Cullen Bunn. “In the first series, we saw a few different worlds: The real world, the world of the Wraithbound Queen's stories, and the first hints of the Autumn Kingdom itself. This story features all those worlds again... plus one you might not expect... and they all collide in a very exciting and (for sisters Winter and Sommer) dangerous way. The sisters were together for much of the first series. This time, they'll need to survive on their own!”

Kidnapped by the fae, sisters Sommer and Winter's parents have disappeared behind the veiled walls of the Autumn Kingdom—mythical borderlands that their fantasy author father once thought were total fiction. Now, with the human world far behind them, their final conquest—and their father's freedom—stands before them... behind a legion of goblins, trolls, and corrupted human souls...EVIL DEAD meets LABYRINTH in this dazzlingly rendered horror saga that /FILM calls classic “sword and sorcery” shot through with “scary monsters and mortal peril”!

“Getting to return to these characters and this world, especially where we get to go and what we get to see with them in this arc, is really exciting,” said artist Christopher Mitten. “Cullen is so good with this type of story, imbuing everything with just the right balance of awe and horror, beauty and unease, it’s a joy to be a part of it, to tell this tale of Sommer and Winter and wander with them on their quest.”

THE AUTUMN KINGDOM: THE WRAITHBOUND QUEEN #1 features covers by series co-creator Christopher Mitten, alongside Morgan Beem (Swamp Thing: Twin Branches) and Juan Moore. Peel back the next layer of the awe-inspiring, realm-spanning mystery when THE AUTUMN KINGDOM: THE WRAITHBOUND QUEEN #1 sets off on its journey on February 4th, 2026! 

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRAISE FOR AUTUMN KINGDOM

“One of the Best Comics of The Year” — /FILM

"What happens when two powerhouse genre creators team up for an independent title? You get some magic, that’s what... A compellingly told, wonderful and dark fantasy story perfect for both younger readers and genre fans." — THE BEAT

“THE AUTUMN KINGDOM has all the hallmarks of a classic fantasy tale, weaving its lore and literature together into an appealing and enchanting spell.”— Jim Zub (Conan the Barbarian, Dungeons & Dragons)

"Your next favorite fantasy series... Distinct and captivating, THE AUTUMN KINGDOM draws your attention to an imaginative fantasy world you won’t want to miss." — AIPT COMICS

“THE AUTUMN KINGDOM delivers a nostalgic return to youth, when time spent reading felt like time spent in another world. A bleak take on the “Stories Are Real Somewhere” subgenre, Bunn and Mitten weave a tale that should please any dark fantasy fan.” 

— Lonnie Nadler (The Sickness, Golgotha Motor Mountain)

“Bunn (the Harrow County series) and Mitten (The Alternates) draw readers into an enticing folkloric world in this dark fantasy series….. With plenty of mysteries left to explore, readers will be eager to follow Sommer and Winter further into the shadows in future volumes.” 

— PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“If you're looking for dark fantasy, THE AUTUMN KINGDOM delivers on all fronts, with engaging characters, mysterious magic and perfect pacing. A worthy add to your pull list!” 

— Amy Chu (Carmilla: The First Vampire)

“Engaging and at times unsettling tale …It is of NO Surprise that Autumn Kingdom made our best of 2024 list.” — GEEK VIBES NATION

 

 

Here are more cover options:

 

 

COVER B BY MORGAN BEEM

 

COVER C (WRAPAROUND) BY JUAN MOORE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FULL ART VARIANT (1:10) BY MORGAN BEEM

 

B&W VARIANT (1:20) BY CHRISTOPHER MITTEN

 

If you like what you've seen here, let your local comic shop know by January 12th to ensure you get a copy! 

For more updates on Oni Press, visit them on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.

 

Thanks to Oni Press and Superfan Promotions for sharing this preview with us. 

 

First Look At Crashing #1

 

Crashing #1 Cover A by Morgan Beem

 

Matthew Klein, former Vice-President of Marketing at Valiant Comics, has written his own comic series! Along with It's Alive's upcoming Nervous Rex #1, the first of Matthew's five-issue series comes out in September. Overseeing the title is former Valiant editor Heather Antos, and the colorist and letterer also number as Valiant veterans. While I'm not on a reviewer for IDW, I didn't think they'd mind if I reprinted this press release, which I found on Comiclist.com. Enjoy!

IDW is excited to announce the launch of the five-part comic book miniseries Crashing, written by Matthew Klein and illustrated by Morgan Beem (Swamp Thing, Adventure Time, Wonder Woman Black and Gold). Part Nurse Jackie and part The Boys, Crashing #1 will premiere in September and will be the third title released in IDW’s upcoming slate of original comics debuting throughout 2022 and beyond.

Less than ten years into her rehabilitation, recovering addict Rose Osler is one of a handful of doctors in the United States who specialize in treating “Powered individuals,” human beings imbued with a range of incredible—and according to some, fundamentally dangerous—superhuman attributes. Amid a sudden, rising wave of violence and chaos apparently provoked by these Powered citizens, Rose struggles to balance the ghosts of her past with the mounting pressure of her professional responsibilities, all while fighting to hold her strained marriage together and avoid the lure of getting high.

 

Crashing #1 Cover B by Jorge Corona

 

“Crashing is a story about sacrifice, heroism, and self-care,” says Klein. “Over the pandemic, we saw such an increase in people needing help, falling into self-destructive behaviors, addiction, or alcoholism, it felt like there needed to be a story about a first responder who needs help but doesn’t know how to ask for it. Heroes need help, too. Whether they wear capes or stethoscopes, the responsibility of saving someone’s life can be overwhelming. We’ve all seen an extraordinary number of heroes step up on the frontlines of the pandemic. I wanted to explore a story about an everyday hero who wants to save everybody at the expense of herself and how dangerous that kind of self-neglect can be.”

“One of the things that really excites me about this project is that all our characters—and especially Rose, our main character—are flawed,” says Beem. “They all have a lot of strength but also a lot of genuine weaknesses. They make mistakes, sometimes huge ones, but they keep going. They learn to forgive others, and especially themselves. I love that because it’s something that I feel all of us can relate to.”

Crashing #1 Cover C by Liana Kangas

 

“I don’t think there’s a better time for stories like Crashing than this very moment,” says editor Heather Antos. “What Matthew, Morgan, colorist Triona Farrell, and letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou have managed to capture in 22-page chapters is nothing short of an extraordinary display of humanity that will help a lot of people hopefully connect, grow, and heal. One of the greatest powers we all possess is the ability to reach out and connect with one another, but sometimes finding the strength to do so gets lost along the way. Joining Rose on her journey of self-growth while caught between powers quite beyond her has been a joy.”

Crashing #1 will be available with three variant covers for fans and retailers to enjoy, including Cover A by series illustrator Morgan Beem, Cover B by Jorge Corona, and Cover C by Liana Kangas.

For information on how to acquire copies of the Crashing comic books, please contact your local comic shop or visit www.comicshoplocator.com to find a store near you.

 

 

If you'd like to peek beneath the covers, head over to website The Mary Sue, which has an exclusive reveal of the first five pages of Crashing #1. 

Phew! My shift's finally over! See you later, folks: now it's time for me to crash!

Dragon Dave