#202: Final Cats

The times, they are a-becoming quite different

Jul 28, 2026

Welcome to DECLARATIONS a bi-weekly newsletter by artist/writer Declan Shalvey.

This is a regular workblog featuring exclusive peeks at upcoming projects with advance releases of original art/merchandise.

ALL THE LATEST

Seems like the comics sands are shifting a lot, in much bigger industry ways, as well as for me personally.

First, my Worklog:

New roughs, A QUIET PLACE #4
New roughs, A QUIET PLACE #5
Roughs/pencils, PROJECT AXIS #1
Roughs/pencils/ inks, PROJECT AXIS #2
Roughs, DC Comics cover
Design work, PROJECT AXIS
Coloured PROJECT ARCA cover
Character design, PROJECT WHITEOUT
Lettering notes, THUNDERCATS X SILVERHAWKS #5
Roughs/pencils/inks/colours PROJECT WHITEOUT cover
Roughs/pencils Marvel cover
Writing PROJECT AXIS #1 script
Writing PROJECT LAZARUS outline

-While suffering from serious SDCC FOMO, I did a lot of roughs in the last couple of weeks for various covers as well as pencilling/inking some of them. A lot of development work for PROJECT AXIS and PROJECT WHITEOUT too.

Ideally for the next month I’ll be writing pages for PROJECTS AXIS and LAZARUS while drawing the PROJECT WHITEOUT issue [starting layouts today], which suits me fine. Nice to have a paying gig while doing development work which does not pay.

-Some big comics news broke recently. Steve Wacker is taking over as editor in chief [EIC] of Marvel Comics, with CB Cebulski heading to Japan to spearhead Marvel initiatives there. I thought this was very cool news, strikes me as an obvious move for CB while there seems to have been a feeling among creatives and readers that a creative shift at Marvel was needed, with DC making obvious strides in the past year or so. Having worked with Steve in the past, I think this is exactly the guy to do it. Wacker is the editor who paired myself and Warren Ellis together on MOON KNIGHT among other excellent pairings so you can see why I think he’s an editor who has real vision and I’m excited to see what he does as EIC.

News also broke that Marvel Comics are going to be moving to LA. To be honest, I’m pretty heartbroken over this, NYC has been the beating heart of Marvel for decades, a revered publishing institution and a large part of the Americana I fell in love with as a kid, particularly through comics. This also means a certain amount of editors I value and respect likely won’t move to LA. At least, that’s my feeling, I can’t see many uprooting their families to move across the continent. If that happens, Marvel will lose a lot of brilliant people and that will be incredibly sad to witness. We’ll see what happens, I guess. I’ve made my plans to go to NYC for NYCC in October, I predict it’s going to be a big weekend for many.

-On the subject of Marvel, I saw this information was online so I can reveal that ~~PROJECT LIGHTNING~~ [that I spoke about in previous Declarations] is in fact a short story for THOR #800. I’ve drawn a cover [above] for the issue that will be a special foil variant, the story itself is one I drew and coloured written by the one and only Kieron Gillen. This special anniversary issue is out August 19th.

-My variant cover for DETECTIVE COMICS #1111 was released last week. I missed it the OUT SOON notice section, apologies. I am SO happy with this cover, just the right mix of design-integrated illustration that I find really satisfying. DC covers are a rare treat for me, and to get to draw Batman is always a dream for me, bonus to have Green Arrow and Black Canary featured too.

-While I was travelling to and from Miami, I got through more of my PROJECT LAZARUS reading list; I’ve now read 10 of the 20 books on my list. Yes, I’ve added books to the list, making it somewhat harder to complete the list, but I’m getting there. I’ve reworked a chunk of my PROJECT LAZARUS pitch into a more fleshed-out outline. Ideally. I would wait until I’ve finished all my research before writing but as I keep adding material to the list I’m worried that I’ll just end up pushing the start back even further. So, I’m making a proper start now, knowing I can always come back and tweak things later before I start any drawing.

-Dark Horse Comics released my variant cover for MINOR THREATS: THE CLEANER, a new series by old pal Gerry Duggan along with Patton Oswalt, and Jordan Blum, with art by Mark Torres.

-I just got invited to a european show happening later this year. Have always wanted o go to this one, just have to check dates before I commit.

-I coloured my cover for PROJECT ARCA [above]. What is it? Can’t say. When will it be out? No idea. But, at least this cover is done and in the bank for whenever I might need it. It’s a pretty out-there project for me, it’s in production but on a lower gear. A project that will come together over time, not something that is overtly time-sensitive, which is a nice change of pace.

-The great debate! Will I give the Dan Mora Batman headsketch to my friend as planned, of keep for myself? You Decolytes decided…

Guess I’ll jut have to keep it! Ah no …I will give it to my friend, but only to be used as blackmail for something that will benefit me. Its good to know [64% of] you Decolytes have my back, though.

-I saw that Image Comics are reprinting Warren Ellis and Chris Sprouse’s OCEAN [with a new cover by Sprouse]. This come out via Wildstorm back in the day, I believe, I missed the series at the time, so I’m looking forward to finally checking this out via this new collection.

THUNDERCATS

NEWS! Dynamite Comics announced a THUNDERCATS reboot with a new THUNDERCATS #1 written by Greg Pak with art by David Cousens.

Wait, what!? But that’s my book!

Yes, with having finished writing the main THUNDERCATS crossover with SILVERHAWKS and the MUMM-RA miniseries, I’m stepping away from the ThunderVerse.

I’ve had a BIG project to get started on [PROJECT LAZARUS] that was green-lit a few months ago and I think all the Thunderwork ended up eating up all my focus. Now I’m finally in a place to properly start a dream opportunity and with the natural build-up to the crossover and it wrapping up aliong with MUMM-RA, now feels like a good place to step off. After over two years [containing 35 scripts, one drawn issue and 56 covers] I just think it’s a good time to bow out. LAZARUS is a project that I’m writing/drawing and with two creator owned series I’m currently developing/writing, I think that will be more than enough for me to manage in the year to come.

Taking on THUNDERCATS as a writer was a unique challenge I feel that I was ready for. The huge positive reaction and the sudden sales blow-up was amazing and it all lead to a MUCH bigger challenge than I could have ever expected and I did my best to rise to it. The scope of this gig grew exponentially and I am hugely grateful to editor Nate Cosby, publisher Nick Barrucci and the crew at Dynamite Comics as well as the Warner Brothers licensor for the space to do what I’ve been able to do with my co-pilot Drew Moss [and everyone else who contributed, namely letterer Jeff Eckleberry [who lettered every issue I wrote] but also artists such as Joe Mulvey and David O’Sullivan who helped us keep the train on the tracks] with this franchise of characters, not forgetting those who worked on the spinoff eries/mini-series/one-shots.

This book gave me the chance to really push myself as a writer in a way I hadn’t been able to previously. Getting to essentially write a monthly superhero book for over two years in a publishing landscape that has recently been more saturated by limited series has been a rare and satisfying experience. Also, to wrap up my time on the series with this crossover event and a mini-series dedicated to the big bad of the universe is a perfect place to step off and see someone else take the Thunder-torch. I want to thank all the Thunder-fans here, as ye’ve always been so sweet to me. Anyone who has talked to me at conventions about THUNDERCATS has always been so positive and encouraging about the book, which has been a fantastic experience.

Of course, standing ovation to Drew Moss who really was the backbone of the series for the last couple of years. Yes, I had to work out ‘the take’ and developed the world, new lore, etc but without a dedicated, skilled and workhorse artist, the book would have faltered. Drew’s skill and dedication made this book possible, and his excitement and creative enthusiasm kept me going during some of the more stressful moments. Working on this book was a wonderful way to develop a partnership with a trusted collaborator like Drew. We’ve since made so many issues as a team [including a TMNT/MUTANT NATION issue]thar Drew is the artist I’ve worked with the most at this point and this is definitely not the last time we’ll be working together. In fact, we’re already talking about what’s next.

THUNDERCATS X SILVERHAWKS #5 art bt Drew Moss. Igor Monti colours

We’re not done yet though and we’re going out on a high. The final issue of THUNDERCATS X SILVERHAWKS, mine and Drew’s swan song on the title, is out August 12th. I hope ye enjoy the rest of the ride.

MUMM-RA

Issue Four of the mini-series came out last week. Fantastic work by Rapha Loboasco, Roshan Kurichiyanil and Jeff Eckleberry where things got dark. And if you’ve read the last page of the book, you know we’ve taken a really interesting turn…

Rapha handed in his final pages of Issue 5 last week and with him wrapped, I have to say I am so happy with this mini. Especially with how we’re wrapping it up. With every single page of the miniseries drawn by Rapha, it’s a wonderfully constistent, high quality book. If my run on THUNDERCATS is a solid gold crown then this mini is a rare jewel contained within. With this title, I got to play in a different corner of the Thunderverse I’d helped established, taking some ideas of the main book and giving them a larger playground to blossum, while hopefully leaving Mumm-Ra in a more interesting and indimidating place.

A QUIET PLACE

Quietely [ha] chipping away on this, I had to redo roughs for Issue 4 and 5 covers… they didn’t quite work for the licensor so have sent in new passes, waiting to hear back on approvals before I get working on the final pieces. Once I have some writing work done on PROJECT AXIS and LAZARUS I’ll circle back to write my last script of this.