It was a supremely light and weird week for comics news, as the shadow of San Diego Comic Con looms large and publishers are keeping things close to the chest in anticipation of an upcoming blowout. That doesn’t mean there was nothing. It just means this edition of Comics Disassembled is a bit light, so let’s get to exploring the things I liked or didn’t like from the week of comics, led by…one of the most reliably interesting lines in comics right now?

Universal Monsters, Saying I Do

I’ve mentioned this before, but if there’s been one surprising constant in the past couple years in comics, it’s that Skybound’s Universal Monsters line always delivers really, really interesting creative teams on its books. Edited by Alex Antone, we’ve gotten everything from A-list creative teams to cartoonists like Faith Erin Hicks taking the rein on The Mummy, and it’s been an endless delight to see where they go next and with who.

Take this week’s announcement of Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives as an example. You know what’s a really good way to ensure a book is going to work? Hire a team that you already know delivers, like Kelly Thompson and Mattia De Iulis, who have proven themselves separately but more importantly together on The Cull at Image Comics and a little comic called Absolute Wonder Woman at DC.

And they have a great idea for the book, as this series “examines the Bride’s perspective as she grapples with her own existence, identity, and the women whose lives were taken to create her,” a nuanced take on horror and the concept of The Bride that Thompson and De Iulis will both crush. It’s funny that this is coming on the heels of Maggie Gyllenhaal’s polarizing film, The Bride!, meaning the character is perhaps unexpectedly getting a lot of shine in 2026. But it’s worth noting that Thompson emphasized she deliberately avoided that film to ensure she without it in her brain, which was a wise move by the pro.

This four-issue miniseries is launching in October, and kudos once again to the Skybound team for continuing to make these minis an event. Even if you’re not a Bride fan, though, you’ll want to check this one out because who can resist the glory of De Iulis’ art? That guy is a phenomenal talent, and that Thompson character isn’t so bad herself!

ComicsPRO, Making San Diego Comic Con Even Busier!

Just in case you’re a person who is attending San Diego Comic Con that thought to themselves, “Dang, I really wish more interesting things were happening there” — which I must imagine is none of you because that place is insane — it seems that ComicsPRO (the trade organizations for comic shop retailers) is going to have a whole day of programming at SDCC on Friday, July 24th. Featuring presentations by tons of publishers, a panel, and, perhaps mostly importantly, coffee, this Retailer Day gives the organization and key entities in the comics industry a chance to rub elbows with retailers in the hopes of moving the needle for everyone.

It is very retailer-centric, so I’m not sure anyone else can attend, including press members like myself, but it’s still a cool thing that’s happening that could make a difference in the direct market landscape going forward. I like that ComicsPRO seems to be having a presence at more and more events, as I’m sure that results in them getting additional retailers involved who can’t necessarily make it to their annual meeting. It’s a good idea!