Oni Press might be smaller than the big two comic publishers, but its 2024 San Diego Comic-Con panel showcased a wide variety of upcoming books that appeal to a wide range of audiences.
Jay Stephens, creator of Dwellings, will return to the book for Second Stories in 2025. Stephens was noted for having a hand in every aspect of the book’s design, including the logo that riffs on the old Comics Code Authority. The book, even with its sweet animated design, is “not for kids or cowards.”
Biker Mice from Mars by Milissa Flores also received a lot of attention, with Flores noting that the book is “campy and zany, but the themes are so dark.” Salvador Larroca also contributes to the book following his work on Star Wars.
Sectaurs by Dustin Weaver will be a fantasy comic like “Game of Thrones but with Bugs.” Lore junkies were told to check this one out.
Undoubtedly, Oni’s acquisition of EC Comics was a highlight of the panel, with a slew of horror-related titles that will soon be released. Editor Siera Kahn said that working on new stories within the famous 1950s horror anthology series was “intimidating” knowing its storied legacy. Yet, she noted that if anyone was going to do it, they wanted to be the ones to make it happen. While honoring the book’s legacy, they want these comics to be “left of center,” “edgy,” and “subversive” – not just an embrace nostalgia series.
Jay Stephens interjected that Oni is “actively trying to undo the damage done” by comics code and will “try to push the boundaries of taste, just a little.
Some of the EC Comics books will include a forthcoming 12-issue run on Epitaphs from the Abyss, as well as a new line of specials called Shiver Suspense Stories and Cruel Kingdom. The latter is the first fantasy EC title. Cruel Kingdom will include stories from various creators, including Al Ewing.
Showing the diversity and reach of Oni’s publishing, they revealed a new Sesame Street comic. Understandably geared towards children, Joey Esposito and Megan Brown noted that few comics are made for children these days and that this book would be a great introduction to the medium for young readers.
Of course, celebrating the 20th anniversary of Scott Pilgram means new collections of the series, with a huge box set (both color and B&W) for fans looking to have the entire run collected in one place. This box set will also include many extras not included in the initial publishing, and there will only be one run of these books. The collection is akin to “a vinyl exclusive release.”
The fan-favorite videogame Cult of the Lamb is also getting a beautifully rendered comic from Alex Paknadel and Troy Little. When discussing this adaptation of the resource management rouge-like, Bess Pallares said, “Every layer of the book has been made by people who love this game.”
In addition to a series based on the cartoon Adventure Time and a physical printing of the hugely popular SubZero romantic webtoons, The Autumn Kingdom by Cullen Bunn and Christopher Mitten is a horror/ dark fantasy comic where young girls must act as their parents are taken by monsters forcing them to confront this evil. Pallares claimed the book would be perfect for “children will love to read but will be a little scared to read,” which sounds like just the right tone for a book of this nature.
With this many comics on the horizon, the panel needed to rush through the final roster of titles, which included El Fuego by David Rubin, The Night Mother by Jeremy Lambert and Alexa Sharpe, and Skin Police, which looked like a fascinating take on the 1980s exploitation film genre.
Oni might be small, but they punch far above their weight. Their upcoming roster presented at San Diego Comic-Con, molded with the enthusiasm and love for the medium from the panelists, should give comic fans reason for excitement.
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