DC Comics Unveils New Batman #1 with Fresh Costume

2025 is set to be a monumental year for DC's iconic Batman comic. Chip Zdarsky's acclaimed run concluded with Batman #157, setting the stage for the much-anticipated Hush 2 storyline by Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee in March. Following Hush 2, DC plans to relaunch Batman with a fresh start, featuring a new #1 issue, a new writer, and an exciting new costume.

During the ComicsPro retailer event, DC unveiled that Matt Fraction, known for his work on Uncanny X-Men and The Invincible Iron Man, will take the helm as the new writer. Jorge Jimenez, the current Batman artist, will continue to illustrate the series. Together, they've introduced a new costume and Batmobile to mark the beginning of this new era. Batman will transition from his familiar black and gray suit to a nostalgic blue and gray ensemble. Take a look at the stunning new Batsuit below:

Art by Jorge Jimenez. (Image Credit: DC)

Matt Fraction shared his enthusiasm, 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.”

Batman #1 is slated for release in September 2025.

In addition to the Batman announcements, DC provided more details on the future of the Superman line during the ComicsPro event, as part of their ongoing "Summer of Superman" initiative. Supergirl is set to receive her own new series and a striking new costume designed by Stanley "Artgerm" Lau. Sophie Campbell, renowned for her work on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, will both write and draw the series, which will see Kara Zor-El returning to Midvale.

Sophie Campbell expressed her excitement, 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.”

Art by Stanley Lau (Image Credit: DC)

Supergirl #1 will hit the shelves on May 14.

Action Comics is also in for a revamp with a new creative team featuring writer Mark Waid, known for Justice League Unlimited, and artist Skylar Patridge from Resonant. The series will delve into Clark Kent's teenage years in Smallville, focusing on his journey as he learns to harness his powers as Superboy.

Mark Waid commented, "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 new run will begin with Action Comics #1087 in June.

Finally, as part of the DC All In initiative, Krypto, the beloved canine companion of Superman, will star in his own five-issue miniseries titled Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton. The series, penned by Ryan North of Fantastic Four fame and illustrated by Mike Norton from Revival, will delve deeper into Krypto's origin story than ever before.

Ryan North shared his thoughts, saying, "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 is scheduled for release on June 18.