Image Comics is giving Rob Liefeld’s Avengelyne a late-night launch with a special #1 Midnight Variant drawn by the character’s creator. The cover will be available at participating comic shops opening at midnight on Wednesday, October 7, adding a collector-focused wrinkle to the supernatural hero’s return.
The timing places Avengelyne alongside other comics using the current midnight-release concept, including Sabrina the Teenage Witch and three Marvel titles scheduled for the same night. For readers, the event offers a chance to revisit one of Liefeld’s ’90s creations in a new Image Comics series. For collectors, it creates another exclusive-looking cover tied directly to launch-night culture.
A new midnight image for an old-school avenging angel
Liefeld’s special cover arrives as part of an already crowded lineup of Avengelyne #1 artwork. Image Comics has announced additional covers by Diógenes Neves, Shannon Maer, Dan Lawlis, Andy Park, and Ben Bradi, while the regular debut issue will feature a main cover by series artist Daniel Mainé.
The Midnight Variant stands apart because it is connected to the comic’s release event rather than simply being another cover available through the usual retail-ordering process. Availability is limited to participating stores opening at midnight, so readers interested in the variant will need to check with local comic shops for plans, quantities, and reservation policies.
No print run or ratio incentive has been announced for the Midnight Variant. That leaves its long-term collector value uncertain, but the combination of Liefeld’s involvement, the first-issue numbering, and the midnight-only retail window should make it one of the more closely watched versions of the debut.
Daniel Mainé joins Liefeld for a fresh start
The new Avengelyne series brings Liefeld back to the character while pairing him with Mainé for an all-new direction. Image’s launch materials position the comic as a new beginning, making it accessible to readers who remember the original character while giving newcomers a clear entry point.
That distinction matters for a character with a history stretching back to the 1990s. Rather than requiring readers to track down earlier material before opening the first issue, the new series is designed to reintroduce Avengelyne and establish her latest mission from the ground up.
Mainé is credited as the artist for the series, and the first issue’s cover lineup gives readers several different interpretations of the character’s return. Liefeld’s Midnight Variant naturally functions as the most creator-driven option, while the other covers broaden the visual presentation of the launch.
Faith, demons, and a dangerous new mission
The story follows a priest who is struggling with his faith when the mysterious Avengelyne enters his life. Her arrival does not go unnoticed. Belisle, described as a wealthy demon lord, becomes interested in the angel’s return as demonic forces attempt to turn Avengelyne toward their cause.
That setup places the series firmly in supernatural territory, combining religious imagery, demonic power struggles, and the redemption-driven premise associated with Avengelyne. The conflict also gives the new series a natural dramatic question: can the character remain committed to her purpose while surrounded by forces determined to claim her for themselves?
Image has not revealed the full shape of the opening arc, so readers will have to wait for the debut issue to see how the priest’s crisis, Belisle’s ambitions, and Avengelyne’s mission intersect. Based on the announced premise, the comic is positioning its central conflict around temptation and allegiance rather than treating the character as a straightforward supernatural action hero.
A return connected to a larger revival
Avengelyne #1 is scheduled to arrive from Image Comics on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, with digital editions planned for platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play. Image’s October release listings include the debut, while the publisher’s November solicitations list Avengelyne #2 for November 11.
The second issue is solicited with Liefeld as writer and cover artist and Mainé as artist, indicating that the launch is planned as an ongoing series rather than a one-issue revival. Its description also teases a direct confrontation between Avengelyne and Belisle, suggesting that the demon lord will become an immediate threat rather than a distant figure in the background.
The comic is also arriving while an Avengelyne film remains in development at Warner Bros. That adaptation is not a guarantee of a release or a particular connection between the film and the comic, but it does give the character’s return added visibility beyond the direct-market audience.
Why the Midnight Variant matters
For longtime Liefeld readers, the cover is a nostalgic callback to the character’s original era and a fresh piece of Avengelyne artwork from the creator himself. For newer readers, it is part of a coordinated launch designed to make the first issue feel like an event.
Whether readers are collecting every cover, following Image’s supernatural offerings, or simply curious about a new version of a ’90s creation, the midnight edition gives the debut a distinct point of entry. The larger question will be whether the series can turn that launch-night attention into sustained interest once Avengelyne’s new mission begins in earnest.
For now, fans planning to attend a midnight release should contact participating comic shops ahead of time. The regular Avengelyne #1 arrives October 7, but the Midnight Variant will be tied specifically to stores opening for the late-night event.
Sources
aiptcomics.com
imagecomics.com
