Oni Press Announces Dystopian Thriller 'Destination Kill' #1

British cartoonist Joe Palmer writes, illustrates, and hand-letters the four-issue series set in a London reshaped by a powerful corporation.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Oni Press has revealed Destination Kill #1, a four-issue dystopian action thriller written, illustrated, and hand-lettered by British cartoonist Joe Palmer (Time Before Time). Set in the year 2125, the 40-page debut follows Gina Serene, an overworked detective, and her ex-partner Lance Wingman, a private investigator, as they stand between a corporate empire and a city on the brink of violent upheaval.

Why it matters

Destination Kill is a much-needed addition to the dystopian genre, blending entertaining satire with a chilling vision of the future. The series explores themes of automation, corporate power, and social unrest, reflecting real-world concerns about the impact of technology on the workforce and the growing divide between the haves and the have-nots.

The details

In the world of Destination Kill, the all-powerful corporation Overcon has reshaped London, with its robotic workforce handling everything from serving drinks to dispensing medication. As Overcon celebrates the one-year anniversary of its Paradise Loop, a high-speed transatlantic train, tensions erupt as displaced human workers, pushed aside by automation, flood the streets armed and ready to strike during the gala celebration.

  • Destination Kill #1 (of 4) arrives in comic shops on May 13, 2026.
  • The series is set in the year 2125.

The players

Gina Serene

An overworked detective struggling to stay afloat in the corporate-controlled city.

Lance Wingman

Gina's ex-partner, now a private investigator, who joins her in standing between the corporate empire and the city on the brink of upheaval.

Overcon

The all-powerful corporation that has reshaped London, with its robotic workforce handling everything from serving drinks to dispensing medication.

Joe Palmer

The British cartoonist who wrote, illustrated, and hand-lettered the four-issue Destination Kill series.

Bess Pallares

The senior editor at Oni Press who called Destination Kill a much-needed addition to the dystopian genre.

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What they’re saying

“DESTINATION KILL started life as an image in my mind of a lone, masked builder armed with a pistol, standing on the snow-covered rooftop of St. Paul's Cathedral in London. That image really stuck with me, and over time, it evolved into this fantastical story of a transatlantic train and a citywide builder-led revolution that I knew I had to make someday.”

— Joe Palmer, Writer, Illustrator, and Hand-Letterer of Destination Kill

“DESTINATION KILL is the type of story we've been missing for decades—an action thriller equal parts entertaining in its satire and horrifying in its prescience. Joe's characters, worldbuilding, and craft as a cartoonist sing brilliantly from the page in the perfect execution of style and substance.”

— Bess Pallares, Senior Editor, Oni Press

What’s next

Destination Kill #1 (of 4) will arrive in comic shops on May 13, 2026.

The takeaway

Destination Kill is a timely and thought-provoking addition to the dystopian genre, exploring the dangers of unchecked corporate power and the growing divide between the haves and the have-nots in a future London reshaped by automation and technological progress.