Nothing says Superman like existential introspection and horror right? Well, maybe that’s not what we think about when we think about The Man of Steel, but it when we think about Ice Cream Man, the award winning Image Comics series from W. Maxwell Prince, Martin Morazzo and Chris O’Halloran. And they are going to bring some of that to Superman this August in Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum.
DC’s Black Label imprint, designed of out of continuity, creator driven stories, hasn’t had a lot of series featuring Big Blue; about 75% of them have been Batman centric, which says a lot about DC’s publishing scheme, to be fair. Of the previous three, one is pretty much completely forgotten (Superman Vs. Lobo), one was a boondoggle (Frank Miller’s Superman: Year One) and the recently completed Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor, while good, suffered a nearly two year gap in between issues 1 and 2, so not exactly a sterling track record. But this series seems like something strange and unique in its point of view, like the vest of what Black Label does, so there’s potential here for an all timer Superman story.
Read on to see what DC’s announcement has to say.
Acclaimed Creators of Ice Cream Man Reimagine Superman in Bold New DC Black Label Comic Book Series!
DC’s Summer of Superman Continues!
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #1 cover Martín Morazzo and Chris O’Halloran
DC today announced a new five-issue DC Black Label comic book series, Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum, by W. Maxwell Prince, Martín Morazzo and Chris O’Halloran, on sale August 13, 2025.
The visionary minds behind the critically acclaimed and Eisner Award-nominated Ice Cream Man comic book series from Image Comics, W. Maxwell Prince, Martín Morazzo and Chris O’Halloran, are set to bring their signature storytelling sensibilities to DC this summer with a comic book series about one of the most iconic figures in pop culture: Superman. Genre-bending creators Prince, Morazzo and O’Halloran lend their signature blend of existential superhero fantasy/horror to the world of Superman in a new series that brings the Man of Tomorrow into contact with every flavor of Kryptonite under the yellow sun. The creative team will launch an all-new limited series that reimagines Superman through a daring, genre-defying lens.
“We’ve developed a reputation for pretty left-of-center experimentation, with respect to comics storytelling,” said W. Maxwell Prince, “and this is basically what we’re doing over the 5 issues of Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum: using our unique voice in comics to tell a Supes yarn that’s both strange and timeless—out there and also totally grounded. You might know what Green, Red and Black Kryptonite does to Superman, but what about Purple? Or Cobalt? Or Speckled?”
Across the five innovative issues, Superman must look inward to find strength in his most famous weakness. Each issue promises to explore different facets of Superman’s character, mythos, and moral core, while bending narrative form in ways only Prince, Morazzo and O’Halloran can. While Ice Cream Man became a cult favorite for its surreal, often harrowing dive into horror and existential dread, this new Superman title marks a bold departure—eschewing horror in favor of introspective, fun, genre-fluid storytelling.
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #1 interior art by Martín Morazzo and Chris O’Halloran
In the upcoming comic book series, four new Kryptonites have been discovered in deep space, and Superman needs to know just what, exactly, they do to him—lest the colorful rocks of his home planet fall into evil hands! With Batman at his side, this DC Black Label Superman five-issue event explores the consequences of each never-before-seen variety of Kryptonite—all in the formal, and boundary-pushing fashion, that Prince, Morazzo, and O’Halloran are celebrated for.
“Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum is a story about new types of Kryptonite, and the effect those new types have on Kal-El and his world,” said DC group editor Paul Kaminski. “The series offers an opportunity to unleash the acclaimed Ice Cream Man creative team on the DCU, with episodic tales that play with storytelling styles. These tales are often warped, suspenseful and occasionally horrific, and lean into the rich stylings of the silver age Superman franchise.”
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #1 interior art by Martín Morazzo and Chris O’Halloran
“Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum is art-pop storytelling with Superman by a creative team that makes as much of a statement about the book as its contents,” continued Kaminski. “This book stands out as a statement that the Man of Tomorrow is still looking toward the future for the kinds of talent and creativity that will feed the franchise for its next 85 years.”
“Paul’s not wrong,” countered W. Maxwell Prince, “But Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum isn’t just about the new Kryptonites and the wacky things they do to Supes. Martín, Chris and I want to tell a bonkers story that also explores real, human problems. These Kryptonite shards are, in fact, pieces of Kal-El’s home. It’s his own home that hurts him. This idea that ‘home hurts’ can also be applied to Batman, Wonder Woman, et al. So, we’re exploring that idea inside this framework of our usual experimental storytelling. Home can be traumatic—and yet there’s no place quite like it, as Dorothy reminds us. We’re interrogating all this stuff within the bookends of something decidedly wacky, and full of make-your-jaw-drop Man of Tomorrow moments. It’s what we do best: an admixture of sad, funny, and strange. (And, because it’s Superman, HAPPY!)”
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #1, a DC Black Label comic book written by W. Maxwell Prince with art and cover by Martín Morazzo, colors by Chris O’Halloran and lettering by Good Old Neon, including variant covers by Tula Lotay and Juan Ferreyra, a foil variant cover by Wes Craig, and a 1:25 variant cover by Alex Eckman-Lawn, arrives wherever comic books are sold on August 13, 2025. All covers will retail for $5.99 US. Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum will carry DC’s Ages 17+ content descriptor (for mature readers). Follow Superman into strange worlds, speculative what-ifs, and emotionally resonant stories that challenge what a Superman comic can be!
For the latest information on DC Black Label, Superman, what Green, Red, Black Kryptonite (and more!) does to a Kryptonian on Earth, wacky comics, experimental storytelling, and more, visit the official DC website at dc.com and follow @DCOfficial on social media or visit the official DC website at https://www.dc.com. The DC UNIVERSE INFINITE digital subscription platform (DCUI) is a great way to discover classic stories featuring the Superman, and more; for more information and a free trial, check out the DCUI website at https://www.dcuniverseinfinite.com. DCUI is not available in all countries and is not intended for children.
Matt Lazorwitz read his first comic at the age of 5. It was Who's Who in the DC Universe #2, featuring characters whose names begin with B, which explains so much about his Batman obsession. He writes about comics he loves, and co-hosts the podcasts BatChat with Matt & Will and The ComicsXF Interview Podcast.
