Almost a year after first announcing the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel comics were on the way, Dynamite Entertainment have announced when the first issue will drop in stores. This new era of tales with writer Kelly Thompson (Absolute Wonder Woman) and artist Stephen Byrne at the helm starts July 22, 2026 everywhere comics are sold.
Into every generation, a slayer is born. Headstrong, empathetic, and creative, Buffy Summers was a uniquely potent slayer. And in the seemingly idyllic California town of Sunnydale, she found friends and allies that made her particularly effective and beloved. She saved the world. A lot.
Though Thompson has kept the mysterious plot closely guarded — the oversized first issue kicks off an event story that draws in the cast of both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Fans can expect to see all their favorite characters from both shows racing to deal with this wild new development in Sunnydale. Emotions are running high, and of course there’s a mythic new villain on the scene. It just wouldn’t be Sunnydale without some big bad trying to destroy the world in the midst of a personal crisis.
Picking up at a pivotal point in the character’s chronology, this is a must-read for any die-hard fan of the show, but also a cool moment to join the fandom for the first time with an epic event that brings all the characters together for one big story that points to the heart of everything Buffy The Vampire Slayer has always been about. The series includes the comics debut of a beloved Buffy character, and a massive twist that will shake the faithful fandom to the core. This is a vision of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that has to be read to be believed!
Eisner Award-winning writer Kelly Thompson continues a scorching hot run of Absolute Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey, Captain Marvel, Black Widow and more by taking on a franchise she has cherished for years. She will not only be writing the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer series, but a companion Angel title, with further details on the latter to come.
“Buffy Summers is, in my opinion, one of the best modern heroes of science-fiction/fantasy,” said Thompson. “The show was wildly inspirational for a young Kelly, and like so many things that feel very lucky in my life, I’m not sure I’m a writer today without encountering Buffy at the right moment. This idea for Buffy has been sitting with me for a long time – and so when the chance to grab both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel came along, I couldn’t resist trying it. I hope you guys will enjoy the ride — it comes from a place of deep love for the franchise – and I’ll try my best to be worthy of it.”
Artist Stephen Byrne has delighted readers with his inimitable style on titles including Justice League / Power Rangers, Wonder Twins, Green Arrow, and Mera: Tidebreaker. Another longtime fan of Buffy, fans can check out his character designs and an early sneak peek at the book.
Byrne added, “I’ve been a lifelong Buffyverse obsessive and I’ve got the VHS boxsets and DVDs to prove it. Working on this comic with such a phenomenal writer is a surreal dream come true, and I still can’t quite believe it. I can’t wait for fans to see what Kelly has planned.”
The powerhouse duo are joined on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series by Eisner-nominated colorist Lee Loughridge and letterer Jeff Eckleberry. Steering the ship is editor and packager Nate Cosby, one of the primary guides behind other chart-toppers like Gargoyles, Darkwing Duck, ThunderCats, and more.
To mark this momentous occasion for Scoobies all over, Nate Cosby has assembled a gang of top tier cover artists to present gorgeous visions of everyone’s favorite slayers. David Nakayama, Amanda Conner, Joshua “Sway” Swaby, and Juliet Nneka are among the first wave. Additionally, Dynamite is remastering the first ever Buffy comic cover from 1998 by the legendary Arthur Adams.
Buffy collectors can also opt for a mystery blind bag, featuring three premium variant covers for the book selected randomly from a range of logo-less editions, line art presentations of art, and wholly original artwork exclusive to this offering including covers by Byrne, Declan Shalvey, and more icon covers by the likes of J. Scott Campbell.
