This year, Superman will celebrate his 87th birthday (his first appearance was on April 18, 1938, in Action Comics No. 1). On top of this monumental achievement, James Gunn kicks off the live-action chapter of the DC Universe with the Man of Steel’s newest solo movie - Superman premiering July 11, 2025.
With all of this coming up, it’s a smart move for DC Comics to celebrate Clark Kent with variant comic book covers, new beginnings, and merchandise to honor one of the greatest heroes of any genre.
Summer of Superman Special No. 16
"The wedding of Lana Lang and John Henry Irons (a.k.a. Steel) serves as the backdrop for an outpouring of love and support from family and friends. However, their big day will also be big trouble, as threats from the past, present and future will spawn major new conflicts for the Superman family"DC.com
Summer of Superman Special No. 1 is scheduled to be released on April 16, 2025. Variant cover featuring Krypto, (Super)man’s best friend, by Chrissie Zullo-Uminga
Superman No. 25
There are a lot of changes and updates coming to Clark Kent’s life. Maybe the most crucial will be the return of Lex Luthor.
In Superman: Lex Luthor Special, Lex starts to get his memory back. Not being himself made Lex a more likable and caring person (he lost his memory during the House of Brainiac crossover). According to DC Comics, “Lex Luthor makes his DC All In return and is ready to fight for control of Supercorp and Metropolis.” This happens in the groundbreaking Superman series by all-star writer Joshua Williamson. The oversized issue No. 25 will feature art from Dan Mora (who also did the cover in the link image) and Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira (who both did art for Action Comics).
"Mora provides the wraparound main cover for Superman #25, with variant covers from a who’s-who of comic book art giants, including Guillem March, Jeff Dekal, Rafael Grassetti, Dave Johnson, Laura Braga, and Fico Ossio, plus an April Fools’ Day variant cover by Dan Hipp."DC.com
Superman No. 25 is scheduled to be released on April 23, 2025. Variant covers from a who’s-who of comic book art giants, including Guillem March, Jeff Dekal, Rafael Grassetti, Dave Johnson, Laura Braga, and Fico Ossio, plus an April Fools’ Day variant cover by Dan Hipp.
Superman: The World
People think of Metropolis when they think of Superman. It’s easy to forget that he saves beings throughout the universe when his home is the Big Apricot. But the people of the world don’t. This is why various creators from around the world are collaborating to make this a special issue.
Superman: The World will be a reminder that the Man of Steel is a hero for everyone. He’s said it hundreds of times in the comics and proved it more with his actions. However, the message is sometimes lost on more…ignorant fans. Thankfully, DC Comics hasn’t forgotten who Big Blue is and what he represents.
"Renowned Superman storytellers Dan Jurgens and Lee Weeks join a team of fifteen international creators to tell tales that highlight what makes Superman the greatest superhero of all. Superman: The World is scheduled to launch day and date in the following territories: Brazil, Mexico, Germany, Spain, Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Turkey, India, Cameroon, Poland, the Czech and Slovak Republics, and Argentina."DC.com
Superman: The World is scheduled to be released June 24, 2025.
Action Comics No. 1085
G. Willow Wilson (who’s writing the elite Poison Ivy series) and featuring artist Gavin Guidry (Uncanny X-Men and Predator vs Wolverine) will collaborate on Action Comics No. 1085. The description below is enough to get readers into the series, but the creative team is the draw for me. Their individual work is fantastic. Together they will create a classic.
"Lois Lane sends the Man of Steel to a scientific outpost in the Arctic to investigate a new technology that promises to halt global warming. But when Superman arrives, he quickly finds out that the outpost has been plagued by a villain who plans to melt humanity’s hopes for survival."DC.com
Action Comics No. 1085 is scheduled to be released April 9, 2025. Variant covers by Davide Paratore, Cully Hamner and Danny Earls
Superman’s Good Guy Gang
"Superman’s Good Guy Gang is written and drawn by Death and Sparkles creator Rob Justus and introduces readers to an eight-year-old Clark Kent, and his super-powered friends Hawkgirl and Green Lantern Guy Gardner, as they test their abilities, grow together and maybe even earn some good guy points along the way."DC.com
Lastly, we come to the future comic book readers. Superman’s Good Guy Gang is targeted at kids ages 5-7 and follows an 8-year-old Superman with Hawkgirl and Green Lantern Guy Gardner. The graphic novel is written and drawn by Death and Sparkles creator Rob Justus.
Having Hawkgirl and Guy Gardner in this series is brilliant. Instead of using characters like Batman and Wonder Woman, the younger generation is introduced to heroes that many may not know. So, when they get older, they’ll know that the DC Comics world doesn’t revolve around two of the big three.
Superman’s Good Guy Gang is scheduled to be released July 1, 2025
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