Posted in: Comics, Solicits | Tagged: Asylum Press, Punchline

Punchline And The Vaude-Villains in Asylum Press August 2026 Solicits

Punchline And The Vaude-Villains return to comic book stores in Asylum Press' August 2026 solicits and solicitations

Punchline is a comic book character created by writer Ted Sikora as part of his independent Hero Tomorrow Comics universe. And definitely the DC Comics character from James Tynion IV and Jorge Jimenez. And he's back in the spin-off series Punchline and the Vaude-Villains from Asylum Press, as part of their August 2026 solicits and solicitations.

Drayton Hayes was a promising heavyweight boxer and number-one contender for the championship. His career ended when his manager slipped him steroids, leading to a ban. A mad scientist named Fletch later captured him and used him as a test subject for strength-enhancing experiments. This transformation turned him into the super-powered, monstrous clown known as Punchline—a towering, genius bruiser with enhanced physical abilities.   His story ties into Sikora's broader universe, first appearing in Tap Dance Killer, a spin-off/continuation featuring characters from Sikora's earlier work. The concept draws inspiration from a 1990s musical Sikora wrote called Nothing Like Vaudeville, which featured vaudeville-style characters reimagined for modern comics. Punchline embodies a monster-clown aesthetic: intimidating, theatrical, and violent. He's depicted as a massive, clown-themed. Despite his brutish look, he's portrayed as the "Genius Bruiser" trope, intelligent and strategic, not just muscle. He leads or aligns with the Vaude-Villains, a theatrical troupe of villains operating in Cleveland. The group has a found-family dynamic, including adopting a child and showing loyalty. Punchline and the Vaude-Villains #1 was crowdfunded successfully via Kickstarter through Hero Tomorrow Comics, now coming to the direct market through Asylum Press. And here's the listing…

(W) Ted Sikora (A) Yvel Guichet, Donny Hadiwidjaja (CA) Yvel Guichet
Hero Tomorrow Comics is back as an imprint under Asylum Press! This new issue is loaded with extras to make an easy entry point for all. One of the Vaude-Villains committed a murder in Mexico unbeknownst to the rest of the team. However it's not so easy to kill a mystic healer and now Violante the Undead has returned with an unquenchable vengeance. This double-sized issue is the comic book brawl of the year! 34 All new pages with a 7 page prequel reprinted from Tap Dance Killer.  $6.99 8/5/2026

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