DC is taking us back to the absolute beginning of Metropolis, but with a sharp, prestige edge. A new six-issue DC Black Label series titled Superman: The Stranger is set to launch this fall. Superstar creator Wes Craig is handling both writing and illustration duties, bringing a gritty, stylish energy to the Man of Steel.
A Modern Lens on 1938 Metropolis!
The series lands readers straight into an Art Deco-infused 1938 Metropolis. Visually, Craig is pulling heavy inspiration from the classic Fleischer Studios cartoons and the raw visual language of the Golden Age. This isn’t the fully powered, cosmic god we often see today. This is a stripped-down, street-level protector.
Superman: The Stranger #1 main cover by Wes Craig
The official description highlights a Clark Kent who is barely scraped by during the day, moonlighting as a vigilante who leaps into action when the sun sets. He quickly realizes that punching robots doesn’t fix systemic issues. The rich are getting richer, the poor are struggling, and Clark is left wondering if he can actually save the downtrodden. Because it is a Black Label book, expect a mature, nuanced exploration of these heavy themes.
Wes Craig shared his personal inspiration for the project:
“Superman is my favorite hero. Always has been. I grew up on Christopher Reeve and John Byrne’s interpretation, then his animated adventures and All-Star Superman as I grew older. His mythology always changing with the times. But the version I love the most and the one that I think, strangely, reflects our modern world best, is the ORIGINAL. You strip away the extra powers, you strip away Ma and Pa Kent, and Smallville and Krypton, you boil it down to that explosive first issue of Action Comics, and you have this vital, powerful myth of a brash young man with incredible powers fighting against a corrupt city. That’s the story I want to tell.”
Superman: The Stranger #1 variant covers by Dave Johnson, Goran Parlov, and Ethan Young
The Creative Team and Release Details
Jason Wordie is on colors, and Tom Napolitano is handling the lettering. The debut issue drops on September 2, 2026, for $4.99. Every cover is getting the premium cardstock treatment, featuring the main cover by Wes Craig alongside variants by Dave Johnson, Goran Parlov, and Ethan Young. Due to the grit of the story, it carries an Ages 17+ content descriptor.
