This Monday, September 28, 2026, is Final Order Cutoff — the deadline for retailers to lock in orders on books shipping in the weeks ahead. This digest keeps three different situations clearly separate so you know exactly where you stand on each pick: books you can still order before Monday's cutoff, books whose order window already closed but haven't hit shelves yet, and books already out now.
🗓️ On FOC This Monday, September 28 — Order Before the Cutoff
These are shipping in October and can still be ordered at cover price. Miss Monday's cutoff and you're relying on the secondary market or a lucky shelf-pull.
Star Wars: Rogue One – Darth Vader #1 (Marvel)
Marvel marks ten years of Rogue One with a new one-shot built around the film's most quietly terrifying scene: Darth Vader's hallway massacre. Director Orson Krennic's negotiations with the Empire's chief attack dog make for the kind of anniversary spotlight that draws both Star Wars completists and Vader collectors into the same order — and the seven-cover active lineup, including a Chris Sprouse 10th Anniversary variant, gives retailers plenty of ways to spread that demand.
Absolute Batman #25 (DC Comics)
The Absolute Universe's flagship title hits a landmark issue number, and DC is treating it like one: a Nick Dragotta gatefold triptych cover leads an eleven-cover lineup with connecting art from Bryan Hitch and a full-art turn from J. Scott Campbell. The wider Absolute line has been the single hottest corner of DC all month, and a milestone issue of the book that started it all is exactly the kind of release that keeps that wave building.
Absolute Wonder Woman #25 (DC Comics)
Wonder Woman's Absolute-line ongoing hits its own 25th-issue milestone the same week as its sister title, backed by a ten-cover program that includes a Hayden Sherman gatefold triptych and a Bryan Hitch connecting cover. Landmark issue numbers across the Absolute line's flagship books in the same cycle is the kind of alignment retailers plan pull-list bumps around.
Avengers: Armageddon #4 (2nd Printing Variant) (Marvel)
The event's most talked-about cliffhanger just earned a reprint. Michael Cho's "Classified" spoiler variant of the original #4 spiked from roughly $4 to $20 on eBay within days of release as word spread about the issue's pivotal new-character reveal — enough demand that Marvel is going back to press. This is retailers' chance to get back into that moment at cover price before Monday's cutoff.
The Midnight Line: X-Men, Spider-Man & Fantastic Four #1 (2nd Printings) (Marvel)
Marvel's alternate-continuity "Midnight" launch sold out its first printings fast enough that all three flagship debuts are going back to press in the same cycle — a real-demand signal rather than pure speculation churn. Getting in on a reprint wave across an entire new imprint at once, rather than just one title, is the stronger tell.
Thundercats (2026) #1 (Dynamite)
The '80s icons get a full ongoing relaunch, and Dynamite is backing it with a ten-cover active lineup that runs from a Mark Spears main to a blank Authentix sketch edition. A marquee licensed #1 with this much variant support is a dependable FOC target on its own, and nostalgia-franchise launches like this one tend to pull in readers well outside the usual pull-list crowd.
Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives #1 (Image Comics)
A new one-shot in Image's Universal Monsters line lands just ahead of Halloween season, backed by a cover lineup running from a Mattia De Iulis main all the way up to a 1:100 incentive — a strong signal of how much demand the publisher expects around the classic-horror license this time of year.
Archie In Hell #1 (Oni Press)
Tyler Crook reimagines Riverdale through a horror lens in this new one-shot, headlining a fresh horror imprint from the publisher. The cover program runs a full twelve deep with an incentive ladder stretching to 1:250 — the kind of deep retailer-support structure publishers reserve for launches they're betting will move.
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (2026) #1 (BOOM! Studios)
The flagship MLP ongoing relaunches under BOOM! with a new #1, backed by connecting covers and an incentive ladder running to 1:75. All-ages licensed launches with this kind of retailer-support structure are a reliable category for both younger readers and the collectors who track the line long-term.
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (2026) #1 A Main
Shop NowBatman: Bad Seeds — Sunrise #1 (One Shot) (DC Comics)
The Gotham-wide event that's run through the Bat-family all summer reaches its conclusion here: Poison Ivy's eco-terror attack has turned the city into a prehistoric nightmare, and Batman's allies have until dawn to stop it. Matt Fraction and G. Willow Wilson write the oversize finale, with art from Giuseppe Camuncoli and Cliff Rathburn, backed by a six-cover lineup that includes a foil "Bad Seeds Spot" variant and a glow-in-the-dark edition.
The event's tie-in issues are also on FOC this cycle across the Bat-family:
Superman: The Wedding Album 30th Anniversary Special #1 (One Shot) (DC Comics)
Thirty years after Clark Kent and Lois Lane tied the knot, DC marks the anniversary with a 56-page special that reunites the original creative team — Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, and Louise Simonson — alongside Rainbow Rowell and Karl Kesel, built around Jon Kent planning a party for his parents. It's the same milestone-anniversary playbook DC used for Death of Superman, and the five-cover lineup, including two Artgerm covers and a Joshua Middleton wraparound, gives it real shelf presence.
Superman: The Wedding Album 30th Anniversary Special #1 Cvr A Dan Jurgens & Jerry Ordway Wraparound
Shop Now⏳ Past FOC, Not Out Yet — Coming Soon
Retailers already locked in their orders on these before we published — the order window has closed, so you won't find a fresh FOC slot for them. But they haven't hit shelves yet, so there's no back-issue market either.
Last Driver #1 (of 5) — 3rd Printing (Image Comics)
Sean Gordon Murphy's new series has now sold through two full printings, with a third on the way — a rare feat for a single issue and real evidence of reader demand rather than pure speculation churn. FOC on this printing closed September 21; it streets October 14, 2026.
Amazing Spider-Man #1000 — 2nd Printing (Marvel)
Marvel's landmark 104-page milestone issue sold through fast enough to earn reprints on both of its major covers. FOC has already closed; it streets October 28, 2026.
Amazing Spider-Man #1000 John Romita Jr. 2nd Printing Variant
Shop NowForever Home #1 — 2nd Printing (Oni Press)
Christian Ward's new #1 sold through within weeks of its debut, prompting a fast reprint. FOC has already closed; it streets October 21, 2026.
Avengers: Armageddon #2 — 2nd Printing (Marvel)
Chip Zdarsky's event crossover has been driving reprints across multiple tie-in issues as the story's stakes escalate toward the reveals in #4 and #5. FOC has already closed; it streets September 30, 2026.
Batman & Robin Year One: Dynamic Duos #1 — 2nd Printing (DC Comics)
Mark Waid and Chris Samnee's new ongoing sold out at distribution fast enough to earn a reprint on its very first issue. FOC has already closed; it streets October 14, 2026.
Batman & Robin Year One: Dynamic Duos #1 2nd Printing Cvr A Chris Samnee
Shop NowFort Psycho #1 — 3rd Printing (Oni Press)
Matt Kindt's new #1 has now gone back to press three times, one of the strongest sell-through signals of the fall so far. FOC has already closed; it streets October 28, 2026.
📦 Already on Shelves — Not on FOC, But Still Worth Grabbing
These already released and are in shops now. They're not part of Monday's cutoff — you can't "FOC" a book that's already out — but they're picks actually driving this week's secondary-market buzz, so we're including them for visibility. If you want in, it's back-issue bins or remaining shelf stock, not a preorder.
Absolute Batman #24 (DC Comics)
The debut of Absolute Batgirl within the Absolute Universe, with a Nick Dragotta cover that homages the very first issue of the line. It's been flagged as one of this week's standout picks across comics-press coverage for that callback alone.
Absolute Flash #19 (DC Comics)
The first full appearance of Absolute Atom lands in the same hot corner of DC's line as Absolute Batman #24 above — another Absolute Universe debut worth grabbing while it's still on shelves.
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #2 (Marvel)
A new villain, Grendel, debuts with direct ties to Miles' father — an early issue of a freshly relaunched series that's still cheap to jump on while it's fresh on shelves.
Teen Titans #1 (DC Comics)
DC's newest ongoing #1 launch is still moving weeks after its debut — a jump-on point that keeps finding new readers well past its street date.
Muppets Take The Marvel Universe #1 (Marvel)
Chip Zdarsky headlines a crossover one-shot marking the Muppet Show's 50th anniversary, with a variant slate stacked with homage covers built for the occasion — including a nod to Muppet Treasure Island's own 30th anniversary.
Gambit: Gone #1 (Marvel)
Spinning directly out of the shocking conclusion of X-Men of Apocalypse: Omega, this new limited series picks up right where that storyline left off.
Hellraiser: Resurrections – Hell's Council #1 (BOOM! Studios)
The Hellraiser: Resurrections line keeps expanding with this new one-shot, following straight on from the Hellbound sequel arc.
Hellraiser: Resurrections – Hell's Council #1 Cvr A Main
Shop NowSources
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