Army of Darkness/Evil Dead Comics Discussion Thread!

[MCT28]

And guess what's afoot? An AOD and Archie Comics crossover! Loosely skedded for release in January or February!

I mean, Archie has got to be up there in terms of outrageous crossovers (even more than AOD's), so it was bound to happen at some point!
EDIT: Also, it's really a stretch for this press release from the Archie Director to call Archie a "horror icon"...

 

[MaidOfKandar]

I mean, Archie has got to be up there in terms of outrageous crossovers (even more than AOD's), so it was bound to happen at some point!
EDIT: Also, it's really a stretch for this press release from the Archie Director to call Archie a "horror icon"...

Oh yeah, they have Predator under their belts, among other properties. I'm amused that they're calling him a horror icon like - Afterlife with Archie is good an an important horror comic, but it's also unfinished after decades and Archie Horror's other ventures into the genre have been interesting but not outstanding.

 

[Kain]

Apparently, the Archie/Army of Darkness crossover has been proposed since 2016:

ARCHIE OF DARKNESS - Fernando Ruiz Everybody!

The Army of Darkness parody, ARCHIE OF DARKNESS, by Fernando Ruiz and Anwar Hanano.

fernandoruizeverybody.com

 

[MCT28]

Titan Joins Dynamite At New Digital Comics Distributor, Neon Ichiban

Titan Comics joins Dynamite Entertainment at new digital comics distributor, Neon Ichiban, from the people behind Comixology

bleedingcool.com

Dynamite Entertainment joins the new digital comic and manga distribution platform Neon Ichiban. Much like Comixology before it, Neon Ichiban will have new comics available on the same day of the physical copy's release, but unlike Comixology, will have exclusive digital-only variant covers and "digital collectibles" (whatever that means). Given Dynamite's track-record of going variant crazy, I have no doubt that there will be Neon Ichiban-exclusive covers for an Army of Darkness title in the future, so we'll have to keep an eye on it!

 

[MCT28]

And guess what's afoot? An AOD and Archie Comics crossover! Loosely skedded for release in January or February!

Dynamite's December solicitations have released, and Archie/AOD is nowhere in there, so it is indeed looking like it's coming early 2026, which is fine by me. We need a little break after Red Sonja vs AOD got dragged out across this year.

 

[MaidOfKandar]

Dynamite's December solicitations have released, and Archie/AOD is nowhere in there, so it is indeed looking like it's coming early 2026, which is fine by me. We need a little break after Red Sonja vs AOD got dragged out across this year.

Gosh, second most disappointing crossover for me ever, and we've had many.

 

[MCT28]

The Army of Darkness Forever Volume 2 (collecting issues #7-13) paperback is slated for release on May 27th, 2025, but with Dynamite's track record on trade releases and the ongoing troubles of Diamond Distribution, we'll see if it actually comes out on that day (or if Dynamite will even be around by then).
View attachment 357

The Army of Darkness Forever Volume 2 TPB has been resolicited for January 7th, 2026. Still no word on Archie/Army of Darkness (maybe February to tie in with the board game's release date?)

 

[MCT28]

AODComics (the social media personality formerly known as AODandEDComix) will be doing a pre-recorded interview with the man who has written the most Army of Darkness out of anyone (as well as both Freddy vs Jason vs Ash series)... James Kuhoric! They are asking for questions to be submitted beforehand since this isn't going to be livestreamed, so get them in by December!

 

[MCT28]

ARCHIE X THE ARMY OF DARKNESS is coming February 4th, 2026! Written by Erik Burnham (who wrote the 2022 Army of Darkness versus Reanimator series) and features art by Archie artist Bill Galvan.

IT'S A TEENAGE NIGHTMARE!
There's a certain man - name's Ash, you may have heard of him - who is doomed to battle against the forces of evil, over and over again, whether he likes it or not. No matter where he goes, the cycle of violence always repeats itself - until the day that he arrives in the picturesque town of Riverdale.
This supernaturally wholesome community seems to break the curse that has plagued Ash ever since he first encountered its otherworldly evil all those years ago. Or rather, the curse was broken - until an over-curious teenager named Archie finds a copy of the Necronomicon Ex Mortis and reads a portion of it aloud, summoning the horrifying Deadites once again!
Now Ash and the good townsfolk of Riverdale must hold back the undead hordes long enough for Archie to undo what he's unwittingly done. Otherwise, an Army of Darkness will roll over Riverdale and destroy everything and everyone in its path - and that's just not going to happen on Ashley J. Williams's watch!

Fresh-faced author ERIC BURNHAM (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters) joins wide-eyed artist BILL GALVAN (Archie, Guardians of the Galaxy) for a long night's journey into mayhem with Archie X Army of Darkness #1! Featuring clean-cut covers from GALVAN, ROBERT HACK, LAURA BRAGA, CRAIG CERMAK, and STUART SAYGER, this premier issue also boasts a special PREMIUM MYSTERY BLIND BAG that contains three limited editions of the issue selected randomly from a range of variant covers exclusive to this offering - including two original covers by GALVAN and FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA, as well as multiple line art variants and colored blanks. Please Note: The number of Blind Bags is limited, and allocations may occur.

 

[MCT28]

It seems as though this slipped out a little early, so I don't have the highest resolution version of the covers or the virgins right now (Lunar posts the covers every third Friday of the month), but the 600x900 versions are on Dynamite's website.

 

[Kain]

Thanks! Looks like there was a glitch in the matrix with this variant cover:

 

[MaidOfKandar]

OK, this sounds darn fun. Also yay, early birthday present.

 

[MCT28]

Here's the expanded press release for Archie x Army of Darkness:

Teased previously around New York Comic Con, Dynamite and Archie now come locked and loaded with the thrilling creative team for this maniacal mashup. Writer Erik Burnham is back in the driver's seat of Ash and the Army of Darkness mythos, now bringing in the riotous Riverdale cast to up the ante. This series follows his work a few years back on Army of Darkness vs. Reanimator: Necronomicon Rising. His deep and beloved bibliography on top franchises like Ghostbusters, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers, Godzilla, and more makes him the perfect match for the Archie gang.

To really capture the Archie side of the equation and its timeless aesthetic known around the world for 85 years, editor Matt Idelson has paired Burnham with the peerless Bill Galvan. The two-decades Archie Comics veteran artist will perfectly capture the iconic look of Riverdale, with the crossover’s major twist!

Ashley J. Williams has found himself doomed to battle against the forces of evil, over and over again, whether he likes it or not. Whether he's clocking in at S-Mart or hurling through the multiverse, the cycle of violence always follows him and repeats itself. That is, until he finds himself in the picturesque town of Riverdale. This bewilderingly wholesome community seems to break the curse that has plagued him ever since he first crossed paths with otherworldly evil all those years ago.

This serene peace all comes crashing down when an over-curious teenager by the name of Archie Andrews stumbles upon a copy of the Necronomicon Ex Mortis, accidentally summoning the horrifying Deadites once more! Ash will find himself unexpectedly allied with the good townsfolk of Riverdale, fighting to hold back the undead hordes long enough for Archie to undo what he's unwittingly done.

“I’m excited that I get to inconvenience Ash once again by pitting him against the forces of evil, but to also get a crack at writing the genuine American icons that are Archie and the gang at the same time? Pinch me," said writer Erik Burnham.

"Having read the script for issue #1, I can assure you that Erik Burham's story is going to take readers on a thrill ride that pays homage to the best of both worlds,” said Archie Comics Senior Director of Editorial Jamie L. Rotante. “Plus, Bill Galvan's been an Archie mainstay for years, who continuously impresses us both with his ability to perfectly capture the essence of the Archie characters, while also creating eye-catching, outside-the-box, and sometimes downright horrifying art on his array of specialty variant covers. This series will be a treat for fans of both franchises!"

The series is complemented by a crop of clean-cut covers from signature artists of the Dynamite and Archie libraries. Galvan, Robert Hack, Laura Braga, Craig Cermak, and Stuart Sayger all contribute variants.

Fans can also get a premium mystery blind bag on the premiere issue, packed with three limited editions of the debut selected randomly from a range of stunning variants. Two additional original covers by Galvan and Francesco Francavilla are only available from the bag, as well as multiple line art variants and colored blanks.

This press release makes it sound like it's gonna be a multiverse story, which Burnham is really good at (if his last few years on IDW's Ghostbusters is any indication), and might be a sequel to the 2022 Reanimator crossover...?

 

[Morsoth]

Updated! This is my own interpretation of the "Possible" Evil Dead Timelines. For Evil Dead, I'm not a fan of the idea of a multiverse (it works great with marvel and DC, not so much for Evil Dead in my opinion) but this chart can help you navigate a starting point to the storyline of your choice (movies, games, comics...). Enjoy!

Edit: Added Evil Dead The Musical (2003)

 

[Hurley]

This is great!

 

[MCT28]

AODComics (the social media personality formerly known as AODandEDComix) will be doing a pre-recorded interview with the man who has written the most Army of Darkness out of anyone (as well as both Freddy vs Jason vs Ash series)... James Kuhoric! They are asking for questions to be submitted beforehand since this isn't going to be livestreamed, so get them in by December!

The interesting tidbits:
* Shop Till You Drop Dead was supposed to be the first Dynamite AOD comic, but James was "outranked" by Andy Hartnell, and Ashes 2 Ashes came out first.
* Mike Raicht came aboard because Dynamite wanted James to focus on getting Freddy vs Jason vs Ash ready, and Dynamite was thinking about ending the second AOD ongoing and doing an early relaunch.
* James was given the green-light to write FvJvA moments before his family was set to go on vacation. He wrote the first eight pages of issue one on the car ride to their destination. After he submitted it, he was shocked that they didn’t request any changes to the story.
* According to James, there is serious discussion every year to reprint the FvJvA trade paperbacks, but the legal issues/new ownership of Friday The 13th and some issue with the Elm Street franchise is what is preventing that from happening.
* There were serious plans for “Ash vs Leatherface” being the third installment of the FvJvA saga, and it even went as far as having some pitch art created for it. The line about Ash going to Texas in the finale of Nightmare Warriors was intended to set up the series.
* Sugarbaby was going to have a much more prominent role as the series progressed (the idea being that she would be one of the few competent people in the modern age who knew how to use the Necronomicon), but plans were cut-short following the post-Marvel Zombies crossover, and the series went a different direction.

 

[MCT28]

Eric Burnham says Archie x AOD will be five issues.

 

[MCT28]

Pencils, inks, and virgin artwork for the main covers of Evil Dead 2: Dark Ones Rising #1, 2, and 3.
I would also like to ask if anyone here still has the digital edition of the ED2: Cradle of The Damned TPB. I am not looking for the six individual chapters of the story, but the bonus material featured at the end of the physical TPB (which I presume would have been carried over to the digital edition).

 

[MaidOfKandar]

The interesting tidbits:
* Shop Till You Drop Dead was supposed to be the first Dynamite AOD comic, but James was "outranked" by Andy Hartnell, and Ashes 2 Ashes came out first.
* Mike Raicht came aboard because Dynamite wanted James to focus on getting Freddy vs Jason vs Ash ready, and Dynamite was thinking about ending the second AOD ongoing and doing an early relaunch.
* James was given the green-light to write FvJvA moments before his family was set to go on vacation. He wrote the first eight pages of issue one on the car ride to their destination. After he submitted it, he was shocked that they didn’t request any changes to the story.
* According to James, there is serious discussion every year to reprint the FvJvA trade paperbacks, but the legal issues/new ownership of Friday The 13th and some issue with the Elm Street franchise is what is preventing that from happening.
* There were serious plans for “Ash vs Leatherface” being the third installment of the FvJvA saga, and it even went as far as having some pitch art created for it. The line about Ash going to Texas in the finale of Nightmare Warriors was intended to set up the series.
* Sugarbaby was going to have a much more prominent role as the series progressed (the idea being that she would be one of the few competent people in the modern age who knew how to use the Necronomicon), but plans were cut-short following the post-Marvel Zombies crossover, and the series went a different direction.

I will not mourn the early death of Sugarbaby because mann was she underdeveloped in her published version. A shame!

 

[MCT28]

Press release for Archie x Army of Darkness #2, in stores March 11, 2026!

IT’S A DEADITE PARTY! Reggie’s lake house soirée was supposed to be the social event of the season, but now it may prove to be the town of Riverdale’s swan song! Following Archie Andrews’s unwitting awakening of the Army of Darkness, chaos — in the form of an undead horde — has descended upon the shore. With slavering evil literally at their doorstep, the gang has only one hope of making it out alive — the Savior of S-Mart, one Ashley J. Williams. Unluckily for them, the Chosen One’s car currently has four flat tires! Amateur mechanics ERIK BURNHAM and BILL GALVAN pop the hood and supercharge the adventure in Archie X Army of Darkness #2 — featuring nitrous-boosted covers from GALVAN, FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA, LAURA BRAGA, CRAIG CERMAK, and STUART SAYGER!

I couldn't find the virgin for the B cover, but if I find it later, I will post it here. EDIT: Got it.