OMG! Check Please Will Return in 2026

Yes, you heard that right, Wellies! We all have something to look forward to next year. Creator Ngozi Ukazu announced last night that we will be getting more Check, Please! in 2026.

It’s been more than five years since we last left Eric Bittle on his journey as the first openly gay captain in NCAA Division I hockey. But soon we’ll be returning to the ice.

In a Tumblr post, Ngozi explains that when she ended the comic after four volumes (or two depending on which ones you go by), she knew Jack and Bitty’s story was done as soon as Bitty kissed the ice after his graduation from Samwell. However, eventually she realized that there was still one more story to tell. And so in 2026, a brand-new volume of Check, Please! will be serialized!

As per the post, this means that fans can look forward to dozens of new comics, some exciting updates, new stories for our favorite characters, and new characters altogether. Said Ngozi, “This fifth year of Check, Please! will be filled with shenanigans, drama, hockey, pies, Haus parties, and a new message of acceptance that is near and dear to me.”

This announcement comes in the wake of the absolute phenomenon that is another hockey-related romance, Heated Rivalry. (Though, to be fair, Heated Rivalry actually contains very little hockey.) As people across the US and Canada salivate for more stories like that in Western media, I’ve seen Check, Please! increasingly pop up as a recommendation for people to check out next. In fact, Check, Please! has recently trended a few times on Tumblr despite the series ending in 2020.

“Marginalized athletes still face harmful bigotry, and for this reason, queer sports stories are more important than ever,” said Ngozi. “I love Samwell hockey and how each of you has embraced this roster of athletes.”

Ngozi also took the opportunity to remind everyone that Check, Please! was optioned for a film/television adaptation. Of course, a lot of books get optioned and never end up making it past that initial decision, but hopefully the huge success and incredible popularity of shows like Heated Rivalry and Heartstopper will convince more studios that we want to see queer romance. And hopefully whoever optioned Check, Please! remembers that they already own the rights to a story like that!

(By the way, I hope studios will realize that what we want to see is the queer romance and not the hockey stuff. Except in the case of Check, Please!. And then, yes, we do want more hockey stuff. As soon as possible.)

If you’ve never experienced the joy that is Eric Bittle’s story, First Second has compiled the comic into two volumes which can be purchased wherever books are sold. But you can also read the entire series for free online at the official website.

And if you are a fan and you haven’t already, make sure you check out Ngozi’s other books, Bunt! and Flip, also published by First Second.

Author: Jamie Sugah

Jamie has a BA in English with a focus in creative writing from The Ohio State University. She self-published her first novel, The Perils of Long Hair on a Windy Day, which is available through Amazon. She is currently an archivist and lives in New York City with her demon ninja vampire cat. She covers television, books, movies, anime, and conventions in the NYC area.

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