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Black-owned comic shops unite to launch a new national alliance, with first project a DC partnership

The Ink Alliance unites Black-owned comic book shops from around the country and will launch a limited 1,000 retailer-exclusive variant for New Titans #38 by Sanford Greene

The Ink Alliance retailer-exclusive cover of New Titans #38 by Sanford Greene
Image credit: DC Comics

This August, iconic Milestone character Static will be joining one of DC Comics' flagship teams in New Titans #38 by Tate Brombal and Sami Basri. And this landmark moment in comics history will also mark the launch of a new national alliance of Black-owned independent comic shops called Ink Alliance. To commemorate the occasion, Ink Alliance has partnered with DC Comics for a retailer-exclusive variant cover of New Titans #38 drawn by Sanford Greene. 

Only 1,000 copies will be printed of this limited-edition cover and will be available to purchase only in stores at the following locations across the United States on August 19:

  • Blerds Underground Comics & Collectibles – La Grange, Illinois
  • OffBeat – Jackson, Mississippi
  • Challenges Games & Comics – Atlanta, Georgia
  • The Comic Den – Los Angeles, California
  • Third Coast Comics – Chicago, Illinois
  • Gulf Coast Cosmos Comics – Houston, Texas
  • ACME Comics – Greensboro, North Carolina
  • Cuts And Comics – Newnan, Georgia
  • Windu's Comics & Collectibles – Clermont, Florida
  • Eastgate Comics – High Point, North Carolina

According to a press release, any "remaining copies, if available, may be offered through participating retailers' online stores beginning 12:01 AM Eastern Time on the Sunday following the book's official release date." Static and Cyborg take center stage on the cover, and it absolutely rips. As a person of color who grew up idolizing Static and Cyborg on their respective animated shows, seeing the two of them together on such a powerful cover has healed something in me. Check it out below.

The Ink Alliance retailer-exclusive cover of New Titans #38 by Sanford Greene
Image credit: DC Comics

Ink Alliance was co-founded by Phillip Rollins, owner of OffBeat in Jackson, Mississippi, and Mike Davis, co-owner of Blerds Underground Comics & Collectibles in La Grange, Illinois. Together, Ink Alliance is "dedicated to expanding opportunity, ownership, and representation throughout the comics industry." 

Davis expanded on the importance of a retailer group like Ink Alliance, expressing in a press release a belief that a rising tide raises all ships: "Ink Alliance was founded on a simple belief: together, we can create opportunities that none of us could create alone. This exclusive cover is more than a comic—it's proof of what becomes possible when Black retailers choose collaboration over competition and invest in building something bigger than any one shop. We hope it's the first of many examples of what Black cooperation can achieve, not just in comic retail, but across the entire comics ecosystem. So get ready!" 

Rollins celebrated the upcoming launch of the variant cover, stating in a press release, "Static means a great deal to readers who grew up seeing themselves reflected in his stories. This project is about more than an exclusive comic. It's about celebrating an iconic character while demonstrating what independent comic shops can accomplish when we work together. We hope this is the first of many collaborations that strengthen our stores and the comic book community."

New Titans #38 will be released on August 19, 2026.


Jules Chin Greene

Jules Chin Greene: Jules Chin Greene is a journalist and Jack Kirby enthusiast. He has written about comics, video games, movies, and television for sites such as Nerdist, AIPT, and Multiverse of Color.

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