Marvel's 2026 Swimsuit Issue — Which Should Be Enough — But There’s More.

June 17, 2026 Daniel Kibblesmith

Hi, all.

Coming soon to comic shops and tablets near you—

Marvel Swimsuit Special: Brand New Beach Day' #1

I owned a couple of the Marvel Swimsuit Specials back in the day (which means I still do somewhere) and they felt fully illegal to me. I don’t want to say “Wertham was right” because he was not right — but an honest accounting of superhero comics does have to reckon with a considerable degree of both overt and subconscious horniness and I am honored to become part of the proud tradition. I stand on the shoulders of every creator before me who Va Va’d so I that could Voom.

Our 2026 Marvel Swimsuit Special story — scripted by me, with art by the really fantastic Alessandro Miracolo — is about Namor: The Sub-Mariner (Prince of The Deep) throwing a “Beach Bash” to foster peace with the surface world. And, hey, if that goodwill gesture gets Sue Storm’s attention, that’s a bonus — but it’s obviously not why he’s doing it.

Rogue and Gambit Variant Cover by Mahmud Assar.

Every time Marvel (foolishly) lets me in the door, I use it as an opportunity to write in as many of my Bucket List characters as possible and a giant beach party where the entire Marvel Universe is invited checked a lot of those boxes for me. Each story in this issue also includes a sexy pin-up page for your wall, so of course I chose [REDACTED], doing his best impression of a soaking wet Daniel Craig in Casino Royale. If that doesn’t sell this comic, I’m not sure what will.

Brand New Beach Day #1 is on sale July 1st from a local comic shop near you and can already be pre-ordered digitally here. But don’t take my word for it — read this official press release from Marvel C.E.O., Richard Marvel* — and check out the complete cover gallery below. It is unlikely that a post on my website will ever be this sexy again.

'Marvel Swimsuit Special: Brand New Beach Day' #1 Preview Makes a Splash
This July, Marvel Comics’ iconic Swimsuit Special returns for another one-shot filled with stunning artwork of your favorite heroes hitting the beach, soaking up the sun, and having fun!
Last summer, the Marvel Swimsuit Special, an iconic ‘90s comic one-shot, made its long-awaited return in Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes & Rivals #1! Following its success, get ready for things to get even hotter this July with MARVEL SWIMSUIT SPECIAL: BRAND NEW BEACH DAY #1, an all-new one-shot packed with fun and zany stories from across the Marvel Universe:
No one skips the gym here! Hulk, She-Hulk, Doc Samson and new hero Powerlift break a sweat in a story by Cody Ziglar (Miles Morales: Spider-Man).
This is how you throw a party in Atlantis! Namor hosts the most epic beach party you’ve ever seen in a story by Daniel Kibblesmith (Loki).
No one brings the heat like the X-Men! See mutants—of all shapes and sizes—hit the beach in Rainbow Rowell’s story that proves how nothing looks better than self-confidence!
And the adrenaline really gets pumping in a beach slasher tale starring Spider-Man by Anthony Oliveria (Avengers Academy)!
GET YOUR SUPER HERO BEACH BODS READY!
You asked for it, so you’ve got it – Marvel Swimsuit Special is back again! And this time, we’re holding nothing back!
MARVEL SWIMSUIT SPECIAL: BRAND NEW BEACH DAY #1
Written by Cody Ziglar, Daniel Kibblesmith, Rainbow Rowell & Anthony Oliveira
Art by Pasqual Ferry, Valerio Schiti, Dan Panosian, Javier Garron, Carmen Carnero & more
Cover by J. Scott Campbell
On Sale 7/1
In addition to the tongue-and-cheek stories, MARVEL SWIMSUIT SPECIAL: BRAND NEW BEACH DAY #1 features colorful pinups of Marvel heroes from some of today’s top artists including Pasqual Ferry, Valerio Schiti, Dan Panosian, Javier Garrón, Carmen Carnero, and many, many more!

Grab these comics and more at your local comic book shop! Or redeem then read your digital copy on the Marvel Unlimited app by using the code found in your print comic. Find and support your local comic book shop at ComicShopLocator.com.
To read your Marvel comics digitally, download the Marvel Unlimited app for iOS and Android devices. Gain an expansive catalog of 30,000+ comics spanning Marvel Comics history, plus access your entire digital library including comics redeemed from print.

Also Available for Pre-Order:

Darkwing Duck: Year One, Part One

Cover by Tad Stones, with Brandt and Stein.

Darkwing Duck is back — in Comic Book Form. He may be back in Pog Form too, but who has Pog Money these days? Collecting Issues 1-6 of our Darkwing Duck series, scripted by me, for Dynamite Comics.

Also, Also Available for Pre-Order:

Rick And Morty: The End

Finally fully collected in hardcover — the epic conclusion to our Rick And Morty comic series as well as the conclusion to the entire Rick And Morty comics line that has been running for over ten years at Oni Comics. Art by Jarrett Williams, Troy Little, and a murderers’ row of cover artists. Scripted by me, Daniel.

Rick and Morty die in this one, so it will probably be worth a lot of money some day. Preorder it here or call your favorite local comic shop or bookstore now.

Currently Reading

It’s pretty long, so hopefully you’re not in love with updates about what I’m reading. Unless you have placed yourself in a cryogenic sleep (like in the book Hyperion).

*Richard Marvel is, I believe, Stan Lee’s father.

New Podcast: "Scott Hasn't Seen" — Plus Boing Boing and Comic Block Party Round-Up

November 11, 2025 Daniel Kibblesmith

Hi, all.

I went on another podcast. It’s this one:

Comedian, Podcast Mogul, and Marvel Comics Writer, Scott Aukerman has seen many movies, but (as he would be the first to admit) not all of them. Blade Trinity was a movie he apparently had not seen — or so I learned when he sent me an alphabetized list of potential movies and I did not make it past the B’s.

Blade (1998), at any given moment, might be my favorite movie. It never leaves the top three. So it was a blast and an honor to join Scott and Sprague The Whisperer on Scott Hasn’t Seen to discuss a movie that I have seen many more time than most movies I love. The mild spoiler here being: I do not love this movie.

Listen here or on the podcast platform of your choice by subscribing to Comedy Bang Bang World. That’s right, I’m behind the paywall — but so is a galactic amount of funny, weird, great comedy from many of my favorite people ever to do it. So let me ranting about how Blade 3 is “my Star Wars prequels” be the last push you needed to sign up and check it out.

Me, posing with my bird that is also named me.

‘How To Survive The Marvel Universe’ on Boing BoIng.

I’ve heard of Comedy Bang Bang — but Computers Boing Boing? I’ve heard of that as well.

My friend Ruben Bolling, also the cartoonist behind Tom The Dancing Bug, wrote a very cool feature on So You’ve Been Bitten By A Radioactive Spider: How To Survive The Marvel Universe for Boing Boing — a publication I’ve been reading since the invention of the Internet, one million years ago. Check it out here.

Revenge Of Comic Book Block Party Round-Up

I don’t really know what a “round-up” is, especially in this context. I just like it because it sounds cowboy.

Me again, for real this time. Photo by Alex Firer, but he used my phone, so I’ve decided I own it.

Thanks to everyone who came out to Revenge Of in Eagle Rock for the third annual Comic Book Block Party hosted by Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum. If you missed it (or you were there and you’re looking for pictures of yourself) photos and highlights are still rolling out over social. Check here for even more — and see you there (again) next year.

What Else Is New?

I joined a WGA off-season softball league and I am terrible. I’m also not clear on what makes this the off-season, I never know what the score is, or how many outs there have been, or how many balls/strikes I have and it’s tremendous fun.

On Sale Now!

From Chronicle Books, cover illustrations by Kyle Hilton.

The aforementioned So You’ve Been Bitten By A Radioactive Spider: How To Survive The Marvel Universe is available now from basically any bookstore that has a phone, because they can order you a copy, so support your favorite local bookstore, and me, and a scrappy little organization called Disney-Marvel.

Makes a great gift and I’m being told is especially popular with 7-12 year olds. This sounds like a lie and I would absolutely still say it if it wasn’t true, but it turns out it’s true.

Also still on sale from a comic shop near you or digitally:

—all available digitally or from a local comic shop near you.

Currently Reading

Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (ever heard of it). I’d planned on finishing it before the movie came out, but then it turned out that the movie is pretty different, which I’m guessing has never happened to a book before and especially not this exact book.

Blade Trinitily yours,

On Sale Today: 'How To Survive The Marvel Universe.'

October 28, 2025 Daniel Kibblesmith

Hi, all.

Today’s the day. So You’ve Been Bitten By A Radioactive Spider: How To Survive The Marvel Universe, written by me, illustrated by Kyle Hilton, is officially on sale from Chronicle Books at online retailers and bookstores near you.

On Sale Now From Chronicle Books

Via Chronicle Books; Cover by Kyle Hilton

Order Now

If you already have a copy, or plan to get one, please don’t forget to flag it for the algorithm by rating and reviewing on Amazon, marking it “To-Read” on Goodreads, and leaving a few kind words on whatever other book-related social media or retailers you might use, as well as requesting your local library order a copy — which can usually be done very easily through their website.

And if you still require convincing (or just want to hype yourself up as you wait for your mail-order copy to arrive) — read on.

Via Chronicle Books:

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.

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.

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.

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

Publication Date: 10/28/2025

ISBN: 9781797233543

Thanks all. Very proud. Please share this post and spread the word.

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

July 30, 2025 Daniel Kibblesmith

Hi, all.

New from Chronicle Books: October 28, 2025.

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

December 5, 2024 Daniel Kibblesmith

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

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

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

November 29, 2023 Daniel Kibblesmith

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

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).

August 7, 2023 Daniel Kibblesmith

WAUGH!

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.

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!

October 11, 2022 Daniel Kibblesmith

Hi, all.

LIBRARIES!

Now that I have your attention: Spider-Man.

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.

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.

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.