Mad Cave Studios kicked off ComicsPRO in Glendale, California, with news that The Florida Hippopotamus Cocaine Massacre #1 has officially sold out at distribution following its debut.
The four-issue absurdist action comedy is written by Fred Kennedy, with art, colors, and letters by James Edward Clark. The series also features a variant cover by Mirka Andolfo and an additional special cover by Eisner, GLAAD, and Russ Manning-nominated artist Marguerite Sauvage. Not just that, AIPT has the exclusive reveal!
“It’s been a ride, dude,” said Kennedy. “James and I have been getting asked to do signings at a bunch of shops, and that was before the second printing was announced. Then we heard from Mad Cave that Marguerite Sauvage would be doing a special cover, and I was floored. That’s not even mentioning all the retailer exclusives. I think a book this silly getting such incredible support is a sign of the times. People need a laugh. They really need a laugh. And hippos always deliver.”
From the start, the series embraced slapstick carnage, anti-drug satire, and unapologetic chaos. Retailers responded quickly, turning what began as a send-up of 1980s paranoia, grindhouse energy, and over-the-top D.A.R.E. culture into one of the publisher’s most talked-about launches of the season.
So what’s The Florida Hippopotamus Cocaine Massacre #1 about?
Disco Hippo Wonderland is the number one amusement park in Flamingo City. But few realize its corpulent owner, Jans M’jor Discau, is about to release the most potent drug ever created: Coke45! Fortunately for humanity, Agent Clarke Nebraska is on the case! She’ll bring down Discau come heck or high water! That was the plan, until her undercover agent, Tico Senecoza, was captured! And before she can rescue him, Miquel—Tico’s sexy loose cannon of an older brother beats her to the punch, storming into the park with bullets flying. Discau panics, dumping the Coke45 into the hippo enclosure and letting them loose on the park, before fleeing into Wonderland’s tunnel network! Nebraska’s plans are totally off the rails, and things get worse when a marijuana smoke-fueled hurricane drowns the park in torrential rain! Now it’s up to Nebraska and Miquel to create an uncomfortable truce to bring Discau down before he escapes!
With its neon aesthetic, relentless action, and sharp satire layered beneath the madness, Florida Hippopotamus Cocaine Massacre has found an audience eager for bold, outrageous storytelling. It is positioned to appeal to readers who enjoy offbeat crime comics and high-energy absurdity.
The second printing of Florida Hippopotamus Cocaine Massacre #1 will be available to order on March 25, 2026, with final order cutoff on March 2, alongside issue #2. The first printing arrives in comic shops today.
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