Derek Kirk Kim Following Up Hit Comic ‘Last Mermaid’ With OGN ‘Royals’

Royals crop

Derek Kirk Kim’s The Last Mermaid is a big hit, selling out in stores everywhere. And now the Eisner-award-winning creator is expanding further with Royals, an original graphic novel coming next year from Image Comics.

Written by Kim, with art by Jacob Perez, the book is described as a “mind-bending crime caper,” via a press release provided to Comic Book Club. The standalone OGN takes place in the back alleys of Seoul, and focuses on a pair of twins named Paul and Castor. They’ve figured out how to conquer the world of poker due to their telepathic connection — until they’re caught in the act, and have to pay back a criminal syndicate by pulling off a daring heist.

“As a lifelong fan of crime capers and Jackie Chan films, this is a dream project come true for me,” said Kim. “And having it brought to glorious life by Jacob Perez with his vivid, dynamic art is an absolute honor!”

Added Perez, “Royals has been such a fun and wild ride as my first journey into the world of graphic novels. Derek Kim’s script carries this book from beginning to end!”

The hardcover book will hit comic book shops on April 9, 2025, and bookstores everywhere on April 22, 2025. You can get a look at the cover, below.

Royals cover

Comic Book Club Live Info:

Want to watch Comic Book Club live? We stream every Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET to YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, and Twitter/X. Come hang out, and ask questions of our guests (and us!). And you could potentially win a $25 gift card to Midtown Comics, or Long John Silvers. You can check out a current list of upcoming guests and other live appearances on our Shows page.


Discover more from Comic Book Club

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply