Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Tokyopop | Tagged: barbie, hot wheels
Barbie comics are coming from Tokyopop and Mattel for 2026 – and Hot Wheels as well
Article Summary
- Tokyopop and Mattel partner to release Barbie and Hot Wheels manga-style graphic novels by 2026.
- New stories and artwork will target children ages 8-12, expanding the iconic brands.
- Barbie’s comic history includes Marvel’s 63-issue series and Tokyopop’s previous Cine-Manga.
- Hot Wheels will feature original manga-style adventures, following a 1970s DC Comics series.
Tokyopop and Mattel have announced a partnership to develop original manga-style graphic novels for children ages 8-12 based on Mattel’s Hot Wheels and Barbie brands. The first titles, including a Western-style manga graphic novel series inspired by Hot Wheels and new stories featuring characters from Barbie, are set to debut in print in 2026. This series will feature new artwork and original stories.
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- Barbie logo from Mattel
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- Hot Wheels logo from Mattel
“Hot Wheels and Barbie have long been symbols of storytelling, creativity and inspiration, engaging audiences across generations,” said Ryan Ferguson, Global Head of Publishing at Mattel. “We are thrilled to partner with Tokyopop and expand these iconic franchises through captivating stories, bringing new adventures to fans.”
“Hot Wheels and Barbie are two of the world’s most adored toy and entertainment brands and we are excited to partner with Mattel to develop and publish new original manga-style graphic novels,” says Marc Visnick, Tokyopop COO and Publisher. “Tokyopop ‘s catalog is renowned for bestselling titles featuring notable characters for readers of all ages. Adding Barbie and Hot Wheels to our roster brings an exciting dimension, and we look forward to sharing these legendary brands and bold new adventures to our global audience of readers.”
The first Barbie doll came out in 1959, and in 1962, Dell Comics published the Barbie and Ken comic book series based on young girls and their dolls, designed to play ideas for readers, told from the perspective of a Barbie fan club member meeting Barbie in real life. It only ran for five issues.
Much more substantively, in 1991, Marvel published two ongoing series, Barbie and Barbie Fashion, that ran for 63 and 53 issues respectively, focusing on Barbie and her careers, as a successful fashion designer and model, musician and actor, with creators including John Romita, Sr, Fabian Nicieza, Janice Chiang, Amanda Conner and more.
Before the upcoming 2026 run, Tokyopop released several Barbie “Cine-Manga,” storybooks comics made from screenshots from TV cartoons. In 2016 Papercutz released a series of Barbie graphic novels written by Sarah Kuhn and Alitha Martinez, and then Tini Howard and Victoria Rovado. And outside of official adaptations, Barbie and Ken were also characters in Neil Gaiman‘s The Sandman, playing off their stereotypical nature.
Hot Wheels however just got a 6 issue series from DC Comics in 1970. It was however by Joe Gill, Alex Toth, and Dick Giordano.
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