The Best Pixar Movie Is Coming to Marvel Comics (But Not How You Think)

One of the most iconic movies in the Pixar library is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Kids young and old have come to know Pixar as the animation studio that delivers quality, original stories on the big screen. If there is one thing you can count on, it’s that a Pixar movie will tug at the heartstrings and leave its audience an emotional wreck by the time it’s done. Pixar movies have spawned sequels and TV spinoffs, but the next evolution of a Pixar film comes courtesy of Marvel Comics. Pixar and Marvel both belong under the Disney banner, and a new collaboration honors the Pixar movie that started it all.

Marvel Comics celebrates the 30th anniversary of Disney and Pixar’s original Toy Story with the announcement of three Toy Story Homage Variant Covers. Released in November 1995, Toy Story was the first Pixar movie to debut in theaters. Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and the rest of the Toy Story cast would star in three more movies, with Toy Story 5 slated for release next summer. Buzz Lightyear also headlined a spinoff movie where he was voiced by Captain America star Chris Evans.

The Toy Story Homage Variant Covers will be drawn by longtime Disney comic book artist Marco Forcelloni and illustrator Nicky Nicotera. They take iconic Marvel Comics covers and reimagine them with your favorite Toy Story characters. The covers will be featured on November’s issues of Amazing Spider-Man, Captain America, and Avengers.

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The Amazing Spider-Man cover shows Woody swinging on a lasso while holding one of the three-eyed Little Green Men under his right arm, recreating the famous Spider-Man pose from 1962’s Amazing Fantasy #15. The Avengers cover finds Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Rex, one of the Little Green Men, and Jessie serving as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes when Captain America officially joined the team. Last is Buzz Lightyear in outer space for the Captain America cover homaging S.H.I.E.L.D.’s infamous super spy in Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #6.

Toy Story 5 Brings Back Some Familiar Faces

Pixar released the first look at Toy Story 5 in June, and it features the return of some fan-favorite characters. The artwork featured Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, and Bullseye befuddled by the presence of a children’s electronic toy named Lilypad. The electronic device has text bubbles on its screen, but it’s hard to make out what the words would be. Pixar CCO Pete Docter shared that Jessie is now the leader of the toys in Bonnie’s room, with Buzz serving as her right-hand man. The issue they’re dealing with is that Bonnie, now 8 years old, is losing interest in her more traditional toys.

Tim Allen, who voices Buzz Lightyear, promised that Toy Story 5 won’t take away from the emotional ending in Toy Story 4. The latter film concluded with Woody splitting from the main group and embracing being a “lost toy” alongside Bo Peep. Toy Story 5 is slated for release on June 19, 2026.

As for the Toy Story Homage Variant Covers, Avengers #32 goes on sale November 5th, followed by Captain America #5 and Amazing Spider-Man #16 on November 19th. Let us know your thoughts on the covers in the comments below!