Believe it or not, The Greatest American Hero is back, again, in a new comic book series coming in 2026 from AMP Comics. The new books will be Executive Produced by William Katt, the star of the cult classic 1980s series.
“The Greatest American Hero was ahead of its time—quirky, heartfelt, and deeply human,” said Don Handfield, CEO of AMP Comics, via press release. “We’re honored to continue its legacy and couldn’t be more excited to have William Katt involved every step of the way. Being a part of this franchise is a boyhood dream come true.”
The original series ran for 40 episodes (plus 5 unaired episodes) from 1981-1983, and focused on Ralph Hinkley, a regular teacher who gets superpowers thanks to aliens. The character’s name was changed to Ralph Hanley after the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan by John Hinckley, Jr., but in what is probably a real thrill for Jodie Foster, the new series will find him going back to being Ralph Hinkley.
The initial arc will be written by Handfield, and AMP Editor-in-Chief Joshua Malkin and “other writers” will jump in for subsequent issues. Tawnia McKiernan, the daughter of Greatest American Hero creator Stephen J. Cannell, is also on board, and will “co-break the story” with Handfield.
“As a child, my favorite show of my dad’s was GAH,” McKiernan said. “Watching Ralph navigate his life, which had been invaded by a supersuit, while dealing with Bill Maxwell’s pushy demeanor, was the highlight of my day. This buddy superhero show was so much fun to watch! And as my dad often said, ‘fun to write.’ I look forward to collaborating with this amazing team and can’t wait to see where the suit takes us next. Here we go: The Greatest American Hero!”
Previously, Katt helped bring Greatest American Hero back in comic book form in 2009 from Catastrophic Comics and Arcana Studios. It ran three issues, featuring an update of the pilot, and a cover featuring the main character meeting President Obama. No word on whether the character had to change his last name after that one.
The new Greatest American Hero comics are planned to be released in 2026, and the publisher teases that they will “feature signings and a fan celebration at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, where Katt and other cast members will reunite to promote the launch.”
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