Comic Source Weekly September 23, 2026 — Josh Cassara Passes Away, Popverse News Ends & Absolute Batman Wins Best Series: The Comic Source

In this episode we discuss;

Comic Source Weekly September 23, 2026 — Josh Cassara Passes Away, Popverse News Ends & Absolute Batman Wins Best Series

The Comic Source

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The comic industry lost an incredible talent this week with the sudden passing of artist Josh Cassara at only 46 years old. Jace remembers his friend, his incredible work on X-Men, X-Force, Wolverine and more, and the conversations they always thought they would have more time to continue. Also this week, there’s important clarification on Popverse: the website itself is not shutting down, but its news operation is coming to an end. The 2026 Ringo Awards have also been announced, with Absolute Batman winning Best Series and the Absolute Universe having a huge night. Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos return to Alias for Jessica Jones’ 25th anniversary, while Jessica Drew gets a dramatically different status quo as the new host for Carnage in Spider-Woman #1. Plus: Hammerfist reaches a third printing, Mirka Andolfo returns to the world of Mercy with Merciless, The Forgotten Five launches at Image, Ghost Machine expands The Rocketfellers and celebrates Geiger #25, Skybound reveals new Universal Monsters and M.A.S.K. variants, Swamp Thing crosses into the Slaughterverse, Stan Sakai has two new Usagi projects, and BAD IDEA collects Megalith in a massive deluxe hardcover. Then Jace gives his What Hit predictions for the September 23 releases, counts down the latest Prana Top 10 Bestsellers, checks last week’s predictions against the finished countdown, and finishes with 20 books approaching Final Order Cutoff on September 28.

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00:00 Opening Hook
00:45 Introduction
01:32 Remembering Josh Cassara
03:26 Popverse News Is Ending
05:14 2026 Ringo Awards — Absolute Batman Wins Best Series
06:30 Jessica Jones: Alias Returns
07:18 Spider-Woman Becomes Carnage’s New Host
09:15 Hammerfist #1 Goes to Third Printing
09:55 Mirka Andolfo Returns With Merciless
10:47 The Forgotten Five
11:57 The Rocketfellers Introduces Invaders Y’All
12:52 Geiger Reaches Issue #25
14:10 Bride of Frankenstein Lives Connecting Covers
15:10 M.A.S.K. Streetwear Variants
16:36 Swamp Thing Is Killing the Children
17:35 New Usagi Yojimbo Projects
18:21 Megalith Deluxe Hardcover
19:47 What Hit — September 23
25:56 Prana Top 10 Bestsellers
33:18 What Hit Results — 8 for 8
34:06 Final Order Cutoff — September 28
40:04 Closing