Hold Onto Your Pants — A Captain Underpants Manga is Coming! The Iconic Children’s Book Series Debuts a ‘New Look’ Next Year

Captain Underpants is taking on a whole new look!

The enduring children’s book series, written and adapted by Dog Man creator Dav Pilkey, is coming back next spring in a new format: manga, Scholastic announced Wednesday, July 31.

Set to release on April 7, 2026, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga, will see the titular, briefs-clad hero return along with his original story arc, as told in 1997’s The Adventures of Captain Underpants, Scholastic said. (Unlike traditional manga, however, the book will read left to right, the publisher clarified.)

The series’ first manga entry will feature illustrations by Motojiro, a Japanese manga artist whose work also informed how Pilkey, 59, reshaped Captain Underpants’ original story for the “epic” new format, according to Scholastic.

“It is a huge honor to see Motojiro’s rendering of the Captain Underpants illustrations into manga. His vibrant art inspired me to dig deeper, write new dialogue and flesh out the story even further,” the author said in a press release shared with PEOPLE.

“Fans of the series will be thrilled about the new look and new content, and fans of manga will be impressed with Motojiro’s dynamic style,” Pilkey continued. “I am grateful to Motojiro for his help in taking Captain Underpants to a whole new level and exciting format that I hope will create a new generation of readers.”

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga will follow the “amazing adventures of best friends George Beard and Harold Hutchins and their waistband warrior superhero creation, Captain Underpants,” a press release states — and all in the stylings of Motojiro, who creates manga for educational materials for kids.

“When I was chosen to draw Captain Underpants, words couldn’t express how thrilled I was,” the Tokyo-based illustrator said in a statement. “I had the chance to meet Dav Pilkey in Japan and read his amazing reimagined text. It was a wonderful experience to hear about his deep love and care for the series.”

“I hope even more kids and families will enjoy the Captain Underpants manga that I had so much fun drawing,” added Motojiro. “I am truly thankful for this wonderful opportunity.”

News of the manga comes as Pilkey fans are eagerly awaiting another book from the author and illustrator. The latest installment in the Dog Man series (a Captain Underpants spinoff that recently took the big screen by storm) is hitting bookshelves in November — and PEOPLE exclusively revealed its cover earlier this year.

The book, Dog Man: Big Jim Believes, is the 14th installment in the majorly successful series, which follows the titular canine-human superhero and his “Supa Buddies.” The forthcoming book is “personal to” Pilkey “in many ways,” he previously told PEOPLE in an exclusive statement.

While Captain Underpants has been around since the ‘90s, Dog Man and his pals made their debut in 2016. In January, the beloved graphic novel series also hit the big screen, with a star-studded voice cast of Pete Davidson, Ricky Gervais, Isla Fisher and more.

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Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga will be released on April 7, 2026.