One of the most interesting aspects of the animated series Batman: Caped Crusader is how it melds Golden Age stylings with modern interpretation. Everybody looks like they could be living in the 1940s, yet there’s a fresh sheen on almost everyone — particular the colorful villains.

James Tucker, a longtime 13th Dimension favorite, is one of the show’s executive producers and he’s posted online a raft of character designs. The Joker is the most compelling (no surprise there) but I also have an affinity for the Riddler, who looks like Richard Widmark — the actor upon whom Frank Gorshin based his famed performance in the 1960s.

“I loved being a producer for the last 25 years, but character design will always be my first love!” Tucker wrote on Facebook.

Dig these:

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MORE

— BATMAN: CAPED CRUSADER — 13 Things We Want to See in SEASON 2. Click here.

— JAMES TUCKER: The TOP 13 BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD Episodes. Click here.

The Riddler debuted 78 years ago, on Aug. 23, 1948, in the pages of Detective Comics #140. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Dick Sprang (though Win Mortimer drew him on the cover), the Riddler was long recognizable for his bright green jumpsuit festooned with black question marks, and accented by purple gloves and belt.

It’s an unimistakable look.

So, why, I wonder, did longtime ’50s-’60s Batman artist Sheldon Moldoff color him orange in a series of paintings from (presumably) the 1990s?

Case in point (the first is from 1994, the other two are undated):

1994

Undated

Undated

Even Heritage Auctions, which sold these, said of the first illustration: “We’re not sure why the Riddler is wearing orange instead of his usual green — perhaps a nod to Jim Carrey’s wildly orange hair in the then-upcoming Batman Forever film? While we can’t confirm the creative thought process, we can say he appears to have the initial upper-hand on Batman and Robin as he topples a huge question mark statue toward them!”

They also mentioned that it was Moldoff who helped reintroduce the King of Conundrums in the Silver Age — specifically 1965’s Batman #171:

Inked by Joe Giella

So, he certainly should have known better.

And he did get it right in another illustration:

Undated

Well, whatever the reason, I’ll say this: Moldoff’s artistic instincts were still on the money, because the Riddler looks pretty groovy in orange! I’d love an action figure like that!

I guess it’s just a riddle for the ages.

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MORE

— THE RIDDLER Makes His SILVER AGE Splash: A 60th Anniversary INSIDE LOOK. Click here.

— 13 PANELS That Show THE RIDDLER Was Cool From the Very Beginning. Click here.

By KERRY CALLEN

This commissioned cover is a little more straightforward than much of my other work. The patron wanted me to create a cover showing how Ghost Rider would disapprove of such things like the “Billionaire’s Row” of towers in New York City.

I drew the black linework, including the logo and such, on Bristol board. You can tell if you scrutinize the lettering. But, in the age of AI, maybe it’s good to have some human-created flaws in our art.

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Want more SUNDAY FUNNIES WITH KERRY CALLEN? Come back next week!

Want a commission? Send an email to KerryCallenArt@gmail.com. You can also find other work at linktr.ee/kerrycallen.

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MORE

— The Cheeky Reason WONDER WOMAN Took the STAR-SPANGLED KID to Court. Click here.

— Maybe They Should Have Cast RYAN GOSLING as GOOSE RIDER Instead. Click here.

Mark Waid and co. have been doing a marvelous job reimagining Clark Kent’s years as Superboy for a little more than a year now in Action Comics, taking a concept that always stretched credibility — even in a world where people fly and shoot lasers from their eyes — and making it plausible and accessible, while maintaining the Boy of Steel’s inherent charm.

Waid is taking on Superman’s greatest adversary next, beginning in October’s Action #1103, with Lex Luthor: Year One, which given the pedigree, promises to be just as compelling.

But what really caught my eye was this dazzling Ryan Sook variant cover for November’s Action Comics #1104, which simultaneously pays tribute to Luthor’s Bronze Age jumpsuit — still a fan-favorite — and Jerry Ordway’s majestic cover for 1986’s Adventures of Superman #424 (which in turn riffed on Fred Ray’s classic Superman #14 cover from 1941).

Dig this:

And here’s the newly released solicitation info, followed by the other covers unveiled so far:

ACTION COMICS #1104

Written by MARK WAID
Art by PATRICIO DELPECHE
Cover by CHRIS BRUNNER
Variant covers by RYAN SOOK and MANNY VINCENT CARBONILLA
Foil variant cover by MIKE DEL MUNDO
Watchmen 40th Anniversary variant by MAHMUD ASRAR

“Lex Luthor: Year One” continues! Young Clark Kent gains a new best friend as Lex Luthor moves back to Smallville—but will Clark’s influence be enough to turn Lex to the straight and narrow?

$4.99 US | 32 Pages | Variant $5.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 11/11/26

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Main cover by Chris Brunner

Variant by Manny Vincent Carbonilla

Variant by Mike del Mundo

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MORE

— WONDER WOMAN Gets First-Ever Classic TREASURY EDITION — and It’s by GEORGE PEREZ. Click here.

— SUPERMAN #199: The 1967 SUPERMAN-FLASH Race Facsimile Edition Is Speeding Your Way. Click here.

DC Comics’ 2026 Christmas anthology — DC’s Naughty List #1 — is all about the bad guys this year, featuring a litany of creative contributors, including our old friend Alex Segura.

There’s one particularly cheeky variant cover, by Nathan Szerdy, who pays homage to 1944’s Sensation Comics #38, which just happened to be released a year ago as a Facsimile Edition.

Only in this case, the nameless, machine-gun-toting thug has been replaced by the Amazing Amazon’s archenemy, the Cheetah.

Behold:

And here’s the newly released solicitation info, followed by the other covers set for the issue:

DC’S NAUGHTY LIST #1

Written by ALEX SEGURA, CHE GRAYSON, ALYSSA WONG, DAVE BAKER, CHARLES SKAGGS, JUDE ELLISON S. DOYLE, MUREWA AYODELE and others
Art by LAURA BRAGA, LISA STERLE, ALEX NIETO, RAÜL FERNANDEZ and others

Cover by ETHAN YOUNG
Variant covers by SORAH SUHNG and NATHAN SZERDY

Peace on earth, good will toward men…Bah humbug! The festive season isn’t just for goody-two-shoes, it’s also for those of us who hate, hate, double-hate, and loathe entirely. So if you don’t have anything nice to say, come sit over by us, and celebrate with a rogues gallery of baddies, including Poison Ivy, Livewire, Catman, Mr. Freeze, and more! From Arkham Asylum to the Phantom Zone and all the pockets of scum and villainy in between, they’re coming home for the holidays, and they’re bringing their Red Ryder Range 200-shot BBs with them, ya filthy animals.

Pick up a copy wherever comic books (and last minute gifts) are sold, and make space for it under the tree or on your mantelpiece…I triple-dog dare ya!

$9.99 US | 80 Pages | All covers card stock
ON SALE 11/25/26

Main cover by Ethan Young

Variant cover by Sorah Suhng

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MORE

— WONDER WOMAN Gets First-Ever Classic TREASURY EDITION — and It’s by GEORGE PEREZ. Click here.

— Upcoming LEX LUTHOR: YEAR ONE Gives the BRONZE AGE (and JERRY ORDWAY) Some Love. Click here.

Right now, Marvel seems to have three main buckets for its storytelling — Doctor Doom, mutants, and symbiotes. Come December, the House of Ideas will tap into that last one with a five-part series that retells Venom’s 1980s introduction to the Marvel Universe, but from the symbiote’s perspective.

Venom: POV, written by Ryan Stegman with art by Carlos Gomez, slithers your way beginning December 2.

Main cover by Stegman

“For anyone of my generation, this story was as exciting as it gets,” Stegman said. “However, it did leave a lot of questions about Eddie (Brock) that needed answering. … Hope I can make that happen!”

Details are otherwise scarce but will be revealed in the weeks ahead.

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MORE

— MARVEL to Publish THREE BRONZE AGE Facsimile Editions and a Special Reprint in November. Click here.

— EMPEROR DOOM: 1987 AVENGERS Graphic Novel to Be Republished by MARVEL. Click here.

Hey, folks, we’ve got some big news that’s been decades in the making. And I do mean BIG news:

DC Comics in November will give Wonder Woman her first-ever classic-style treasury edition — and is also formally bringing back the Bronze Age Limited Collectors’ Edition label.

Not just that, it’s all by George Perez (with Greg Potter)!

Dig the solicitation info for Wonder Woman: The Princess and the Power – Limited Collectors’ Edition #64, which will be officially unveiled by DC later Friday:

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Placeholder art

WONDER WOMAN: THE PRINCESS AND THE POWER – LIMITED COLLECTORS’ EDITION #64

Written by GREG POTTER and GEORGE PÉREZ
Art and cover by GEORGE PÉREZ
Foil variant cover by GEORGE PÉREZ ($19.99)

Master comics storyteller George Pérez revitalized Wonder Woman in the mid-’80s with this stunning new origin for the Amazonian Princess! Discover how and why the gods came to create the mighty Amazons and see the terrible events that led to their eventual immortality on the island paradise of Themyscira as well as to the coming of their greatest champion and warrior in the fight against the vile Ares, Wonder Woman!

$14.99
80 Pages
ON SALE 11/18/26

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Buncha thoughts:

Placeholder art

— The official return of Limited Collectors’ Edition — how cool is that? It makes sense, though: DC in the last couple of years has reprinted both The Untold Legend of the Batman and Justice League of America #200 in the treasury format for the first time, but hasn’t had a reliable label for these 10″ x 13″ editions. Bringing back LCE is the perfect solution.

— Why is it Issue #64? Because DC is adhering to its traditional numbering scheme. A bit of history: LCE began in October 1972 with Limited Collectors’ Edition #C-20: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and ended in April 1978 with Issue #C-59: Batman’s Strangest Cases. In the latter part of the run, it traded numbering with All New Collectors Edition, which ultimately took over completely. The overall series ended in December 1978, with All New Collectors’ Edition #C-62: Superman: The Movie. 

Still with me? Good. A few years back, DC published a hardcover of 1935’s New Fun Comics #1 as a Famous First Edition (another ’70s treasury line that shared the numbering) with the number C-63. That brings us to #64. (I do like that they’ve dropped the pesky “C” designation with the numbering. It’s the little things.)

— This is not a one-off. Should DC continue to publish new treasuries with classic material (as opposed to Facsimile Editions), the numbering will continue under the Limited Collectors’ Edition banner. And you know how this works, as long as these sell, they’ll continue to make them. We’re now up to three new treasuries, and the second this year, so clearly something is working.

Placeholder art

— To make it even clearer, this is not being labeled or marketed as a Facsimile Edition. This is a separate reprint category, but targeted at the same audience. It’s not noted in the solicitation copy, but we have confirmed that Limited Collectors’ Edition #64 will include Issues #1-3 of Perez’s run, letters columns, and pinups, but no ads.

— DC has not yet unveiled the final trade dress, so I’ve used the wraparound cover of Wonder Woman #1 as a placeholder. The trade dress will be designed to look as close as possible to the original Limited Collectors’ Edition.

— It’s a brilliant way to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Perez’s Wonder Woman. Issue #1 came out Oct. 14, 1986.

— The only other Wonder Woman tabloid was the Paul Dini/Alex Ross Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth, from 2001. (It was re-released as a hardcover earlier this year.) But that’s a completely different animal. During the Bronze Age, Wonder Woman’s only LCE/ANCE appearances were in a team-up with Superman and in Justice League of America/Super Friends editions. She never had a solo issue, which is insane when you consider the series ran at the same time as the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman show.

— The only thing that would make this better is a Bob Rozakis maze and a back-page diorama!

— We also have a ton of Facsimile Edition news this week. Links below!

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MORE

— DC Adds SEVEN FACSIMILE EDITIONS to Fall Schedule. Click here.

— THE RED HOOD: The JOKER’s 1950 Origin FINALLY Gets Facsimile Edition. Click here.

— WORLD’S FINEST #153: Comic With Infamous BATMAN SLAPPING ROBIN MEME to Be Published as Facsimile Edition. Click here.

— SUPERMAN #199: The 1967 SUPERMAN-FLASH Race Facsimile Edition Is Speeding Your Way. Click here.

— KINGDOM COME #4: The Classic Finale Will Kick Off DC’s DECEMBER Facsimile Editions. Click here.

–– EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK at the Final Two SUPER POWERS Variant Covers. Click here.

We’re big fans of Archie Comics’ Facsimile Editions and we’re big fans of the publisher’s vast library of MLJ superheroes. The twain, however, have yet to meet.

But maybe there’s a way to change that.

Archie on November 11 is releasing this fab Black Hood variant cover by Matt Talbot, for this year’s annual Josie and the Pussycats one-shot.

Black Hood’s in the Josie issue because he’s now their head of security! Plus, dig that reference to his radio show!

This will actually be the second MLJ/Mighty Crusaders variant in the months ahead, including September’s groovy Ben Cooper-style Fly-Girl cover.

And, see, money talks. I have it in my mind that should both of these covers sell well — both will also have foil versions — it might prompt Archie to consider releasing full-on reprints spotlighting its wide array of classic heroes, like the Shield, Black Hood, the Fox, the Fly, and on and on.

Nothing persuades a publisher more than a market that votes with its dollars.

I mean, just imagine getting your hands on 1959’s The Fly #3, with its Joe Simon cover:

…or the 1966 camp classic The Mighty Crusaders #4, with its Paul Reinman cover:

There are so many possibilities. We even once ran a list of 13 MLJ/Crusaders Facsimiles we’d like to see — but I’ve got more in mind, so watch this space.

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MORE

— TRICK OR TREAT! Dig Archie’s BEN COOPER-Style FLY-GIRL Cover Coming for Halloween. Click here.

— First-Ever SABRINA OMNIBUS Leads New Wave of Classic ARCHIE Collections in 2027. Click here.

Archie Comics in November has a Josie and the Pussycats one-shot coming, the third straight year the rocking women with ears for hats have helped brighten your autumn.

Dig the official solicitation for the Josie and the Pussycats: Rock On! one-shot, which is led by a new story:

Main Dan Parent cover

JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS: ROCK ON! ONE-SHOT

Riverdale is hosting the first ever GIRLZ ROCK festival in Pickens Park, with none other than JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS headlining. Also joining in the music mania is Betty, Veronica, and Jola Kitt’s own power trio, ROCK CANDI! But when some of Jola’s old, rough-around-the-edges friends from her previous hometown decide to invade the festival and start a ruckus, they’re going to need extra help to get things under control. And even Josie and the Pussycats’ new head of security detail, Kip Burland a.k.a. THE BLACK HOOD, feels outnumbered. Fortunately, Betty and Veronica have a trick up their sleeve: they’re calling the VIXENS into action. But will the biker girls have what it takes to restore peace and get the concert back on track? Find out in this ROCK-TASTIC spectacular!

Script: Jamie L. Rotante
Art: Holly G, Bob Smith, Glenn Whitmore, Jack Morelli
Josie and the Pussycats Rock On! O.S. CVR A Main Cover: Dan Parent
Josie and the Pussycats Rock On! O.S. CVR B Black Hood Var Cover: Matt Talbot
Josie and the Pussycats Rock On! O.S. CVR C Vixens Var Cover: Veronica Fish
Josie and the Pussycats Rock On! O.S. CVR D Foil Full Art Var Cover: Dan Parent
Josie and the Pussycats Rock On! O.S. CVR E Foil Black Hood Var Cover: Matt Talbot
Josie and the Pussycats Rock On! O.S. CVR F Foil Vixens Var Cover: Veronica Fish

On Sale Date: 11/11
32 Pages
$4.99 ($7.99 for foil)

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Buncha thoughts:

Veronica Fish variant

— You gotta check out the Black Hood variant by Matt Talbot. We’ve got lots to say about it over here.

— Boy, the foils must really be working for Archie, continuing to make all its covers available in the style.

— There’s other groovy Archie vintage-comics news. See below!

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MORE

— This New BLACK HOOD Variant Cover Could Be Your Gateway to Getting MIGHTY CRUSADERS Facsimile Editions. Click here.

— First-Ever SABRINA OMNIBUS Leads New Wave of Classic ARCHIE Collections in 2027. Click here.

Fans of Archie Comics’ vintage art and stories will reap the benefits of the publisher’s new relationship with Oni Press in 2027, with a paperback line featuring seasonal stories, and, even more impressively, the first-ever Sabrina omnibus.

Dig these solicitations:

Main cover by Dan Parent

SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC

WRITTEN BY GEORGE GLADIR AND FRANK DOYLE
ART BY DAN DECARLO, RUDY LAPICK AND STAN GOLDBERG

MASS MARKET COVER BY DAN PARENT
DIRECT MARKET COVER BY ADAM HUGHES

At last, experience the dazzling and instantly iconic debut appearances of Archie’s mischievous sorceress next door—the one and only Sabrina the Teenage Witch—collected together for the first time in one oversized hardcover omnibus conjured from the Archie Comics archives!

One town over from Riverdale, meet the spunky and sometimes scatterbrained witch-in-training, Sabrina Spellman, who’s always finding out the hard way that being a teenager in this day and age can be a real trial by fire! While it seems that having the power to wield a few centuries worth of witchcraft would be a dream for any average high school student, trying to lead a double life as an ordinary mortal and a mistress of the occult arts can sometimes feel like a downright curse. But between her boyfriend Harvey—who’s totally unaware of Sabrina’s otherworldly expertise—and her supernaturally gifted aunts Hilda and Zelda, Sabrina and her feline familiar, Salem, have enough friends and family to always raise her spirits.

From her earliest appearances through the debut of her landmark ongoing series, the magic of Archie Comics comes alive in this milestone collection celebrating the spectacular and spooky coming of Sabrina the Teenage Witch!

Collecting Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1971) #1–24, alongside material from Sabrina’s early adventures in Archie’s Mad House and other Archie classics.

$125
776 PGS
On Sale: 6/2/2027

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FOUR SEASONS OF ARCHIE: LOVE STORIES SC

WRITTEN BY FRANK DOYLE AND GEORGE GLADIR
ART BY DAN DECARLO, HARRY LUCEY, AND SAMM SCHWARTZ

COVER BY DAN PARENT

Everyone knows the most famous love triangle in all of American pop culture: Archie, Betty, and Veronica! Now, just in time for Valentine’s Day, Cupid’s arrow zeroes in on the first in a new series of seasonal collections celebrating the greatest Archie Comics stories ever told—beginning with Riverdale’s most raucous tales of romance!

Love is in the air in Riverdale! Archie and Betty and Veronica! Midge and Moose! Chuck and Nancy! Reggie and Cheryl! And let’s not forget Jughead . . . and Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe?! The most famous couples in the history of American comics are on a double date with fate itself in this treasure trove of hilariously heartfelt tales spanning 85 years of flowers, chocolates, and complicated crushes—as told by some of Archie’s most gifted master storytellers of all time.

$19.99
144 PGS
On Sale: 1/6/2027

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FOUR SEASONS OF ARCHIE: SUMMER STORIES SC

WRITTEN BY FRANK DOYLE AND KATHLEEN WEBB
ART BY DAN DECARLO, HARRY LUCEY, AND BOBB BOLLING

COVER BY DAN PARENT

There’s nothing more timeless than friendship, summer sun, and hilarious hijinx in the next seasonal collection celebrating eight decades of Archie Comics’ artistry and antics with the Riverdale gang!

It’s time to head back to the beach as Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, and, heck, even Hot Dog, chronicle their very own ode to the joys of never-ending summer! Boardwalks and county fairs! Camping trips and canoes! Sunburns and barbecues! Experience them all through the eyes of Riverdale’s most iconic characters in this expertly curated collection spanning 85 years of Archie’s hottest summertime tales from the Golden Age to next July.

$19.99
144 PGS
On Sale: 5/26/2027

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Buncha thoughts:

Adam Hughes variant

— This is a great start to the vintage aspect of the new publishing deal. I’m personally not a big omnibus reader, but those seasonal collections are really enticing. I’m always going on about how no publisher does the seasons like Archie.

— Unsolicited advice: Big Dan Parent fan here, but there’s also room, I think, for variant covers with classic artists like Dan DeCarlo and Harry Lucey. There’s a healthy segment of the target audience that would respond well to those.

— Hey, we’ve got some Archie EXCLUSIVES for you, too! Links below!

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MORE

— This New BLACK HOOD Variant Cover Could Be Your Gateway to Getting MIGHTY CRUSADERS Facsimile Editions. Click here.

— JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS Back for Another Year-End Special. Click here.