Royals takes readers into the back alleys of Seoul in this brilliantly mind-bending crime caper from Eisner Award-winning Derek Kirk Him and superstar artist Jacob Perez.
April 2026 is a big month for new series at Image Comics — we’ve already written about the gluttony of new titles coming our way. One of the most exciting of which is Royals, a new six-issue miniseries from Derek Kirk Him (The Last Mermaid) and artist Jacob Perez (Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles).
Royals follows twin brothers Paul and Castor who have an uncanny telepathic connection. Such a connection unlocks the ability to do many different things, and they choose to go down the gambling route, utilising their skill to create the perfect poker hustle. It all goes very well, but they bite off a little more than they can chew when they take on the leader of the Bloody Cocks, the most ruthless criminal syndicate in Seoul.
The story is very much a crime, but it’s not dark and gritty. In fact it’s quite the opposite. It’s a story about two brothers using their unique power to earn a fortune through cheating in Poker. The connection between the brothers is the most charming element of the comic. They’re got completely different personalities, and in turn their motivations sway. Paul is quieter and more reserved, while Castor is outgoing and charismatic. The conflict doesn’t just come from the opponents they face, but also by the introspective interactions between Paul and Castor.
In terms of pacing, the story is easy to follow. It’s not too word dense and relies heavily on expressive art. Speaking of which, the artwork from Jacob Perez is particularly impressive, too. It’s stylised and captures emotional aspects wonderfully, which perfect for the cheeky tricks at play. And it also works for panels of scale, which is notably from the very first page. It’s bright too, with colours that pop.
Royals #1 is a confident and compelling debut issue from an established creative duo. I can see where it’s going, but I’m very excited to jump into issue #2. The concept is fun and executed well. This is an ace first issue (apologies about the poker pun). If it can continue this momentum over all six issues, we’re in for a royal flush of a series (once again, apologies about the poker pun).
Royals is perfect for fans of:
- Criminal
- Thief of Thieves
- Stray Bullets
- Deadly Class
Royals debuts April 1, 2026 from Image Comics.
