Oni Press Hits Baltimore Comic-Con 2026 With Archie #1 Exclusives and Mike Wieringo Tribute

Oni Press is heading to Baltimore Comic-Con 2026, and they are not showing up quietly. From September 25 through September 27 at the Baltimore Convention Center, the publisher is bringing panels, exclusive Archie #1 variants, and one especially meaningful tribute to the late Mike Wieringo.

The headline piece is the first-ever Ringo Awards exclusive variant cover for Archie #1, featuring Wieringo’s rarely seen 2007 redesigns of Archie and Jughead. The artwork is being used in print for the first time and will only be available in gift bags for attendees of the 2026 Ringo Awards. It will not be sold at retail, which makes this one of those convention pieces that is as much about legacy as collectibility.

Oni is also bringing a Baltimore Comic-Con exclusive Archie #1 variant by Shawn Kuruneru, limited to just 500 copies. That cover will be available at the convention exclusives booth, giving collectors another reason to get through those doors early. The new Archie series itself comes from writer Ben H. Winters and artist Fábio Moon, so this relaunch already has some serious creative muscle behind it.

The Wieringo tribute carries extra weight because of his connection to Baltimore Comic-Con and the Ringo Awards. Baltimore Comic-Con owner Marc Nathan called the cover a reminder of Wieringo’s generosity of spirit, while Oni Press President and Publisher Hunter Gorinson spoke about discovering comics through Wieringo’s work on titles like The Flash and Robin. That history gives this exclusive a lot more meaning than the usual convention-only cover drop.

Oni will also host two major panels on Saturday, September 26. At 2 PM in Rooms 343-344, Archie Comics: America’s Favorite Teenager Looks to the Future will bring together Archie Comics President and Editor-in-Chief Mike Pellerito, Oni Press President and Publisher Hunter Gorinson, and artist Dan Parent to talk about what is next for Archie as the character hits 85 years.

Then at 5 PM in Room 337, Oni Press: The Loudest Thing in Color will spotlight the publisher’s upcoming slate with Gorinson alongside creators Rodney Barnes, Shawn Kuruneru, Oliver Mertz, and Ryan O’Sullivan. With Oni closing in on three decades of publishing and continuing to expand both original and licensed books, this panel should give fans a strong look at what is coming next.

For Comic Crusaders readers making the trip to Baltimore, this is one of those convention stops worth circling. The Archie #1 exclusives bring the collector heat, but the Mike Wieringo tribute is the real heart of the announcement. That is the kind of move that respects the history of comics while still giving fans something new to chase.

Baltimore Comic-Con 2026 runs September 25 through September 27 at the Baltimore Convention Center.