DC Comics is bringing top talent to its most iconic characters for their new Black Label Imprint, which launches in August of 2018.
The new line’s premise is pairing top-tier comics talent with iconic characters and letting them tell the stories that they want. The Black Label imprint will be set out of continuity, much like DC’s Elseworlds line from the 1990’s-2000’s, and each title will be released in whatever format the creators decide on.
A number of creative teams were announced for the line including Brian Azzarello returning to DC Comics to work with Lee Bermejo on a Batman story called Batman: Damned. The book features a team-up between The Dark Knight and John Constantine, as Batman fights for his sanity in light of the death of the Joker. Kelly Sue DeConnick will be writing Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons with art by Phil Jiminez, and it marks the acclaimed writer’s first project ever for DC Comics. The series will cover the history of the Amazon’s from their creation up until the point that Steve Trevor arrives on Paradise Island.
The last new project announced is Superman Year One and is written by Frank Miller with art by John Romita Jr. Miller is perhaps best known for his Batman: Year One story which he wrote back in the 1980’s and this marks his first full Superman project. Similarly to Batman: Year One, Superman: Year One will examine Superman’s first year as a superhero. The book will also be the first Black Label comic to release as issue 1 out of 3 will launch this August.
Talking about the line, DC Entertainment co-publisher Jim Lee explained that “Creating DC Black Label doubles down on our commitment to working with all-star talent and trusting them to tell epic, moving stories that only they can tell with the highest levels of creative freedom.” He went on to point out that “Many of our perennially best-selling, critically acclaimed books were produced when we unleashed our top talent on standalone, often out-of-continuity projects featuring our most iconic characters.”
Among the newly announced projects, DC Black Label will also be the home for certain projects that were announced earlier. These include The Other History of the DC Universe by 12 Years a Slave screenwriter John Ridley, Wonder Woman: Diana’s Daughter by Greg Rucka, and Batman: Last Knight on Earth by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo.
It is still unclear as to when the other books in the Black Label Imprint will launch or what each individual’s books release schedule will look like. That being said, more information will probably be revealed at San Diego Comicon in July.
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