First announced at last year’s New York Comic Con, IDW Dark has finally opened the cellar door to gaze in terror on four new titles coming soon, including spinoffs of Smile and A Quiet Place.
First up? Following on Smile and its sequel, writer Hannah Rose May and artist Miriana Puglia will take on Smile: For The Camera. Set in 2005, the title follows a group of international models all together for Fashion Month in New York. Unfortunately, the Smile Entity is on trend, too.
“As a huge fan of Smile, I’m honored to be entrusted with expanding Parker Finn’s terrifying universe into comics,” said May via press release. “I’ve had a disgustingly good time writing this and I can’t wait for fans to experience the nightmare in a whole new medium. Like how Smile 2 took us inside the world of a present day pop star, our series throws it back to the early 2000s and drops the Entity right into the ruthless world of the modeling industry.
“Miriana’s poppy art paired with Dearbhla’s evocative colors has created a visual language that’s as seductive as it is sinister. I’m thrilled to be working alongside this excellent team that Paramount, IDW, and editor Heather Antos have assembled. IDW Dark is setting the stage for a new era of horror comics and they’re just getting started!”
Added Puglia, “It’s really a pleasure – and especially an honor for me – to work on this project. Hannah’s ability to take us into the context of the early 2000s fashion world is unique. I love the scenes relating to the hectic life of those working in this field, the behind the scenes of a fashion show and the constant need to be aesthetically top notch at all times (even when you are infected by the Entity). I am having a lot of fun imagining each scene, especially the tension and fear of turning the page!”
As for A Quiet Place: Storm Warning, that will be written by Phil Hester with art by Ryan Kelly, and focus on a small island town in the midwest who have to do the thing hardest for people in the midwest to do: shut up for a second. I’m kidding.
“As a franchise, I think A Quiet Place stands out for two reasons. Each movie is a relentless torrent of suspenseful action, but with a genuinely moving drama at its core. Secondly, it’s an innovative formal exercise in visual storytelling without dialogue,” said Hester. “With A QUIET PLACE: STORM WARNING, I feel Ryan Kelly and I have replicated those qualities, but in an entirely different medium. We’re both midwesterners living along the Mississippi, so the tiny, creature-besieged island town of Pearl, Iowa in this series is in our blood. Also, as creators, the challenge of largely silent storytelling has inspired us to stretch our skills in new and exciting ways, resulting in a horror series unlike any other book on the stands. Just remember to flip those pages quietly. Something unwanted might be listening.”
A surprise announcement is The Exorcism at Buckingham Palace, also by May, with art by Kelsey Ramsay. A sequel to the excellent Exorcism at 1600 Penn, you can probably figure this one out, but it transports the action to London.
“I’ve been truly humbled by the response to THE EXORCISM AT 1600 PENN,” said May. “Returning to this world with the team at IDW Dark has been an absolute thrill. THE EXORCISM AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE expands the universe with a brand-new setting, cast and mythology. It’s a fresh entry point for new readers, while rewarding the fans who’ve been with us since the beginning. I’m delighted to have Kelsey Ramsay on board for art and we can’t wait to welcome everyone into the next chilling chapter of THE EXORCISM AT universe.”
And last up is Operation: Iron Coffin, by Kenny Porter and Tyrell Cannon. Based on Dracula, it transposes the action to World War II, where the British drop the titular coffin on a train full of Nazis. It’s up to the good Count to stop Hitler from creating a vampire army.
“I can’t wait to share this bold new take on Dracula with the world,” said Porter. “Working with Tyrell is always a dream, and we’ve got a really unique, horror/action take on the character that fans of Castlevania, Metal Gear, and Hellboy are going to love.”
Added Cannon, “I’m so excited to collaborate with Kenny again for this wild take on Dracula. As a lifelong horror fan, drawing Dracula verses the ultimate evil is a dream (nightmare?) come true. Get on board for this bloody train ride!”
No release dates were shared for the books at this time, but per IDW Dark editor Heather Antos, you can expect them next year.
“At IDW, we love nothing more than keeping readers up at night — and with these new titles, we’re about to unleash a quadruple shot of terror to kick off 2026,” said Antos, Group Editor of IDW Dark. “From royal hauntings to apocalyptic silence to fashion-week frights, this lineup proves horror can be elegant, inventive, and downright terrifying. Buckle up… because the nightmares are only getting started.“
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