NEW BOOK: 'How To Survive The Marvel Universe.' (2025)

Hi, all.

New from Chronicle Books: October 28, 2025.

Via Chronicle Books; Cover by Kyle Hilton

The Marvel Comics Universe is full of action, adventure, danger, and cosmic peril. Be ready for anything with this illustrated action handbook—whether you have newly developed super-powers, you need to pilot an Iron Man suit, or Galactus is here to eat the Earth.

Kyle Hilton (via Chronicle).

Written by Marvel Comics and Emmy-nominated humor writer Daniel Kibblesmith, this official illustrated guide to surviving and thriving in the Marvel Universe uses comics-tested advice to steer readers through what to expect when exposed to gamma rays, bonding with a symbiote or—ow!—feeling an unexpected sting at the science fair. Featuring practical information such as wall-crawling tips, along with emergency information (you’ve been plunged into the Quantum Realm) and day-to-day guidance if your cat turns out to be a Flerken, you suspect someone of being a Skrull, or are facing a doombot, this is the must-have handbook as you live in the world of Marvel’s mightiest heroes.

Kyle Hilton (via Chronicle).

CRUCIAL ADVICE FROM MARVEL COMICS: What would you do if you discover you had mutant abilities, or are the only one on a heroic team without super-powers? Marvel comics writer and lifelong fan Daniel Kibblesmith finds inspiration and advice in the comics to offer tips and strategies for navigating these and many more of the reader’s own 'what if' experiences.

Kyle Hilton (via Chronicle).

IMAGINATIVE ADVENTURES: The Hulk is totally hulking out, with mayhem imminent; you’re weighing the pros and cons of legal representation from Matt Murdock or Jennifer Walters (or P.I. help from Jessica Jones or Howard the Duck); you need to speak Groot but are not fluent. This book has got you covered!

Perfect for:

  • Marvel fans looking for a fresh, funny spin on the comics

  • Fans of action hero handbooks and survival guides

  • Fans of Marvel Super Graphic, Marvel Mazes, and Thor and Loki: Midgard Family Mayhem

Format: Hardcover

Age Range: Chronicle Books

Publication Date: 10/28/2025

ISBN: 9781797233543

On Sale Now: Marvel’s Holiday Tales to Astonish #1 and Dynamite’s Powerpuff Girls: Winter Snowdown Showdown #1

Hi, all.

Very quickly, because I’m in currently in Deadlineopolis (play on Megalopolis), but this is important and time-sensitive. Holiday time sensitive. Is “Holiday Time” a phrase? There’s no way to know something like that.

If you’re reading this, you probably have some loose idea of who I am, and what I do, and may have noticed I write a lot of holiday stories — like Rugrats: C is for Chanukah with Cullen Crawford, Santa’s Husband with Ashley Quach, and Chronicle Books’ insanely named DC Christmas Carols: We Wish You a Harley Christmas — for which I rewrote a number of classic Christmas carols to be about the heroes and villains of the D.C. Universe, including my personal favorite, “Hark The Parademons Sing,” the best and only Christmas Carol ever written about Darkseid.

Which is all to say, this all becomes a bit of a beat once editors know you like doing holiday stuff — and the people who do, I’ve found, really do. So, for the approval of the Midnight Society (You probably think that’s for Halloween right, but Christmas also has a midnight — that’s when when Santa comes — and Hanukkah has eight midnights, so educate yourself) — I’ve written/co-written FOR YOU TO BUY AND READ two new holiday comics for 2024 on sale right now.

Not just holiday comics, but characters you’ve heard of, doing things you might want to see this time of year — like Kitty Pryde and Nightcrawler (near-lifetime bucket list characters for me) celebrating Kitty’s first Hanukkah with the X-Men (nestled neatly in the continuity Claremont/Byrne era, with pencils by Untold Tales of Spider-Man’s Pat Olliffe) and The Powerpuff Girls in a new 40-page Holiday Special where they battle classic villains in interlocking solo-stories, saving the snow-covered city of Townsville and tracking down the perfect gift for Professor Utonium. Do I need to say they meet Santa? Is that a Spoiler? They meet Santa in that one. Why wouldn’t they?

BOTH are on sale now, digitally or from a comic shop near you, but if you require more convincing, read on, in hyper-compelling words crafted by professional P.R. people.

Marvel Comics’ Holiday Tales to Astonish #1

A-Cover by LUCIANO VECCHIO

Via Marvel:

MARVEL HOLIDAY TALES TO ASTONISH #1
Written by GERRY DUGGAN, DANIEL KIBBLESMITH & GENE LUEN YANG
Art by PHIL NOTO, PAT OLLIFFE & DYLAN BURNETT
Cover by LUCIANO VECCHIO

This December, get in the holiday spirit with a special new Marvel Comics one-shot: MARVEL HOLIDAY TALES TO ASTONISH!

In the great Marvel tradition, behold the many ways your favorite heroes celebrate the season with stories starring the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and Spider-Man! Brought to you by a lineup of acclaimed Marvel talent, these three heartwarming, inspirational, and action-packed stories are suited for any reader to enjoy, making them the perfect gift for the Marvel fans in your life!

Today, fans can check out all four covers, including pieces by Luciano Vecchio and Leonardo Romero along with a wraparound homage cover by Lee Garbett and a hidden gem cover from industry legends Gil Kane and John Romita Sr. Plus check out a sneak peek at all three tales!

Here’s what fans can look forward to!

  • First, you're invited to the Fantastic Four's Holiday Party! But when an uninvited guest decides to spread doom instead of cheer, the FF jump into action in this delightful story from writer Gerry Duggan and artist Phil Noto.

  • Then, in a tale of Hanukkahs past, Kitty Pryde scrambles to save the day while shopping for gifts for her new teammates—the Uncanny X-Men! Daniel Kibblesmith and Pat Olliffe deliver this X-tra special adventure packed with merry mutant cameos and callbacks to classic X-Men stories!

  • Can Spider-Man stick to his New Year’s resolution as well as he sticks to walls? Find out as Peter Parker and Miles Morales ring in the New Year as only Spider-Men can in a spectacular tale by Gene Luen Yang and Dylan Burnett.

Wraparound Homage Variant Cover by LEE GARBETT
Variant Cover by LEONARDO ROMERO
Hidden Gem Variant Cover by GIL KANE & JOHN ROMITA SR.
On Sale 12/4

Dynamite Entertainment’s The Powerpuff Girls: Holiday Snowdown Showdown #1

A-Cover by Carlo Lauro

Via Dynamite:

Writer: Daniel Kibblesmith
Artist: Carlo Lauro
Genre: Adventure
Publication Date: December, 2024
Format: Comic Book
Page Count: 40
ON SALE DATE: 12/04/2024
It's the holiday season in the City of Townsville, and that means ice skating, cookie baking, and, above all - at least for its three pint-sized protectors - finding the ideal gift for Professor Utonium!

But what do you get for the man who has (or can make) everything? To find out, the Powerpuff Girls set out in pursuit of the perfect present, and learn some valuable lessons about playing fair, respecting boundaries, and considering others along the way - all while dispensing generous doses of holiday-flavored justice!

Written and illustrated by jolly old elves DANIEL KIBBLESMITH and CARLO LAURO, this all-new 40-page special - decorated with sparkling covers from LAURO, TBD, and FRANCESCO TOMASELLI - will be a welcome addition to any fireplace-adjacent stocking!

It’s been a while since a non-social media update, but the rest of the big news will have to wait due to me being trapped in Megalopolis (I have updated Deadlineopolis to Megalopolis, the actual pretend city from the movie of that name made of moving sidewalks and bioluminescent floral bones. That’s where I am and live now).

“Okay, talk soon. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Mega Opolis.”
— Daniel Kibblesmith

On Sale Today: Howard The Duck 50th Anniversary #1

"Celebrating" 50 Years Trapped in a World He Never Made.

Cover by Ed McGuinness

Hi, all.

ON SALE TODAY FROM MARVEL — Howard The Duck #1: 50th Anniversary Special, featuring a new story scripted by me with art by one of my favorite artists, the great Annie Wu. Together, we finally answer the question WHAT IF … Howard The Duck Had WON His 1972 Bid For The Presidency?

One of the things that happens is this:

Via Annie Wu on Twitter | Art by Annie Wu with color art by Ian Herring

BUY NOW from a Local Comic Shop near you or digitally for all screen devices here.

“Okay, bye.”
— Daniel Kibblesmith

Finally, Justice For America (This is about Howard The Duck).

WAUGH!

Cover by Ed McGuinness

Coming 11.29.23 from Marvel Comics — Howard The Duck #1: 50th Anniversary Special, featuring a new story scripted by me with art by THE Annie Wu (Hawkeye, Black Canary, much-much-more).

Once again, a tremendous honor to be writing one of my favorite characters in all of fiction and especially to be correcting one of the greatest political injustices in history (and there’s a lot of competition these days).

Namely, our story answers the question — “What If” Howard The Duck had won his Presidential Campaign?!

Vintage Bernie Wrightson 1976 “Howard The Duck For President” button, which was a real campaign and in no way merely a fan club / brilliant cash grab.

Via Marvel:

This November, fans are invited to a birthday blowout for one of comics’ most unique characters in HOWARD THE DUCK #1! Announced this past weekend at San Diego Comic-Con, Howard the Duck’s 50th anniversary one-shot will be an giant-sized spectacle that will reunite writer Chip Zdarsky and artist Joe Quinones, the sensational creative team behind Howard’s smash hit and critically acclaimed 2015 ongoing series.

Meet Howard. He’s a hard-boiled P.I. with problems by the duckload. But a cosmic, all-seeing friend(?) known as the Peeper(!) is giving him a chance to see what his life COULD be! The joys he COULD have! All the ways his life COULD suck way less than it does now! In other words: “Whaugh If?”

Here’s some of the craziness that readers can look forward to:

Emmy-nominated writer and comedian Daniel Kibblesmith and acclaimed artist Annie Wu put Howard in the Oval Office! Inspired by a classic tale from Steve Gerber and Gene Colan’s 70s’ run, Howard the Duck has been sworn in as President. Find out if how gutsy he is as Commander in Chief when the Earth is invaded by aliens in this startling political satire!

Popular video game designer and writer Merritt K makes her Marvel Comics debut alongside artist Will Robson with a cosmic comedy that sees Howard the Duck leaving the chaos of Earth behind to take over as leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy! Playing Star-Lord is all fun and games for Howard until some of his most iconic classic villains band together to take him out once and for all!

And more!

Like other historic headlines — DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN! MAN WALKS ON MOON! and ELVIS SHOOTS NIXON! — You’ll want to PRE-ORDER TWO PHYSICAL COPIES of HOWARD THE DUCK ELECTED PRESIDENT! One to hold in your hands and read and re-read until it’s a beloved dog-eared rag and the other to frame and pass on as an heirloom to your ungrateful cyborg grandchildren. Conveniently for you, there are also two covers.

Alternate Cover by Ron Lim

Call a local comic shop near you or pre-order here to have the comic automatically delivered digitally to your phone or tablet. The more copies we sell, the better the odds of getting another Howard The Duck movie. I really feel like we could get it right this time.

Unrelated: Follow me on Threads.

Substack Notes is dead to me. Threads (by Meta) is my god now.

But if you don’t use Threads (and why would you), the easiest place to find and reach me is probably my “professional” Instagram account. I say “professional” but don’t worry, I still swear.

“Have a great summer, don’t change after graduation.”
— Daniel Kibblesmith

NYPL Introduces Spider-Man Library Card!

Hi, all.

LIBRARIES!

Now that I have your attention: Spider-Man.

Marvel / NYPL

Back in July, for Amazing Spider-Man #900, I scripted a back-up story — with art by David Lopez, color art by Nathan Fairbairn, and lettering by Joe Caramagna — called AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.

Inspired by an idea from editor Nick Lowe (torn from the headlines, SVU-style) the New York Public Library announced this year that late fees would be forgiven — and Peter Parker would have a lot of late fees.

Art by Lopez, Fairbairn, & Caramagna.

Well, now life is imitating art imitating life with the introduction of the NYPL Spider-Man Library Card — THAT’S RIGHT, LIMITED EDITION SPIDER-MAN VARIANTS ARE NOT JUST FOR COMICS ANYMORE.

Via NYPL

NYPL's Special Edition Spider-Man Library Card Coming October 11

Knowledge is power! Scale new heights with NYPL's special, limited-edition Spider-Man library card, available in branches starting October 11. Tap into the power of reading with book recommendations, including a multitude of Marvel graphic novels, plus free programs, events, and more for all ages at your friendly neighborhood library.

EVERYONE can also now read our Spider-Man library story for free on Marvel Unlimited, RIGHT NOW.

Art by Lopez, Fairbairn, & Caramagna.

It’s a quick five pages, available on all devices and browsers — and then head to your local public library (or library app) for thousands more free comics where that came from.

Patience (or Fortitude?) enjoys Amazing Spider-Man #900; via NYPL