Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips are back for the wildest noir yet with ‘Unfinished Tales’

April 28, 2026

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips are back with a brand-new original graphic novel, and early details suggest it could be one of their most talked-about releases yet. The acclaimed duo behind Reckless, The Fade Out, Kill or Be Killed, and Criminal are teaming up once again for Unfinished Tales, a noir thriller set to arrive this winter from Image Comics.

Described as a tense, paranoia-driven story, Unfinished Tales blends the psychological intensity of Misery with the identity games of The Talented Mr. Ripley. The result is a high-wire thriller that also draws unexpected comparisons to J. R. R. Tolkien and Megan Abbott, giving it a unique angle within the noir space.

“This is one of my favorite books we’ve ever done. I’ve always been fascinated by why people write, or in this case, why they don’t, and so I took idea of writers block and ran into the darkness with it,” said Brubaker. “Unfinished Tales is a deep dive into the world of writers and publishing, the pressure to succeed, and what that may cost you. It’s also a very fucked up thriller about egos and ambition, because it’s about writers.”

So what’s Unfinished Tales about?

Unfinished Tales follows Finnegan Blake, one of the most successful authors in the world. His best-selling books have even been made into one of the biggest shows on TV. But Finn can’t enjoy all the fame and fortune, because he’s ten years past his deadline on the last book in his epic fantasy series, and has no hope of ever finishing it. Until an old friend shows up with the perfect solution to his writer’s block. But as their secret pact turns dark and these writers’ egos clash, Finn will see how far he’s willing to go to get this final book onto the bestseller list. Most writers would kill for Finn’s life… will he?

Unfinished Tales hardcover (ISBN: 9781534330122) will be available at local comic book shops on Wednesday, November 11 and independent bookstores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Indigo, and Waterstones on Tuesday, December 8.

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