Next week is the 17th new comic book day of 2025! This post covers DC Comics April 23 2025 new releases. Missed this week’s releases? Check out last week’s post covering DC Comics April 16 2025 new releases.
This week in DC Comics: Absolute Diana in the underworld and martians seeing colors, Nightwing Rebirth in omnibus, an anonymous Power Girl ends, Superman vs. Lex (yawn), Finest Superman Family, H2sh stumbles into a second chapter, Deluxe Dark Knights of Steel, Flash gets eclipsed, and more!
The Krisis Pick of the Week: Of course my pick is Absolute Martian Manhunter (2025) #2! Issue one was so damn good I wrote a whole song about it that I haven’t stopped singing for an entire month! But, there are a lot of great issues out from DC this week that I can’t wait to read. They’re crushing it right now.
This post includes every comic out from DC Comics April 23 2025, plus collected editions in omnibus, hardcover, paperback, and digest-sized formats.
This isn’t the typical comic releases post you can find on other sites. Why? I explain each collection and review every in-continuity series with a new issue out this week. Plus, for most new releases, I’ll point you to a personally-curated guide within the Crushing Comics Guide to DC Comics to find out how to collect that title in full!
There’s no other website on the internet that can claim that.
And now, onto DC Comics April 23 2025 new releases!
DC Comics April 23 2025 Collected Editions
DC collected editions tend to hit the bookmarket on the same day as the Direct Market (or one day prior), so all of these DC Comics April 23 2025 collected editions should also be available from your local bookseller next week!
100 Bullets Book 2
(2025 paperback, ISBN 978-1799501138 / digital)
A reprint of the second collection of Brian Azzarello & Eduardo Risso’s Vertigo epic, now rebranded to DC Black Label.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold [Vol. 2] – Out of the Darkness
(2025 paperback, ISBN 978-1799501121 / digital)
A second collection of the generally strong 2023 Bat-Family anthology title.
Dark Knights of Steel: The Deluxe Edition
(2025 oversize hardcover, ISBN 978-1799501145 / digital)
See Guide to DC Elseworlds & Alternate Earths. This deluxe hardcover collects the entire first year of Tom Taylor’s medieval high-fantasy Elseworlds tale.
DC Finest: Superman Family – The Giant Turtle Man
(2025 paperback, ISBN 978-1799501107)
This is a surprising DC Finest volume that takes an even-more-surprising approach to collecting Superman’s supporting characters. It kicks off in 1960, collecting the start of Silver Age Superman for Lois and Jimmy Oslen from their respective series, but also adding stories from Superman’s own books (that I would hope would be collected with his own material in Finest form).
Why? One word: Krypto. The Superdog is tipped to be one of the breakout stars of the summer movie season along with Lois and Jimmy, so they’re all here in this first volume in the Superman Family line. It collects Action Comics (1938) #266 & 277, Superman (1940) #142-143 & 147, Superman’s Girl Friend Lois Lane (1958) #19-28, and Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen (1954) #47-56.
JLA Book Two
(2025 paperback, ISBN 978-1799501152)
See Guide to Justice League. DC continues its paperback reprint of Grant Morrison’s JLA run with a collection of its second year. This paperback series collects JLA (1997) with different break points for what I think is the fourth time over across different collection formats.
Nightwing: Rebirth Omnibus
(2025 oversize hardcover, ISBN 978-1799501169)
See Guide to Nightwing. This is the first of two omnibuses to collect all of Nightwing (2016) prior to Tom Taylor’s takeover of the title. I really enjoyed most of this. I’m sure that’s because it was written by Tim Seeley and also Ben Percy, who I always dug more at DC than Marvel.
This volume pads its already 50-issue length with crossover issues, one-shot appearances, and an arc of Hope Larson’s Batgirl (2016), another book I dug and felt went slightly under-appreciated. I’m actually surprised it’s pushing quite so far, but I suppose that sets up a hypothetical next volume perfectly to be the “Nightwing: Ric Grayson” omnibus exploring his identity problems after being shot by KGBeast shortly after this book ends.
Plastic Man No More!
(2025 hardcover, ISBN 978-1799501015 / digital)
See Guide to DC Elseworlds & Alternate Earths. I have a mild interest in Plastic Man and a more-than-mild interest in Christopher Cantwell’s writing, but I wasn’t reading comics when this Black Label series hit at the end of 2024… and, I don’t real Black Label to begin with. I’ve actually had several folks recommend this too me recently, so if you generally vibe with my tastes you might dig it!
Read on for a summary of all of the DC Comics April 23 2025 single issue releases!
DC Comics April 23 2025 Physical Comic Releases
Want to see each one of these DC Comics April 23 2025 single issues reviewed in one minute or less? Check out my weekly live stream “The Pull List” on YouTube!
Absolute Martian Manhunter (2025) #2 (digital) – See Guide to DC Absolute Universe. Y’all, last issue by Deniz Camp, Javier Rodríguez, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou was not only so good that this series was instantly extended for a longer run, but it forced me to write a new song about it and debut it on The Pull List in under 72hrs!!!
Issue #1 of this comic was nothing short of extraordinary – a tangled web of confused identity, psychedelia, and mystery.
What’s it about? John Jones isa FBI agent who was randomly caught in a suicide bombing blast. As he heals from his injuries, it seems like everything about the world around him is coming unspooled. Does he just have a bad concussion and PTSD? Or, have hidden memories become shaken loose… memories that hint that he is more than the man he thought he was. Or… maybe less.
Seriously, just listen to my song, it explains everything 😂
(Is issue #2 going to inspire me to write another song?!)
Absolute Wonder Woman (2024) #7 (digital) – See Guide to DC Absolute Universe. Last month was a potent reminder of just how damn good Kelly Thompson is at this job – especially when she’s freed from long-running arcs and teamed with a frequent collaborator like Mattia de Iluis.
Issue #6 was one of the best-looking comic books I’ve ever read. And, Thompson used a mission to visit Hades in his underworld as an excuse to detail the origins of more of Diana’s dark magic gear that distinguishes her from her mainline continuity counterpart.
The brief Hades two-parter resolves here, and then we’re back to the hardest-working Them in comic art, Hayden Sherman, returning for a fresh arc next issue.
Batman (2016) #159 (digital) – See Guide to Batman (1986 – Present). Last month’s debut of this “H2sh” arc from the entire original “Hush” creative team – Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee, Scott Williams, Alex Sinclair, & Richard Starkings – was a full-on comics catastrophe.
The arc kicked off with an issue of random nonsense. Everyone was off voice. Joker was there, for some reason, not lining up at all with other recent appearances. Horrible colors. Lettering that was hard to read digitally (though I’ve since confirmed this was due to corrupted elements in the file that DC gave to Comixology).
Everything about it felt like bargain basement DC that the might ship out as a “Walmart Giant” issue, not appointment comics. And, I’m someone who grew up with the idea of Jim Lee always equalling appointment comics.
I think part of the problem is that Lee can’t compete with his new class of imitators in Fabok, Jimenez, and Sandoval. His art looked muddled throughout. It doesn’t help that Sinclair often colors in a crowded, over-saturated fashion that recalls the styles of 20 years ago, which look hopelessly outdated on books out in 2025.
Also, Loeb went right back to Joker to kick things off? Not only Joker, but a Joker used randomly with no strings attached to the way he’s been used in the past few years?
We all know this sequel was just an act of marketing, but I didn’t expect it to be so hideously unreadable.
This comic also comes out as Batman Giant-Sized Special Edition #159, with is 11″ x 17″ so you can see the bad art and colors blown up even larger.
The Flash (2023) #20 (digital) – See Guide to Flash. This issue kicks off a new arc, but… does it really?
This story is really just the continuation of the family vacation gone wrong Spurrier began in issue #14 and it’s coming on the heels of a messy issue. Messy. Both the writing and the art.
I get that Spurrier was trying to drive towards Eclipso getting his full powers back, but so many full pages of this book just didn’t make any sense at all even if I stared at them for longer than their quality would invite.
It’s just all so awkward. I feel like a lot of writers got better at DC without Marvel’s editing, but Spurrier is definitely much, much, much worse without a thumb on the scale to prompt him to try to make a little bit of sense.
But… a lot of readers love it. I saw a comment who said something to the effect of being GLUED to every page. The only reason I get stuck on every page of this book is trying to figure out what the fuck is going on and eventually giving up and wandering to the kitchen to get a snack.
That’s twenty snack breaks in one comic. Ironically, I don’t run enough to be able to afford reading this every month! Unless Spurrier finds a direction (and some coherence) with this arc starter I think I might be nearing a drop on this one.
Green Arrow (2023) #23 (digital) – See Guide to Green Arrow. Just when it feels like this “Freshwater Kills” arc that began at issue #18 could possibly overstay its welcome, Chris Condon is bringing it to a climax in this issue… although from the solicits it looks like the after-effects will trickle into the next few issues.
From the solicits, it also looks like artist Montos is on this book for the long haul (alongside Adriano Lucas, one of my favorite colorists).
I love that Condon’s take on our emerald archer feels reverent of Mike Grell without feeling regressive. Paired with Montos and Lucas, this run has the makings of a modern day classic.
Green Lantern (2023) #22 (digital) – See Guide to Green Lantern – Hal Jordan. I was skeptical of how Jeremy Adams would handle a pair of dual Lantern books both attacking the same plot connected to Sorrow, but if last issue was any indication it might just made this flagship title better.
That’s because this book doesn’t have to juggle the entire Corps cast any longer – just the ones who make sense for Hal’s story. So, we get the always-welcome Kyle Rayner in a B-plot, meetings with the Corp to connect the two titles, and also Hal’s time spent with Carol Ferris while she isn’t at her gig with the Justice League.
Adams juggled all of that perfectly last issue in a script that felt highly compressed with some extraordinary art from Jack Herbert. It takes a lot for me to stop missing both of Xermanico and Fernando Parasin, but Herbert managed it with color consistency from Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Against all odds, this Hal Jordan book remains very high on my pull list. If you’re looking for a place to start, issue #19 works terrifically.
Green Lantern: Dark (2024) #4 (digital) – See Guide to DC Elseworlds & Alternate Earths. Tate Brombal and Something Is Killing the Children artist Werther Dell’Edera tell the tale of a young woman Lantern in a dark fantasy world in this Elseworlds label book.
Harley Quinn (2021) #50 (digital) – See Guide to Harley Quinn. I’ve been enjoying every issue of Elliott Kalan run of Harley Quinn vs. Gentrification, and I was very surprised to see Mirka Andolfo as the artist for this issue! Andolfo is the purveyor of many very sexy independent comics, and doesn’t venture into Big Two work too often.
Last issue saw Harley verbally sparring with her new hyper-local nemesis slash unrequited crush, a business developer with a zeal for “YES IN MY BACKYARD” and a rolodex full of semi-super flunkies to fling at Harley.
While I don’t think Kalan has quite rescaled the hilarious heights of the scripts for his first two issues in #44-45 (a good jumping on point!), we all know I appreciate an arc that’s actually a series of one-off stories, and that’s exactly what he’s delivering here.
Justice League Unlimited (2024) #6 (digital) – See Guide to Justice League. Last issue was a one-off story that found the League rushing to protect Earth’s G20 leaders as they were whisked into an alternate dimension by an unseen villain.
It was pretty great! Mark Waid was reunited with his mid-90s creation, Impulse. Plus, he got to trigger the side plot with Air-Wave that has been lingering since issue one.
Then… then there was the final page reveal that lead into this “We Are Yesterday” crossover that continues from last week’s Batman/Superman: World’s Finest (2022) #38. I won’t spoil the reveal, but I’ll just say “We Are Yesterday” is a perfect name for the regressive plot element in the reveal and my underwhelmed reaction to it.
You never know where Mark Waid will take things, so I haven’t lost hope just yet. But, I’ll be very bummed if the first big arc of Justice League Unlimited was just teeing up more of the same boring stuff most writers write for the League.
Metamorpho: The Element Man (2024) #5 (digital) – I dropped this Al Ewing & Steve Lieber series a few pages into last issue because it was meta-boring. Maybe you’ll dig it? Each issue is a super-verbose, Silver Age inspired tale of one kooky, clunky mishap for Metamorpho and his supporting cast.
Peacemaker Presents: The Vigilante / Eagly Double Feature (2025) #2 (digital) – See Guide to Peacemaker (eventually), but see Guide to DC Elseworlds & Alternate Earths – Black Label for now. I was highly suspicious of this James Gunn plotted non-continuity book, which promised to be loosely in the same universe and tone as his HBO Peacemaker series (with which I do not vibe).
Apparently, I had no need to worry! That’s in part because the Vigilante feature here is written by Tim Seeley, who very rarely lets me down on scripting duties. His hyper-literal version of Vigilante reads a lot like Gunn’s MCU version of Drax and artist Mitch Gerads really sells the dry punchlines. And, Rex Ogle’s Eagly backup with Matteo Lolli was quick and charming.
Not just charming. Perfectly charming. There wasn’t a single thing I disliked about #1.
Something that stuck out to me about both stories and how much I loved them was pacing. Both stories had a lot of humor, and occasionally it was a little bit off-color. Some of it was off-color in a way I love, and some was off-color in a way that makes me cringe.
In a comic book, I control the speed of the story. If there’s a hilarious punchline in the dialog or the art, I can decide to linger on it as long as I’d like. And, if there’s something that makes me wince with discomfort, I can quickly zoom past it.
All of it is James Gunn’s humor. In a movie or TV show, I can’t just zoom past it. Gunn controls the pace. That’s why I’m not excited for him to helm the DC film universe. It’s why I’ve taken to watching his stuff at high speed on streaming… I don’t want to get caught up in the cringe of his jokes on screen when I can’t quickly turn the page.
But, on paper? They’re perfect.
Power Girl (2023) #20 (digital) – See Guide to Power Girl (eventually). Alas, it’s the end for Leah Williamson’s run on Power Girl just as she is reunited with her X-Factor (2020) collaborator David Baldeón (in career-best form).
I know I’ve been beating this drum for a solid year now, but it kinda feels like the run never really started. That was incredibly evident last issue, which was supposed to be a big resolve to a fight with a new protagonist but felt like a lot of bland confrontations that lacked character.
The problem with this series is that Williams has surrounded Paige with a number of truly delightful supporting characters, including Omen and Mariposa, but in two years we never learned who Power Girl is.
If you twist my arm I might say she’s a little irresponsible, a little headstrong, and she’s got a touch of PTSD… but what hero does that NOT describe in this day and age? Aside from having Williams’ own scatterbrained sense of humor, this Power Girl has no real personality or motivation to speak of – nothing that makes her distinct from being a Supergirl clone, or even just some random flying superhero at any comic company.
I’m happy to see smaller characters like Power Girl survive multiple years with their ongoing series, but when the series are this forgettable I fear they’ll be doomed to obscurity for a decade or more before someone has the opportunity to bring them back again.
Superman (2023) #25 (digital) – See Guide to Superman (1986 – present). Joshua Williamson’s Superman (2023) has consistently been one of my favorite comics over the past two years, and it was heartening to see a lot of other people catch on as it released in trade.
I say that because last month I saw a lot of folks say that issue #24 didn’t hit for them. I felt the same. It wasn’t bad, but it felt like we very suddenly shifted gears from a bold, fun, imaginative Superman run into some bog standard “play the hits” stuff.
That’s largely due to a shift in the storytelling behind SuperCorp and how Lex Luthor’s hero turn has begun to shift in the wake of last year’s “House of Brainiac” event. Plus, guest artist Eddy Barrows turned in some super-gawky pages.
While I broadly enjoy Williamson, he can sometimes get into a rut where he churns out easy, decompressed, reconstituted plots we’ve seen before. Touting this double-length issue as a Superman-vs-Lex struggle makes me wary we’re heading for a regression as Dan Slott comes aboard the Superman family of titles.
If you want to climb aboard this one, I’d fly past the start of All-In and had all the way back to issue #1. The first two arcs of this book were incredible, and it seems like the “House of Brainiac” story that followed is going to have continuity importance to the run moving forward.
Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor (2023) #3 (digital) – See Guide to DC Elseworlds & Alternate Earths – Black Label. This it the final issue of this Mark Waid & Bryan Hitch non-continuity series about the death of Lex Luthor!
Given Waid’s utter dominance of the DC Universe at the moment (and the rapturous fan response) I’m a bit surprised I haven’t heard more noise about this one, but I guess that’s what happens when you wait two years between your first and second issues.
That’s for DC Comics April 23 2025 new releases! What were you already pulling? And, did I convince you to check out anything new? Sound off in the comments below.
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