The Pull List — Tuesday, June 16, 2026: 616 Day, Avengers: Armageddon & a BAD IDEA #1
📅 This Day in Comic History
- 616 Day. Readers have turned June 16 into an unofficial “616 Day,” a nod to Earth-616, the in-house label for Marvel’s primary continuity. A fitting morning to revisit the Avengers—browse our Marvel shelf.
- 1927: Wally Wood, the EC and MAD illustrator whose dense, meticulous linework influenced generations of artists, was born on this date.
- 1930: Frank Thorne, the artist most closely tied to bringing Red Sonja to the comics page, was also born June 16.
☕ Today’s Big Story: Avengers: Armageddon kicks off Marvel’s summer event
According to AIPT and Bleeding Cool, Marvel is leaning hard into event storytelling this summer, with Avengers: Armageddon #1 from Chip Zdarsky, Delio Diaz and Frank Alpizar leading the charge. Early coverage describes Red Hulk being drawn into a confrontation centered on Latveria before the situation spirals outward across the line. It is positioned as a connective, line-wide story rather than a one-and-done, so expect tie-ins to follow. If you want a primer on Marvel’s event muscle while you wait, our Secret Empire hardcover is a solid companion read.
📰 Also This Morning
🎬 He-Man returns alongside the film (Dark Horse + Mattel)
- According to publisher solicitations, Dark Horse and Mattel are expanding the Masters of the Universe line, including the miniseries The Wings of Fate, timed to the theatrical rollout.
- Covers come from artists including Will Sliney and Reilly Brown.
- We have the new issues open for pre-order now.
🎬 DC leans into the Summer of Supergirl
- According to AIPT and Comics Beat, DC’s June slate spotlights Supergirl with a new anthology special and a fresh Elseworlds, lined up with the movie.
- It is a good on-ramp for readers curious about the character before heading to theaters.
What If? hits the half-century mark
- According to Marvel’s solicitations, the publisher is marking 50 years of What If? with a run of new one-shots.
- A nice excuse to dig into the classics.
Hickman and Kubert send Spidey on a long road
- According to Bleeding Cool, Jonathan Hickman and Adam Kubert are pairing Spider-Man with the Punisher and the Hulk in Spider-Man: Long Way Home.
- Hickman launches tend to draw collector attention, so it is one to watch.
🔥 New First Issues to Watch
Realligator #1 (BAD IDEA) 🔥 — BAD IDEA built its reputation on tightly limited print runs, which is exactly the kind of scarcity signal collectors track. This one-shot arrives with a spread of Old Masters variant covers, so there is plenty for cover hunters too. On sale August 5, 2026, with a final order cutoff of July 6—pre-orders are how you guarantee a copy. If you like offbeat, creator-driven single issues that are hard to find later, you will love this.
📚 In Print & Collections
- What If? Classic TPB Set | Collects the early What If? run (Vols. 1–4) | Trade paperback set | Available now | Buy here
- Secret Empire HC | Collects Marvel’s Secret Empire event | Hardcover | Available now | Buy here
- He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: The Wings of Fate | New Dark Horse miniseries | Single issues | On sale this fall | Pre-order here
🗣️ Rumor Mill
The following is unconfirmed and should be treated as rumor until officially announced.
- RM-001 (2026-06-16): Industry watchers are speculating that Marvel’s Avengers: Armageddon could grow into a broader, multi-title event with additional tie-ins as the summer progresses. Source: ongoing Bleeding Cool chatter. Treat as unverified until Marvel confirms.
P.S.
Why 616? “Earth-616” became shorthand for the mainstream Marvel Universe decades ago, and fans liked it enough to give June 16 its own little holiday. Happy 616 Day.
Follow Epic Panels
Stay in the loop: Facebook · Instagram · TikTok · YouTube. The Pull List is free—subscribe to get tomorrow’s briefing in your inbox.