COMICS WARLOCKS

On September 3, the first issue of Black Diamond is out and I can tell you right now: you need this issue, and here’s why.

Black Diamond #1
Publisher: Panick Entertainment
Writer: Brendan Columbus
Artist: Danilo Beyruth
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Saida Temofonte
Release date: September 3, 2025

Black Diamond is created by writer Brendan Columbus, whose work I am not familiar with yet, and artist Danilo Beyruth, who worked on the fantastic Deadpool v Gambit series and most recently Venomverse Reborn. I’ve always enjoyed his art, so I’m happy to see it again in here.

The story begins with Owen, who is on a ski trip with his son. From the start it’s clear Owen is not winning the father of the year awards anytime soon. His plan is to drop his son off for a ski lesson and then go about his own day. But since he wasn’t paying much attention to instructions, he ends up “stuck” spending the day with him. The boy is glued to the phone talking to his mother, who calls a lot and seems a bit much. While riding the ski lift, his son accidentally drops Owen’s black diamond into a dangerous skiing area.

From there, things go downhill fast, no pun intended. They make it to the top, Owen goes by himself to find his phone, and by the time he’s at the bottom, the ski lift is closed. There was no one left at the top of the mountain. His son has disappeared. Panic sets in for a second until Owen gets a call. Someone has his son and promises to return him! Yay! Wait… if Owen brings them a girl in exchange. Turns out the kidnappers are part of a cult that planned to sacrifice a child, but thanks to his son’s shiny jacket, they mistook Owen’s son for a girl. 

So now Owen faces an impossible choice: save his son by delivering someone else’s daughter to be killed, or refuse and lose him. It’s the kind of moral knot that makes you stop and think.

That’s what hooked me. From the first panel, the characters feel real. You know who they are, and that makes every choice hit harder. I love when a story sits in the gray area instead of just good versus evil. How can I root for Owen to do something so awful? But how can I expect him to let his son die? Also, let’s be honest, none of this would have happened if they’d just put the phone away. Comics that make you feel something are always the ones you want to keep turning the pages for, and this one had me from start to finish. By the last page, I needed more.

The first issue drops on September 3rd, so grab it quickly. No sacrifice required. Depending on your LCS.