DC Comics Relaunches Batman: New #1 Issue, New Costume

2025 is shaping up to be a monumental year for DC's flagship Batman comic. The current writer, Chip Zdarsky, concluded his run with Batman #157, setting the stage for Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's highly anticipated Hush 2 storyline in 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.

As unveiled at the ComicsPro retailer event, the new volume of Batman will be helmed by acclaimed writer Matt Fraction, known for his work on Uncanny X-Men and The Invincible Iron Man. The talented artist Jorge Jimenez, currently associated with the series, will continue to contribute, collaborating with Fraction to introduce a new costume and Batmobile. Batman will transition from his familiar black and gray suit to a more vintage-inspired blue and gray ensemble. Feast your eyes on the new Batsuit:

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Batman. It was the first comic I ever read,” Matt 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—good and bad; all the stuff that makes Batman the coolest character in comics. We want to celebrate it all.”

Mark your calendars for the release of Batman #1 in September 2025.

In addition to the Batman developments, DC provided further insights into the future of the Superman line during ComicsPro, as the "Summer of Superman" event rolls on. Supergirl is set to receive her own new series and a stunning new costume designed by Stanley "Artgerm" Lau. Sophie Campbell, renowned for her work on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, will both write and draw the new series, which will see Kara Zor-El returning to the city of 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 is slated for release on May 14.

Moreover, Action Comics is set to welcome a new creative team, featuring Justice League Unlimited writer Mark Waid and Resonant artist Skylar Patridge. Their run will focus on Clark Kent's teenage years in Smallville, delving into his journey of mastering his emerging powers as Superboy.

"I start the book with Clark as a 15-year-old boy, learning to be a superhero for the first time,” Waid stated. “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."

The new era for Action Comics begins with issue #1087 in June.

Lastly, DC has announced that Krypto, Superman's loyal canine companion, will star in his own five-issue miniseries as part of the DC All In initiative. Titled Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton, the series is written by Ryan North, known for his work on Fantastic Four, and illustrated by Mike Norton, acclaimed for Revival. This series will delve deeper into Krypto's origin story than ever before.

“Krypto's origin has always been done at kind of a high level," North remarked. "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 hit the shelves on June 18.

Additionally, at ComicsPro, Marvel announced the relaunch of Captain America this summer, with Chip Zdarsky writing and Valerio Schiti drawing the book. You can also explore our exclusive preview of Godzilla's new interconnected comic book universe.