Invader Zim officially returns later this year.
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| Image Credit: BOOM! Studios/Nickelodeon |
BOOM! Studios has acquired the publishing rights for
Invader Zim, and it has plans to "bring classic stories, long-sought-after collections, and brand-new original content to readers beginning later this year,"
IGN reports.
While details regarding creative teams, release formats, and exclusive editions will be revealed in the "coming months," fans can expect to see out favorite Irken once again be joined by GIR, Dib, and Gaz in these older stories and "entirely new invasions, conspiracies, and catastrophically ridiculous adventures."
“Few properties have maintained the passionate, enduring fanbase that Invader Zim has,” teased Bryce Carlson, VP, Business Development & Special Projects, Random House Worlds, in a statement. “We have exciting plans to bring beloved out of print material back onto shelves, and BOOM! is going to usher in a new era of DOOM! with brand-new stories that expand the strange and chaotic world fans know and love. The new invasion has begun. You’ve been warned...”
Invader Zim was created by comic book writer and cartoonist Jhonen Vasquez for Nickelodeon, and its original TV run lasted from only 2001 to 2002. It was canceled during its second season, and six episodes from that season went unreleased until they appeared on DVD in 2004 and on the Nicktoons Network in 2006.
The series has since become a cult classic, and it not only had a sequel comic run and a Netflix film called Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus, but also three large-scale InvaderCONs that brought fans from around the world to one spot to celebrate their love of this property.
BOOM! Studios is also known for Keanu Reeves'
BRZRKR,
Something Is Killing the Children, and
Lumberjanes, as well as projects featuring the
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers,
Dune,
The Expanse, and
Garfield properties, with their graphic novel series,
HexVet, created by Sam Davies, being adapted into the Nickelodeon animated series,
HexVets & Magic Pets.
Oni Press published comics based on the show from 2015 to 2021, which Vasquez penned several issues of, along with original series writer Eric Trueheart. Previous comics based on Nickelodeon cartoons released by BOOM! consist of
Rugrats and
Rocko’s Modern Life (both published from 2017 to 2019).
Scroll down to see early artwork from BOOM! Studios' new line of Invader Zim comics.
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| Image Credit: BOOM! Studios/Nickelodeon |
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| Image Credit: BOOM! Studios/Nickelodeon |
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| Image Credit: BOOM! Studios/Nickelodeon |
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| Image Credit: BOOM! Studios/Nickelodeon |
Update (8/25): A few weeks ago, BOOM! Studios announced the good news that it was reviving the Invader Zim franchise for a new line of comic books, and reprinting some of the best from its past. It was a welcome surprise for many since the original animated series ended some time ago, as did the previous comics. But it was even more of a surprise for its creator, Jhonen Vasquez.
"Sorta like you all out there, I learned of the existence of new Zim stories when the announcement went out," Vasquez
wrote on Instagram. The cartoonist said that he had been told a company was looking into reprinting the older
Invader Zim comics, but he wasn't told that any new comics were being created - and he seems a bit insulted that he wasn't looped in.
"If you're confused by the announcement's mention of Zim being in an 'Irken Chrysalis', you're not alone," Vasquez writes. "What the hell is an Irken chrysalis? That's not a thing! So yeah. I have no involvement in any of the comics, nor was I told they were going to be happening so I was never offered a chance to throw my voice into the mix in some way."
Invader Zim was created by Vasquez back in the '90s at the request of Nickelodeon for a possible animated series, with Nickelodeon paying him for the work and, from our understanding, ownership over the whole thing. Despite Vasquez not owning or controlling Invader Zim since its inception, Vasquez is accustomed (as many creators would be) to being its primary voice and to being asked to be involved in any future Invader Zim projects.
Vasquez said that when Invader Zim comics were being published by Oni Press in 2015 - 2021, he was consulted heavily and even asked if he'd be okay with them even attempting it. This, according to Vasquez, wasn't that.
"So of course it's weird and uneasy for me to see something so personal to me rise of its own power without my hand up the puppet-hole in this age of everything becoming 'content,'" Vasquez does admit that he knew this would be a possibility since he sold Invader Zim to Nickelodeon... but it still stings.
"But you'd have to be special kind of oblivious to not understand why it still sucks to not have control over something you see as 'yours.'"
So what happened? BOOM! Studios' Invader Zim comics writer Jim Zub has chimed in, saying he was surprised Vasquez wasn't looped in on the development of the series.
" I was told the 'Invader Zim team' would be approving our material, but found out after the fact that it wasn’t Jhonen, Eric Truehart or anyone originally involved in the show’s production," Zub writes
on his newsletter/blog, Zub Tales, presumably saying it was BOOM! Studios that told him this. Zub explained, “I was told the ‘Invader Zim team’ would be approving our material, but found out after the fact that it wasn’t Jhonen, Eric Trueheart or anyone originally involved in the show’s production. Approvals have gone through a Paramount licensing team who I’m sure mean well, but also don’t have any personal stake in Zim’s creative vision or future.”
“I understand how crappy that would feel, even if it’s legally allowed,” wrote Zub about Vasquez not being involved in the process.
As for what might happen next, Zub wrote, “So now I’m in a strange spot. I’m incredibly proud of the work artist Dax Gordine and I have done on this new Invader Zim comic. It’s been put together with lots of love for the source material, but not in a slavish way that just repeats the same gags and doesn’t offer any surprises. Dax’s visual storytelling starts strong and gets snappier each issue. We produced it with what we thought was enthusiastic support from the original team, but that was not the case and now we know. No matter what happens next, I want to be as open and honest about that so there’s no confusion.”
Plus, Zub stated that the Boom editorial team has now reached out to Vasquez. Zub wrote, “BOOM’s editorial team has assured me they’ve reached out to Jhonen and believe this can all get sorted out. I hope that’s true, but if not I’ll need to evaluate what to do next. Whatever happens from here, I deeply appreciate your support and understanding.”
When BOOM! Studios' Invader Zim comics were announced, the company's VP of business development and special projects, Bryce Carlson, said their plan was to "usher in a new era of DOOM! with brand-new stories that expand the strange and chaotic world fans know and love. The new invasion has begun. You've been warned..."
Vasquez concluded on Instagram, “At the end of the day this isn’t the route I would have taken but I hope the artists are having a good time and can pay their bills (comics be rough, man!) [...].”
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Originally published: June 29, 2026.
