Comics! the Magazine

What Is Comics! The Magazine?

Remember Wizard Magazine? The essential monthly read that every comic fan had on their pull list, packed with creator interviews, price guides, industry news, and genuine enthusiasm for the hobby. When Wizard folded in 2011, it left a hole that nothing ever quite filled. Until now.

Comics! The Magazine is a new print publication from Prana DM, LLC, the company behind Prana Direct Market Solutions. Publisher Atom! Freeman (a former comic retailer who knows this community well) and Editor-in-Chief Joseph Keatinge built it from the ground up, with Rico Renzi handling art direction and Megan Marsden as Director of Operations. The broader team brings experience from Valiant, Skybound, and AWA Comics.

The idea is straightforward: celebrate comics with the same energy that fans bring to reading them. Every issue has creator interviews, Pullbox Power Rankings based on real sales data, a price guide for collectors, staff picks, industry news, and actual comics to read. It's not just a magazine about comics. It is comics.

The response has been huge. Issue #1 hit 100,000 pre-orders, making it an instant success at shops across the country. At $3 an issue, it's one of the best deals in the hobby right now.

Issue #1 (March 2026): How to Make Absolute Batman

The debut issue led with Absolute Batman, which made total sense given how much the book had taken over the conversation. Writer Scott Snyder and artist Nick Dragotta gave an in-depth look at the past, present, and future of what's arguably the most talked-about Batman comic in years.

Beyond the cover story, Issue #1 included:

• A new Chew story by John Layman and Rob Guillory, marking the return of the fan-favourite series about an FDA agent with psychic food powers

• Contributions from Chip Zdarsky

• The first Pullbox Power Rankings, ranking the hottest books based on actual sales data

• A full price guide for collectors

• 48 pages for just $3

Readers loved it. Issue #1 earned a 4.3 out of 5 from over 470 ratings on League of Comic Geeks.

Issue #2 (April 2026): Battle Beast Unleashed

Issue #2 shone a spotlight on one of the most beloved characters from the Invincible universe. Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley brought an exclusive Battle Beast comic along with a behind-the-scenes look at the character and how he came to be.

The issue also had:

• More Chew from Layman and Guillory

• Creator interviews and price guide updates

• Power Rankings and staff picks

• Previews of upcoming books

32 pages, another strong issue, and a solid 4.0 rating from 248 readers on League of Comic Geeks.

Issue #3 (May 2026): TMNT 300

Issue #3 focused on one of the biggest milestones in recent comics history: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #300. The magazine sat down with the creative team behind the landmark issue, and for any TMNT fan it's a really worthwhile read.

The rest of the issue followed the same winning formula:

• Another Chew installment (it keeps getting better)

• Creator interviews and industry news

• Pullbox Power Rankings and price guide

• Staff picks

32 pages, $3, absolutely worth it.

Issue #4 (June 3, 2026): The Summer of Supergirl

The upcoming issue is the most ambitious one yet, and it's arriving with something new for the magazine: two orderable variant covers, both from DC Comics.

• Cover A has artist Jorge Corona drawing Supergirl vs. Lobo, timed perfectly with the Supergirl movie starring Milly Alcock dropping June 26th

• Cover B features Gerald Parel on a striking image tied to DC's revived Vertigo line and its End of Life story

Inside, the issue gets into what a lot of people are calling a new golden age for DC Comics, with strong sales and genuinely great books across the line. There's also coverage of the Vertigo revival (yes, 100 Bullets is back), plus previews of indie titles including Reckah's The Future Is... and Pesto Comics' From Parts Unknown.

Chew continues, the Power Rankings are back, and the creator interviews look great. This one is worth grabbing both covers.

Why It's Worth Your Time

Comics! The Magazine isn't just trading on nostalgia for the Wizard days. It's built by people who genuinely love comics and understand what readers and collectors actually want from a magazine like this. It covers the big publishers without ignoring the indie scene. It gives you real comics to read, not just articles about comics. And at $3, it's cheaper than most single issues on the rack.

If you collect, the price guide is worth the cover price by itself. If you're always looking for your next great read, the Power Rankings and staff picks will point you in the right direction. And if you just love comics, this magazine clearly does too.

Pick up a copy through the ScottyDew Comics Whatnot Marketplace and see what the buzz is about.

Comics! The Magazine is published monthly by Prana DM, LLC. Issues #1 through #3 are available now. Issue #4 arrives June 3, 2026.