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ABBOTT AND COSTELLO® RETURN TO COMICS AFTER MORE THAN 50 YEARS IN ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE MONSTERS™
Press release
(October 19, 2026)
Monstrous™ launches a new Kickstarter series pitting the legendary comedy duo against the Night Stalker, the Morlocks, and Cthulhu
Abbott and Costello® are back in comics for the first time in more than half a century — and this time, they’re bringing the monsters with them.
Monstrous is launching a Kickstarter campaign for Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters™, an all-new comic book series that reunites legendary comedy duo Bud Abbott and Lou Costello with the kind of monsters, madmen and supernatural mayhem that helped make some of their most beloved films classics.
The campaign will feature three full-length comics written by Bram Stoker Award winner James Aquilone, an array of variant covers from acclaimed comic book artists, and exclusive Abbott and Costello® merchandise.
The new series, Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters™, marks the first new comics starring the duo in more than 50 years.
The first issue, “Abbott and Costello Meet the Night Stalker,” throws Bud and Lou into the dark, supernatural world of Kolchak: The Night Stalker. The issue has interior art by Dave Acosta and covers by J.K. Woodward and Zac Atkinson.
In the second issue, “Abbott and Costello Meet the Morlocks,” the duo encounters the subterranean creatures made famous by H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine. The issue features interior art by George Quadros and covers by Russ Braun and Colton Worley.
The third comic, “Abbott and Costello Meet Cthulhu,” sends the comedy legends into cosmic-horror territory for an encounter with one of the most famous monsters in weird fiction. The issue has interior art by Zac Atkinson and covers by Robert Hack and E.V. Cantada.
Each comic will also include the Abbott and Costello® comic strips.
The series continues a tradition stretching back to Abbott and Costello’s classic monster comedies, most famously 1948’s Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, which brought the comedians face-to-face with Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, and the Wolf Man. Inspired by those classic films, Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters™ pairs the duo with creatures and characters they never had the opportunity to encounter on screen.
In addition to the three comics, the Kickstarter campaign will offer exclusive merchandise, such as T-shirts, trading cards, original artwork, and more.
Abbott and Costello® were licensed through Unforgettable Enterprises Inc.
“Abbott and Costello were my introduction to horror as well as comedy,” says Aquilone. “They’ve been a huge influence on my work and it’s unreal to be bringing my heroes back to comics in a genre that is near and dear to me — horror-comedy, which might not exist without Abbott and Costello.”
"Bud loved reaching audiences in every format possible—from radio and film to early television. We are so excited to see Monstrous Media carry that torch forward with this new comic book project. It’s the perfect way to keep their brilliant comedic timing alive for today's readers."
– The Bud Abbott Estate
"Great comedy is timeless. Great monsters are legendary. Abbott and Costello made generations laugh as they met Frankenstein, the Mummy, and some of the most iconic monsters in movie history. Their legacy now comes roaring back to life in this brand-new comic book series, and as a family, we’re thrilled that they'll be introduced to yet a new generation of comic book fans."
– The Lou Costello Estate
“Monsters and Abbott & Costello go together like hot wings that make your eyes bug out along with the joyful laughter of Abbott and Costello’s reactions to seeing a monster,” says agent Bruce Bronn of Unforgettable Licensing. “It's the perfect mixture of their comedic genius with suspense. I’m thrilled and excited that a whole new generation of comic books enthusiasts will experience the chills and thrills of Abbott and Costello’s monster movies of the 1940s and 50s in Monstrous Media’s updated version of ‘Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters’ comic book series.”
Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters™ is available through Kickstarter.
ABOUT MONSTROUS
Monstrous™ is an independent publisher focused on dark fiction and action-packed stories. Owned and operated by Bram Stoker Award-winning editor and writer James Aquilone, Monstrous™ is dedicated to creating high-quality print and digital comics, graphic novels, and prose books that aim to entertain with its stories and delight with its aesthetics. Monstrous is the new home of Kolchak: The Night Stalker. Its other titles include Monstrous magazine, Dead Detectives Society, Shakespeare Unleashed, and The Omega Eleven.
ABOUT UNFORGETTABLE LICENSING
Unforgettable Enterprises Inc. is a licensing agency specializing in the representation, development and management of merchandise and advertising licensing programs for some of the world’s most beloved entertainers including Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz and Sammy Davis, Jr.; characters including ABBOTT & COSTELLO and ELVIRA; TV Shows including I LOVE LUCY, THAT GIRL and THE HONEYMOONERS; and various other classic properties including GRANDMA GOT RUN OVER BY A REINDEER and the Beach Boy’s Mascot CAMP CALIFORNIA.
We are committed to our partners as demonstrated by our representation of Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz and the I LOVE LUCY TV show with CBS and Desilu, too, LLC for 25 years as well as our current relationships with the Estates of ABBOTT & COSTELLO and GRANDMA GOT RUN OVER BY A REINDEER for over 25 years.
