Oni Press is reviving the legendary vigilante Dr. Syn in a new four-issue series set against the backdrop of 1775, launching in January 2027.
The mask is coming out of the shadows. More than a century after Russell Thorndike first introduced the world to the smuggler-hero in his 1915 novel. *Doctor Syn: A Tale of the Romney Marsh*. the infamous vigilante is being reimagined for a new generation. Oni Press has announced *Dr. Syn #1*. a four-issue series that transplants the British icon from the English countryside to the volatile American colonies on the eve of the revolution.
This isn’t a simple retelling. The story picks up after the Reverend Doctor Christopher Syn has been captured. tried. and exiled to the British Empire’s rugged Georgia penal colony. The year is 1775, and Syn finds himself imprisoned among a collection of society’s outcasts. He is no longer just the ghost of the Romney Marsh; he is a man seeking to spark a rebellion against the crown that cost him his family.
Behind the project are Michael E. Uslan, a veteran Batman film producer and comics scholar, and Steven S. DeKnight, the showrunner behind Netflix’s *Daredevil*. They are joined by artist Sebastián Cabrol, tasked with bringing this “proto-pulp” avenger to life. For Uslan. the project is a long-held ambition to revive a character he considers the original “dark knight. ” a sentiment echoed by DeKnight. who points to the story’s resonance as an aggrieved citizen challenging an oppressive government.
While the character saw multiple film adaptations throughout the mid-20th century—most notably the 1963 Disney feature *The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh*—this series marks his first significant appearance in the 21st century. It also serves as the first time the character has stepped foot on American soil in his literary history. The shift in setting provides a new crucible for a man who spent his life waging guerrilla warfare against King George III.
The first issue hits comic shops on January 6, 2027. It will be available for $4.99 for the standard 32-page edition. with a variety of covers from artists including Dustin Weaver. Jeffrey Alan Love. Elia Bonetti. and Kelley Jones. A foil variant will be offered at $8.99, alongside 1:10 and 1:20 ratio variants and a blank sketch cover.
Fans looking for a first look can mark their calendars for October 9, 2026. Michael E. Uslan is set to discuss the project during an Oni Press panel at New York Comic Con. held from 4:30 PM to 5:15 PM in North Room S 406.1. He will be joined by creators George Northy. Oliver Mertz. Ryan O’Sullivan. and Dave Baker. as well as editors Karl Bollers and Bess Pallares. The final order cutoff for retailers is November 30, 2026.
Dr. Syn Oni Press New York Comic Con Michael E. Uslan Steven S. DeKnight comics Scarecrow of Romney Marsh 1775 historical fiction