Seven Wives immediately caught our attention as a crime story that feels both dark and deeply intriguing. It’s also the first title from IDW’s new IDW Crime imprint, which makes it a bigger deal than a typical debut. Here’s why!
Seven Wives #1
Publisher: IDW Publishing (IDW Crime)
Writer: Zoe Tunnell
Artists: V. Gagnon, Tesslyn Bergin-Dicoi
Cover Artist: Mirka Andolfo
Release date: May 20, 2026
So, What’s the Story?
Seven Wives is a whodunit set inside a remote Arizona compound belonging to a Mormon fundamentalist community, where the group’s patriarch has been found dead. He leaves behind seven wives and a long list of witnesses, but getting to the truth is far from simple. Two detectives arrive to investigate and quickly realize the women aren’t going to speak openly. They hide behind carefully rehearsed words and a shared belief system that keeps everything tightly controlled, and the detectives will have to see through that conditioning to find out which of the wives is responsible.
As the investigation unfolds, cracks begin to appear and a much darker reality starts to surface.
Who’s Making Seven Wives?
Zoe Tunnell writes, with art by V. Gagnon and Tesslyn Bergin-Dicoi, published by IDW under its new IDW Crime imprint.
We know Tunnell from her Black Cat story “The Bolter” in Marvel United: A Pride Special, which was her Marvel debut, and she is also contributing to Wiccan & Hulkling: Raid of Ultron, which already makes us curious to read more of her work. She co-created and writes the webcomic Blade Maidens, which is coming to print with Dark Horse, and she wrote IDW’s Godzilla Valentine’s Day Special.
V. Gagnon is someone we have noticed thanks to a gorgeous variant cover for Christopher Chaos #10. They are a comic creator, concept artist, and illustrator based in Philadelphia who co-created The Heart Hunter with writer Mickey George and drew The Roman Stars with writer Ivan Brandon. Tesslyn Bergin-Dicoi seems to be a new name in the comic book world, with Facing the Sun among her credits, and we’re curious to see how the two artists’ work comes together on this one. Mirka Andolfo provides the main cover.
Why We’re Watching This One
Crime comics are quite rare compared to other genres these days, even though crime is one of the oldest genres in comics, and when they land, they can be incredibly addictive. This kind of detective story feels perfect for binge reading, which almost makes the monthly wait a bit painful if the mystery really hooks us. The setup here has everything we like: a strong central mystery, layered characters, and the promise of secrets slowly coming to light.
The setting adds another layer. A story about a closed community where belief controls what everyone is willing to say gives the mystery a unique kind of tension, since the biggest obstacle isn’t a lack of witnesses, it’s what the witnesses have been taught to hide.
IDW Crime Is Off to a Big Start
Seven Wives is the launch title for IDW Crime, a new imprint from IDW that sits alongside the horror-focused IDW Dark. Overseen by senior group editors Heather Antos and Jake Thomas, the imprint is focused on darker, grounded crime stories, including thrillers, mysteries, and true-crime-inspired tales. It launches with three limited series, each with oversized issues priced at $4.99: Seven Wives in May, followed by Killer Influences in July and Fixation in September. Having the first title be a tense whodunit like this feels like a very strong way to kick things off.
Who Should Add This to Their Pull List?
Mystery and crime fans looking for a whodunit with a distinctive setting should have this on their list, as should readers curious about IDW’s new imprint. If you’ve been enjoying IDW’s other genre lines, this is a natural next step. We’ve covered IDW books ourselves, including Smile: For the Camera.
Seven Wives #1 goes on sale May 20, 2026, from IDW Crime, priced at $4.99 for an oversized debut of more than 40 pages, as the first issue of a three-issue limited series. The main cover is by Mirka Andolfo, with variants by V. Gagnon, Matt Wilson, and Serena Mercado.
FAQ
When does Seven Wives #1 come out? Issue #1 releases May 20, 2026.
Who is writing Seven Wives? Zoe Tunnell, known for Blade Maidens and her Marvel debut in Marvel United: A Pride Special.
Who is drawing Seven Wives? V. Gagnon and Tesslyn Bergin-Dicoi, with a main cover by Mirka Andolfo.
What publisher is releasing Seven Wives? IDW Publishing, under its new IDW Crime imprint.
Is Seven Wives a new series, limited series, or one-shot? It’s a three-issue limited series.
What is IDW Crime? It’s a new IDW imprint dedicated to crime comics, including thrillers, mysteries, and true-crime-inspired stories. Seven Wives is its first title.
Where is Seven Wives set? In a remote Mormon fundamentalist compound in Arizona.
Who should read Seven Wives? Fans of crime and mystery comics, readers who like a good whodunit, and anyone curious about IDW’s new imprint.
