ONE DARK NIGHT CAN’T KEEP THE BATMAN DOWN! The GCPD’s Operation Peregine struck a deep blow to the heart of the Bat-Family. But while Savage and his TUCOs celebrate their victory, Batman is about to set the record straight. He knows how to take a punch. He knows how to get back up. And he’s about to show Vandal Savage, the Minotaur, and anyone else who threatens Gotham City exactly what they’re messing with. Superstars Matt Fraction and Jorge Jiménez continue their triumphant run with the best character in comics!
As the sun sets on Gotham City, something ancient wakes beneath its streets! In Batman: Bad Seeds, the next major Batman event kicking off in August and running through October, Poison Ivy unleashes a desperate act of eco-terror that transforms Gotham into a hostile landscape of prehistoric plant life. Told across one long, dark night, the event unfolds as Gotham’s heroes, villains, and civilians fight to survive.
Led by showrunners Matt Fraction and G. Willow Wilson, Batman: Bad Seeds is a Gotham-wide comic book crossover that pulls every corner of the city into the crisis. While Fraction (Batman) and Wilson (Poison Ivy) steer the event’s core narrative, the writers and artists behind Detective Comics, Batgirl, Batwoman, Catwoman, Nightwing, and Harley Quinn each deliver pivotal chapters that track Gotham’s transformation as the night deepens. Across ten weeks, readers will follow the crisis as it spreads from block to block, title to title.
As Ivy’s plants spread, Gotham begins to mutate—buildings swallowed by vines, streets overtaken by carnivorous flora, and entire neighborhoods reverting to a primordial state. With the Bat-Family hunted, the GCPD fractured under Commissioner Vandal Savage’s militarized rule, and civilians trapped in a city turning against them, Gotham City becomes a living battleground where every chapter brings a new evolution.
On August 26, DC will publish a Batman: Bad Seeds prelude in Poison Ivy #47.Written by G. Willow Wilson with art by Leandro Fernandez, a main cover by Jessica Fong, and variant covers by Noobovich, Kyuyong Eom, and Manny Vincent Carbonilla, this prelude issue reveals that Gotham City is done with Mayor Pamela Isley—there’s just one problem for everyone there: she’s not done with them.
Then, also on August 26, the Batman: Bad Seeds event officially begins with Batman: Bad Seeds – Sunset #1. Written by Matt Fraction and G. Willow Wilson with art and cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli, Cliff Rathburn, and Tomeu Morey, plus variant covers by Dan Mora, Marcio Takara, Jorge Jiménez, and Jeff Spokes (Glow-in-the-Dark), this unforgettable first chapter opens as the sun goes down and Gotham loses power, showing that the only thing scarier than the night…might just be the morning sun. Gotham City’s mayor, Pamela Isley—deserted by her allies both political and arcane—is about to make a last-ditch power play that will leave Gotham decimated by daybreak. Having already declared war on the Bat-Family and flooded the streets with his private, paramilitarized police army, Police Commissioner Vandal Savage sees an opportunity to solve two problems at once!
Following August’s prelude and kickoff, the event continues across September and October in the pages of Batman, Poison Ivy, Detective Comics, Batgirl, Batwoman, Catwoman, Nightwing, and Harley Quinn, alongside several new event titles. More details on these chapters will be revealed in the coming months as DC unveils the full scope of Batman: Bad Seeds.
LEGENDARY CREATORS TAKE ON THE MAN OF STEEL AND YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN!
The Last Son of Krypton meets your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man! When journalists Clark Kent and Peter Parker find themselves chasing the same story, the conspiracy they uncover could change the world–especially if Brainiac and Doctor Octopus have anything to say about it. (And we bet they do!) Good thing our intrepid newshounds are secretly Superman and the amazing Spider-Man.
Story: Mark Waid, Tom King, Christopher Priest, Sean Murphy, Matt Fraction, Jeff Lemire, Greg Rucka, Gail Simone Art: Jorge Jimenez, Jim Lee, Daniel Sampere, Sean Murphy, Steve Lieber Ink: Scott Williams, Rafa Sandoval, Nicla Scott, Belen Ortega Color: Tomeu Morrey, Alex Sinclair, Alejandro Sanchez, Simon Gough, Nathan Fairbairn, Ulises Arreola, Marcelo Maiolo, Jordie Bellaire Letterer: Tom Napolitano, Pat Brosseau, Willie Schubert, Andworld Design, Clayton Cowles, Becca Carey, Ariana Maher, Lucas Gattoni
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Story 1 — “Truth, Justice, and Great Responsibility” by Mark Waid, Jorge Jiménez, Tomeu Morey and Tom Napolitano Story 2 — “ The World’s Finest” by Tom King, Jim Lee, Scott Williams, Alex Sinclair and Pat Brosseau Story 3 — “Pages” by Christopher Priest, Daniel Sampere, Alejandro Sánchez and Willie Schubert Story 4 — “Beyond the Cobwebs of Tomorrow” by Sean Murphy, Simon Gough and Andworld Design Story 5 — “Jimmy Con Carnage” by Matt Fraction, Steve Lieber, Nathan Fairbairn and Clayton Cowles Story 6 — “The Bridge” by Jeff Lemire, Rafa Sandoval, Ulises Arreola and Becca Carey Story 7 — “Bias” by Greg Rucka, Nicola Scott, Marcelo Maiolo, and Ariana Maher Story 8 — “Blind Date” by Gail Simone, Belén Ortega, Jordie Bellaire and Lucas Gattoni
LEGENDARY CREATORS TAKE ON THE MAN OF STEEL AND YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN! Written by Mark Waid, Tom King, Matt Fraction, Sean Murphy, Gail Simone, Christopher Priest, Greg Rucka and Jeff Lemire Art by Jorge Jimenez, Jim Lee, Steve Lieber, Sean Murphy, Belen Ortega, Daniel Sampere, Nicola Scott and Rafa Sandoval The Last Son of Krypton meets your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!
When journalists Clark Kent and Peter Parker find themselves chasing the same story, the conspiracy they uncover could change the world — especially if Brainiac and Doctor Octopus have anything to say about it. (And we bet they do!) Good thing our intrepid newshounds are secretly Superman and the amazing Spider-Man. Brought to you by legendary storytellers Mark Waid and Jorge Jimenez.
And don’t miss these bonus stories: Tom King and Jim Lee tell a tale of Lois Lane and Mary Jane Watson. Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber revisit Superman’s pal Jimmy Olsen… and Carnage! Sean Murphy, meanwhile, takes us to the future with Superboy (Legion) and Spider-Man 2099. Gail Simone teams up with Belen Ortega for a look at what happens when Power Girl meets Punisher. Christopher Priest and Daniel Sampere show us a time when Superboy Prime (who reads all the comics) decided to visit Spider-Man right after he got the black suit. Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott take us on an exciting race — between the Daily Planet and the Daily Bugle. Plus, we finally get to answer the age-old question of who would win in a fair fight, Pa Kent or Uncle Ben! Just kidding, those guys are too nice to fight each other, but Jeff Lemire and Rafa Sandoval will take us deep into the past to see the two men bond in the face of adversity. Celebrate 50 years of DC/Marvel crossovers with eight new original stories by some of DC’s top talent!
As Batman is beckoned to Arkham Towers by the mysterious man in Room Ten, nothing will prepare him for who he finds there. Some might call him the Caped Crusader’s archnemesis. Others might call him Batman’s best friend. Everyone calls him the Joker.
Books like Batman #5 are why I love superhero comics. Matt Fraction, Jorge Jimenez, and Tomeu Morey create an entire issue that is centered around Bruce Wayne, not Batman, being chased by ninjas while on a kind of, sort of date with Dr. Annika Zeller, an Arkham employee who has invented something called the Crown of Storms to regulate electrical signals. So, of course, she’s on the run from rival ninja gangs, including Ojo aka Lady Death Man. There’s flirting, tension, cool gadgets, and a killer final page when an action from one of Wayne’s allies
Although, Jimenez has a much different art style from David Aja, Batman #5 reminded me a lot of another Fraction comic, Hawkeye #3 aka the freeway car chase issue where Clint Barton and Kate Bishop try out all the trick arrows. (It was adapted pretty well in the 2021 Disney Plus series too.) Batman #4 set up all kinds of labyrinthine plotting while this issue is all about a man getting a woman to safety and also dealing with his feelings about her. Of course, Dr. Zeller is a gorgeous woman, but Bruce is more attracted to lack of fear in solving mental health crises and speaking truth to power in a way that’s earned the ire of two and definitely more criminal syndicates. Even though the costume and cowl are miles away, some of his real personality comes out in this issue as he listens to her talk about innovative ways to make Gotham a better place, which is something he can assist through Bruce Wayne’s money and not just Batman’s fists. Finally, it’s so wholesome how protective Bruce is of Annika like when he immediately throws her into the safety of the dumpster when Ojo confronts him in an alley.
However, most of this issue is Jorge Jimenez and Morey turning in one of the coolest car chases (in comics) period. Seriously, there’s a double page spread that plays with time in an utterly insane way when Bruce catches a lock of Annika’s hair that was cut off by a biker gang member between her uttering “Oh God”. In this series of panels, you know what it’s like to have the reflexes of Gotham’s boy billionaire, who is also the Dark Knight. Specificity in sound effects from letterer Clayton Cowles and Jimenez are key in this and other segments of the chase sequences, and you hear the sword and the enemy’s body hit the side of the car before cutting to a small panel in silhouette that’s pure dark slapstick. In his colors, Tomeu Morey finds a happy medium between complex digital work and old school flat colors. When in doubt, pink and black look fantastic, and this scheme shows up in the issue’s movie poster-worthy title page along with the hand to hand fight between Bruce and Ojo.
Batman #5 also uses the high adrenaline action to fuel a kind of identity crisis for Bruce Wayne. He has to do Batman things to get through the issue, but has no access to his costume or gadgets beyond a sick suit of light body armor that’s also moisture wicking. Matt Fraction and Jorge Jimenez effectively use tics in Bruce’s vocabulary and shifts in body language to show when he’s blending or crossing over different parts of his dual identity. Of course, Ojo calls him out on this behavior, and this leads to Jimenez drawing his best, mean mugging action pose. Bruce Wayne is definitely more comfortable drifting cars and shifting gears than being a man in a business suit.
I love romantic comedies. I love action movies. So, I loved loved Batman #5. This comic is a showcase for Jorge Jimenez’s virtuosic art, Tomeu Morey’s ability to set the mood through colors, and also Fraction’s skill at quickly creating romantic chemistry and letting his artist cook. But, in a very cranked-to-eleven way, it demonstrates the best way to really know what someone is like is in a stressful situation, and I think Bruce passed with flying colors. (Until the final page.)
A night out with Bruce Wayne goes off the rails immediately for Dr. Annika Zeller — it seems her experimental Crown of Storms has her marked for death. And if they survive the legendary 000 Gang, they’ll still have to confront the sinister assassin known as The Ojo!
Earlier this year, DC Comics and Marvel Comics announced the continuation of their historic crossover collaboration into 2026, beginning in January with the 50th anniversary of the first DC/Marvel crossover, Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man. DC has now revealed the creative teams and first look at cover art for its upcoming one-shot comic book Superman/Spider-Man #1.
When journalists Clark Kent and Peter Parker find themselves chasing the same story, the conspiracy they uncover could change the world—especially if Brainiac and Doctor Octopus have anything to say about it. (And we bet they do!) Good thing our intrepid newshounds are secretly Superman and the amazing Spider-Man. To bring this clash of reporters‑turned‑heroes to life, Mark Waid and Jorge Jiménez join forces to headline DC’s Superman/Spider-Man #1 with an unforgettable lead story.
And don’t miss these bonus stories in DC’s Superman/Spider-Man #1, all featuring DC and Marvel characters: Tom King and Jim Lee tell a tale of Lois Lane and Mary Jane Watson, Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber revisit Superman’s pal Jimmy Olsen…and Carnage, Sean Murphy takes us to the future with Superboy (Legion) and Spider-Man 2099, Gail Simone teams up with Belén Ortega for a look at what happens when Power Girl meets Punisher, Christopher Priest and Daniel Sampere show us a time when Superboy Prime (who reads all the comics!) decided to visit Spider-Man right after he got the black suit, and Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott take us on an exciting race between the Daily Planet and the Daily Bugle.
Plus, we finally get to answer the age-old question of who would win in a fair fight: Pa Kent or Uncle Ben! (Just kidding, those guys are too nice to fight each other, but Jeff Lemire and Rafa Sandoval will take us deep into the past to see the two men bond in the face of adversity.)
In addition to Jorge Jiménez’s main cover, DC’s Superman/Spider-Man #1 will feature open-to-order cardstock variant covers by Jim Lee, Scott Williams and Alex Sinclair, Daniel Sampere and Tomeu Morey, Dave Johnson, David Nakayama, Gabriele Dell’Otto, Mikel Janín, Rafael Albuquerque, Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, David Talaski, Arthur Adams, Chrissie Zullo, Josh Middleton, Scott Koblish, Olivier Coipel, Adam Hughes, Mitch Gerads, Jeff Spokes, Evan “Doc” Shaner, Steve Lieber, J. Scott Campbell, Clayton Crain, Rafael Sandoval, and more. Jorge Jiménez’s main cover will also be offered as an open-to-order foil variant cover.
DC’s Superman/Spider-Man #1 will publish on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, and will retail for $7.99 US (main) and $8.99 US (card stock variants).
ORGANIZED CRIME IN GOTHAM CITY HAS BECOME REALLY, REALLY ORGANIZED! As Bruce Wayne investigates the Crown of Storms, Batman pursues Anarky and discovers a criminal conspiracy hiding in plain sight that will change the game for crime and criminals in Gotham City… and the world!
ORGANIZED CRIME IN GOTHAM CITY HAS BECOME REALLY, REALLY ORGANIZED! As Bruce Wayne investigates the Crown of Storms, Batman pursues Anarky and discovers a criminal conspiracy hiding in plain sight that will change the game for crime and criminals in Gotham City… and the world!
