As someone who was a kid of 13 and a young man of 23 at the time when SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE and BATMAN hit theaters in 1978 and 1989 respectively, this announcement from DC Comics has me very stoked!
The only thing better would be if Warner Bros. Entertainment made a couple of animated films with this Superman and Batman — solo and even as a team-up? Yeah, I’m not a fan of Batman with Superman and other super-powered beings, but in this case, I’d make a F’n exception!
Below you’ll find details of the upcoming SUPERMAN ’78 and BATMAN ‘89 comic book series that are coming shortly from DC Comics.
And might I suggest finally doing that BATMAN UNCHAINED (aka BATMAN TRIUMPHANT) comic book to conclude Joel Schumacher’s “Bat-Trilogy” as well! – Bill “Jett” Ramey
Beginning in July 2021, decades after both Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie and Tim Burton’s Batman introduced generations of fans to silver screen versions of DC’s Man of Steel and the World’s Greatest Detective, DC is returning to these beloved properties to tell new stories set within these worlds with the publication of a series of Superman ’78 and Batman ’89 comic books. Writer Rob Venditti and artist Wilfredo Torres will capture imaginations in Superman ’78 while screenwriter Sam Hamm and artist Joe Quinones will immerse readers into Batman ’89.
Continuing the twisted adventures of DC’s Dark Knight from Tim Burton’s seminal classic Batman movies, Batman ’89 brings in screenwriter Sam Hamm (Batman, Batman Returns) and artist Joe Quinones (Dial H for Hero) to pull on a number of threads left dangling by the prolific director. The gothic mentality behind the world, while still rooted in a sense of realism, helped inform many of DC’s global fans’ first impressions on The Dark Knight’s Gotham. In the new Batman ’89 comic, Hamm and Quinones will help usher in the return of Selina Kyle/Catwoman and will debut a new Robin! Plus, Quinones has a vision for Harvey Dent/Two-Face that is as close to movie magic as a comic can get!
And in the vein of DC’s plans for Batman ’89, Rob Venditti (Hawkman) and Wilfredo Torres (Batman ’66) will collaborate on Superman ’78 to tell stories set within the world Richard Donner and Christopher Reeves created in Superman: The Movie. In Superman ’78, bystanders are surprised and delighted by Superman’s abilities, and Lois Lane doesn’t (yet!) know that Clark Kent is secretly Superman. The sheer thrill of seeing a man fly, leap, or stop a bullet will be reflected in this environment where Superman has just been introduced! Inspired by Donner’s classic, timeless style of superhero storytelling, in Superman ’78 Venditti and Torres will show fans that a man can truly fly.
Superman ’78 and Batman ’89 will debut with six digital chapters of each new series on July 27, followed by new chapters of each comic book for the six weeks that immediately follow. The twelve chapters of each new series will also publish as six printed comics between August and October and as hardcover collections in October (Batman ’89) and November (Superman ’78).
Stay tuned for more news about the Metropolis of Superman ’78 and the Gotham of Batman ’89 in the coming months!
For more information about DC and the World’s Greatest Super Heroes, please visit the DC website at www.dccomics.com, and follow on social media @DCComics and @thedcnation. – DC COMICS
