It's been said before, but 2026 really is the year of the bizarre comic book crossover. On top of books like Batman/Superman/Weird Al: World's Weirdest, now Monstrous Books is bringing back legendary comedy duo Abbott & Costello for a new trio of horror-themed team-up specials. Finally, these two bumbling heroes will join forces with Kolchak the Night Stalker.
With the Kickstarter campaign for Abbott & Costello Meet the Monsters now live, IGN can exclusively debut a new preview of the first issue, featuring the crossover with Kolchak. Check it out in the slideshow gallery below:
Monstrous Books is releasing three new specials in all, with the other two team-ups being Abbott & Costello Meet the Morlocks and Abbott & Costello Meet Cthulu. These books mark the first new Abbott & Costello comics in more than 50 years.
Abbott & Costello Meet the Monsters #1 is written by James Aquilone, with art by Dave Acosta, colors by Zac Atkinson, letters by Taylor Esposito, and cover art by J.K. Woodward, Lukas Ketner, and Zac Atkinson.
"These six pages from Abbott & Costello Meet the Monsters #1 set the stage for the entire series," Aquilone tells IGN. "The story begins in 1943, with Bud and Lou serving in the Army. While on leave, the duo accidentally stumble through an experimental portal that sends them traveling through time."
Aquilone continues, "We thought it would be cool to open the comic in black and white, paying homage to the classic Abbott and Costello movies, then transition to full color, à la The Wizard of Oz, when the two arrive in the future. Their first stop? Las Vegas, 1972, where they'll find themselves smack in the middle of the events of the original Kolchak: The Night Stalker story. There, they'll cross paths with reporter Carl Kolchak and the vampire Janos Skorzeny. It's a fun mix of classic comedy and horror, and we can't wait to see how Bud and Lou handle Kolchak, a vampire and everything else we throw at them."
The Kickstarter campaign for Abbott & Costello Meet the Monsters is live now.
Other big crossovers revealed this year have included Judge Dredd/Biker Mice From Mars, G.I. Joe/Tomb Raider, and the mother of all crossovers, Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.