Oni Press has announced Shellshock #1, a 56-page, giant-sized EC Comics anthology special arriving as a one-shot on August 19th, 2026—pairing new war stories with a classic tale remastered and restored. Writers including Julio Anta, John Arcudi, Benito Cereno,
The first thing you notice about Oni Press’ new announcement isn’t the promise of “old school” thrills—it’s the insistence on returning war stories to the page the way EC Comics did when the genre still carried an edge.
This August. Oni Press says it will publish a new anthology of “war and fighting men” in EC Comics’ next giant-sized. 56-page special: Shellshock #1. The one-shot will bring new war stories alongside a classic EC Comics tale remastered and restored. a pairing that feels less like nostalgia than like a deliberate collision between past and present.
The creative lineup reads like a roster assembled for the same grim mission, just in modern voices. Commanding writers Julio Anta (This Land Is Our Land: A Blue Beetle Story). John Arcudi (B.P.R.D.). Benito Cereno (Invincible Presents: Atom Eve). and Michael W. Conrad (Double Walker) lead a joint campaign alongside artistic bombardiers Tom Fowler (EC’s Catacomb of Torment). David Lapham (Stray Bullets). Albert Monteys (Slaughterhouse-Five: The Graphic Novel). and Shawn Martinbrough (Thief of Thieves).
EC Comics, after all, didn’t treat war as clean heroism. During its heyday. Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat offered the gritty. violent war you’d expect from the publisher of Tales From The Crypt. Sgt. Rock and Nick Fury were military heroes at DC and Marvel. but EC’s approach was different: battle as dirty. violent. and horrifying.
The through-line, Oni Press points to, is the anti-war stance associated with editor Harvey Kurtzman—a trained infantryman during WWII. With the Korean War ending and interest in war comics declining across the board. EC’s war comics still linger in memory. Even today, their approach can feel radical.
Allyson Gronowitz, Senior Editor, put it in the language of dread. “Take a journey into the deepest depths of the heart of darkness, as Shellshock showcases the most skin-crawling monster of all— humankind’s capacity for war and bloodshed,” she said.
Covers for the anthology arrive with their own promise of variety. Lee Bermejo (Joker). Tyler Crook (Out of Alcatraz). Tom Fowler (MAD Magazine). Jay Stephens (Dwellings). and Rian Hughes (Epitaphs from the Abyss) are all listed for cover work. with multiple editions designed to pull collectors and first-timers alike in different directions. Shellshock #1 (one-shot) is on sale August 19th, 2026.
The set of cover options includes COVER A BY LEE BERMEJO, COVER B BY TYLER CROOK, COVER C BY TOM FOWLER, and EC VARIANT (1:10) BY JAY STEPHENS. There is also a B&W ARTIST EDITION VARIANT (1:20) BY TOM FOWLER, an ARCHIVE EDITION (1:50) BY RIAN HUGHES, and a BLANK SKETCH COVER also available.
The book itself is positioned to feel like a bridge, not a detour: written by Julio Anta, Michael W. Conrad, John Arcudi, Tom Fowler, Benito Cereno & more, with art by David Lapham, Albert Monteys, Shawn Martinbrough, Tom Fowler & more. In keeping with that mix of reverence and disruption. the announcement asks you to look forward while acknowledging what EC did—when war comics weren’t interested in sanitizing anything.
For more updates on Oni Press, the publisher says to visit them on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Oni Press EC Comics Shellshock #1 anthology war comics Harvey Kurtzman Julio Anta John Arcudi Benito Cereno Michael W. Conrad Tom Fowler David Lapham Albert Monteys Shawn Martinbrough Lee Bermejo Tyler Crook Jay Stephens Rian Hughes