Written By: Sam Santiago
Oni Press has never been shy about wandering into the darker corners of comics,that's why we love them so, but every so often they turn up something that feels especially electric. "SPIRIT OF THE SHADOWS" #1 is one of those finds. Arriving January 28, 2026, the new five-issue series comes from Oni Press and co-writers Nick Cagnetti and Daniel Ziegler, blending superhero mythology with a horror-soaked atmosphere.
Equal parts superhero spectacle and creeping horror story, the series arrives with confidence, style, and just enough menace to let readers know they are in for something different. This is not a cape story content to play it safe. It wants to get under your skin and stay there, driven by striking visuals and a clear intent to push past genre comfort zones. Just by the look of the covers and art style alone, we know this is going to be a fun read with just the right dash of disturbing and style we enjoy.
Before diving deeper into what awaits inside its pages, here is the full press release with all the details straight from Oni Press.
FROM ONI PRESS:
Oni Press, the multiple Eisner and Harvey Award-winning publisher of groundbreaking comics and graphic novels since 1997, is proud to announce the most visually stunning and hauntingly heartfelt superhero-horror hit of 2026: "SPIRIT OF THE SHADOWS" #1 – a stunning new five-part series drawn from the darkest recesses of the imagination of co-writers Nick Cagnetti (Pink Lemonade, XINO) and Daniel Ziegler (Elodie) and featuring the first full-length artwork by Nick Cagnetti since his dazzling debut with 2022’s PINK LEMONADE.
“I'm excited to be working with Oni Press again, bringing something completely different to life this time…or rather raise it from the dead,” said Cagnetti. “This series goes to a lot of crazy spooky places and its multiple settings were so fun for Daniel and I to become immersed in when we were creating it all together. It's an intricate web of revelation, revenge, and redemption that weaves back and forth on itself and constantly leaves you gasping at the moral quandaries. I don't know how you're going to feel or who you're going to be rooting for, and that makes it a nonstop rush - can't wait for readers to see this book finally!”
(Image Courtesy of Oni Press)
Synopsis: Once, Erik Leroux was a mortal musician, selflessly devoted to his music and his true love, Katrina . . . until his sudden death plunged his soul into the carnival-like torments of the Spirit World beyond our own. Now, reborn as a phantom with fleeting memories of his life among the living, and forever cursed to bear the arcane costume his corpse wore to the grave, Erik will claw his way back from the infernal planes to uncover the mysteries of his own life . . . and avenge the dark sins that transformed him into the SPIRIT OF THE SHADOWS!
“I’m thrilled to be working with Oni Press and my longtime friend and collaborator Nick Cagnetti to finally let this monstrous story loose,” said Daniel Ziegler. "SPIRIT OF THE SHADOWS" embodies the kind of horror I love most, but don’t see much of anymore: classic monsters, iconic spooky imagery, forbidden romance, and a hefty dose of the supernatural. Nick and I have spent many years building up a world unlike anything you’ve ever read or seen, and I can’t wait to finally welcome readers into it.”
Being huge comic fans ourselves, we plan on collecting the whole series, and so should you! With its official release just around the corner, "SPIRIT OF THE SHADOWS"#1 is positioning itself as one of the more intriguing launches of early 2026. Look for our review as well as a chat with the creators here at TrulyDisturbing.
