Welcome back to The Beat Digest, a twice-weekly round-up of the biggest comics-related news stories we’ve missed every Tuesday and Friday. Is there a story out there you think we should cover? Be sure to let us know in the comments.
§ Following last week’s announcement Chip Zdarsky will pen next year’s Marvel event Armageddon, the company revealed he will write a four-issue prelude series, titled Wolverine: Weapons of Armageddon. Created with artist Luca Maresca, the comic will see Logan clash with Nuke after he discovers the Weapon X program is still active, and experimenting on mutants. Issue #1 will be released on February 18, ahead of the main event’s start in June.
In more Marvel news, ICv2 shares PUG-W (Pan-Universal Galactic Worldwide) are crowdfunding Marvel: Behind the Panels of Secret Wars, a hardcover look at the creation of the 2015 series by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic, featuring interviews, scripts, pitches, and more. It is the first in a planned series from PUG-W, who made a licensing agreement with Marvel last year. It is available to preorder now on Kickstarter until November 26.
§ Via People magazine, Oni Press unveiled First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth, a biography of the educator and activist, whose efforts led to Juneteenth (June 19) becoming a federally recognized holiday. Written by Angélique Roché with art by Alvin Epps, Bex Glendining, and Millicent Monroe (each of whom chronicles a different part of Lee’s life), the book will be released during Black History Month on February 3.
Speaking of Oni, Popverse reports they will release a new Choose Your Own Adventure graphic novel, Space and Beyond, on August 4, 2026. Scripted by Jeremy Lambert with art by Dani Bolinho (CYOA: Forecast From Stonehenge), the book adapts the 1980 installment of the same name by R.A. Montgomery, which followed a child on a spaceship. It’ll mark Oni’s fourth take on the series, which they began adapting with Eighth Grade Witch in 2021.
§ Blue Beetle star Xolo Maridueña has joined the cast of Netflix’s One Piece as Luffy’s foster brother Portgas D. Ace. He is the second new cast member to have been revealed for the third season, following Cole Escola (who had other news of their own this week), who’ll play assassin Bon Clay. Season three will begin filming in South Africa soon, before season two releases early next year.
§ Deadline reports Tom Taylor and Jon Sommariva‘s Peter Pan-inspired graphic novel Neverlanders will be adapted into a film by Australia’s Pixel Zoo Animation Studios. The book, published by Penguin in 2022, followed a new generation of Lost Boys on Neverland after Peter’s disappearance. Taylor will adapt his script, while Sommariva will serve as art director. In the meantime, a second installment, Neverlanders: Get Lost, will be released sometime next year.
§ Prime Video released the title sequence for Bat-Fam, scored by Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump. The series, which is a continuation of Merry Little Batman, premieres Monday, November 10.
§ Finally, Minecraft launched an official Dragon Ball Z DLC, offering fans the chance to duke it out as Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo etc., and explore locations from the popular anime; players can also wear free skins of various characters in their own game worlds, as well as a power level scouter (available for free until December 4, 10 am PT.) The collaboration, developed by Cyclone Designs, belatedly marks the 40th anniversary of the manga, and 35 years since the premiere of Z.
