Exclusive: Variant Covers Revealed! Zack Kaplan & Stefano Raffaele’s ONLY THE SAVAGE ARE LEFT Lets Loose Our Monsters

Following the recent announcement of three action-packed comic book series in 2026, in a multi-title deal, Dark Horse Comics and Zack Kaplan are providing more details on the next hit series: Only the Savage are Left. In partnership with artist Stefano Raffaele (Alien Vs. Captain America, Detective Comics, Star Wars), with colors by Thiago Rocha and letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, and book designer Tom Muller, the "series brings readers deep into a dangerous world of monsters and monster-killers." Along with more info on the upcoming series, we have an exclusive look at issue #1's variant cover art by Marco Mastrazzo, Todd Beats, and David Mack.

In Only the Savage are Left: "A strange virus has spread across the world, transforming its victims into monsters. The only cure is to kill another infected soul. When a non-violent young man sets out from the safety of his settlement to find his missing true love, he must face the corrupted world of monsters and monster-killers. A dramatic survival adventure that dares to ask what we should stand for in the monster apocalypse."

“Readers just love post-apocalyptic stories. Some of the biggest comics and tv shows ever have explored post-apocalyptic worlds! But we wanted to use this landscape to explore something different – how savagery is like a virus in our modern world, how it has infected us all, and if we are not committing it, we are certainly desensitized to it. What happens to our humanity when we decide monsters and monstrosities as acceptable?” Zack Kaplan asks. “Stefano, the whole creative team and I invite you to join Ryder, a young man who’s facing that very question. And is it even possible to maintain your values, your ideals, your identity in a world gone savage. We’re gonna give you a post-apocalyptic world and the thrills of seeing the monster-apocalypse, but we have a whole new take on it, and you are going to absolutely love it.”

"Thiago and I are building a visual language that feels grounded, raw, and emotional rather than flashy,” says Raffaele. “The muted, naturalistic colors and the open, borderless compositions give the story room to breathe, while also making the world feel fragile and exposed. Visually, the book reflects the slow decay of humanity.”

Only the Savage are Left #1, Zack Kaplan and Steffano Raffaele’s "apocalypse of love and monsters," arrives in comic shops on June 3rd for $4.99. To pre-order and find a local comic book store near you, visit: https://findyourcomic.store/

For continued news on Only the Savage are Left and the rest of Kaplan’s 2026 Dark Horse Comics line-up with The Smart Division and Kill All Immortals III, make sure to visit: https://www.darkhorse.com/

Cover A by Stefano Raffaele:

Cover B by Marco Mastrazzo:

Cover C by Todd Beats:

Cover D by David Mack: