Supernatural’s New Sam Winchester Series Is A Bittersweet Goodbye To Jared Padalecki Era
TJ Mills is an editor on ScreenRant's Comic team, where she combines her lifelong passion for DC with her analytical background as a former Intelligence Analyst. Since joining ScreenRant in 2023, she has specialized in covering major DC storylines, character evolutions, and industry developments.
A new, exciting era has begun for Supernatural, but this new beginning comes with a bittersweet caveat. As the franchise moves forward, it also moves further away from Jared Padalecki’s iconic portrayal of Sam Winchester. While this new chapter may feel like a bittersweet goodbye to Padalecki for some fans, his spirit and legacy continue to live on through this new Sam Winchester series.
Dynamite has recently launched a new era for Sam and Dean Winchester, with each brother getting his own solo series. Right off the bat, this is obviously a major change to the status quo, given that two separate solo series suggest the brothers will no longer be together, but instead pursue their own separate hunts. This separation follows the events of Dynamite’s Supernatural Special: Wayward, a one-shot special that reveals what could come between the brothers and drive them apart.
Wayward thus serves as the setup for Dynamite’s Supernatural: Sam Winchester and Supernatural: Dean Winchester series. Despite being separate series brought to life by different creative teams, the two are connected and take place at the same time, meaning they are best enjoyed by reading them in tandem. For the best reading experience, we recommend reading Wayward, followed by Supernatural: Sam Winchester #1, and then Supernatural: Dean Winchester #1.
Screen Rant has already reviewed the first issue of Supernatural: Dean Winchester, which can be found linked above. Thus, while the two series are connected, this review will primarily focus on writer Paulina Ganucheau and artist Kendall Goode’s Supernatural: Sam Winchester #1. However, before diving in, it’s important to understand that despite being presented in comic book form, both series are part of official Supernatural canon and tell an untold chapter set sometime during the show’s early seasons. So, without further ado, let’s jump in.
Sam Winchester's New Series Doesn't Have Jared Padalecki, But It Nails Sam's Character
Main Cover by Paulina Ganucheau for Supernatural: Sam Winchester #1 (2026)
As previously mentioned, this series takes place somewhere between the show’s early seasons, and as such, one of the main questions true Supernatural fans will likely be wondering is whether the series accurately depicts Sam’s early-season hair. The answer is a resounding YES! Goode beautifully depicts Sam with his defining early-season bangs and short hair. Now that the most important question is out of the way, we can dive into everything else.
Continuing the plot first introduced in Wayward, Sam is still being threatened by an unknown person who contacts him through texts and calls. This mysterious caller and their threats are the reason Sam abandoned Dean, resulting in the brothers going their separate ways despite Dean’s protests. Now, in the Sam Winchester series, it’s revealed that this person is still harassing Sam, with their instructions now leading him on some sort of hunt that seems to have something to do with cults.
Much remains a mystery after this first issue, with fans still unsure of the primary objective. However, this lingering mystery is the perfect fit for a Sam Winchester series, given Sam’s reputation as the more intellectually driven brother. Writer Ganucheau seems to be just getting started with this plot, so we’ll continue to let her cook, as the series appears to be heading in a promising direction.
In addition to delivering a plot that will keep us coming back for more, Ganucheau manages to capture Sam’s personality perfectly. While this medium obviously lacks Jared Padalecki, it still feels like peak Sam Winchester. Hence, fans of the show will likely be very content with Sam’s characterization in this issue.
The series is off to a more than promising start, and while fans likely would have loved to see Sam Winchester make a live-action return, this comic series is doing a more than commendable job of driving the franchise forward, even without Jared Padalecki’s face leading the charge.
Supernatural: Sam Winchester #1 from Dynamite is now available to read!
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.