Lee Loughridge and Marz Jr Introduce The Adequates- a Group of Teenage Misfits With…"Powers"

Acclaimed Writer and Renowned Colorist Lee Loughridge, Artist Marz Jr and Comixology Originals Introduce The Adequates

A New Comic Book Mini-Series About a Group of Teenage Misfits With…”Powers”

Debuting digitally March 3, 2026

Hot off the heels of his debut comic series MidState, featuring a small-town amateur detective with a supernatural twist, acclaimed writer and Eisner award-winning colorist Lee Loughridge takes on high school superheroes…well, sort of…in the new comic series, The Adequates. Joined by acclaimed artist Marz Jr (Transformers: Worst Bot Ever), Loughridge weaves a humorous and touching supernatural story about a group of students who find themselves transformed after a field trip.

High school is full of cliques and Savannah High is no different. From The Elites, an overachieving bunch of nerd-jocks, to The Goths, a group of nonconformists, and now, a group of misfits known as The Adequates.

“The Adequates is over 20 years in the making,” says Loughridge. “I created the characters in the late 90’s and began exploring stories for them to exist in over the next several years. Multiple scripts had been written over those years. The story went from crass, to cancelable, then finally, Marz Jr and I decided to dial it waaay back and make a story that would resonate with kids first, the kind of story that we would have wanted to read.”

In The Adequetes, Principal Myers is obsessed with Halloween. Every year he and the students create a haunted house in the school, and he takes the entire student body and staff on a “haunted” field trip. This year, while on the field trip to the Bonaventure cemetery, a group of five awkward freshmen – Julie, Chad, Randy, Panama, and Grey – stick around for extra credit and accidentally acquire superpowers. Technically, more “adequate” than “super,” these kids have powers nonetheless. The Adequates must overcome their own personal vulnerabilities and learn to use their newfound “powers” to the best of their abilities. They quickly become proficient and defend themselves against the school bullies… However, bullies aren’t The Adequates’ biggest problem. It turns out everyone’s favorite history teacher, Mr. Woods, has been possessed by a powerful demon. Culminating in a battle on Halloween night, The Adequates must join forces with The Goths in the hopes of expelling the demons to save Mr. Woods and the school.

“I’m super excited to be crafting this tale about a group of awkward kids who gain (sort of) superpowers with Loughridge! It’s one of my favorite genres: teenagers saving the world! Of course, though, these teenagers have to save their school first!” says artist Marz Jr.

The Adequates is a quirky 5-issue YA series written and colored by Loughridge and drawn by Marz Jr that will be released monthly from Amazon’s Comixology Originals exclusive digital content line beginning with The Adequates #1 on March 3, 2026.

MidState is available digitally from Comixology Originals and will be available in print December 9, 2025, from Mad Cave.

Lee will be at NYCC.

Friday, October 10

6:45 PM – 7:45 PM

Room 1C03

Comixology and Kindle Colorsoft Present: The Art of Color

Join whimsical celebrity baker, cookbook author, and graphic novelist Kim-Joy (Turtle Bread) in conversation with legendary Eisner Award-nominated comic book colorist Lee Loughridge (Deadly Class, Fables, Midstate and many more) as they discuss the art of color—from the process of choosing the color palette to convey time, mood, feeling and setting, to getting it on the page or, in some instances, the dessert.

About the Creators:

Lee Loughridge is a human man, despite his ever-depleting testosterone, who has been working primarily in the comics industry for almost 30 years. He has worked on hundreds of titles for virtually every company in the business. As a colorist, his work spans Batman Adventures, The Good Asian, Deadly Class, Nostalgia, Somna, Gone, Killadelphia, Fables and more. As a writer, his first comic series MidState was released by Comixology Originals in 2024 and is coming to print from Mad Cave Studios this December. He made 3 humans a long time ago, thus cementing his legacy for future generations.

Marz Jr. After studying at Savannah College of Art and Design, New York-based artist Marz Jr. began developing his signature nostalgic style, combining his passion for pop culture and iconic images. While in NY, he spent over a decade collaborating in coloring work for a private studio representing Marvel and DC Comics as well as studying improv theater at UCB. His illustration work has been published in newspapers like the NY Observer and can be found in magazines and catalogues for international companies like Lane Crawford and domestically with Vogue, Urban Outfitters and Mental Floss. In early 2011, he began showcasing his work at Gallery 1988 and Wallspace LA in Los Angeles, his work went international in spring 2012 after showing at a gallery in Singapore. The past few years has found him exploring animation storyboarding with studios like ADHD and Bix Pix, enjoying two seasons with the award-winning Amazon show Tumble Leaf. His most recent comics series is Transformers: Worst Bot Ever.

About Comixology Originals:

Amazon’s Comixology Originals exclusive digital content line is available at no additional cost for members of Kindle Unlimited and Comixology Unlimited, and for purchase at amazon.com/comixology. Prime members can enjoy a selection of eBooks, audiobooks, comics, and manga included with their Prime membership. With a monthly Kindle Unlimited membership, customers get access to an extensive library of digital books, featuring beloved authors and genres, including binge-worthy series, best sellers, audiobooks, comics and manga, magazines, and trending titles—all at your fingertips at amazon.com/kindleunlimited. Comixology Unlimited offers over 45,000 comics, graphic novels and manga for just $5.99 a month with a free trial at amazon.com/comixologyunlimited.

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Author Profile

Al Mega

I'm Al Mega the CEO of Comic Crusaders, CEO of the Undercover Capes Podcast Network, CEO of Geekery Magazine & Owner of Splintered Press (coming soon). I'm a fan of comics, cartoons and old school video games. Make sure to check out our podcasts/vidcasts and more!