Kodansha USA Publishing, which includes both the Kodansha Comics and VERTICAL publishing imprints, has made the decision to shift on sale dates for many of its spring and summer 2020 print titles to later in the year, following careful consideration of the global health crisis and related book retail and distribution disruptions.

This decision was not made lightly and Kodansha USA Publishing continues to strive to support its physical retail partners as best it can during this challenging time for the industry. All backlist orders continue to be promptly filled by Kodansha USA Publishing’s distribution partner Penguin Random House. Furthermore, several frontlist releases, including debuts of highly anticipated new manga series, like Wave, Listen to Me!, and returning favorites like Tales of Berseria (Manga) volume 3, Drifting Dragons volume 4, and more, will retain their original on sale dates.

In order to meet unabated demand for fans reading at home, all previously scheduled Kodansha Comics and VERTICAL titles will continue to be released digitally by their original on sale dates. Kodansha Comics and VERTICAL ebooks will be released as originally planned via digital retail partners BookWalker, comiXology, Google Play, Kindle, MyAnimeList, Apple Books, Rakuten Kobo, nook and izneo.

Publishing schedule updates for both print and digital releases are viewable through the end of May 2020 at kodanshacomics.com/new-releases.

“We’re very, very lucky to be working with incredibly resilient and resourceful retail partners and our fantastic distribution partner at Penguin Random House, who are stepping up and keeping the essential lifeline of books open during an unprecedented disruption to our day-to-day business,” said Alvin Lu, Kodansha USA Publishing President and CEO. ‘Getting manga to readers is the top and only priority for us at Kodansha USA Publishing, which we will continue to do during this extraordinary time.”

Mutants have conquered death, but who investigates when they don’t come back? All all-new team of detectives comes together to solve mutant murders across the globe in the X-Factor #1 trailer, featuring writer Leah Williams, Senior Editor Jordan D. White, and Assistant Editor Annalise Bissa.

Death may no longer be permanent for mutantkind, but that doesn’t mean their killers go unpunished. X-Factor is reformed to look into mutant fatalities of all sorts to determine the cause of death, if anyone is responsible, or if a life was truly lost at all. An brand new line-up has assembled for this task, including Northstar, Daken, Eye-Boy, Prestige, Prodigy, and the returning Polaris.

“We’re gonna be exploring what the new rules and establishing these things with X-Factor,” says Williams.

“If you like mysteries, come check it out. There’s gonna be some crazy mysteries, and it’ll introduce you to the insane world of the X-Men,” assures White. X-Factor #1 by Leah Williams and David Baldeón is on sale April 2020 in comic shops, on the Marvel Comics App, and on Marvel.com! To find a comic shop near you, visit www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook.

Speaking to a packed room at this year’s Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2), Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski unveiled first story details and cover art for Marvel’s upcoming series THE RISE OF ULTRAMAN, launching later this year! THE RISE OF ULTRAMAN #1 will revisit the classic first generation of the worldwide phenomenon, co-helmed by writers Kyle Higgins and Mat Groom with art by Francesco Manna.

Both known for their talents in world building, Higgins (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Winter Soldier) and Groom (Self/Made) will combine their acclaimed storytelling skills with the stunning style of superstar artist Francesco Manna, who has drawn for some of Marvel’s biggest series like Jason Aaron’s Avengers and Dan Slott’s Fantastic Four. As fans of the Ultraman series themselves, they will introduce Ultraman to new fans young and old and revisit the iconic era – and spirit – of the Ultras longtime enthusiasts know and love.

“A few years ago, thanks to my time on Power Rangers, I was able to discover and learn more about Tokusatsu. With its wildly different conventions and inspirations, Tokusatsu — and Ultraman in particular — has been a huge source of joy for me,” said Higgins. “It’s a genre so ripe with possibilities, even down to what we conceive of in the structure of super hero storytelling. It’s both an honor and a privilege to bring Ultraman to Marvel.”

“Monsters in fiction have been embodying all that is dark and scary in our world for as long as we’ve been telling stories. But I don’t think anybody understood the immense scale of our most pressing problems quite like Eiji Tsuburaya,” shared Groom. “He imagined the darkness looming overhead as tall as skyscrapers— alien and unknowable and ANGRY. But he also imagined us being able to stand up to those monsters, by rising above our worst impulses and embracing a nobler way of being. He imagined ULTRAMAN. What does that mean in this complex, contradictory world of lies? We’re going to find out…”

At the end of last year, Marvel Comics and Tsuburaya Productions announced a landmark collaboration to produce all-new stories based on the classic Ultraman series starring the beloved pop culture icon, Ultraman. Ultraman has been a pop culture staple since the franchise debuted in the 1960s, and his thrilling stories have been depicted on both the page and the screen. Now, Marvel Comics will be able to add to this iconic character’s legacy. Stay tuned for more details about what can you expect from Ultraman’s adventures when ULTRAMAN #1 hits stands later this year.

In 1975, writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum changed the comics landscape forever with Giant-Size X-Men #1. This special issue marked a new genesis for the team, introduced iconic Marvel characters like Storm and Nightcrawler, and set the X-Men on the path to becoming the cultural powerhouses they are today.

Now, 45 years later, Marvel Comics is honoring this landmark issue in an extraordinary way with the help of 37 of the industry’s top artists. Each pulse-pounding page of this unforgettable issue will be re-envisioned by artists such as Alex Ross, Carmen Carnero, and Mark Brooks. This diverse group of talent have joined together to pay homage to this comic book masterpiece by redrawing Cockrum’s original art in their own unique styles.

“The artists were so excited to work on it because the art in this book inspired them all,” recounts Editor Jordan D. White. “Everybody involved loves this comic book and is doing amazing work. You’ve gotta check it out.”

“As a kid the X-Men was my very first comic and Len Wein and Dave Cockrum were instrumental in influencing me to become a comic book illustrator,” says artist Mark Brooks. “Being able to contribute to the recreation of a book that means so much to me is an honor and a privilege. This assignment along with the accompanying pressure to do Len and Dave justice is one I’m thrilled to take on as a thank you for showing a nerdy kid that it’s okay to be different and pave your own path.”

“The presence Wein and Cockrum have on comics is too immense to weigh,” says artist Mike Hawthorne. “I can honestly say their X-Men were my first love and it’s a privilege to pay homage to these two giants and their contribution to our culture. I drew my page with my heart in hand, sirs. I hope it’s enough. Thank you.” GIANT-SIZE X-MEN: TRIBUTE TO WEIN & COCKRUM #1 goes on sale May 27th but you can get your first look at this milestone issue in this special announcement trailer featuring Editor Jordan D. White and Assistant Editor Annalise Bissa.

Starting next month and continuing through June, MARVELS SNAPSHOTS will be a bi-monthly series consisting of eight standalone issues offering unusual viewpoints on some of your favorite Marvel heroes. Curated by industry legend Kurt Busiek with iconic painted covers by Alex Ross, this milestone series will feature new creative teams for each giant-sized story handpicked by Busiek himself! In May 2020, this unforgettable tour through Marvel history will showcase tales focusing on the Avengers and Spider-Man.

First up will be an Avengers story like none other by superstar writer Barbara Randall Kesel (Hawk & Dove, Ultragirl) and acclaimed artist Staz Johnson (New X-Men, Robin). Set during the influential David Michelinie, John Byrne, and George Perez era of AVENGERS, MARVELS SNAPSHOTS: AVENGERS will depict a romance that could only happen in the Marvel Universe when a rookie cop and new-to-the-city emergency medical technician meet amidst a devastating battle between Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and a giant, rampaging robot.

“When Kurt first asked me about this project, it took me a minute to realize he wasn’t just telling me about this fun Marvels-eye concept, he was asking me if I wanted to be involved!” Kesel said. “My favorite stories are the ones that step into the personal lives of people in the vicinity of the Big Action, so a big YES to anything Marvels-scale, and getting to step back into that sweet yet insane 80s Avengers vibe was the frosting on the crazy cake! I have so totally enjoyed adding a little piece to the mighty Marvel mythos. Kurt started it off with an image that became the catalyst for two non-powered NYC heroes who would “meet cute” during a crisis. Then, when we started speculating about what the people on the street do when chunks of buildings fall from the sky…where do they go to shelter out the emergency?”

Following that will be MARVELS SNAPSHOTS: SPIDER-MAN written and drawn by industry great, Howard Chaykin! This action-packed story will be told through the eyes of a lowlife criminal just trying to make a living in the super hero infested streets of New York City. See firsthand how hard life as a henchman can be when someone like Spider-Man lurks around every corner!

“I was delighted to be summoned by the fabulous Kurt Busiek to work on the Marvel Snapshots series,” said Chaykin. “Not having worked for Marvel in any steady capacity in nearly eight years, my delight was also framed in surprise. Kurt is a stand-up cat, and I’m grateful to participate in this project.”

When MARVELS SNAPSHOTS begins in March, fans will get to see Marvel’s greatest characters from the Golden Age to today, in new legendary tales told through the eyes of ordinary people! As curator of this landmark series, Kurt Busiek has handpicked the creative teams for each standalone, double-sized issue and he’s put together an amazing assemblage of talent to tackle April’s issues focusing on Captain America and the X-Men.

First up, Eisner nominated writer Mark Russell will revisit Jack Kirby’s classic Madbomb storyline from his 1970s run on CAPTAIN AMERICA.

“Some people, when they call, you gotta pick up the phone. And Kurt Busiek is one of those people,” says Russell. “I was pretty instantly sold on the project once he started describing it to me— stories about the human cost of these famous conflicts in the Marvel Universe. I truly enjoyed working on this with him.”

Known for his work on books like Second Coming and Wonder Twins, Russell says MARVELS SNAPSHOT: CAPTAIN AMERICA will focus on “the Madbomb’s impact in the South Bronx, a community which had already been effectively abandoned by the rest of the nation, that community’s struggle for survival, and of the search for heroes of its own.” He will be joined by acclaimed artist Ramón Pérez(ALL-NEW HAWKEYE).
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This April, you’ll be able to see the work of acclaimed Japanese artist, Takashi Okazaki, on the cover of the brand new series, WEREWOLF BY NIGHT! Known for creating the hit manga series Afro Samurai, which went on to inspire both an anime series and an Emmy-nominated television film, Okazaki now brings his incredible talent to Marvel Comics.

Written by Taboo and Ben Jackendoff with art by Scot Eaton, WEREWOLF BY NIGHT #1 will introduce an all-new Werewolf by Night, a young man who must deal with a family curse while trying to protect his community from a deadly threat. For this exciting new series, Okazaki captures the new hero’s internal struggle in beautiful detail with a special variant cover to mark his Marvel debut.

“I’ve wanted to bring Takashi to Marvel ever since we first met during production of Afro Samurai, and we’re thrilled he’s finally found some time in his schedule,” says Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski. “The way he illustrates characters to kinetically leap out of his art reminds me of so many of Marvel’s masters, and I knew he’d be perfect for covers here, as this Werewolf by Night image perfectly shows!”

“Takashi Okazaki is a master whose style and sense of design have a lot of fans at Marvel,” Editor Jake Thomas added. “We were so honored to have WEREWOLF BY NIGHT be his first work with Marvel, but it is sure to only be the beginning. His character work and evocation of mood is unparalleled, so it was a real thrill to have him help premiere our new Werewolf By Night. And what an incredible job he did!” See Okazaki’s cover below and howl along with the new Werewolf by Night when it hits store in April! For more information about the series, visit marvel.com.