DC Comics takes a villainous turn as General Zod set to steal the spotlight in his own series - Release date confirmed

DC Comics is set to dig deeper into Superman's greatest villain's story with a new series titled Kneel Before Zod. The upcoming series was announced during San Diego Comic-Con 2023 and is scheduled to hit comic book stores on January 2, 2024.

It promises to be a dark and compelling trip into the mind of one of the most frightening villains in the DC Comics Universe.

Kneel Before Zod is General Zod's famous phrase from the 1980 film Superman II and has become an enduring part of superhero history, establishing General Zod as a fearsome foe in the DC Comics universe.

Zod has always been a figure that both fans and superheroes dread because of his reputation for his merciless methods and never-ending desire for power.

DC Comics set to offer a story like never before with Kneel Before Zod #1

Kneel Before Zod will explore a compelling tale as General Zod and other Phantom Zone outlaws build an outpost on the planet New Kandor. The story will be set in the current DC comics continuity. Action Comics #1060, which will be written by the renowned Joe Casey and includes illustrations by Dan McDaid, will serve as a prelude to the series.

The series will explore the mind of Superman's arch-nemesis (Image via DC)

In this prologue, Zod's son starts to wonder if New Kandor is hiding something unsettling. The beginning of this captivating series by DC Comics, which is slated to release its first issue in January 2024, looks exciting, to say the least.

The official synopsis for DC comic's Kneel Before Zod #1 paints a dreadful picture:

"General Zod was Krypton's most notorious criminal." Now he has an entire planet to rule—but what happens when the most dangerous individual in the universe gets everything he ever wanted? Obviously, he wants more—and he'll stop at nothing to get it—in the most brutal series you'll read this year! This is not a hero's journey.”

A fascinating element of Kneel Before Zod is how it was influenced by Michael Shannon's depiction of General Zod in Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel".

The comic's creator, Joe Casey, has freely stated that Shannon's portrayal of the character had a big impact on how he interpreted him. Shannon's portrayal of Zod as "clear cut" and "laser-focused," inspired and particularly struck Casey for the upcoming DC comic's version which is sure to give the series a riveting intensity.

The Kneel Before Zod creative team is strong. Joe Casey, a writer best known for his work on Adventures of Superman in the early 2000s, will offer new perspectives on the Kryptonian civilization and the DC Comics universe.

In this eagerly awaited series by DC Comics, artist Dan McDaid brings his own visual aesthetic to this disturbing story.

One of the variants for the upcoming series (Image via DC/art by Dan McDaid)

The brilliant covers for the first issue of Kneel Before Zod will be by Jason Shawn Alexander, Nathan Szerdy, Björn Barents, Rafael Sarmento, and Ariel Colón. The journey into hell for General Zod and his family has only just begun, and it promises to be a dark and twisted experience.

The purpose of comic series is to go beyond simply telling a standard superhero tale. General Zod is taken "back to his b*stard roots," as desired by DC Comics, as the series dives deep into his motives and past.

Joe Casey wants to offer complexity and purpose that interest readers in a deeper way and not just make Zod a likable character.

On December 12, 2023, the story of Zod will mark its beginnings in Action Comics #1060, and Kneel Before Zod #1 will debut on January 2, 2024. Be ready to witness General Zod's plunge into darkness like never before, making sure that the DC comic's most infamous criminal will steal the spotlight once more.