Posted in: Comics, DC Comics, Superman | Tagged: Ezra Cain, Kryptonite Spectrum, vertigo
DC Comics wants comic book retailers to order The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery like Kryptonite Spectrum
Article Summary
Ezra Cain returns in The Peril of the Brutal Dark, a new noir series from DC Vertigo launching in 2026.
Retailers can unlock deep discounts on Ezra Cain #1 by matching orders of Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #1.
The mystery follows P.I. Ezra Cain in 1941 New York hunting a stolen anvil tied to Greek god Hephaestus.
Creators Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips promise a six-issue run mixing magic, espionage, and noir action.
The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #1 is the second launch title from the new DC Vertigo line for 2026 by by Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips, a noir detective tale that collides with magic, fascism, and a stolen artifact of unimaginable power. That they were working on the DC Vertigo series together was a Bleeding Cool scoop from May last year that I am still amazed was as accurate as it was. And just like Bleeding Hearts #1, DC Comics is telling retailers that if they order The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #1 at or above the quantity they ordered for Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #1 by Ice Cream Man team W. Maxwell Prince and Martín Morazzo, they can then order additional bundles of 10 issues for $10, or a 75% discount.
Chris Condon says on his Patreon, where the project began five years ago, “What we came up with was Brutal Dark, a story about P.I Ezra Cain. in 1940s New York which we were posting in short chapters right here. When That Texas Blood started back up again, just a few months later, we no longer had the time to work on Brutal Dark, and we rethought the Patreon. So when we were approached about doing a new creator-owned book over at Vertigo, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to bring back our beloved Ezra Cain. So here we are. Our Nazi-punching-moustache-sporting-New-Yorking P.I. is back and better than ever in The Peril of the Brutal Dark, the sci-fi adventure. The first in what will hopefully be a whole bunch of adventures we get to tell. The book launches in February 2026 and will be 6 issues to start with the plan to come back with a new adventure each year. We can’t wait to share more and hope you come along for the ride.” And a little look inside…
THE PERIL OF THE BRUTAL DARK AN EZRA CAIN MYSTERY #1 (OF 6) CVR A JACOB PHILLIPS (MR)(W) Chris Condon (A/CA) Jacob PhillipsCHRIS CONDON AND JACOB PHILLIPS INTRODUCE A NEW NOIR ICON! New York City, 1941. Ezra Cain is a private investigator with a reputation for taking it on the chin if it means solving a case. But it’s his former life as an archaeology student that makes him the only man to track down an artifact that’s gone missing from the Museum of Natural History…an ancient anvil said to hold the power of the Greek god Hephaestus. If someone could harness that power, they could bend nations to their will. Science fiction quickly becomes Cain’s reality when a shadowy sect calling themselves the Brutal Dark appears in the city, wielding resources that defy human logic. Now Ezra is the only thing that stands between them and their plot to overthrow America! Writer Chris Condon and artist Jacob Phillips, creators of the hit series That Texas Blood and The Enfield Gang Massacre, introduce us to a private eye whose business is exposing our deepest secrets…but on this job, he’ll learn that some mysteries are better off buried! $3.99 2/25/2026
THE PERIL OF THE BRUTAL DARK AN EZRA CAIN MYSTERY #2 (OF 6) CVR A JACOB PHILLIPS (MR)(W) Chris Condon (A/CA) Jacob PhillipsTHE NEW NOIR SERIES FROM CHRIS CONDON AND JACOB PHILLIPS! Karl Meyer is missing, and an anvil with occult powers has been stolen, and only Ezra Cain sees the connection. But a visit with his old professor, Dr. Morris, comes with a caution: the anvil’s power is more dangerous than Ezra realizes. After a tip sends Ezra to the Clockworkers’ Union in Brooklyn, he’ll come face to face with the mechanical menace that wields that power!$3.99 3/25/2026
THE PERIL OF THE BRUTAL DARK AN EZRA CAIN MYSTERY #3 (OF 6) CVR A JACOB PHILLIPS (MR)(W) Chris Condon (A/CA) Jacob PhillipsTHE BRUTAL DARK CLOSES IN! Ezra Cain meets face-to-face with the Brutal Dark…but it ain’t on his terms! His snooping around the Clockworkers’ Union has finally put his investigation on the shadowy sect’s radar. But a dash of good fortune comes Ezra’s way when reporter Sandy Williams gets a lead on the Brutal Dark’s agenda. She’s an old flame, though…is working together really in the cards for these two?$3.99 4/22/2026
Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!
Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!
