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Bleeding Hearts #1 — Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin Variant Cover | Card Stock Publisher: DC Vertigo | Released: February 11, 2026 Writer: Deniz Camp | Artist: Stipan Morian | Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou | Variant Cover: Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin Card Stock Variant | Near Mint | Ages 17+ Nick Dragotta and Frank Martin's variant cover is a masterpiece of tonal precision — the zombie protagonist Poke rendered tall, distinguished, and almost serene as he strides through a chaos of scrambling humans and lurching undead, white hair swept back and purple flowers tucked behind his ear, with a dreamy, detached expression that immediately communicates everything essential about the series' unique emotional register. Dragotta's clean, dynamic line art and Martin's moody, atmospheric color palette make this one of the most immediately striking debut covers in DC Vertigo's storied history — and a visual declaration of intent for the revived imprint. Dragotta's signature is inscribed on the cover art. The zombies won — and ten years after the fall, a zombie society has risen. Poke (full name: Mouse-Pokes-Golf-Ball-Out-Of-Head-Hole) is fairly normal amongst his fellow zombies, except for one crucial difference: his heart has started beating again. As his secret threatens to unravel his place in zombie society — a world where having a heartbeat is the most dangerous thing imaginable — Poke finds himself drawn toward the remaining humans in ways he cannot explain. An inventive, emotionally resonant, darkly funny exploration of humanity, empathy, and identity — told entirely from the zombie's point of view. Critically praised as "exactly what you'd expect from DC Vertigo's return — in the best possible way" and "a genuinely fresh take on an over-saturated genre," Bleeding Hearts #1 went to a second printing following its debut. 🔑 KEY ISSUE — YES, MAJOR Series premiere of Bleeding Hearts — the flagship debut title of DC Vertigo's landmark return as a publishing imprint after its closure in 2020; the most anticipated creator-owned DC launch of 2026 and the first new series under the revived Vertigo banner 1st appearance of Poke — the zombie protagonist at the center of one of 2026's most critically acclaimed new series; a fully original character created by Deniz Camp and Stipan Morian with a genuinely unique premise and immediate fan resonance Bleeding Hearts #1 went to a second printing by popular demand — a significant indicator of the title's commercial and critical success, underscoring the collector value of first printing copies Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin Variant — Dragotta is one of the most celebrated and respected artists in modern comics, renowned for his landmark work on East of West (with Jonathan Hickman), FF, and Fantastic Four; his variant cover for this debut issue is a visual statement of enormous creative credibility, signaling the seriousness and artistic ambition of the revived Vertigo imprint; Dragotta's signature on the cover art adds further authenticity and collector appeal Written by Deniz Camp — one of the most acclaimed writers in comics today, celebrated for Ultimates, Absolute Martian Manhunter, Ultimate Endgame, and 20th Century Men; his Bleeding Hearts is his DC Vertigo debut and one of the most anticipated series of his career Art by Stipan Morian — a reunion of the 20th Century Men creative team; Morian's expressive, kinetic style perfectly captures the darkly comic horror tone of the series Part of DC Vertigo's historic revival — one of comics' most celebrated and creatively important imprints returning to publication after a five-year absence, with Bleeding Hearts as one of its flagship launch titles Ships bagged, boarded, and protected in a Gemini mailer.