Zack Kaplan is going big with Dark Horse Comics in 2026.
Following the success of Kill All Immortals, Masterminds, The Midnight Shadows, and Break Out, Kaplan is teaming up with Dark Horse for three new series arriving throughout the year. The slate kicks off with Only The Savage Are Left in June, continues with The Smart Division in late summer, and culminates with Kill All Immortals III in the fall.
“My experience with Dark Horse over the past several years has been a testament to their commitment to creators, and I’m thrilled to partner with them to raise the bar in 2026. I’m joined by three amazing artists at the top of their game, Stefano, John and Francesco, we’re gonna focus on dynamic and dramatic stories, and we’re going all in to give readers something special,” Zack Kaplan said.
Only The Savage Are Left
Launching June 3, 2026, Only The Savage Are Left pairs Kaplan with Stefano Raffaele, known for Alien Vs. Captain America, Detective Comics, and Star Wars. With colors by Thiago Rocha and letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, the series is described as a dramatic action-adventure set in a monster apocalypse where survival may require becoming something monstrous yourself.
“I am so excited to partner with Stefano on what we hope will be a powerful standout series, Only The Savage Are Left,” shared Kaplan. “Comics like The Walking Dead were an inspiration for me to write comics, so to follow in its footsteps and to put our own take on the post-apocalyptic genre, and to explore the tragically savage nature of our society right now, well, we’re very excited. The series is dangerous and heartfelt and it’s gonna rock you.”
“Only The Savage Are Left is a dream project for me,” confirmed Raffaele. “Zack and I have been looking for the right story to collaborate on for a long time, and this one immediately felt special. It’s powerful, emotional, and visually daring, a chance for me to fully unleash my cinematic approach to comics.”
The Smart Division
Kaplan reunites with Eisner-winning artist John J Pearson for The Smart Division, with Otsmane-Elhaou lettering. The duo previously collaborated on Mindset, and this new series dives into a dark sci-fi crime thriller centered on an AI app that enables the perfect crime, and the FBI agents tasked with stopping it.
“John Pearson and I have been planning our second series for years,” confides Kaplan. “Looking for the right story and right time. The Smart Division takes everything you loved about our first series Mindset, the playing with form, the thoughtful commentary on technology, and the tense character drama, and raises the bar, with more danger and dread. Artificial Intelligence is the hot topic of our time, but we’re exploring it like you’ve never seen – what happens when it helps us commit the perfect crimes. You’re gonna be blown away.”
“The Smart Division is a stone-cold crime thriller that takes you on an exploration of humanity and technology, which is exactly why I’m pushing my artwork into a more traditional approach and exploring the juxtaposition of the digital and the traditional,” says Pearson. “Embracing human errors and accidents as part of the creative process is integral to making art that speaks to people in a meaningful way, so with The Smart Division that clear indication of it being made by a human hand is central to showing you the division, decay and evolution in this broken world of technological abundance.”
More details on the series are expected later this year, with a late fall release planned.
Kill All Immortals III
Closing out the year is Kill All Immortals III, the final chapter of Kaplan’s Viking epic. Francesco Manna joins the team for the conclusion, alongside returning collaborators Thiago Rocha and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. Oliver Barrett also returns for issue one covers.
“I cannot wait to bring you the finale of Kill All Immortals,” exclaims Kaplan. “This series has been a big hit since it came out, capturing an exciting family drama of barbaric Vikings in our modern world. We’re so lucky to be joined by Marvel superstar Francesco Manna to deliver a poetic and action-packed conclusion to Frey Asvald’s story. We will not be holding back! It will be worthy of the series we’ve given you so far!”
The final chapter sees Frey Asvald confronting immortal rivals, fractured family bonds, and the ultimate choice between freedom and eternal life.
The 2026 slate begins when Only The Savage Are Left #1 arrives in comic shops on June 3, 2026, for $4.99. More information on The Smart Division #1 and Kill All Immortals III #1 will be revealed later this year.
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