Ignition Press has announced a slate of 12 creators signing on for upcoming projects in the run-up to New York Comic Con, according to an ICv2 exclusive posted October 2, 2026. The roster: David Rubín, Molly Mahan, Matthew Dunn, Maxine Zilkenat, Michael W. Conrad, Marley Zarcone, Morgan Hampton, Noel Kelly, Nuno Plati, Michael Dialynas, Justin Jordan, and Mike Norton.
Editor-in-Chief Jamie S. Rich framed the list as a mix of past collaborators (Conrad, Norton, Zarcone), respected first-time Ignition partners (Rubín, Hampton), and emerging talent such as Maxine Zilkenat, whom Rich says he met at NYCC 2025. ICv2’s day-of note sketches credits — Dialynas (Wynd, TMNT), Conrad (DC/Marvel/Valiant; Magic: The Gathering: Jace), Jordan (Luther Strode; Frostpunk 1886), Norton (Battlepug; Krypto), Zarcone (Shade: The Changing Girl), Rubín (Ether; Space Scouts), Mahan (former Vertigo / Young Animal editor) — without locking every new series title.
Caveat: treat this as a talent-slate announce. Do not invent book titles, issue #1 months, or page counts that ICv2 did not publish. NYCC week is the natural next information window.
For US Direct Market readers watching Absolute and Image timing already on RCG — such as Absolute Batman Beyond Ark-M Special Hits Nov. 18 — Ignition’s roster is a separate indie-publisher beat about who is coming aboard, not a competitor sales claim.
Rich’s candy-store quote underlines reunion vs new pursuit; the news value for retailers is name recognition on the list ahead of convention traffic, not a FOC chart move by itself.
Several names already carry Direct Market goodwill from Image, Dark Horse, Oni, and webtoon work — Jordan’s Luther Strode anniversary chatter and Norton’s Krypto run being recent examples cited by ICv2 — which is why a bare roster still clears a US-audience bar without needing invented series titles today.
Expect Ignition’s NYCC presence to convert at least some of these names into solicits or ashcans; until those drop, report the twelve creators and Rich’s framing only.
What we are not saying: we are not inventing series titles for the 12 creators or claiming Ignition print runs. Report the named roster and NYCC context from ICv2.
