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San Diego Comic-Con 2023, North America's largest comic book convention, ended on July 23, 2023. Despite the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes, fans were inundated with news pertaining to comics. San Diego Comic-Con is known for its remarkable presence of Hollywood actors and other influential personalities. However, the absence had no effect on the flow of interesting comic updates.
Comic news includes announcements of Invincible's second season, including an Atom Eve special episode, a film screening of Justice League: Warworld, and two announcements for animated films based on Crisis on Infinite Earths and Watchman. This isn't all, as other interesting announcements were made at San Diego Comic-Con 2023 as well, much to the excitement of fans.
Invincible season 2's release date and Ms. Marvel's revival part of exciting San Diego Comic-Con 2023 comic announcements
1) Harley Quinn season 4 trailer and release date
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Harley Quinn returns for season 4 and is just as raw, loud, and expressive as ever. As Harley Quinn joins the Bat Family, Poison Ivy joins the Legion of Doom. If trailers are to be believed, this causes a ton of friction between the two as they attempt to keep their relationship intact.
On July 21, 2023, the trailer debuted at San Diego Comic-Con 2023 and was cross-promoted on DC's YouTube Channel. The previous three seasons are already available on HBO Max (now simply Max), and the new season, which will be ten episodes long, will begin on July 27, 2023.
2) DC collides with kaiju: Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong
In what can only be described as a childhood dream for many comic fans, San Diego Comic-Con 2023 announced that the Justice League, King Kong, and Godzilla are all set to come into conflict in a comic book series to be launched this October. Titled Justice League Vs. Godzilla Vs. Kong, the plot sees the Justice League vs. The Legion of Doom interrupted by Godzilla and King Kong.
Interestingly, Godzilla has a history of being published in Marvel Comics, but this is the first time DC Comics will feature both Godzilla and King Kong in the continuity. It certainly sounds like a good time for comic book and kaiju fans, but they'll need to wait until October to witness this clash of titans.
3) DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths and Watchmen animated adaptations announced
The DC news out of San Diego Comic-Con 2023 kept coming, with announcements for animated movies based on two famous stories: Crisis on Infinite Earths and Watchmen.
Crisis on Infinite Earths follows multiple universes teaming up to prevent absolute destruction by the Anti-Monitor. Watchman features many retired superheroes grappling with their place in a world teetering on the eve of the Cold War going nuclear.
The two were announced alongside a recently released Justice League: Warworld film screening, released On Demand and digital platforms on July 25, 2023. While no trailers were released for either project at San Diego Comic-Con 2023, their logos were released, and the tentative release dates of 2024 were confirmed.
4) Invincible Atom Eve special and season 2 release date
For those clamoring for more Invincible content after season 1 ended in April 2021, San Diego Comic-Con 2023 provided confirmation about two things: a special episode centering around the character of Atom Eve and the season 2 trailer and release date premiere on July 21, 2023. The Atom Eve special, which details the backstory of one of the main characters, is currently streaming on Prime Video.
Invincible Season 2 is set to premiere on November 3, 2023, in a batch of eight episodes on a weekly basis before releasing the remaining episodes in early 2024. According to the plot summary released by Amazon, season 2 will involve Mark Grayson reeling from Nolan's beatdown from season one and battling his own fears of becoming his father.
5) The Boys spin-off Gen V premiere date confirmed
For everyone wondering when the Gen V spin-off of the popular The Boys series on Amazon Prime Video will premiere, the release date has been confirmed for September 29 at San Diego Comic-Con 2023. The series' plot is based around the life and times of college-aged Supers in a Vought-run college, where corruption runs deep.
This premiere confirms the September release window as well as the first three episodes premiering on the same day. The remaining episodes will be released on a weekly basis up until the season finale on November 3, 2023, with the official teaser trailer released on July 24, 2023.
6) New Marvel comic releases include Spider-Gwen and Star Wars
On Saturday, July 23, several announcements were made regarding Marvel comics and especially women-led projects. The first announcement reveals the return of the Women of Marvel podcast on September 6, alongside more comic-related news. Out of the plethora of other comic-related announcements, the main two are Spider-Gwen: On Tour and Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi comic releases.
In Spider-Gwen: On Tour #1 of a four-issue miniseries, Spider-Gwen and the Mary Janes are set for a four-city tour while avoiding assassination attempts. In Obi-Wan Kenobi #3, Obi-Wan continues his efforts to escape the planet Mapuzo as Darth Vader closes in on him. Obi-Wan Kenobi is due in November 2023, and Spider-Gwen starts in December 2023.
7) Nightcrawler and Mystique's true origins
Marvel's SDCC announcements were as varied as they were wild. With other MCU-based projects being pushed back, this left the comics to shine. Among Marvel's many San Diego Comic-Con 2023 announcements was X-Men Blue: Origins. This one-shot will reveal and explore both Nightcrawler's and Mystique's origin stories.
Both characters have been key X-Men series icons in various versions for decades, but their origins have never been thoroughly addressed. Prior attempts by Chris Claremont in the 1980s to have Destiny, then Nightmare, be Nightcrawler's father, and likewise, Chuck Austin's reveal of Azazel, didn't pan out. Fans wondering about all of these questions and more will have to wait until November 29 for answers.
8) Superior Spider-Man returns and a Gang War brews
Spider-Man fans needn't wait long for new comics featuring Marvel's web-slinger, as San Diego Comic-Con 2023 was host to two big announcements: the return of the Doctor Octopus-possessed Superior Spider-Man and a massive winner-take-all Gang War that pits all the New York crimelords against each other.
Superior Spider-Man continues the ongoing story a full decade after the series began, showcasing Doc Ock's Spider-Man battling familiar villains from his book. Gang War is far more ambitious, featuring multiple characters and intersecting with the worlds of Spider-Man, She-Hulk, Shang-Chi, and others like Elektra. Superior Spider-Man starts on November 11, and Gang War begins in November, likewise.
9) Rob Liefeld returns to Deadpool and other comics
San Diego Comic-Con 2023 announced controversial creator of Deadpool Rob Liefeld returning to grace Marvel with three new comics: Deadpool: Seven Slaughters, Time to Kill, and First Contact. Deadpool: Seven Slaughters follows the Merc With a Mouth over the course of a week-long killing spree as a one-shot. Liefeld has promised to make Deadpool more violent than ever.
The latter two comic series don't really have any plots, but fans can guess by the art. Time to Kill appears to feature one of Liefeld's originals named Major X, whereas First Contact stars Cable and the original X-Men team. The Deadpool: Seven Slaughters one-shot is set to release on November 15. Time to Kill and First Contact are tentatively set for 2024.
10) Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant and The New X-Men announced
Following the incredibly negative reception of Kamala Khan's death, aka Ms. Marvel, in Amazing Spider-Man, San Diego Comic-Con 2023 presented covers for her first three issues and a trailer for the first issue. It is set to take place after Hellfire Gala 2023 #1, set for release on July 26, showcasing Kamala's status as a mutant and inhuman hybrid.
The story is supposed to take place in the aftermath of Fall of X, showcasing Ms. Marvel's revival in the first issue and her working alongside the X-Men as the world begins hunting down mutant-kind. Similarly, Marvel teased The New X-Men in the wake of Fall of X. Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant, which is set for release on August 30,
11) The New Punisher
With The Punisher series starring Frank Castle reaching over 50 years, Marvel revealed at San Diego Comic-Con 2023 that Frank is being replaced following his seemingly dying and showing up in Weirdworld to help people there. In his place, fans will see retired SHIELD Black Ops agent Joe Garrison, though Marvel has remained tight-lipped on his motive as of yet.
Legacy characters aren't new to superheroes, nor is Marvel, especially considering the likes of Captain America and Captain Marvel have shared titles. Whether Joe Garrison will indeed live up to Frank's legacy is a mystery that fans can decode as the new Punisher series launches on November 8.
12) DC's Superman extravaganza
San Diego Comic-Con 2023 also played host to a number of Superman comic-book announcements. Several of these included a massive collection celebrating the Return of Superman 30th Anniversary Special, Superman's 850th issue, and a prequel comic featuring General Zod called Kneel Before Zod.
The first is a large volume that will be told from the perspective of Lois Lane, who discovers a journal kept by Perry White that is full of secrets he uncovered while searching for the next Superman. The second involves Earth Prime Superman and Kingdom Come Superman taking on Doomsday. Additionally, the third is a prequel, featuring General Zod's point of view of the cataclysmic destruction of Krypton.
13) New Batman comics announcements feature gargoyles and Outsiders
Not to be outdone by Superman alone, DC announced plenty of Batman comics at San Diego Comic-Con 2023. The first is Detective Comics: Outlaw, which sees the Dark Knight in the Wild West. Titans: Beast World sees Beast Boy become Starro, and Batman and Robin see Damien Wayne in high school.
Outsiders features the return of the team, led by Batwoman and Luke Fox. Finally, Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham is a dark, horror-based story about Batman being a haunting creature of the night. Gargoyle of Gotham will be released in September, Outsiders in November, Outlaw in October, Batman and Robin start in September, and Titans in November.
14) Todd McFarlane announces new Spawn Universe comics
Todd McFarlane's Spawn comics, which are a true blast from the past, are returning. Spawn's universe is about to see an expansion. First, a series titled Sam and Twitch will feature NYPD Detectives Sam Burke and Twitch Williams. Misery is set to be the story of a girl with psychic powers fighting demons and being on an emotional rollercoaster.
Gunslinger Spawn is set to get his own series. A sequel to Spawn Kills Everyone! aka Spawn Kills Every Spawn, is scheduled for launch. The last two, No Home Here, follow one of Billy Kincaid's victims, and Knights vs. Samurai features the titular factions fighting against each other. Image Comics has yet to release a date.
15) TMNT: The Last Ronin sequel
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans can celebrate as San Diego Comic-Con 2023 announced that The Last Ronin will get a sequel from IDW Publishing. At an IDW panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2023, the title and story details were revealed. The story concerns a new generation of Turtles named Yi, Uno, Odyn, and Moja coming of age under their sensei, Casey Marie Jones, to fight new enemies.
With the original turtles all dead, focusing on a new generation is normally considered controversial. That hasn't stopped the creators from being excited about it, seeing as the sequel is supposed to infuse more positive elements. The first part of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II - Re-Evolution is set to release on December 13.
16) The Vigil and A Vicious Circle
A lesser-known DC project featured in San Diego Comic-Con 2023 is The Vigil from Author Ram V, who worked on Venom and Blue in Green from Marvel and Image Comics, respectively. Ram V's The Vigil involves a group of Indian superheroes archiving, destroying, and getting rid of technology the world isn't ready for, such as seen in Men in Black.
The last project is an ambitious title from Boom! Studios called A Vicious Circle, which deep dives into the tale of two assassins chasing each other through time and killing each other to repeat the cycle. Both are currently ongoing. Vigil is in part 3 of 6, with part 4 releasing on August 15, whereas A Vicious Circle is in part 2 of 3, with part 2 having just released on July 19.
As readers can notice, the many comic releases, announcements, and highlights from San Diego Comic-Con 2023 could fill several pages. All of these comics and comic-based material are highly anticipated, especially Invincible season 2, the Marvel and DC comics, and even the TMNT sequel to one of its best comic arcs.
As the WGA Writer's Strike and SAG-AFTRA 2023 strikes are still ongoing, some of these dates are subject to change. San Diego Comic-Con 2023 was still plenty of fun and offered a lot for comic fans. If any readers note any San Diego Comic-Con 2023 comics missing from the lineup, point them out in the comment section.
