2025 is set to be a monumental year for DC's flagship Batman comic. With the conclusion of Chip Zdarsky's run in Batman #157, the stage is set for Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's eagerly anticipated Hush 2 storyline, slated for March. Following Hush 2, DC will relaunch Batman with a new #1 issue, featuring a fresh writer and an exciting new costume.
As announced at the ComicsPro retailer event, the new volume of Batman will be penned by Matt Fraction, known for his work on Uncanny X-Men and The Invincible Iron Man. Current artist Jorge Jimenez will continue his collaboration, bringing to life a new costume and Batmobile that pay homage to Batman's vintage roots. The iconic black and gray suit is being replaced with a more classic blue and gray ensemble. Check out the stunning new Batsuit below:
"I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Batman. It was the first comic I ever read," Fraction shared. "Jorge and I have a very superhero-forward kind of take on Batman. We’ve got a new Batmobile, a new costume, new characters, and a lot of old ones too—both good and bad. We're celebrating everything that makes Batman the coolest character in comics."
Batman #1 is scheduled for release in September 2025.
In addition to the Batman news, DC unveiled more details about the future of the Superman line during ComicsPro, continuing their "Summer of Superman" event. Supergirl is set to receive her own series and a new costume designed by Stanley "Artgerm" Lau. Sophie Campbell, known for her work on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, will write and draw the new book, which will see Kara Zor-El return to Midvale.
"I came up in the comics industry doing mostly graphic novels that I wrote and drew myself, so doing the same with Supergirl feels like I’m returning to my storytelling roots," Campbell explained. "My main touchstones to Kara Zor-El were the stories and the wild costumes from the 70’s, the 1984 Supergirl movie, and The CW show, which I was a huge fan of. In creating this version of Supergirl, I’ll be drawing on some of those influences as the series unfolds."
Supergirl #1 will hit the shelves on May 14.
Action Comics is also getting a fresh creative team, with Justice League Unlimited writer Mark Waid teaming up with Resonant artist Skylar Patridge. The series will delve into Clark Kent's teenage years in Smallville, focusing on his journey to becoming Superboy and mastering his powers.
"I start the book with Clark as a 15-year-old boy, learning to be a superhero for the first time," said Waid. "What is that like, learning to use your powers at that age? What kind of challenges are you facing? Skylar and I are also bringing Smallville a little more up to date—it still has that rustic feel to it, but farms don’t look like that anymore."
Waid and Patridge's run will begin with Action Comics #1087 in June.
Lastly, DC has announced that Krypto will star in his own five-issue miniseries, Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton, as part of the DC All In initiative. The series, written by Ryan North and drawn by Mike Norton, will explore Krypto's origin story in unprecedented detail.
"Krypto's origin has always been done at kind of a high level," North stated. "The little guy starts out on Krypton, ends up on Earth, and helps Superman fight crime. The chance to really define Krypto—to show what a little lost dog would go through if he landed all alone on a strange alien world named Earth—was really enticing. And I also fell in love with the idea of treating Krypto as the actual dog he is: he doesn't talk, and we don't cheat by reading his thoughts in balloons either. Mike Norton’s art captures exactly what needs to be ‘said’ in every scene."
Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton #1 will be released on June 18.
