Superman’s iconic Golden Age costume is officially returning as part of DC’s announcement that the Man of Steel will star in a brand-new adults-only series. Geared toward mature readers, the series marks a major departure from DC’s current, more family-friendly Superman projects, bringing a darker, tonally distinct addition to the hero’s ever-expanding lineup.
DC Comics has officially dropped its latest batch of September solicitations, and among them is the announcement of the new six-part Superman: The Stranger series. Published under DC’s Black Label imprint, the series will be geared toward mature readers (ages 17+) and tell a standalone story set outside of mainstream continuity.
Set for release on September 2, 2026, Wes Craig’s Superman: The Stranger #1 will be available at local comic shops and digitally for $4.99.
In addition to its mature rating, Superman: The Stranger stands out by taking the Man of Steel back to the Golden Age, where readers will witness his earliest adventures. The cover art for the first issue also confirms that this return to the Golden Age will bring back one of Superman’s classic costumes and logos, making the series stand out not only narratively but visually as well.
Everything We Know About DC’s New Black Label Superman Series (So Far)
Cover D Ethan Young Variant for Superman: The Stranger #1 (2026)
It does feel a bit paradoxical that DC’s newest Black Label series will take place during the Golden Age, given that stories from that era were typically far from mature-rated and often featured lighter, less serious narratives than modern comics. As a result, it will be particularly interesting to see how Wes Craig bridges DC’s Black Label reputation with the Golden Age setting of Superman: The Stranger.
While details surrounding the story remain scarce, the official synopsis for Superman: The Stranger #1 offers little indication of the mature themes or Black Label-worthy elements Craig could be incorporating. Instead, it reads exactly as one might expect from a Golden Age Superman story:
During the day, Clark Kent does what he can to make ends meet in the bustling city of Metropolis, but when the sun goes down, he leaps into action to keep the city streets safe. As Superman, Clark fights for a better tomorrow, but he feels like he’s not affecting change. The rich keep getting richer, and the poor struggle to survive. Can Superman truly save the downtrodden?
With that in mind, Superman: The Stranger's greatest mystery will be how it balances the spirit of the Golden Age with the mature storytelling expected of a Black Label title.
Wes Craig Talks About Bringing Superman’s Golden Age Back Through a Modern Lens
Main Cover by Wes Craig, Cover B by Dave Johnson Variant, and Cover C by Goran Parlov Variant for Superman: The Stranger #1 (2026)
According to DC’s official announcement, writer and artist Wes Craig’s Superman: The Stranger will be set in “an Art Deco-inspired 1938 Metropolis, the series reimagines Superman’s earliest adventures through a modern storytelling lens while drawing heavily from the visual language of DC’s Golden Age of comic books and the Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons."
This unique artistic setting will further help the series stand out visually among DC’s current Superman titles, especially with Craig bringing it to life in his signature style. DC’s All-In Special is a prime example of his distinctive artwork, as he was the lead artist on the Darkseid side of this era-setting comic book special. Below, readers will find a creator's comment from Craig himself discussing his excitement to share this upcoming Superman story with fans:
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 from DC Comics will be available to read on September 2, 2026!
