WORM Is Coming to Comics! IDW Brings John McCrae’s Massive Superhero Saga to Life

WEPAAAAAAAA! CRUSADERS, ONE OF THE INTERNET’S BIGGEST SUPERHERO STORIES IS FINALLY GETTING THE COMIC BOOK TREATMENT!

Here’s a full-circle moment I absolutely love: WORM, John McCrae’s sprawling superhero web serial that originally borrowed its inspiration from comic-book storytelling, is officially heading back to the medium that helped inspire it. IDW Publishing is adapting the story into an ongoing comic, and this isn’t some blink-and-you-miss-it tie-in.

McCrae’s original serial ran from 2011 to 2013 and amassed a huge online readership. Now Meghan Fitzmartin writes the comic, with Javier Ortiz on art, David Vaquero on colors and Andriy Lukin lettering. McCrae is consulting on the adaptation.

The story centers on Taylor, a bullied teenager whose traumatic experiences trigger the ability to control insects. That’s right: while other heroes are out here throwing lightning bolts, Taylor can command a swarm. But the real danger isn’t just what her power can do. It’s what happens when somebody who’s been pushed to the breaking point suddenly has the ability to push back.

Her world is crowded with superpowered gangs, dangerous cults, serial killers and a cape community with rules that don’t always line up with doing the right thing. Taylor wants to make a difference but when revenge becomes an option, the line between hero and villain starts looking mighty thin. And THAT is where a superhero story can get interesting, baby. Not simply ‘Who wins the fight?’ but ‘What kind of person does power turn you into?’ That’s the hook that could give this adaptation some real teeth.

Adapting a massive prose saga into sequential art is no small task. A novel can spend pages inside a character’s head; a comic has to make choices about pacing, visuals and what stays unsaid. Having McCrae involved should help preserve the core of the original while giving the comics team room to make this version work on its own terms. And let me shout out the entire crew: Fitzmartin has the writing assignment, Ortiz brings the character work and action to the page, Vaquero establishes the mood with color, and Lukin gives every voice its rhythm through lettering. Comics are TEAMWORK, Crusaders. Every one of those jobs matters.

Readers get their first taste on Comics Giveaway Day, May 1, 2027, with a special prequel issue that includes writing by McCrae. WORM #1 follows in July 2027.

An internet-born superhero epic finding a new home in comic shops? That’s a win for storytelling across mediums. Whether you’re one of the longtime WORM faithful or you’re meeting Taylor for the first time, keep your eyes on this one. WEPAAAA!