For the past year, DC Next Level has been expanding the DC Universe and reinvigorating fans of both popular and obscure characters. The initiative has been wildly successful, and the Saturday morning panel, moderated by Editor-in-Chief Marie Javins, has promised even more material for fans to sink their teeth into. Like the other DC panels this year, there was such a plethora to get through that the panelists came up to chat with Javins in two waves, with Batman writer Matt Fraction and Superman writer Joshua Williamson staying on stage for both groups.
Steve Foxe and Riccardo Federici were first on deck to discuss their new project, Swamp Thing: Hallowed Ground. DC Next Level promises fans various genre deep dives through the lens of the many characters they love. Swamp Thing as a character is already drenched in the horror genre, and the upcoming Hallowed Ground project takes the horror elements of Swamp Thing to the — wait for it — next level.
Two new Batman books were also discussed as part of the slate of upcoming projects. Batman: Justice Year, by Williamson and artist Bruno Redondo, follows the caped crusader in his first year as a chartered member of the Justice League. Batman’s famous skepticism about the League is front and center as Bruce “infiltrates” the team, donning the blue-and-yellow batsuit to suss out whether these heroes can be trusted.
Originally announced at Comic-Con in San Diego in July, the panel also discussed Batman: Shadow of the Bat by Deniz Camp and Javier Rodriguez. An explosion at ACE Chemicals has devastated the surrounding neighborhood. The same chemicals that made the Joker into the Clown Prince of Crime are leaking into every crevice of this Gotham neighborhood, now cordoned off and quarantined by the GCPD. Batman must infiltrate the neighborhood, fighting against the now increasingly insane residents as he strives to save them all.
Vixen is finally getting her flowers from DC as Stephanie Williams and Khary Randolph joined the panel to discuss her upcoming ongoing series, also announced at SDCC. The book promises a new villain, a new Bat-family romance for Mari, and a Vixen who’s being taken beyond her limits. Mari McCabe’s powers will be explored in depth, and by extension her relationship with the animal kingdom, showing the audience what separates her from other animal-powered characters like Animal Man or Beast Boy.
Writer Cody Ziglar discussed his new Static ongoing with artist Diego Olortegui. Now a young adult, Virgil Hawkins must navigate life in Dakota City, a place with the highest metahuman population per capita anywhere in the world. He’s been operating off and on with the Titans, but must now discover who he is as a solo hero, and how to help the community of metahumans he is a part of.
As the groups of panelists swapped themselves around, Fraction and Williamson took the opportunity to regale the audience with news and chit-chat about their respective Batman and Superman ongoings. Fraction told fans there will be lots of “killing billionaires” in his future Batman issues, to much applause, showing off art of a seemingly dead Bruce Wayne. Of course, Bruce is really alive and well, but seen as dead to the world so he can better take on the mantle of his criminal alter ego, Matches Malone, as he attempts to infiltrate the Minotaur’s organization.
Williamson promised fans more appearances for the Superman breakout character Marilyn Moonlight, who debuted in May 2023. Alongside Moonlight, future issues of Superman will focus on specific supporting characters like Jimmy Olsen and Cat Grant. Alongside his Superman book, Williamson spoke about the new Legion of Super-Heroes series he is writing with artist Hayden Sherman. The book expands the Legion lore in ways never done before, including a text-balloon visual language innovated by Sherman. Don’t worry, enough context will be provided so that readers don’t get too lost, he said.
Williamson also announced Superboy Prime Special #1, a one-shot with artist Dan Mora. He only spoke briefly, but teased fans with the idea that Superboy Prime is just a little bit homesick, and may or may not be trying to find his way back to Prime Earth.
The second wave of panelists then came up to talk about other current titles. James Harren and Michael Walsh spoke about The Demon and Jonah Hex and the Shadow of Death, respectively. Both comics were released Oct. 7 as part of the Next Level lineup. Jamal Campbell spoke about his Zatanna ongoing. Campbell promised to explore Zatanna as more than just a cameo queen, digging deep into her powers and her conflicts with never-before-seen villains and threats.
Then, the lights dimmed, and Alyssa Wong and Belen Ortega came to the stage to announce a new Starfire ongoing. The planet Tamaran is under siege, and Koriand’r has returned home to confront her past and her sister, Blackfire. What does it mean to be away from home for so long? Starfire is set to find out in her new series launching in early 2027.
The Next Level lineup of comics has treated fans to an in-depth, more lived-in and exciting depiction of the DC Universe everyone knows and loves, and the current ongoing and announced titles will definitely keep fans coming back for more.
