DC Comics Unveils New Batman #1 with Fresh Costume

2025 is set to be a monumental year for DC's iconic Batman series. Chip Zdarsky's acclaimed run concluded with Batman #157, setting the stage for Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's eagerly anticipated sequel, *Hush 2*, scheduled for March. Following *Hush 2*, DC is poised to relaunch Batman with a fresh start, featuring a new #1 issue, a new writer, and an exciting new costume.

At the ComicsPro retailer event, DC unveiled that the new volume of Batman will be penned by Matt Fraction, known for his work on *Uncanny X-Men* and *The Invincible Iron Man*. Jorge Jimenez, the current Batman artist, will continue his collaboration, and together they've crafted a new costume and Batmobile for the series. Batman will don a nostalgic blue and gray suit, harking back to his vintage aesthetics. Here's a glimpse of the new Batsuit:

Matt Fraction shared his excitement, saying, "I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Batman. It was the first comic I ever read. Jorge and I have a very superhero-forward kind of take on Batman. We’ve got a new Batmobile, we’ve got a new costume, we’ve got new characters, and we’ve got a lot of old ones too—good and bad; all the stuff that makes Batman the coolest character in comics. We want to celebrate it all."

The new Batman #1 is slated for release in September 2025.

In addition to the Batman news, DC provided updates on the Superman line during the ComicsPro event, as part of the ongoing "Summer of Superman" initiative. Supergirl is set to star in her own new series, complete with a new costume designed by Stanley "Artgerm" Lau. Sophie Campbell, renowned for her work on *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles*, will both write and illustrate the series, which will see Kara Zor-El return to Midvale.

Campbell expressed her enthusiasm, stating, "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. 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.

Additionally, *Action Comics* is set to receive a fresh creative team, with Mark Waid, known for *Justice League Unlimited*, teaming up with Skylar Patridge of *Resonant*. Their run will focus on Clark Kent's teenage years in Smallville, delving into his journey of discovering and mastering his powers as Superboy.

Waid shared, "I start the book with Clark as a 15-year-old boy, learning to be a superhero for the first time. 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 narrative begins with *Action Comics #1087* in June.

Lastly, DC has announced a heartwarming addition to their lineup with *Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton*, a five-issue miniseries as part of the DC All In initiative. Ryan North, known for *Fantastic Four*, and Mike Norton of *Revival* will explore Krypto's origin story in unprecedented detail.

North remarked, "Krypto's origin has always been done at kind of a high level. 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 available starting June 18.

Also at ComicsPro, Marvel announced the relaunch of Captain America this summer, with Chip Zdarsky writing and Valerio Schiti illustrating the series. Additionally, fans can look forward to an early preview of Godzilla's new interconnected comic book universe.