Marvel is cranking up the heat for the summer of 2026 with a massive new event titled Queen in Black. This five-issue limited series comes from the mind of Al Ewing, who’s been steering the Venom ship into some wild territory lately. He’s joined by artist Iban Coello, fresh off a stellar run on Fantastic Four. They’re leaning into the cosmic horror vibes that have defined the symbiote mythos for the last few years. The story picks up right where the recent Knull limited series left off, with the status quo of the Marvel Universe looking pretty fractured.
The War Between Two Gods
The core of this conflict is a nasty power struggle between two of the most dangerous entities in the galaxy. Hela recently managed to snatch the throne of the Void right out from under Knull. It was a bold move that left the God of the Void looking for a new source of power. Now, Knull is building a fresh army on the edge of the solar system to reclaim what he thinks is his. Hela isn’t just sitting around waiting for him to show up, though. She’s already making planetfall on Earth with a legion of the deadliest symbiotes ever seen.
QUEEN IN BLACK #1
Written by AL EWING
Art by IBAN COELLO
Cover by RYAN STEGMAN
On Sale 7/1
Earth is essentially the unlucky middle ground for this “evil versus evil” showdown. While these two gods tear the stars apart, the street-level and cosmic heroes are just trying to keep the planet in one piece. The main story is going to focus heavily on the Brock family, specifically Eddie and Dylan Brock, who are always at the center of these symbiote storms. Mary Jane and Spider-Man are also right in the thick of it. It’s a classic Marvel setup where the scale is massive, but the emotional stakes stay locked on the characters we’ve followed through the Venom (2025) era.
True Believer Blind Bags and Exclusive Variants
Marvel is leaning into the collector hype for the launch of the first issue on July 1st. They’re bringing back the True Believer Blind Bags, but with a twist that makes them a bit more exclusive than previous releases. Usually, these bags contain the standard cover, but for Queen in Black #1, they only hold the specific variant covers. You won’t find the Ryan Stegman main cover inside these sealed packs. Instead, you’re rolling the dice on a list of artists that reads like a “who’s who” of modern comic superstars.
QUEEN IN BLACK #1 Blind Bag
There are even rumors of “one-of-one” hand-drawn sketch covers hidden in the mix. It’s a high-stakes way to grab some art from people like Peach Momoko or Jeehyung Lee. If you’re looking to jump in early, the prelude starts in Amazing Spider-Man #1000, which should give us the first real look at how Hela plans to use Knull’s old powers against him.
