DC’s ‘Batman/Deadpool’ will include crossovers between Doctor Strange + Constantine, Harley Quinn + Hulk, more

Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Joshua Williamson, Denys Cowan, G. Willow Wilson, Bruno Redondo, Hayden Sherman and more will contribute to the comic.

We’ve heard a lot about Marvel’s plans for the first part of the Marvel/DC crossover that was announced back in May, and now DC has revealed more about Batman/Deadpool, which will arrive in November.

DC describes their side of the meet-up between Batman and Deadpool as  “a metaphysical car crash between two storytelling philosophies,” as Grant Morrison and Dan Mora “that’s equal parts cosmic horror, slapstick noir, and metafictional therapy session. It’s the kind of comic book that knows it’s a comic book, revels in being a comic book, weaponizes its comic bookiness—and dares you to keep reading anyway!” It’ll be one of five stories in the comic.

The back-up stories include:

  • Writers Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV and Joshua Williamson join forces with artist Hayden Sherman for a John Constantine and Doctor Strange meet-up.
  • Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo are doing a Nightwing (Dick Grayson) and Wolverine (Laura Kinney) crossover, “where acrobatics meet adamantium in a story that cuts deep.”
  • Mariko Tamaki and Amanda Conner “unleash chaos and charisma” in a Harley Quinn vs. Hulk showdown.
  • G. Willow Wilson and Denys Cowan bring together Static and Ms. Marvel.
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Tom Taylor + Daniele Di Nicuolo explore Arthurian legends in a new series at DC

‘C.O.R.T.: Children of the Round Table’ will kick off in September.

Now this is interesting — DC has announced a new series by Tom Taylor and Daniele Di Nicuolo, and it doesn’t involve Batman, Superman or any of their existing characters. C.O.R.T.: Children of the Round Table draws from the legend of King Arthur, and Taylor called it “the first original IP in periodical form at DC Comics.”

I’m guessing he meant that it was his first original IP at DC, because DC has published things like Cinder and Ashe, Watchmen and Camelot 3000 in the past, which were also original stories set outside the regular DC Universe. But it’s not something we see on the regular these days.

The new series will introduce “an elite force known as the Camelot Corps,” which has “protected ancient secrets, waiting for the day when these myths are needed by the world. That day is today.” Colorist Rain Beredo and letterer Wes Abbott round out the creative team.

“Like King Arthur asleep in a mountain, waiting for the day he will wake, CORT has been in my mind, and in my drafts folder, for a long time,” said Taylor. “These brave young heroes will finally rise, and I couldn’t imagine anything more perfect than to partner with Daniele Di Nicuolo and DC Comics to bring them to the world. DC has some of the greatest heroic teams on the planet, like the Justice League and the Titans. Now a new team of champions is coming to take on a tyrant: the Children of the Round Table.”

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Slugfest | Prepare for the ‘Summer of Superman’ in DC’s April solicitations

Plus: Fire & Ice, ‘We Are Yesterday’ and an uncrackable case for the Dark Knight!

Slugfest is a roundup of cool announcements about projects coming to a shelf near you. This edition focuses on DC’s April 2025 solicitations. Hit the links for more information.

With James Gunn’s Superman film arriving this summer, it’s no surprise that the Man of Steel is front and center in DC’s publishing plans for the year. The “Summer of Superman” will officially kick off in April with Summer of Superman Special #1.

The one-shot will be written by three writers — incoming Superman Unlimited writer Dan Slott, current Superman writer Joshua Williamson and all-around Krypton-ologist Mark Waid. They’ll be joined by artist Jorge Jiménez for a three-act story that will feature the wedding of Lana Lang and John Henry Irons.

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DC reveals more details on their ‘All In’ line-ups

The publisher has shared creative teams and cover art for three Absolute Universe titles, along with plans for several DCU series in the post-‘Absolute Power’ era.

If you missed the YouTube video yesterday, DC has revealed their next publishing initiative, All In, which will see several creative team changes and the birth of a whole new universe. Headed up by Scott Snyder and Joshua Williamson, the Absolute Universe will come into being thanks to Darkseid in October’s All In one-shot.

And today DC revealed some of the creative teams you can expect to see on some of the Absolute titles and the regular DC titles.

Starting first with the DC Absolute Universe — which is what they’re calling it in the press release, so we can assume that’s the official name — the line will launch with Absolute Batman by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta, as revealed yesterday. The first issue will come out Oct. 9. It’ll be followed by Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman’s reinvention of Wonder Woman “from the ground up” in Absolute Wonder Woman #1, due out Oct. 23. Then you have Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval launching Absolute Superman #1 on Nov. 6.

“The creation of the AbsoluteUniverse is how I always imagined coming back to DC, and DC All In will be a great jumping-on point for new readers as well as lapsed fans to discover new stories to love and the chance to explore the new directions in store for DC’s core series lineup,” Snyder said in the press release.

Here’s more details and cover art for those titles, along with several DCU titles (which they refer to as the “Core Line” in the press release):

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‘Dark Knights of Steel’ sequel ‘Allwinter’ begins in July

DC enlists fantasy novelist Jay Kristoff and Spanish artist Tirso to continue the Elseworlds story.

As announced last year at the New York Comic Con, DC has several Elseworlds projects in the works for 2024. While June will bring Gotham by Gaslight: The Kryptonian Age #1 by Andy Diggle and Leandro Fernandez, DC has shared more details on July’s Dark Knights of Steel: Allwinter this week.

The spinoff of Dark Knights of Steel will continue the story of a medieval world populated by versions of DC characters. It’s by fantasy novelist Jay Kristoff and Spanish artist Tirso, who recently signed an exclusive contract with the publisher.

The duo will continue the story from the first volume by Tom Taylor and Yasmine Putri. Taylor returns to write a back-up story for the miniseries, with art by Riccardo Federici.

Dark Knights of Steel was one of my favorite reads; it combines a super-attractive universe with an unbeatable team dynamic,” Tirso said. “Working as a team with Jay, in this universe, has been one of my best professional experiences so far.

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Taylor + Redondo’s final Nightwing arc begins in May

‘We wanted to show how high this flying Grayson could soar. Now, it’s time for him to fall.’

It’s been almost three years now since Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo took over Nightwing, taking an approach that wasn’t “Not Batman,” as my colleague Tom Bondurant put it when reviewing their first issue, but instead, was “Fun Batman.” I think the title has stuck to that ideal pretty well, and now we’ll see if they can stick the landing.

DC has announced that Nightwing #114 is the first of a five-part arc that will wrap up their run on the title. And thanks to the villain Heartless, it could be the end of Nightwing’s career as a superhero.

“When Bruno Redondo and I first took on this series, we felt it was the perfect time for a big Nightwing story,” Taylor said. “We wanted to show the world why Dick Grayson was an A-lister in our eyes. It was the right time for a charming, entertaining, positive force for good pushing back against corruption and greed. It was also time for Dick and Babs to get a puppy.”

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Beast Boy leads the pack in ‘Titans: Beast World’

The crossover event will spin out of Tom Taylor and Nicola Scott’s work on ‘Titans.’

When an interstellar Sea Star that rivals Starro the Conqueror threatens Earth, one hero will step up to save the world — Beast Boy.

In San Diego today, DC announced Titans: Beast World, a crossover event spinning out of Tom Taylor and Nicola Scott’s work on Titans. The event will begin in Tales of the Titans #4, which spotlights Beast Boy, and will continue through Janaury.

“I’m beyond excited to bring this DC crossover event to life starting in November with our new Titans: Beast World series, featuring art by the incomparable Ivan Reis. ‘Beast World’ will also thread the needle between the current series that I’m writing about the Titans,” said Taylor. “Friends will fall. Super Heroes will rise. And nothing will ever be the same again. Earth is about to become…Beast World.”

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DC will launch new Titans, Cyborg + Green Lantern titles

Dawn of DC continues in May.

DC has revealed three more titles and their creative teams for their 2023 Dawn of DC publishing initiative, which Publisher Jim Lee called “one of our most ambitious initiatives ever” and “a chance for us to tell bigger and bolder stories across our line” when it was announced back in November.

Today brings news of three new titles featuring some old favorites, all of which will kick off in May:

  • Titans by Tom Taylor and Nicola Scott, which is not surprising given the end of Nightwing #100 earlier this month
  • Green Lantern by Jeremy Adams and Xermánico, which will feature a main story focus on Hal Jordan, with a back-up by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Osvaldo Montos focusing on John Stewart.
  • Cyborg by Morgan Hampton, a graduate of The Milestone Initiative Talent Development Program, along with Tom Raney.

They also released an updated infographic on their plans for 2023:

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NYCC: DC plots a new course for the Family of Steel in 2023

‘Action Comics’ will expand to three stories while Clark headlines a new ‘Superman’ title and Jon stars in ‘Adventures of Superman.’

DC’s plans for Superman and the Superfamily became clearer at New York Comic Con this weekend, as the publisher revealed a new format for Action Comics, a new Superman title starring Clark Kent and an Adventures of Superman title featuring his son, Jon.

Following Action Comics #1050, a special oversized issue that comes out on the last Tuesday of 2022, the comic will see a format change with Action Comics #1051. It’ll feature three stories — one focused on Clark, one focused on Jon and one focused on Power Girl that spins out of Lazarus Planet.

“My one-word mission statement for Action Comics in 2023 is ‘Super-Family,’ and I draw inspiration from the 100-page Giant ‘Superman Family issues,” said writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson. “We’re giving everyone in the House of El their own role and personal journey while still keeping Superman at the forefront, and tying all the Super-titles together in a way that’s reminiscent of the Triangle Era. I couldn’t be more excited to be part of this new era of Action Comics, and doing it alongside such a consummate artist as Rafa Sandoval and comics titan Dan Jurgens truly makes it a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

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‘Action’ #1050 kicks off a new era for Superman

Lex Luthor targets the Superfamily in this oversized anniversary issue.

With Clark Kent returning to Earth to reunite with Jon and Lois, DC has announced that Action Comics #1050 will be an oversized issue featuring the creative teams of Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Mike Perkins, Tom Taylor and Clayton Henry, and Joshua Williamson and Nick Dragotta.

The comic will come out on the last Tuesday of the year and will introduce a new era for the Superfamily, following the events of Warworld, Dark Crisis and everything else that’s been going on in the DCU over the past few years. Also, Lex Luthor seems to be retaking his rightful place as Superman’s no. 1 villain.

“Writing Action Comics for the past two years has been one of the most rewarding writing experiences I’ve ever had, and everything that’s happened in that time—Future State, Superman: Son of Kal-El, The Warworld Saga, and Kal-El Returns—has all been building to Action Comics #1050,” said Johnson. “Clark Kent has returned to Earth stronger than ever, Jon has fully come into his own, and the Superfamily is poised to make Metropolis the true City of Tomorrow. It’s no overstatement to say Action Comics #1050 is a NEW BEGINNING for Superman, and the era that’s about to begin is as bright and fun and exciting as anything fans have ever seen at DC Comics.”

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Maines + Hickman team for ‘Dreamer’ graphic novel

The character from The CW’s Supergirl will be written by the actress who portrayed her in an upcoming graphic novel.

DC confirmed on Twitter plans for Dreamer, the character first introduced on The CW’s Supergirl and played by trans actress Nicole Maines, to appear in her own graphic novel. Rye Hickman will provide the art.

Maines revealed the project to the website Them. The character previously appeared in last year’s DC Pride special and will appear in an upcoming issue of Superman: Son of Kal-El, which Maines will co-write with Tom Taylor and featuring art by Clayton Henry.

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What Are You Reading? | World’s Finest, Shadow War Zone, Grim and more

See what the Smash Pages crew has been reading lately.

Welcome to What Are You Reading?, our look at what the Smash Pages crew has been checking off their “to read” list lately. Today’s edition includes thoughts on Batman: Killing Time and a new Shaolin Cowboy miniseries coming this week.

Let us know what you’ve been reading lately in the comments or on social media.

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