DC Comics has announced a new Supermanseries, Superman Unlimited, which will broaden the Man of Steel's universe, taking him out of Metropolis and tell stories across the DC Universe. Further, this series is just the start of what DC calls "the Summer of Superman," which includes the release of James Gunn's upcoming DCU film.
Superman Unlimited will be written by Dan Slott, best known for his work with Marvel's Spider-Man, and superstar artist Rafael Albuquerque. The story, which will kick off with DC's Free Comic Book Day issue at the start of May, starts with an asteroid bringing an unprecedented amount of green kryptonite to Earth.
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With Metropolis's villains now armed with kryptonite-powered weapons, Superman will have to change the way he operates to stay safe. As with the recent Superman & Lois TV show, Intergang will play a key role in the new series, with the organization being under mysterious new leadership.
DC Announces "Superman Unlimited," Inagurating A New Era For The Man Of Steel
Superman Unlimited #1 – Written By Dan Slott; Art By Rafael Albuquerque; Cover By Rafael Albuquerque & Marcelo Maiolo (Color)
Custom Image by Megan Peters
The official synopsis for Superman Unlimited reads:
To kick off DC’s Superman Unlimited series in May, a massive extinction-level Kryptonite asteroid showers Superman’s greatest weakness down upon the earth, creating an arms race for the new most valuable resource on the planet: Green K. The greater availability of Kryptonite in the DC Universe changes the balance of power in the criminal empires of Metropolis and across the globe: Intergang, under new leadership, is on the rise, with practically all their foot soldiers carrying at least one clip of Kryptonite bullets on them. The asteroid left massive Kryptonite deposits to be mined, and it houses unlimited horrors yet to be unpacked. To survive, Superman will need to forge new alliances, new tech and new tactics if he hopes to carry on his quest for truth, justice and a better tomorrow!
Not only will Intergang supposedly be arming all of its muscle with "at least one clip" of kryptonite bullets, there will also be deposits of the stuff, ready to be mined around the world. DC Editor Paul Kaminsti compared Unlimited to Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness's 2003 run on Superman/Batman, in part referencing the last time there was that level of kryptonite available. In that instance, Superman's world was changed because Lex Luthor was President of the United States, and almost all the green kryptonite ended up with him.
One interesting thing is the way all the initial information about Superman Unlimited feels...grounded. Yes, they name-check a bunch of DC Universe cities, and it's implied Superman will be flying around the world. Still, Intergang as a central threat, and numerous Daily Planet staffers listed as supporting players, seems less "cosmic" than some contemporary runs, in which Superman spent time in places like Warworld and the multiverse. It is possible that could be the influence of kryptonite's availability diminishing his powers somewhat, and keeping him kind of "local."
The Creative Team Behind "Superman Unlimited" Promises An Ambitious Take On The Man Of Steel – And Clark Kent
The Daily Planet Feels Important Again
There are echoes in Superman Unlimited's premise of Brian Michael Bendis's The Man of Steel. That was the last big "restart" for Superman, and it involved bringing Bendis – another Marvel superstar – over to DC for his first ongoing book, just like Dan Slott now. Bendis revealed Superman's secret identity to the world, and that fundamentally shook up his relationship with his supporting cast – particularly the journalists who worked with him at the Daily Planet. The Planet is headed for some more changes this time around, with a corporate merger and satellite offices being introduced into the mix.
In its solicitation for Superman Unlimited, DC Comics also noted:
Superman Unlimited won’t just provide Superman’s nemeses with near-unlimited Kryptonite: the Daily Planetgets an upgrade. A merger with a new incarnation of Morgan Edge’s Galaxy Communications expands theDaily Planet brand into a multimedia news platform with a cable news channel, website, strong social media presence, and—yes—Lois Lane is still editor in chief. Daily Planet regulars Jimmy Olsen, Ron Troupe, Cat Grant and Steve Lombard will staff satellite branches across the DC universe, creating a global network. Behind it all is the tech savvy of a new IT specialist from Gorilla City, King Solovar’s goddaughter, Tee-Nah.
This isn't the first time a writer has tried to bring the Planet into the 21st Century, but with both Superman Unlimited and the upcoming movie promising significant roles for Daily Planet regulars, with DC citing Cat Grant, Ron Troupe, and more, it feels like this time there might actually be the will to stick by the premise. Slott will also introduce a Gorilla tech specialist, proving that the creative team already has tricks up their sleeve.
Everything Old About The Superman Franchise Feels New Again
Dan Slott's Experience Will Define His Superman Unlimited Run
What we WON'T be doing: Super-verse. Superior Superman. And so on... If you've read it in my other books, it ain't getting repurposed here. Trust me. I'll find NEW ways to make Superman's life... interesting. Mwahaha! Sidenote: Someone from Gorilla City will be working at the Daily Planet's IT.
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— DanSlott (@danslott.bsky.social) January 16, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Following the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, Superman had perhaps most successful superhero reinvention of all time – John Byrne's The Man of Steel. In it, Superman's godlike powers were scaled way back, his origin was tweaked, and the stage was set for an era that stands alone as the definitive Superman run for many hardcore fans. By the turn of the century, the character was ready for another big reinvention, and Mark Waid and Francis Manapul made Superman: Birthright. He has had a few more reinventions since, although the "Byrne version" of Superman essentially took over again starting with the Rebirth revival.
Author Dan Slott said this of the series:
“He’s the first and the greatest superhero of all-time, and I’ve been waiting my whole life to tell stories about him. Not just because of all the amazing powers he has, but because of who he is inside. Rafael Albuquerque and I are going to take him—and you—to places you’ll want to escape to every month. Millions of surprising ideas for Superman, Lois, the supporting cast, classic rogues, and all-new friends and foes too. If you’ve never read a Superman book, a DC book, or any comic book before—or if you’ve been a Superman fan your entire life—you couldn’t ask for a better place to take the leap and go all in than Superman Unlimited#1.”
Slott, for his part, has been part of a number of reboots and revivals at Marvel; most notably, Slott was a key part of the "Brand New Day" status quo change in the Spider-Man titles back in 2008. He has also had softer "status quo" reboots like his runs on She-Hulk and Superior Spider-Man. Over on Bluesky, he promised that you won't be seeing any of the familiar tropes on Superman Unlimited, though, saying that: "if you've read it in my other books, it ain't getting repurposed here."
DC Prepares Readers For "The Summer of Superman"
There's More To Come, Super-Fans!
According to the release from DC, there will be more stories coming up featuring not just Superman but also Superboy, Supergirl, and Krypto the Super-Dog. What's interesting is that while there are several Superboys, one of them was Superman Jon Kent, who got artificially aged-up during the Bendis run. In a recent social media post by artist Jorge Jiménez, it was suggested that we might see an aged-down Jon as Superboy again -- something fans haven't seen in print since Dan Jurgens's Superman: Lois & Clark sequel in the pages of Action Comics.
The Superman Unlimited series is ready to set the standard for Superman in 2025, ahead of the highly anticipated James Gunn movie and all the rest of the celebratory Super-titles coming in the next few months.
The next era of Superman is coming, and besides Slott's Unlimited series, fans don't know what exactly what the "Summer of Superman" promised by DC Comics entails yet. Still, the Superman Unlimited series is ready to set the standard for Superman in 2025, ahead of the highly anticipated James Gunn movie and all the rest of the celebratory Super-titles coming in the next few months; this makes it an incredible time to be a Superman fan, as DC continues to redefine the hero's place in comic book history.
Superman Unlimited #1 will be available May 21, 2025 From DC Comics.
The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.
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Custom Image by Megan Peters
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