Oni Press Launches New Philip K. Dick-Inspired Series

What if the iconic science fiction writer Philip K. Dick was brought back to life in the modern era? This is the core concept of Benjamin, an inventive new sci-fi mystery series from Oni Press. This three-issue prestige comic follows an author named Benjamin J. Carp, who dies in 1982, only to wake up in 2025 with no memory of how he returned.

IGN presents an exclusive preview of Benjamin #1. Check out the slideshow gallery below, but please note some strong language is included:

Benjamin #1: Exclusive Comic Book Preview Gallery

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Benjamin represents the full-length comic debut of Ben H. Winters, writer of the Last Policeman Trilogy and creator of the CBS series Tracker. The art is handled by Leomacs (known for EC’s Epitaphs from the Abyss and Basketful of Heads), with cover contributions from Leomacs, Christian Ward, and Malachi Ward.

Here is Oni Press's official summary for Benjamin:

Benjamin J. Carp was more than an author; he was a sci-fi icon and a cultural revolutionary. Across 44 novels and countless short stories—including the counterculture masterpiece The Man They Couldn’t Erase—Carp stretched the limits of literary acceptance for science fiction and challenged his readers' sense of reality. His prolific career, marked by amphetamine use and Southern California excess, ended just shy of mainstream acclaim. He passed away in 1982.

Then, in 2025, Benjamin J. Carp revives inside a charred motel on the outskirts of Los Angeles. He recalls his death clearly and understands his existence is impossible. Is he a phantom? A machine? A spirit? A duplicate? A digital simulation? In his own time, Carp explored these possibilities in his work. Now, as he journeys from Studio City to Venice Beach and into the sprawling, unsettling landscape of 21st-century Los Angeles, he must solve his most baffling case: his own identity.

"First off, just because the comic is called Benjamin, and it's about a guy named Benjamin, and I'm a guy named Benjamin, doesn't make it an autobiography! Sure, the main character is a grumpy middle-aged sci-fi writer wandering through Los Angeles, trying to make sense of his existence, and I'm—well, hang on. Oh no," Winters shares with IGN. "The fun in writing Benjamin was turning the most serious topic—mortality and the inevitability of death—into a lighthearted, quirky journey. It's about a middle-aged man who died, came back, and now has to figure out why, how, and what to do next."

Winters adds, "I've always enjoyed stories with a playful twist. So a tale about a sci-fi writer who might be stuck inside one of his own narratives—and, by the way, written by another sci-fi author—trying to find his way out... it's a clever and entertaining story that also tackles the profound questions shaping our lives. Plus, there's a dog! A sweet, loyal companion named Strawman. Honestly, what more could you ask for?"

Benjamin #1 arrives on June 18, 2025. You can also watch an animated trailer for the series.

In other comic updates, DC Comics and Ghost Machine are teaming up for their first crossover event (of sorts), and the nominees for the 2025 Eisner Awards have been announced.